Carl Johan's Reviews

Ziani's has become somewhat of a favourite hang-out for many of my friends who seem to visit almost weekly. I finally went there a few days ago and I can really see why. I wouldn't maybe go here with my girlfriend, but with friends it's ideal. A very vibrant and buzzy atmosphere and the place was completely full through-out the evening.

The service was in my view quite Italian, i.e. changing from family-like hugging and kissing, to completely ignoring you. I do definitely get the feeling that the regulars get treated well (things changed when my old-timer friends arrived), but it still decreases the score.

The food was very good, and I tasted the asparagus, the saffron ravioli and the fried mozzarella as starters and the chicken filled with salami and spinach. It was all very well done and the wines we were recommended fitted nicely.

To conclude; a great place to start, or to spend, an evening and eat well with good friends.

I thought Defune was an ok sushi-place, but not great in any way. The décor was very bright and felt quite unwelcoming. Downstairs is a bit better, but still a bit of a hospital feel to it. The personnel, however, were very accommodating and service was as good as can be expected. I even had my ignorant sushi-questions answered in a friendly manner. I finally now know for sure that you’re supposed to dip only the fish part, not the rice, in the soy sauce. Apparently it’s not a life-or-death issue though.

Speaking of the food, I truly enjoyed the teriyaki, actually one of the better ones I’ve had. The sushi and the other food we tried, e.g. tempura, were good, but not spectacular.

What surprised me the most with Defune was the bill. It is truly expensive, and not really worth it in my view. However, if you’re not fazed by the recession, if you live in Marylebone and if you feel like having some sushi, then sure, why not? That said, I have yet to try the other sushi-places around the area so I might be adjusting this shortly.

I happen to be a big fan of gastro-pubs and was pleasantly surprised when I discovered one in my neighbourhood. I've had dinner and lunch on both floors at the Duke and I have yet to be displeased with any of the dishes tried. The fish dishes are very well prepared, using fresh ingredients, but they have also served me some excellent meat dishes.

If you're looking for something a bit buzzy and between gastro-pub and pub, I strongly recommend this for a laid back week night, or for a Sunday roast. The prices are surprisingly high though.

I was really looking forward to re-trying La Poule au Pot since it had been ages since my last time. The whole experience started off in a slightly negative tone since the person I booked with was appropriately rude, à la Francaise. I was also concerned that the dimmed lighting and the ‘romantic’ atmosphere I remembered had clouded my food judgement.

Luckily, my fears were unfounded. I had asparagus as starter and the veal escalope as main and both were delicious. I also tried my girlfriend’s foie gras and her garlic lamb, and although the lamb was served a bit too cold, it was really tasteful and tender. The foie gras outshone my asparagus, which was good, but appropriately straight forward.

Most people rave on about the atmosphere, but to some extent I must say it’s all in the dim lighting. The actual place is getting quite worn down, a bit more than the customary “French” brasserie style interior should allow for. That said, I’m still a fan, both of the atmosphere, the service and most importantly the food.

On the minus side, and although I truly enjoyed the food, it is slightly overpriced, with most mains around or above the 20 mark, but I would definitely recommend a visit. Finally, as if it’s not clear already, this is a place to go to with your girl- or boyfriend, not as a group of friends..

Another one of my local places. I have hesitated to visit this place since it looks like a proper tourist trap from the outside. A big, tacky sign and a slightly worn-down exterior in general. I went there recently and apart from the fact that they seemed to have a bit of a leakage from the ceiling (!), it was alright. The place is small and felt very much like a “couples” only restaurant with dimmed lighting and a pleasant atmosphere. The food is north-african/Turkish, and I quite liked it. We tried the lemon chicken which was delicious, as well as the many starters we had. The owners informed us that they thrive of very loyal and local customers, and I have no problems in seeing why. Especially if they have a take-away service (which I didn't ask about).

This place could do with an extreme make-over, but as a local, it's definitely worth going to. Especially if you're into this type of food.

I hadn't been to Crazy Bear for over a year when I recently returned. Already a year ago, I had been impressed by the different style, good atmosphere and the quality of the food. I must say that despite that, everything had improved. What pleased me the most was the excellent service which was shown, not only through timely delivery and discreetness, but also through the willingess to do something extra with the dessert since it was someone's birthday. It might sound like something you might and shoudl expect, but these expectations are so often unfulfilled.

The food itself is very good and well done. I can agree with some people I've spoken to who think that the kitchen is a bit too ambitious in its mixing between Asian and European, but I didn't mind much. The black cod was great, while the lamb was a bit greasy, but overall the food was in deed of very high quality.

After the dinner we spent some time trying the cocktails in the downstairs bar, which is an excellent place to finish or start your dinner experience. Also there, the service continued at its initial high standard. I'm not sure, however, how well the cocktails were made, by this time, it was late..

Overall, a great place that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. The only significant chink in the armor is the time slot system, but that seems to be unavoidable in London.

I'm a big fan of the menu-less concept of just having dishes coming in now and then. At Hunan, these have always been of very high quality and I'm consistently pleased with the food. However, I've been with a group of people as well as a couple and the former is more suitable than the latter since the atmosphere is something you'll have to create yourself. Unfortunately, the decor is quite boring and outdated and could use some care as well. On a final, slightly negative note, the service has occasionally been a bit patchy but it usually delivers.

Having re-read this, the review might sound more negative than positive, but I would like to stress that the food definitely makes the place worth going to.

A big favourite among many of my friends but I have always failed to understand the buzz about the place. The usually long wait for a table can be quite alright if you're a group and are able to pass time at the bar. The food itself isn't that great although passable and sometimes fairly alright. Service tends to be sub-par most often. I guess that it is a steakhouse and should rated as such, but I still think this place has a lot left to do to impress me. The big upside is that the atmosphere is usually lively and energetic and it's therefore a pretty good place to start an evening.