The old ways are sometimes...

… the best. And this really encapsulates the Ritz. Yes, it is expensive, yes the decor has seen better days and yes some of the extras are pricey, but and this is the key here: it delivers. In a very big way. The dining room, mainly in the evening, lunch I am less keen on, is beautiful. There is a glow which few other public restaurants have, the candles, the music and food. The food is excellent, not in a cutting edge way, but in a classic well taught and well executed way. The team of Sommelliers are excellent, and contrary to popular belief are not there to rip you off at all – much to the contrary. On a recent visit, I was guided towards a better value bottle which is a rare and very pleasant experience. The Ritz then does not try to compete with some of the very modern two and three star offerings, it is a far more timeless and tested experience, which is not there to educate or to push boundaries, but to entertain, to please and to give a refresher on “how it's really done”. The ground by the way is very mixed these days and the atmosphere many things but not stuffy in the least. I found myself leaving and thinking, I hope the Ritz, when it is eventually gets refreshed, will not fall prey to the fate of so many great London hotels of being spoilt by fashion, or for that matter the generic tastes of a large multi-national hotel group. It's just fine the way it has been and the way it is. And life is still too short not to try it and then go again and again…

The secret meatlover's lair...

Cute, discreet, romantic – bordering on the magical. Winding your way through the closed Chelsea's Farmer's market to get there, what you find could be a little hut on the river plate. A hugely authentic Argentinian restaurant which is totally different and much more down-to-earth than the also excellent chain of Goucho Grills (different owners!). Talk to the staff, they take their meat very seriously here and it is made on a proper griddle. Excellent, good luck for many years to come, I hope.

Excellent Fun Addition to the Chelsea Area

The team at Honky Tonk hit the nail on the head. A funky, funny and high quality offering and a truly ‘good times’ atmosphere. The Mai Tai is one of the best around, one omission are draft beers, but maybe these can be added if the place receives the success it deserves. The Food? Very nice indeed. Some of the more established North-American places better watch out there is a buzz and energy here that is often missing elsewhere!

Une grande catastrophe...

… and it all started so well. Racine has been a fixture on Old Brompton Road for the best part of a decade. At first it was fine dining but when that wore off the owners jumped on the Parisian Bistro Bandwagon and at first it seemed to work. However, a recent repeat visit was hands down one of the worst London dining experiences of the past years. It was nothing short of carnage. At one point I almost started looking for the hidden camera. The staff are extremely unfriendly – like in a comedy sketch looking to (normally unfairly!) poke fun at French waiters. The food was terrible. The setting itself has aged very poorly and given the more than hefty prices could do with a lick of paint, especially on the grimy ceiling. The fish soup (soupe de poisson) had a completely wrong, watery consistency and a taste which could only be described as that of shellfish gone off. I pointed this out to the chap trying to pass as a waiter to cue an educational lecture that it was supposed to be like this and that I should see reason and rather shut up. Period. Trying to hold on to my last scraps of good mood, I consoled myself with that the other starter was forgettable but not a complete disaster, although very, very far from competitors such as Chabrot down the road. The duck main did little to re-establish trust and achieved merely mediocrity. All this was rounded off by lousy and uninspired dessert, a hefty bill and completely insincere apologies by the (stand-in?) manager. I really thought this type of behavior had died out among London restaurant. But I'm sure in the back of their minds Racine are ready for the next stampede of tourists over the Easter break. How useful that Square Meal has introduced “half-stars.” Quelle horreur.

To Wabi or not to Wabi

Wabi's staff get 10 out of 10 for trying. It is a large, busy, sometimes noisy space and they really do their best to pay attention to detail and to make the best of people's meals here. However, there are some strange and uncommon problems throughout the restaurant. The first becomes evident already as you approach Wabi – it smells oddly of, well, the (very nice!) Tempura side of their menu. Then the overall atmosphere is again in keeping with trying hard but failing ever so slightly. The decor is not quite up to the relatively high prices, but then again the food really is surprisingly good. Some dishes are very imaginative and I could well imagine giving Wabi another go in the future. But in any way it is an enrichment to the Kingsway/Holborn area.

Viajante is very special indeed.

It is understated – almost subdued but very tasteful and contemporary. The dining experience is friendlier than in almost all other restaurants of this standing in London. It is a place of exchange, discovery and of surprise. It is very difficult to put ones finger on it, but there is an exciting mix of a relaxed setting, much unlike, say a top Paris restaurant and positively extreme seriousness and attention to detail in the cooking. During a meal here everything takes second place to the food. While the wine list is very imaginative and the members of the team have personal relationships with many of the growers of the mostly biodynamic wines and champagnes on offer, the food is unquestionably the star.

As most readers will realise the Spanish name simply means “traveller”. In an unique attempt the different rungs of chefs express their impressions and experiences of foods from around the world in individual dishes using the state-of-the-art culinary techniques which are second to none in the UK and can be found exercised to this level in only very few restaurants in the world right now.

The travel theme is well executed. Do not fear a myriad of different styles, fusions and combinations. Everything is inspired from different parts of the world, usually inspired by the very knowledgeable staff, but successfully brought back home to chef’s highly unique and very subtle, elegant style.

The 6-, 9- and 12- course tasting menus are sometimes served “blind”, so a bit like on a great voyage the diner is asked to surrender some or almost all control to the captain at the helm. The actual menu is then produced over coffee and makes for a neat souvenir of the visit-trip-meal, you get the idea… There are, like on any trip, a few challenges to surmount along the way. Expect new textures and some of the truly avant-garde techniques.
After what can be a very long meal, our conclusion was that one is generally wiser for the experience and there is a refreshing serenity to the often complex dishes: never is there any showing off as so often is the case with cutting edge cooking, always form follows function and Mr Mendes Cooking is very pleasing to the eye too.
This is without doubt the most unique top-class restaurant in the capital and deserves all its recent laurels. It is one of the most interesting and inspiring dining experiences in the UK and would compare favourably with European peers. As long as one is slightly aware of the trip ahead and what to expect it is a great, well, Odysee… I guess.

The clearest thing to say is that one instantly feels like coming back again and again. This has to be a true compliment for any “trip”.

A good, above average place in St. James's. The thing with Al Duca is that while very solid, it does sport a slightly “corporate” feel. While reliable, usually quite flexible and open late, there is simply a “special zing” missing to make this a truely great address. However value is acceptable and service is charming unless the restaurant gets very busy.

A very good try at the classic French theme in the heart of the west end. The inside is pleasant, but service can be sketchy during busy times. The food is surprisingly consistent, but waiting times as well as service are hit-and-miss. However, there is an all-day-menu which is good to know in these parts of town.

Let's start with the obvious… the location is absolutely amazing. Especially in London where such views are still quite rare, this a great bonus. But the real surprise here was the food… the “mariage” of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian foods sounds a bit worrying. Espcially since other types of fusion menus have been overdone in recent times. But here it works as the chefs have gone to lengths to balance everything cleanly and the staff are very knowledgeable regarding what goes well together and what doesn't. As usual with “exported” dining experiences there are down points. And the main one here is the bar. The cocktails are good, but the bar itself is run in a slightly messy way which shouldn't be the case given the steep prices… However detach yourself from the sticky counter and make your way to your table and the view, the food and the service make this a difficult place to beat. Surely the new Zuma on top of the Shard will be even higher end and possilby a bit smaller and more intimate, but if you miss the excellent “destination dining” that exists in other mega-cities Sushisamba is very good place to start. It was very cold during our visit, but that roof terrace will be great fun in spring too…

The food at Monsieur Koffmann's is very, very, good. The service too, as you would expect. And yet there is a twist: it is just that little bit less stuffy and that little bit less complicated than the haute cuisine offerings in town. And all the better for it. Don't get me wrong – it is very civilised. The dining room is slightly muted for my taste, but it works. However, having said that some “complications” of fine dining have been removed, they replaced partly by charm, and partly by subtle but fantastic details. The bread is home made and probably the best in London. The petits fours are works of art, the selection of fine spirits is overwhelmingly well stocked. And we haven't even started to talking about the cheese trolley… It's great that Monsieur Koffmann is back and let's hope he'll be with us for a few years to come.

A great pity. Seldom in London such a good kitchen is let down so severely by its front-of-house. What could and should be an enriching little restaurant in this eerie part of Pimlico just within reach of Tate Britain and the ugly theatres around Victora Station, leaves a lot to be desired. The food is really not bad at all, and very good iberian produce is being used, but there is just something about the dining room, the staff and the general atmosphere which is, well… strange, distant and a bit sad. I don´t know, all I know it wasn´t us, we were in a geat mood. I hope they make the necessary tweaks to capitalise on the great potential the kitchen has to offer.

Tartine is a decent place for a quick lunch in South Kensington. It is not too pretencious and has a few healthy-ish options on the menu. It is laid back and they have some nice juices and smoothies. It is however not very unique – even though the whole idea of serving open sourdough sandwiches like in France is quirky. Good but also quite forgettable however, a practical option around these parts of town.

Absolutely amazing – this, one of the classic branches of the Gaucho empire is a well oiled gastronomic power house. It is impeccable from its new Latin American – themed “Galante” bar to the fantastic food and the top-notch service. Actually, the service is what stands out most, it always has been and always is impeccable. Be it for a romantic dinner, a business dinner or a catch up with friends, if you like meat, Gaucho is difficult to better…

Geale's, nestled between the über-wealthy Kensington (W8) and Notting Hill (W11) have, to put it briefly, devised a magic forumula which should be studied by economically-minded sociologists: “How to turn simple, average fish and chips with mediocre side dishes and a few bottles of wine for four persons into a £300 meal?”. It also spells out as “Arrogance + Ignorance X Location”. The only (remotely) justifiable part of the equation is “Location”, as yes it is handily located off Notting Hill Gate, but the rest is simply shocking. These are the kind of restaurants which give Lonodon gastronomy a bad name among visitors. Geale's was a Kensington stalwart until it was overhauled and then hyped-up. It now sports minimalist black-and-white decor and has lost all of its original charm. What a pity. And if one is after a good (and be it pricey) meal in this neck of the woods there are plenty of options. To avoid. No, better: run!

Well, Inamo is great fun. I was very sceptical, having stubbornly ignored the restaurant's Soho mother-ship (if you have been you'll understand the sci-fi pun), of the über-modern concept. But, having spent an evening at the new St. James's branch, I have to say, that this is actually very good dine-a-tainment. The food is amazingly inconsistent ranging from excellent tuna tartar to confusing (and burnt) cinnamon chicken. Also, if you plan to go – girls AND boys should bring plenty of sweaters because the ambient temperature is positively arctic. This, the very professional manager explained, was due to a kind of ‘conceptual hazard’, and and I quote here because I couldn't possibly make it up: “The ceilings are full of computers and we have to keep them cool”. Right… never mind. Try it and see for yourself, it's cheaper than catching a cold on the plane to Japan.