Restaurant Reviews

Since I eat out regularly, often in new restaurants, I thought it might be useful to have a separate section for my reviews. Not all, obviously, offer an amazing food and wine matching experience but if you're considering whether or not they're worth a visit I hope the feedback proves useful.

Recent articles

Jeremy Lee at Quo Vadis, Soho Jan 21, 2012: If you want to understand what British cooking is about - not the magpie character of of modern British but the genteel English country house tradition - head for Soho where Jeremy Lee has taken up residence behind the stoves at Quo Vadis.

Hedone: not worth the detour (for me at any rate) Aug 5, 2011: Hedone has attracted the sort of rave reviews that any new restaurateur would die for. So why do I feel underwhelmed?

Roganic - silly name, stunning food Jul 29, 2011: To tell the truth I wasn’t sure what I was going to make of Roganic. I’m not mad about molecular gastronomy or multi-course tasting menus these days and it sounded as if owner Simon Rogan and his chef Ben Spalding were ardent exponents of both. But I was impressed ...

The romance of The Gilbert Scott May 27, 2011: There’s something wildly romantic about railway stations, still more so railway hotel restaurants but none I’ve come across that beats the newly opened Gilbert Scott. It’s the kind of place you feel you should dine in a hat with a man with a Clark Gable moustache then impulsively leap on the 4 o'clock train to Paris - or even a sleeper to Edinburgh come to that ...

Pollen Street Social: how Jason Atherton has moved on May 13, 2011: Gordon Ramsay deserves more credit than he’s given for fostering a generation of talented chefs who have gone on to do great things. Some partings have been more acrimonious than others but Marcus Wareing, Mark Sargeant, Angela Hartnett and Jason Atherton would all, I think, acknowledge that they wouldn’t be where they are without Ramsay.

St John Hotel restaurant: cool but pricey Apr 6, 2011: The new St John Hotel restaurant will confirm all your prejudices. If you’re a fan you’ll be in heaven. If you’ve wondered what all the fuss was about you won’t be inclined to change your mind.

Brasserie Joel - great chef, great food, shame about the venue Mar 30, 2011: Let’s be honest. If you were planning a night out in London you probably wouldn’t choose a large chain hotel in the middle of a traffic island opposite a hospital. Let alone one with a restaurant that looks like a nightclub. But you’d be missing one of the best meals in London

Nopi: a model modern winelist Mar 2, 2011: How often do you go to restaurants and groan at the length of the winelist? Or end up simply skimming the recommended ‘sommelier’s choice’ or wines by the glass? Well, the wine list at Yotam Ottolenghi's new restaurant Nopi is a model of what the time-poor, harassed diner wants - simple and intriguing sections, each of which tells a story.

So, what should you drink at Dinner? Feb 9, 2011: Meaning Heston Blumenthal’s new restaurant not what you might be quaffing with a Wednesday night pasta . . .

Cassis bistro: another Abela hit Dec 9, 2010: Being a Marlon Abela fan I was keen to check out his new new ‘Provencal bistro’ Cassis as soon as possible so went anyway yesterday even though my dining companion had fallen by the wayside (contd)