Tucked down a side street in Soho best known for its guitar shops, Smoking Goat is paving the way for a new era of Thai cuisine. This is about as far removed from curry in a coconut milk sauce or a plate of stir-fried rice noodles as you can imagine. Instead, Smoking Goat is all about a profound explosion of flavours, mostly based around smoke, spice and soy
Jamavar: Among the best Indian experiences in London (March 2017)
After my somewhat disappointing recent visit to Vineet Bhatia, it was a decided relief to eat at Jamavar. It reminded me once again just how good Indian cooking can be, when in the right hands. The pedigree of head chef Rohit Ghai says it all – having previously worked at Gymkhana, Trishna and Benares, he clearly knows what he is doing.
Lobos Soho: Feast, like the wolves (March 2017)
Cecconi: Timeless (March 2017)
Like the cliché about buses, it had been nine months since I had last visited Cecconi and yet coincidence led to me making two visits within 72 hours. Both a lunch and a breakfast visit here confirmed to me why Cecconi remains one of the best restaurants in London: its coolness is effortless and so visiting here is always enjoyable; regardless of what else may be on-trend in London, Cecconi remains timeless.
Vineet Bhatia: Over the top (March 2017)
Go the restaurant’s website and you will be told that “the journey begins.” Diners at Vineet Bhatia will apparently experience “intrigue, surprise and adventure” on their visits to this restaurant. If I were asked for three adjectives to describe what I wanted to get out of a dining experience – and particularly one for which I was paying £175/head (admittedly with paired wines included) – then these would not initially be the first that would come to mind. Overall, our experience was very good, but by no means outstanding.
Hereford Road: Uninspiring (February 2017)
Zayna: Well worth a return visit (February 2017)
My visits to Zayna stretch back over almost ten years and I can think of no occasion when I have been disappointed by this restaurant. It is a small, intimate setting on a side-street near Marble Arch that cooks up some of the most interesting and flavour-intense cuisine from the Indian sub-continent that can be found in London
StreetXO: And ‘xo’ what? (February 2017)
Chef David Muñoz apparently runs one of the best restaurants in Madrid. Like so many others before him, having conquered his home territory, it is now time to take on London. Against this background, Muñoz is clearly going for something very different at his Mayfair venue. Whether it is good, however, remains to be seen
Locanda Locatelli: Still on top form (February 2017)
In the debate about what may be the best formal Italian restaurant in London, I have consistently made the case for Locanda Locatelli. It was therefore highly pleasing to revisit it for the first time in three years (during which time the décor has received a minor makeover) and find that the very high standards for which Locanda is duly renowned are showing no signs of slipping.
Pollen Street Social: No signs of standards slipping (January 2017)
Barely a month goes by without, it seems, an announcement concerning the expansion of Jason Atherton’s restaurant empire. Despite the proliferation of his restaurants across London, he is still intimately involved with his flagship venue and a recent visit here reinforced why Mr. Atherton is continuing to enjoy almost unbridled success
Beirut Express: Best Middle Eastern food in London (January 2017)
For those not familiar with the lower end of the Edgware Road, which heads north from Marble Arch, it is home to the largest Arab population in London. Unsurprisingly, therefore, it is crammed full of restaurants purveying food from across the Middle East. Having been a resident in the area for close on twenty years, I have sampled food from many of the establishments here and have also, separately, been lucky enough to have travelled across quite a lot of the Middle Eastern region for work. In my humble – and obviously subjective – opinion, the Beirut Express beats almost all the competition. It is certainly the best on the Edgware Road.
Hoi Polloi: Hackles raised, but expectations surpassed (January 2017)
Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester: An experience, not just a meal (January 2017)
Zuma: In a league of its own (December 2016)
Temper: Smokin’ (mostly) (December 2016)
Tamada: Promise versus delivery (December 2016)
Confucius Chinese restaurant: A wise choice (December 2016)
Dragon Castle: Struggling to find positives (December 2016)
Elephant & Castle is a depressing enough part of London to go to at the best of times. Exiting the underground station, the eye is confronted with an excess of cars and concrete. Those brave enough to navigate the roundabout can find themselves at Dragon Castle, a cavernous Chinese establishment that has been here for some time.
Jikoni: Pushing at the boundaries (November 2016)
The appetite for the new and the slightly different seems almost insatiable when it comes to restaurant openings. And so onto the scene comes Jikoni, which could arguably claim to be London’s first restaurant that is Swahili-influenced. Indeed, the restaurant takes its name from the local word used in the Great Lakes area of Africa for ‘kitchen.’