MD's Reviews

Our visit to DineAsia was planned as part of a weekend in Surrey. Having read various reviews it seemed the obvious local favourite. Unfortunately it wasn't the cosy local thai/india fusion restaurant I was expecting. Instead of personalised customer care, staff seemed to rush through everything in an almost conveyor belt-like manner.

Orders were taken without precision, which meant dishes that we hadn't ordered were delivered to our table and those that were, lacked any taste or ‘authenticity’ – an element it happily emphasises on its website. The atmoshpere was almost as cold as the reception from waiting staff, with the AC bizarrely blasting away in mid spring.

As the night drew on and the restaurant grew busier a frenzied atmosphere ensued which made for a difficult dining experience and even harder to converse with my dining partner. Staff seemed further confused and rushed off their feet and service was difficult to obtain. To add to this, we were asked if we could vacate our table and have coffees in the bar (which was packed with those waiting for a table), despite being within our 2 hour slot, at which point we gave up.I suggest you save yourself the hassle and try elsewhere.

Possibly one of the most indulgent and exquisite meals I've ever had in London. The Square delivers perfect morsels of beautifully crafted ingredients, dish after dish after dish.

Our party opted for the tasting menu which in itself was a mouthwatering list of delicious sounding combinations all bound together. The signature dorset crab with shellfish cappuccino and champagne foam was delightful and left you wanting more, equally enticing was the dish of langoustine tails, parmesan gnocchi and truffle and potato emulsion which followed at a perfect pace. There were a few exceptions which stood in the way of a 10/10 score which included a bland fillet of halibut and an overly sweetened raspberry souffle, but these were minor irritations in the grand scheme of things.

Additionally, the entire meal was delivered with observant professionalism beyond that of any other restaurant I've ever had the pleasure of visiting, which made the whole experience a right royal treat. At £100 for 10 dishes I''d say its a win win situation for gut and wallet alike!

I'm quite surprised to see so many negative reviews of this local, as my dining experiences at Chophouse have been nothing but satisfactory. Service is swift and polite with glimmers of quintessentially British professionalism. The menu which changes seasonally is full of well executed and fresh ingredients brought together on the plate with great skill (I've observed their daily deliveries many a time). Even the simplest dishes of fish and chips impress.

My most recent trip consisted of a lip smacking whole lobster with hand cut chips and elderflower champagne cocktail for a most valuable £27.50. All in all, a great lunch or dining venue.

A bit of an odd experience – one of those where the venue scores higly on some aspects but falters on others, not quite delivering a rounded experience. The atmosphere is intensely dark, seductive and very stylish. Sleek red and black interiors with touches of greenery elegantly exude Japanese influence . The menu, ample and all encompassing, proved slightly confusing at first but was quickly clarified by our helpful waiter.

Once the dishes arrived we were anxiously and curiously awaiting the next, with each of the diners in our party experiencing a flavour explosion in each mouthful. Ingredients are innovatively combined to create contemporary dishes that live up to both the style and substance you expect from a Michelin starred restaurant, and go some way to putting a smile on your face. The scallop with kumquat emulsion, avocado and blood orange guacamole and pan fried mushrooms with parsley butter and rocket were particularly well thought out.

However, there’s an unfortunate side to our experience, which slowly wiped the pleasing and satisfied smile off our faces towards the end of the night and that is much the same as Michel P’s review below. We were offered a table at the Salon bar which we accepted, not quite realising they meant immediately, as opposed to after our desserts. Once it was clear we were to eat our desserts upstairs I had quickly caught on that they wanted to re-use the table and that was a little annoying as we were nowhere near our 2hour turnaround time . No matter I thought, this bar must be something special. A bar it was, something special it was not.

To disappoint further, in this unplanned move, the desserts came but without the matching dessert wines and the birthday extras for my husband, which I’d called and asked for, also went missing. I’m not even sure that they would have realised if I’d not brought it to their attention. To their credit, upon notification the birthday dessert complete with candle and a glass of champagne came to our… More

Put the words ‘understated’, ‘slick’ and ‘unpretentious’ together and you get Kumo. Avoiding the usual Knightsbridge snobbery, this cosy basement bar offers an escape from the sometimes uptight bars its surrounded by but without compromise, combining sleek interiors together with sublime cocktails for an all round great experience.

Tasty sushi dishes ranging from, grilled asparagus with soy, avocado and mushroom sushi to more elegant dishes including scallops, make for an interesting menu and work well with the ample and skilled cocktail list.

The night we visited was for my husband's 30th birthday party and we were enthralled with the ambient music (which later gets a little louder to the sound of club classics, house and RnB courtesy of a DJ -but thankfully not to deafening or conversation killing levels) and the friendly, professional staff, which all helped tick the boxes for a stylish yet no-nonsense night out.

I'm not sure if l somehow slipped in to a parallel universe last weekend, but my experience at the Grove was wholly different to that of the previous reviewer and SquareMeal's own review. Reeling from an amazing experience at Pied-e-Terre some 24 hours before, I was expecting the weekend to continue in style at the much lauded Grove. Unfortunately it was a mixture of disappointments and highs – the highs emanating from the fantastic spa but not at all to do with the dining facilities.

On our first night at the Grove we visited the glasshouse in good spirits, celebrating with some champagne. However at the rate this came out we may as well have given up and gone home. It took close to 30 mins to get one bottle of champagne served with only two waiters around (who didn't seem to want to hurry along at all) and another 10 mins to get an extra glass, not to forget having to catch the waiters attention again to remind them of forgotten drinks! Service was not at all friendly but neither was it arrogant. This was plain laziness at its best which meant it was both pitiful and annoying at the same time and unfortunately repeated over and over all weekend long.

The buffet dinner was just as pitiful, with cold flavourless and uninspiring food, which although stirs the visual sense upon sight (eyes bigger than than the stomach etc…), quickly puts out upon taste. The staff here again lack any motivation, initiative or knowledge. At breakfast in the Glasshouse, one waitress looked blank when we asked about poached eggs and on another occasion our request for eggs florentine was again met with further hesitancy. It was as if we were speaking a different language! We eventually got our eggs florentine (well, an amateur attempt at it anyway) 30 mins later, delivered by the manager who let us know they don't usually serve this but have made an exception as the chef already said he'd make it. I'm sorry, is this not a country hotel billing itself as a luxury location!

Service in other… More

Our visit to Auberge was in celebration of my mother's birthday so quite an important visit. Upon arrival we were promptly shown to our seats as the bar was shut for a private event but no matter, onwards we went. We chose to dine with the set menu which was value for money at £35 for a 3 course menu. They also helped enthusiastically with vegetarian options off the menu which was good to see.

The gardens outside and the river that runs alongside provide a calming and aesthetically pleasing atmosphere, inside though, the house is a little dated and in need of a superficial decoration. Service was good when it was available but unfortunately there were spells where we were waiting for waiters to re-appear. Our mains also took a good 30-40 mins to arrive after our starters which was a little longer than I'd usually expected. Especially as there were only 5-6 tables filled.

When the food did arrive it was of a good standard, though unfortunately there was not the usual wow factor that I associate with a Michelin starred restaurant. the starter of goats cheese, beetroot and sultana salad with pea shoots showed some innovation but nothing out of the ordinary for a modern European restaurant. Moving on to a main of grey mullet with samphire and razor clam butter, a fish I'd not tried before, I was quite surprised to find how over seasoned it was, being one to usually reach out for the salt and give it a good whack. Unfortunately half way through I had to give up in order to give my heart a fighting chance. The dessert of white chocolate tart, nougatine and milk chocolate hazelnut ice cream pulled the whole affair back a little but overall the experience was nowhere near as exciting or as interesting as I was expecting. I've been to better star-less restaurants and seen far more magic.

Certainly one to visit if you are in the area but don't let the Michelin star fool you.

My visit to Martin Wishart was one where I was fortunate enough to be a part of an exclusively booked event, ensuring not only an exceptional menu but first rate service in an elegant and refined setting. The menu, which incorporated six courses of good quality -accomplished cooking skill and painstakingly precise presentation, started rather interestingly with an amuse bouche trio featuring beetroot, horseradish, smoked haddock and parmesan amongst other flavoursome ingredients.

Courses continued with an innovative ballontine of foie gras served with Madeira sauce and crisp toasted brioche followed by scallops with bellota ham and parmesan veloute. Though the latter dish is a popular combination it did lack full execution, with the scallops a little overcooked and tough, but otherwise well balanced. Tin context, this was thankfully the only disappointment of the night and one that was quickly forgiven given what followed.

Up next was a rather interesting ceviche of halibut served with what seemed a bizarre combination of mango and passion fruit, leaving both the mouth and the mind in disbelief over the apparent success it had in pleasing my taste buds. Further meatier dishes were met with equal satisfaction, including a loin of borders roe deer (tender and delightful) served with a crisp yet not overcooked braised baby gem lettuce and creamy sublime goats cheese gnocchi.

With all that, the stomach required a light yet interesting finish and we were not disappointed. On our table arrived a clementine and lemon cream with lemongrass infusion – light, juicy, fragrant and a delicious end to the night. All in all a gastronomical triumph and one that blows the mind as well as the taste buds.

Food is fresh and well cared for with plates showing fantastic flair as well as an understanding of balancing world flavours with tried and tested traditional dishes.

Well done Mr Wishart!