London restaurant reviews

A Fiery  Experience ?
A decision was taken to celebrate the 30iest birthday of my younger daughter in the  newest In- Place of London the Chiltern Firehouse. Not easy to obtain a booking, but with a little help from some friends it did happen.  Then we saw the Sunday times and the write up from Camilla Long.....we got the chitters, but decided to still go there and proof her wrong.
Arriving at 7:30 we were greeted by a door men in top hat, a little taste of pretentiousness to start with. The restaurant was in full swing and portrayed an upmarket casual atmosphere.  Overwhelmed by the number of employees, one could sometimes to distinguish  who is the guest, we were guided by our waitress for the evening to the table. After having ordered the cocktails and the little nibbles a wine menu was thrust into my hand and I was asked for my choice of wines. Strange, I thought, and asked to take more time. Cocktails and nibbles were interesting, but pink deep fired chicken?
We ordered the Caesar salad and  the tender Leaves, together with the Red Prawns and smoked grapes.  Both salads were It and lived up to the expectations, but the prawns got into a serious battle  with the smoked grapes - the grapes won, the prawns were enveloped  by the smoky haze of  the grapes.
By the way after the  third time being pushed, I did order some wines. Talking about being pushed, each time our waitress arrived at the table a-one-finger contact was made either with my, or with my daughters boyfriends shoulder. By the end of the evening I won the set 6:3, he was a little jealous.
The main course creations run into the same fight for taste supremacy as the prawns and smoked grapes. The Turbot was beaten  by the Dill, The Lamb, cooked to perfection, lost 6:0 against the Goats Cheese,  the Monkfish was trying to compete with a sugary sauce drowning  the delicate taste of the fish with fennel and pink Pork,  is a courageous way of preparation.  
Dessert continued on the same line, chocolate tart with a hazelnut ice cream, sweet and sweet nothing to balance it; The Strawberry desert tasted like” Angels Delight”.
At 9:30 on the dot we were presented with the bill, with the comment, the other guests are already waiting at the bar, but you can take your drinks downstairs to the lounge; you only need to walk through the toilets to get there, what!? We did,  and tried to order drinks there, but were told to fetch drinks from upstairs and come done again through the toilets, we declined.
My elder daughter who took the trouble to make the reservation in the first place, had been in the upstairs bar before (through a friend) so we asked to gain entrance. It’s normally only for hotel customers, we were told, but may we have your name; no sorry not possible. She forgot to mention, because you are not a celebrity. By the way we did not spot any at all, only a sizable number of “wannabes”.   
After having spent just under € 100 per person on what I can only describe a meal where the chef tried so hard to be different and forgot to taste it first to see if his creations match, we went to the cozy bar in the Conought, were warmly welcomed and had a great end to the evening.
A Fiery Experience, to be missed. Sadly,  Camilla Long was right on the dot.

My boyfriend had booked a table at Marco Pierre White Steak and Alehouse for Valentine's Day. He kept it as a surprise and I was very excited when we turned up and I realised where we were having dinner. Unfortunately, upon entering we were told our booking had been cancelled. They explained they had tried to send 4 emails asking for credit card information. The only emails my boyfriend had received were advertisements and the booking confirmation email. The confirmation email had not suggested that they may contact him again in the future so there was no way of knowing that they had tried to. The manager explained that there was nothing he could do and told us to leave. They also claimed they had rung us but this had not happened either. Since then we have contacted the company to see how the error occurred. Their only response has been that we are liars and do not have to give us any type of compensation. They have failed to realised that my boyfriend and I would not have travelled into London if we had known the booking was cancelled. What would have been the point of ignoring contact from them? I have never been so disgusted and shocked by the way a company has treated its customers.

If you should ever venture down Sheperd's Bush on match days and follow the QPR supporters, they will lead you to Cookes Pie and Mash shop that has been in residence for over 50 years. A West London tradition that is unshamedly working-class, You won't find a Maitre'd to greet you but three salt-of-the-earth women behind a fromica counter, who slap a crusty pie, an ice cream scoop of mash and a ladle of liquor with the speed of Usain Bolt. You then pitch up to a vacant seat. As you split the pie open an release the steam the mince gravy porus out and blends in to the liquor. The liquor is the piece de resistance of the meal, worthy of it's own Facebook page. Made from Eel stock and chopped parsley and a secret ingredient that has never been revealed. A side order of rubbery eels that requires finger licking nibbling completes the meal. I defy anyone not to be seduced by this simple faye that delivers on flavour and value for money. You will be srcapping the last dregs of the liquor before your plate is swiped away with a friendly flourish. All this for less than a fiver. Cor, blimey mate. Cookes Pie Eel and Mash 48 Goldhawk Road Shpherds Bush W12 8DH 0208 743 7630

Boyce da roca finally a great cafe on streatham High road - independent coffee shop with fantastic breakfast, varied menu for fussy kids. best ingredients, sourdough toast, best bacon I have ever tasted. Please go and visit it and review. owners mark Boyce and Hugo roca are far too modest. 9 streatham parade streatham high road London sw16 Opp. Jackson's estate agents.

Margaux, South Kensington, London I usually do not write reviews but I had the best meal of 2013 at a new place called Margaux. We had a New Year 6 course menu including fois gras, lobster, sea bass, beef fillet and dessert for 70 pounds. One course was more delicious than the next and the service was impeccable. The wines were also amazing and the Scandinavian/ New York design is simply beautiful. What more could you ask for?? We are hooked! Thank you for a lovely evening. I highly recommend it and look forward to coming back.

64 Fentiman Road, London SW8 1LA Due to a computer failure, I lost the link to the TellTheChef website and was unable to confirm the meal selection I had made some weeks ago. The lack of a menu on the day meant that I couldn't recall what I'd ordered. A reminder email on the morning or the day before would have helped enormously. I wasn't the only one who had forgotten what they'd told the kitchen. As it was I got the quail instead of the seafood and the turkey instead of the steak. The quail I found overdone and awkwardly presented between unoriginal grape and chestnut pieces dotted around in the coulis. The turkey, being a stuffing filled roll, was better suited to a kids dinner plate and was almost completely lacking in texture. It also came topped with pork, which I do not eat, but they looked dry and cliched. The vegetables were served in dishes far too heavy to pass comfortably around the table, and there was only one dish of each to go between 24 people, meaning that the food was cold by the time everyone was eating. The service was chaotic and slow, no doubt the size of the kitchen is an issue in this venue, but a serving hatch would have helped. The red cabbage had a peculiar and unpleasant taste and the sprouts were very overcooked. The parsnips, potatoes and carrot were good, being in a light honey glaze. The cranberry sauce again suffered from being only one dish between three tables and was served well after people had begun eating. In fact some people had finished eating before they got sauce. The wine glass at my place hadn't been cleaned properly and had sharp bits of glass sticking out of the badly made rim, cutting my lip. I think these were very cheap glasses. The wine itself had been tempered, I think, in the kitchen or at least somewhere much warmer than the room in which it was served. It actually seemed like it had been heated, and would have been better served at a few degrees below ambient. I didn't stay for a coffee course, if one was included. I liked the quirky decor, but frankly after the disappointing food I wasn't wanting to hang around. The presence of an overwhelming number of Rentokill boxes in the bar area was less than reassuring. One or two in discrete places, one expects, but they were everywhere. This meal was quite a let down and I couldn't recommend The Fentiman Arms to anyone on the basis of this experience.

Forrest Tavern, Forrest Gate, London A new restaurant opened on Friday at the Forrest Tavern, Great atmosphere, fantastic food and friendly staff. What more could you want..... Oh yes very reasonable prices.

Last Friday evening i visited the restaurant Aladdins on Brick lane. I hadn't been for a curry on Brick lane before and was looking forward to it. However I have never experienced such rude, ill mannered staff in my entire life. First of all we were squeezed onto an extremely small table which was not big enough for the 7 of us, probably should have sat 4 people max. We then ordered quite quickly as we all knew what we wanted. The food that came was completely wrong and they tried to make out that it was our fault. Much to the managers annoyance he took the food back and brought our actual order. I cannot complain about the food as it came out quickly and was very tasty. However about 15 mins after our food came we were told that there were people outside waiting for our table so if we could hurry up it would be grately appreciated. I had barely started my meal and they wanted us out. I told the manager that he was being extremely rude and his response was 'You're being inconsiderate of the people waiting outside, you're the rude one' We had a full on argument with all of the staff and they wanted us out ASAP once we had paid. I told him that I wouldn't return and his response was 'I don't care, I have a queue outside which is keeping me in business' DO NOT GO HERE. WORST SERVCE EVER.

I ordered a burger for delivery from Chosen Bun. The burger was cold, undercooked and tasteless. The potato cuts were cold as well. The supposed packaging does nothing it claims to. The food was terrible. I called to inform them and they took note and 10 minutes later one of the founders/owners called me to discuss. He proceeded to tell me "I do not know what I am talking about" and that I am not a potential customer. Please also note that not once did he offer to refund me the £21.25 I paid for this insult to my taste buds. I hope that the money that have taken from me for probably the worst burger I have ever had will be put towards cooking lessons for their chefs.

Located in the heart of Bank, Le Relais de Venice “l’Entrecote”, like most of the area, means business. Much like its City neighbours, quality and efficiency provide the backbone for this classic French brasserie, and with only one thing on the menu, "L'Entrocote" takes the fuss out of having slap up steak frites on the fly. The restaurant has stayed true to its roots and ensured the décor has a quintessentially French style, echoing its original counterpart in Paris, with painted scenes of Venetian markets on the walls, long lines of closely packed tables and a lot of mirrors. L’Entrecote are so dedicated to consistency between their branches that their frites are hand chipped (no pun intended) to the exact same dimensions as those in Paris. The phrase ‘life’s too short’ comes to mind a little over this extravagance (I couldn’t give two hoots whether my chips are identical or not), however it does add a certain spectacle to the experience. Everyone likes a bit of theatre, after all. They have a strict no booking policy and the smiling waitresses (all French- another authentic touch), decked out in traditional French waitress uniforms, whisk you to your table before taking the one order of the meal- How do you like your steak? Before you know it, the only starter available- a walnut salad with mustard vinaigrette- arrives. This is delicious: fresh, crisp leaves and crunchy walnuts, offset by a deliciously creamy and sharp dressing. This is promptly followed by the signature dish. The steak was succulent and just about as rare as I like it. You are given a pot of sharp Dijon mustard which compliments the sweetness of the meat perfectly. The secret recipe sauce is scrumptious and the chips are the perfect combination of fluffy and crispy without being saturated in that dreaded greasy oil. You are initially presented with half of your steak, while the other half is kept back to keep warm so that you can enjoy it at its best temperature the whole way through. This is the kind of detail that I like. It shows a true passion for food, ensuring the customer experiences the full potential of the meat. After mopping up the sauce, the waitress is at the ready to deliver the second half of your meal in a flourish of silver platters and another mountain of frites. The small plates mean that you feel as if you are being treated to two portions and you don’t suffer that sinking feeling of finishing a delicious plate of food- never fear, another is on its way! The choice comes in the form of pudding, with a selection of cheeses and rich french pastries, including profiteroles and crème brûlée, as well as a small wine menu. I was in and out within half an hour and ready to face an afternoon of work. Prices are pretty reasonable considering its City location, with the salad and steak frites costing £23. A great place for business meetings or anyone wanting a decent meal on a time limit. L’Entrecote have branches in Marylebone, The City, Canary Wharf, New York and, of course, Paris. Ever classy, L'Entrecote achieve an elegant French simplicity with no unnecessary pomp, frills or questions- only the one: How do you like your steak?

Hello, The Black Lion pub in Kilburn High Road, NW6, is a fantastic Grade II listed pub with a new menu. The chef, Matteo Tumatis, offers British classics with a cheeky little twist from many different cultures. They've revamped their wine list as well and will be featuring more organic wine in future. My favourite starter: Dorset crab meat baby Guam salad & mango salsa One of their gorgeous main courses: Oven baked Gressingham duck breast served with sweet potato gratin; glazed chicory & cherry sauce Matteo's top pudding for me is: Lavender and vanilla crème brûlée with shortbread This pub has been around for 800 years and it's often one that people say they wish it was at the end of their road. It's been visited by American Vogue's Anna Wintour, actor Pierce Brosnan and comedian Jo Brand. The pub is located opposite the Tricycle Theatre on Kilburn High Road so it attracts a lot of pre-theatre guests. It's well worth a visit by TimeOut.

273 High Street Stratford, London E15 2TF 020 8534 2873. Normal cafe during the day, they then close in the afternoon and opens again at 6 pm as a Thai restaurant. The people running it have been there for more than 25 years, so they must be doing something right. Went there with my girlfriend the other night and it was well worth a visit. The food is really good and service was brilliant as well.

We would like to remind readers that all Time Out food & drink critics review anonymously, pay their own bills and never reveal their identities to venues they visit. Restaurant staff and owners should be wary of individuals who do claim to be reviewers from Time Out. You can recommend new restaurants, bars and cafés by commenting here or emailing us on FOOD [at] TIMEOUT.COM. Cheers, Charmaine (Food & Drink writer)