Kaprow's Reviews

I love this restaurant. The dining room is gorgeous and the view just incredible. The hearty food is always dependable, too, but we had terrible service at lunch this week. I kid you not: our waitress did not speak a word to us for the entire meal. I understand the Christmas rush can be tough on staff but are smiles and a few words here and there too much to ask for?

The ultimate foodie experience? Rich, indulgent dishes are based on solid flavour combinations and flawless technique and it's great fun to sit at the bar watching the skilful chefs at work. Pricy but worth it. If you're on a budget (and arrive early), you could pop in for a quick glass of wine and just a bite or two, then go elsewhere for a main course.

Unpretentious neighbourhood restaurant with really authentic Thai food. The som tam with grilled pork neck is the stuff of legend (order some sticky rice to go with) and there are some really nice stir-fries and curries to go alongside. There's always a generous scattering of Thais in the room, which is reassuring, and I like that they serve Chang beer as well as the more ubiquitous Singha. Book ahead – it gets busy!

This has got to be the best bargain in town. I've been coming to Churchill Arms for the past 13 years and the prices have only gone up about a pound a dish since. So what keeps me coming back? Some of the best Thai food London has to offer and bills much closer to Bangkok than Kensington. There isn't as much variety here as you may find in a 'proper' Thai restaurant (if only they added som tam to the menu, I'd be in heaven) but it really can't be beaten on value. The speciality is one-plate meals, which means stir-fries and curries come complete with rice, while large mounds of noodles cover an entire dinner plate – all at just over five pounds a pop. Unsurprisingly, it's very popular and the management runs a strict table-turning policy in the cramped dining room (don't be surprised if they ask you to vacate your table the minute you've finished your food) so, if you want a more relaxed meal, it's worth trying to bag a table in the bar, which gets equally busy but at least you can hold on to your table. Takeaway is an option too. You order by number and the best dish by far is No.8 with chicken or prawns (a stir-fry with chilli, onions, thai basil, french beans and peppers). We also like No.15 (chicken and cashewnuts), No.1 (pad thai – order it spicy with prawns!) and the very garlicky No.13.

A great transformation of the restaurant on top of the Royal Garden Hotel. Strategically placed mirrors make the most of glorious views over Kensington Gardens (it feels very Central Park) and the new decor is smart without feeling stuffy. The main attraction is the fabulous Bejing Duck, which is ceremoniously carved at your table (well worth its quite hefty price tag). Dim sum is also excellent and we enjoyed the spicy Sechuan dishes too. It's not cheap but portions are very large so the trick is to go in a large group (I'd say at least four) and share things family-style. Service is formal but friendly and extends to hot towels before and after the meal – a nice touch. Arrive early for cocktails at the bar: the Oriental Mojito is lovely.