Silver Moon: China Town, London

Silver Moon

Date of Visit: 12^th August 2013

Ambience

This is essentially a dessert and tea house so it was small and was furnished with wooden benches and tables of various sizes.  I noticed a few things when I walked through the door: it was completely empty for starters, the first table had a mah jong (MJ) tile set on a cloth (presumably for customers to play on), the unusual music playing (instrumentals of traditional Chinese instruments) and the fact that there were plug sockets at every table (some with desktop fans plugged in).

It felt strangely abnormal but in other areas, weirdly authentic but I couldn’t help but wonder whether people would sit in this place to play MJ for several hours – what would the other customers think? Would they be amused/fascinated or annoyed by the noise?

Speaking of noise, they seem to pride themselves in live instrument playing (ee woo being one of them) and there is even pricing on the back of the menu if one wished to choose a song or play themselves.  Again rather abnormal but I’m sure it’s to some people’s taste… possibly the older generation who may appreciate that genre of music.

Food

The menus were handed out to us and the first thought was “what is the agenda of this meeting?” The menus were presented in blue folders which reminded us of a business proposal. Since we planned to have dessert here, I failed to notice that apparently they served tea costing £80 a pot! Perhaps you pay for the authenticity of the tea brewing/pouring process?  Who knows. 

Anyway, the desserts were better than ones we’ve tasted in other cafes dotted around China Town and they were presented in pretty glasses which helped with the presentation but one thing ruined the desserts – we found medium sized ice cubes/pieces in the desserts (very unusual indeed as we had to scoop them out before we could enjoy the actual dessert). I’d understand if it was shaved or crushed ice but only in certain desserts.

We all ordered something different: Pomello and mango sago, mango sago with ice cream float, mango and glutinous ball sago and lychee sago.  All were fine but after the impressive martini like glasses, one was disappointed with a stubby short glass (see photo).

One thing I would say is that the ice did make the coconut flavour taste watered down so if we do ever go back again, we must remember to ask them not to put ice in the desserts.

Service

Considering we were the only customers, we had no issue with the service but the staff did try to communicate to us in Mandarin – luckily we could just point to pictures in the menu :)

Summary

Unique little place which fills a gap in the market but given how quiet the place is, I wonder whether there is the audience for it.  Admittedly it early in the week so perhaps they do get busier towards the weekend.

Personally, I would rather play MJ in the comfort of a house but I guess it’s a great idea for those who don’t have houses convenient for such noise and they have waiters at their service. 

Desserts were decent but I cannot comment on the huge variety of teas on offer, nor can I comment on the snacks that were available but I think it’s worth a try.

Jamie's diner: Piccadilly, London

Jamie's diner

Date of Visit: 12^th August 2013

Ambience

This restaurant is coined a “pop up” restaurant so somehow I wasn’t expecting a great deal in décor but we walked in to find a dinosaur themed American diner interior with a massive furry dinosaur in the middle of the top floor.

It may have the Jamie Oliver name but don’t expect anything posh as he’s chosen to go for simple and old-school style with paper placemat type menus and cosy booths.  There were six of us but I’m sure we got put in a booth suited for 4 diners.

Food

Firstly, the drinks were a disappointment.  We all thought we would try something different given the extended option of drinks available compared to most restaurants.  The cream soda was weird tasting to say the least – it was sour & foamy and was edging on the taste of yakult! The pink colas were nothing like the coke that we all know… on the contrary, it was very sour.  I stuck to the American diner theme and ordered milkshake even though they only had vanilla (despite the menu stating we should ask for the special flavour of the day).  I was expecting it to arrive in a large steel shaker but oh no, it arrived in a stubby short glass – rip off at the cost of £4.  The two alcoholic beverages appeared to be fine though.

Next, moving onto the food…. Given that they are known for the extensive hotdog options (at least they are downstairs in the take-away section), three hotdogs were tried (both 100% beef and 100% pork) and not only did they look aesthetically poor but they did not taste much better.  The brioche bread wasn’t soft and the meat did not taste of a good quality.  The rainbow slaw had a fancy name but it's not much to shout about!

Porky Dog

The chicken in the basket was disappointingly small (considering it was meant to be a whole chicken) – luckily we decided against “sharing”.  The meat was dry as well as the chips underneath the chicken (I only mention this because the description on the menu describes the juice from the chicken seeping into the chips.  

Chicken in a basket

The pitt waffle was sorrowful as the presentation wasn’t great and it tasted awful too.  The waffle was soggy and the pulled pork was drenched and far from tasteful.

Pitt Waffle

We shared a few sides, such as avocado fries which most did not enjoy, crinkle cut fries, shoestring fries and sweet potato mash – all of which were pretty standard.

We all agreed that the food was awful and the best part of the meal was the gherkins served on the side of the hotdogs!

Service

Service was acceptable but they were not attentive enough.  At no point during the meal did they ask how things were or how the food was (we were waiting to give negative feedback) and we waited ages to get somebody’s attention when we wanted to pay for the meal, despite several servers whizzing by.

Summary

Hugely disappointed with Jamie… so much so that we refused to have desserts there, despite feeling hungry and dissatisfied; instead we headed elsewhere for dessert.

General prices weren’t extortionate but definitely not worth the money.  Whilst the price of food was reasonable, I found the prices of drinks over-priced.

It has been a while since I’ve had such a bad experience at a restaurant.  Sometimes, one thing ordered might not be to taste but when everybody’s meal is bad, that talks a lot for the standard of food here.  There are many many many other tasty restaurants in close vicinity so I’d say avoid going here.

The Arch Duke: Waterloo, London

The Arch Duke

Date of Visit: 9^th August 2013

Ambience

Located under a bridge, you hear and feel trains passing by so the setting isn’t for everybody.  The trains did not bother us half as much as flickering lights in the restaurant (ones which required replacing) which were annoying for those facing towards the light. 

The surroundings were dark which created a moody effect.  At the beginning of our visit, this was fine but as we started eating, the live music started playing (jazz) which was rather loud and fast paced which made eating less enjoyable since it made us feel rushed and uneasy.  We also found ourselves having to raise our voices to hear one another.

Food

To start, we shared a grilled king prawn starter which came with salad – this was rather tasteless and was a little disappointing.

Since the steak at this restaurant was recommended, most of us went for Steak of various cuts.  I personally shared a T Bone steak which was served exactly as requested.  The steak was definitely not the best steak I’ve had, nor the most tender but it was plausible – at the least, it was not chewy.  The skinny fries and salad that was served with the steaks were reasonable but nothing special. 

For desserts we tried the warm chocolate brownie and the lemon tart.  The latter was ok  but lacked the sourness one would expect from a lemon tart but the brownie was lovely as it was melt in the mouth, slightly gooey but not overly sweet which is perfect for non sweet tooth people like myself.

Service

The waitress was very eager to serve us drinks when we arrived and we found the service to continue to be as attentive throughout the evening.  When half a peach Bellini was spilt by us, the waitress was quick to turn up with several napkins and quickly cleared away wet ones that were left on our table.  Part way through the main course, a friend decided to join us and again they were quick to offer to bring us an additional chair.

It was only at the end that we waited a little to get the attention of the staff but it had gotten very busy by this point so it was understandable and we had no issues as soon as we managed to flag somebody down.

Summary

In summary, the service was brilliant, the food ok but given the costs, I wouldn’t rate this place as being good value and if I wanted steak in the future, this would not be the first on my list.  I recommend the steak at Grill on the Market in Smithfields :)

Oki: Wimbledon, London

Oki

Date of Visit: 7^th August 2013

Ambience

This is a new place in Wimbledon serving sushi, noodles and rice dishes in a noodle bar style restaurant (i.e. the typical wooden benches and simple décor).  It strikes me as a place for a quick, no fuss meal.

Food

For starters, we shared some sweet potato croquettes which were hot and satisfying and a bit different to the normal pumpkin croquettes but very similar.

For mains, we opted for a beef bibimbap and a beef Gyudon.  The Bibimbap was served in a hotpot and was served with the hot sauce on the side which I had to mix in myself (not an issue but if you go to a proper Korean restaurant, this will be done for you). Both portions were pleasantly large, especially the Gyudon which was served a little differently to what we are used to.  At the bottom of the bowl, there was some liquid/soup base which when mixed together made the rice more moist and sweet.  The rice was cooked perfectly and the beef was rather sweet and tender.

Overall, the food here is great but I can’t comment on the sushi but I would be happy to put the sushi to the test one day to see if it even compares to Maki Yaki down the road.  

Service

The service was adequate, no complaints.

Summary

There is much more variety on the menu than a normal noodle bar/small Japanese place and given that we ordered a typical Korean dish, I was surprised at how well the chefs had made it.  All the food we had was good and a big thumbs up for the portion size.

This is a great addition to the local area of Wimbledon but somewhere I would happily go to if I was in the area already (i.e. not somewhere I would deliberately go to).

Vertigo 42: City, London

Vertigo 42

Date of Visit: 7^th August 2013

Ambience

I experienced the same thing as Rhodes 24 in terms of getting to the restaurant (see previous post) but one difference is that you may feel your ears popping in the lift as you head up to the top floor.

As we entered the bar/seating area, I immediately appreciated the difference of being on the top floor (compared to half way up the building).  The views of the city were fab as seating was available 360 degrees around the building with the middle blocked off and covered in mirrors all round.

We were seated facing Bank/St Pauls and we had fun trying to locate all the areas of London that we could identify and we were fascinated by the fact that roads we knew well could not even been seen due to the density of buildings.  Anyway, we went at lunchtime on a day with clear skies so the view was great but I can imagine the city looking much prettier at night when buildings and bridges are lit.

The setting felt posh and the servers were suited and booted and very professional.  It’s a great place to go for a date or a special occasion.

Food

We were served a glass of champagne and afternoon tea which consisted of salmon croque monsieur and quiche in bite sizes, scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream with crème fraiche, bite sized muffins, caramel tart and passion fruit tart.

I liked the way that it wasn’t standard afternoon tea with sandwiches but on the savoury tier, there wasn’t as much choice as you would normally find.  If you dislike fish and not keen on quiche, you have a problem!  Frankly the food wasn’t the best I’ve had but it was reasonable and very filling.  My favourite was the passion fruit tart as it was zingy and fresh.  The caramel tart was rich and way too sweet for my liking.

Service

The service was fantastic! We were shown to our seats very quickly and the champagne followed shortly.  We were instructed to let the waiter know once we were ready for our tea and when we were short on tea, we were asked if we wanted more tea.

The service was professional and attentive which is what you’d expect in such a venue.  The most memorable part of the service was at the end of our meal.  After walking around the building and taking in the views, we headed towards the exit where we saw a large queue of people waiting to pay for their meals/drinks but we were waved over by our waiter and asked to pay on the side without queuing.. needless to say, we were not hesitant to tip :)

Summary

In a place like Vertigo 42, you pay for the service and the view, moreso than for fantastic food and it is definitely a place to take somebody if you want to make a good impression or for those who would enjoy views of the city (perhaps visitors from another country/city).

If you think it is too pricey to eat in Vertigo 42, I suggest going at night for a quick drink which won’t break the bank but will give you the overall experience.

Rhodes 24: City, London

Rhodes 24

Date of Visit: 29^th July 2013

Ambience

The ambience is already set when you make your way up to the 24^th floor. You will only be issued a visitor pass if you have made a booking, you have to pass through a security check which resembles that in an airport and you have to take a specific coloured lift to the 24^th floor.  As you enter Rhodes, you have to pass through the bar which is small but the tables/bucket chairs are positioned along the large windows where guests can take in the city views whilst have a sip of their drink. 

I previously read that views in the bar were breath-taking but I was duly disappointed that most of the view consisted of work sites (though I can imagine that if no works were under way, the view could potentially be nice). The air con in the bar was blasting so it felt rather chilly even on a day of 22 degrees.

As you enter the dining room, we were lucky to be seated by the window so again we got a view of the city but I was quite disappointed with the atmosphere of the restaurant.  The décor looked dated and nothing about the setting radiated Michelin starred.  Yes, the servers were smartly dressed, yes there was the typical stage like area in the middle of the restaurant where the servers could loiter whilst they were not busy but the table setting was mediocre with old looking cutlery and standard plates and table cloths.

Most tables were filled with business men and women so the setting was more suited to city workers than a romantic or intimate dinner.  This didn’t affect us since we were in a group of five but it is something to definitely bear in mind if you require a more elegant setting.

Food

To start, we were served glasses of Laurent Perrier Champagne and warm white & brown bread with butter.  Shortly after, we were served an amuse-bouche which consisted of courgette puree with olive and goats cheese to prepare us for our meal.

Since we got a deal, we were restricted to the set menu but this wasn’t an issue since they had something to cater for vegetarians, carnivores and seafood lovers.  For starters, we had asparagus with a fried egg in hollandaise sauce.  It was a nice dish with subtle flavours but the best part of it was the egg which seemed to be cooked to perfection.. fried in a light batter but as you cut into it, the yolk would ooze out, leaving you to dip your asparagus into the yolk.

For mains, we tried the sea trout with salmon/cucumber and the chicken with spinach/tomato.  Both dishes were adequate but nothing special or inspiring.  The chicken breast was however quite tender which is sometimes hard to achieve.  We also ordered a few sides to share which included fine beans & spinach, mashed potato and carrots.  The only unusual side were the carrots which were covered in an orangy, buttery sauce.

For desserts, we had a cheesecake with berry compote, sticky toffee pudding with toffee ice cream and a cheese and cracker platter. The cheesecake was very good, the sticky toffee pudding very sweet and somewhat sickly but it was enjoyed by one in our party.  Our server listened to the request of no blue cheese on the cheeseboard but they came accompanied with some bread that tasted as though it had been out for ages.  Luckily, the crackers were fine.

We all opted for English Breakfast tea which was served with a plate of petit fours which consisted of a petite blueberry muffin, lime cheesecake and a raspberry truffle.  All were fine but not particularly impressive.

Service

The service at the bar was reasonable but it amazes me that the bar staff did not know about a promotion that they had on – 50% off summer cocktails.  I recall it was before 6pm but at 18:03, I asked if we had missed the offer to which I got an answer after our server asked a couple of her colleagues.

Service in the restaurant was also fine; it wasn’t a busy night so we got all the attention that we required.  There were two servers for us, a young one who was polite and responsive, the other being quite stone faced and cold.

Summary

In summary, being a Michelin starred restaurant, the experience wasn’t amazing and overall it didn’t particularly feel like a luxury dining experience.  I think several things can be improved upon but given that we dined as part of an offer, it was decent value for money but at £57 per head, we could have found better food elsewhere.  Overall, the food was OK but nothing special and not worth the a la carte prices.  It is not a place that I would be in a hurry to return to but hey, we’ve been to Rhodes 24 and we saw a pretty scene of the sun setting amongst the city landscape. Happy Days!