Plateau reviews
Plateau is generally seen as the only slightly upmarket venue for client lunches and meetings in Canary Wharf. As such, it is guaranteed a steady stream of suits more anxious about impressing each other than experiencing fine dining.
The restaurant seems to have become complacent in its privileged position, with waiters barely able to speak English, pushy service pouring out bottles and immediately asking to supply a replacement, and decidedly average food. The menu has hardly changed in 24 months (except to get shorter) and the only thing that remains enjoyable about the food is the presentation. The actual food is almost inedible. I had chewy beef with cold cooked roast potatoes and flaccid asparagus; everything looked like it had been lying around for about 10 minutes, which it probably had.
However, the price tag remains eye-watering. We can only hope that Canary Wharf gets its act together as the epicentre of market forces and that Plateau is forced out of existence by the arrival of some new, high-quality rivals.
Quite good - the food was OK, as was the service (once they found my booking), but nothing I would describe as great. I felt they wanted me in and out as quickly as possible.
by saucyland (10 reviews), 13 Feb 2008A disappointing experience on our first (and last!) visit to Plateau. Pleasant views and the waitress service was fine but little atmosphere and the eating experience was poor.
The starters of crab roll and duck liver were tasty enough but overpriced. My partner ordered the beef fillet but it was so fatty and chewy that it was inedible and impossible to cut with the utensils provided. We had to send it back and then wait 20 minutes while I finished my meal and the side orders went cold!
There was no apology and, needless to say, we declined to pay the discretionary service charge. I agree with everyone else on this site, don't waste your money.
My wife and I chose the Plateau Restaurant to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary. Sadly. The meal with a bottle of Conran water plus 2 glasses Sauvignon house wine and 2 glasses Merlot Bern cost us (including service charge etc) a staggering £156.92.
The starters were scallop cheviche - tasty enough, but so thinly cut and hardly covering the middle of the plate. (Compliments to the chef! How they cut such thin slivers would be a wonder even to a brain surgeon...). Thank heavens for the bread basket served with margarine (!) or we would have starved.
As for the main course, the beef we ordered was both tasteless and dry, with no vegetable accompaniment just a tiny heap of finely cut - whatever! The salad side order was roughly prepared but tasty (can't go wrong with a bit of blue cheese sauce, hey chef!) The dessert of blueberry pie was good. Two latte completed the meal, but we went away fairly hungry.
The décor was good but uninspiring. No music was played for the hour and half we were in the place. 180 degree view (not 360 as advertised) of skating rink was pleasant. But overall an altogether unmemorable and disappointing occasion.
Bar and grill food was fantastic, which cannot be said for the restaurant menu. And very overpriced. Swearing and shouting from head chef could be heard in restaurant and that was really annoying.
by Anonymous, 18 May 2006The food was wonderful. Billingsgate fish pie is a must - creamy mash and plenty of fish. The service was everything that you would expect from a top-class restaurant like this. The staff were unobtrusive, but had the knack of making you feel as if you were their most important customer.
by Pecky, 19 Jan 2006After having been to most of Conran's other places, but not recently, I wasn't expecting much style or content but this time the food was fantastic and the room was really great as the sun went down.
Shame about the service - splotchy at best and almost a comedy, but the food really was great, I was pleasantly surprised.
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Photograph © Plateau
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