Best New Local Restaurant winner The Exhibition Rooms © Michael Franke
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 -
Time Out's Food & Drink reviewers have eaten their way around the capital, compared clipboards and picked the winners to bring you the best new bars, gastropubs and restaurants that have opened in the last year. Plus: London’s best new cafés and cheap eats – because indulgence needn’t break the bank, nor cause a hangover
To save 30% on the new 'Time Out Eating & Drinking 2010' guide, just visit the Time Out shop
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 Restaurant-
WINNER: Giaconda Dining Room
9 Denmark St, Soho, WC2H 8LS
Giaconda Dining Room is like a great local, yet it’s situated smack in the centre of town. A husband-and-wife team (Australians Paul and Tracey Merrony) cook and serve great food in a respectful but unfussy way, and prices are very keen indeed. While the place is a bit cramped – the kitchen itself is amazingly small – the food that comes out is delightful. Heart-warming spaghetti with veal and pork meatballs sits on the menu alongside duck confit with Lyonnaise potatoes and green salad. More challenging dishes are there too: braised tripe with smoked paprika, chorizo and rigatoni, for example, yet we’ve also enjoyed a simple corned beef hash here. Finally we like the fact that they’ve commemorated a previous occupant of the site, La Giaconda café, in their name. More like this, please. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Boundary
2-4 Boundary St (entrance at 9 Redchurch St), Shoreditch, E2 7DD
Set in the hip Boundary Project hotel owned by Peter Prescott and Terence and Vicki Conran, this French restaurant is overseen by chef Ian Wood (ex-Almeida) and features Conran trademarks such as a crustacea bar and charcuterie trolley groaning with porky treats. Meats, game and rôtisserie dominate the menu, so the vegetarian choice is somewhat stunted. There’s no denying the design is elegant, but be warned that the bill reflects the ambition of this particular project. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Ba Shan
24 Romilly Street, Soho, W1D 5AH
A sleek, dark and very gorgeous Chinese resturant styled like a tea house from the people behind nearby Barshu and Baozi Inn. The cooking, based on xiao chi (small eats), a concept common in China (especially in the ‘snack city’ of Xi’an in the Shaanxi province), is similar in style to Cantonese dim sum. Many of the dishes may be unfamiliar but don’t worry: the menu is clearly divided into easily understandable sections. Highlights include the silky pork dumplings slicked with garlic chilli oil, and the tiny flatbread buns (jia mo) filled with cumin-scented beef. If there’s anything you don’t quite get, the staff are well-versed in explaining the menu with genuine enthusiasm. Read more
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RUNNER UP: Corrigan’s Mayfair
28 Upper Grosvenor St, Mayfair, W1K 7EH
The lease may have expired on Richard Corrigan’s Lindsay House in Soho, but the Irish chef has moved his base to the Grosvenor House hotel. Already a hit with readers, according to our recent survey of favourite London restaurants, the atmosphere here is formal, sumptuous yet relaxed. Expect an intriguing mix of haute cuisine and traditional Irish dishes, plus the occasional bit of chorizo or pasta. An excellent wine list, with a good range by the glass and carafe, features 300-plus bottles. 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??