American / ★★★☆☆ / Barbecue/BBQ / Burgers

Duke’s Brew and Que review – the best ribs in London? Not really.

American BBQ comes to Hackney Update August 2013 – newer, more up-to-date review published Barbecue restaurants are like buses – you wait ages for one to arrive and then two come along at once. Pitt Cue in Soho may be (deservedly) getting all the attention, but a lesser known BBQ joint called Duke’s has also … Continue reading →

★★★★☆ / Japanese Noodles

Tonkotsu review – proper ramen comes to Soho

Noodle kaboodle Thanks to the instant noodle convenience food that shares its name, ramen isn’t the most glamorous of dishes, but it can be surprisingly difficult to get right. The imaginatively named Tonkotsu on Dean Street is a new restaurant that eschews sushi and katsu curries, concentrating solely on this underappreciated noodle soup dish. Tonkotsu … Continue reading →

American / ★★☆☆☆

Low Country review – The Deep South comes to Fulham

America! Fuck yeah! For most people, American food means burgers and barbecue. Low Country aims to popularise some of the lesser-known dishes of America’s Deep South and South Carolina coastline. Despite being a restaurant, Low Country feels more like a pub due to its combination of large bar, wooden floors, attractive rear garden, bright lighting, … Continue reading →

★★★★☆ / Italian

Meter review – Old Street pizza palace or pizza pants?

How does it measure up? Update July 2013 – this restaurant has now closed There’s obviously no shortage of pizza places in London, but most of them serve up grease-laden slices of slop. Franco Manca, with branches in Brixton, Chiswick and Westfield, is an exception but most of those locations aren’t exactly convenient if you’re … Continue reading →

★★☆☆☆ / Eclectic / Pan-Asian

Tapasia review – is the food any better than the pun-fully bad name?

Small bites at high prices Update July 2013 – this restaurant has now closed More restaurants than ever are opening in Soho despite the relative scarcity of real estate and Tapasia is one of the newest. This small bar and restaurant, located on bustling Old Compton Street, serves up Asian-inspired tapas which isn’t as strange … Continue reading →

★★★☆☆ / Chinese / Chinese Dumplings / Chinese Noodles / Taiwanese

Leong’s Legends Continue review – second time lucky?

Soho’s Taiwanese stand-by – dependably reliable or depressingly staid? It’s quite interesting dining out in a group, if only to see what my dining companions will order when left to their own devices. During my recent revisitation of Leong’s Legends Continue, The Lensman, Templeton Peck and Happy Buddha displayed an alarming degree of groupthink – … Continue reading →

★★★☆☆ / Japanese / Japanese Noodles / Sushi/Sashimi

Ittenbari review – ramen revelation or revulsion?

Ra-ra-ramen-ra In London’s increasingly crowded restaurant scene, new eateries often need a hook or some unique selling point to pull in the punters. For restaurants drawing on the rich culinary heritage of a foreign country, one easy hook is a dish or regional cuisine underrepresented in the UK. Ittenbari is a new Japanese restaurant specialising … Continue reading →