The London Restaurant Review

Fino Restaurant London

I took some colleagues to Fino Restaurant on Charlotte St last night.  I've been meaning to go there for ages, since it has had very mixed reviews (but mainly good ones) and I wanted to see for myself.

I was not disappointed - the service and food was top notch.  I don't like basement dining, but the ambience was OK and there is a very nice mezzanine bar which we fell into after dinner - we had no choice really since we had booked at 7pm table and they wanted it back at 9pm (we knew so it was ok).

You can read the full review here.

We also had a couple of bottles of very nice wine. You can read the wine review on the Pocket Vintages blog.

The Hospital Private Members Club

I was taken to The Hospital a couple of night ago.  It is a private members club situated on Endell St near Covent Garden.  It is very nice - quite tasteful and low key and probably a great place to meet clients etc and wine and dine them.  There are a couple of bars, a cinema room and goodness knows what else.

The restaurant is very good and has a comprehensive, non fussy menu.

It was a bit on the quiet side when we dined there, although Johnny Rotten from the Sex Pistols was dining next to us with a load of his mates.  They were surprisingly well behaved.

You can read the full review on The London Restaurant Review.

World's Best Restaurant 2007

Restaurant Magasine has announced the winner's of this year's world best restaurant awards.

You can get more info here but the top 10 restaurants are listed below:

1. El Bulli, Spain (Best in Europe)
2. The Fat Duck, UK
3. Pierre Gagnaire, France
4. The French Laundry, USA (Best in the Americas)
5. Tetsuya's, Australia (Best in Australasia)
6. Bras, France
7. Mugaritz, Spain
8. Le Louis XV, Monaco
9. Per Se, USA
10. Arzak, Spain

The Westbridge Pub & Dining Rooms

I was just sent the press release for this place in Battersea, which looks like it's worth a visit.

It's at 74 Battersea Bridge Rd.  Website is www.thewestbridge.co.uk

Charlie McVeigh and Adam Simmons are proud to announce the opening of The Westbridge Public House & Dining Rooms. Just south of Battersea Bridge, The Westbridge is an old-fashioned public house where all are welcome. Our aim at The Westbridge has been to create a place where the quality of food, drink and service are what one might expect from a restaurant but with the informality, warmth and pricing of a pub.

Charlie was until recently the owner of The Bush Bar & Grill, Woody’s nightclub and The Grand Union Public House (which he sold in 2005-6 retaining a small stake in the Bush Bar & Grill). He is currently concentrating on The Westbridge and a new project with Rowley Leigh (formerly Head Chef of Kensington Place), Le Café des Anglais, a 220-seater restaurant in Bayswater scheduled to open in the autumn.

Charlie says: “I want to be in the Westbridge bar all the time eating oysters and drinking Mared Sous draught beer from Belgium…what more can I say? It’s a pity I have to work.”
 
Our menu combines English public house classics (done to perfection) with more ambitious fare. Chef Laurent Alvergne puts Beer-Battered Cod with Minted Mushy Peas and Hand-Cut Chips (£8.50) next to Pan-Fried Skate Wing with Caramelised Chicory (£13.50.) A simple but effective Ploughman’s Lunch (£6.50) sits easily, we think, with a choice of Rock Oysters (1/2 Dozen £8.50) or Fine de Claire No.2 Oysters (1/2 Dozen £9.50) both from Strangford Loch in Northern Ireland.  Comfort foodies may be relieved to find a Stew of Organic Blackface Mutton with Pearl Barley and Winter Vegetables (£9.50.) Little ones are welcome and we have a special Children’s Menu, including Seasonal Pasta of the Day and Organic Breaded Chicken served with Mashed Potato all served at £4.75.   Formally trained in France, Laurent has fourteen years experience in the kitchen and has worked in London since 1998, spending the past four years at The Royal Opera House.

He is dedicated to creating an interesting, seasonal menu for The Westbridge with an emphasis on the very best quality Crustacea and fish, sourced from H. Forman in Mayfair, among other suppliers.

The large comfortable bar is under the guardianship of Adam, who joins The Westbridge from the award-winning Chiswick Moran Hotel in West London where he was F&B Manager. The ideal landlord for the Westbridge, Adam Simmons is a life-long student of the Public House in all its forms and has a passion for well-kept ales and old-fashioned customer service.  We like to think he has come home.
A range of draught beer from specialist brands Birra Moretti, Edelweiss and Mared Sous to well-known lagers such as Heineken and Amstel are on sale.  Our bitter comes from Suffolk brewer Adnam’s and we also stock a wide range of Belgian and other bottled beers. We have an extensive and eclectic wine list with over forty bins (including a selection of grander wines) and a range of fine champagnes. All are available at pub prices – so a pint of Amstel is £2.90 and our House White (Alpha Zeta Garganega 2006) is £12.50 a bottle.

Looking ahead to the Spring and Summer, the beautiful trellised terrace at the front of the pub and the enclosed landscape garden to the back both provide the perfect setting to idle away warm evenings over a pint with friends. 

For those looking for a little privacy The Westbridge has truly excellent Private Rooms on the first floor.  The Olive Room is ideally suited for large dinners of up to 60 people or while The Bridge Bar (above left) can accommodate up to 100 for drinks and dancing.  Together they make the ideal wedding party location.  We have a range of Party Menus which can be downloaded directly from our website at www.thewestbridge.co.uk.

Brasserie Restaurant Wandsworth

I was recently sent the press release for The Brasserie, which has received mixed reviews on my main London Restaurant Review website.

You can read all the reviews here: http://www.thelondonrestaurantreview.co.uk/displayrecord2.asp?RecType=2&EntryID=1902

Here is the press release which contains some interesting info on the people behind the restaurant:

>>>>
Opened at the end of 2006, The Brasserie sits right on the Wandsworth Common, offering enchanting views to go with its elegant interior and modern European cuisine.

Destined to become a firm favourite with locals and visitors alike, the Brasserie is the first in a planned portfolio of individually designed, stand-alone restaurants to be opened and managed by London Brasseries. Run by the highly respected and innovative hospitality maestro Andrew Bonnell, London Brasseries’ emphasis is on premium quality, freshly prepared and competitively priced food served throughout the day.

The Brasserie typifies the company’s approach, catering for breakfast, lunch and dinner in a stylish yet relaxed setting.

The restaurant is divided into two distinct sections – a brasserie area at the front for breakfast, drinks and light snacks leading into a more formal dining space. There is also a stunning conservatory, which is ideal for private parties.

Decorated in complementary browns and taupes with accents of purple, The Brasserie makes full use of natural light with floor to ceiling windows and large mirrors. This impressive décor provides the perfect backdrop against which to enjoy the delicious food offering.

Breakfast is served every day until 12pm (with brunch available weekends from noon to 5pm) offering healthy choices such as fresh oat muesli with apples, honey and nuts or a rather more calorific treat in the shape of bacon and sausage sandwiches. The Brasserie also offers an impressive range of juices and smoothies, including such bespoke creations as Soya Good (blackberry, strawberry, soya milk and ginger) and Toxin Buster (cucumber, mint, apple and sparkling water).

The Brasserie’s innovative lunch/evening menu is divided into different sections. Starters include smoked salmon and fennel tartlette and Paris brown mushroom pappardelle while mains feature such mouth-watering options as coq au vin with creamy mash and smoked haddock, colcannon and poached egg. Diners can also choose options from the Grill (chargrilled ribeye steak béarnaise and frites; côte de boeuf and homemade scotch beef burger with cheese); Classics (including crispy duck salad and soupe de poissons); Crustacea (such as Irish rock oysters or clams, ham and fino sherry) and Pasta and Risotto (to include wild rocket and pecorino rigatoni and lobster spaghetti). A Plat du Jour is also available.

Featured desserts comprise the likes of croissant bread and butter pudding, chocolate fondant and Artisan cheese board.

The Brasserie also offers a comprehensive wine list while the bar serves a full range of cocktails ranging from old favourites through to such delicious custom-built creations as Brasserie Fizz (gin, elderflower cordial, lychee and champagne).

PRINCIPALS

Andrew Bonnell - Managing Director
Andrew has been involved in the licensed retail industry since 1985. He first came to prominence when he took over the Pitcher & Piano group of bars in 1991. Under Andrew’s guidance the company achieved huge success and in 1996 it was acquired by Marstons plc. In 1999, Andrew led the buy-in team to acquire Tootsies from its original founders. Over the next five years Tootsies grew from six restaurants in London to 34 nationwide and became known as one of the leaders in the family dining market. In 2005 the business was sold to Urban Dining plc. Since 2003 Andrew has been principle shareholder of The Brackenbury Restaurant Group. In 2006, he set up London Brasseries to develop a nationwide group of upscale restaurants providing fresh, high quality and interesting food in a local setting.

James McLean – Executive Chef
Award winning chef James McLean arrives at The Brasserie from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts where he was Head Chef for their members club on Piccadilly, London. His role here was to transform the food operation - which comprised a 50-seat restaurant, club/members bars and banqueting for 200 - into a thriving business. Prior to BAFTA, James was Head Chef at the acclaimed Stonor Arms in Henley on Thames and also at The Greenhouse during which time the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star.

Abaco Restaurant

Bluewater is the largest shopping centre in Europe. Covering 1.5 million square feet, it has 350 shops, attracts 27 million visitors each year – and now thanks to stunning new Spanish restaurant Abaco, boasts what is fast becoming one of Kent’s most popular eateries.

With a cuisine encompassing both authentic tapas and delicious regional specialities, an extensive wine list and stunning décor, Abaco would not be out of place in London’s West End.  Situated in the heart of Bluewater’s Village area however, it really does stand out from the crowd. Little wonder therefore that in a few short months it has become a firm favourite not just with those looking for a respite from the customary shopping centre fare, but as a destination restaurant in its own right.

Opened in December 2006, Abaco is the first in a planned portfolio of individually designed, stand-alone restaurants to be opened and managed by London Brasseries. Run by the highly respected and innovative hospitality maestro Andrew Bonnell, London Brasseries’ emphasis is on high quality, hand crafted and competitively priced food served throughout the day. By 2008 the company aims to have opened a minimum of ten different outlets in major UK shopping centres thereby establishing a standard of cuisine and service never before experienced in such locales.

Abaco brilliantly personifies the company’s core values. Divided into three distinct areas - champagne bar, casual eating area and slightly more formal dining section - it represents a true haven from the hustle and bustle of Bluewater. Step across the threshold and the bright lights and garish colours of the shopping centre are replaced by low level lighting, muted colour schemes, beautifully upholstered furniture, custom built floor to ceiling wine cabinets and dramatic jet black chandeliers.

Complimenting this gorgeous décor is Abaco’s equally impressive food offering. Start the day in style with one of the restaurant’s mouth-watering breakfasts. The choices range from such perfect pick me ups as salt cod kedgeree with soft-boiled egg to omelette with Manchego cheese. Lunchtime and evening diners can choose from Abaco’s extensive tapas menu which offers a fine array of authentic delicacies, including fried goat's cheese with honey and red onion; clams with sherry and ham; chorizo pan fried in red wine and crispy pork belly.

The restaurant is also soon to launch an à la carte menu. Starters will include foie gras with Bacardi and coke jelly; mains comprise the likes of sautéed fillet of veal with maize polenta cakes served with a shallot red wine sauce while such tempting desserts as almond turron with coffee sauce and Catalana crème brûlée will round off a truly memorable meal.

Abaco’s food offering is accompanied by a comprehensive wine and champagne list. The restaurant also serves a full range of spirits, beers and cocktails.

Aside from the 160 covers inside, Abaco also boasts a champagne bar situated in the concourse area in front of the restaurant which can seat 80. This is the ideal place for weary shoppers to recharge their batteries with a freshly baked pastry and coffee or a glass of champagne and a selection of tapas.  In addition, Abaco also has 40 covers in an al fresco area outside the main building where diners can enjoy the restaurant’s fine fare in a delightful waterside setting.

The Village, Bluewater, Kent  DA9 9SE
   
01322 624447

Cafe Pasta on High Holborn

I know it's not particularly fancy, but I have lunch at Cafe Pasta on High Holborn (number 99) a lot.

It's opposite my office and very convenient for entertaining clients and colleagues without blowing the budget.

It has a welcoming atmosphere and you can always get a table.  The menu is well-priced and the service is excellent.

I tend to stick to the daily specials - they do fantastic Risottos and Raviolis, although you can also choose from a wide range of pizza and other pasta dishes.