thelondonknowledge's Profile
Harrow Road request [London]
Is a place called Tsiakkos on Marylands Rd out of your reach? It is very close to where you say and does some of the best Greek food in London
Harrow Road request [London]
Dave - I really enjoy Dock Kitchen but only on a Saturday. On a normal evening, they do set menus with evening themes. On Saturday, they just have a few nice things on the menu - highlight of my most recent trip was rabbit biryani. I would go there for lunch on Saturday - the setting is very nice also.
Harrow Road request [London]
Oh, and Ida at the end of Fifth Avenue (off Harrow Rd) at the junction with Kilburn Lane. Very nice local Italian place. London Eater, who's reviews I love to read, gave it a nice one the other day - http://londoneater.com/2010/10/20/ida-kensal-love/ Their home made pasta is really very good indeed
Old Fashioned (Hotel?) Bar in London
Good evening
Despite having lived in London all my life, I am struggling to think of a bar for what I am looking for on Friday night. Looking for somewhere fairly central to catch up with a friend - ideally somewhere wood-panelled, dark and "moody" that has nice whiskey at a moderately wallet friendly price.
A very specific brief! Very grateful for any ideas
Dan
Best neighborhood eats near Selfridges (Paddington/Mayfair/Marylebone)
I quite like Tomoe but I think the sushi at Dinings is much better. http://londoneater.com/2009/10/02/tomoe-su-review/ always puts things much more eloquently than I can. I find the hot dishes at Dinings a little disappointing. If you sit upstairs at the counter, you can get a great view of the chef preparing the food and also quiz him about what is good that day. The one place that I prefer to both of these for sushi is Sushi of Shiori in Euston (however I don't want to digress - there is an incredible chain on Chowhound discussing London sushi). Finally on Dinings vs Tomoe, Dinings is too expensive to be a really regular local place. I am yet to find really close to home (have to venture as far as Kulu Kulu on Brewer St or the like) some very good and reasonable sushi.
Please do keep reporting back. Very interested to hear anything
I am off to Bar Boulud Friday night for my second visit so will do likewise!
Scruffy - meats from Ginger Pig and cheeses from Fromagerie - love it!
Best neighborhood eats near Selfridges (Paddington/Mayfair/Marylebone)
I live in the same neighbourhood. Here are my regulars. Some are nothing special but do the trick:
Dinings on Harcourt St - very good little sushi place. quite pricey
Zoom - Blandford St - standard local mediterranean resto
L'Autre Pied - Blandford St - michelin starred fayre on same st
Fairuz - good Lebanese food on Blandford St also
Il Baretto - newish Italian - little bit poncey and overpriced but food is good. not as good as
Locanda Locatelli (in Churchill Hotel) - amazing pasta dishes. I sometimes sit in the front, have a water and a bowl of pasta for 15 quid!
All the Marly High St places mentioned above - particularly Fromagerie and Providores
The cafe in the Wallace Collection in Manchester Sq is another really nice spot
for takeaway food, all the places on Edgware Rd have great stuff. Green Valley supermarket has amazing deli counter to get stuff to take home
pub wise, not amazingly served for good pub grub - Duke of Wellington on Crawford St has good food
my favourite all round boozer in the area is the Gunmakers behind Marly High
and obviously Golden Hind - a fine early choice
Woodlands next door is good veggie curry also
Enjoy - interested to hear your thoughts
Lunch near the Royal Academy - help! [London]
Automat on Dover St. is pretty solid and you can always get a table at the front without booking.
The Only Running Footman pub in Mayfair does pretty good grub, as does the Guinea Grill on Bruton Place/Mews (can't remember which) - the latter is a VERY old school English pub/restaurant.
London- your most memorable meals in your favorite places
What a great original post. I find myself willing for you to enjoy your trip to the max. To that end, some tips from me (some just concurring with views expressed above):
- The Bull & Last - for gastropub food, I really don't think you can do better than this. It is better than the Michelin starred Harwood Arms in Fulham in my view. Plus, if it is a nice day, you can have a great walk on Parliament Hill and see one of the best views in London.
- Le Caprice - if you are going to do one special meal, then Le Caprice is a great shout. Many of my most memorable "special" meals have been here and it has never disappointed. Their famous frozen berry and white chocolate sauce pudding is worth the journey from Honolulu.
- Barrafina - I have nothing to add from the above. It is great here. The wait is made easy by nibbles and great wine.
- Lantana - for a great breakfast or afternoon snack if you are near Oxford St, this Aussie cafe is the best place for brekka in London, in my view. Check it out online. Not a booking kind of place.
- Moro - North African place on Exmouth Market. For this sort of food, there is nowhere better in London. Atmosphere is laid back (certainly somewhere you could enjoy lunch a uno). The street is really nice also (grab a coffee from Caravan at the end of the street after - they roast the beans themselves)
Most memorable meals is a tricky one
1) chicken and date tagine, somewhere in the dunes near Marrakech
2) pierre kaufmann popup at Selfridges
3) christmas eve dinner at north bondi italian, Sydney
4) sunday lunch at petersham nurseries, richmond
5) "lock in" at dinings, london
6) many more I don't immediately recall (thus disqualifying them!)
Enjoy your trip
Pasta in Central London
Tried this the other week. Couldn't agree more. Really top notch and love how they make it in front of you. We need more of these!
london street food?
Whitecross Street market has some good little places in the week also. Try the Italian at the end (North end).
Best Indian - St johns Wood/Marlybone/Baker Steet [London]
Lahore Kebab House on Church Street is the one you are after. I have been told it is a cousin of the original - it may be an imposter but the food is still really good there. I am also a fan of Woodlands, on Marylebone Lane.
London--Outdoor Fine Dining and one other night
I will leave the indoor recommendation to people that frequent these places more than I.
It is quite hard to find very good restaurants in London with scenic outdoor seating. The River Cafe is still great, in my opinion. Another outdoor option is L'Autre Pied just off Marylebone High St. Offshoot of the very good and very well acclaimed Pied a Tierre on Charlotte St and recently won a star (if that matters to you!). The food there is good modern French Michelin fayre and although there are no views of the serengeti or St. Mark's Square, it is on a nice local street in Marylebone.
Funnily enough, thinking about it, of all the Michelin starred restaurants in London, I can only think of two where you can eat outside - River Cafe and L'Autre Pied. The Greenhouse sounds like it would have an outside but having never been, I can't help! (Clearly Michelin isn't the only decider but for fine dining, it is a safe bet).
St John's Wood and Camden Market [London]
You can eat in Amoul - and it is great, for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
The pizza at York & Albany is pretty special, in my opinion.
Also in Camden, there is a British restaurant called Market, on Parkway which is worth a look.
There are no outdoor tables at Panzer's and no coffee unfortunately.
My suggestions would be as follows:
Amoul (as you say. very low key and relaxed) - Friday night
The Engineer Pub in Primrose Hill - Friday Night or Sunday Lunch
Lemonia - well known Greek staple on Primrose Hill - nice for Fri or Sun (can sit outside the front if you are lucky)
Sardo Canale - lovely Sicilian restaurant right by the canal - Fri night or Sun Lunch
L'Absinthe is a nice little local restaurant in Primrose Hill for Fri night look also.
There must be someone who does good coffee in Camden Market, but again, haven't been for so long so can't help you.
Avoid Gilgamesh restaurant like the plague!
I defer to others for Malay/Burmese etc. Not my specialist area!
St John's Wood High St is pleasant enough but no real foodie highlights. Walking down to Primrose Hill is a nice short walk and much better foodie stuff round there.
Clifton Rd / Formosa St have a few nice places (including Amoul - search Maida Vale from some recent posts - there was a really good one recently) and is probably no more than 10 mins walk from you.
A slightly longer walk through the park (15 mins) will take you up to Marylebone High St, which on Sunday morning has a really nice Farmer's market. Pottering around here, getting coffee from Divertimenti (kitchen shop with great coffee) or going to La Fromagerie for a snack, would be another nice thing to do.
Fulham Road / King's Road area restaurant recommendation please [London]
Good afternoon All
I am looking for somewhere good and interesting (potentially new) around the King's Road/Fulham Road area for a dinner with some friends next Friday night. Ideally somewhere not too expensive. My current thoughts are with a nice Italian called Aglio e Olio which is always 7ish out of 10 and good atmosphere but would love to hear a few more recommendations.
If I can rule out a few places in the area which I know are popular
- Big Easy (went there recently - love it though)
- Sushinho (no way. ever)
- La Famiglia ($$$)
- Riccardo's (bit boring)
- anything on Walton St (although I do like Jak's, just not for this sort of dinner)
- The Harwood Arms (won't get a table)
- Cambio de Tercio (I love, but been recently)
- Tendido Cero (as above)
- Bumpkin (see Sushinho)
Hope this helps steer!
Thanks v much
Maida Vale [London]
You have to try Ida. Make sure you ask for the homemade pasta there. It is incredible.
Another new place around Maida Vale - The Summerhouse (owned by the Waterway guys and just down the road). Right on the canal, very summery, very fresh, simple seafood heavy menu. Trying it out on Friday night but it LOOKS lovely.
I wonder if La Piccola Dely is open now... I might go and check it out!
A restaurant to catch up in (?) [London]
I have decided that Rules is the place. I know it's expensive but I have never been there and it does look great. We might take our post and pre drinks somewhere else though! Will report back. Thanks all!
Maida Vale [London]
A good Pakistani friend of mine assures me they are (nephew of owner of Lahore or something like that) but she is quite gullible. I found the food not quite as good but nearly as good as the original.
Maida Vale [London]
syalcink has some great suggestions below. I would emphasise the Red Pepper on Formosa St. The breakfast at Raoul's (ptic eggs) and Baker & Spice (ptic pastries) is good but the coffee is a bit average in my view.
For Indian, there is a branch of the famous (and unbelievably good and cheap) Lahore Kebab House on Church St, which is just round the corner.
Edgware Road is a mecca (literally) for Iraqi, Lebanese, Persian and a few other Middle Eastern foods but is best explored yourself. It is about the experience of finding the good ones!
There is a newish Japanese called Maguro, just off Clifton Road, which is good for rolls. Their more exotic rolls like dragon roll are excellent also.
There is a fantastic neighbourhood Italian called Ida on Kilburn Lane, not too far from Maida Vale, which does homemade pasta which is out of this world. Prices are very good also.
Bonda Cafe on Sussex Gardens is a dingy Malay restaurant where the food is cheap as chips and amazing. Not everyone's taste though. Satay House on Sale Place is a bit more genial (though I don't think the food is as good).
I can't vouch for Noorjahan2 on Sussex Place but the original in Kensington is one of my favourite curry houses around.
As for good coffee, I don't know anywhere out of Central London to get good coffee, but TimeOut does http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/features/6361.html#north (actually I can vouch for Ginger and White in Hampstead). My best coffee in London is Antipodean at Lantana on Charlotte Place.
A restaurant to catch up in (?) [London]
Looking for some help from people. Have a very old friend in town for a few days and going for dinner with him. We have much to catch up on (our chats tend to get more and more existential the more we drink!) and I cannot think of a suitable place to eat in. I was thinking something along the lines of a gentleman's club where the food is good (a contradiction?) and we can have a nice, quiet dinner before retiring to large comfortable armchairs and pretend we are in an episode of Yes, Minister. Ideally in Zone 1.
I am low on ideas at the moment. I think I am looking for a combination between Dean St. Townhouse, the bar at Claridge's, the Guinea Grill on Bruton St..
Does Goodman fit this profile? I haven't been there myself but heard great things.
Help much appreciated.
5 days in London, the usual and some specific questions
Try Lantana on Charlotte Place for breakfast or light lunch. It is an antipodean cafe and does, in my view, the cleanest and best breakfast in London. Coffee is excellent there also and it is a two minute walk from Gower Street.
Also for lunch, you could nip up to La Fromagerie just off Marylebone High St (a nice 10 minute walk). It is (as the name suggests) a cheese shop but has a great tasting cafe where both the cheese and non-cheese based stuff are all great. Nice sharing tables, informal etc. You will be very pleasantly surprised.
For another dinner place, there is a tiny restaurant called The Giaconda Dining Rooms on Denmark St (also 5-10 mins walk) which is a French/Italiany bistro which does lovely, very homey food. Can be quite heavy if you order that way but the atmosphere in there absolutely makes it.
Over on Red Lion St (10 mins walk) there is a great and very informal Japanese called Edokko. Could do light lunch there and maybe combine with a visit to the Sir John Soanes museum - it is a hidden little museum which is like stepping into a Victorian London timewarp.
Without wishing to detract too much from previous advice, if you are in London for just five days, I wouldn't bother having lunch at Hummus Bros. Try to grab a place at the bar at Barrafina instead, or if that is full, go to Princi, or Yalla Yalla (mentioned above I think).
FINALLY (and only because no one has mentioned), there is an Indian called Gaylord just round the corner from your hotel which I think highly of and my Indian friends swear by. I am not a particularly sophisticated consumer of Indian food so would be interested to hear others views.
Enjoy!
Pasta in Central London
Went to Kitchen Italian in Covent Garden last week. Was not particularly impressed. I had spaghetti with meatballs which was unmemorable. Some arrancini sides were bland and the anchovy dip with breadsticks, although beautifully presented in a copper pot with a tealight underneath(!), was a waste of money. Their takeaway thing was a bit of an afterthought also.
I do find it odd - given how much I (and I assume others) love pasta - that there is nowhere that seems to have this nailed down.
Pasta in Central London
Hadn't heard of Kitchen Italia. I will check it out. Thanks DD.
Pasta in Central London
I have. Big fan of it in there. Thanks Zuriga. Wish there were more of them though.
Pasta in Central London
Thanks Robin. Is there anything in Covent Garden/Soho that you know of?
Will check out Fresh Italy when I get a chance.
Pasta in Central London
Does anyone know anywhere good where you can get a good quick bowl of pasta, ideally to take away, in central London. Thanks.
London - Truc Verd, La Fromagerie or Gordons Wine Bar?
Fromagerie is absolutely superb. The wine is lovely there but the focus is equally on the food, which may not be the same at Gordons (I have heard Terroirs food is superb also though).
The vibe in Fromagerie is definitely what you are after. Very casual. Sit around. No hurry to leave the table.
Bean meaning to try Truc Vert for a while now.
Game in London
Why not make yourself? I bought some really nice pheasant at the Marylebone Farmers Market on Sunday for 3.50 each. They were fat and juicy and easily did two people each. This is how I did them which worked really well:
Stuff them with sage and thyme.
Seal them in a roasting tin on the hob with a bit of oil.
Roast on one side for 10 mins at 180.
Roast on other side for 10 mins (still at 180).
Turn breast up, baste and cover with pancetta. Cook for another 30 mins basting it every so often.
Take out, rest it under foil for 15 mins and DONE.
Bread sauce, roast potatoes, gravy, mmmmmmmm.
!
The Classic Autumn Sunday Lunch Menu
Excellent idea. I might try hazelnuts.
Do you have a foolproof way to make crispy on the outside/fluffy on the inside roast potatoes? It is the risk involved with this that makes me move away from them!
