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Anthony Demetre and Will Smith, owners of Arbutus – which won Best New Restaurant in the 2006 Time Out Eating & Drinking Awards – certainly have the magic touch. Though Wild Honey is very different from that Soho original in feel and decor (this is an oak-panelled but subtly modern space that’s deeply convivial and made for lingering), the alluring combination of exceptionally good food at fair prices and a user-friendly wine list are the same. We wish more restaurants would start to copy their genius policy of making wines available in 250ml carafes as well as by the bottle, and keeping mark-ups low. The menu changes daily; we hope belly of pork with carrot and cumin purée and borlotti beans becomes a staple dish – deeply savoury, with melt-in-the-mouth meat and glorious crackling, it was a triumph, and cost just £14.95. Fillet of halibut with Cornish razor clams, langoustines, ratte potatoes and parsley, though good, couldn’t compete. Starters also garnered plaudits: a flavoursome Mediterranean fish soup with all the trimmings made a nice contrast with a delicate, summery fresh sheep’s ricotta served with watermelon, peas and pancetta. Pick of the puddings was vanilla waffles with crushed warm strawberries and chantilly cream, though the La Fromagerie cheese board (which takes centre stage in the dining room) is hard to resist. Service is unstuffy but mostly on the ball; tables are nicely spaced; and, as at Arbutus, you can eat at the bar. Pay them a visit as soon as you can; the set lunch, in particular, is astounding value for money. Be warned though that the secret is now well and truly out, as the Michelin Guide inspectors bestowed a star on Wild Honey in January 2008.
Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008
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London's best review, food and drink news
Blimey, how do you write an 'advert' about yourself?! 'Marion, dark & compact. perfect for your pocket. '(cue music. ). Only jesting!!! I am...
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Very disappointed. Service was terrible, everything muddled and confused. Food was even worse, cod with polenta was utterly tasteless, roast chicken, well, I could have done it better myself. Puddings OK but totally overpriced: nearly £7 for half a slice of eggy bread and some dried fruit. Won't go back.
We had their 16.75 set lunch menu - 3 delicious courses which the two of us shared so we could try everything. It's a great idea the way they will do a 250ml carafe at a third of the full bottle price. Great service.
We had a nice lunch on Easter Sunday. However, the inside of the restaurant was a bid cold and the additional heating was not really effective. The food was fresh and good but at the end some prices on the bill did not match the once on the menu.
I booked a table for 3 in November at Wild Honey after my daughter had read a glowing reveiw for it in a magazine. I wanted to treat her and her partner to a nice meal, particularly as it was the first itme I'd meet him and wanted it to be a real treat - well what a disappointment!! Or should I say - what an expensive disappointmant!!
We had the last sitting available, 10.15pm and were told that we would have to order as soon as we sat down as the kitchen was closing soon - if they couldn't accommodate people at that time they should make there last orders earlier. We rushed to order, the chestnut soup, instead of a thick creamy dish I thought it might be, I can describe as bacon flavoured water. The staff kept trying to remove our plates before we'd finished, in the end neither of us finished the soup. The main course was quite forgetable, so much so that I've forgotten what we had - but the portions were miniscule and once again they were trying to remove our plates before we'd finished, in the end my daughter was so put off that she left half of hers. We were asked if we wanted coffee as they were going to switch off the machine! All in all I think we were in and out within an hour easily and I was £150 lighter in the purse department. I was so upset by this rubbish experience when we had expected so much that I was going to write to the manager and complain, but I thought 'whats the point' - I didn't think it would get me anywhere. I am not adverse to paying good money for a good meal and service, but I hate being ripped off and this time I feel ripped off - don't waste your time or money there are much better places than this.
Everything other than the food was excellent. I feel this is a very over-rated place
I booked a table as soon as the awards came out and the two of us had a great night. The service made this restaurant for me, friendly, apologised for being slow, they were a bit and then gave us a glass of gorgeous Austrian? desert wine on the house. Great attitude. I loved the wine by the carafe idea which allowed us to have 4 different wines with the meal, great fun. I would try and go as a four and ask for the tables on the right. We sat on the left and the tables are far to close to each other. You can quite happily join in with everyones conversation which may or maynot suit.