JKS don’t do bad restaurants. Slowly but surely the group seem to be taking over the London dining scene. Not content with a swathe of successful Indian restaurants, their Persian franchise is seeking to hit the big time, with its third venue. Beyond the Soho original and a Borough market outlet, the newest opening sits right in the heart of swanky Mayfair. It has all the ingredients for an enduring success.
These three adjectives are the first thing diners see when they walk into Liu Xiaomian. They are projected in red neon on the back wall. No surprises then in terms of what to expect. The fiery sensations linger long after visiting and it will only be a matter of time before a return trip. We were told that Liu was addictive after all.
Few things make your reviewer happier than sitting in the sun and admiring a stunning view, with a plate of oysters and a glass of dry white wine alongside. Jersey’s Oyster Box provides all the above. It should be a must-visit venue for any discerning diner on the island.
There’s something wonderfully quaint and yet quintessentially English about the ritual of afternoon tea. There are few better places to do it in London than at the Ritz Hotel. The experience is one of opulence and decadence. The additional benefit is that guests can feast heartily yet not leave bloated. Tea has a wonderful restorative effect.
Every self-respecting London gastrophile loves Dishoom. From the original Covent Garden branch that opened over 15 years ago, the group has now expanded to 11 outlets. Their cookbook adorns many a kitchen, your reviewer’s included. Sometimes he dreams about their black daal, and occasionally attempts to re-create it. If Dishoom made a bang at its inception (for that’s what the word means, per a popular Mumbai comic strip), then Permit Room is its worthy younger sibling.
If you want some of the finest fresh fish in London, then look no further than Wright Brothers. The eponymous siblings began life in Cornwall. Their empire has expanded from fishermen to wholesalers to restrauters. Your reviewer lamented the closure of the group’s Soho branch, but it was a delight to visit the group’s original dining outlet in Borough Market recently. Everything is as it should be.
With a country that has over 75% of its perimeter bordered by water, you would hope the Spanish know a thing or two about fish. Travel to almost every seaside town in the country and you can expect to find some pretty decent cooking. But how to choose? When a restaurant is recommended by a top nearby winemaker whom you respect highly and features in the Michelin guide, then that’s a good starting point.
Any business that has been operating for almost 200 years and in the same location for over a century must be doing something right. John Sweetings opened the original “very superior oyster rooms” in 1830. Your reviewer can report from his first visit in well more than a decade that Sweetings is still going strong. The oysters were indeed very superior, but the whole experience merits another visit before not too long.
There were several moments during our recent lunch at the Crab House Café that your reviewer and his comrade had to pinch ourselves and remember that we were dining close to Weymouth on the UK’s south coast rather than somewhere more glamorous in the Mediterranean. Sure, beautiful weather helped, but the joy of the Crab House Café lies in the fact that it confidently punches above its weight. This is place where visitors can enjoy both a fine meal and a wonderful ambience.
