Liz G.'s Reviews

Went there for a business lunch (Italian Side). The space decor is impressive, bringing that famous Novikov's Moscow feel to Mayfair. We shared a Caprese for a starter which was very nice (mozzarella texture was very fresh and delicate). Very nice selection of breads in a basket. For mains, char-coal grilled Mackerel was lovely, if a bit too fatty (but to be fair you can't expect a mackerel to be skinny!), and char-coal beef Tagliata was delicious – a perfect medum-rare pinky texture, made even more succulent by some light oily sprinkle. I would highly recommend deep fried courgettes as a side as they offered a perfect combination of fluffy inside and crunchy skin.

For desserts, i'd sell my soul for another slice of the divine white soft merengue cake (goes down really well if you ask for a shot of limoncello to go with it), and I'm told that green tea dessert with icecream was equally delightful.
Service – very Italian and gracious, although given the number of staff on the floor they could provide a bit more attention. The Lounge bar downstairs is also very worth a visit.
Overall – a pleasure, and valuable addition to the sometimes bland and boring London high dining scene.

Went there for a business group dinner. The Grand Divan room is spacious but lacks some accents (particularly if you're seated with your back to the entrance), so is a bit boring and stiff (however, what would you expect from an establishment which was a gents' club for most of it's life?). A nice row of divan semi-private tables on the right-hand side. Service was very welcoming, attentive and polite, however the somelier could have been a bit more friendly and proactive. Food-wise, a very good value for money – portions are very generous. Starter of prawn cocktail was beautifully presented and had a healthy addition of fresh vegetables to it (not just all the sauce). Guinea fowl for the main course was very nicely done, and the greens were cooked to perfection. The dessert of a fruit pavlova was a bit sticky and a bit too sweet, but i assume that's just my individual taste.

They also serve lovely roast carved hot at the table which, from what i can see, was much appreciated by senior male diners.

Overall, a nice dining experience, very club-like and business like, although if you need to talk quietly ask for a divan seating – that will hopefully cut some of the buzz off.

Booked a table there for dinner, was advised of 2 hr table turning policy. On the day, called them to advise we're running 30 min late and re-book for a later slot, and the receptionist said it was perfectly fine and won't affect our dinner. When we arrived we were told that we'll still have to vacate the table at initial cut-off time, which left us less than 1.5 hr for dinner! When we complained that if only we were told at the time of re-book that that woudl be the case, we'd rather go elsewhere, the receptionist pulled in the manager who very indifferently tried to push us to sit at the susi counter rather than a table, and when we expressed our unhappiness said that the more we argued the less time we'd have for eating…

We did sit at our table (changed our plans and opted for a quick snack instead of a full dinner), and the service was most cold and indifferent – the waiters made a point of avoiding us at all cost, glasses were not topped up, orders arrived with significant delay. The room decor is impressive, albeit very dark(the only positive thing about the whole place), and food-wise it was OK (spinach in nut sauce was really nice), but the whole experience at Aqua Kyoto left a very unpleasant impression – felt like dining on a station concourse, with people running around and shouting, and the ticketing system for going to the WC and getting back in the restaurant is ridiculous.

OVERALL: nice food, but will never go there again for horrible service, lots of noise and lack of cosiness. BEWARE when booking – receptionists' job is solely to book your in and then they don't give a damn as to what happens to you later. DEFINITELY AVOID for any business meals.

After hearing so much about Jamie's restaurants was eager to visit. Quite disappointed – i feel if it hadn't Jamie's name slapped on almost every visible object there the place would hardly sell anything! Sea bass (fish in a bag) was nice, and lamp lollipops were just right (although served most uncomfortable on a thick wood plank with three tiny saucers of spice fitted awkwardly on side), but overall the whole experience felt like a fast-food and II was very disappointed. Despite every blackboard boasting of “increadible / best ever / etc” descriptions of every single dish, overall the meal was average.

Also the place is crammed and seating is most uncomfortable. Dark industrial-like feel to the whole place does not convey any comfort – like eating in a steel works.

Won't be coming back to this chain.

In a nutshell – plain stunning (as of early March 2010).
The moment they grace the starched tablecloth with the food you become totally oblivious to the fact that the place is cramped with little daylight and clearly challenged heating system. You almost feel sorry destroying the beautiful presentation with your fork and knife, but the temptation is too powerful. I would highly recommend Scotch Fillet of Beef and Foie Gras with port sauce and truffled macaroni cheese – the texture and flavour combination is second to none, a symphony of subtle tones blending together yet fully revealing individual notes. Chocolate dessert is a heavenly delight to every chocoholic, and hugely tempting to others who opted for lovely looking (and, I'm advised, tasting equally good) fruity options.
A cherry on a cake was a cameo appearance of The Chef himself, Roux-Jr, who took time to spend a minute at each table and made the meal totally unforgettable.

Brought a group of very fussy VIP diners there on Tuesday for lunch. We had a table arranged at the window so enjoyed a fantastic view over London on what happened to be a sunny day. Service was great, and I'd like to say a special THANK YOU to Segolene for bearing with us and doing all the complicated ever-changing arrangements for us – you're a star!! Food was excellent, a good rival to our favourite China Tang, but in a much nicer setting! Won't comment on any particular dishes, as we ate soooo much, but everything was perfect! We'll definitely be back soon!

Went there for a quick business lunch. The interior looks fantastic, art deco definitely works for this particular place. Tables are spaced out nicely, and it's one of few places in London where you can actually talk during meal and not to shout to be heard.
Wine cellar on both sides of the entrance looks impressive, and the restaurant prides itself on the special wine vacuum machines which allow them to serve expensive wines by glass without imposing the whole bottle on you.
Service is immaculate and inobtrusive. A very nice selection of Italian breads served before meal.
For starter, the Sea bass “Connolo” was great, the fish retaining the full flavour and its delicate texture, whilst the crispy coating adding a nice twist to it. I hate celery with all my heart, but it tastes lovely there, so don't let it put you off.
Partridge poached in cabbage leaves was very succulent, and did not leave any unpleasant aftertaste (as may sometimes happen with game).
I didn't have much room for dessert which I regret with all my heart, however the tiny Italian hand-made sweets they served with coffee were lovely (almond ones are a real treat, and the bergamoth zuccerini are a must with tea!!).
Overall, very very good.

Went for lunch in May 2009. Fabulous!!! I went for a set lunch menu (although I was also offered a la carte and a special tasting menu). The scallops were deliciously tender with full flavour, and served beautifully in the shell which rested on a pile of tiny shells and pebbles. Butter on a large flat pebble was a lovely touch. Amuse-bouche of cauliflower soup was amazing. Beef chop for the main course was lovely cooked and so tender you can eat it without the knife, like a pudding. Eton Mess was great. Service was impeccable, and they also did a nice show-around as I asked for more info on the venue. Will definitely be back. Highly recommended.