Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards 2009
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Anonymously reviewed by Time Out's panel of expert judges
Updated: Wed Sep 16 2009
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Best New Restaurant | Best New Italian | Best New Cheap Eats | Best New Gastropub | Best New Bar | Best New Local Restaurant | Best New Café | Best New Design | Best Spanish Restaurant | Best Spanish Wine List
Best New Local Restaurant-
WINNER:The Exhibition Rooms
Westow Hill, Crystal Palace, SE19 1TX
This is the kind of place that would brighten up any neighbourhood. Inspired by the Great Exhibition that propelled Crystal Palace into the history books, the restaurant is an impressive homage to the era with Victorian-esque details. Swooping mirrored metal arches, glittering chandeliers and vintage-style furniture sets it apart from your bog-standard ‘local’, there is a high-walled back garden and the sultry boudoir-like bar downstairs offers intimate nooks for post-meal libations. The kitchen is keen to prove that it’s got high ambitions, but at the same time keeps the dishes free of faff. Roast poussin with pak choi, shiitake mushrooms and sweet and sour sauce is deftly executed, while other nods to Asian flavours are educated rather than random – Cornish crab with green papaya and mango salad was jazzed up with a zingy Thai nam jim dressing, while a tender pork belly dish had hints of Japanese katsu about it. We rounded off with simple but effective desserts of poached peaches in elderflower syrup, and peach and champagne sorbet, proving there’s elegance in their repertoire, too. With Sunday seafood and roast specials, and gourmet burger nights, there’s something to suit everyone here. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Fish & Grill
48-50 South End, Croydon, CR0 1DP
As a Croydon local, chef-proprietor Malcolm John has done much to improve the area’s culinary offerings, putting it firmly on the map of travelling food lovers. His first French outfit in the neighbourhood, Le Cassoulet, won the Best Local Restaurant category of the Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards 2008; now he’s opened this sophisticated fish specialist on South Croydon’s restaurant row. It serves top-quality fish (plus steaks and burgers) in dishes ranging from oysters au naturel and simple grills of whole fish cooked on the bone to the likes of market coconut fish stew. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Garufa
104 Highbury Park, Highbury, N5 2XE
The first Argentinian restaurant in Highbury doesn’t forsake the steaks and sausages that have made this cuisine so popular in London, but aims to offer a broader snapshot of the cooking from that part of the world. Owned by Alberto Abbate of Battersea’s Santa Maria del Sur, it’s a cosy and friendly spot with sepia-tinted photos of old Buenos Aires lining its bare-brick walls. Read more
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RUNNER UP: St James'
4 Topsfield Parade, Middle Lane, Crouch End, N8 8PR
A bold attempt to bring fine dining to Crouch End, St James’ is an offshoot of a successful Hertfordshire restaurant. We love the clean-lined white dining room at rear where head chefs Simon Trussell and Roger Tiam Chung Fook aren’t afraid to dabble with East-West ideas, serving, for example, roast venison with curried apple and sultanas and a star-anise-spiked redcurrant jus. It's just reopened after a quick refurb, too Read more
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Best New Restaurant | Best New Italian | Best New Cheap Eats | Best New Gastropub | Best New Bar | Best New Local Restaurant | Best New Café | Best New Design | Best Spanish Restaurant | Best Spanish Wine List
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17 comments
Lola Rojo is not really spanish. it is catalan. They do rices for British taste that do not exist in Spain, portions ae tiny, the atmosphere is depressing. It is miles away from the real thing you will find in Spain. It just shows how terrible Spanish food is in London. Sad "taste" of things.
Glaring omission in Best Spanish - Barrafina. Judging by the queues and all great reviews, including in Timeout and by its readers.
Confused by those who don't think Princi is not cheap? Fairly large portion of pretty good pasta or salad is £6-7, which is probably the most expensive thing in there. Pretty good tasting food and nice looking place. Pretty good value for money if you ask me. Ok, it's not as cheap as your local sandwich shop or greasy spoon, but come on. How cheap is cheap eats suppose to be?
I was disappointed with the Spanish Restaurants winner too. I frequent Tapas Variadas on Northcote Road, just metres down the road from La Rioja. The food is much more value for money (try the huge seafood platter for only £9) and the lovely little restaurant, quaint. I ve been to Lola Rioja, and found the atmosphere a little pretentious and the food overpriced for what you are given.
I agree that the "Best Cheap Eats" selection is pretty disappointing this year. I always relied on Time Out to help me discover real gems, not restaurants which have been well advertised and, quite frankly, aren't exactly groundbreaking discoveries.
Re Albion at the Boundary: good for brunch but not "cheap" (I'd go to E Pellicci any time instead! that's authentic and cheap). Not so good if you fancy well cooked comfort food: my cauliflower cheese was so crunchy that I had trouble cutting through it. I didn't even manage to finish it, incredible really as I was (a) extremely hungry and (b) in dire need of said comfort.
Please, Time Out, don't let us down next year!
the thing is that pretty much everywhere in london is a rip off.
you want value for money? go to capitan corelli in battersea park road. real italian as you could find in italy 30 yrs ago in small towns.
Great food, cakes to die for and a good cup of coffee. It's hard to beat The Fleet. I go there regularly, the foods always delicious, there's plenty of seating and there's always a buzz about the place , the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed certainly not lacking!
It is worth trying Harwood Arms! Great food (delicious soup as a starter) and friendly service, although a bit on the pricey side. Funny how everyone looks like they just left their houses in Westport, CT. Bocca di Lupo continues to be my favorite so far!
I found both Giaconda and Boundary rather disappointing. Great ingredients no doubt, and competent kitchen skills, which makes it even strager as to why the end result in both was a bit flat. Not sure the British 'food revolution' has helped much - people cook more and better, restaurants cook less and simpler, and thw two have ended up meeting in the middle somewhat. Do i need to spend £18 for someone to grill a chop for me?
And why 2 specifically Spanish categories?
I'm very sorry timeout, but Giaconda Dining Rooms was a massive disapointment to me. Difficult to create atmosphere in such a small space and food capable, but not exciting. I took my partner for his birthday having read the reviews on this site and had to apologise to him halfway through the meal... Maybe I missed something.
I have two things to say about these results.
Firstly 39 Colbrooke Row is a terrible little place full of cheap furniture and dirty toilets. Yes the barman is great and the cocktails fun but it's not fun spilling half of it on a wobbly table.
Secondly - Albion Caff Bakery - Christ Almighty, if these cakes are good I would not like to taste a Time Out rubbish-rated example. These may have to be some of the worst cakes I have ever eaten. YUK.
Come on Time Out, you are not exactly surprising us and encouraging us to grab our coats and scarper to a new exciting gem. Yawn!
Agree with Princi not being cheap. Maybe if you wanna eat three raviolis (and get a not-so-kind look when you ask for cheese)...
I agree with Anthony. Princi is not cheap!!
The Harwood is my local and, in my view a well deserved winner. IIt's a great mix of quirky and traditional english food....and always beautifully cooked and presented:)
concerns me when there are an awful lot of negative reviews about lola roja how it could win best spanish hmmmm??