The Grub's Reviews

Hidden behind the weekday bustle of market stalls in Whitecross Street is the calm oasis of Pham Sushi. It is neat and clean but not ostentatious and it serves excellent Japanese food – easily of a standard of many of its expensive Wet End brethren. It is no wonder that Pham Sushi is a regular haunt for the sophisticates from Linklaters and some other City firms as well as providing good value, authentic food for discerning locals. Being slightly off the City's usual beaten tracks it feels like a secret gem, however it does make sense to book a table as the restaurant is quite small and deservedly popular.

I have used Pham Sushi both as a venue for informal business meetings and also as a place to take my family for a delicious Japanese supper (and we live South of The River). The food is good value and very fresh. A wide selection of Nigiri Sushi, Sushi Rolls, Sashimi and traditional hot dishes ( such as Tempura, Teriyaki, and noodles are available as are wooden and porcelain Bento boxes offering a good mix at circa £13. My youngest son is convinced that they serve the best Miso soup in the world, it is certainly better than bowls we have enjoyed when travelling in Asia. Service is courteous and attentive without being obtrusive. The tables are made mock-wooden Formica but once covered in dishes the simplicity almost adds to the ambience. The house Special Sashimi is wonderful – meltingly fresh fillets of tuna, yellowtail, sea bass and salmon with delicate accompaniments – thin slivers of chilli, radish and vinegar. When we ate there on Saturday evening, the Nasu Dengaku (deep fried aubergine with sweet miso) was delicious – smooth, creamy and sweet. we enjoyed excellent, freshly prepared Edamame (Japanese Soya beans) which we popped fresh from their salty pods and wonderful Pork Gyozas as starters. We binged on sushi, sashimi and tempura with my 11 year old feasting on a Beef Bento – excellent Teriyaki Beef that was tender and flavoursome. The Green tea is good (and only… More

Dinner, 12th January 2008

An exceptional fish restaurant just off junction 13 of the M4

I chose this venue for an alumni meeting of ex-colleagues – they work West and I am in London, so The Crab was a good venue almost midway between locations. Unless you know the area, it is not easy to find – coming off the M4 from London you need to take the road to the left after the Red Lion pub in Chieveley, travel out of the village, looping round the no-through route to North Heath, across open country before heading north on the Wantage Road. Initially the Crab appears to be a picture postcard pub sitting by the road, despite its modern sign with a vibrant orange crab on it, however it is in fact a suberb restauarant with some exceptional rooms (many with hot tubs and private gardens).

We met for a drink in the smart sitting area near the front reception – comfy sofas and arm chairs and a sophisticated ambience. I was late and my friends had already ordered a couple of beers – delicious roasted nuts came as an accompaniment – no good for people trying to shed their extra Christmas pounds. I ordered a spicy tomato juice to sip while considering the menu – my drink was exemplary of its kind and would have been even better with a vodka in it…but I was driving. We selected some interesting starters – Marcus had king scallops in a white chocolate and caviar sauce – they were plump and sweet and went well with the complex flavours of the sauce (sweet and sour). I had queen scallops simply grilled under breadcrumbs and Edam – succulent little nuts of flesh, although a little difficult to prize out of their dish due to the Edam coating. Rob had a crab risotto – served with tender mussels – given the speed with which it vanished, it was clearly very good. Both Rob and I had king crabs to follow – his cold with a salad and mayonaise, mine hot with a simple garlic butter. They were amongst the biggest crabs I have seen, but cooked to perfection and ready cracked to better enable getting the… More

Dinner, 5th January 2009.

Trinity is certainly one of the best restaurants in South West London and many locals, primarily well-heeled and early middle-aged Clapham professionals, are delighted that Adam Byatt has returned from his stint at The Hospital in Covent Garden. The location, looking out over grass towards the edge of Clapham Common, helps make the restaurant feel different from the usual fodder on the High Street. The interior is modern, uncluttered but welcoming – ceilings are high enough for it not to be too noisy and the staff are hospitable and attentive. My son was very impressed by the knife spinning skills of the bar tender behind the sleek small bar. The restaurant offers superb, fresh ingredients (often local or British sourced) expertly prepared – our trip last night was not the best visit that we have enjoyed, as service and timings were at times disappointing. I hope that this was due to the restaurant having only recently reopened after the festive season and hence not yet being back into its stride. That aside, I enjoyed a delicious foaming celeriac soup with a nub of fois gras concealed at its heart; the seared tuna with Nicoise accompaniments was much appreciated (excellent anchovies and fried quails' eggs) and looked like an artist's palette and only my husband's starter, a rich and thick butternut squash soup, let the side down as it was barely tepid. Presentation is attractive, but seldom sensational, however the calibre of the ingredients more than compensates for the lack of a visual “wow!”. As mentioned, service last night was a little erratic – two main courses were presented and then there was a considerable wait for the remaining couple of dishes, with the result that, again, my husband's food was cold (although still edible and enjoyable). I feasted on the guinea fowl, which went surprisingly well with hazelnut ice-cream; the maple cured pork belly with fennel and mash went down a treat although the boys commented that the portions were… More