Restaurants

To celebrate the launch of our new London Eating & Drinking Guide and the 16th Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards, Gordon's Gin kindly sponsored a glittering bash at the very swish Pearl restaurant at the Chancery Court Hotel, and they also made sure no-one went thirsty. Thanks also go to Bordeaux wines and Bitburger beer who added to the refreshments available to our guests including all the nominees and winners, and our Award presenters Richard Wilson, Liz Smith, Neil Morrissey, Ronni Ancona, Ashley Jensen, Jean Christophe Novelli, Gary Rhodes and June Sarpong.

And the winner is....

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Best Bar
Winner
Shochu Lounge
This sumptuous semi-rustic basement bar beneath Roka restaurant is named after a traditional Japanese spirit. Shochu is vodka-like, and here served as ‘tonics’ with flavours such as cinnamon and jasmine. Try one of the long drinks mixing shochu with soda, or cocktails in flavours such as peach and plum. Saké, Sapporo beer and a choice of 12 champagnes are also available. Superb bar snacks and main courses are brought down from the restaurant.
Shochu Lounge at Roka, 37 Charlotte St, W1T 1RR (020 7580 6464/www.rokarestaurant.com) Goodge St or Tottenham Court Rd tube. Open daily 5pm-12midnight.

Runners-up
Anam
Anam’s cheeky cocktail list is divided into drinks for girls (Cherry Pie Bellini, Lavender Cosmo) and drinks for boys (beer Margarita with pork scratching rim). Despite the teeth-clenching line in New Age twaddle (Life, Soul, Vivacity, Rapport etc), this small Celtic-themed bar is an enjoyable spot with first-rate drinks and cool interior.
Anam, 3 Chapel Market, N1 9EZ (020 7278 1001/www.anambar.com) Angel tube. Open Mon,Tue 6pm-12midnight, Wed-Sat 6pm-2am.

Big Chill Bar
As relaxing as its name suggests, this bar with terrace gives deck space to all kinds of DJs. Cocktails include a breezy house punch of Finlandia vodka, fresh lemon juice and peach purée, while Budvar, Weston’s press cider and König Ludwig wheat beer are available on draught.
Big Chill Bar, Old Truman Brewery, off Brick Lane, E1 6QL (020 7392 9180/ www.bigchill.net) Aldgate East tube. Open Mon-Sat 12noon-12midnight, Sun 12noon-11.30pm.

Floridita
Conran Restaurants teamed up with Cuba’s renowned Floridita bar to launch this glitzy bar-restaurant and cabaret venue in the cavern formerly occupied by Mezzo. The cocktails are flawless.
Floridita, 100 Wardour St, W1F 0TN (020 7314 4000) Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus tube. Open Mon-Thur 5.30pm-2.30am, Fri, Sat 5.30pm-3am.

Graze
This buzzy space has plenty of room to kick back. Fruit Martinis are a speciality, and Wyborowa vodka is put to excellent use in a zesty Gimp with fresh pineapple purée, lime juice and ginger beer.
Graze, 215 Sutherland Avenue, W9 1RU (020 7266 3131/www.graze.co.uk) Maida Vale tube. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-1am.

Best Cheap Eats
Winner
Fish Club
This slimline modern restaurant is distinguished from your common or garden chippy by its wet fish counter. Choose your fish, then tell the obliging staff how you’d like it cooked. Gorgeously smoky grilled sardines and whole grilled sea bass stood out during our recent visit. There’s a nicely varied choice of accompaniments too: potatoes come boiled, chipped or mashed; sweet potatoes are made into perfect, double-fried chips; sauces range from mayo to black beans. Should you or a friend not want fish, there’s also a steak pie.
Fish Club, 189 St John’s Hill, SW11 1TH (020 7978 7115/www.thefishclub.com) Clapham Junction rail. Open Tue-Sat 12noon-10pm, Sun 12noon-9pm.

Runners-up
Abeno Too
This simply furnished offshoot of the successful Abeno in Bloomsbury is always packed. Pride of place on the menu goes to okonomiyaki, the Japanese equivalent of a Spanish omelette. This can be flavoured with ingredients ranging from pork, prawns or squid to lotus root, salmon… even cheese and bacon. Deeply satisfying.
Abeno Too, 17-18 Great Newport St, WC2H 7JE (020 7379 1160) Leicester Square tube. Open daily 12noon-11pm.

Isarn
An immaculate thin room with oversized lightshades and staff clad in pink, Isarn takes a pick ’n’ mix approach to authentic Thai ingredients. Although combinations such as soft-shell crab and mango salad, or yellow curry of mussels with mangosteens, might sound outlandish, the flavours are well balanced. And the smoothies are wonderful.
Isarn, 119 Upper St, N1 1QP (020 7424 5153) Angel tube or Highbury & Islington tube/rail. Open Mon-Fri 12noon-3pm, 6-11pm; Sat 12noon-11pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm.

Ottolenghi
Communal wooden tables add a warming touch of farmhouse chic to Ottolenghi’s retro-space-age design. Colourful food including delicious artisanal breads and pastries temptingly displayed at the front also help to soften the effect. Portions are on the small side, so you may need several dishes to make a filling meal.
Ottolenghi, 287 Upper St, N1 2TZ (020 7288 1454) Angel tube or Highbury & Islington tube/rail. Open Mon-Sat 8am-11pm, Sun 9am-10pm.

Santa María del Buen Ayre
The moment you set foot inside Santa María, you’re treated to the divine cooking smells of the Argentine charcoal grill, where steaks, sausages, ribs and brochettes are slowly sizzled to perfection. Vegetarians aren’t going to get the best out of this place – this is gaucho food – but even the plain veg taste great after grilling.
Santa María del Buen Ayre, 50 Broadway Market, E8 4QJ (020 7275 9900/www.buenayre.co.uk) Liverpool St tube/rail then 48, 55 bus or 26, 106, 277 bus. Open Tue-Sat 6-10.30pm, Sun 12noon-10.30pm.