By Alastair Evans (About) | The Blue Bird 'Farce' Café | Chelsea | British I have always considered The Blue Bird Café to be an excellent summer hangout; from an impromptu coffee to feasting on a dozen oysters. Most recently, on those two sunny weekends (better known as “Summer”), I ventured back one bright morning feeling too hungover lazy to make it all the way to the Wolsely. I have always relied upon The Wolseley's perfect Omelette Arnold Bennett to revive me on a lazy morning. If Blue Bird could deliver a good Eggs Benedict, with strong lattes and competent service, I would have saved many trips to Green Park.
I have eaten in the Bluebird Restaurant on a number of occasions, and have always been dealt competent cooking, with good service. The Epicerie and shop both have fabulous service, and wonderful choice. This leaves just the Café; where it would be expected that the same standard are maintained.
Upon arrival I informed one of the waiters that I would be sitting outside at a table for three, and would like to see some menus. It took a good 10 minutes before I managed to gain the attention of a different waiter, and put in my order for menus once again. The menus eventually arrived, delivered by a third person. I ordered coffee, juice, and tap water.
The scowl I received for having the ordassity to order tap could have curdled milk.
I ordered the old classic Eggs Benedict; my companions ordered Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs, and the third ordered toast (being on some sort of strange diet I choose not to listen to). It was a good 25 minutes before any food appeared. The Eggs Benedict arrived, and I waited a good five minutes before everyone else’s food materialised. I obviously refused to start, choosing to wait until my friends had got their food. When I did begin, I the hollandaise was stone cold, and eggs so over poached I could have played squash with them that afternoon. I beckoned a waiter and informed him of the appalling dish I had been presented with. He did take the dish away and promise that another would be with me as soon as possible. 7 minutes later, I tried again, cutting into the yolk, it failed to yield any gooey flowing egg yolk. I informed the waiter, to which he apologised, and offered to try for a third time, conscious of time (and my ever-increasing head ache) I refused and ate some of the dish, just wishing to get home at this point.
This was not however the most ridiculous aspect of the breakfast. My friend’s order of toast cost £3.80. To be clear, this bread was not produced in Nice, and flown business class to grace my friend’s plate. This was standard white toast (tasted like economy bread to me) and they wanted to charge £3.80. What further annoyed me was that my Eggs Benedict had appeared on the bill. By this point I had virtually lost the will to live, and could not face another argument with the waiter. I am sure they under staff the café, so customers have no one to complain to.
The rude service and poor food have put me off even going to the upstairs restaurant to eat again. I have learnt my lesson, abandon the Wolseley at your own peril, and I’ll be heading to Green Park for my usual table next weekend!
By Alastair Evans (About) | Hix Oyster and Chop House | Islington | British I'll be clear from the start, I am not for one moment suggesting that everyone up-sticks from SW and head to the East. But, in a heartbeat I would move to be near a restaurant where the menu lists, ‘Rabbit Brawn with Pea Shoots’, ‘Home Smoked Salmon’, ‘Sweetbreads with Bacon and Peas’, ‘Red Mullet with Samphire’. I could keep going…and we haven't even got near the main courses yet. You can have your Tom Aikens, 8 courses, you can keep your kebabs of Al-Dar, I want my local restaurant to be ‘Mark Hix Oyster & Chop House’.
The big problem however, is that it’s in Farringdon. I don’t work in the City, I don’t drive in London, and I don’t like public transport. This means I have to choose between a large cab bill or attempt to recreate these dishes myself. I do not have the deft touch that has come from a career spent re-inventing ‘The Ivy’, reinvigorating ‘Scotts’, and keeping ‘Le Caprice’ as the popular Mayfair haunt. This accomplishment goes to one man, Mark Hix. He has now broken away from the Caprice Holdings group to go it alone.
The launch of the restaurant seemed to bring together the great and good of the acting and restaurant worlds. I had secured a table through persistence rather than any celebrity cache. It was nice to see Mark working the room clearly enjoying a catch up with old chef friends Fergus Henderson et al.
The previous incarnation of the room was Rudland & Stubb’s, a consistently good fish restaurant. Hix has changed little about the room, maintaining the ‘up-market’ gentlemen’s loo look of white tiles, sanded floors, and steel fittings. Hix’s personal twist appears in every other aspect of the meal though. He has spent many years collecting nick-knacks, marrow forks, silver asparagus tureens, beer jugs for tap water, and this shows some real individuality in a world of chain restaurants.
I began with the Rabbit Brawn with Pea Shoots (£8.75). The plate featured a beautiful slab of rabbit pâté, pea shoots, and some English mustard. This was perfection itself, deeply flavoured gelatinous rabbit, cut through by the mustard, with the piquant peas bringing up the rear. The girlfriend selected half a dozen oysters (£1.95 per oyster), each a beautifully fat specimen perfectly presented with the usual extras.
For mains, I plumped for the Beef Flank and Oyster Pie (£14.50). What appeared before me was a large casserole with pastry topping, with an oyster baked into the lid. The meat fell apart in the mouth, and was well judged, except for the fact that the wine had not been totally ‘cooked out’ leaving a slightly acidic taste.
The girlfriend went for the Grilled Lobster and Chips (£32.50) (everyone’s favourite Ivy staple). The lobster was perfectly poached and brought lovely triple cooked chips. A perfect summers night supper!
Puddings were the usual nursery selection, Greengage Trifle, Roast Plums, Trinity Burnt Cream. I went for one of my favourite deserts of all time, Rhubarb and Custard (£6.00). Everything was perfect about this pudding, thick luscious custard, and perfectly judged tart rhubarb.
What set Mark Hix’s previous restaurants apart was the fabulous service, which is significantly lacking in this new establishment. I have been three times since, and the service still hasn’t picked up. The waitresses seem bored, and uninterested, and catching their eye becomes a game for the whole table to play.
Unlike the opening week, diners are now paying for their dinners, meaning no more free lobster for a while! But this restaurant really is worth every penny, and I just wish I could stroll out of the house and into this wonderful room with more ease!
By Alastair Evans (About) | Zianis | Chelsea | Italian London is awash with ‘new openings’. Alan Yau is reinventing his original Wagamammas with Cha Cha Moons, The Hart brothers have breathed new life into Quo Vardis, and Mark Hix is re-defining Modern British food over in Farringdon. I am however getting a bit fed up of being presented with a new restaurants menu to be confronted with the same dishes over and over again. There are very few places doing anything different, although that’s no bad thing when the quality is there (as with Mark Hix!) but I thought it was time to go and have dinner at a Chelsea classic. Ziani’s has been serving the locals of Radnor walk and those from further afield for many years. I made it my mission a number of years ago to work my way through the menu (the only obesity crisis concerning me, is my own) Ziani’s had a slight nip and tuck about a year ago, and it looks great for it.
The room is a sleak mix of cool creams, and hard-wood browns. Yet the reason people come back here time and time again is the combination of the food and the service. It seems simple to suggest that good quality, home cooked food, presented by individuals that are passionate about what they are doing should not be difficult, but in the London restaurant world it is rare! The food here is Venetian and, about as far from Pizza Express as it is possible to get. Seasonality reigns supreme and starters comprise the like of, Rolled smoked salmon filled with marinated crab meat; Marinated wind-dried beef served with raw tomato, basil and olive oil; Charcoal grilled vegetables marinated in olive oil and herbs. I started with fried courgettes (a side order). What appeared was a generous bowl of crisp, steaming courgettes with not a drop of surplus oil to render the dish greasy. The girlfriend went for a summer salad which came with a perfectly made dressing full of fresh lemon.
Main courses are listed by pasta, pesce, carni. The pasta dishes are all around the £10 mark and include the likes of Potato dumplings with a ragout of wild rabbit; Pasta filled with ricotta cheese and spinach, sautéed in butter, sage and saffron; Chef's choice of three different types of pasta. The pasta is freshly made, and the sauces lovingly created, and perfectly seasoned. The fish is baked, fried or charcoal grilled, and is simple, and flavourful. The girlfriend chose the charcoaled selection of fish including prawns, monkfish, and sea bream each piece being cooked perfectly. I was seduced by a special of the day, a risotto Milanese with Osso Bucco, this dish did nothing to assist the diet, clearly cooked in dangerous amounts of butter, but was heavenly to eat. I as ever had failed to save any room for desert, although a wide selection was offered including the likes of Oranges soaked in Grand Marnier and caramel; Sorbet whipped with champagne and a touch of vodka; or cheeses.
Ziani’s can offer a quick supper for £15 a head when you just cant be bothered to cook, or a credit crunching £60+ a head if you want to really ‘explore’ the menu. Fundamentally however, Ziani’s fills that gap of presenting consistently excellent food in a world of lackluster service and tarted up pub dishes purporting to be modern, or british, or ocassionaly both.
By Alastair Evans (About) | The Pig's Ear | Chelsea | British The Pig’s Ear on Old Church St has provided an excellent drinking location for a long time. In my years of patronage I had not actually thought about eating there (other than a misinformed attempt with a deep-fried pigs ear – disgusting!)On Friday I went with the girlfriend upstairs to ‘the Blue Room’, a beautiful wood paneled room above the bar. It is worth going just to see the décor. The menu provides some interesting ‘St John-esque’ twists; bone marrow, oysters, steak tartar, etc. I ordered the Pork & Bacon Pie with a Grape chutney, toasted brioche, and sakura cress.
My starter was a little insipid and bland, and the toasted brioche never materialised. The chutney was enjoyable, but the pie just lacked any ‘porky’ depth. The girlfriend started with half a dozen oysters. They were plump, and fresh, served with cucumber pickle. However, the soda and oatmeal bread was inedible, think, gone off bread with the texture of a dry sponge.
Thoroughly foul! My Main-Course was an Osso Bucco with Foie Gras, Bone Marrow, Artichoke and Salted Crisps. The dish really worked well. The Veal Shanks were meltingly tender, and pulled away from the bone with ease. The Foie Gras was enjoyable, but I am not convinced it was particularly relevant to the rest of the dish; in my view the bone marrow itself was sufficient. On the whole, this was excellent cooking, perfectly seasoned and well thought out. The girlfriend plumped for the Moroccan Spiced Lamb Rump, Couscous, Apricots, Chorizo, and Mint Yoghurt. The Couscous was moreish and well cooked. The Apricots adding the necessary sweetness, and the Chorizo gave the piquant salty and oily aspect. The lamb was not overpowered by these strong flavours and was clearly a good piece of meat. The only failure on this dish was the fact that the fat on the lamb had not been rendered down enough.The puddings were simple; I went for the Apple & Blackberry Sundae, Blackberry Crumble Ice Cream.
What came was a deconstructed crumble, in summer form. Layers of stewed fruit, cream, and crumble, with crumble ice cream topping it off. The girlfriend went for Peach & Champagne Sorbet, three large scoops of perfectly home-made refreshing sorbet. This was a perfect finish on the hot sultry Friday evening.The wine list is not particularly exciting, we ended up having a bottle of Prosecco which was very enjoyable, with crisp apple notes, rather than being oversweet as is often the problem.The Pig’s Ear in my mind is no longer just a venue for a quick drink on the way home, it has a dining room which I shall be venturing back to, and I look forward to working my way through the menu in the near future!
By Alastair Evans (About) | The Botanist | Chelsea | British The Gastro Empire moves to Sloane Square
Tom & Ed Martin have made a name for themselves by turning old boozers into establishments selling high quality, seasonal produce. Until now they had concentrated on the East, with the ‘Empress of India’, ‘The Well’, and ‘The Gun’ among their portfolio of 5 restaurants. Now comes the Botanist, a corner site on Sloane Square. The square already houses the Chelsea Brasserie, Oriel’s, Daylesford’s café, and just round the corner, Le Cerle. Stiff competition for any restaurateurs, but the brothers have pulled off a fantastic regeneration with the Botanist.
The restaurant is open all day every day for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, supper and Sunday roasts, and claims to ”relax the rules of fine dining”. I visited on the opening night with 3 friends to see whether the high standards consistently achieved at their other establishments could be transported to Sloane Square.
The room is split into bar area, and restaurant with wonderfully large windows all the way round the building, which on this evening were opened right up allowing the buzz of the square into the restaurant. The restaurant is dominated by a very large backlit mural of plants and animals, which works well to liven up the otherwise beige room. The Bar was a busy mix of the usual Sloane Square crowd, and I sat and enjoyed a very passable South African Chenin Blanc for around the £20 mark. The bar whipped up excellent champagne cocktails, ‘The Number 7’ being a particular favourite, using damson gin and lemon.
We were shown to a central table, at the centre of which appeared to be a cress plant placed in a vase, this was a somewhat random addition to the table, but it did show some thought had been given to the continuity with the name of the restaurant.
The menu made for interesting reading, and was far from being simple gastro pub dishes. It listed, Cod with fondant cherry tomatoes, Lemon Sole meunière, Assiette of Lamb, Chateaubriand for two, free-range organic baby Spring chicken breast and confit leg with caramelised shallot tart and foie gras velouté, Gloucestershire Old Spot pork cutlet with baked stuffed apple, black pudding, Pommery mustard mash and cider jus.
I settled on the Assiette of Black Face Lamb, which brought a ravioli of sweetbread’s, rare neck fillet, and braised leg with sweetened onions in a pastry case. This was served with a velvety reduction of lamb jus. Each element was perfectly executed and benefited from originating from such high quality lamb. The rest of the table were very happy with the light, seasonal dishes that were presented before them. However, it was necessary to order a number of side dishes to bolster the main offering.
Pudding was a simple affair, the usual, bitter chocolate tart, warm chocolate pudding with liquid centre, and knickerbockerglories that were unavailable on the first night. They were well presented and tasted good, although lacked inspiration following the more complex mains.
The wine list makes for interesting reading, however, it is very difficult to find a bargain on what is a list high on mark up, but we settled on a Hunters Pinot Noir, which was relatively well priced at £32.
I am looking forward to seeing how this restaurant develops. Service was dreadfully slow on the evening we were there, but this is understandable. If service is of a similar nature in a few weeks then the restaurant wont stand up to the competition that is in the area. The food however, is spot on, and the cocktails are wonderful, I am in no doubt this restaurant will continue the success that Tom & Ed Martin have had this far, and the Botanist is in my view a welcome addition to the area.
| By Cameron Gowlett Jimmy's | Chelsea | British We were deciding where to go out for dinner last week, both Sophie and I had missile lock on Macaroni Cheese and there are only a couple of places I know that serve this nostalgic comfort food, Automat in Mayfair and The Electric Cinema in Notting Hill who serve little cups of Mac and Cheese instead of popcorn.
We were discussing our limited Macaroni options for the evening whilst walking our dogs on the Kings Road when we noticed a smart looking new restaurant called ‘Jimmy’s’. We stopped to have a look at the menu and saw that they had their own version of Macaroni Cheese served with a poached hen’s egg and truffle. Also being a big fan of eggs (I always have to have a fried egg on my pizza and a poached egg in most soups that I make at home) this looked like it might be the ultimate dish for me. So we went in and booked a table for 8pm, this was at about 2pm and I found myself thinking about Macaroni Cheese with egg and truffle most of the afternoon.When we arrived in the evening we were greeted with such friendly professional staff who made us feel instantly welcome and comfortable as if we were old friends and regulars.
The atmosphere inside is romantic and intimate and is decorated with candles, mirrors, chandeliers and modern art. The right level of music was playing and we were sat just the right distance from other diners. The tables were set perfectly with crisp white tablecloths and some very smart cutlery and glasses. It seemed ideal for couples or small groups of close friends. Actually I have found it hard to find a good romantic restaurant in recent times as so many are too brightly lit or you are sat on top of other diners.The restaurant is spilt onto 3 levels, we were on the mezzanine floor which is great for people watching, there is also a great sunken table on the lower ground floor for groups of friends to casually enjoy the evening.It is refreshing to look at a menu that you can take in quickly and do not need a dictionary and a translator to understand. There are 6 starters and 6 main courses to choose from all of which looked truly tempting. The food is traditional English, the ingredients is locally sourced and seasonal with a menu change every week.We ordered the ‘haddock and salmon ravioli’ and the ‘crab and crayfish cocktail’ to start with.
The ravioli was freshly made, the haddock and salmon was soft and melted in the mouth, it was complimented with an exquisite butterbean ragout. The crab and crayfish was mixed with tomatoes, avocados and lemon juice to give it a really refreshing taste.Usually if I am reviewing a restaurant and I am with Sophie we order different main dishes so I can write about more of the menu, on this occasion though we both had to get the macaroni cheese – it was just too tempting. If there is a better version of Macaroni Cheese on this planet, I have not tasted it (Sorry Mum!). ‘Jimmy’s’ version is creamy, cheesy, eggy with a rich truffle taste. It goes well with green beans as a side order, just so you feel you are doing something healthy! For dessert we tried the Bakewell Tart with English custard, you could really taste the raspberry jam and the dense almond topping was perfection. The custard was fresh, smooth and creamy.
It is really great to see some old English favourites cooked so well. We didn’t try these but to give you a flavour of the menu, other dishes included ‘mutton and lamb shank pie’ and ‘beef Wellington with roast potatoes’. To drink we had Kir Royals which were made perfectly (so often restaurants get this simple drink wrong) and we tried the Rioja (2002 Ondarre Reserva, Bodegas Ondarre) which was smooth and subtle, a classic Rioja with ripe cherry fruit, soft oak and gentle tannins, a good choice! Jimmy’s seems to have got everything right, from the excellent service and food down to the quality of the cutlery and tableware, for example the water glasses felt heavy in your hand and the champagne flutes were like long tall vases. Overall you really feel you are having a very special time in a place that as the name ‘Jimmy’s’ suggests is a very friendly, relaxed and local restaurant. Jimmy’s has only been open for about four weeks and I am sure that this will become a regular for locals, romantics, groups of friends and anyone who wants a very special night. I will definitely be back to ‘Jimmy’s’ and I will try not to order the Macaroni Cheese so I can try something else, although I have a feeling that the only way this will happen is if they have taken it off the menu.
| By Cameron Gowlett Tom's Place | Chelsea | Fish When I heard that Tom Aiken was opening yet another restaurant in this enclave of Chelsea around Cale Street I couldn’t help wondering if he was going one restaurant too far. However, ‘Tom's Place’ seems like another winner and the great thing is, it is a completely different concept from ‘Tom’s Kitchen’ and ‘Tom Aikens’.
When you enter Tom's Place it is like stepping onto a boat. The attentive staff usher you upstairs as the ground floor is for take away customers. Its interior is coloured red, white and blue and has little portholes that have videos of water playing so it feels like you are looking out to sea. The walls are splashed with pictures of various suppliers (fishermen etc).
The inside is not cosy but it is clean and fun and it is perfect for this little upmarket fish and chip shop/restaurant.The menu is difficult to choose from as it all looks so tempting. You have the classics like ‘Cod and Chips’, ‘Scampi and Chips’ and ‘Chip Buttys’ but you can also try more unusual dishes like ‘Grilled Cornish butterfly mackerel with beetroot, potato and fresh herb salad’. Unlike other fish and chip shops not everything on the menu is deep fried in beef dripping, you can also have your fish grilled or pan fried and there is also a kids menu.Sophie and I tried the traditional 'Cod and Chips' with mushy peas which was absolutely superb. The cod was soft and melted in the mouth and the batter was light and crispy. A nice touch was the home made tomato ketchup.
To finish off we had chocolate milkshakes which were thick, creamy and very chocolaty. Sophie is always looking for places the serve decent milkshakes so this ticked the box for her.There was only one choice of red wine but the waitress was very quick to let us know that there will be a larger selection coming soon and she did let us try a sip before ordering. Toms Place is truly a great place! Visit it once and you will be back for more I can guarantee it!
Website:http://www.tomsplace.org.uk/ Address: 1 Cale Street, SW3 3QT
T: 020 7351 1806 Map:Click Here
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| By Cameron Gowlett | 2nd April 2008 | Haché | Fulham Road| North American With an ever increasing number of stylish burger restaurants opening up in London, Haché on Fulham Road stands out as one of the best. They describe themselves as burger connoisseurs and that is exactly what they are. From the outside the place looks warm and inviting and is full of diners ranging from couples to large groups and families so there is a real mix. The interior décor is chic with mini chandeliers and Christmas style fairy lights draped over the mirrors.
There is a wide variety of burgers to choose, ranging from Succulent beef burgers to Fresh Vegetable burgers and if you are watching your diet you can have any burger’s bun replaced with salad. I had the chicken club and I have got to say it is one of the tastiest chicken burgers I have had in a long time. The chicken was butterflied and char-broiled and all of the trimmings (Beef tomatoes, Avocado, Bacon and lettuce) complimented the chicken well, overall the dish was perfectly presented. The house wine was remarkably good too. For desert I chose freshly made cookies with smarties (very childish I know) and vanilla ice cream, the cookies were soft and doughy in the middle and the ice cream tasted home made.
The food was perfect, the service was attentive and considerate, The mood and the atmosphere was lively yet we still felt it was a bit romantic. I cannot find anything bad to say about this restaurant. At the beginning of this review I described Hach é as one of the best but actually I think it is simply the best.
I have always considered The Blue Bird Café to be an excellent summer hangout; from an impromptu coffee to feasting on a dozen oysters. Most recently, on those two sunny weekends (better known as “Summer”), I ventured back one bright morning feeling too 
I'll be clear from the start, I am not for one moment suggesting that everyone up-sticks from SW and head to the East. But, in a heartbeat I would move to be near a restaurant where the menu lists, ‘Rabbit Brawn with Pea Shoots’, ‘Home Smoked Salmon’, ‘Sweetbreads with Bacon and Peas’, ‘Red Mullet with Samphire’. I could keep going…and we haven't even got near the main courses yet. You can have your Tom Aikens, 8 courses, you can keep your kebabs of Al-Dar, I want my local restaurant to be ‘Mark Hix Oyster & Chop House’. 
London is awash with ‘new openings’. Alan Yau is reinventing his original Wagamammas with Cha Cha Moons, The Hart brothers have breathed new life into Quo Vardis, and Mark Hix is re-defining Modern British food over in Farringdon. I am however getting a bit fed up of being presented with a new restaurants menu to be confronted with the same dishes over and over again. There are very few places doing anything different, although that’s no bad thing when the quality is there (as with Mark Hix!) but I thought it was time to go and have dinner at a Chelsea classic. Ziani’s has been serving the locals of Radnor walk and those from further afield for many years. I made it my mission a number of years ago to work my way through the menu (the only obesity crisis concerning me, is my own) Ziani’s had a slight nip and tuck about a year ago, and it looks great for it. 
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