MD's Reviews

As you approach the very square and sleek jet black building at the end of Gutter lane, you can't help but think what lies inside has got to be something special. After all, you have three attempts to enjoy the contents of the building with a ground floor brasserie, first floor main restuarant and top floor cocktail bar.

The occasion was a business lunch with a group of eight so impressions were important, including mine. Service started and ended with genuine smiles of chesire cat proportions from our waiter and his colleague who also pitched in and it's good to see good old upselling (especially the special of the day) being a golden rule here.

Food was remarkably well cooked and presented with a mix of authentic Italian influence and modern inspiration, which creates a rich synergy between both the architecture and food. The seabream tartare and array of fresh vegetables was a delightful starter and did an excellent job of wetting the appetite without quite over filling it. For the main I opted for the special of the day along with a fellow diner – cod with crushed potatoes and garlic parsley sauce, with some spinach thrown in for good measure. My initial worry was that the fillet though beautifully cooked, was slightly on the small side but after getting through a few tender and succulent morsels I realised it was just the right size (typical case of eyes being bigger than the stomach).

Though almost full to the brim it would have been a huge injustice to ignore the tempting dishes on the dessert menu – there is something for everyone here. My favourite, a light but perfectly formed passionfruit and apricot cheesecake. The perfect sweet ending to the meal. Seems an all rounder, perfect for power breakfasts, business lunches and relaxed dinners. A must see.

After several unsuccessful attempts at obtaining a table at the Covent Garden restaurant I finally managed to try out the much raved about Wahaca at the newly opened venue in Canary Wharf. Upon entering its easy to see why it does so well with a carnival-like buzzing atmosphere and energetic and enthusiastic staff to match.

Diners are spoilt for choice with the ample menu which was easily deconstructed by our uber friendly waitress Glenda (as she announced three times) . I opted for the Fish a la Veracruzana whilst my fellow diners went for the street food dishes which looked vibrant and flavoursome. The fish, a sustainable pollock was beautifully cooked in a parcel with a tasty and nicely balanced spiced tomato, wine and caper sauce. Perfect food for the soul especially on a cold winter's night.

In summary, a night in wahaca reminds you of what simple yet well flavoured and appealing mexican cuisine should taste like and most impressively what good service should look like. Well done, I shall certainly be going back for more.

Its been a good few years since I last stepped down into the spiral staircase that leads to Kenza. When being seated (ironically the same table we were at the previous visit) I suddenly remembered why. The first time I visited was soon after its opening on a crisp night in November, much like last night ,so when you walk into an inviting interior such as the one in Kenza, you expect to be filled with warmth from all the ample candles and rich colours. You don't, instead you are met with an uncomfortable and cold draft from the spiralling staircase which hits most tables in the bar and is then equalled by intense AC in the main restaurant. Suddenly I wished i hadn't given my coat in.

Moving on to the meal, when dining in a group at Kenza you are limited to a set feast, which in itself is not a problem and one I look forward to especially having experienced feasts at Levant. The problem arises with the consistency with which the courses are served. What we had experienced (and unfortunately forgotten when booking for last night's meal) on our first visit was once again repeated, with neglectful and slow staff failing to see when we had finished each course. The service dwindles and fails miserably as the night goes on, to the point where you are actively having to flag a waiter to come and service your table (if you can spot one that is).

On the point of the food itself, there is actually little to say except that the main was rather reminiscent of a plate of supermarket aubergines, economy tinned tomatoes and chickpeas served with barely boiled rice and sprinkled with over-fried onions. The only saving grace are a small selection of starters, though I couldn't tell you which as they were never explained to us.

Dialogue with staff is always short and they hardly seem to care whether you liked your food or not or if you'd like another bottle of wine…upselling seems to be a lost art to these inanimate souls. Even the manager was running around like a blue ass fly rather… More

My trip to the Olive Branch was over the last bank holiday of the year coinciding with a day trip to Rutland Water and as a country pub it lived up to every expectation and more. If you're the type of Londoner to dream of days out of the hustle and bustle and into the open countryside with vists to idyllic country pubs, but still expect the restaurant quality you've become accustomed to in the old smoke – then this is a place to check out. When you first walk in it is hard to understand why this place is Michelin starred with modest bits of odd furniture strategically scattered around the venue, but once the food menu makes itself available along with the complimentary and yummy warm pumpkin bread you soon start to see ithe michelin rays shine through.

Starters such as the twice baked cheese souffle fill the stomach with delight though still leaving more than enough room for mains. My starter of fried fish came on a stone plate with an array of tasty samples. Mains are innovative yet blend age old ingredients together beautifully, such as the lemon sole with chorizo and parmentiere potatoes.

This really is a unique blend of pub grub that comforts the soul and delights the tastebuds. The friendly service from all staff goes on to make the experience all the more delightful. Ben, who I believe is the manager, even helped us find the best route for a much needed after-lunch walk raound Rutland water. If you are visiting the area soon, leave the picnic and the soggy sandwiches behind and head straight to the Olive Branch (don't forget to book) – you won't regret it.

I visited La Perla a few weeks back with some friends, with the hope it would provide a laid back reasonable yet somewhat authentic night for a good catch up. Whilst it was indeed laid back and reasonably priced with friendly service, it completely lacked the authenticity of good mexican food and was at best a cheesefest with assorted carbohydrates.

Nacho's were generously portioned but drenched in melted cheese so that it was impossible to finish off – even between three of us, without wasting our mains. The attempt at saving space in my already dairy filled stomach was futile anyway, as the vegetarian quesedillas I had ordered were again heavy on the cheese and easy on the vegetables, lacking any seasoning or real flavour. Cocktails, such as the strawberry margherita were watered down (or iced down to be more accurate) syrupy concoctions of nothingness.

In summary if it wern't for the company it would have been a dire night. Nothing to write home about or venture out to anytime soon.

Having heard lots of good things about the Bleeding Heart, I was pleased to be able to visit it this week. The basement restaurant is quite a dark space with deep mahogany panelled interiors, so not ideal for summer days but your eyes soon get used to the light and I can imagine its a welcome cave in the winter months. It is without doubt the sort of eaterie where you go in and emerge several hours later having to loosen your braces and belt (for ladies suggest you wear slightly loose attire), heavily laden with delicious and fancily plated food and at least two bottles worth of good chablis or pinot noir.

Food is decidedly French and the menu is not wholly surprising given the cuisine, with all the favourite ingredients from goats cheese to fois gras. When going to a restaurant of this kind, I always find it silly to complain about trivialities as you are more often than not paying for the privilege and experience rather than a serious technical creation, however Bleeding Heart can maintain both with only a few discrepancies.

For those who want the dirt… the starter of goats cheese beignet and cherry tomato salad was quite average, in that there was only one tomato in it and the salad tasted like it wasn't completely washed, with the muddy nutty flavour still present. But it's a french restaurant , so that is ok because they are apparently the authority on cooking ;) . The scrumptious main of sauteed fillet of salmon with cauliflower puree and pea and mint vinegarette however was without fault, though did take some time to arrive and one diner had to wait five more minutes after we all got our dishes, which was a bit of a shame.

Overall a great place to go if your not fussed for time and you do see a glimpse of that famous French technical expertise in at least one dish if not all, not for fussy or particular diners though.

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the square mile and are desperately in need of a thirst quencher that isn't going to be spoiled by the heckling laugh of a city boy, then Pearl is one place you need to explore. I've never been let down by the ample and perferfectly made cocktails on the menu . the only gripe (yes sorry there is just one) is that it does get a tad bit annoying to wait for the drinks as they do tend to take a while to make and deliver to the table as the evening goes on. But all annoyances are washed away within the first sip of the expertly concocted liquid heaven – whether its my favourite – the singapore sling (one of the best in London) or one of the plentiful martini cocktails.

Once you've sunk a few alcoholic potions inside, the atmosphere really takes over with the soft lighting against the marble, gentle piano music and the beautiful (sorry to sound girly but there really is no other word for it) cascade of pearl strings throughout the bar. All of this means you just don't want to stop ordering yet another drink and this has got me to wondering if they have invented some form of alcohol MSG (or cocktail fairydust). Not like any other hotel bar I've been to in a good while. Great for resting tired feet in luxurious surroundings, meeting friends for a gossip or enjoying a decent drink in peaceful solitude.

My visit to Vanilla Black was actually during the cold clutches of November 2008 not long after it had opened but for some reason I never got round to writing up the review. Upon arrival though I do clearly remember friendly and almost homely service from two rather nice ladies which ensured a smile and thankfully it was also warm so I was no longer shivering. Unfortunately the food did little to fill up my winter hunger and this is not because I wondered in as a curious meateater but that there was genuinely nothing that filled me with even mild excitement as I browsed through the starters options. So as I watched the rest of the party curiously munch on their starters I keenly awaited the main of beetroot and red onion tatin served with fennel/orange curd and chive pancakes – the only mildly interesting dish that wasn' t a curry or a deconstructed dish of sorts. This did actually please the tastebuds to some extent but as I was hungry and it was rather moreish, it did go down rather too quickly. To top it off the dull greyish interior and library-like silence (it wasn't overly busy) did nothing to lift spirits either, so to say it was a bit of a culinary let down would be an understatement.

The point is that vegetarian food when done correctly can be great, innovative and downright tasty despite what passionate carnivores (and Gordon Ramsey) will tell you. But when its dressed with the pretence of haute cuisine status, it loses its attraction and almost always, its taste. Importance should be placed on source of ingredients, as well as combinations and textures that really work rather than dishes that desperately scream of Heston Blumenthal but on a bad day. I do plan to go back though when the menu changes, (interesting to see that certain dishes are still unchanged even though two seasons have passed since my visit) for genuine curiousity but I just hope I don't end up feeling like a glutton for food punishment when I do.