The first thing diners notice when they step into Silva is the light. There’s a feeling of tranquillity. Maybe it’s akin to being in a forest glade, which would not be accidental since ‘silva’ is the Latin word for forest. Readers should get the impression then that aesthetics are a big thing at Silva. The food isn’t at all shabby either. Think of this restaurant as a combination of the refined and the relaxed.
The Guinea Grill: Old school rules
Randall & Aubin: Perfectly primed for modern times
When your reviewer first moved to London in the late 90s, Randall & Aubin was one of the places to be. Located on the site of London’s first French butcher, with many of the original features still in place, R&A (as regulars refer to it) had just opened as a dedicated seafood restaurant. Sited on the corner of Brewer Street and Rupert Street, it hit the vibe perfectly for a Soho that was gentrifying from seedy to cool.
Elystan Street: Elygant
What does a chef with two Michelin stars do, especially if they don’t want a third one? Simple. Go back to basics and open a neighbourhood restaurant, albeit in the rarefied locale of Chelsea. Of course, it helps if you’re Phil Howard. Within a year of Elystan Street opening in 2016, it had become one of the hottest tickets and gained a mere single star from the Michelin inspectors. The venue’s held it ever since and based on your reviewer’s recent visit, it is fully deserved.
Rambutan: Rambunctious
When Rambutan first opened its doors two years ago, food critics – almost universally – could not get enough of it. Coventry-born chef, Cynthia Shanmugalingam, had transformed her take on Sri Lankan diaspora cooking onto the London restaurant scene. To be clear, the angle is definitively not Indian food and nor is it traditional Sri Lankan; rather it is a showcase for the island’s cuisine, but with a very British twist. As long as you like spice and don’t mind fruit in your curry, then Rambutan is the place to go.
Porte Noire: Through the black door
As your author and his dining comrade ate at Porte Noire on a recent weekday night, one of the topics our conversation turned to was ‘what makes a good restaurant?’ In a world where brevity trumps verbosity, suffice to say that Porte Noire is a strong candidate, or compelling case study. If all neighbourhoods had a similar venue, then nearby punters would have every reason to be happy.
Core: Another level
How do you make excellent even better? In the world of food, it’s a question that Clare Smyth, the chef-patron of Core, is able to provide a ready answer to: keep plying your trade joyfully. This is your author’s fourth review of the venue. Each time he and his dining comrade have visited, the experience has been taken to another level. Throughout, there remains Clare, in the kitchen, still smiling.
Manzi’s: Something a bit fishy
The Hunan Man: Southern China, innit?
When you enter a restaurant and it’s brightly lit and almost deserted, things can go one of two ways. Either the evening will be a complete disaster, or this is a hidden gem that we shouldn’t be shouting about too loudly lest its popularity suddenly explodes. The Hunan Man fortunately falls into the latter camp, albeit after a decidedly inauspicious start.
2024 in review
Eating, especially in good restaurants, has to count as one of life's pleasures. It is also a privilege, and one for which this reviewer is grateful. The past year has seen more than 70 restaurants visited across 11 different countries. As of the end of November 41 new reviews had been posted to the Gourmand Gunno website in 2024, as well as multiple entries added to the Global Gunno page of favoured spots in non-UK cities. Below follow my highlights -
The Barbary: Bigger, bolder and better
It is a truth universally acknowledged that sequels are never as good as the originals. When the exception disproves the rule, it’s therefore highly refreshing. Eight years on from the launch of the Covent Garden original (which your reviewer loved), the team at the Barbary have just opened their second venue. It’s a clear statement of intent, and also very good.
Ibai: Bringing Basque to Britain
“I like, I buy”, is a well-known expression much beloved of many who work in the City. It’s a happy coincidence that the latter declarative is homophonic with the name of Nemanja Borjanovic’s latest restaurant venture. Ibai is conveniently located for all those finance bro’s and their expense accounts, but anyone who wants to appreciate some of the best Basque cooking available outside Spain should make a point of visiting.
Fonda: Found my fondness
Think of Fonda as the younger sibling of KOL, perhaps the means of making Mexican more mainstream in the UK. Chef-patron Santiago Lastra created a small revolution when he launched his first restaurant in Marylebone. It was a homage to the cuisine of his home country but fused with a very British perspective. If KOL is for grown-ups (with a serious price tag attached), then Fonda is full of fun, capturing the joyfulness of all things Mexican and plonking it just off Regent’s Street.
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.
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.
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.
Phetpailin: Top local tip
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.
On the evening when our group of four visited, Phetpailin was doing brisk business. Despite being given a two-hour window for our table, at no stage did we feel rushed or pressured. Throughout, service was excellent, with the staff delighted to provide menu suggestions and bring multiple changes of glassware for our somewhat demanding group.
While the mixed selection of starters provided a strong way for the venue to showcase its cooking, Phetpailin really came into its own with the mains. Our quartet ordered widely from the menu, selecting Phad Thai and red curry among others. The server’s wisdom came in especially handy here as your reviewer was recommended one of their fish curries, not a choice he would normally have gone for. The Pla Chu Chee, or crispy tilapia fillet in a thick red curry sauce topped with lime leaves, was a masterpiece of sensations and textures, with the spice tingling harmoniously but balanced superbly with the coconut cream in the sauce. At just £30/head (and we did, of course, bring our own drinks), Phetpailin is a veritable bargain.
On a separate note, an honourable mention to This And That. Apparently a Manchester institution, the venue is currently celebrating its fortieth birthday. Little has probably changed since 1984. The angle of this India café is ‘three curries on a plate.’ What you see is what you get. Your reviewer sampled on Sunday night the venue’s excellent chicken tikka, lamb and spinach offering and a spoonful of chickpea curry all for the unbelievable price of £8.50.
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.
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.
The Parakeet: One step away from excellence
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.