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Hangar-sized and glamorous, Quaglino’s was the epicentre of exciting dining-out when Terence Conran relaunched this 1930s icon 15-odd years ago. Descending the sweeping staircase into the vast expanse of restaurant still gives a frisson, but otherwise most of the thrill has gone, along with the cigarette girls – leaving ashtrays filled with salt and pepper, a bar full of suits, and efficient but impersonal Australian service. Like a proper French brasserie, it’s not offering an exclusive experience, and lunch is a fair price. Mushrooms on toast were poshed up with black pepper, brioche and truffle oil. A generous seafood cocktail billed as prawn turned out to be inferior crayfish, and a smaller serving with fewer, tastier prawns would have been preferable. Pork belly with perfect pillowy butter beans infused with spicy tomato sauce, chorizo and crackling hit the (Gloucester Old) spot. The larger menu is very standard and its retro-ness looks dated. Though Quaglino’s hasn’t aged too badly, you might wish for a bit more sparkle if you were splashing out on seafood on a night out.
Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009
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I'm outgoing, always up for a laugh, but also love a good lazy Sunday reading the paper. I love seeing friends, going to concerts and plays, and...
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Easily the most disappointing meal I have ever had in London. Such a pity as the setting is great. The food was a disgrace. One guest had to send a steak back TWICE as it was overcooked and another had liver that would have been better suited on the sole of your shoes. Service was appallingly slow. We had to wait over 30 minutes for one desert that arrived cremated. The extremely average live music drowned out the bar and most of the restaurant. This establishment obviously lives on its’ past reputation which must surely evaporate sooner rather than later. Do not embarrass yourself or your friends by patronizing this restaurant.
This is the first time in a long time I have felt compelled to write a review. We had heard good things about this restaurant and were excited about going for a special event. The food was okay but the service was poor. We got our starter and main in short order and then were left sitting waiting for 40 minutes, unable to get anyone's attention to move on to the third course. By this time, we decided we didn't want desert at the risk of being made to wait further. We asked for the bill once we finally got had someone attend the table. We were then left waiting a further 20 minutes for this which soured the night. I will not be returning nor recommending Quaglino's to friends. We felt like we were an inconvenience.
This is the worst restaurant I have visited in the last 30 years in London. The noise level was an unbearable cacophony, we were shown to our table an hour late, many of the items on the menu were unavailable, and the restaurant manager was entirely unsympathetic to our concerns. I walked out. Avoid at all costs.