French, Oxford
Alex Gunz
Pompette: Tipsy times

In a world where dining is so often about the next hot trend, experiments with fusion and Insta-friendliness, it’s a reassuring thing of beauty to find a classic French brasserie. Located in a leafy Oxford suburb, Pompette is the sort of place where you could happily go for lunch and never leave. This is perhaps the aim of the owners, since translated, the name means ‘tipsy.’ Crack on with the wine and leave happy.

Pompette: Tipsy times
Gastropub, Indian, Islington
Alex Gunz
The Tamil Prince: Curry royalty

Even three years after opening, it is still very hard to get a table at the Tamil Prince. And rightly so. The restaurant may be off the beaten track, located in a restored pub in Barnsbury, but perseverance pays off. Get lucky with a booking (they can only be made 28 days in advance for a venue that has just 40 covers) and make the visit. Diners won’t be disappointed.

The Tamil Prince: Curry royalty
Gastropub, Marylebone
Alex Gunz
The Hart: We do need another hero

Pubs were pretty grim places to eat forty years ago, when Tina Turner sang “we don’t need another hero.” Fortunately, a lot has changed for the better in the world since. To witness the pub in 2025, diners should check out the Hart in Marylebone. Brought to London by the same team behind the Hero (and the Fat Badger), we need more pubs like this.

The Hart: We do need another hero
British, French, Buckinghamshire
Alex Gunz
Hartwell House: The curse of country dining

There is something wonderfully comforting about a roaring log fire, particularly on a blustery day. The one at Hartwell House, a Jacobean pile now owned by the National Trust on the edge of the Chilterns, was a particularly good and warming one. It was also, arguably, the highlight of our recent visit. Food was forgettable and service left quite a bit to be desired.

Hartwell House: The curse of country dining
French, Soho
Alex Gunz
Goldies: Keep it simple, do it well

If Soho’s Kingly Court dining complex is an incubator for restaurants, then Goldies is destined for bigger things. Perhaps we should not be surprised, since it is backed by the team behind the now sadly closed Blanchette. The angle at Goldies is comfort food in a casual dining format. Guests might not want to leave.

Goldies: Keep it simple, do it well

Kaspar’s Seafood Bar & Grill (May 2013)

My dining comrades and I had been excited about a visit to Kaspar’s given its location in the beautifully refurbished Savoy hotel. Week-old restaurants inevitably have their teething problems and one should always read reviews (mine included) with a metaphorical pinch of salt, but the only one I had seen (Fay Maschler’s – a critic whom I generally respect) had lowered my expectations, given its relatively damning assessment. 

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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.’

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Jali (February 2013)

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Do not be put off by the location and go to Jali for the food. My dining comrade and I were impressed both by the quality and the value for money, it was a pity about the setting. In terms of the positives first, the menu was extensive, original (not just your typical tikka masalas) and also very vegetarian-friendly. 

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Tapas Brindisa Broadwick Street (November 2012)

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Eating food for pleasure ought to be done in relaxing circumstances and what really makes Brindisa for me is that despite the concept being one of relatively informal tapas, my dining comrade and I were able to enjoy a two-hour lunch here without ever feeling rushed or that the serving staff resented our presence.