Chowki

Patrick Food, Restaurants, UK Life

This Indian restaurant is tucked away on a small side street not to far from Piccadilly Circus, and serves modernised dishes from numerous regions around India. I believe the menu, or at least some of the regional specialities rotate quite frequently, and they also serve some classic dishes for those that are not as adventurous. This restaurant is owned by the Mela Group, of both Mela and Soho Spice fame, and though the food is not as cheap as many other restaurants around London, I think you get excellent quality for the price.

Tables are split into two main rooms, with each dining table being effectively one long bench and shared Wagamama style. Each night they offer two platters (a non-vegetarian and a vegetarian) that allow you to sample large amounts of different dishes. The main meals off the menu are also served with rice, naan and a daal-like dish so at least you are not forced to order additional sides to make a complete meal. Dishes are presented exceptionally well, with most of the dishes served in little crescent-shaped white plates that fit together perfectly to form an entire platter in front of you.

We had outstanding service the night we went. One of our dining members was taking a phone call when all of our meals arrived, and one of the waitresses insisted keeping the food warm until he came back. Even better was that despite being relatively busy that night, the waitress immediately noticed his return to the table, and promptly delivered his food still piping hot.

Details: Chowki
Found on: 2-3 Denman Street, London, W1D 7HA
Contactable on: 0871 3328062
Highlights: Wagamama-ish style dining tables, quality foods at reasonable prices. Great service on the night as well.
Room for improvement: The place becomes extremely noisy despite its high ceilings and fairly wide spaces so avoid if you want a little bit more personal space or a bit more of an intimate affair.
The Kua Rating: 8 out of 10

Long Island Ice Teas at Little Italy

Patrick London To Do, Restaurants, The 'He Who Knows' Challenge, UK Life

The Case: A late night in town
Date: November 9, 2006
Time: Late
Location: Little Italy, 21 Frith St, London, W1D 4RN
Synopsis: Run by the owners of the chic Bar Italia, this modernised Italian bar fronts a classy multi-tiered restaurant serving delicately presented Italian food. The wait staff buzzed around, talking surprisingly quietly to each other in Italian while the three excessively attentive bar tenders execute orders with amazing precision and speed. In contrast, the ladies next to us at the bar leisurely work their way through a couple of bottles of champagne and indulge in the bowls of free olives that sit at the bar. As per the He Who Knows Challenge, we ordered a round of Long Island Ice Teas that arrived in a flash. These versions are slick, served in the proper rounded tall glass and had the perfect balance between being smooth and tasty (as well as toxic). The result was a drink that needed no help and slid down the throat far too quickly.
Atmosphere:Attracting a little bit more of an older crowd, and a certainly better dressed crowd than most other bars I’ve been to, the brightly polished wooden floors and sharp lights set the perfect mood lighting. The elegant dining areas on the multiple floors are filled with white table-clothed tables set perfectly with fine cutlery and glass sets that look like they’re waiting for a fine three course meal to be consumed.
Conclusion: A place that certainly wasn’t getting any emptier as the night wears on and proud to declare their commitment to late nights by keeping open until 6am until Christmas, this place is a great place for drinking some fine drinks at equally fine prices in a quality atmosphere.

London Wagamama’s

Patrick Food, London To Do, Restaurants, UK Life

Someone asked me a while back to do a comparative review of Wagamama’s to the one back in Brisbane, so here goes. Wag’s is a bit of an institution over here in London with 23 locations in Central London, many more in Greater London and numerous stores opening overseas. The concept is simple – modernised, fast and efficient Japanese food you eat at benches you may share with other people. Attendants beam your orders wirelessly to the kitchen, scribbling down numbers on some paper placemats and food comes out as soon as it’s cooked, so you may get your main meal before your side dish.

There are subtle differences to the ones over here compared to my memories of the one at The Emporium in Brisbane. I think the dishes on offer do not greatly differ, but I think prices are comparatively more reasonable here in London – I think you’ll pay about the same price for a meal at many other places. Queues here at some of the more central ones are bound to be long if you go anytime after 7. Surprisingly many of them are very close to each other, so if the Covent Garden one is busy (which it usually is), then it’s very close to go the Bloomsbury one.

Wagamama

Living in the UK also gives you access to the member’s site that offers your even more promotions such as a free side or two for one meals at selected branches. Better yet, when a new store opens, you can even win tickets to some of their pre-opening sessions where they give away whole sets of meals all for nothing but your time. My sister’s attended two openings since moving here.

I think the concept of Wagamama’s is great, and the number of times I have been the food quality is always consistently high, though service will always depend on who is serving you.

Parilla Cooking at Buen Ayre

Patrick Food, Restaurants, UK Life

Picture from the Evening StandardCharcoal cooking is guaranteed to be an amazing dining experience, especially when it is done at an Argentinean restaurant, where they part delicate smoky flavours to their food over a parilla (an Argentine charcoal grill). Quite recently I was able to indulge in a wonderful meal at Buen Ayre up in Broadway Market (see my thoughts on another restaurant close by called The Dove).

This little Argentine Grill & Bar offers a simple but effective menu and although they exceed the expectations of a wonderful Argentine beef eating experience, they do also cater for vegetarians with their grilled mushrooms, aubergines and haloumi cheese.

The various steaks they offer are apparently from Argentine and for the flavour, texture and preparation you get, I think is definitely worth the average of £12 per steak. I was fortunate enough to be dining with a large group of people so we also tried a number of their other dishes including their empanadas, grilled provolone cheese, ox tongue and chips with garlic butter. Pretty much everything was wiped clean except for the ox tongue that not even the brave person who ordered it could finish. I think it’s extremely thick cut combined with its unique texture and strong flavour is only for the true aficionado.

One of the best things about this restaurant includes their innovative extension of the parilla to the dining table. These excellently valued parrilladas are definitely worth getting if you have least two people. Each parrillada (a small brazier) arrives at the table filled with hot charcoals and topped with a plethora of meats including steak, sausages and a variety of sides depending on which one you choose.

Before eating at this restaurant I don’t think I have eaten that much meat since arriving in the UK, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the quality of the meat that we ate. Broadway market is not exactly close to a tube station and even though you should make a reservation, I think it is most definitely worth the trip out to East London for it.

Details: Santa Maria del Buen Ayre
Found On: 50 Broadway Market, London E8 4QJ
Contactable On: 020 7275 9900 or their website
Highlights: Great parilla cooking, fantastic quality steaks at very reasonable prices all in a great atmosphere.
Improvements: Bookings are timed and its location means you have to get a bus from the tube station.
The Kua Rating: 8 out of 10

The Best Duck in Town

Patrick Bayswater, London To Do, Restaurants, UK Life

Chinese Roast Duck is one of those things that you either love or you hate. For some people its the fatty duck skin and the corresponding greasy flesh that turn them off, while for others, the crispy and the juicy tasty flesh is what they enjoy the most. If you have never had roast duck before, it certainly helps to go to some place where prepare it well and serve excellent quality birds.

Four Seasons is one of those Chinese restaurants in London most well known for their duck. I am lucky enough to live almost directly opposite it as well and I know how long their queues can get – even for takeaway. Like many Chinese restaurants, the window starts filling with deep red hanging ducks and other types of BBQ or roast meats just before lunch. In this particular restaurant, queues form rapidly on weekends cascading onto the already bustling Queensway.

Four Seasons

The cost of simple roast duck and rice served with cabbage is not exorbitant at only about £6, although a whole roast duck will obviously cost a lot more. Their BBQ meat is extremely tasty and you can get the combination of the two for the same price (but you obviously get less duck). I will be honest about this restaurant’s duck being slightly fatty, but maybe that is how they get the skin so crispy and full of flavour. As a local I don’t really want to make the duck a regular meal, and reserve it only for special occasions because it really is worth it.

I am yet to actually eat inside just because there are plenty of other great eateries and waiting for a table can be exhausting. I bet that they, like many other more upmarket or popular Chinese restaurants do, charge the more excessive 12.5% service on the end (which might be worth it for all I know).

Details: Four Seasons
Found On: 84 Queensway, London, W2 3RL
Contactable On: 0871 3328297
Highlights: Fantastic duck and a busy atmosphere to dine in directly opposite a very central tube station.
Improvements: Its popularity and small size means queues are inevitable
The Kua Rating: 8 out of 10

Lucky 7 @ Westbourne Park Road

Patrick Food, Restaurants, UK Life

Lucky 7.jpgLucky 7 is another restaurant run by Tom Conran (son of Terence Conran), just down the road from the other restaurant (The Cow) I visited a while back. Unlike its more ritzy sister, Lucky 7 goes for the other end of the spectrum, with an outlandish attempt to recreate the classic American diner, complete with tack memorabilia, red leather seating booths and Michael Jackson music (all the good classic ones mind you) blasting in the background.

California Burger with Onion RingsThe menu is simple with all types of burgers the main staple with sides of shoestring fries, onion rings and various delicious shakes and American beers (the first time I’ve seen Sam Adam’s beer served in the UK). The burgers are massive (almost on the verge of impossible to pick up) and it’s obvious from their inhomogeneous form that they are made on the premises. The burgers are not the cheapest ones you can find, but their wide variety and freshness barely justify the steep prices. Their sides are generously sized and the freshly made and authentic onion rings I had were truly tasty. The shakes are also pretty good (though you’d expect them to be for their price) and can be ordered in three types of thicknesses and a few different flavours.

I’m not sure if you can book ahead in this place, but its small size and popularity certainly mean this place is busy. I ate here for a late lunch (3pm) on a weekday and I still had to share one of the booths with other people.

Lucky 7The service I received was friendly and quite prompt, though once again it would be hard to give poor service when your customers are sitting right in front of you.

Details: Lucky 7
Found On: 127 Westbourne Park Road
Contactable On: 020 7727 6771
Highlights: Cheesy American diner serving gourmet burgers (at gourmet prices) all served with truly home made and delicious sides. Also serves the widest selection of American beers I’ve seen in the UK so far. Booths are great for a party of four or six.
Improvements: It’s a little bit more pricey than a trip to GBK. If you go a couple or greater than six, you will have trouble getting seats.
The Kua Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Galvin-ised

Patrick Food, Restaurants, UK Life

Yesterday I went out for a friend’s 30th birthday for a leisurely lunch lasting well over four hours. We ate at a fantastic and affordable French place called Galvin, tucked away by a non-descript entrance on Baker Street. Our three course lunch cost only £16.50, extended to a fourth with the intense chocolate birthday cakes baked specially for the two celebrants of the day.

The interior is beautiful and surprisingly spacious, with simple white clothed tables and wooden chairs inviting guests to sit down. I’m surprised by the large number of staff present, even when the restaurant was not at full capacity. Given the large number of staff, I found the service slightly off that day with barely anyone around when you wanted something, and several times a number of dishes either not making it to the table at the same time, or several of the wrong dishes arriving instead.

Having said that, I found the food simple, very well presented and wickedly delicious. Admittedly I shouldn’t have been too surprised given two brothers trained at Michelin starred restaurants own the restaurant.

Details: Galvin Bistrot De Luxe
Found On: 66 Baker Street, London W1
Contactable On: 020 7935 4007
Highlights: Extremely affordable Prix Fixe menu served in a spacious traditional looking restaurant.
Improvements: Service for the day wasn’t too bad, but not exactly perfect.
The Kua Rating: 8 out of 10

Conran Butler’s Wharf Chop House

Patrick London To Do, Restaurants, The 'He Who Knows' Challenge, UK Life

Butlers Wharf Chop HouseThe last time I had completed any of the “He Who Knows Challenge” was a very long time ago, so I thought it was time to pick one more off the list. This time around I thought it might be good to carry it out with the one other person who is also supposed to complete this challenge, so Ben, Michelle, my sister and I went out for lunch on Saturday to complete this next challenge.

Deciding on which Conran restaurant was the difficult part, with so many in London to choose from, and each offering different types of cuisines and experiences. In the end we picked Butler’s Wharf Chop House and though I wouldn’t necessarily say this restaurant is based on any of most extravagant of Conran’s designs, its decor complements the contemporary English dishes on offer. The booking process was extremely efficient, one morning I submitted a booking form online at about 7am, and at about 9:30am, someone called from the restaurant confirming the reservation.

The pictures on their site do little justice for the restaurant, with one of the highlights really being the wharf-front views, giving terrace diners unobstructed views of Tower Bridge itself. We were fortunate that London gave out what is probably the last summery days we’ll see, really lighting up Tower Bridge and giving us a splendid backdrop for a lazy Saturday lunch.

Looking out from The Chop HouseThe menu is straightforward with set prices for both a two or three course meal and a reasonable variety of dishes to choose from in all courses (in addition to the daily specials). Certain dishes have supplementary fees and you can order side dishes at an additional price if you like. We all ordered different things so it was great we could compare and contrast the different dishes. We started the lunch by ordering two courses, leaving ourselves to see how rich or substantial each dish might be before placing the dessert order. Even though each dish was reasonably sized, we all decided at the end of the main course to order dessert and I think we were all pleased we did.

Here’s a list of the things that I ordered (and apologise that I didn’t take a picture of the entire menu so the detail is not as accurate as it could have been):

I really enjoyed the afternoon spent with everyone, and the great weather really set a wonderful backdrop for the great conversation despite all the tourists walking by. I certainly couldn’t afford to do this every week but it is definitely a great place to indulge for a special occasion.

Details: Butler’s Wharf Chop House
Found On: Butlers Wharf Building, 36e Shad Thames, London SE1 2YE
Contactable On: 020 7403 3403 or via their website
Highlights: Contemporary and extremely high quality English cuisine served in affable surroundings looking out at Tower Bridge and the Thames. The food was delicious and extremely well prepared boosted by an extensive wine list and the experience from reservation to finishing up was excellent.
Improvements: It would be nice to have the current menu on offer up to date on their website.
The Kua Rating: 9 out of 10