Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Berners Tavern *** £65

This is maybe the most amazing decor you can find in a London restaurant today. Amazing stuff. The food is a mix of Michelin-style dishes and traditional British meat fare.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Shake Shack ** £15

This US import does not compete with the gourmet burgers of London's scene, yet it is pretty good for a quick Covent Garden bite.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Dehesa ** £30

Nice little tapas place in the heart of Soho and next to Regent st. it is a sister restaurant to Opera Tavern over at Covent Garden. Small but tasty dishes.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Burger and Lobster Soho *** £30

You know the deal: 20GBP for a burger OR a lobster. I am not a lobster fan, and the burger is overpriced here, but it is amazingly good (the creators of the place come from Goodman steakhouses). If you are lucky, you may get the grand lobster (which is normally 30GBP).

The Bull Steak Expert *** £40

This unknown little hole-in-the-wall made some amazing steaks for our lunch. We went there with our lawyers and had the ribeye steak, which was much better than I expected. Thumbs up! 

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Roka *** £35

A bit expensive but worth it sushi place in the heart of Canary Wharf. I only tried the desserts as I was late, but they were amazing!

Itsu *** £12

Wonderful little sushi chain from the makers of Pret. Everything is tasty and healthy. The Wife's favorite pregnancy lunch.

Itsu ***£12

Wonderful little sushi chain from the makers of Pret. Everything is tasty and healthy. The Wife's favorite pregnancy lunch.

Friday, May 31, 2013

Ashlyns Farm Shop ** £25

A farm in Essex where they serve local produce (vegetables and meat). Better than having these in a typical pub, but the fact that they kept the doors closed for the outdoor patio despite the amazing weather is beyond me.

Belgique *** £10

This place in Wanstead has an amazing outdoor patio, a perfect reminder of similar outdoor cafes in sunny Greece. Not to be missed for a relaxing afternoon.

Guglee *** £28

Very nice Indian place, with amazing lassis and dishes that go beyond the traditional fares you would find in a typical indian restaurant. We went there with the twins parents-to-be, what a night!

Monday, May 20, 2013

Kin ** £10

Yet another two-star Thai located in a really nice road (Leather lane) along with what seems an unlimited number of other food/lunch places. 

Isarn ** £25

Decent Thai place in Islington, they offer a range of traditional Thai dishes but no Thai Ice Tea unfortunately. Good choice if you are around the neighborhood. 

Gioberti Ristorante ** £20

Quite decent neighborhood italian place in Wanstead. Pizza was nice (thin crust), but the appetizers and salad just average. It does get packed though.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

The Breakfast Club ** £15

The vibe in this awesome breakfast place is great. Young and vibrant, including a refrigerator that leads to the bar downstairs. However, the food is decent but not great, hence the two-star rating only.

Benito's Hat * £15

Cheap mexican place off Goodge Street, but it is not up to par with The Flying Burrito. It was fun though because we had lunch with the rest of the twin-expecting couples from UCLH.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Saporitalia **** £30

Looking for the greatest pizza in London? This place is one of the candidates. In London, owned by Italians, operated by Italians, serving great food. It is not to be missed.

Seoul *** £17

Great Korean BBQ place, and one of the cheapest great restaurants in London. I mean, come on, 17GBO per head all inclusive? It's a little gem of a restaurant.

Zucca **** £33

What an amazing italian restaurant. Probably the best restaurant I've been in London where I paid less than 35GBP per person. Book early as it's quite small and gets crowded.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Pizzaria Malletti ** £12

Yet another small, lunch place in Soho, with only a few stools to have a very uncomfortable meal. Pizza is good but nothing to write home about, once you've tried Italy.

Bar Boulud ** £32

Quite posh place in Knightsbridge, with what used to be some of the best burgers in London. Not so much anymore since the advent of all these gourmet burger places in Soho. The desserts where OK as well.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Patty & Bun *** £15

Yet another top-10 burger place in London, also centrally located. The choice in premium burgers is just astonishing in this city. Don't forget to try the lampshank :-)

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Cabana ** £28

Decent brazilian BBQ place. Don't expect spectacular food, but the grilled lamp was pretty  nice. For the price, they offer a fairly nice, fun dining environment.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Byron *** £17

One of the best value for money burgers you can find. It's a chain, but their triple cheesmas (sic) burger was out of this world. It ain't Lucky Chip, but it pretty good for what it offers.

Koba Korean BBQ * £25

Woa, that place sucked big time. The meat were not marinated and hence a bit tasteless. I don't think I would go back.

Rococo Chocolates *** £5

Their chocolate shot, served in an espresso cup is one the best in London - thick and creamy as you would like it.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Casa Brindisa ** £25

Pretty nice tapas place, very conveniently located next to the South Kensington tube station. As with all such places, don't expect huge portions, but they are just fine for a nice dinner.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Loon-Yee ** £18

It's an OK place in our neighborhood, nothing spectacular but a decent choice if you want a quick Chinese fare.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Opera Tavern *** £27

Quite nice tapas place near Covent Garden, with small but very tasty plates of Italian and Spanish delicacies.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Honest Burgers *** £15

Very nice burger place in Soho, which seems to be becoming a hot area for awesome burger joints (others include Burger and Lobster, MeatLiquor, Lucky Chip at the Player). It is among the best.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

The Player *** £27

This tiny little bar serves the famous Lucky Chip burgers in a new format - almost bite sized half-burgers (you get two with each dish, called Slider). Needless to say the burgers are near perfect. Arrive early to find a place to sit, or book ahead. The ice cream burger is also quite an interesting take on desserts :-)

Petchsayam Thai ** £18

Quite cheap Thai place at Leytonstone. The Tom-Ka-Kai was stupendously good, but more than an hour passed between the appetizers and the mains. I would visit again if I had a car, but wouldn't suggest for someone to travel from the other side of London for it.

Piada *** £14

Very cheap lunch italian place with homemade pastas. They only offer 2-3 items each day, but they are of top notch quality. Their piadas are awesome as well!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Duck & Waffle **** £41

Superb views of London, up on the 40th floor of the Heron tower. The food is highly original, trying to stray away from the usual Michelin-starred boxed thinking. Who would have thought that foie gras pairs well with Nutella?! It also has a very vibrant atmosphere, with a pleasant background chatter. Highly impressed!


Friday, August 24, 2012

The Square *** £45

Charming little place in Mayfair with two Michelin Stars. However, the lunch was good but didn't live up to the hype. It is supposed to be a sister restaurant to the Ledbury, but the Ledbury seems far superior at this stage.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Aqua Nueva **** £8

Amazing rooftop cafe/bar (and restaurant) right on Regent Street, with some of the most interesting views in London. A daytime coffee on a nice weekend afternoon is just great there.

Pizza East *** £25

Wonderful vibe in this place, which screams London and Shoreditch. I would love to have a birthday party here. The pizza was good enough to make me go back again, and the rest of the food was solid as well.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Princess Garden Of Mayfair ** £35

This is a fairly upscale Chinese restaurant that also serves dim sum. The food is not great, but I love how it is conveniently located next to Oxford street. It feels nice not to have to go to Chinatown for good Chinese.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

The Ledbury ***** £135

Words don't put into justice the experience at the Ledbury. The tasting dinner menu was perfection after perfection after perfection, with the taste buds coming out dizzy and overwhelmed. Best of all, they customizes their menu to incorporate my fish allergies, creating special dishes when necessary. Probably the most solid gastronomical experience I had in London.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

L'Atelier De Joel Robuchon **** £65

Superb, mind-blowing food. It was the most unexpectedly good meal I had in London this year. Loved the setting where you get to sit bar-style next to the kitchen and watch your food being prepared.

Su Sazzagoni ** £25

Authentic Sicilian cuisine is a homestyle setting. Food was solid good, although nothing to write home about. Several unique dishes on the menu.

Pollen Street Social *** £55

Atherton, Gordon Ramsay's most well-known protege, leads this Michelin-starred restaurant. Not ALL dishes were great, but several of them were outstanding. 

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Retsina *** £30

One of the better Greek places in London. They offer a real souvla, i.e. a roasting spit to grill traditional meats. We went for the Greek Easter Sunday of 2012 and had a wonderful time. The for is of fairly high quality - great stuff.

Gelatorino *** £7

Amazing italian gelato place next to Covent Garden. Dare I say it is better than Scoop and Gelupo?

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Duke's Brew & Que *** £27

Excellent beef ribs, probably the best you can find in London. Sure, they're not like the traditional ones you can find in the US, but a great choice this side of the pond.

TGI Fridays ** £25

While Friday's is one of my favorite restaurants in Greece, it remains below average in the US and the UK. OK food, but nothing exceptional.

Bella Italia ** £25

Went there with Nadine and George and their Groupon offer. It has a nice ambiance, but it remains a chain of Italian restaurants, so don't expect miracles.

The Bountiful Cow ** £20

The rib eye steak was terrible (what's what the others said), but the burger was really huge and fulfilling - one my favorites in London.

Spiritual Caipirinha Bar ** £10

Brazilian bar in Camden, very crowded, but it does have good vibe.

Hibiscus Restaurant **** £55

Superb downtown restaurant, also included in the top 50 restaurants in the world. I have a little vague image of the dishes, however tasted wonderfully. The chefs definitely have unique taste and will to try different stuff.

Meat Liquor ** £10

Conveniently located right behind John Lewis, this is a student-flavored, American style burger place. The burgers are solid good, even though not as great as Lucky Chip's. The chili cheese fries and the key-lime pie though are to die for!

Maze *** £40

The 25GBP early supper (between 5-6pm) is a fairly good deal. I love the ambiance, and the food is solid good. There is nothing to scream about, but a very good deal if you are around Oxford Street.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Dinner by Heston ***** £45

Words cannot easily describe dining at this place. Inspired by old British Cuisine, Blumenthal fuses together molecular gastronomy with British food. Although we only had lunch here, all 4 courses we tried were splendid. It certainly has a very upscale feeling, as well as impeccable service. Excellent views towards Hyde Park as well as towards the Chefs! If it wasn't so darn expensive, I would definitely be visiting there very often :-)

The Admiral Codrington *** £25

This is a tucked-away pub that serves one of the best burgers in London. It actually has a proper dining room that matches an upscale restaurant rather than a pub. Still, the £15 beef burger is to die for. (Even though I think Hawkmoor's is better).

Med Kitchen ** £25

That's exactly your average Mediterranean chain restaurant. It's not great, but if you are around and are looking for something simple to eat, it can be a good bet.

Wild Honey *** £30

This Michelin-starred restaurant has one of the best lunch deals for lunch in town - just  £24 per person. It wasn't much in terms of quantity, but just adequate. The Honey ice cream is just astonishing :-)

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Gelupo *** £5

Cheap ice cream place with lots and lots of very weird flavors. You won't find the regular vanilla and chocolate flavors here. Still hasn't decided whether this of Scoop is the best.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Tayyabs ** £12

Yet another awesome, ultra-cheap spicy Indian place next to work. Less spicy than Needo, but with better environment.

Burger and Lobster *** £25

Unique place, offering only 2 items on the menu. An awesome burger, or a great lobster, with salad and chips, only for £20. And while for the burger it might be a tad expensive, for the lobster it's one of the sweetest deals in town.

Needoo Grill *** £12

Ultra-cheap, efficient indian place that has trained me in handling and enjoying spicy food.

Cay Tre ** £18

One of the better Asian places in Soho (Vietnamese to be exact). Conveniently located with excellent food, including steaks/ribs and Phos.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Santore *** £25

Busy authentic italian located in a nice restaurant street. They had the best ingredients ever in their meter long pizzas, however overall the taste at Pizza Metro Pizza is slightly better.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Pizza Metro Pizza **** £22

Splendid place with truly authentic italian pizza. It's definitely a candidate for the best pizza in London. Tried the margherita and the Solvio ones - oh, my!

Monday, December 12, 2011

Black & Blue ** £25

The steaks here are much better than the average, however don't expect Goodman awesomeness. Very nice environment and very conveniently located.

Plum Valley *** £25

One of the better restaurant in Chinatown. It doesn't look like a chinese place, more like an upscale modern cuisine restaurant. Best sweet and sour pork you can have!

Goodman **** £60

What a wonderful place. We asked for a tour of their dry aging rooms, where a chef kindly answered all our questions and let us take a look at the various cuts. The Kansas City strip was So flavorful. It was the first time I could really tell that a steak had FLAVOR!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Rocket ***

A centrally located upscale bar in Mayfair that has comfy couches and a variety of drinks and cocktails. Not very loud music, so it's easy to talk with people.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Gordon Ramsay ***** £110

Is this the best restaurant in the world?

Yes.


Tuesday, March 2, 2010

La Trouvaille *** £50

Very good french restaurant with special dishes. We went for Dora's and Ted's nameday. Excellent service, nice environment.

Milk Bar *** £8

Excellent coffee house in Soho. They have good coffee and music, but it's really crowded and only a few tables are available.

Hawksmoor **** £20

This is a proper steakhouse and they also happen to serve the best burger in London - only at lunchtime though. Probably the best burger that I have ever tried myself also.

Wing Sing *** £10

This is the closent restaurant to our place, it is solid chinese food at ultra-cheap prices.

Tiffin Bites ** £15

Small, convenient indian place strategically located in Canary Wharf shopping center. Nothing spectacular, yet solid indian fair - what you'd expect.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Crepe Affair * £7

That was the worst crepe I tried in my life. Maybe the place is OK in other times, but yikes.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Manicomio ** £12

Decent place but nothing stands out, and the food feels overpriced for what you get.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Ottolenghi *** £14

Unique restaurant that serves original dishes with unusual spices and combinations. It's a mix between Italian and middle-eastern. Huge queues, late-20s crowd.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Cafe Spice Namaste **** £35

This was a very pleasant surprise - I went in with low expectations as most of the food in average indian restaurants tastes the same. Well, this one is different. Different dishes, different tastes, and exactly as spicy as it should be. I makes you to want to go back for more.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Obika ** £15

I visited the Obika at Selfridges and I was disappointed - it wasn't any different that a generic shopping mall restaurant. Quite expensive both for the quality of food and the portion size you get. I would probably go again if I was shopping there, but I wouldn't bring someone from the outside in.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Buen Ayre *** £32

This is a nice little place in the middle of Hackney. They grill their meats in an open fire. We found the rib-eye to be excellent, but the sirloin was just OK (too thick actually to be cooked uniformly). For the amount of meat you get the price is excellent. However the place is definitely over-hyped for Zagat standards.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Nuocmam ** £20

This Vietnamese place has pretty good food but terrible and completely inconsistent service. Maybe I will give it one more shot to see if this situation repeats.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Soseki *** £30

I never knew there was a place with a view at the Gherkin! They have one of the best decors in the city, where you feel like you've walked in Japan for a couple of hours. I am not a fan of sushi, however I can appreciate the extra effort and attention to detail in the plates. I would bring a guest here, but due to the high price I wouldn't be a repeat customer myself.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Mango Room *** £30

This is a Caribbean Place near Camden station with solid food and medium prices. The duck was to die for.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Ask *** £16

This place is very similar to Zizzi (some dishes are almost identical). It's a solid, cheap choice but don't expect anything memorable.

Red N Hot ** £12

I did not leave happy from this place. The food was just ok (although we didn't try any of the hot pot items which seem the norm there), and it doesn't look as good from the inside as from outside. It is decent however if you are in the area and need something quick and cheap to eat. Warning: some items are super spicy!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Bodean's *** £15

This is an unexpectedly authentic all-American restaurant that specializes in BBQ, ribs and burgers. You may forget that you are in London and think you have teleported to America for a while. While the food is not great by the corresponding American standards, for such a place in London, the experience you get at such low prices is unbeatable.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Haagen Dazs * £8

The specific cafe in Leicester Square is terrible. Ingredients are not fresh at all, everything sucked. Yikes!

Myung Ga *** £25

Korean BBQ where you cook you own meats, however it is not unlimited and fairly expensive. The quality of the meats is top-notch however.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Market Coffee House **** £3

This is a proper coffee place near Liverpool street, that does not serve much food or drinks - just plain old coffee. The hot chocolate from crumbled pieces is simply great.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Mr. Kong *** £15

Typical Chinese restaurant, where you find all the traditional dishes you'd expect from such a place (plus a few surprises). The menu is extensive with hundreds of items to choose from, and the service attentive. Nothing spectacular though.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Osteria Basilico **** £28

It's pizza is overhyped, but the rest of the stuff in the menu are superb. Especially the tiramisu travels you to another world.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Giraffe *** £25

Nice ambiance in this modern world food place with stores everywhere. Ribs where ok but not great, however the whole experience is pleasant.

Cha cha Moon ** £12

Really cheap place that serves Chinese delicacies. The duck was normal. Nothing superb, but convenient.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Cafe Rouge **

Nice restaurant, kind of french, but nothing memorable.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Cellar Door ***

This is a nice underground tiny place that has live music every day, cabaret-style. The entrance is from a subway-type door!

Detroit Bar ****

Nice little joint in Covent Garden, with one of the most extensive collections of cocktails I've seen. Nice people, nice ambiance, only the music was so-so.

C'est ici ***

This is a brasserie that, among the classic stuff of crepes, desserts, salads, pasta etc, also serves a nice... souvlaki platter!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Khan's of Kensington ** £25

Indian place right opposite from the South Kensington Tube station. Pretty classic Indian fare, nothing spectacular though. Had to ask specialyl for egg-fried rice.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Blue Elephant **** £35

Excellent Thai place, very authentic, and also expensive. The best deal is the Sunday brunch, which is £25 per person fix rate.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

C & R ***

Nice Malaysian/Chinese/Singaporean restaurant in Bayswater. HUGE selection of items, close to tube.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Haz ***

Excellent turkish restaurant in the Liverpool Street area. Not expensive, either!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Gourmet Burger Kitchen ***

An awesome burger place with great variety, almost always packed.

Ultimate Burger **

Cheap, but not as good quality as Gurmet Burger Kitchen.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Ishtar ***

Interesting modern Turkish venue, where it looks like a normal restaurant on the ground floor, but belly dancing goes on at 22:30 downstairs. Nice food, lots of kebabs.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Belgo **

This is a strange place that specializes in... mussels, and there is a happy hour between 5-6:30 where you pay for each select food dish exactly the.. time on the clock!

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Ping Pong ***

Modernized, bar-style dim sum near oxford street. Not superb, but pretty good and cheap.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Nuovo ***

Solid place, nice environment, food is good but not great.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Ponti's **

At least it is outside and you can enjoy the open air. Not truly authentic, the quality is just ok. But decent choice if you are around Covent Garden.

Scoop ****

Superb, superb italian ice-cream.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Del Aziz ***

Mediterranean delicatessen & brasserie, pretty nice, excellent environment, good choice if you are around shopping on for a movie.

RRC Thai Cafe **

Cheap place, great Thai Ice Tea, right next to the cemetery. Nothing special, but solid choice if you are around.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Baozi Inn ****

Superb food, very different compared to "classic" chinese restaurants, and at superb prices (if you get more than 15 GBP per person, it will be crazy).

Friday, April 3, 2009

Princi ***

Unique place where the food is around buffet-style, and there is no service as you just go to sit at tables. Open late (midnight) and usually crowded, but very cheap and tasty.

Sirena Ristorante ***

Pretty good italian place, albeit with almost tiny plates. Go for the taste, not the quantity.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Ben's Cookies ****

When you have these cookies fresh and warm, it's like paradise in your mouth.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Las Iguanas ***

Pretty good Latin American experience, with novel cocktails and interesting tapas. Haven't tried the main food yet.

Paul ****

This chain of French coffee places comes directly from Paris. They have the best chocolate I have ever tried (by melting chocolate bars into semi-skimmd milk). They are all around London, be sure not to miss them.

ZaZa ****

This is a superb italian gelato place at Canary Wharf. The closest I have found to authentic ice cream. Not sure how they do it, but they do!

Friday, March 27, 2009

Imperial China **

Nice setting in Soho, but nothing exceptional in the food. Good to try for some chinese experience, but don't expect miracles.

Garfunkel ***

This is more like an American Diner. Don't expect great food, but it gets out a very nice atmosphere and is not pretending to be much more than what it really is. OK for a quite bite after work.

Rodizio Rico **

This brazilian all-you-can-eat for 25 GBP restaurant chain was just OK, and maybe disappointing compared to the US counterparts. The meat selection is good, but the quality is not spectacular. Interesting experience though.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Founder's Arms ****

Incredible location for a pub, right by the river with views at St. Pauls. The food is not great but it is always worth visiting.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Zara ****

Solid authentic Anatolia food (according to the waiter, top 3 such restaurants in the UK). Feels a lot like home. Go for the traditional dishes rather than the Kebabs.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Rainforest Cafe ***

The scenery in this restaurant is amazing. However, the food is too fast-food American. Kids like it though.

Zizzi ****

Amazingly good italian restaurant chain. The portions are very small, but inversely proportional to the quality. Desserts are so so. Paid 20GBP each.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Busaba Eatthai ****

Awesome westernized Thai restaurant in Soho. We went with Gklekas and Gianna on this snowy night in London at the end of January 2009. Not very authentic or spicy, but great food for me!

Piccolino ***

Awesome little Italian restaurant in my favorite Heddon Street, right next to Regent Street in City. We went with Stavros the day after he returned from his Newcastle interviews.

Golden Dragon ***

Excellent chinese restaurant in Soho's chinatown near Leicester Square. Kind of expensive (we paid 28 GBP per person) but worth it. Especially the crispy duck!

Pasta Brown ***

Awesome Italian chain. The food is simple and well prepared and tasty. The banofee pie dessert is to die for!

Real Greek**

This is a cute Greek restaurant chain. The food is not very authentic, and kind of expensive for the value. The is a good ambiance though.

Wagamama ***

This is a very popular chain of japanese/asian cool restaurants. Nothing formal, but the food is great for the money.

Maison Bertaux **

This is the oldest cafe in Soho, French. It is indeed very old inside and kind of dirty.

Pappagone ***

This is a pizzeria that Andrea suggested, near Finsbury Park. Excellent pizza, but the rest of the food is mediocre.

The Founders Arms ****

Known also as "steki", this pub has an excellent view in River Thames and in the London CityLine. Somewhat expensive food, but great times!

The Salisbury ****

One of the most beautiful inside pubs in Soho. Very crowded on busy days. It was my first night out in London with Chris!

La Tasca * * *

Very nice and quite cheap Spanish small restaurant chain. Many locations including Covent Garden. We paid £20 each for a lot of food.