In an alternative world, imagine the London dining scene without JKS. The restaurant chain developed by the Sethi siblings has gifted the city with the likes of Gymkhana, Trishna, Brigadiers, BiBi, Hoppers and more. Diners’ knowledge of the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent would be much the poorer without their outlets. Despite its pretentious name, Ambassadors Clubhouse is a valuable addition to their suite of restaurants. In many ways, it represents the JKS team going back to its roots.
It is roughly three miles from Belsize Park, a comfortably wealthy north London suburb, to Mayfair. Or step out of one of the grand houses close to the euphemistic ‘Belsize Village’ square and you will find Mimi. More than a neighbourhood local, Mimi felt to this reviewer that it would be much happier in W1 than NW3. If glitz and glamour is what you want – without the central London hike – then Mimi is for you.
Few may have heard of Thomas Cubitt, but many may have visited the mini pub chain that is named in his honour. For the unaware, the gentleman in question was a British master builder, renowned for developing much of the late Georgian and early Victorian architecture that defines London. Wind the clock on to the 21st Century and many of his buildings have been reincarnated as up-market pubs.
The dove is often associated with peace and love. The backers of this newly opened on-trend Notting Hill venue perhaps hoped to inspire both with their restaurant. Your reviewer felt neither when visiting last week, even if its potential was evident.
The first thing diners notice when they step into Silva is the light. There’s a feeling of tranquillity. Maybe it’s akin to being in a forest glade, which would not be accidental since ‘silva’ is the Latin word for forest. Readers should get the impression then that aesthetics are a big thing at Silva. The food isn’t at all shabby either. Think of this restaurant as a combination of the refined and the relaxed.
In an alternative world, imagine the London dining scene without JKS. The restaurant chain developed by the Sethi siblings has gifted the city with the likes of Gymkhana, Trishna, Brigadiers, BiBi, Hoppers and more. Diners’ knowledge of the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent would be much the poorer without their outlets. Despite its pretentious name, Ambassadors Clubhouse is a valuable addition to their suite of restaurants. In many ways, it represents the JKS team going back to its roots.
It is roughly three miles from Belsize Park, a comfortably wealthy north London suburb, to Mayfair. Or step out of one of the grand houses close to the euphemistic ‘Belsize Village’ square and you will find Mimi. More than a neighbourhood local, Mimi felt to this reviewer that it would be much happier in W1 than NW3. If glitz and glamour is what you want – without the central London hike – then Mimi is for you.
Few may have heard of Thomas Cubitt, but many may have visited the mini pub chain that is named in his honour. For the unaware, the gentleman in question was a British master builder, renowned for developing much of the late Georgian and early Victorian architecture that defines London. Wind the clock on to the 21st Century and many of his buildings have been reincarnated as up-market pubs.
The first thing diners notice when they step into Silva is the light. There’s a feeling of tranquillity. Maybe it’s akin to being in a forest glade, which would not be accidental since ‘silva’ is the Latin word for forest. Readers should get the impression then that aesthetics are a big thing at Silva. The food isn’t at all shabby either. Think of this restaurant as a combination of the refined and the relaxed.
When your reviewer first moved to London in the late 90s, Randall & Aubin was one of the places to be. Located on the site of London’s first French butcher, with many of the original features still in place, R&A (as regulars refer to it) had just opened as a dedicated seafood restaurant. Sited on the corner of Brewer Street and Rupert Street, it hit the vibe perfectly for a Soho that was gentrifying from seedy to cool.
What does a chef with two Michelin stars do, especially if they don’t want a third one? Simple. Go back to basics and open a neighbourhood restaurant, albeit in the rarefied locale of Chelsea. Of course, it helps if you’re Phil Howard. Within a year of Elystan Street opening in 2016, it had become one of the hottest tickets and gained a mere single star from the Michelin inspectors. The venue’s held it ever since and based on your reviewer’s recent visit, it is fully deserved.
When Rambutan first opened its doors two years ago, food critics – almost universally – could not get enough of it. Coventry-born chef, Cynthia Shanmugalingam, had transformed her take on Sri Lankan diaspora cooking onto the London restaurant scene. To be clear, the angle is definitively not Indian food and nor is it traditional Sri Lankan; rather it is a showcase for the island’s cuisine, but with a very British twist. As long as you like spice and don’t mind fruit in your curry, then Rambutan is the place to go.
As your author and his dining comrade ate at Porte Noire on a recent weekday night, one of the topics our conversation turned to was ‘what makes a good restaurant?’ In a world where brevity trumps verbosity, suffice to say that Porte Noire is a strong candidate, or compelling case study. If all neighbourhoods had a similar venue, then nearby punters would have every reason to be happy.
How do you make excellent even better? In the world of food, it’s a question that Clare Smyth, the chef-patron of Core, is able to provide a ready answer to: keep plying your trade joyfully. This is your author’s fourth review of the venue. Each time he and his dining comrade have visited, the experience has been taken to another level. Throughout, there remains Clare, in the kitchen, still smiling.
When you enter a restaurant and it’s brightly lit and almost deserted, things can go one of two ways. Either the evening will be a complete disaster, or this is a hidden gem that we shouldn’t be shouting about too loudly lest its popularity suddenly explodes. The Hunan Man fortunately falls into the latter camp, albeit after a decidedly inauspicious start.
Eating, especially in good restaurants, has to count as one of life's pleasures. It is also a privilege, and one for which this reviewer is grateful. The past year has seen more than 70 restaurants visited across 11 different countries. As of the end of November 41 new reviews had been posted to the Gourmand Gunno website in 2024, as well as multiple entries added to the Global Gunno page of favoured spots in non-UK cities. Below follow my highlights -
It is a truth universally acknowledged that sequels are never as good as the originals. When the exception disproves the rule, it’s therefore highly refreshing. Eight years on from the launch of the Covent Garden original (which your reviewer loved), the team at the Barbary have just opened their second venue. It’s a clear statement of intent, and also very good.
“I like, I buy”, is a well-known expression much beloved of many who work in the City. It’s a happy coincidence that the latter declarative is homophonic with the name of Nemanja Borjanovic’s latest restaurant venture. Ibai is conveniently located for all those finance bro’s and their expense accounts, but anyone who wants to appreciate some of the best Basque cooking available outside Spain should make a point of visiting.
Think of Fonda as the younger sibling of KOL, perhaps the means of making Mexican more mainstream in the UK. Chef-patron Santiago Lastra created a small revolution when he launched his first restaurant in Marylebone. It was a homage to the cuisine of his home country but fused with a very British perspective. If KOL is for grown-ups (with a serious price tag attached), then Fonda is full of fun, capturing the joyfulness of all things Mexican and plonking it just off Regent’s Street.
Any pub that employs a chef with credible restaurant CV now feels it has the right to append the prefix ‘gastro’ to its name. Many have installed josper grills or wood fires to buttress their claims. Renovate on old boozer may earn extra points. The Baring doesn’t try too hard. It doesn't need to either. This neighbourhood venue lets its quality speak for itself.
Your reviewer’s only previous visit to a Georgian restaurant was a disappointment. The passing of time and a desire to be open-minded provoked a recent visit to a new venue purveying Georgian cooking. It was well-conceived, but ultimately underwhelming.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Oxford students will take every opportunity to show off their erudition. With this maxim in mind, when your reviewer and eight of his chums returned recently to their Alma Mater for a reunion weekend, he was reminded of the famous line of Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr: “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” In simple terms, the places where we dined some thirty years ago have stood the test of time.
