Italian, Maida Vale
Alex Gunz
The Little Red Pepper: Take two

For almost thirty years, the denizens of Little Venice had enjoyed eating at The Red Pepper, a local Italian restaurant. While the venue had seen its ups and downs over this time, it remained a local institution, and nearly always busy. Many lamented (if not your reviewer, entirely) its closure last year, and so it was with some excitement that its successor, the Little Red Pepper, recently opened on the same site. It has the potential to become another favourite.

The Little Red Pepper: Take two
Turkish, Istanbul
Alex Gunz
Neolokal: Timeless

Istanbul has just nine restaurants with Michelin Stars, despite a population of almost 16m (the comparable stats for London are 84, for just over 9m people). Neolokal is one of this haloed group and could easily hold its own in any capital city around the world. Its success derives not just from its location, but the ability of chef Maskut Askar and his team to successfully meld the old with the new.

Neolokal: Timeless
Mediterranean, Marylebone
Alex Gunz
Mour: Left wanting

One key rule in marketing is that if you name something with a homophone then be prepared for the obvious jokes. Mour, a new Mediterranean restaurant, is not a homage to Moorish cuisine but an abbreviation of the street (Seymour) on which it is based. If its website is to be believed, “life is better with more.” Your reviewer agrees with this sentiment and did enjoy Mour but was left wanting – cue the inevitable punchline – more.

Mour: Left wanting
British, Kensal Green
Alex Gunz
Paradise by way of Kensal Green: Few fine things

If restaurants were judged on names alone, then Paradise ought to win prizes. Located minutes from one of the most famous Victorian cemeteries, the resting place was immortalised in a 1927 GK Chesterton poem. In The Rolling Road, he declaimed “for there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen, before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green.” Your reviewer was disappointed that there were not more fine things on offer at a recent visit to this W10 restaurant.

Paradise by way of Kensal Green: Few fine things
British, King's Cross
Alex Gunz
Island: Stranded

Not that your reviewer knew it at the time, but it seemed kind of fitting that DJ Seinfeld’s club classic “These Things Will Come To Be” was playing when he walked into Island on a recent evening. There is a lot to like Island, but there are also some major flaws. Island feels kind of stranded at present, in need of a more coherent gameplan.

Island: Stranded

The Garrison: It works (September 2012)

It works for me. Many try but few succeed with the (albeit highly over-used) gastro-pub concept. It's hard to say where specifically the Garrison excels, but it is probably most strongly in that ineffable idea of ambience, captured by the decor, noise level (well-balanced), attitude of the staff (very clearly going out of their way to be friendly) and of the other diners.

Pho Oxford Circus (August 2012)

Absolutely perfect for a quick lunch at very reasonable prices. To find somewhere with such high quality – and differentiated – food so close to the chaos of Oxford Street is highly satisfying. Pho does not do pretention (basic decor and slightly tatty menus, staff dressed very casually), but this adds to the effect.