Reviews by StuH

Borough Market (Food Market)
11 November 2008

Probably the beating heart of foodie London. You can buy almost anything here and on the whole it is top quality. It can get expensive quite quickly if you aren't careful though.

Islington Farmers' Market (Food Market)
11 November 2008

Good little market, with a decent range of stalls selling good, seasonal produce.

La Fromagerie (Cheese Shop)
11 November 2008

I shop here quite a lot and there is no denying the fact that they sell a huge selection of top quality, well-kept cheeses. They also have a great selection of deli goods.

There is also no denying that it is nose-bleedingly expensive.

I've always found the staff really helpful. I can only think that some of the reviewers' comments derive from frustration at the long waits you can sometimes have in here, as it gets very busy.

Bottom line though: brilliant produce. I haven't bought supermarket cheese for years.

Steve Hatt (Fishmongers)
11 November 2008

Just the best fishmonger in London. No question. No more needs to be said.

Isarn (Restaurant)
11 November 2008

Great restaurant. Really vibrant, tasty food. The duck wraps are very, very good.

Arbutus (Restaurant)
03 November 2008

Great restaurant. Excellent food, loads of wines by the glass, can eat by yourself at the bar if you like without feeling self-conscious, and the set menu is probably the best value Michelin-starred meal anywhere on the planet.

Le Gavroche (Restaurant / Restaurant)
03 November 2008

There is no denying the quality of the food here. It's amongst the best in London. Simply excellent, as is the service.

Where I fall out with this place is the room, which is frankly grim, dark and incredibly old-fashioned. Even worse is the upstairs bar, which is reminiscent of one in a Margate B&B circa 1955. Needs a refurb to give the brilliant food the setting it deserves.

Criterion (Restaurant / Restaurant)
03 November 2008

The good things first... This is without doubt the most spectacular dining room in London. A truly beautiful space. It also has a great, buzzy brasserie atmosphere. Thank God MPW quickly ditched the silly idea of turning it into a pizza parlour!

I've eaten here quite a lot and the food experience falls into two categories:
A la carte - good.
Plat du jour/pre theatre menu - bad.

The a la carte menu is packed full of traditional brasserie and grill dishes, which in my experience are usually pretty well executed. Good steaks, good shellfish.

On the other hand, I recently had the nastiest, driest fish pie, plat du jour, I've ever tasted.

I recommend you try here, if only to see the room, but if you are on a budget just have a main from the a la carte rather than be tempted by the three courses from the cheaper menu.

Paul A Young Fine Chocolates (Chocolate Shop)
03 November 2008

Superb chocolates. Sea salt caramels are the best chocolates I have EVER eaten.

Smith's of Smithfield Top Floor (Restaurant / South American Restaurant)
04 October 2008

Given its location at Smithfield, I had a pretty average bit of roast beef here. On the plus side, nice views and nice room.

Roka (Restaurant / Restaurant)
04 October 2008

Eat the tasting menu here - it is brilliant. Great sashimi, amazing little Japanese oysters, king crab, a romp through amazing seafood heaven, Wagyu, some superb grilled lamb cutlets and an Asian take on foie gras. Really good atmopshere and a good-looking restaurant. Just really, really classy on every level.

Duke of Cambridge (Gastro Pub / Pub)
04 October 2008

I have mixed feelings about this place, having been several times. It is very 'Islington'. If you are one of those people who walk along Upper Street grumbling about trendies with money, then this place will irritate you, so don't go. I suspect some of the previous reviewers fall into this category.

I like the eclectic mix of old furniture. I like the light, airy main bar - great on a sunny day. I like the relaxed 'Sunday' vibe. I like the organic concept.

I don't like the too short menu, which often seems too heavily weighted towards fish and reads a little too earnestly. Only usually around four options and if you arrive later in the day expect at least one to have sold out. Another couple of choices would be good to avoid those times when none of the options appeal.

Having said that, I've always enjoyed the food, but without ever being blown away. It leans towards the expensive end of gastro, but no more so than many other places. There is a good selection of organic wines, though the list gets expensive quickly for a gastropub. I've always found the staff friendly and helpful, so baffled by previous reviewers.

On the whole, a good place for a relaxed lunch and the Sunday papers.

Mahiki (Bar)
04 October 2008

This is a place to have fun. It's kitsch and lively. If you are looking for a quiet drink in a refined atmosphere, then go to Claridges. If you are looking for fun and silliness (the band!)in a relaxed atmosphere, go here.

Yes, it's expensive - to ask 800 quid minimum spend for a table downstairs is cheeky. Answer: stay upstairs, stand up or get in early.

Yes, some of the staff are a bit up themselves - though not the guys behind the bars, who are great. Answer: go to the bar and don't bother with the waitresses.

Most importantly, the drinks taste great, look great, are innovative and fun.

Long Bar at Sanderson (Bar)
28 September 2008

If you can't get a seat at the bar, don't bother. Good drinks, but short list. Painfully expensive - better drinks for less money elsewhere. The ambience/style/atmosphere isn't quite top notch enough to justify prices. Essentially a really ugly building made to look as good as it possibly could by using miles and miles of net curtains!

Ye Olde Mitre Tavern (Pub)
29 June 2008

Proper, old-fashioned pub. Very well hidden!

Gordon Ramsay (Restaurant)
29 June 2008

Dining here is an amazing experience. The food is brilliant, the service flawless (completely attentive without being too noticeable), the maitre d' charming. Of course, it isn't cheap - I spent £350 on dinner for 2 - but it's well worth it as a treat.

I. Camisa (Delicatessen)
29 June 2008

This place is an utter gem! Lovely homemade ravioli and tortellini, superb sausages, fab tomatoes from Napoli, homemade sauces (hare ragu is amazing), top quality well-kept cured meats and cheeses, and truffles when in season!

To top it off, it's really cheap. Half the price of some more 'upmarket' delis, fraction of the price of food halls and cheaper than supermarkets. And better than all of them!

Anyone who lives in London and loves Italian food should make the effort to come here as often as possible!

Lab (Bar)
29 June 2008

The best martinis in London, without doubt. Really good staff who somehow manage to remember what I like to drink, even though it's off menu and I only go in once every couple of months.

Good atmosphere usually, but incredibly (excessively) packed. It's probably just over-familiarity on my part, but it doesn't quite feel like the cutting edge, super-cool place it was 5 years ago. Could probably benefit from a re-fit. It looks a bit tired and 'turn of the century', particularly downstairs.

Metrogusto (Restaurant)
29 June 2008

Only one other table taken when I visited, hence quiet and no atmopshere. Food was OK, if not great (occasionally odd - cheese board covered in chopped parsley!). Decent wine list. Great maitre d' and good service, but because the place was so empty it felt over-fussy.

Frank Godfrey (Butcher)
16 March 2007

My local. Wouldn't go anywhere else. Brilliant produce.