For anyone in search of something a little new and different – but also very good, fresh, healthy and innovative – then a visit to dindin is a must. On our way to the restaurant, my comrade and I discussed how much the London dining scene had changed in the last ten years, becoming much more varied and definitely better as a result.
The George in Rye: Identity crisis (July 2014)
Cha Cha Moon: Cheap and Cheerful (June 2014)
Visitors to the Carnaby/ Kingley street area of London are not short of culinary options. Even on the sunny lunchtime last week when two of us visited Cha Cha Moon for the first time, and the main criterion for choosing a restaurant beyond its location was the ability to sit outdoors, there exist many other nearby alternatives.
Hakkasan Mayfair: Indulgent, but definitely worth it (June 2014)
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.
NAC: Simple yet effective (June 2014)
Meghna Grill St John’s Wood: Great neighbourhood Indian (June 2014)
Peyote: Much Mexican magic (June 2014)
All things South American (and not just the football) currently seem in vogue. After the success and subsequent entrenchment of Coya and Sushisamba on the London dining scene, along comes Peyote, devoted broadly to the cuisine of Mexico – admittedly in Central America, but stylistically quite similar in terms of cuisine.
The Wells: Underwhelming (June 2014)
Green and leafy Hampstead feels as if it could be part of the countryside rather than just a few tube stops north of Euston or Camden. Being a world removed from the London we all probably know better may have its charms, but what the Wells gains in terms of location, our group of five dining there recently on a weekday evening felt it lost in terms of atmosphere and service.
Babbo: Nice – but at a price (June 2014)
Benares: Over-priced and overrated (May 2014)
It doesn’t matter how many times I go to Benares, I just can’t get to like it. This was the first time for me for a while, but it hadn't improved since my previous visit. Clearly chef Atul Kochhar must be doing something right to have earned a Michelin star for the eighth consecutive year, and while the food may have been good, it certainly wasn’t outstanding, the whole experience far from cheap, and the atmosphere underwhelming.
Pearl Liang: Great restaurant; pity about the location (May 2014)
Canvas: Drawing a blank (May 2014)
As any estate agent would be only too pleased to tell you, when it comes to location, you need to think very carefully. Therefore, while Marylebone Lane may be a quaint and pretty strip tucked just to the north of Oxford Street, a restaurant isn’t going to survive here unless it does something pretty exceptional.