No sniggering in the back The vast majority of Vietnamese restaurants in London have very traditional menus and tend to be clustered together in Hoxton and Deptford, with smaller concentrations in other places such as Hammersmith. Soho’s House of Ho is a very different affair. The exposed brick walls, moody lighting and odd contemporary art … Continue reading
The Hawksmoor that’s not a Hawksmoor Foxlow is the latest restaurant from the guys behind the Hawksmoor mini-chain of steakhouses, but it tries to be different by concentrating on meats other than steak. I say ‘tries’ quite deliberately, as you can still order various cuts of steak at Foxlow. Even if this wasn’t the case, Foxlow’s … Continue reading
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire? When I surveyed the state of American-style barbecue in London, one of the most common queries was ‘what about Smokehouse?’. However, despite its name Smokehouse isn’t devoted purely to barbecue. This joint venture between Neil Rankin, former head chef at Pitt Cue, and the people behind the nearby Pig and … Continue reading
Suits you or just for suits? Hakkasan was one of the restaurants that helped foster the idea that Chinese food in London wasn’t just greasy take away fare. HKK is a new City spin-off of the Soho original, but with an emphasis on expensive tasting menus that befits its location in the shadow of capitalism’s … Continue reading
Classy Piccadilly steaks and fish It’s not usually fair to review a restaurant during its soft launch period – this is when a new restaurant offers a discount on its usual prices while it works out the kinks both in the kitchen and in the front of the house. I’m willing to make an exception … Continue reading
Not all gastropubs are created equal As its name suggests The Old Dairy is situated in what used to be an old cow juicing facility dating from 1890. Situated on the same stretch of grey, unloved north London road as Chez Liline, its drab location makes its physical appearance all the more striking. The handsome … Continue reading
Posh nosh or just a load of complete tosh? It must be a hard and unenviable task running a luxury hotel and restaurant in Knightsbridge and Mayfair. No matter what, you will be compared to the big name competition – The Mandarin Oriental has Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, while The Berkeley has two restaurants, one by Marcus Wareing … Continue reading
Is Alan Yau’s Thai chain still serving quality food as it expands relentlessly across London? The Picky Glutton visits a couple of them to find out… For many Londoners Busaba Eathai needs no introduction. Alan Yau’s series of Thai restaurants are known for their sleek, stylish looks and low prices as much as for their food. What … Continue reading
A Modern European restaurant with an Australian twist. I feel mildly sorry for any City restaurant that happens to be on the same street as the celebrated St John Bar and Restaurant, a celebrated 17-year old fine dining institution. The Larder is one such restaurant, only a few yards away from St John. Whereas St … Continue reading
The Picky Glutton 
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