Category: London

Delfina – Sunday Opening

Due to popular demand the Delfina Restaurant is now open on Sundays for Lunch, and being pushed as a venue to relax, eat, drink and enjoy reading the Sunday papers.

It was not too popular on our visit, there were only about 12 people in the Restaurant, but a few of them were managing to read the Sunday papers!  Something that surprised me based on the speed of the service.

The place really needs to be busier to get a buzz going, as being located in a gallery space does make the restaurant a bit stark/cold.  However going by the number of people passing by and checking out the menu, the potential is here.

The Sunday menu is off the usual standard for Delfina’s, i.e., good well cooked comfort food. We started with the Ham hock terrine which was accompanied by very refreshing and tasty pickled spring cabbage, followed by Lamb and beautifully cooked vegetables. We finished with the cheese course (one between two is plenty).

The staff seem inexperienced, but they are enthusiastic and friendly.  My main complaint, and it is not a major one,  is that the service is a little too quick.  It would have been nice to relax between courses, “maybe read a newspaper” and not be in and out in an hour.

Marks out of 10

Food 5.4

Service 5

Ambience 4

UPDATE – May  2013 : Relaunched as Tanner & Co – for more information see Big Hospitality Article.

 

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Coq d’argent – Right on the Money

Coq d’argent is a rather fabulous venue on the roof of Number 1 The Poultry, right in the middle of the Square Mile. Visiting a City restaurant with a roof top garden on a Sunday in January may not be the best timing, but we got a real feel for just how good a location this actually is. In the Winter, when the garden is not in use,  you can appreciate just how well designed this place is and take in the views without being disturbed by the usual cityboy revellers. We had booked a Top Table deal of 3 courses for £19 (the normal 3 course lunch price is £30), and that is where it gets interesting.  Most places cut corners on deals. They do not always seem to appreciate that these deals are an ideal way to showcase the restaurant.  Coq d’argent got it 100% right. At no point did we feel like second class citizens or cheapskates. The set menu had sufficient choices and included top end items like escargot and venison. This actually encouraged us to upgrade our wine choices to something from their selection of fine wines.

The service was friendly and efficient, and the place was buzzing. The Jazz band from the bar area also made a couple of  sorties into the Restaurant to play “happy birthday”, which was certainly entertaining the first time, but maybe not so much the sixth time.  However it is easy to understand why people come here to celebrate.

Marks out of 10

Food 6.7

Service 6.7

Ambience 6.7

 

 

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St Pancras Grand – No Service

We tried the Champagne Afternoon Tea at St Pancras Grand making use of the same half price offer we had used earlier at The Portrait (Normal Price £25.00 per person, with the deal £12.50). Off the two venues The Portrait easily won, with its buzzy atmosphere and friendly service. At the St Pancreas Grand, the room is certainly much grander. However the place was rather lacking in atmosphere and we had no qualms about not paying the discretionary service charge. Main complaints (apart from how dull The Afternoon Tea was) are:-

1. No one to greet us at the door.

2. Room was deserted of waiting staff on more than one occasion.

3. Very curt, disinterested waiter.

4. Getting a Tea Strainer took about 30 minutes and two attempts.

5. No offer of a top up on the tea (although the deal specifically mentioned unlimited tea), and we had 2 teapots between 3 people, so not exactly a fair distribution.

With service like this, if you were planning to catch a train…..you’d miss it!

Marks out of 10

Food 3

Service 2

Ambience 4

 

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Tamarai – lotus eating

Tamarai is a late night Bar/Club/Restaurant in Drury Lane with a pretty good reputation for its pan Asian fusion food. We found them when reviewing Top Table deals for January. Tamarai were advertising a 50% discount on their 9 course tasting menu (full price £52). Too good to miss.

Night clubs are not exactly known for good food, and we were a bit dubious about this place, as we navigated our way thorough the corridors and down the stairs to the restaurant, which basically did look like a dark night club with tables on the dance floor (slight exaggeration, but it definitely had that vibe about it).   However this place was a revelation, as it served up delicious dishes one after another, with no dip in the quality which started high and did not drop.

It is hard to pick out standout dishes when all the food is good, but I especially enjoyed the snow crab with coconut, and the rather amazing chicken salad, which was refreshing and spicy (neat trick). Even the strawberry and basil palate cleanser is worth a mention. The main courses were Thai Green curry and lovely almost meaty prawns in a barbecue style sauce. We then finished with White Chocolate Ice Cream and Fresh Fruit Kebabs.

As well as the tasting menu we ordered the flight of wines (5 glasses for £17),  which were a good accompaniment.

The staff were plentiful and the service was efficient.

I would even suggest if this Kitchen moved above ground to a fashionable location, like Mayfair or Chelsea, that they would not need to offer deals to attract custom. Definitely the best Pan Asian food we have ever tasted.

Marks out of 10

Food 7

Service 6.8

Ambience 6

 

 

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40|30 at the Gherkin – hi def cuisine

Another visit to 40|30 Restaurant in the Gherkin, Norman Fosters landmark building. An amazing venue for a restaurant with unrivaled panoramic views of London. The food is also of a very high standard. Indeed this restaurant has everything going for it. The only thing that I felt spoilt the experience was the acoustics. The music from the bar upstairs and the general background noise made it virtually impossible to follow conversations at our table. Perhaps I’m just going deaf or am too old to appreciate the buzz!  Give me a quiet peaceful restaurant every time.

Generally we have found that the better the view, the worse the food.  This venue is the exception to the rule. The Cod with Feta and Chorizo Tortellini for example was a standout.

There was also good selection of reasonably priced wines, including a rather good Pinor Noir from California (pictured).

For more on the Gherkin, see post titled:-

40|30 at the Gherkin – the high life

 

 

 

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The Portrait – Worth a look

We have been to the Portrait Restaurant, in the National Portrait Gallery quite a few times now (for breakfast, brunch and lunch). It is on the top floor of the Gallery on the left hand side, going up the main escalator and taking the lift to the 3rd floor will get you there.

The place is normally busy and buzzing, so best to book. It also has a good view of Nelson’s Column.

We went for afternoon tea, taking up a special January deal of £12.50 per person for a Champagne Tea. A Bargain!

 

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