Bar Douro review – Portuguese small plates, bar food and tapas
★★★★☆ / Portuguese

Bar Douro review – Portuguese small plates, bar food and tapas

By any other name, this London Bridge railway arch treasure would still be as sweet For a country so beloved by Britain’s middle-class holidaymakers, the food of Portugal has a surprisingly low profile in London. Unless you count the ubiquitous Nando’s (which I don’t), there are surprisingly few Portuguese restaurants in London with most seemingly … Continue reading

Wau review – Malaysian food heats up Newbury
★★★☆☆ / Malaysian/Singaporean

Wau review – Malaysian food heats up Newbury

Bringing the spice of life to West Berkshire The West Berkshire town of Newbury is notable for a few things. It was the site of two battles in the English Civil War, its neighbours once included a RAF base picketed by anti-nuclear protestors and it’s the headquarters for the UK branch of telecommunications behemoth Vodafone. … Continue reading

Mc and Sons review – the Thairish pub that’s not as plucky as it first appears
★★☆☆☆ / Gastropub / Thai and Lao

Mc and Sons review – the Thairish pub that’s not as plucky as it first appears

A pub food minichain hiding in plain sight Pubs serving Thai food seems like an odd pairing, but this now commonplace coupling was initially a result of nothing more exotic than economic necessity and entrepreneurial foresight. The first documented pub on these islands with a Thai kitchen was apparently Notting Hill’s Churchill Arms – a … Continue reading

Flor review – Lyle’s does British tapas in Borough Market
★★★☆☆ / Eclectic / Modern European / Modernist

Flor review – Lyle’s does British tapas in Borough Market

Small plates don’t always lead to big rewards Update 31/01/2022 – this restaurant has now closed There’s no shortage of places in London to graze on small tapas-sized plates while guzzling wine, places where the list of liver-annihilating beverages is several times longer than the menu, especially around London Bridge and Borough Market. To the … Continue reading

Siren at The Goring review – seafood that isn’t fit for a Queen
★★☆☆☆ / Seafood

Siren at The Goring review – seafood that isn’t fit for a Queen

Overstuffed and underwhelming Update 17/06/2020 – this restaurant has closed as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic Seafood, like many things in life, is subject to the cyclical, ever-changing whims of fashion and finance. Although the details often depend on the specific seafood in question, seafood has – throughout the long history of these … Continue reading

Myrtle review – the understated Irish dame of Chelsea
★★★★☆ / Irish / Modern European / Modernist

Myrtle review – the understated Irish dame of Chelsea

Where sirloin steak is almost upstaged by a beef dumpling At the risk of indulging in armchair GCSE-level psychology, Myrtle is one of those restaurants where elements of the personality and background of the chef are clearly evident. Starting with the obvious, there’s the Irish-accented menu – a surprisingly uncommon thing in London – created … Continue reading

Barullo review – eye-opening paella and tapas in the City
★★★★☆ / Spanish / Tapas

Barullo review – eye-opening paella and tapas in the City

The Spanish restaurant near The Gherkin that truly delivers It’s odd to begin a restaurant review by referring to another restaurant that I haven’t been to and that has closed entirely. But bear with me, as there’s a reason behind my madness. Barullo isn’t just a new Spanish restaurant in the City, within spitting distance … Continue reading

Max’s Sandwich Shop review – these Finsbury Park sarnies are more than just a middle-class Subway
★★★★☆ / Eclectic

Max’s Sandwich Shop review – these Finsbury Park sarnies are more than just a middle-class Subway

Max’s doesn’t serve BLTs, tuna mayo or Ploughman’s – it’s far more creative than that Sandwiches are everywhere, yet we rarely give them the proper due care and attention that they deserve. Clammy, flaccid supermarket sandwiches barely deserve the appellation, yet many of us not only eat them for lunch but for dinner too. Guiltily, … Continue reading