Junglefresh.'s Reviews

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…

I have liked and eaten at Zetter since it first opened. Four of us ate there last night. It was a stunningly nice evening and the setting of the restaurant with its large windows and terrace were shown to best effect. The people who work at Zetter have for me always been the strong point – managers are always efficient friendly and not sub-servient (or, on the other hand, snotty). The waiting staff can be very eccentric and last night's Frenchman was no exception, but was funny, not over-familiar and did us all a good turn in persuading us to have a “Dulce de Leche Creme Brullee with banana split ice-cream” which was simply fantastic (especially the ice cream which tasted really fresh and subtle). The starters can be a bit mean – especially the little pot of chicken liver and foie gras – but are enjoyable even if not stunning, for example the asparagus and poached egg (yawn). The mains we found to score high on taste (3 of us had the rib-eye) though not so high on texture. The chips on the side were very limp – definitely not cooked by anyone who acutally eats chips, we thought. The wine was interesting (Portuguese Petit Verdot) with tons of cherry flavours but at £30 -odd, steeply priced. The list does offer cheaper alternatives though. The atmosphere was very conducive to a fun evening and we all liked the experience and I will go back. As long as Zetter is seen in context (as one of the best overall offerings in Clerkenwell), in my experience it never fails to satisfy. One gripe: the well water is a clever gimmick but should be given away free or at not more than £1 per bottle.

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 !

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.

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 !

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.