Don’t be put off by the strip club next door, or the walk up to a first-floor room, Phetpailin was a top tip from a Manchester local for a Saturday night out in town. Located in the city’s Chinatown district, the restaurant has been serving up traditional Thai food since 2006. Even better: if you like wine, there’s a bring-your-own option, with a bargain charge of just £1 corkage per bottle.
Harrow is famous for its school, perhaps its eponymous hill, but little else. Although it is located less than ten miles from where this reviewer grew up, he was not aware of its dining options – until recently. Step forward Jay Rayner. I have long been a fan of the restaurant critic of The Guardian and have enjoyed several of his books, including My Dining Hell. This is a summary of his most damning reviews. 19 of the 20 places subsequently have shut. Fortunately, his recent piece on the incongruously named Panda’s Kitchen was praiseworthy – and rightly so.
People love to make lists, however arbitrary they may be. KOL is one of only two UK restaurants to rank in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants, placing at number 17. It must, therefore, being doing something very good. Your reviewer had written two highly praiseworthy pieces about KOL in the past (see here and here), but a recent visit to the venue demonstrated to our group of four – all of whom were previously familiar with KOL – just how much it had raised its already strong game.
Like Yossarian in Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22”, it was love at first sight for your reviewer when he stepped into the Parakeet. Full marks for décor, vibe, service, food, drinks and pricing. This was the broad consensus view among our party of four but – and you knew there was going to be a catch – the Parakeet failed in one crucial respect: if you’re vegetarian, then you’re very poorly catered for. This should be fixed to make the venue truly excellent.
Los Mochis is full of juxtapositions, in a good way. We’re in plush Notting Hill, but the exterior of the building is covered in graffiti-influenced art. Fine dining is married with street food. Japanese and Mexican flavours jostle. But, both atmosphere and experience delivered. My dining comrade and I enjoyed the fun vibes outdoors in the late summer sun, but Los Mochis apparently comes truly alive in the evenings. Think dark interiors, cool cocktails and a soundtrack to match.
It seemed only fitting that even as a non-American I should at least mark the 242nd anniversary of US Independence by sampling a range of wines from one of the country’s most exciting winemakers. Although the occasion was enjoyed on British soil, the location was still auspicious, since CUT hosts the biggest range of American wines in London. No surprises then that the team at CUT have embraced the mercurial talents of Orin Swift.
My initial visit to this venue in February was characterised by a mix of positive and negatives: design, views and cocktails in the former camp, but a poor menu concept and disappointing service distinctly in the latter. However, full plaudits to Sea Containers for mostly delivering on this occasion…
Two health warnings at the beginning of this review: first, notwithstanding that I am almost certainly in the wrong demographic fully to appreciate the restaurant, it still wasn’t very good; next, this is in no sense a place to consider going should you care about your health. Nonetheless, Meatliquor clearly is doing something right...
The current fad for ‘posh burgers’ is a good one, obvious given that the burger arguably constitutes the ultimate comfort food and democratic in that it at appeals to almost everyone. Moreover, any restaurant that has a queue outside it prior to opening its doors at 12 must clearly be on to something.
