British, Hampshire
Alex Gunz
Chewton Glen: Hot for Hampshire

There should be a lot to like about Chewton Glen. A 5-star hotel dominated by an 18th-century manor set in 130 acres of impressive grounds on the coastal side of the New Forest. The main room where guests dine is beautiful too – light-filled and spacious with a pleasant hum of atmosphere. Although a lovely experience, neither the food nor the service quite hit London standards – a curse that so often afflicts posh country hotels.

Read Chewton Glen’s website and it promises “fine dining at its finest.” A bold claim at the best of times. And one gushing review in Tatler (potentially a puff-piece) does not automatically confer the status of excellence. Follow the Michelin stars – or lack of, in the case of Chewton Glen – to get a more accurate picture.

Your reviewer does acknowledge that he has high standards, but a litany of schoolchild fails stands out. If your experience is billed as ‘fine’ and guests opt for the tasting menu – as we did – then it’s almost obligatory to begin with some form of amuse-bouche. It doesn’t even need to be extravagant, but a little sample of soup or a small tart provides a welcome, a tantalising hint of more exciting things to come. Chewton Glen didn’t get the message. Instead, our first dish arrived even before our glass of accompanying champagne. Phasing between dishes throughout the evening was inconsistent. Bread plates were never graced with any product. Did the servers simply forget, or if you don’t offer bread, then why have these plates crowding the table unnecessarily? We had to refill our own water glasses from the bottle on the table. Elsewhere, a dirty piece of cutlery went both unnoticed and unreplaced.

To be clear, none of this specifically detracted from the experience. It’s just that Chewton Glen would have been even better had they not made such easy fails. It was hard to fault the enthusiasm of our servers and the Head Sommelier deserves special plaudits for both his attentiveness and wine selections, which went above and beyond the call of duty. Tasting Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle champagne, a 2016 Tuscan Solaia and a 1989 Gewurztraminer from Zind-Humbrecht (among others) were truly special opportunities. These are the sort of things that endure in the memory far more than a dirty fork.

And the food? It was good, but by no means outstanding. Both your reviewer and his vegetarian dining comrade began with the same first dish: a buffalo burrata paired with local Isle of Wight heritage tomatoes. This should be low-hanging fruit. Simple dish, high-quality ingredients. Somehow, Chewton Glen screwed it up though, and we were both of the opinion that produce in our London greengrocer was arguably better. Fortunately, things did improve. My tuna tataki and roast rack of lamb were both excellent and my comrade rated her artichoke and summer truffle salad as well as a mizo-glazed aubergine dish. New Forest strawberries with basil sorbet, worked as a wonderful palate-cleanser, we both agreed. Visit if you’re in the area, then. Come though with appropriately calibrated expectations.

Chewton Glen: Hot for Hampshire
Chinese, Soho, Middle Eastern, Marble Arch/ Paddington
Alex Gunz
Freed from reviewing – almost

It started with a faint twitch, or nervous restlessness. There was an almost involuntary desire to pull out the phone and snap away. Your author even managed to resist the temptation to quiz the servers about what made their dishes special. As an (unintentional) experiment, Gourmand Gunno spent two consecutive nights in restaurants without a plan to review either.

Freed from reviewing – almost
Spanish, Catalonia
Alex Gunz
Stairway to heaven: dining in Priorat

Carthusian monks were onto a good thing 900 years ago when they settled in Priorat. Located in the foothills of Catalonia, this remote region was the source of a monastery called Scala Dei. Translate the Latin to English and you get ‘stairway to heaven’, an apt metaphor for the dining delights of the area. A burgeoning boutique food and wine scene is underway in the region, as your reviewer and his comrades discovered on a recent trip.

Stairway to heaven: dining in Priorat
Italian, East london
Alex Gunz
Satyrio: Hidden gem, needs polishing

In a world where first impressions count, many diners might naturally be put off Satyrio. Not only could the exterior do with a face lift, but to get there, visitors must navigate liminal London. Located on Aldgate High Street, Satyrio feels like it neither quite swanky City nor trendy Shoreditch. Step inside, however, and there is a lot – even if not everything – to like about this venue.

Satyrio: Hidden gem, needs polishing
Spanish, Shoreditch
Alex Gunz
Sagardi: Wasted potential

Your reviewer really wanted to like Sagardi. He has been visiting the Basque region for over 20 years, had one of his best meals of 2024 there and fell in love with Ibai when it opened in London last June. Fronted by a chef from the region and with other successful Sagardi branches around the world, there was so much to like on paper. Walk into the Shoreditch venue and you will be wowed on first impressions. We were let down though by both food and service.

Sagardi: Wasted potential

Chinese

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Dragon Castle: Struggling to find positives (December 2016)

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Elephant & Castle is a depressing enough part of London to go to at the best of times. Exiting the underground station, the eye is confronted with an excess of cars and concrete. Those brave enough to navigate the roundabout can find themselves at Dragon Castle, a cavernous Chinese establishment that has been here for some time.

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Hakkasan Mayfair: Indulgent, but definitely worth it (June 2014)

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Going to Hakkasan is an experience, from beginning to end, and while not cheap, it is undoubtedly worth it. The sense of anticipation and occasion is heightened on arrival. While the exterior of the building is relatively nondescript, in an office block to the side of Berkeley Square, diners are forced to walk down a relatively long, delicately-scented black passageway lit only by small sparkling lights in order to reach the dining room.

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Barshu (April 2013)

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Londoners often face a challenge when it comes to finding good Chinese restaurants: on the one hand, there is the MSG-heavy Cantonese food that predominates much of Chinatown, and on the other, there is the likes of Hakkasan and its ilk, as much fashion destination as food experience, with only the briefest of nods to China as opposed to ‘pan-Asia.’