R.R.Gill's Reviews

Having very much enjoyed a visit to the Bread Street site earlier in the week I decided to break the monotony of a Sunday trip to Wembley with a quick bite at the branch on Paddington Street. After telling the Mrs “You will love it – it's very similar to Yauatcha” I felt a little let down as did she.Tucked quite far down a back street the atmosphere seemed to suffer greatly with only 3 tables in the building being used (including me). Service was efficient as ever and the food was still quite tasty but some of the dishes didn't quite impress as much as last time – several of the dumplings seemed to have welded themselves to the bamboo pots and fell apart before reaching the plates. Coriander and Prawn crackers seemed over done and a little stale – too crunchy as opposed to crispy. The decor upstairs seemed a little grubby as well although the downstairs area which I later discovered looks much nicer (although empty). For a quick bite if I was in the area I'd maybe go again but certainly not make it a destination – I think a little work is needed to bring it up to par with it's sisters.

There's no better start to a week at work than a nice lunch out, although some questioned my choice of Indian in such hot weather. Thankfully the restaurant is very spacious and well air conditioned so the tropical heat wave we are having meant nothing. Admittedly being a Monday lunch time the restaurant was quite quiet but I'd put this down to the day and not a lack of popularity. As mentioned the restaurant is very spacious – from where I was sat the owners could easily have pushed another table in but a big thumbs up for the fact they don't – there's nothing worse than having to sit too close to others and hearing their business secrets while they hear yours. It's easy to see how Quilon achieved their Michelin star and the food is outstanding, Crab cakes with ginger and curry leaves and green chillies were delicious as was the pistachio lamb shank curry – very soft and tender and well spiced. Being a greedy chap I also sampled some of the lobster with mango and ginger which again was fab. Although the dishes came quite spicy I found they were not overpowering which is great as often you find your tongue numb from some dishes and unable to enjoy the taste of other dishes. It seems very popular with the locals for a business lunch but I've vowed to return soon for a dinner – prices can come across as higher than normal but as with everything in this world you do have to pay for quality and Quilon has it in abundance. A set lunch offer of £20 for 3 courses does make it affordable for all and I'd suggest you all try!

I've often walked by Franco's and noticed the bustling busy-ness of the restaurant in the morning and lunchtimes so decided to pop in for lunch. It seems to be quite often forgotten in favour of what is judged to be the more glamorous duo of Cecconi's and Cipriani among my friends and clients but from my experience yesterday it certainly holds its own. It comes across as more of a classic restaurant in style and perhaps also the dishes (although there seem to be some very creative daily specials!) I opted for a starter of Parma ham and melon – seemed the ideal dish to compliment the sunny weather and was very happy with it. It's a simple dish but have seen it done so wrong or badly on many occasions but here it hit the spot. For my main I went for the daily special of ostrich served with braised endive and cherries – The chef got the dish perfect – ostrich seems to be quite a hard meat to do well without it becoming tough and inedible but the dish was perfect – the cherries complimenting the soft pink meat perfectly. My unadventurous colleague went for the fillet steak which I had to try and was fantastic – I really should find out where they source their meat). Wines came by the glass as unfortunately I had to return to the office at some point so were left to the sommelier to suggest – both choices were excellent – a crisp white for starter and a deep fruity red for main and yet again I've completely forgotten what they were. Service was great – smart and friendly ensuring I will return soon – perhaps a breakfast will be the next stop at Franco's – especially at the value price of £14.

I was very surprised looking at earlier reviews of Mint Leaf prior to writing this – if it was as bad as stated then they have obviously had a huge turn-around in operations as I found everything to be very satisfactory. I’m a big fan of the Haymarket branch and have been for many years so thought I’d give it a try. I went towards the later part of the afternoon so had missed the peak time but was still quite busy (perhaps the banker types are at least, having to look more productive). I thought the design was very cool and stylish reminding me of Zuma & Sumosan – perhaps with a bit of Hakkasan thrown in – the bar area is nice and I could imagine comfortably popping in for a drink after work or before dinner. On to the food and being in an Indian you can’t go wrong with a starter like chicken tikka, sensuously marinated in lime leaf and coriander it was a far cry from my average experiences. Baby lamb shank curry grabbed my attention for main and turned out to be an excellent choice – very soft and tender to a point where you could almost point your knife at it to command the succulent meat to separate from the bone. A simple dish but so well done. Accompaniments of rice and naan bread help to fill me up – hard to say anything inspiring about boiled rice but the naan was very light and fluffy. I’d asked the staff to recommend a glass of white and red wine to go with each course (by the glass) and am cursing myself for not noting down what they were – they complimented the food so well. I was looking at a bill of around the £35 mark from the a la carte menu although I’m sure I saw a set lunch menu available for an extra bargain. A very groovy lounge upstairs caught my attention while I was having a quick nosey-around. I’ll definitely be back and just hope the Haymarket branch of Mint Leaf doesn't realise I’m cheating on them with their sister.

I really wish the Hinds Head was in SW London so I could use it as my local on a Sunday. It's got such a warm feel to it and reminds me a lot of the type of pubs I'd visit in the Lake District when I was much, much younger. It manages to do what it does very well with no hint of an overly contrived or dressed up environment. Friendly staff look after you very well from the moment you walk through the door and the changing menu is short but full of great dishes. The rabbit and bacon terrine with cucumber pickles made me question whether I was actually in the middle of the countryside or a multi-Michelin starred venue in town it was so good and the Lancashire hotpot on par with that of my dear old granny, a selection of English cheeses topped it off for me. The wine list looked great – although for me ale was the order of the day. Prices are ridiculously good value as I've spent similar at various Wimbledon gastropubs for appallingly average food. Even adding the cost of a day return from London and you still can't go wrong. Get yourself there as soon a possible!

I have always been a fan of Mosaico (although I thought it suffered a little when previous chef Matteo Mistrorigo moved on) so was very eager to try the recently relaunched Dolada and was not disappointed. A group of friends and I popped down to try a tasting menu put together by chef Riccardo and left very satisfied. Presentation was more interesting than previously with an interesting scampi carpaccio with caviar followed by a delicious lobster risotto. Next was a small warm pot of venison ragu which was so tasty it left me wanting more – perhaps a jam jar size, as it was that good. Luckily for me however the meal continued with an equally great dish of veal cheek with potatoes and veg. Dessert was taken care of with panacotta with pineapple salad which refreshed my taste buds and left me wanting more. The food is complemented by a great wine list to cover most pocket sizes with some great selections at the higher end of the mark. Maître D' Claudio keeps the room moving efficiently and service running smoothly – the restaurant was full when we were dining and service was seamless. I love the way the staff always make you feel like a family friend rather than just another cover and it's so easy to relax and enjoy the evening. Although always being a favourite of mine may make me a little biased, I did see Fay Maschler tucking in the same evening with a smile on her face so I think it's fair to say I wasn't the only one enjoying the food that night. Very happy to say I will continue to be a regular and advise you all to give it a go. Prices are a little above average but worth every penny.

Semplice is one of these venues I can't believe I have not been to earlier and only got round to visiting a couple of weeks ago, shortly before they received their first Michelin Star. It's an intimate venue without feeling too intimate! Design give the restaurant a sharp and slightly contemporary feel – very chic indeed. Food hit the spot perfectly and never one to resist a Carpaccio tried the Carni de Manza Fassone which receives a double-yum rating. The Seabass for main with the truffle butter likewise. Chef Marco obviously knows his business well likewise with Manager Giovanni Baldino keeping the front of house team running smoothly. Certainly deserving of it's Michelin star I suggest this is added to your lists of ones to try. Also I can't wait to try their Trattoria across the yard for a chilled evening soon.

I visited Bumpkin for lunch on a cold wet Wednesday and was very happy I did so. The restaurant comes across to me as a haven of comfort food and a chilled relaxed venue to have a lazy lunch or dinner in. The lunch menu managed to be short without making you feel there wasn't enough choice – In fact if anything it leaves you with the problem of wanting everything. I had some fantastic game soup for starters followed by a delicious steak – extremely tender and considering the price much tastier than I've had in many fine dining venues. This was all washed down with Bumpkin's very own ale which on its own could have kept me in all day long. For the quality and the price you just simply can't go wrong with Bumpkin.