Reviews by stripes

Apartment 195 (Bar)
11 July 2005

Definitely the best bar in the area - wonderful cocktails, gorgeous decor and friendly crowd and staff. Worth calling in advance as it gets busy and often has private parties on.

The Ivy (Restaurant)
09 July 2005

The "I saw a celeb" comments below are really quite sad. If you want to see a celebrity, stay at home and watch TV.

The Ivy's a lovely restaurant, polite but friendly service and delicious comfort food - not fine dining, just popular, enjoyable dishes, beautifully prepared.

Hakkasan (Restaurant / Restaurant)
09 July 2005

There are some valid comments below about the variable level of service and a perceived "style over substance", but the fact remains that Hakkasan is ground-breaking and it's definitely my favourite restaurant in London. I've always found the food to be excellent - way ahead of any other Chinese restaurant in London, and the cocktails are superb too.

Also, the interior design is just world-class - completely stunning.

Red Fort (Restaurant)
09 July 2005

Consistently good food - well spiced, high quality ingredients and attractive presentation. I think restaurants like Zaika and Benares have the edge in both cuisine and decor, but if you're looking for a delicious Indian meal in Soho, Red Fort is the place.

Maze (Restaurant)
05 July 2005

Utterly amazing food in a modern, stylish room (especially considering that Maze is in a Marriott!) We couldn't get in during the week but managed to book for lunch on Saturday. They seem to be booked up at least 2 weeks in advance and this will probably only get worse as more people discover it.

We had the grazing menu which I can highly recommend - we're going back next week to try it for a second time!

Chez Bruce (Restaurant)
02 July 2005

Delicious food, way beyond what I'd expect from a "neighbourhood" restaurant and the £35 set menu is great value. They also have an excellent wine list and the service was near perfect. A god-send if you live nearby but worth travelling to from anywhere in London.

Ping Pong (Restaurant)
30 June 2005

Super place for a lunch break with friends or colleagues. Reasonably priced tasty dim sum, buzzy atmosphere and good non-alcoholic juices. And the jasmine tea starts as a compact ball in the bottom of your glass and expands into a flower when they add the water - silly, but we liked it.

We had an enjoyable lunch for £10 per head, which was a pleasant surprise in this part of London.

Metrogusto (Restaurant)
27 June 2005

Great restaurant with friendly Italian waiters and delicious food. So much better than most of the generic crap on Upper Street. The wine list and deserts are also fantastic.

May Fair Spa (Spa)
27 June 2005

Great treatments and really friendly staff. The facilities are top quality, from the relaxation room to the steam room with crushed ice outside and the gym looks good too, although I was too busy relaxing to consider trying it out! It didn't seem too busy on my visit either, so it might be easier to book than some of London's other top spas.

I'll definitely be back.

Mo*vida (Club / Members' Club)
23 June 2005

Had a look round here before it opened and the design is certainly something - very cool decor. The "ultra VIP" hype is a bit much, but it's certainly worth checking out if you're lucky enough to be on the guestlist.