Derek's review of The Don

There must be something wrong with me. Two years ago I posted probably the only poor review for The Bleeding Heart in the past decade, and now I'm going to something similar to The Don.

Maybe it's the expectation, but my visit left me feeling like an ever so slightly average shag. You've tried to like it and you've performed some moves, but you just can't help feeling underwhelmed.

For a start the interior was all cooky, rather than the big booming City hall I'd hoped for. Tables were too near each other. Then my table had a pronounced list, so that each time I moved my arm, it jiggled my glass. Maybe I'm sounding like a junior grade civil cervant here, but at a restaurant where praise has been so lavish it's the small things which count. Then the sound of the flash frying twice made conversation all but difficult, resulting in a slightly embarrassed pause. Again, not a major problem, but they all start to add up.

The food, admittedly, was excellent – rabbit with wild mushrooms, bacon and lentils, however, the service was next to useless – constantly over-bearing and at one point, with the client conversation at a delicate junction whereby they could leave at any point, the bloody stupid waitresses asked us all three times whether we wanted any more water.

Sorry – not impressed. There are many other places for similar prices where the food is as good, but the overall experience far superior. But then again, maybe it's just me…