Amy's reviews
Review of Abeno Too
31 Jul 07, 23:37
They cook in front of you! 
At this restaurant, they serve a type of Japanese food called Okonmi yaki as well as some other Japanese dishes, but really it's the Okonmi yaki that's the highlight of the visit. It's quite difficult to describe, but it's almost like an omelette packed with cabbage and whatever else you ask for. But the strange thing about it here is that they not only mix together what would normally be quite unusual mixes of food which end up tasting amazing but they also cook the dishes on a hot plate built into your table. Then to finish it off, they decorate the dish with various sauces and sprinkles, one of which are fish flakes which are so finely sliced that they waft with the heat of the dish. A startling sight. Also because they have cooked it on the in built hot place on your table, your food stays warm however long you take to eat it.
The seats double up as coat and bag storage space. and because you're sat on them, you can feel happy to be relaxed whilst you're eating and not have to keep looking out for your bag.
The grilled dumplings stuffed with avocado and tofu melt as you eat them, they are so good that I'm thinking about going back there now as I write!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Thai Metro
31 Jul 07, 23:06
Normal Thai food
The standard Thai dishes including pad thai and tom yum are great here. Not too greasy, but enough grease for it to be satisfying. The service that I've received here has always been good, even though they've often had people waiting to be seated, the waiters have never rushed us. Although everything from the decor to the food is nothing out of the ordinary, it is the service that I have had here that makes me fond of the place.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Fire and Stone
26 Jul 07, 13:49
Fusion pizzaria
Fire and Stone is generally a safe bet if you're looking to eat in Covent Garden. Its appeal lies in that it has made pizza more upmarket than Pizza Hut and combines fresh ingredients with World styles.Almost each pizza has a dollop of sometime which you can dip your crusts into too, from mint yogurt sauce to sour cream. The giant oven that dominates the front of the restaurant, given that it rises above two floors is impressive too.
One of the best reasons to go to this restaurant is that the selection is huge and almost half of it is vegetarian. So it helps to cater for everyone. Having said this, I am not veggie, and the London pizza topped with Black pudding is and oddly tasty combination.
If you already know that you want to go beforehand, go to the website and there are usually a couple of special offers on there including £10 for pizza and wine. Bargain.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Bar Shu
20 Jul 07, 17:22
Not for the faint hearted
Bar Shu is daringly unlike most other Chinese restaurants, it is super hot and spicy. The majority of its dishes deserve a spice warning of at least 4 chillis. The Sichuan province of China is notorious for its spicy food, yet in Central London, this is only one of two that I know of (the other being near Kings Cross on Chalton Street). It is quite pricey, depending on what you eat, on the menu, there was one dish that's price tag read something like £73! I steered clear of that one. But even though each dish is probably spicier than you think you'll be able to handle, they are so delicious that you just can't help pinching more of it with your chopsticks. The twice fried pork was very good. The dish to watch out for is the Beef in water. This dish was literally caked in almost a cm of chilli seeds, enough to probably give you a stomach ulcer. When I tried this, within seconds my tongue had gone numb. A meal for two cost around £60. The service was ok, but all the recommendations were for the spicier foods and we had to push for a more balanced meal to find the less spicy dishes.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Review of La Porchetta
20 Jul 07, 16:49
Eat so much that it hurts but it's cheap and it's good food
I was introduced to this place by some Italians a while back so it is fairly authentic. When you're inside, you'll probably notice that it's a bit of a tight squeeze or to put it more eloquently, cosy and intimate. You could almost be at Wagamamas because you are so close to your next table and it is quite noisy. However, the food is excellent and there is a lot of it. Pastas, pizzas, risottos whichever you choose the portions are massive and at between £5-7 per main, it's more than good value. They are not the most adventurous of dishes but they are good at what they do which is simple Italian dishes. One time I went with a friend whose birthday it was and we let the waiters know. They came along later during the meal to bang pans and cover my friend's face in pizza dough. It was very fun.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.