Mark's reviews
Review of The Crabtree Tavern
01 Apr 08, 13:09
Great location, TERRIBLE experience... 
If you’re looking for a nice stroll and a Sunday lunch along the north bank of the Thames from Hammersmith Bridge, you've got two options: west towards Chiswick, or east towards... well, if you've got deep pockets, River Cafe (an excellent if shockingly expensive Italian restaurant). However, if you're on a budget, the next place along the Thames Walk is The Crabtree Tavern. While it seduces with its fantastic location and riverside "beer gardens", it is a shoddily run establishment with shockingly bad service. How can I count the ways we were let down? After perusing a laser-printed Sunday menu prominently featuring roast beef, chicken, or lamb, we were informed that there were no roasts that day. At all. Why not print off new menus? Or hand-write a "sorry, no roasts" sign? And while there *were* "sorry, cleaning the pipes" signs on only two of four Fuller’s London Pride taps, there wasn’t any local brew available. And none of the staff were aware of this. Then we sat in the beer garden for an hour and a quarter as tables that arrived after us were served their meals. Even after being told (after an hour) that our order would be next, more tables were served. There is simply no excuse.
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Review of Mogador
18 Mar 08, 12:57
Cosy neighbourhood gem 
There are two tagine restaurants near the intersection of Golborne and Portobello Roads.
Moroccan Tagine on Golborne Road has a certain ambiance of authenticity. Prices are reasonable. Food is decent. In fair weather they put a few tables on the pavement. Alcohol of any description is strictly prohibited.
Around the corner, at the northern end of Portobello Road, is Mogador. The interior is painted deep, rich red, with a few tile accents. Illumination emanates from colourful Moroccan lanterns, and a warm glow is cast by candles on every table. Service is welcoming and friendly. We were informed that the kitchen might be slow because there were two large parties in the restaurant. We didn't mind waiting, though, as we were given a second helping of our delectable starter (a "salad" of red bell peppers and preserved lemon) on the house.
There's a limited selection of wonderful Moroccan wines, as well as Moroccan and international beers. The food isn't as stunning or inventive as might be found elsewhere in London (probably at a much higher tariff), but it is delicious and comforting, with a home-cooked feel. In fact, we were told that the chef has had no formal training. Nevertheless, our lamb tagine with prunes, dried apricots and almonds was moreish and very satisfying, the meat lean and extremely tender.
I've only been once, but based on my experience, I'll be back again soon!
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Review of Le Café Anglais
14 Mar 08, 11:10
Still working out the kinks? 
You'd think a restauranteur of Rowley Leigh's calibre would get it spot-on. On the other hand, I heard a story about Kensington Place (his previous establishment) wherein a group of friends placed their order but left an hour later without having received any food.
I've been to Le Café Anglais twice now. Obviously that means the first time was good enough to entice me back. That initial visit was a Sunday lunch with out-of-town guests. We were all delighted by the extensive menu and impressed by the room. To begin, we chose from a vast array of hors d'oeuvres (essentially Anglo-brasserie tapas). Every one was well presented and delicious. Our main meals were perfectly cooked, the wine was wonderful, the puds were lovely, and our fellow diners consisted of the good and the great (recognizable London luminaries). The one slip-up was that one of our servers knocked a bread basket off our table. We didn't realise that was a harbinger of things to come...
My second experience was at dinner, and everything imaginable went wrong. First, our reserved table wasn't ready at the appointed hour. We sat in the bar and had cocktails (no complaints) and hors d'oeuvres (a couple of which were even better than we remembered). But after 45 minutes, when we inquired about our table, we were asked if we wouldn't like to just stay in the bar and have our dinner there. Fifteen minutes later we were shown to our table. At that point (an hour later than our reservation), several items -- the ones we wanted to order -- were no longer available. Service was agonisingly slow. We asked for a wine recommendation, and it took another 10 minutes for someone to help us. We ordered a bottle, but one of us asked for a glass of a different wine to go with a particular dish. The bottle arrived, but not the glass. The starters arrived, but still no glass. Then 20 minutes or so later we were informed that one of the mains we had ordered was overcooked and the chef didn't want to serve it. When our main meal finally arrived, there was an item we hadn't ordered, which was taken away but still wound up on our bill. The comedy of errors ended as we departed, with the manager dropping our coats on the floor.
I understand that even the best restaurants can have an off night. But our experience was so extremely bad that it left us wondering whether there had been some kind of tragedy or disaster that evening. We've got spies attempting to find out. If that turns out to be the case, we'll give Le Café Anglais another chance. Otherwise, I don't think we'll be back.
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Review of Lisboa Patisserie
20 Jul 07, 12:42
Mmmmmm, egg custard tarts...
The atmosphere of the place is nothing to write home about, and during busy times it can be a bit chaotic. But those egg custard tarts are weirdly addictive. In my opinion flaky crust beats short crust. Also strangely delicious are the teardrop-shaped chicken croquets (also available in tuna). The most mysteriously yummy item, though, has got to be the under-two-quid ham & cheese on croissant. On the surface, there's nothing to it. Certainly nothing fancy. Yet I could eat one of those puppies for lunch every day! Oh, and the coffee's good, too.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Negozio Classica
20 Jul 07, 12:33
Best coffee, great wine, tasty nibbles
I'll just start off by saying this place is on the pricey side. Witness rock stars (Giuseppe the manager discreetly claims they're look-alikes) hopping into their Aston Martins and zooming off down Westbourne Grove...
But...
The coffee is from Sant'Eustacchio (renowned coffee mecca worthy of a pilgrimage to Rome). The shop has a great selection of (mostly) Italian wines and specialty food & drink items for sale (including special seasonal items like killer Panettone at Christmas). The bar offers a dozen or so excellent still & sparkling wines by the glass, plus a menu of light sandwiches, cold cuts, cheeses, soups, and the like.
The sleek venue is divided by a corridor into two sections. The front has large windows on Portobello Road and Westbourne Grove (where there is outside seating in fine weather), a couple of tables, and the espresso/wine bar. The back is more cosy, with upholstered armchairs and a fireplace.
Negozio Classica is handy, comfortable, has great service. So, in the end, it's an experience worth the price.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Banger Bros
18 Jul 07, 12:49
Bangin' Bangers, No Mash
The tagline of this new Portobello Road sausage purveyor (that's a fancy-pants hot dog stand) is "portable porkers" -- a bit of a misnomer since they've got German all-beef frankfurters and I heard vegetarian talk as I munched on my smoky Polish links yesterday (17/7/07, their second day in operation). The butcher-like tiled interior is clean and pleasant, with their philosophy (high-quality, artisanal, sustainable, etc.) and menu written out on small framed blackboards, a row of condiment dispensers, a chiller with drinks, a couple of salads (see below) and puddings, and three low stools along a counter by the window. There were four varieties on offer: British bangers, Spanish chorizo, German frankfurters, and smoky Polish sausages (the one I had). The idea is that the selection will change "seasonally" (however seasonal a sausage can be -- but maybe I'm just a ignant American). You have three options: plain, on a roll (tasty, but I would prefer my bread hinged and more elastic rather than cut in two and crumbly), or sliced up over one of the salads that you put in a cardboard takeaway container yourself (one with large white beans looked particularly interesting). The kitchen can add aioli and/or crispy onions (both of which I had), but you get your own ketchup, mustard (two kinds -- I tried the German), or mayonnaise from the dispensers. They also sell sausage rolls (a "sweet" variety of which I'm guessing is some kind of dessert). Back in SF there were a couple of sausage grills I patronised regularly. They did offer a greater variety (that's America for you: more, More, MORE!) and beer to wash 'em down, but I'm happy enough with this place. It's super-delicious, and I wish them great success. In fact, I may go back again today...
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Firezza
22 Jun 07, 10:25
Did somebody say "Pizza Party"?
Pizza by the metre. Kinda like if Homer Simpson was Eurotrash... The All Saints location has a high narrow table with ten or so stools in a white room and cheezy rock music playing at full blast -- which I guess could be considered authentically Italian. If I were basing this review solely on eating in, it might be three stars -- what you'd expect -- because I think the jarring restaurant experience detracts from the deliciousness of the food. But what sets this place apart is their delivery service. In the comfort of your own home or office, getting above-average wood-fired pizza delivered by the metre is fantastic! Tasty toppings and thin flavourful crust, plus great organic mixed green salads, guarantee Firezza a place on my pizza party speed-dial.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Yauatcha
21 Jun 07, 21:37
Venison puffs! Tea cocktails! YUM!!!
Christian Liaigre designed this place, probably the most stylish dim-sum restaurant and tea room on the planet. For dinner, head downstairs. Dark, moody, with electric tea candles filling niches in the stony walls and a star-flecked night sky of a ceiling, this room is high glam. Upstairs is cooler, brighter, airier, and perfect for mid-day refreshment. Now that dim-sum is served upstairs as well, you can have your cake and eat it too! And speaking of cake, don't choose from the menu. Take a walk over to the patisserie case for a personal explanation of the day's selections. Highlights include baked venison puffs, a sparkling rendition of Peking duck, and an array of weird and wonderful tea-based cocktails. True, it'll put a bigger dent in your wallet than one of those places on Queensway, but for the quality of experience, presentation, food and surroundings I'd say Yauatcha is worth it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Maze
21 Jun 07, 20:13
Give it up to Gordon (well, Jason, really) 
Though I'm not generally a fan of "celebrity" chefs and "it" restaurants, I kept reading fabulous things about the food at maze. For my partner's birthday I reserved two seats at the bar (tables between 6 & 10:30 were booked) as a special treat. He arrived from the office in a foul mood and chucked the drinks menu on the bar with a huff: "too girly" was his pronouncement (I had a Reformed Negroni, made with Punt e Mes instead of Campari, and it *was* on the sweet side). He ordered a regular gin martini. His eyes also glazed over with annoyance at the food menu, which explains the concept on page one: it suggests one of "Jason's tasting menus" of 6, 8 or 11 individual dishes. But there aren't any tasting menus in the conventional sense. Rather, you've got to choose the things you want essentially a la carte (a heading on the menu's last page, presumably referring to larger "main" size portions). He wasn't having it. I was worried that our evening was doomed. Enter Dennis, our waiter (and saviour). We put our entire evening in his (and the barback's) hands. The experience that ensued, from the bread and butter to the lollipop of pineapple-anise sorbet and meringue, was flawless. The dishes came in pairs beginning with several lighter seafood dishes, moving on to fowl, beetroot with cheese, and ending with lamb and pork belly. We ordered wine flights: three glasses selected by the sommelier to match our food. Desserts were rice pudding, pineapple carpaccio, panna cotta, chocolate fondant, the above-mentioned lollipops, Turkish delight, and basil-infused chocolate truffles. Two desserts and one dessert wine were comped. After our meal we were offered a tour of the kitchen (which looks better than on any TV show). Definitely a case of DO believe the hype. Up there with the best meals I've ever had. Cost a small fortune, but worth it for a special occasion!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Wolseley
21 Jun 07, 18:15
An instant London institution
Though relatively new, it's hard to imagine London without the Wolseley. Reminiscent of (Brit) Keith Mcnally's establishments Balthazar and Pastis in New York, this restaurant WORKS day and night. Let's just dispense with the fact that the food, while competent and well-executed from a bewilderingly-yet-reassuringly extensive menu, is nothing to write home about. Let's also dispense with the fact that the service can be WAY off at times, with impossible-to-find waiters and dishes that never arrive. That's not the point. Somehow, the experience adds up. A good measure of happiness and satisfaction can be chalked up to the space (you can't really call it a room -- it's too grand!): the assortment of bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling at different heights, the chinoise wall decorations, the low-slung furnishings affording unobstructed celeb-sighting... On Piccadilly are the bar (to the right) and "tea room" (to the left). The intimate bar is absolutely perfect to the last detail, but unfortunately is only available to diners -- so no stopping in for a quickie. On the tables, linens, cutlery and china are all funky yet correct: tea is served in heavy antique hotel-style pots of various shapes and sizes. Having disparaged the food, I must say that it's possible to assemble a meal tailored to your specific whims by choosing from starters, salads and side dishes in a way you never could at a more formal restaurant or even at a traditional pub or gastro-pub. Also, it's the kind place you can come at any time of day or night, from breakfast to a late-night snack, and be assured that you'll get the kind of buzzy feeling you'd expect in the world's greatest city. My best Wolseley celeb sighting? Gael García Bernal.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.