The Bear and I were celebrating on Wednesday night, so I booked a table at the Butlers Wharf Chop House near Tower Bridge. I’d heard about it from a friend over a year ago. They had sampled an amazing bar menu at £12 for three courses, what a bargain. We booked in the main restaurant and got ready to gorge.
It’s famous for traditional British dishes and the head chef Winston Matthews (great name!) has gone out of his way to source local and seasonal food. The fresh produce really shone through in the dishes we ordered, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
I chose the restaurant because of the amount of meat on the menu. As a celebratory dinner for The Bear I thought it only fair to go somewhere he would really enjoy. Luckily for me, there were a lot of fishy dishes too.
The restaurant itself is long and thin and one side is flanked by the Thames flowing under Tower Bridge. It’s quite a view, and on a balmy evening such as this, the whole of the side is open to the elements with the French windows concertinaed back like a long see-through fan. There are a few tables outside on the deck, but most of the tables inside have a view off the river.
The décor is simple and pleasing, with wood panels, large country-house-style chairs and a simple tiled floor. The place is full to bursting and buzzing with business, pleasure and pure meaty abandon. The waiters seem a little over-stretched and we waited a while to give our order, and even longer to order our wine, but that was pretty much the only annoyance of the evening.
We were meant to be ordering off a set menu of 2 courses for £19.50, but we couldn’t resist going a la carte. For starters we had a dozen West Mersea oysters.
West Mersea is located near Colchester in Essex, and the Bear and I had recently been on a gastronomic trip to Orford in Suffolk, just down the road. The oysters in Orford were very creamy, so we were looking forward to more of the same. We weren’t disappointed. Eleven of the oysters were plump and milky. Unfortunately one of them was definitely the runt of the litter. You can’t win them all.
The oysters were served with the usual accompaniments, shallot vinegar, Tabasco, a slice of lemon. A nice touch was the extra tomato, garlic and paprika sauce, which was a new one on me, and spot on.
The plates were cleared and we sipped on gorgeous English wine (yes English!). The Ortega Biddendum is from a Vine Yard near Biddendum in Kent. The Bear convinced me to give it a go, even though the sommelier said it had a touch of “tropical fruits” – oh dear! But I was pleasantly surprised. It was fruity but not too sweet, and an excellent companion to the oysters.
The mains came soon after the sun started to set over the river. I went for the Fisherman’s pie with mashed potato and cheddar crust and The Bear went for The Offal Truth. “What the hell is that?” I hear you say. It’s a plate of every part of an animal that you would normally throw away. Ox liver, lamb kidney, black pudding, ox faggot, Old Gloucester tongue, Daylesford smokey bacon, bubble and squeak, beef marrow in the bone, and one hen’s egg.
Urgh urgh yuk yuk, urgh!!!!! That’s my opinion anyway. The Bear’s was more along the lines of “it’s offally good” (groan) and “I like faggots” (double groan). He ate everything very carefully and was suitably impressed. He even went so far as to get the marrow out the bone and shove it in my face. Charming! I definitely picked the right restaurant though. If you like that sort of thing, you’ll love this place.
The fisherman’s pie was very good. When it first arrived I was a little disappointed with the size, but I was just being greedy. There was plenty, and the minted peas I ordered as a side were spectacular. They tasted like they had been picked and shelled five minutes before cooking them. The pie was creamy and full of prawns, salmon and cod. Ten out of ten.
The dessert menu came and there was a whole page dedicated to the luscious British strawberry, it being June and all. Strawberry fool, strawberries and cream, strawberry puff, you name it.
We went for the apple fritters.
And they were amazing. Big rings of apple covered in crunchy batter and icing sugar. Served with a boulder of apple ice cream with a hint of mint, and caramel sauce. I could have eaten three servings.
The whole meal came to £95 including service and it was money well spent. You could get a similar meal much cheaper in the bar with the set menu if you can’t stretch to the main restaurant.
The setting and the food could not have been better. One puny oyster and a lack of service to begin with being the restaurant’s only flaws. It’s my parent’s anniversary in a few weeks, and I think this place is a shoe in for the booking.
Friday, 26 June 2009
Monday, 22 June 2009
The Diner - Ganton Street, Soho – 7/10
I discovered The Diner a while ago, when I found myself drinking cocktails at the bar on a random night out. At the time I was impressed by the black and red 50’s decor and the ability of the cocktail waiter to make drinks off menu. That night was a blast, and it was the first time I had ever had a raw egg in a drink (Amaretto Sour). Surprisingly I wasn’t ill, and went on til the early hours.
I didn’t have any food on that occasion and so this Friday I returned with my friend to sample the delights of its American menu.
Again the room is deep and sumptuous in black and red, with booths lining the walls and proper swivel bar stools lining the counter. The waiters and waitresses are all dressed in line with the theme, but not in a cheesy TGI Friday’s way. They weren’t covered in “flair”. They look like they dress like that all the time. They look edgy. They look cool.
The menu is similar to any American style restaurant, with burgers, Mexican food, all day breakfasts, and of course, shakes. I’m on a new fitness regime in time for the summer holidays, so I went for a diet coke, but the shakes looked fabulous.
I went for the vegetable burrito, which was very generous and was stuffed full of chilli – no half measures here. The chilli wasn’t uniform throughout though, and at moments I wondered whether there was any in it, and at others thought my head was going to explode! There was a pond of sour cream and guacamole on the side with a dressed side salad. The salad was unnecessary, but the rest of the dish was perfect for lunch. I would recommend getting fries on the side if you want to make more of a meal of it.
My chum went for the classic cheeseburger, which was again, very generous in size. A large slice of gherkin and a good dollop of pickle made it look even more appealing.
I was really pleased with my second visit to The Diner, and this time sober. It’s nice to know that my drunken memories of the place were not coloured by the booze, but pretty accurate. It’s a cheap eat at £19 for two and is a great place to start an evening out. Get a burger and a cocktail and move onto the bars and clubs of Soho. I will definitely be back!
I didn’t have any food on that occasion and so this Friday I returned with my friend to sample the delights of its American menu.
Again the room is deep and sumptuous in black and red, with booths lining the walls and proper swivel bar stools lining the counter. The waiters and waitresses are all dressed in line with the theme, but not in a cheesy TGI Friday’s way. They weren’t covered in “flair”. They look like they dress like that all the time. They look edgy. They look cool.
The menu is similar to any American style restaurant, with burgers, Mexican food, all day breakfasts, and of course, shakes. I’m on a new fitness regime in time for the summer holidays, so I went for a diet coke, but the shakes looked fabulous.
I went for the vegetable burrito, which was very generous and was stuffed full of chilli – no half measures here. The chilli wasn’t uniform throughout though, and at moments I wondered whether there was any in it, and at others thought my head was going to explode! There was a pond of sour cream and guacamole on the side with a dressed side salad. The salad was unnecessary, but the rest of the dish was perfect for lunch. I would recommend getting fries on the side if you want to make more of a meal of it.
My chum went for the classic cheeseburger, which was again, very generous in size. A large slice of gherkin and a good dollop of pickle made it look even more appealing.
I was really pleased with my second visit to The Diner, and this time sober. It’s nice to know that my drunken memories of the place were not coloured by the booze, but pretty accurate. It’s a cheap eat at £19 for two and is a great place to start an evening out. Get a burger and a cocktail and move onto the bars and clubs of Soho. I will definitely be back!
Monday, 15 June 2009
Galvin @ Windows – Park Lane Hilton - London – 6.5/10
It’s Sunday afternoon, and another opportunity to eat. This time it’s at the much talked about Galvin @ Windows. The restaurant is on the 28th floor of the Park Lane Hilton, and has views across London. It’s an elegant room, with dark browns and mint greens complimenting the view. Which is stunning. The best thing about this restaurant is the amazing panoramic views from each side. From our table we had the backdrop of Hyde Park and St James’ Park. Not bad eh?
There’s a huge gold sculpture hanging from the ceiling along the length of the room which looks like a giant unwrapped Ferrero Rocher. It dominated the room, but I guess was designed to draw your eyes along it and out through the windows to the amazing backdrop.
The view was undeniably fantastic, as you would expect at that height. And thankfully the weather had decided to cheer up a bit so we could see clearly. Although, come to think of it, a storm at that height might have been pretty dramatic too.
We were seated and greeted with two glasses of cool champagne. Our table wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t the worst either. All around the edges of the restaurant there are tables right by the windows with uninterrupted views. In the centre there is a raised rectangular platform with more tables. We were placed here but luckily not right in the centre of the restaurant. I can imagine you'd be pretty disappointed to be sat there, craning your neck over everybody else to admire the view.
We went for the very reasonable summer menu, which included three courses, a glass of champagne and coffee for £25 a head. And as I was working later in the day we didn’t need to worry about astronomical prices for wine. Having been to Artisan at the Westbury recently on a similarly priced menu, we were happily awaiting a few little surprises during the meal. They didn’t appear.
I started with the tomato, mozzarella and basil soup, which was very good. It was elegantly poured into the dish at the table with mozzarella waiting, ready in the bottom of the bowl. The soup had depth of flavour and was seasoned perfectly, but the real highlight of this dish was the accompanying bread. The Lemon and basil foccacia was stupendous. The crust was packed with rock salt and herbs and the dough had shreds of lemon zest running through it. The bread and the soup were the best of friends.
The Bear went for the Fois Gras, of course. It was “the best starter I’ve ever had”. Not something I approve of, but it seemed to rock his boat. A good start so far.
The main course arrived a little quickly after the starter for my liking, but it looked marvellous. I went for salmon with crushed potatoes and watery vinaigrette. It was very pretty, but a little on the tame side. It’s the sort of thing I could manage to cook at home, and frequently do. The only thing that really stood out about the dish was the vinaigrette. It was subtle and delicate, with a lemony and acidic tone that lifted the otherwise fairly average dish. The Bear had pork. Of course he did. He liked it, but wasn’t blown away.
The dishes were taken away by the ten waiters dedicated to our table (a bit of an exaggeration, but that’s what it felt like). I went for the strawberry pannacotta, and the Bear for the gooseberry fool for dessert. Unlike the starter and the main, the dessert took FOREVER to arrive. But it was worth the wait. The strawberry pannacotta was an ocular feast. Set in a large shallow bowl, it was strewn with real strawberries, strawberry jelly, baby basil leaves and honeycomb. You got a different flavour in every mouthful. It was a dream. The gooseberry fool was also good, but lacked texture.
With coffee came some chocolates, which were okay. A bit on the tiny side. With the bill came some homemade marshmallows, which were very good, but far too sweet. There was no way we could polish off the whole jar placed in front of us. But it was a nice touch. These last minute additions made up for the lack of amuse bouche or palate cleansers in the rest of the meal.
All in all the bill came to £62 for three courses, coffee, a glass of champagne each, two bottles of sparkling water, and service. You can’t really argue with that. But there was something missing throughout. That pizazz you expect from this sort of restaurant. Maybe I’ve been spoilt, but I did feel a sense of disappointment. A sense that I had stayed in the hotel to eat whilst on holiday, and not ventured to the more exciting unknown territories outside.
The views are excellent. It’s worth going just for them. The food was good in places but otherwise fairly tame. I don’t think I would go back in a hurry, but I’m very glad I went in the first place.
There’s a huge gold sculpture hanging from the ceiling along the length of the room which looks like a giant unwrapped Ferrero Rocher. It dominated the room, but I guess was designed to draw your eyes along it and out through the windows to the amazing backdrop.
The view was undeniably fantastic, as you would expect at that height. And thankfully the weather had decided to cheer up a bit so we could see clearly. Although, come to think of it, a storm at that height might have been pretty dramatic too.
We were seated and greeted with two glasses of cool champagne. Our table wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t the worst either. All around the edges of the restaurant there are tables right by the windows with uninterrupted views. In the centre there is a raised rectangular platform with more tables. We were placed here but luckily not right in the centre of the restaurant. I can imagine you'd be pretty disappointed to be sat there, craning your neck over everybody else to admire the view.
We went for the very reasonable summer menu, which included three courses, a glass of champagne and coffee for £25 a head. And as I was working later in the day we didn’t need to worry about astronomical prices for wine. Having been to Artisan at the Westbury recently on a similarly priced menu, we were happily awaiting a few little surprises during the meal. They didn’t appear.
I started with the tomato, mozzarella and basil soup, which was very good. It was elegantly poured into the dish at the table with mozzarella waiting, ready in the bottom of the bowl. The soup had depth of flavour and was seasoned perfectly, but the real highlight of this dish was the accompanying bread. The Lemon and basil foccacia was stupendous. The crust was packed with rock salt and herbs and the dough had shreds of lemon zest running through it. The bread and the soup were the best of friends.
The Bear went for the Fois Gras, of course. It was “the best starter I’ve ever had”. Not something I approve of, but it seemed to rock his boat. A good start so far.
The main course arrived a little quickly after the starter for my liking, but it looked marvellous. I went for salmon with crushed potatoes and watery vinaigrette. It was very pretty, but a little on the tame side. It’s the sort of thing I could manage to cook at home, and frequently do. The only thing that really stood out about the dish was the vinaigrette. It was subtle and delicate, with a lemony and acidic tone that lifted the otherwise fairly average dish. The Bear had pork. Of course he did. He liked it, but wasn’t blown away.
The dishes were taken away by the ten waiters dedicated to our table (a bit of an exaggeration, but that’s what it felt like). I went for the strawberry pannacotta, and the Bear for the gooseberry fool for dessert. Unlike the starter and the main, the dessert took FOREVER to arrive. But it was worth the wait. The strawberry pannacotta was an ocular feast. Set in a large shallow bowl, it was strewn with real strawberries, strawberry jelly, baby basil leaves and honeycomb. You got a different flavour in every mouthful. It was a dream. The gooseberry fool was also good, but lacked texture.
With coffee came some chocolates, which were okay. A bit on the tiny side. With the bill came some homemade marshmallows, which were very good, but far too sweet. There was no way we could polish off the whole jar placed in front of us. But it was a nice touch. These last minute additions made up for the lack of amuse bouche or palate cleansers in the rest of the meal.
All in all the bill came to £62 for three courses, coffee, a glass of champagne each, two bottles of sparkling water, and service. You can’t really argue with that. But there was something missing throughout. That pizazz you expect from this sort of restaurant. Maybe I’ve been spoilt, but I did feel a sense of disappointment. A sense that I had stayed in the hotel to eat whilst on holiday, and not ventured to the more exciting unknown territories outside.
The views are excellent. It’s worth going just for them. The food was good in places but otherwise fairly tame. I don’t think I would go back in a hurry, but I’m very glad I went in the first place.
Wednesday, 10 June 2009
Taqueria – Westbourne Grove – London – 5.5/10
I felt terribly trendy walking down Portobello Road with The Bear to meet some friends last Friday night. It’s not often we’re in this part of the world, where a shabby one bedroom flat is the same price as a three bedroom semi in good old Surbiton. And Mexican food was the order of the day.
Having dragged my arse round London in the rain all afternoon, I was very happy to be going to a restaurant that boasts the best margaritas in town. Not that tequila is my friend. It’s my enemy. But I heard somewhere that it’s good to keep your enemies close. Let the cocktails begin!!
Taqueria serves tacos and antojitos (which means a little of what you fancy) in a small, crowded restaurant. The tables are tiny, marble affairs plonked everywhere they can be squeezed in. And there are a lot of people!
Everywhere you look the glitterati of Notting Hill are waiting, crowding the room, vulture-like, groaning for you to finish and piss off so they can swoop and conquer your little marble nation. It says it’s a restaurant and bar, but really it’s a restaurant and a small counter with delusions of grandeur.
Apart from the annoying spectators the restaurant is quite pleasant. There is a bustling energy about the place. We ordered nachos, which were served with guacamole, re-fried beans and spicy salsa. The nachos were non-greasy, golden and crisp. There was a mere dusting of grated cheese, which is just the way I like it. They were heaven compared to the Odeon nachos with orange gloop I had the other day. Never again.
It was kind of down hill from there really. The food was tasty and fresh. We had a combination of tacos (Pollock, prawn, steak, chicken, stuffed chillies) and antojitos. But the service was a little off. The food wasn’t that easy to share (which I thought was the whole point) and there is only so much avocado and tomato that you can eat without it getting repetitive, whatever is put on top of it.
Although the restaurant was crowded with waiting diners, we conspired to keep them waiting by ordering more margaritas and churros. If you’ve never tried churros before then you must get your lips round some soon. They are essentially long fried doughnuts covered in sugar and cinnamon, and on this occasion served with chocolate dipping sauce. And they are yummy! I had them every morning for breakfast when I went on holiday to Valencia, and the ones at Taqueria are just as good.
Taqueria is nothing special. The whole meal for four people with a drink or two each came to £112. If you like Mexican food then its worth giving it a go the once, if only for the margaritas and churros. It would have been better if there had been a little bit of crowd control.
Having dragged my arse round London in the rain all afternoon, I was very happy to be going to a restaurant that boasts the best margaritas in town. Not that tequila is my friend. It’s my enemy. But I heard somewhere that it’s good to keep your enemies close. Let the cocktails begin!!
Taqueria serves tacos and antojitos (which means a little of what you fancy) in a small, crowded restaurant. The tables are tiny, marble affairs plonked everywhere they can be squeezed in. And there are a lot of people!
Everywhere you look the glitterati of Notting Hill are waiting, crowding the room, vulture-like, groaning for you to finish and piss off so they can swoop and conquer your little marble nation. It says it’s a restaurant and bar, but really it’s a restaurant and a small counter with delusions of grandeur.
Apart from the annoying spectators the restaurant is quite pleasant. There is a bustling energy about the place. We ordered nachos, which were served with guacamole, re-fried beans and spicy salsa. The nachos were non-greasy, golden and crisp. There was a mere dusting of grated cheese, which is just the way I like it. They were heaven compared to the Odeon nachos with orange gloop I had the other day. Never again.
It was kind of down hill from there really. The food was tasty and fresh. We had a combination of tacos (Pollock, prawn, steak, chicken, stuffed chillies) and antojitos. But the service was a little off. The food wasn’t that easy to share (which I thought was the whole point) and there is only so much avocado and tomato that you can eat without it getting repetitive, whatever is put on top of it.
Although the restaurant was crowded with waiting diners, we conspired to keep them waiting by ordering more margaritas and churros. If you’ve never tried churros before then you must get your lips round some soon. They are essentially long fried doughnuts covered in sugar and cinnamon, and on this occasion served with chocolate dipping sauce. And they are yummy! I had them every morning for breakfast when I went on holiday to Valencia, and the ones at Taqueria are just as good.
Taqueria is nothing special. The whole meal for four people with a drink or two each came to £112. If you like Mexican food then its worth giving it a go the once, if only for the margaritas and churros. It would have been better if there had been a little bit of crowd control.
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