Gastropub, Islington
Alex Gunz
The Baring: Solid ground

Any pub that employs a chef with credible restaurant CV now feels it has the right to append the prefix ‘gastro’ to its name. Many have installed josper grills or wood fires to buttress their claims. Renovate on old boozer may earn extra points. The Baring doesn’t try too hard. It doesn't need to either. This neighbourhood venue lets its quality speak for itself.

The Baring: Solid ground
Georgian, Fitzrovia
Alex Gunz
Kinkally: Georgia on my mind

Your reviewer’s only previous visit to a Georgian restaurant was a disappointment. The passing of time and a desire to be open-minded provoked a recent visit to a new venue purveying Georgian cooking. It was well-conceived, but ultimately underwhelming.

Kinkally: Georgia on my mind
Oxford, Mediterranean, Gastropub, Thai
Alex Gunz
48 hours in Oxford: History in the making

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Oxford students will take every opportunity to show off their erudition. With this maxim in mind, when your reviewer and eight of his chums returned recently to their Alma Mater for a reunion weekend, he was reminded of the famous line of Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr: “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” In simple terms, the places where we dined some thirty years ago have stood the test of time.

48 hours in Oxford: History in the making
Chinese, Harrow
Alex Gunz
Panda’s Kitchen: Jay Rayner was right

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.

Panda’s Kitchen: Jay Rayner was right
Mexican, Marylebone
Alex Gunz
KOL: From strength to strength

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.

KOL: From strength to strength

Shoreditch

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Llama Inn: What, no llama?

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Llama Inn: What, no llama?

Cool as the Llama Inn may be, it still doesn’t have it all. Sure, it’s located on the boundary of where Hoxton meets Shoreditch. It’s got a rooftop bar with stunning city views. It’s got a sister restaurant in Brookyln, New York. But – and of course there was going to be a caveat coming – it’s misnomer to call this a Peruvian restaurant. There may be some Peruvian nods, but they’re mingled up with many things Japanese and there is barely a llama to be seen in either the venue’s décor or on its menu. Maybe neither of these things matters, especially if you’re a hipster, but your reviewer and his dining comrade had hoped for a little bit more.

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Bubala: Oh, my darling

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Bubala: Oh, my darling

For those unaware, ‘bubala’ is a Yiddish term of endearment, roughly translated as darling. No surprise then that the restaurant is a homage to Levantine food, located appropriately in east London’s former Jewish quarter, yards from Petticoat Lane. Such has been the success of Bubala that its backers have recently opened a second outlet in Soho. Securing a table here is almost impossible currently, but the original venue provides a wonderful insight into what can be expected.

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Manteca: Cheek by jowl

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Manteca: Cheek by jowl

Think of Manteca as the love child of St John and Boca di Lupo. Take Fergus Henderson’s nose-to-tail approach, apply it to Italian cuisine and you have Manteca. After the success of its pop-up ventures, Manteca has moved on to bigger and better, opening a permanent venue in Shoreditch earlier this year. Such has been its success that diners are packed in almost cheek by jowl, but they come for a clear reason: the whole experience is very good.

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The Clove Club: Brilliant, but not the best

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The Clove Club: Brilliant, but not the best

It is hard not to pre-judge the Clove Club. The venue is the highest ranked British restaurant in the annual San Pelligrino top-50 list. Maybe as a result of its fame, it is necessary to reserve a table for a weekend evening three months in advance and – in a first for this country – pay for it all upfront. Against this background, I seriously expect to be wowed. What my comrade and I learned, however…