London Appetizer

Eastern Empire, Balham

I've been getting take aways from Eastern Empire for years and it is always top notch. The food is very authentic and reasonably priced. Highly rated!

It is located on Bedford Hill, opposite Sainsbury's car park and you can eat in and take away or get delivery.

You can also book online here

Chinese Restaurant in London

Looking for a good Chinese Restaurant in London?  Then look no further!  I have listed below a number of popular Chinese restaurants in London that are also on The London Restaurant Review.

Bam-Bou Restaurant, Percy St

Fashionable Bam-Bou hides four floors of pan-Asian elegance behind its elegant Georgian façade, all furnished in handsome colonial style. The urbane menu blends Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese influences to produce dishes such as baked mackerel in banana leaf and mutton massaman curry with quince. Three private rooms are available, while the top floor bar is a hideaway from the hectic pace of central London.

Indo-Jin Restaurant, Clerkenwell Rd

Set in the heart of trendy Clerkenwell above the Cosmo Bar, Indo Jin serves Pan-Asian dishes in its softly lit Asian Canteen style interior with large wooden tables and benches set with simple white napkins and wooden chopsticks. The menu ranges from Indo-Japanese Soupy Curries to a traditional selection of Maki Rolls. There?s a large selection of dishes inspired by a combination of Japanese and Indian flavours such as battered Chilli Squid and Pork Katsu, Soy and Honey Sweet Potatoes, Prawn Curry and a Yuan Miso Salmon Fillet. The Express Lunch menu offers Miso Soup and a Savoury Rice Bowl or Donburi with tofu, beef, or chicken.

Kym's Restaurant, Wilton Rd

The name comes from the maiden name of the current proprietors' grandmother, and Kym's is still very much a family affair. This composed, affable restaurant serves hot and spicy cuisine rooted in its regional Chinese heritage - with a dim sum menu for lunch - to a hectic crowd of politicians, ambassadors and locals drawn to its bustling Victoria location.

Umu Restaurant, Bruton Place

The only Kyoto-style restaurant in the country, sophisticated Umu brings kaiseki cuisine to upmarket Mayfair couched in its elegantly luxurious interior. Said to be the ultimate in Japanese eating, the menu is reassuringly exquisite, while over 160 sake labels and 600 wines are listed as accompaniments. Private dining for up to 12 guests.

For all Chinese Restaurant Reviews, please click here

Indian Restaurant in London

I am always getting asked to recommend a good Indian restaurant in London so I have summarised below some good Indian restaurants in and around London.

Indian Restaurants in London.....

Benares Restaurant, Berkley Square House - BOOK NOW

Having recently received its first Michelin star (the second for chef-patron Atul Kochhar), Benares delivers acclaimed modern Indian cuisine as chic as its location in central Mayfair. The vibrant menu explores delicately flavoured dishes from all corners of the subcontinent, with sophisticated modern presentation from the food down to the elegant décor. The restaurant offers a fully inclusive set menu for lunch and pre-theatre, and all food served is Halaal.

Bhatti Restaurant, Great Queen St - BOOK NOW

A bright, cheerful restaurant within a 17th-century listed building, Bhatti is a well-established and critically acclaimed Covent Garden restaurant. Pale woods and colourful walls give a contemporary backdrop to the menu of traditional Indian favourites, while the friendly buzz contributes to this restaurant's enduring popularity.

Chowki Restaurant, Denman St - BOOK NOW

Close to Shaftesbury Avenue in the heart of the West End, bubbly Chowki is a convivial Indian restaurant specialising in home-style regional cuisine. The homely atmosphere is heightened by strong modern décor and a refectory-style layout which creates a friendly, lively ambience. The imaginative and well-priced menu champions a changing selection of cuisine from three different regions of the subcontinent.

Nutmeg Restaurant, Lupus St - BOOK NOW

Tucked away close to the riverside in Pimlico, Nutmeg is a smart white-walled restaurant specialising in modern Indian cooking. The chic, modern lines of the interior embrace a cosy bar area, pavement seating and a bright terrace garden. With a chef trained in north Indian, Goan and Bengali cuisine, the regional menu is awash with gently spiced dishes from old favourites to classics with a modern twist, and there are even some Western specials for the unadventurous.

Rooburoo Restaurant, Chapel Market - BOOK NOW

Hidden in Islington's Chapel Market is Rooburoo, a modern Indian restaurant serving up samosas with style. An inventive menu features dishes from across the subcontinent, all lightly and simply prepared, with imaginative ingredients giving a new twist to many old favourites. Popular with locals, the restaurant buzzes in the evening with diners eating 'rooburoo' (or face to face) with the dramatic portraits which line the walls.

Taste of India, Catherine St - BOOK NOW

A bustling Indian restaurant in the heart of Covent Garden, Taste of India is a well-established dining institution which has been open for more than 25 years. The cheerful dining room with its yellow walls and bright lighting has an upbeat feel, while the menu of curry favourites and classic regional dishes attracts a buzzy mixed crowd of shoppers, locals and theatre-goers.

For all the Indian restaurants available on The London Restaurant Review, please click here

How to Book the Very Popular London Restaurants

Booking popular London restaurants, such as The Ivy or Le Gavroche as never been easier, thanks to online booking facilities that are now prevalent across many websites.

Gone are the days of taking forever to get through to the restaurant, only to be greeted by a snooty voice on the other end telling you there is no available for 6 months but they could squeeze you in a couple of days after next Xmas at 10.45pm but they need the table back by 11.30pm.

Now you can book at your leisure, easily check what days and times are available and avoid all that phone nonsense.

Here are some of London's most popular restaurants that you can now book online:

The Ivy, West Street, London - BOOK ONLINE

The legendary Ivy needs no introduction. Beloved of stage and screen luminaries as well as lesser mortals, its ninety-year-old position in the London dining circuit is unassailable. The eclectic menu nods to intercontinental cuisine, while the genteel dining room scatters guests across the buzzy main floor and into private booths. Centrally located and perfect for a pre-theatre meal.

Asia de Cuba, St Martin's Lane Hotel, London - BOOK ONLINE

A hip clientele and a cultured menu makes Asia de Cuba a high-energy and popular pitstop at the Starck-designed St. Martin's Lane hotel in London's West End. Blending elements of Asian and Cuban cuisine, the food is served sharing-style under the bare bulbs of the contemporary white interior. Its famously generous portions have also been adapted for bento boxes aimed at the lunch and pre-theatre crowd.

Dover Street Restaurant, Dover St, London - BOOK ONLINE

Lovers of jazz flock to Dover Street restaurant and bar, where the Mediterranean flavours are dished up side by side with the syncopated beats. The interior is scattered with atmospheric black and white photography, while a spacious wooden dance floor and bar areas establish the venue's party credentials. Set menus offer lunchtime diners a good deal for the Mayfair locale, while group menus and live bands and DJs keep the late-night buzz upbeat.

Fakhreldine, 85 Piccadilly, London - BOOK ONLINE

Named after a Lebanese Prince, Fakhreldine is a stylish well-established restaurant overlooking the leafy spaces of Green Park in central London. The chic dark tones of the interior keep the mood modern, while the cuisine is traditionally Middle Eastern, with daily special meze and signature dishes such as five-spice lamb and bukhari rice. A late-night bar offers shisha, backgammon, cocktails and canapés.

Galvin at Windows Restaurant, Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London - BOOK ONLINE

The spectacular 28th floor panorama over the London skyline may have made this a destination restaurant, but its inspired menu of modern French haute cuisine makes it impossible to overlook. Acclaimed chef-patron Chris Galvin has prepared an uncluttered range of classic dishes that are ideally suited to the elevated Mayfair surroundings. The next-door bar boasts an impressive collection of whisky and cognac.

Le Gavroche, Upper Brook  Street, London - BOOK ONLINE

The first UK restaurant to be awarded one, two, and then three Michelin stars, Le Gavroche remains a class apart. Since opening in 1967, this Mayfair bastion of French cuisine has been very much a family affair, and chef-patron Michel Roux Jr continues the tradition today. The elegance of the menu and the ambience is impeccably tailored, while the discreet service has won its own plaudits.

Quaglino's, Bury Street, London - BOOK ONLINE

This dazzling restaurant and bar was built on the site of the old Quaglino's in the exclusive St. James area of the capital, and it's still one of London's places to see and be seen. Sweep down its marble staircases to the bustle and glamour of the restaurant floor, where you'll find classic brasserie cuisine with a British twist on the menu. Dishes change on a weekly basis to reflect seasonal ingredients, with seafood a serious speciality of the house.

Chowki Restaurant, London

This December, Chowki’, the West End’s home-style Indian restaurant pioneered by Chef Kuldeep Singh, is showcasing the restaurant’s most popular dishes from 2008. The menu throughout December is purely made up of the best-selling dishes sold between January and November. Each quarter the menu adapts to the seasons, offering diners a tempting selection of authentic regional cuisine from a Keralan prawn curry to Punjabi chicken tikka or Lucknow lamb korma.
Emphasising value this Christmas, Chowki is offering a Chowki Pot with rice, dal and bread from just £10.50, or their incredible deal of a starter, main with rice, dal and bread together with a dessert for just £19.95 per person. There is no better reason to take family and friends for an affordable spot of festive fun this December.

Chowki – Affordable, Festive Fun

CHOWKI CAN BE BOOKED ONLINE HERE

2-3 Denman Street
London W1D 7HA
T: 020 7439 1330
www.chowki.com
info@chowki.com

Book London Restaurants Online

We have now introduced online booking to The London Restaurant Review.

Now you can book your favourite London restaurants online with our new online booking facility.

It's really simple to use and there is no need to register an account like other restaurant sites.

Simply find the restaurant you want to book, choose your preferred date and time and your booking will be confirmed to you by email.

Click here to see the London restaurants available to book online.

Goodman Restaurant, Maddox Street, London

Steak Steak Steak - yes, there's a new Steakhouse in town and it has Russian roots.  Nip over to Russia and chances are you'll come across one of these upmarket eateries before too long.  Now the owners have taken the same concept to London, and have chosen Maddox Street, just off Regent Street, for their first venue.

The restaurant has a lovely warm feel about it, with chocolate brown leather banquette seating and contemporary photography adorning the walls.  Tables are well spaced apart so you don't feel like you are intruding on your neighbours.  There is seating for 75 and a private dining room for those all important birthday parties or business lunches that will hold 30.

Service is slick and friendly, staff are helpful and informative, especially about the meat, which is a good thing, since Goodman is going to make or break itself on the quality of its steaks.

Currently the menu is featuring 110 day grain fed Australian beef and 120 day USDA prime.  They will soon be introducing a British rib-eye, which is bound to be popular.

The steaks are all priced at £25 and my Goodman Rib Eye was beautifully cooked to Medium Rare order and served with a side of chips (extra) and green beans (extra).  Whilst the meat was top notch, I felt that at £25, I would not be eating steak too often here.  Especially in these credit crunch days, I felt it was a little on the pricey side.

However, you could also get a Goodman Beefburger, with chips (free) and salad (free) for the bargain price of £12.  I didn't try the burger but I will be next time.

If you are really hungry then you can also order a starter from a choice of about eight, including organic salmon carpaccio, beef tartare and Caesar salad.  All are priced at £7.50p.

There are also tempting desserts - I had a vanilla creme brulee which was a 10/10 and priced at £6.

With a great selection of wines by the glass and bottle and priced to suit everyone's budget, you won't have any problems finding something good to drink.

Overall I liked Goodman Restaurant and will definitely recommend it.  I'll be back next time to try the burger.

Goodman Restaurant
25 Maddox Street
London
W1S 1HQ

Tel: 020 7 499 3776
Web: www.goodmanrestaurants.com

Nearest tube to Goodman Restaurant is Oxford Circus

10 Popular London Restaurants

Every so often I review the London restaurants that people are looking at the most on The London Restaurant Review.

Here are ten London restaurants that are viewed and reviewed regularly but not always positive!

1. Boisdale Restaurant, Victoria(Scottish)

2. Cafe Des Amis Restaurant, Covent Garden (European)

3. Chutney Mary Restaurant, Fulham (Indian)

4. Floridita Restaurant, Soho (Spanish)

5. J Sheekey Restaurant, Soho (Fish)

6. Le Gavroche Restaurant, Mayfair (French)

7. Quaglinos Restaurant, Mayfair (European)

8. Sugar Reef Restaurant, Soho (European)

9. The Ivy Restaurant, Leicester Square (British)

10. Thai Square Restaurant, Putney (Thai)

Cinnamon Kitchen Restaurant Launches in London

For too long, the innovation of Vivek Singh’s Indian cuisine has been the preserve of Westminster, but with the recent launch of Cinnamon Kitchen, this new concept introduces his talent to the City.

Rather fittingly located in the historic East India Company spice warehouses, transformed into the stunning Devonshire Square development, Cinnamon Kitchen is just a short walk from Liverpool Street station. With the celebrated executive chef Vivek Singh and managing director Rohit Chugh at the helm, the restaurant serves modern Indian cuisine inspired by the same ethos of the highly acclaimed Cinnamon Club, but in a more relaxed and informal setting.
A genuinely unique all day dining destination, simply pop into the Cinnamon Kitchen for a spicy breakfast or much needed brunch, take a seat at the capital’s first Indian grill and tandoor bar or enjoy a lunch to share, savour an evening snack on the way home or take the time for a decadent dinner.

Cuisine

Recognised as one of the leading practitioners of modern Indian food, Vivek Singh continues to push culinary boundaries with his imaginative approach. Less structured than his Cinnamon Club menus, the Cinnamon Kitchen provides diners with the opportunity to further explore Vivek’s brilliance. Continuously exploring and challenging culinary traditions, Vivek goes beyond authenticity to discover new flavours and draw on the diversity of the subcontinent.
With a collection of appetisers, grills, mains, sides and biryanis to share, diners can relish in the menus variety, sharing courses, mixing and matching, creating a unique experience for every visit.
Signature appetisers include aromatic minced lamb with betel leaf; kettyle beef salad with chilli and crisp basmati; and spiced sweet corn soup with masala corn kebab. Grills entice with clove-smoked salmon; fat chillies with spiced paneer; and bhaditraka – a lamb kebab inspired by the Manasollasa and written about by Somesvara in 1127AD. Mains range from tandoori king prawns with Bengali kedgeree; to roast lamb saddle, mint-onion sauce and pilau rice; and Rajasthani roast red deer with stir-fried mushrooms. Sides offer dishes such as stir-fried greens with cumin and garlic; masala mashed potato; and germinated moong bean salad; whilst biryanis include Keralan curried seafood; and Lucknow chicken. For those who can’t resist something sweet, desserts include Indian banana tarte tatin with cinnamon ice cream; almond and pepper pannacotta with gingered dates; and spiced pistachio cake with long pepper ice cream.
Having become experts at wine and spice pairing at The Cinnamon Club, the list of bins at the Cinnamon Kitchen will not disappoint. Let the restaurant’s sommelier recommend the perfect accompaniment or savour one the restaurant’s dazzling cocktails.

Design

Entered via an imposing covered courtyard created by the warehouses, the Cinnamon Kitchen benefits from an all-weather alfresco terrace, where the buzz of diners welcomes you to the restaurant.
With an interior by B3 Designers the fusion of industrialism with intricate Indian design is apparent from the offset. Set against the grey coarse walls, a mosaic of over 5,000 mother of pearl tiles spreads in geometric configurations across the reception.
Colour cast hexagonal floor tiles lead diners to the capacious dining room, where the building’s simple lines are softened by hanging globe lights of silver-plated brass, intricately hand-perforated to cast dappled patterns and create texture. A muted wall palette highlights the naked dark sheesham wood tables, whilst carefully considered mirrors and candles in glass storm covers create intimacy. One of the main focal points of the dining room comes in the form of the pewter and black granite tandoor bar and grill. Providing the best seats in the house, a backdrop of corrugated glass offers an alluring hint of the working kitchen behind. Other elements incorporated into the design include screened wine walls that can be hidden by large sliding doors in homage to the room’s past incarnations.

Grill and Tandoor Bar

Unique to the Cinnamon Kitchen, this invigorating setting allows diners to directly interact with a dedicated chef. As the culinary theatre of creating dishes unfolds, recipes can be adapted and personalised to ensure a truly bespoke experience.

Private Dining

For those desiring an exclusive enclave, the Cinnamon Kitchen private dining room offers a stylish retreat for up to ten diners. A cinema screen sized window provides a mesmerising vista directly into the kitchen, allowing guests to view all the drama of a busy restaurant kitchen as service unfolds. Complete with the latest conference facilities the room is also ideal for corporate meetings.

9 Devonshire Square
London
EC2M 4YL
Tel: 020 7626 5000
Email: info@cinnamon-kitchen.com
Web: www.cinnamon-kitchen.com
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street

Patterson's Restaurant, Mill Street, London

Cost per head: £55

You can book this restaurant online here.

Patterson's is tucked away off Regent Street in a quaint little street - you wouldn't know it was there unless you knew it was there (so to speak). A family run restaurant since 2003, Patterson's is very grown up, seating around 80 in a smallish dining room, with a big fish tank to greet you on arrival.
Service is excellent - smart, efficient, no nonsense.

Food is good but not great. Portions are on the small side although presentation is exquisite. My cod starter was ok but nothing special, a nice piece of cod served on a single flaccid ravioli, covered in cream. My main course of poached salmon was much better, a thick piece of fish with a good dollop of mash and a lobster hotpot on the side, which I wasn't sure was for drinking or pouring (I poured, which worked for me).

Prices are steep, especially in today's economy - £15 for the starters, £20 for the main courses and £10 for puddings. We had a good bottle of house white (pinot grigio), good value at £25. 
Overall, good but not as exciting as I had hoped for.

I've included the full current menu here (courtesy of Patterson's)

FIRST COURSE
LANGOUSTINE AND SEARED SCALLOP IN A CARROT AND SWEET WINE VELOUTE WITH PAYSANNE OF VEGETABLES
ROASTED COD ON A RED CABBAGE AND PANCETTA CONFIT RAVIOLI WITH A JUNIPER BUTTER CREAM SAUCE
BARBECUED AND LIGHTLY SMOKED QUAIL WITH ROASTED BEETROOT AND POMEGRANATE SALSA
CARPACCIO OF “OAKLEIGH RANCH” WAGYU BEEF WITH TRUFFLED SWEET POTATO, MUSHROOM TEA AND WATER CHESTNUT (SUPPLEMENT £3.00)
MARBLED FOIE GRAS TERRINE FLAVOURED WITH 12 YEAR OLD BALSAMIC, ALMOND PUREE AND COUNTRY BREAD (SUPPLEMENT £3.00)
BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO WITH PARMESAN CRISP AND MILK FROTH

SECOND COURSE   
ROAST SEA BASS WITH OLIVE TAPENADE, CONFIT OF LEEKS AND HERBS, SAFFRON POTATOES AND SAUCE VIERGE
POACHED SALMON WITH LOBSTER POTATOES AND LOBSTER HOTPOT
FISH OF THE DAY
CANON OF LAMB, CURRIED CRAB MOUSSE AND HERB CRUSTED LAMB SAUSAGE WITH GREEN PUY LENTILS IN RED WINE JUS
LOIN OF VENISON INFUSED IN BRANDY, POTATO BOLOGNAISE, SALSIFY PUREE AND PEAR POACHED IN RED AND WHITE WINE
TRIO OF PORK
BRAISED PORK CHEEK, PRESSED SAVOY CABBAGE AND HAM HOCK TERRINE, PIG TROTTER STUFFED WITH BLACK PUDDING   
ROOT VEGETABLE, TRUFFLE AND WILD MUSHROOM TART WITH RED WINE BUTTER SAUCE, RED CHICORY AND FRISEE SALAD

PUDDING   
CHOCOLATE MEDLEY
RUM AND WHITE CHOCOLATE SORBET, MILK CHOCOLATE DOME, DARK CHOCOLATE SAVARIN, ORANGE CHOCOLATE CRÈME BRULEE   
BRILLAT SAVARIN AND VANILLA CHEESECAKE GLAZED WITH ITALIAN MERINGUE SERVED WITH WARM GRAND MARNIER AND ORANGE
CHESTNUT MONT- BLANC
PRUNE AND ALMOND TART WITH CRUNCHY AMARETTO ICE CREAM
SELECTION OF SORBETS AND ICE CREAMS
LA FROMAGERIE CHEESE PLATE(SUPPLEMENT £3.00)

FIRST COURSE
£15
SECOND COURSE
£20
PUDDING
£10

You can book this restaurant online here.