Indian, Mayfair
Alex Gunz
Ambassadors Clubhouse: Club class

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.

Ambassadors Clubhouse: Club class
Italian, North London
Alex Gunz
Mimi Belsize: Mayfair, maybe?

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.

Mimi Belsize: Mayfair, maybe?
Gastropub, Marylebone, Mayfair
Alex Gunz
Thomas Pub-it: Among the best gastropubs in W1

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.

Thomas Pub-it: Among the best gastropubs in W1
European, Notting Hill
Alex Gunz
Dove: Still learning to fly

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.

Dove: Still learning to fly
Mediterranean, Mayfair
Alex Gunz
Silva: Back to nature

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.

Silva: Back to nature

Din Tai Fung: Dumplings and robots

Din Tai Fung: Dumplings and robots

The top floor of trendy department store Selfridges is seeking to transform itself into a dining destination. The elevation allows guests to see parts of London in a new light, with the Shard, London Eye and other landmarks just visible, even if there are moments where you have to remind yourself that you’re eating in what’s basically a glorified food court. Din Tai Fung is probably the best of the bunch of outlets currently open and represents a London showcase for this established food venture. I have not been to any of the group’s other 170 worldwide outlets, but if you’re after dumplings served by robots in London, then this is the place to come.

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Goila Butter Chicken: Losing my religion

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Goila Butter Chicken: Losing my religion

Founder chef Saransh Goila doesn’t lack ambition. Rather, he may be suffering from a case of severe hubris. Read his website and it boldly claims that he has turned butter chicken “into a religion” in India. Enter his first London outlet and the sign that greets diners asserts that they will receive “quite simply the best butter chicken in the world.” With the bar set so high, disappointment is inevitably the only outcome.

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Klosterhaus: Prost Bristol!

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Klosterhaus: Prost Bristol!

If anyone is going to make German food cool in Britain, then it would likely be the D&D group. Their German Gymnasium restaurant in London has become a deserved destination venue (last visited by this reviewer in December) built around the whole experience – building, food and ambience. They’ve recently taken the same formula to Bristol, where Klosterhaus represents a novel addition to the city’s burgeoning food scene.

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The Pig and Butcher: Beyond meat

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The Pig and Butcher: Beyond meat

A name such as the Pig and Butcher leaves little to the imagination; you know what you’re likely to get. We were impressed therefore to see not only an elevation and execution of all things meaty, but also delivery on dishes beyond the obvious. That the Pig and Butcher, an Islington gastropub, has been operating for a decade and was packed on the recent weeknight evening when we visited is testament to its success.

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Fallow: Version two goes big

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Fallow: Version two goes big

Fallow take-one was a pop in Heddon Street. Such was its success, that take-two saw the restaurant move to a larger (and more bling) premises just off Haymarket in the very centre of London. While it may have lost some of its original intimacy and vibe, none of the ethos underpinning the restaurant nor the quality of the offering has changed. If it’s modern (and sustainable) British food you’re after, then Fallow is the place.

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KOL: More Mexican magic

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KOL: More Mexican magic

Chef-patron Santiago Lastra’s KOL restaurant was one of the hottest dining tickets of 2021. It had opened in 2020 but owing to the pandemic, only truly got going in last year. Your reviewer dined there seven days after the Government permitted indoor meals to restart. He loved it so much that he sought to rebook for the full nine-course tasting menu in the evening. Once again, the pandemic intervened and he had to wait until a recent Saturday March finally to take his seat. In the interim, KOL has – justifiably – received a Michelin star. It is undoubtedly merited. For diners after a novel and memorable experience in London, KOL is the place to go.

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Sidechick: Chick it out

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Sidechick: Chick it out

Sidechick does for roasted chicken what Patty & Bun has done for burgers. It’s perhaps no coincidence that the site is next door to the original P&B and that the venues share the same backers. The reason for paying a visit is not just for the opportunity to enjoy high-quality roast chicken, but also to revel in a vibe that sets Sideckick apart from its peers (Humble Chicken and Nando’s) on the same block.

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Mere: Not quite premier league

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Mere: Not quite premier league

The bartender who made the Martinis with which we began our recent experience at Mere provided the perfect metaphor for the evening. The venue’s vodka or gin base of quinoa makes for an interesting talking point, but the assembly of the drink stressed aiming for a comfortable middle ground. In Mere’s view, Martini should be made neither too dry nor too wet. Put another way, Mere is full of good intention but never did quite enough to make the evening truly memorable or outstanding.

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Sarap Filipino Bistro: Pig out

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Sarap Filipino Bistro: Pig out

New experiences are good for the soul. What better, from a culinary perspective, than enjoying a sarap lechon? Know your Filipino: ‘sarap’ means delicious and ‘lechon’ is pig. At this pop-up venue on the site of the former Fallow, lucky diners can enjoy a whole suckling pig. Yes, you read that correctly. There is, of course, a caveat: you need to order it two days in advance, require a group of at least six like-minded individuals, and need to stump up £295. It’s not too steep a hurdle to climb and it’s undoubtedly worth every penny.

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Bala Baya: Bar now set higher

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Bala Baya: Bar now set higher

Israeli food has become cool in recent years. Almost every middle-class household owns at least one cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi, while the Palomar has been a destination venue in London since its doors opened in 2014. Expectations are now markedly higher than a decade ago, and while Bala Baya did shows flashes of potential genius, it was left wanting in several areas.

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Imad’s Syrian Kitchen: Top story, top food

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Imad’s Syrian Kitchen: Top story, top food

The eponymous Imad greeted us smiling on our arrival at his restaurant. He has every right to be happy. Not only is his restaurant a true success, but it also marks the culmination of a journey from Syria. Previously a restaurateur in Damascus, its capital, he was forced to leave during the recent war and eventually relocated to London where he was granted asylum. The opening of his restaurant was delayed owing to the pandemic, but with just over six months its belt now, the Syrian Kitchen is ticking along nicely

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Phoenix Palace: Best London dim sum yet

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Phoenix Palace: Best London dim sum yet

Many London venues serving Chinese food seem to be missing a trick. Nowhere does it say that dim sum should be all about just meat and fish. Even omnivores like vegetable-only offerings too. Fortunately, Phoenix Palace got the message. Plaudits to the venue for not just its food, but also the décor and overall experience.

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Zayna: Pure Punjabi pleasure

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Zayna: Pure Punjabi pleasure

Walk into Zayna and the first thing that hits you is the smell: roasted spice – cumin, cardamom, coriander, black pepper and more. It’s the sort of welcome you want, time and again. The venue opened in 2009 and your reviewer stepped through its doors very soon after. Over the years, he has been back with a fairly high degree of regularity, although a visit earlier this week marked the first time in a while. The good news is that even with a slight revamp to the décor, the quality of the experience remains undiminished.

2021 in review

2021 in review

Restaurants in the UK were shut for the first 102 days of the year. As soon as the rules were lifted, Gourmand Gunno was back on his culinary quest, visiting a local pub on day 105. He subsequently went on to make up for lost time by visiting over 50 restaurants both at home and abroad in the remainder of the year. 35 reviews were added to my website, 29 of which were places visited for the first time. Eating out remains a truly joyful experience. Restaurants are not in the business of just selling food and drink, but atmosphere too. We are all social animals and need settings such as these in which to thrive. Below follow some of my dining highlights of the past year -

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Isabel: Muy bella

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Isabel: Muy bella

My mother always told me that you should just a venue by its toilets and in this respect – as in many others – it is hard not to be wowed by Isabel. Each is lavish in its size and decoration, with wallpaper, gilt and multiple mirrors. Take these as a microcosm of the broader restaurant. It’s all about opulence, but done in a classy and tasteful fashion. Of course, this being Mayfair, the prices are correspondingly elevated – but the experience is certainly worth it, especially if someone else is paying.

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L’Oscar: No prizes

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L’Oscar: No prizes

If the website of L’Oscar is to be believed, it is “a food lover’s lair.” On reading this, I reached for my dictionary and was reminded that lair means “a place where a wild animal, especially a fierce or dangerous one, lives” and alternatively, in Scotland, “a burial plot in a graveyard.” Neither is perhaps naturally associated with a dining venue. Sure, there was wild animal – in cooked form – to be consumed. Meanwhile, the combination of a low ceiling with oppressively dark lighting did bear some resemblance to a mausoleum. It’s hardly an enticement to dine.

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BiBi: Curry’s coming home

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BiBi: Curry’s coming home

As soon as your reviewer learned that the JKS Group was opening a new venue in Mayfair, he was excited. For those unaware, the venture has been responsible for hits such as Trishna, Gymkahana and Bridgadiers (plus many more). What’s the winning formula? Employ an A-grade chef , have amazing design and serve up top-quality food.