Mike's Reviews

Visited for lunch as a party of four – we had the tasting menu, which is extensive and varied. Little varied service at the start – I found it quite difficult to get a bottle of wine – although the list was very long and had a very wide variety of choices.

Three of us had the wine flight and a very good variation on the norm was to have either a discovery set of wines, or a classic/traditional set. We chose the discovery and also had a very communicative and helpful sommelier who for once came from the Southern Hemisphere rather than France – a first for me was a Brazilian Wine and the pairings including the sherry with the last dessert went really well.

Food was generally as you'd expect, highlights were the scallop and oyster dish and the halibut with a cream and tarragon sauce – more disappointing was the lamb main, which lacked depth of flavour, but moved to a strong finish with the puddings.

Overall very enjoyable, very good, but not great or outstanding – at two stars I preferred The Square, but if you are touring the stars you should include this one too.

Went for a pre theatre meal. Arrived at 6pm and our order, which was a main of Steak Diane and another of Lamb, no starters, was taken almost straight away. There was us, a few others and lots and lots of empty tables.

After 35 minutes nothing to eat, no bread (table next to us got some) and sat with a soft drink and a glass of Pinot Noir.

Finally asked the waiter about the food, who grandly infomed me that a (pan fried) steak diane, as my wife had ordered it medium/ well took 35 minutes to cook. Yes, if you have to go halfway across town to buy the meat, but otherwise complete tosh. How do they cope when it's half full?

The food when it arrived was OK, not exceptional, but well cooked and presented.

Now it was nearly 7pm and we had to move on, the waiter then seemed disappointed we only had time for coffee… whose fault was that?

Cost : 1x cola; 1 glass Pinot noir; 1 steak diane; 1 lamb; 1 mixed leaf salad; 1 tomato and shallot salad; 1 espressso; 1 cappucino = £79.00.

Overall a nicely presented place but as a dining experience, completely underwhelmed – never going back, there are many more that offer much better.

I can understand why it appeals to tourists, but if you are going to spend money, go to somewhere where a fine dinging experience won't cost you much more, but will leave you totally satisfied – try The Square, Sketch, or even top floor Smiths of Smithfield, not fine dining but great atomsphere and very good food. If you have to stick to the group Sheekey's or even the Ivy are better, but London's got so much to offer – dig a bit harder!