How odd that the only previous reviewer has chosen a picture which is such a close female version of the picture I use on Squaremeal !
I have frequented this place on and off for over 12 years, and very much prefer it since it was taken over by present management which I believe is associated with the hotel in Charterhouse Square. The term gastropub is a portmanteau word covering a mulititude of differing ambitions and achievements. However,if the F+A is an average pub so far as drink is concerned, it is far from average so far as the food is concerned.
I have to ration my visits here a bit, as I struggle to keep my weight down and it would be easy to balloon in weight here. I can thouroughly recommend the burger here – definitely a couple of cuts above the average ! The quality is great, as is the juiciness. The chips, however, are almost always totally impossible to leave unfinished. Combine that with every condiment you could wish for, and this is truly a burger worth making a detour for. I have also eaten the steak tartare here, enjoyed it very much and, so far, seem to show no signs of incubating Kreutzfeld-Jacobs… (sic, possibly). There are fresh oysters for those who like to eat that sort of thing (not me, unfortunately). The pies are the trademark of the F+A but there's nothing I can say to add to what Anoo has posted. This is a good place for food, and an interesting place visually, and I am happy to commend it accordingly.

I try never to be unkind when posting a review, and mine in based on four visits over approximately 12-14 months. Each time as a guest, so it is obvious the this restaurant has its fans. But I am not one of them, really.
The wine, for me, is the redeeming feature of this place, especially the Meerlust Rubicon which I think is a wonderful wine of its kind, and it is sold here at no higher price than I have seen it listed elsewhere.
I think that this is a worthwhile concept except that the table service has always been disctinctly average (though management seems to be genuinely interested in the clientele having a good experience – but when one is a guest, it is difficult not just politely to grunt approval). The food is where for me this place falls flat, particulalry as it is not cheap. Each time I have eaten here, the food has simply been way behind the wine and struck me as a sort of afterthought in terms of taste, imagination and satisfaction. Not that the food is bad, or inedible, or tasteless; for me it has been just totally forgetable. As though cooked with public schoolboys in mind (those brought up on stew, crumble and custard), who appreciate the alcohol but would not know theire Guinea Fowl from their Ostrich. At the moment, it is the sort of place I am perfectly OK with the idea of being taken to, but would not think of inviting others to. Faint praise, perhaps, but just my opinion with which the reader is free to agree or disagree.

Gaucho Smithfield is a bit of a puzzle: I should like it, I eat there in preference to the top floor at Smiths (which I consider uninspired and vastly overpriced), but I can't say I truly rate it.
The decor is discrete/opulent which is fine for City lunches (though at the moment the City seems very depressed and the traffic volumes are hardly ever what the “used to be”). The service is very attentive and the Brazilian waitresses there are especially pleasant. The little cheese rolls served with the bread really hit the spot when they are served hot (send them back if they are not !).
The food is the closest to delivering “what it says on the tin” that one could ask for…BUT:
1. The starters are always mean even though they deliver the taste and quality (I love palm hearts, for instance);
2. The steaks always look like they are the the smaller sibblings of the ones shown on the board they bring round – the cooked weight is a fraction of the alleged uncooked weight so NEVER order the smallest size; and
3. The sides are also mean.
Saving grace: the wine ! Though you can pay well over the odds here, Argentinian reds can be simply wonderful. Try the wines listed at the back of the red selection which are exclusive to Gaucho – the Malbec blends are seriously good. A friend who lives in the far East took me there for lunch when he was in London recently, and asked me to pick any wine (he owed me a favour): I picked the most expensive of these exclusive wines (52 quid, I think) and he agreed it was worth every penny !
Another plus: the tables are not close together so conversations are unlikely to be overheard.
I can't help thinking that this could easiy be a place I really look forward to visiting, so come on the management, please think about the comments above and do something, you are nearly there.

Why am I writing this review ?
Not because this is an existential piece of self examination, but because I disagree with quite a lot that Food Fiend has written – not that I doubt her experience or sincerity but, simply put: my experience and hers are quite different.
I have posted a number of reviews of restaurants my wife and I frequent which are within walking distance of where we live. We used to come to this site for romantic candle-lit dinners when Conrad's Bistro used to be here in the early 1970ies and we were both very young and, basically, penniless. When, a couple of generations later, Retsina opened here, I confess I was not a fan but I have slowly been won over. To the point that my overall opinion is that the food here is incomparably better than, say, Lemonia which is closer to where we live. True, Lemonia has a cracking atmosphere and a congenial setting , but here the food is in my view cooked on a far less industrial scale and with much more care. The results are as similar and cheese and chalk !
I was among a party of six friends of long standing last night. Often we meet up with one or both of our sons here for dinner on Sunday nights. The place was last night, and is normally, full – or nearly so – at 8.30pm when we tend to arrive. It seems obvious that six friends catching-up with each other are likely to enjoy themselves, so the likely success of the evening was always a probability which the food enhanced rather than detracted from. We had a bunch of starters, the usual suspects: humous, tarama, haloumi, pastourman… all these were reliably produced, and tasted as expected. The Chilean Sauvignon blanc and the Argentinian Shiraz Cabernet were reasonably priced and eminently drinkable. How much more can you ask for ?
I normally have chicken souvla, which runs out early because it is slow cooked and SOOOO tender… and not bulk produced (a definite tick in the box). Two people had that last night and enthused ! My wife had the chicken kebab which she always looks forward to and was not disappointed by. One of the guys had the liver and onion which looked excellent (and I don't eat offal if I have a choice) and was pronounced to be just that. I had the lamb stew with spinach – which I found melted in the mouth, had no fat, and both tasty and subtle at the same time. True, the next table full of late twenties lads was loud – but restaurants (especially this sort of Levantine cuisine) are to be enjoyed: you can keep the funeral atmosphere of the more traditional restaurants for your maiden aunt (I haven't got one).
Lastly, this is a family run restaurant and familiarity does not breed contempt. Regulars are appreciated and well treated. I recommend that (if you have read this far) you become one.

My wife and I have liked the Wells for quite a time – it is about the only restaurant in Hampstead “proper” that we like to go to – casual and busy downstairs, welcoming and intimate upstairs (longer, better menu). I did go off it for a while having reported what appeared to be a breach of hygene regulations which I witnessed – even though it was properly investigated (which resulted in an assurance that the person in question was not involved in food preparation in the kitchen). However, we went to an amusing play at the New End Theatre (W is for Banker) and four of us thought we'd give the Wells restaurant (upstairs) a try.

I am very glad we did, and so were the others. The setting is great – even though it was raining – and on a bright summer's evening takes a lot of beating. The bread was seriously good (hearty, real bread and not the refined white flour tasteless sort) and the people serving seemed genuinely concerned to ensure we were properly looked after. The attitude was not the purely efficient and competent sort one finds at places like the Wolseley, but less detatched, less arch, and more homely. The Petit Syrah was incredibly good value for money too, which helped keep things cheerful.

The menu is not long, but we found no difficulty ordering from among the starters. The Jerusalem Artichoke soup was familiar but good, the different salads delivered “what it said on the tin”. The main course I had of confit duck leg with dauphnoise potatoes was again familiar but hit the spot and the red cabbage which came with it was unsurpassed as far as I am concerned. My wife agreed (she made the same choice). The rib-eye steak looked good and was enjoyed, the same is true for the vegetarian risotto. The deserts were very tempting, but we were all being good.

We left full of praise, and we will be back soon…

This is a handy local, serving what I think could best be characterised as “correct” Italian cooking. The young lady who seems to manage front of house is friendly and attentive, but not very adequately supported by other waiting staff who often seem unable to speak English, however willing they may be. My wife and I have eaten here a number of times, alone, with kids, with friends… The food is authentic and restrained, the wine list has something for everyone. Starters such as grilled vegetables with burrata were good, the mussels generous. Last time I tried the ossobucco it was tough, but this time it fell off the bone, and the traditional risotto as it should be. The prices as really quite modest taken in the round and the atmosphere can be really quite good, if a bit cramped. I prefer to sit at the back on the ground floor, or below that at garden level, but not at the front by the door – a bit too much traffic. Oh, and if you like to celebrity spot, the restaurant is only about 150 yards from where the Foreign Sec lives, and the time before last that we went, Lord Mandelson was there too.

My wife and I were curious to try Odettes in its new icarnation under the ownership of Bryn Williams. I had never really rated it when it was the haunt of the denizens of the “World of Advertising” (a number of whom had over the years taken me there to show how big a bill they could write off on expenses). We went with a couple of friends visiting London from San Clemente (Nixon territory for those that remember). We had a very enjoyable evening, but I have been left with the feeling that this is a work in progress rather than the finished article. I feel I need to justify this conclusion. Good points: The food itself was very serious – I eat out a lot, and all over the place, but this was imaginative cooking with unusual pairings of flavours, the odd flight of eccentric individuality (Assiette de Porc or Pig's Head – not for the faint hearted), very well executed and stylishly presented. My starter of miniscule pieces of raw tuna on confit tomato served with a concentrated beetroot nage was a feast on the palate. The main course of Turbot pan fried to absolute perfection with crispy, almost caramelised pieces of oxtail with cockles was… well, I loved it. Our friends ordered mushroom soup – sounds uninspiring ? The actual soup looked really wonderful (especially in the way it was served) and I am told tasted original and great. My wife's Quail's egg starter was, by comparison, more a triumph of style over substance. However, all the main courses drew huge praise (the lamb was perfectly executed, the salmon looked equally good, as did the halibut). Less Good Points: The Wine List seems to me to be overpriced: I love certain Portuguese reds, and there are four levels of Quinta do Crasto available if you look for them, the entry level one is fine and not expensive to buy: it deserved a place on the list, but not at £28. I don't really like Montepulicano D'Abruzzo and £24 seems too high a price for such an undistinguished wine. We chose the Trinity Hill Syrah at £28 (what can I tell you, I look for value when I buy wine in restaurants). I think that the Bleeding Heart charges less for this wine ( I tried to check, but the website has no specific wines listed) and other Trinity Hill wines (which are very enjoyable). In my view, all restaurants should have at least one “house wine” which represents good value for those that aren't looking to impress or to spend what is left of pre-crunch bonuses. Another minor gripe is that our glasses were over-filled though I did not get the impression that this was out of the usual attempt to get us to order another bottle (which we did anyway). I was also minorly irritated by the person who “welcomed” us to the restaurant abandoning us temporarily to do other things because my friend was taking too long to take off his coat – either you are serving a customer and stick with it, or you are not. You cannot half-serve. So, there you have it: Primrose Hill – lovely. Setting of the restaurant – comfortable, elegant. Food – loved it. Wines – could do better at the “value” end. Service – work in progress. This restaurant could be great !

One Criticism: the decent wines are EXPENSIVE, but at least they are available.
Praise: great tapas, and decent atmosphere. This is a small and relatively noisy place, mainly because there are no soft furnishings and people seem to be enjoying themselves, which generates noise. The owner – or at least the person running the place – spoke faultless Spanish (and was English in origin); he clearly loved his subject (tapas/wine) and I think that's a plus. The olives were much better than standard olives, the jamon delicious, the fabada unctuous and rich but not “fatty”. The menu did not present unusual tapas – they were the conventional choices, but well executed and presented by young and committed staff. Great precursor to the rather disappointing Pitman Painters !

My wife and I took our two sons (28 and 25) plus respective girlfriends there for a casual dinner on a recent Sunday evening. Looks like a pub, feels like a pub… actually feels a bit grubby. Initially, our waitress had an attitude problem, but it seemed to go away as she decided that I wasn't going to be one of “those” difficult customers that waiters/managers love to hate. From that point, things changed. The atmosphere was cheerful in a pubby way, with the odd strange looking person, but generally not too loud and raucus. The wine list was acceptable, though I really don't think that there's a lot of imagination in it. The main saving grace is the food which is “always” (in the twice I've dined there) been well executed and subtle yet unabashed. I ate venison and enjoyed it very much. My sons + other halves loved the place – felt very much at home, at ease, able to be vocal and laugh, to eat, drink and enjoy. The value was really not bad for the overall experience too. What more can you ask for on a Sunday evening ?

Maybe this review is coloured by the early-March credit-crunch laden atmosphere, but the fact that at lunchtime my host and I were one of only four or so tables being used, did cast a bit of a wierd aura over the place. Having siad that, one of the amuse bouches was -as my younger brother used to put it – “orgasmic” ! It was a foie-gras icecream with a apple caramel crunch to it. I can still taste it in my mind. The service was professional and attentive, though everyone “in authority” seemed to be female (what happened to equal opportunity ?). The sommelier, interested and helpful – not automatically going for the top end of the list (what a nice change). The food was incredibly rich – that's the abiding memory – I felt unbelievably full by the time we left, even though the actual portions were very “correct”. There was a pre-desert desert too, and it was all in fact a vindication of the stellar (pun intended) reputation. Criticism ? Possibly the expense, but that would be griping. Possibly the rather middle-aged and self-reverential air of the place (I don't recall that in Angela Hartnett's time). I think food is associated with enjoyment, rather than worship, and I guess that's my one true reservation about my experience.

I eat at this “restaurant” (actually an upmarket fish and chips) about twice a month.
Why ? Because although the address is unprepossessing and the actual place quite stark and plasticky, the fish is top-notch. Fresh. Tasty. Cooked expertly. Great variety. OK, not the sort of place you would linger at or take anyone for a romantic evening (or lunch) but it is clean and the service friendly if sometimes oddly dispraxic. I challenge you not to like the “gratinated” rock oysters, or the Scallop starter. Same goes for the Roast Cod with roast mediterranean vegetables, the smoked haddock in flaky pastry and mushroom sauce, or any of the fish dishes come to think of it. The wines are limited, but the Muscadet is far from the awful stuff it used to be and is very good value. The entire meal is in fact hard to beat in terms of value for money.

Four of us ate at the Salt House last night (4 March). The first impression is of a warm, friendly local gastropub. However, initially, there was a queue of diners waiting to be seated and no-one remotely interested in helping – after a couple of minutes watching people “tutt, tutt” I went into the kitchen and appealed for help ! After that, things largely improved apart from the fact that almost all the wines at the “value” end of the list were “off” ! The suggested alternative to a £16.95 bottle of white cost £31.00 – so I thought that the waiter was either “having a laugh” or bonkers. Eventually, we settled for a very nice, cheap Viura (less than £15) and a bottle of a Cab Sauv from South Africa. The food was surprisingly good – hurrah ! The duck rillettes were as billed, the goats cheese salad was (I was told) very good. The Burger was very enjoyable and cooked medium as requested, The haddock and chips looked generous and was well received. One person had the steak and, having said that she would not be able to finish it, our friend consumed absolutely everything on the plate – which must be good. My wife had the salmon fishcakes and thought that they were not as bland as they sometimes can be (so why choose them ?). Altogether, a welcome surprise. We've booked to go back with our sons and their girlfirends !

This review has a happy ending: (1) Unhappy Start: My wife was invited to go to this restaurant at opening, and she enjoyed the evening and suggested we return with friends on an unbelievably cold night which lent the whole station an air of unreality – stark and shiverringly cold. The actual room and decor are incredibly swish, can't be faulted in the French smart brasserie style… seems belle epoque (though it isn't). That evening, the lady serving us seemed utterly unconcerned as to whether we ate or not, liked the place or not or, in fact anything else. Even after we pointed out we had not been offered bread – she offered us no bread ! When the wine was off – which is not the fault of anyone – she replaced it unquestioningly, but also utterly without any committment or engagement. The lack of care and service, which I associate with hands-off ownership of chains, spoiled our evening. What a shame as the food was not bad ! (2) WE WROTE TO THE MANAGEMENT and guess what, they reacted really positively, no defensiveness, and asked us to go back and give them the chance to show us what we should have seen first time around. Although it was mid-week there was an unobstrusive but very competent jazz band – added atmosphere. Service, knowledgable, caring but not obsequious. Food, hot, well prepared, pleasing rather than thrilling, portion control in evidence but not so as to be irritating. Decent wine list, though few “good value” bottles. The weekly and 1847 menus look good and we will be returning soon to try one of those two menus out. The 1847 menu could be a real find and, by its responsiveness to our measured complaint, the management has secured at least two return visits from what otherwise would have been two disgruntled diners.

Anyone who knows York Way will know that this is not the sort of neighbourhood that shouts “great eating”. However, the Rotunda is in a new building with interesting spaces and concert venues which could do something to change my perceptions. The restaurant itself is built facing the Canal which I believe is the same one which goes along the North side of Regent's Park, to Camden Lock and onwards. Given the urban setting, the view is attractive, as is the decor and design of the whole place. My wife and I wanted to see the sculpture casting business in the same building and wandered in looking for a light meal on a Sunday lunchtime in late February 2009. The lady who greeted us seemed genuinely warm and interested and, actually smiled ! I asked if I could go off menu and after enquiry in the kitchen I was able to obtain a platter of cheese, cold cuts and salad leaves with fresh and interesting bread. We had one of the house white wines which was absolutely fine – crisp and light, which went well with the food. Everything was efficient, yet unhurried. We aim to go back one evening for a “proper” meal to be enjoyed as the evenings get longer as Spring sets in.