#fridaynightdinners — Public Fediverse posts

A couple of months ago, I asked my wife to see if she could book some different cuisines for our Friday nights out. This request resulted in the visit to Mriya Neo Bistro, and a reservation at Et House, a Turkish restaurant close to Swiss Cottage. When we arrived at the restaurant it was pretty quiet, but we were welcomed in, picking a table up towards the back of the restaurant.

For our starters, we shared some Babaganush, which was served with a flat bread, and Mantar, sautéed mushrooms with butter and garlic, covered in melted cheese.

For her main, my wife chose the Sarma Lamb Beyti — minced with spices and garlic, and served in a lava bread with some yoghurt on the side. A spicy tomato-y sauce completed the dish. I had the Mixed Shish — marinated chicken and lamb cubes, served with a salad, rice, and bulgur wheat.

With our meal I enjoyed a bottle of Efes Draft, and my wife a Turkish red wine.

The dishes were all nicely spiced, not too strong, but with a good flavour. The meal was nothing very special, but enjoyable and decently priced. We did order too much though, as the portions were generous.

If you're near Swiss Cottage and fancy a low-key meal, Et House will do just fine.

A couple of months ago, I asked my wife to see if she could book some different cuisines for our Friday nights out. This request resulted in the visit to Mriya Neo Bistro, and a reservation at Et House, a Turkish restaurant close to Swiss Cottage. When we arrived at the restaurant it was pretty quiet, but we were welcomed in, picking a table up towards the back of the restaurant.

For our starters, we shared some Babaganush, which was served with a flat bread, and Mantar, sautéed mushrooms with butter and garlic, covered in melted cheese.

For her main, my wife chose the Sarma Lamb Beyti — minced with spices and garlic, and served in a lava bread with some yoghurt on the side. A spicy tomato-y sauce completed the dish. I had the Mixed Shish — marinated chicken and lamb cubes, served with a salad, rice, and bulgur wheat.

With our meal I enjoyed a bottle of Efes Draft, and my wife a Turkish red wine.

The dishes were all nicely spiced, not too strong, but with a good flavour. The meal was nothing very special, but enjoyable and decently priced. We did order too much though, as the portions were generous.

If you're near Swiss Cottage and fancy a low-key meal, Et House will do just fine.

A couple of months ago, I asked my wife to see if she could book some different cuisines for our Friday nights out. This request resulted in the visit to Mriya Neo Bistro, and a reservation at Et House, a Turkish restaurant close to Swiss Cottage. When we arrived at the restaurant it was pretty quiet, but we were welcomed in, picking a table up towards the back of the restaurant.

For our starters, we shared some Babaganush, which was served with a flat bread, and Mantar, sautéed mushrooms with butter and garlic, covered in melted cheese.

For her main, my wife chose the Sarma Lamb Beyti — minced with spices and garlic, and served in a lava bread with some yoghurt on the side. A spicy tomato-y sauce completed the dish. I had the Mixed Shish — marinated chicken and lamb cubes, served with a salad, rice, and bulgur wheat.

With our meal I enjoyed a bottle of Efes Draft, and my wife a Turkish red wine.

The dishes were all nicely spiced, not too strong, but with a good flavour. The meal was nothing very special, but enjoyable and decently priced. We did order too much though, as the portions were generous.

If you're near Swiss Cottage and fancy a low-key meal, Et House will do just fine.

A couple of months ago, I asked my wife to see if she could book some different cuisines for our Friday nights out. This request resulted in the visit to Mriya Neo Bistro, and a reservation at Et House, a Turkish restaurant close to Swiss Cottage. When we arrived at the restaurant it was pretty quiet, but we were welcomed in, picking a table up towards the back of the restaurant.

For our starters, we shared some Babaganush, which was served with a flat bread, and Mantar, sautéed mushrooms with butter and garlic, covered in melted cheese.

For her main, my wife chose the Sarma Lamb Beyti — minced with spices and garlic, and served in a lava bread with some yoghurt on the side. A spicy tomato-y sauce completed the dish. I had the Mixed Shish — marinated chicken and lamb cubes, served with a salad, rice, and bulgur wheat.

With our meal I enjoyed a bottle of Efes Draft, and my wife a Turkish red wine.

The dishes were all nicely spiced, not too strong, but with a good flavour. The meal was nothing very special, but enjoyable and decently priced. We did order too much though, as the portions were generous.

If you're near Swiss Cottage and fancy a low-key meal, Et House will do just fine.

A couple of months ago, I asked my wife to see if she could book some different cuisines for our Friday nights out. This request resulted in the visit to Mriya Neo Bistro, and a reservation at Et House, a Turkish restaurant close to Swiss Cottage. When we arrived at the restaurant it was pretty quiet, but we were welcomed in, picking a table up towards the back of the restaurant.

For our starters, we shared some Babaganush, which was served with a flat bread, and Mantar, sautéed mushrooms with butter and garlic, covered in melted cheese.

For her main, my wife chose the Sarma Lamb Beyti — minced with spices and garlic, and served in a lava bread with some yoghurt on the side. A spicy tomato-y sauce completed the dish. I had the Mixed Shish — marinated chicken and lamb cubes, served with a salad, rice, and bulgur wheat.

With our meal I enjoyed a bottle of Efes Draft, and my wife a Turkish red wine.

The dishes were all nicely spiced, not too strong, but with a good flavour. The meal was nothing very special, but enjoyable and decently priced. We did order too much though, as the portions were generous.

If you're near Swiss Cottage and fancy a low-key meal, Et House will do just fine.

Out of the way, near the Brompton Cemetery, behind an unassuming shop window, a cosy little restaurant is hiding. It is named Mriya, which means dream in Ukrainian. The small restaurant has a short menu of Ukrainian dishes, in Ukrainian and English.

When we arrived, a fiery horseradish infused shot of vodka, to go with a canapé with Salo (a slice of salt-cured pork subcutaneous fat), which we'd pre-booked was waiting for us. An excellent start to the meal.

For once, we decided on a wine first, and chose a Ukrainian white wine from the Odesa region. It was nice and crisp, and worked fine with the rest of our dishes.

As our starters we shared the Matthias forshmak, chopped herring served with boiled potatoes, onions, and eggs; and a cheburek, a deed-fried turnover filled with (in our case) a four cheese blend. We enjoyed the forshmak with some bread and whipped butter.

After our starters, my wife picked as her main the salted cheese varenyky (dumplings) with wild garlic pesto. The filling was flavourful, with the wild-garlic pesto adding a bit of a kick. I decided on the Kyiv fried chicken, with mashed potato. The chicken was filled with a delightful garlic butter, and had a nice crisp coating. The mash was very smooth, and was served with two sauces.

After all of this, we also decided on a sour cherry varenyky to share as desert. And to round our meal off, we enjoyed that with a shot of a sour-cherry infused vodka. Budmo!

Out of the way, near the Brompton Cemetery, behind an unassuming shop window, a cosy little restaurant is hiding. It is named Mriya, which means dream in Ukrainian. The small restaurant has a short menu of Ukrainian dishes, in Ukrainian and English.

When we arrived, a fiery horseradish infused shot of vodka, to go with a canapé with Salo (a slice of salt-cured pork subcutaneous fat), which we'd pre-booked was waiting for us. An excellent start to the meal.

For once, we decided on a wine first, and chose a Ukrainian white wine from the Odesa region. It was nice and crisp, and worked fine with the rest of our dishes.

As our starters we shared the Matthias forshmak, chopped herring served with boiled potatoes, onions, and eggs; and a cheburek, a deed-fried turnover filled with (in our case) a four cheese blend. We enjoyed the forshmak with some bread and whipped butter.

After our starters, my wife picked as her main the salted cheese varenyky (dumplings) with wild garlic pesto. The filling was flavourful, with the wild-garlic pesto adding a bit of a kick. I decided on the Kyiv fried chicken, with mashed potato. The chicken was filled with a delightful garlic butter, and had a nice crisp coating. The mash was very smooth, and was served with two sauces.

After all of this, we also decided on a sour cherry varenyky to share as desert. And to round our meal off, we enjoyed that with a shot of a sour-cherry infused vodka. Budmo!

Out of the way, near the Brompton Cemetery, behind an unassuming shop window, a cosy little restaurant is hiding. It is named Mriya, which means dream in Ukrainian. The small restaurant has a short menu of Ukrainian dishes, in Ukrainian and English.

When we arrived, a fiery horseradish infused shot of vodka, to go with a canapé with Salo (a slice of salt-cured pork subcutaneous fat), which we'd pre-booked was waiting for us. An excellent start to the meal.

For once, we decided on a wine first, and chose a Ukrainian white wine from the Odesa region. It was nice and crisp, and worked fine with the rest of our dishes.

As our starters we shared the Matthias forshmak, chopped herring served with boiled potatoes, onions, and eggs; and a cheburek, a deed-fried turnover filled with (in our case) a four cheese blend. We enjoyed the forshmak with some bread and whipped butter.

After our starters, my wife picked as her main the salted cheese varenyky (dumplings) with wild garlic pesto. The filling was flavourful, with the wild-garlic pesto adding a bit of a kick. I decided on the Kyiv fried chicken, with mashed potato. The chicken was filled with a delightful garlic butter, and had a nice crisp coating. The mash was very smooth, and was served with two sauces.

After all of this, we also decided on a sour cherry varenyky to share as desert. And to round our meal off, we enjoyed that with a shot of a sour-cherry infused vodka. Budmo!

Out of the way, near the Brompton Cemetery, behind an unassuming shop window, a cosy little restaurant is hiding. It is named Mriya, which means dream in Ukrainian. The small restaurant has a short menu of Ukrainian dishes, in Ukrainian and English.

When we arrived, a fiery horseradish infused shot of vodka, to go with a canapé with Salo (a slice of salt-cured pork subcutaneous fat), which we'd pre-booked was waiting for us. An excellent start to the meal.

For once, we decided on a wine first, and chose a Ukrainian white wine from the Odesa region. It was nice and crisp, and worked fine with the rest of our dishes.

As our starters we shared the Matthias forshmak, chopped herring served with boiled potatoes, onions, and eggs; and a cheburek, a deed-fried turnover filled with (in our case) a four cheese blend. We enjoyed the forshmak with some bread and whipped butter.

After our starters, my wife picked as her main the salted cheese varenyky (dumplings) with wild garlic pesto. The filling was flavourful, with the wild-garlic pesto adding a bit of a kick. I decided on the Kyiv fried chicken, with mashed potato. The chicken was filled with a delightful garlic butter, and had a nice crisp coating. The mash was very smooth, and was served with two sauces.

After all of this, we also decided on a sour cherry varenyky to share as desert. And to round our meal off, we enjoyed that with a shot of a sour-cherry infused vodka. Budmo!

Out of the way, near the Brompton Cemetery, behind an unassuming shop window, a cosy little restaurant is hiding. It is named Mriya, which means dream in Ukrainian. The small restaurant has a short menu of Ukrainian dishes, in Ukrainian and English.

When we arrived, a fiery horseradish infused shot of vodka, to go with a canapé with Salo (a slice of salt-cured pork subcutaneous fat), which we'd pre-booked was waiting for us. An excellent start to the meal.

For once, we decided on a wine first, and chose a Ukrainian white wine from the Odesa region. It was nice and crisp, and worked fine with the rest of our dishes.

As our starters we shared the Matthias forshmak, chopped herring served with boiled potatoes, onions, and eggs; and a cheburek, a deed-fried turnover filled with (in our case) a four cheese blend. We enjoyed the forshmak with some bread and whipped butter.

After our starters, my wife picked as her main the salted cheese varenyky (dumplings) with wild garlic pesto. The filling was flavourful, with the wild-garlic pesto adding a bit of a kick. I decided on the Kyiv fried chicken, with mashed potato. The chicken was filled with a delightful garlic butter, and had a nice crisp coating. The mash was very smooth, and was served with two sauces.

After all of this, we also decided on a sour cherry varenyky to share as desert. And to round our meal off, we enjoyed that with a shot of a sour-cherry infused vodka. Budmo!

Hans' Bar and Grill sits just of Sloane Square in Chelsea. It is attached to the 11 Cadogan Gardens hotel, but has a separate entrance on a pedestrianised part of Pavilion Road.

We sat in the upstairs part in the middle of a spacious room. After umming and ahhing about which dishes to pick, and whether to have any from the set menu, we decided on sharing the Truffled Mac & Cheese Croquettes to start. Three 1½ inch cubes, filled with mac & cheese showed up, slightly breaded and fried. They were nice, but they could have been a bit cheesier.

For our mains, I selected the Woodland Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto, which came with some Parmesan crackling. The risotto had a good bite to it, which I like, but it was a little skint on the asparagus. My wife chose the Cured & Roasted Loin of South Coast Cod, served with some fresh peas and brown shrimp on top. Although tasty, the portion was disappointingly bijou, and the fresh peas in the description turned out to be a quenelle and a smear of pea purée.

As we were still a little peckish, we also had a desert. My wife had a sticky toffee pudding, which was nice enough, but again a bit bijou. I had an apple crumble pie, which is just like an apple crumble, but then in a crispy pie case.

Although the food was pleasant, but not great, we found the experience a little "odd". Perhaps that was also because we were the only ones in the room having dinner — the tables on either side of us were only doing drinks — or that with every opening of the door there was a cold blast of air. We won't be returning.

Hans' Bar and Grill sits just of Sloane Square in Chelsea. It is attached to the 11 Cadogan Gardens hotel, but has a separate entrance on a pedestrianised part of Pavilion Road.

We sat in the upstairs part in the middle of a spacious room. After umming and ahhing about which dishes to pick, and whether to have any from the set menu, we decided on sharing the Truffled Mac & Cheese Croquettes to start. Three 1½ inch cubes, filled with mac & cheese showed up, slightly breaded and fried. They were nice, but they could have been a bit cheesier.

For our mains, I selected the Woodland Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto, which came with some Parmesan crackling. The risotto had a good bite to it, which I like, but it was a little skint on the asparagus. My wife chose the Cured & Roasted Loin of South Coast Cod, served with some fresh peas and brown shrimp on top. Although tasty, the portion was disappointingly bijou, and the fresh peas in the description turned out to be a quenelle and a smear of pea purée.

As we were still a little peckish, we also had a desert. My wife had a sticky toffee pudding, which was nice enough, but again a bit bijou. I had an apple crumble pie, which is just like an apple crumble, but then in a crispy pie case.

Although the food was pleasant, but not great, we found the experience a little "odd". Perhaps that was also because we were the only ones in the room having dinner — the tables on either side of us were only doing drinks — or that with every opening of the door there was a cold blast of air. We won't be returning.

Hans' Bar and Grill sits just of Sloane Square in Chelsea. It is attached to the 11 Cadogan Gardens hotel, but has a separate entrance on a pedestrianised part of Pavilion Road.

We sat in the upstairs part in the middle of a spacious room. After umming and ahhing about which dishes to pick, and whether to have any from the set menu, we decided on sharing the Truffled Mac & Cheese Croquettes to start. Three 1½ inch cubes, filled with mac & cheese showed up, slightly breaded and fried. They were nice, but they could have been a bit cheesier.

For our mains, I selected the Woodland Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto, which came with some Parmesan crackling. The risotto had a good bite to it, which I like, but it was a little skint on the asparagus. My wife chose the Cured & Roasted Loin of South Coast Cod, served with some fresh peas and brown shrimp on top. Although tasty, the portion was disappointingly bijou, and the fresh peas in the description turned out to be a quenelle and a smear of pea purée.

As we were still a little peckish, we also had a desert. My wife had a sticky toffee pudding, which was nice enough, but again a bit bijou. I had an apple crumble pie, which is just like an apple crumble, but then in a crispy pie case.

Although the food was pleasant, but not great, we found the experience a little "odd". Perhaps that was also because we were the only ones in the room having dinner — the tables on either side of us were only doing drinks — or that with every opening of the door there was a cold blast of air. We won't be returning.

Hans' Bar and Grill sits just of Sloane Square in Chelsea. It is attached to the 11 Cadogan Gardens hotel, but has a separate entrance on a pedestrianised part of Pavilion Road.

We sat in the upstairs part in the middle of a spacious room. After umming and ahhing about which dishes to pick, and whether to have any from the set menu, we decided on sharing the Truffled Mac & Cheese Croquettes to start. Three 1½ inch cubes, filled with mac & cheese showed up, slightly breaded and fried. They were nice, but they could have been a bit cheesier.

For our mains, I selected the Woodland Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto, which came with some Parmesan crackling. The risotto had a good bite to it, which I like, but it was a little skint on the asparagus. My wife chose the Cured & Roasted Loin of South Coast Cod, served with some fresh peas and brown shrimp on top. Although tasty, the portion was disappointingly bijou, and the fresh peas in the description turned out to be a quenelle and a smear of pea purée.

As we were still a little peckish, we also had a desert. My wife had a sticky toffee pudding, which was nice enough, but again a bit bijou. I had an apple crumble pie, which is just like an apple crumble, but then in a crispy pie case.

Although the food was pleasant, but not great, we found the experience a little "odd". Perhaps that was also because we were the only ones in the room having dinner — the tables on either side of us were only doing drinks — or that with every opening of the door there was a cold blast of air. We won't be returning.

Hans' Bar and Grill sits just of Sloane Square in Chelsea. It is attached to the 11 Cadogan Gardens hotel, but has a separate entrance on a pedestrianised part of Pavilion Road.

We sat in the upstairs part in the middle of a spacious room. After umming and ahhing about which dishes to pick, and whether to have any from the set menu, we decided on sharing the Truffled Mac & Cheese Croquettes to start. Three 1½ inch cubes, filled with mac & cheese showed up, slightly breaded and fried. They were nice, but they could have been a bit cheesier.

For our mains, I selected the Woodland Mushroom & Asparagus Risotto, which came with some Parmesan crackling. The risotto had a good bite to it, which I like, but it was a little skint on the asparagus. My wife chose the Cured & Roasted Loin of South Coast Cod, served with some fresh peas and brown shrimp on top. Although tasty, the portion was disappointingly bijou, and the fresh peas in the description turned out to be a quenelle and a smear of pea purée.

As we were still a little peckish, we also had a desert. My wife had a sticky toffee pudding, which was nice enough, but again a bit bijou. I had an apple crumble pie, which is just like an apple crumble, but then in a crispy pie case.

Although the food was pleasant, but not great, we found the experience a little "odd". Perhaps that was also because we were the only ones in the room having dinner — the tables on either side of us were only doing drinks — or that with every opening of the door there was a cold blast of air. We won't be returning.

Close to Borough Market, Fish! is a long-established seafood restaurant, and along the street from Mallow which we visited a couple of weeks ago. Fish! is located in a glass lined and roofed building, which I suppose in summer could get quite warm. My wife — who picks the restaurants — commented that she had never dined in Fish! but had been fancying trying it for several years. When we arrived at around seven, the service was just getting going.

We were shown to our table very speedily, by a friendly waiter who briefly explained the menu. We decided to go for a calamari to share to start, which came with a very garlicky mayonnaise. An oyster each add some extra flair.

My wife enjoyed a sightly "brunchy" main of smoked haddock with bubble and squeak, and a poached egg on top — unfortunately the poached egg was set, rather than being runny. The dish came with a pot of a well-made hollandaise sauce which finished things off nicely.

I had the roast Sea Bream special, which was served with cockles and mussels in a slightly spicy tomato-y sauce. The skin was crisp, and the bisque delicious enough that I ask for a spoon to slurp up the leftovers.

For dessert, my wife enjoyed an apple ice cream with a shot of Calvados, Affogato style — these paired really well and made a nice change from the traditional espresso and vanilla ice cream version. I enjoyed a dense chocolate mousse. Delicious, but probably a little too much!

With our meal we enjoyed a crisp bottle of Txakoli, a lightly sparkling wine from the Basque region of Spain that we very much enjoyed when we were in San Sebastián last summer. This paired well with the food and was an immediate choice when we saw it on the menu.

If you like fish and seafood, we can recommend Fish!

Close to Borough Market, Fish! is a long-established seafood restaurant, and along the street from Mallow which we visited a couple of weeks ago. Fish! is located in a glass lined and roofed building, which I suppose in summer could get quite warm. My wife — who picks the restaurants — commented that she had never dined in Fish! but had been fancying trying it for several years. When we arrived at around seven, the service was just getting going.

We were shown to our table very speedily, by a friendly waiter who briefly explained the menu. We decided to go for a calamari to share to start, which came with a very garlicky mayonnaise. An oyster each add some extra flair.

My wife enjoyed a sightly "brunchy" main of smoked haddock with bubble and squeak, and a poached egg on top — unfortunately the poached egg was set, rather than being runny. The dish came with a pot of a well-made hollandaise sauce which finished things off nicely.

I had the roast Sea Bream special, which was served with cockles and mussels in a slightly spicy tomato-y sauce. The skin was crisp, and the bisque delicious enough that I ask for a spoon to slurp up the leftovers.

For dessert, my wife enjoyed an apple ice cream with a shot of Calvados, Affogato style — these paired really well and made a nice change from the traditional espresso and vanilla ice cream version. I enjoyed a dense chocolate mousse. Delicious, but probably a little too much!

With our meal we enjoyed a crisp bottle of Txakoli, a lightly sparkling wine from the Basque region of Spain that we very much enjoyed when we were in San Sebastián last summer. This paired well with the food and was an immediate choice when we saw it on the menu.

If you like fish and seafood, we can recommend Fish!

Close to Borough Market, Fish! is a long-established seafood restaurant, and along the street from Mallow which we visited a couple of weeks ago. Fish! is located in a glass lined and roofed building, which I suppose in summer could get quite warm. My wife — who picks the restaurants — commented that she had never dined in Fish! but had been fancying trying it for several years. When we arrived at around seven, the service was just getting going.

We were shown to our table very speedily, by a friendly waiter who briefly explained the menu. We decided to go for a calamari to share to start, which came with a very garlicky mayonnaise. An oyster each add some extra flair.

My wife enjoyed a sightly "brunchy" main of smoked haddock with bubble and squeak, and a poached egg on top — unfortunately the poached egg was set, rather than being runny. The dish came with a pot of a well-made hollandaise sauce which finished things off nicely.

I had the roast Sea Bream special, which was served with cockles and mussels in a slightly spicy tomato-y sauce. The skin was crisp, and the bisque delicious enough that I ask for a spoon to slurp up the leftovers.

For dessert, my wife enjoyed an apple ice cream with a shot of Calvados, Affogato style — these paired really well and made a nice change from the traditional espresso and vanilla ice cream version. I enjoyed a dense chocolate mousse. Delicious, but probably a little too much!

With our meal we enjoyed a crisp bottle of Txakoli, a lightly sparkling wine from the Basque region of Spain that we very much enjoyed when we were in San Sebastián last summer. This paired well with the food and was an immediate choice when we saw it on the menu.

If you like fish and seafood, we can recommend Fish!

Close to Borough Market, Fish! is a long-established seafood restaurant, and along the street from Mallow which we visited a couple of weeks ago. Fish! is located in a glass lined and roofed building, which I suppose in summer could get quite warm. My wife — who picks the restaurants — commented that she had never dined in Fish! but had been fancying trying it for several years. When we arrived at around seven, the service was just getting going.

We were shown to our table very speedily, by a friendly waiter who briefly explained the menu. We decided to go for a calamari to share to start, which came with a very garlicky mayonnaise. An oyster each add some extra flair.

My wife enjoyed a sightly "brunchy" main of smoked haddock with bubble and squeak, and a poached egg on top — unfortunately the poached egg was set, rather than being runny. The dish came with a pot of a well-made hollandaise sauce which finished things off nicely.

I had the roast Sea Bream special, which was served with cockles and mussels in a slightly spicy tomato-y sauce. The skin was crisp, and the bisque delicious enough that I ask for a spoon to slurp up the leftovers.

For dessert, my wife enjoyed an apple ice cream with a shot of Calvados, Affogato style — these paired really well and made a nice change from the traditional espresso and vanilla ice cream version. I enjoyed a dense chocolate mousse. Delicious, but probably a little too much!

With our meal we enjoyed a crisp bottle of Txakoli, a lightly sparkling wine from the Basque region of Spain that we very much enjoyed when we were in San Sebastián last summer. This paired well with the food and was an immediate choice when we saw it on the menu.

If you like fish and seafood, we can recommend Fish!

Close to Borough Market, Fish! is a long-established seafood restaurant, and along the street from Mallow which we visited a couple of weeks ago. Fish! is located in a glass lined and roofed building, which I suppose in summer could get quite warm. My wife — who picks the restaurants — commented that she had never dined in Fish! but had been fancying trying it for several years. When we arrived at around seven, the service was just getting going.

We were shown to our table very speedily, by a friendly waiter who briefly explained the menu. We decided to go for a calamari to share to start, which came with a very garlicky mayonnaise. An oyster each add some extra flair.

My wife enjoyed a sightly "brunchy" main of smoked haddock with bubble and squeak, and a poached egg on top — unfortunately the poached egg was set, rather than being runny. The dish came with a pot of a well-made hollandaise sauce which finished things off nicely.

I had the roast Sea Bream special, which was served with cockles and mussels in a slightly spicy tomato-y sauce. The skin was crisp, and the bisque delicious enough that I ask for a spoon to slurp up the leftovers.

For dessert, my wife enjoyed an apple ice cream with a shot of Calvados, Affogato style — these paired really well and made a nice change from the traditional espresso and vanilla ice cream version. I enjoyed a dense chocolate mousse. Delicious, but probably a little too much!

With our meal we enjoyed a crisp bottle of Txakoli, a lightly sparkling wine from the Basque region of Spain that we very much enjoyed when we were in San Sebastián last summer. This paired well with the food and was an immediate choice when we saw it on the menu.

If you like fish and seafood, we can recommend Fish!

Bertie Blossoms is a tapas bar/restaurant near Ladbroke Grove, at the Northern end of Portobello Road.

We were sat at a table upstairs at the small cosy restaurant, going past a large abstract artwork by the owner. There were a few tables occupied, with the bar downstairs relatively busy too. It is not a large establishment, but it felt cosy and welcoming. The upstairs was a little low, so careful if you're tall like me!

The menu contains of a few bar snacks, and a dozen or so sharing plates — tapas style. We ordered the Padron Peppers from the snack menu, and the Gambas al Ajillo, Baby Carrots, Woodland Wild Mushrooms, and meatballs from the "To Share" section.

The dishes were served in a random order, with the meatballs first. They were served with a spicy Nduja sauce and topped with grated cheese. The baby carrots were served with some yoghurt, a Labneh, and had some toasted hazelnuts sprinkled over it. The wild mushrooms came with some toasted sourdough, which was great to lap the remaining juices up with. The gambas were whole, but it was easy to remove the flesh from the shell. Some focaccia on the side helped with the cooking juices again.

All the dishes were well presented and flavourful. Our only gripe was that many of the items of the sharing dishes came in odd numbers. And perhaps that half of the music was Ed Sheeran songs (played at a discreet volume) — but then again, that isn't bad considering he owns the place.

Bertie Blossoms is a tapas bar/restaurant near Ladbroke Grove, at the Northern end of Portobello Road.

We were sat at a table upstairs at the small cosy restaurant, going past a large abstract artwork by the owner. There were a few tables occupied, with the bar downstairs relatively busy too. It is not a large establishment, but it felt cosy and welcoming. The upstairs was a little low, so careful if you're tall like me!

The menu contains of a few bar snacks, and a dozen or so sharing plates — tapas style. We ordered the Padron Peppers from the snack menu, and the Gambas al Ajillo, Baby Carrots, Woodland Wild Mushrooms, and meatballs from the "To Share" section.

The dishes were served in a random order, with the meatballs first. They were served with a spicy Nduja sauce and topped with grated cheese. The baby carrots were served with some yoghurt, a Labneh, and had some toasted hazelnuts sprinkled over it. The wild mushrooms came with some toasted sourdough, which was great to lap the remaining juices up with. The gambas were whole, but it was easy to remove the flesh from the shell. Some focaccia on the side helped with the cooking juices again.

All the dishes were well presented and flavourful. Our only gripe was that many of the items of the sharing dishes came in odd numbers. And perhaps that half of the music was Ed Sheeran songs (played at a discreet volume) — but then again, that isn't bad considering he owns the place.

Bertie Blossoms is a tapas bar/restaurant near Ladbroke Grove, at the Northern end of Portobello Road.

We were sat at a table upstairs at the small cosy restaurant, going past a large abstract artwork by the owner. There were a few tables occupied, with the bar downstairs relatively busy too. It is not a large establishment, but it felt cosy and welcoming. The upstairs was a little low, so careful if you're tall like me!

The menu contains of a few bar snacks, and a dozen or so sharing plates — tapas style. We ordered the Padron Peppers from the snack menu, and the Gambas al Ajillo, Baby Carrots, Woodland Wild Mushrooms, and meatballs from the "To Share" section.

The dishes were served in a random order, with the meatballs first. They were served with a spicy Nduja sauce and topped with grated cheese. The baby carrots were served with some yoghurt, a Labneh, and had some toasted hazelnuts sprinkled over it. The wild mushrooms came with some toasted sourdough, which was great to lap the remaining juices up with. The gambas were whole, but it was easy to remove the flesh from the shell. Some focaccia on the side helped with the cooking juices again.

All the dishes were well presented and flavourful. Our only gripe was that many of the items of the sharing dishes came in odd numbers. And perhaps that half of the music was Ed Sheeran songs (played at a discreet volume) — but then again, that isn't bad considering he owns the place.

Bertie Blossoms is a tapas bar/restaurant near Ladbroke Grove, at the Northern end of Portobello Road.

We were sat at a table upstairs at the small cosy restaurant, going past a large abstract artwork by the owner. There were a few tables occupied, with the bar downstairs relatively busy too. It is not a large establishment, but it felt cosy and welcoming. The upstairs was a little low, so careful if you're tall like me!

The menu contains of a few bar snacks, and a dozen or so sharing plates — tapas style. We ordered the Padron Peppers from the snack menu, and the Gambas al Ajillo, Baby Carrots, Woodland Wild Mushrooms, and meatballs from the "To Share" section.

The dishes were served in a random order, with the meatballs first. They were served with a spicy Nduja sauce and topped with grated cheese. The baby carrots were served with some yoghurt, a Labneh, and had some toasted hazelnuts sprinkled over it. The wild mushrooms came with some toasted sourdough, which was great to lap the remaining juices up with. The gambas were whole, but it was easy to remove the flesh from the shell. Some focaccia on the side helped with the cooking juices again.

All the dishes were well presented and flavourful. Our only gripe was that many of the items of the sharing dishes came in odd numbers. And perhaps that half of the music was Ed Sheeran songs (played at a discreet volume) — but then again, that isn't bad considering he owns the place.

Bertie Blossoms is a tapas bar/restaurant near Ladbroke Grove, at the Northern end of Portobello Road.

We were sat at a table upstairs at the small cosy restaurant, going past a large abstract artwork by the owner. There were a few tables occupied, with the bar downstairs relatively busy too. It is not a large establishment, but it felt cosy and welcoming. The upstairs was a little low, so careful if you're tall like me!

The menu contains of a few bar snacks, and a dozen or so sharing plates — tapas style. We ordered the Padron Peppers from the snack menu, and the Gambas al Ajillo, Baby Carrots, Woodland Wild Mushrooms, and meatballs from the "To Share" section.

The dishes were served in a random order, with the meatballs first. They were served with a spicy Nduja sauce and topped with grated cheese. The baby carrots were served with some yoghurt, a Labneh, and had some toasted hazelnuts sprinkled over it. The wild mushrooms came with some toasted sourdough, which was great to lap the remaining juices up with. The gambas were whole, but it was easy to remove the flesh from the shell. Some focaccia on the side helped with the cooking juices again.

All the dishes were well presented and flavourful. Our only gripe was that many of the items of the sharing dishes came in odd numbers. And perhaps that half of the music was Ed Sheeran songs (played at a discreet volume) — but then again, that isn't bad considering he owns the place.

Mallow is a plant based restaurant housed in an old building just outside Borough Market, around the corner from the Golden Hind.

We picked Mallow, as my wife had heard three separate groups of people raving about it when she was out and about in London. One group at the gym, one on the tube, and the third group whilst walking down Regent Street.

Whilst there were many lovely sounding things on the menu, we opted for the set sharing menu, with wine pairing, as an introduction to what Mallow had to offer.

The menu started with some plump Gordal olives, alongside some pimped up hummus (or tahini chickpeas as the menu puts it), served with squashy flat bread. We also enjoyed some tofu in a smoky red pepper sauce topped with some pickled veggies — there was a slight aniseed flavour which my wife is normally not a fan of, but found it palatable enough. Our starters were paired with a fragrant rosé wine.

The middle courses were a mushroom tortellini (which the table next door decided against, as its "default veggie you get everywhere"), and a mixed salad. The tortellini was tasty, with a good mushroom-y filling. We also enjoyed the lovely mixed salad with juicy bits of tangerine, a light dressing, candied nuts, caper berries, and pine nuts. These two came with a crowd-pleasingly fruity red wine.

Finally, there was a coconut Pasanda curry with cauliflower and tofu cubes. It came served with a flavoured pilau rice, which included almonds, pomegranate, and apricots. This was paired with a medium bodied white wine.

We considered dessert briefly, but were both too full, so we called it a night. We were delighted that when we asked for the bill, the waiter came with it, and the card machine — no hanging around here.

We would definitely return to Mallow, but would probably pick off the à la carte menu, and have fewer dishes — but even as people who aren't into a plant based diet, this was food we enjoyed, and we didn't miss the lack of meat or fish.

Mallow is a plant based restaurant housed in an old building just outside Borough Market, around the corner from the Golden Hind.

We picked Mallow, as my wife had heard three separate groups of people raving about it when she was out and about in London. One group at the gym, one on the tube, and the third group whilst walking down Regent Street.

Whilst there were many lovely sounding things on the menu, we opted for the set sharing menu, with wine pairing, as an introduction to what Mallow had to offer.

The menu started with some plump Gordal olives, alongside some pimped up hummus (or tahini chickpeas as the menu puts it), served with squashy flat bread. We also enjoyed some tofu in a smoky red pepper sauce topped with some pickled veggies — there was a slight aniseed flavour which my wife is normally not a fan of, but found it palatable enough. Our starters were paired with a fragrant rosé wine.

The middle courses were a mushroom tortellini (which the table next door decided against, as its "default veggie you get everywhere"), and a mixed salad. The tortellini was tasty, with a good mushroom-y filling. We also enjoyed the lovely mixed salad with juicy bits of tangerine, a light dressing, candied nuts, caper berries, and pine nuts. These two came with a crowd-pleasingly fruity red wine.

Finally, there was a coconut Pasanda curry with cauliflower and tofu cubes. It came served with a flavoured pilau rice, which included almonds, pomegranate, and apricots. This was paired with a medium bodied white wine.

We considered dessert briefly, but were both too full, so we called it a night. We were delighted that when we asked for the bill, the waiter came with it, and the card machine — no hanging around here.

We would definitely return to Mallow, but would probably pick off the à la carte menu, and have fewer dishes — but even as people who aren't into a plant based diet, this was food we enjoyed, and we didn't miss the lack of meat or fish.

Mallow is a plant based restaurant housed in an old building just outside Borough Market, around the corner from the Golden Hind.

We picked Mallow, as my wife had heard three separate groups of people raving about it when she was out and about in London. One group at the gym, one on the tube, and the third group whilst walking down Regent Street.

Whilst there were many lovely sounding things on the menu, we opted for the set sharing menu, with wine pairing, as an introduction to what Mallow had to offer.

The menu started with some plump Gordal olives, alongside some pimped up hummus (or tahini chickpeas as the menu puts it), served with squashy flat bread. We also enjoyed some tofu in a smoky red pepper sauce topped with some pickled veggies — there was a slight aniseed flavour which my wife is normally not a fan of, but found it palatable enough. Our starters were paired with a fragrant rosé wine.

The middle courses were a mushroom tortellini (which the table next door decided against, as its "default veggie you get everywhere"), and a mixed salad. The tortellini was tasty, with a good mushroom-y filling. We also enjoyed the lovely mixed salad with juicy bits of tangerine, a light dressing, candied nuts, caper berries, and pine nuts. These two came with a crowd-pleasingly fruity red wine.

Finally, there was a coconut Pasanda curry with cauliflower and tofu cubes. It came served with a flavoured pilau rice, which included almonds, pomegranate, and apricots. This was paired with a medium bodied white wine.

We considered dessert briefly, but were both too full, so we called it a night. We were delighted that when we asked for the bill, the waiter came with it, and the card machine — no hanging around here.

We would definitely return to Mallow, but would probably pick off the à la carte menu, and have fewer dishes — but even as people who aren't into a plant based diet, this was food we enjoyed, and we didn't miss the lack of meat or fish.

Mallow is a plant based restaurant housed in an old building just outside Borough Market, around the corner from the Golden Hind.

We picked Mallow, as my wife had heard three separate groups of people raving about it when she was out and about in London. One group at the gym, one on the tube, and the third group whilst walking down Regent Street.

Whilst there were many lovely sounding things on the menu, we opted for the set sharing menu, with wine pairing, as an introduction to what Mallow had to offer.

The menu started with some plump Gordal olives, alongside some pimped up hummus (or tahini chickpeas as the menu puts it), served with squashy flat bread. We also enjoyed some tofu in a smoky red pepper sauce topped with some pickled veggies — there was a slight aniseed flavour which my wife is normally not a fan of, but found it palatable enough. Our starters were paired with a fragrant rosé wine.

The middle courses were a mushroom tortellini (which the table next door decided against, as its "default veggie you get everywhere"), and a mixed salad. The tortellini was tasty, with a good mushroom-y filling. We also enjoyed the lovely mixed salad with juicy bits of tangerine, a light dressing, candied nuts, caper berries, and pine nuts. These two came with a crowd-pleasingly fruity red wine.

Finally, there was a coconut Pasanda curry with cauliflower and tofu cubes. It came served with a flavoured pilau rice, which included almonds, pomegranate, and apricots. This was paired with a medium bodied white wine.

We considered dessert briefly, but were both too full, so we called it a night. We were delighted that when we asked for the bill, the waiter came with it, and the card machine — no hanging around here.

We would definitely return to Mallow, but would probably pick off the à la carte menu, and have fewer dishes — but even as people who aren't into a plant based diet, this was food we enjoyed, and we didn't miss the lack of meat or fish.

Mallow is a plant based restaurant housed in an old building just outside Borough Market, around the corner from the Golden Hind.

We picked Mallow, as my wife had heard three separate groups of people raving about it when she was out and about in London. One group at the gym, one on the tube, and the third group whilst walking down Regent Street.

Whilst there were many lovely sounding things on the menu, we opted for the set sharing menu, with wine pairing, as an introduction to what Mallow had to offer.

The menu started with some plump Gordal olives, alongside some pimped up hummus (or tahini chickpeas as the menu puts it), served with squashy flat bread. We also enjoyed some tofu in a smoky red pepper sauce topped with some pickled veggies — there was a slight aniseed flavour which my wife is normally not a fan of, but found it palatable enough. Our starters were paired with a fragrant rosé wine.

The middle courses were a mushroom tortellini (which the table next door decided against, as its "default veggie you get everywhere"), and a mixed salad. The tortellini was tasty, with a good mushroom-y filling. We also enjoyed the lovely mixed salad with juicy bits of tangerine, a light dressing, candied nuts, caper berries, and pine nuts. These two came with a crowd-pleasingly fruity red wine.

Finally, there was a coconut Pasanda curry with cauliflower and tofu cubes. It came served with a flavoured pilau rice, which included almonds, pomegranate, and apricots. This was paired with a medium bodied white wine.

We considered dessert briefly, but were both too full, so we called it a night. We were delighted that when we asked for the bill, the waiter came with it, and the card machine — no hanging around here.

We would definitely return to Mallow, but would probably pick off the à la carte menu, and have fewer dishes — but even as people who aren't into a plant based diet, this was food we enjoyed, and we didn't miss the lack of meat or fish.

I had many a pint in The Island when I moved to London 16 years ago, as it was the closest reasonable pub. I don't remember haven eaten there, but having walked past more recently, I suggested it for a Friday Night Dinner.

On a rainy evening we headed to this pub in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. It was already buzzing outside, with people hiding away from the rain under the awnings, smoking away. My wife could also unfortunately smell this cigarette smoke when seated inside, close to a window, which put her off the food.

For our starter, we picked a scotch egg to share. It was nicely flavoured with a runny yolk, and was served with a sweet curry sauce. For my main I choose the slow roast free-range pork belly, served with white beans, winter kale, salsa verde. The skin wasn't particularly very crackly, and a little chewy at times. The white beans were OK, but could have been a bit softer too. My wife had the onglet steak, which was served with gentleman's relish and fries. The fries were nicely cooked and crispy, but the steak was cooked medium to well-done, rather than the ordered medium rare.

But what left down the meal, and the Island experience generally was the haphazard service. Upon arrival, it was speedy, although my wife, who arrived first, had to wait quite some time for the table to be prepared. We felt left to our own devices after our mains. It took a very long time for the dessert menu to show up, and then a significant amount of time before we could request, and then receive the bill.

One of my personal pet peeves in restaurants is that when the bill is presented, the waiting staff often do not have the payment terminal with them, and have to go and fetch it separately. This is a waste of everyone's time especially as we'd like to get going, and I'm sure the restaurant would like to fill the table with some more paying guests. In this case with the meal being mediocre it was more annoying than usual.

Unfortunately The Island didn't live up to my memories, nor our expectations, and it seems unlikely we'll be back for a meal or drinks.

I had many a pint in The Island when I moved to London 16 years ago, as it was the closest reasonable pub. I don't remember haven eaten there, but having walked past more recently, I suggested it for a Friday Night Dinner.

On a rainy evening we headed to this pub in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. It was already buzzing outside, with people hiding away from the rain under the awnings, smoking away. My wife could also unfortunately smell this cigarette smoke when seated inside, close to a window, which put her off the food.

For our starter, we picked a scotch egg to share. It was nicely flavoured with a runny yolk, and was served with a sweet curry sauce. For my main I choose the slow roast free-range pork belly, served with white beans, winter kale, salsa verde. The skin wasn't particularly very crackly, and a little chewy at times. The white beans were OK, but could have been a bit softer too. My wife had the onglet steak, which was served with gentleman's relish and fries. The fries were nicely cooked and crispy, but the steak was cooked medium to well-done, rather than the ordered medium rare.

But what left down the meal, and the Island experience generally was the haphazard service. Upon arrival, it was speedy, although my wife, who arrived first, had to wait quite some time for the table to be prepared. We felt left to our own devices after our mains. It took a very long time for the dessert menu to show up, and then a significant amount of time before we could request, and then receive the bill.

One of my personal pet peeves in restaurants is that when the bill is presented, the waiting staff often do not have the payment terminal with them, and have to go and fetch it separately. This is a waste of everyone's time especially as we'd like to get going, and I'm sure the restaurant would like to fill the table with some more paying guests. In this case with the meal being mediocre it was more annoying than usual.

Unfortunately The Island didn't live up to my memories, nor our expectations, and it seems unlikely we'll be back for a meal or drinks.

I had many a pint in The Island when I moved to London 16 years ago, as it was the closest reasonable pub. I don't remember haven eaten there, but having walked past more recently, I suggested it for a Friday Night Dinner.

On a rainy evening we headed to this pub in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. It was already buzzing outside, with people hiding away from the rain under the awnings, smoking away. My wife could also unfortunately smell this cigarette smoke when seated inside, close to a window, which put her off the food.

For our starter, we picked a scotch egg to share. It was nicely flavoured with a runny yolk, and was served with a sweet curry sauce. For my main I choose the slow roast free-range pork belly, served with white beans, winter kale, salsa verde. The skin wasn't particularly very crackly, and a little chewy at times. The white beans were OK, but could have been a bit softer too. My wife had the onglet steak, which was served with gentleman's relish and fries. The fries were nicely cooked and crispy, but the steak was cooked medium to well-done, rather than the ordered medium rare.

But what left down the meal, and the Island experience generally was the haphazard service. Upon arrival, it was speedy, although my wife, who arrived first, had to wait quite some time for the table to be prepared. We felt left to our own devices after our mains. It took a very long time for the dessert menu to show up, and then a significant amount of time before we could request, and then receive the bill.

One of my personal pet peeves in restaurants is that when the bill is presented, the waiting staff often do not have the payment terminal with them, and have to go and fetch it separately. This is a waste of everyone's time especially as we'd like to get going, and I'm sure the restaurant would like to fill the table with some more paying guests. In this case with the meal being mediocre it was more annoying than usual.

Unfortunately The Island didn't live up to my memories, nor our expectations, and it seems unlikely we'll be back for a meal or drinks.

I had many a pint in The Island when I moved to London 16 years ago, as it was the closest reasonable pub. I don't remember haven eaten there, but having walked past more recently, I suggested it for a Friday Night Dinner.

On a rainy evening we headed to this pub in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. It was already buzzing outside, with people hiding away from the rain under the awnings, smoking away. My wife could also unfortunately smell this cigarette smoke when seated inside, close to a window, which put her off the food.

For our starter, we picked a scotch egg to share. It was nicely flavoured with a runny yolk, and was served with a sweet curry sauce. For my main I choose the slow roast free-range pork belly, served with white beans, winter kale, salsa verde. The skin wasn't particularly very crackly, and a little chewy at times. The white beans were OK, but could have been a bit softer too. My wife had the onglet steak, which was served with gentleman's relish and fries. The fries were nicely cooked and crispy, but the steak was cooked medium to well-done, rather than the ordered medium rare.

But what left down the meal, and the Island experience generally was the haphazard service. Upon arrival, it was speedy, although my wife, who arrived first, had to wait quite some time for the table to be prepared. We felt left to our own devices after our mains. It took a very long time for the dessert menu to show up, and then a significant amount of time before we could request, and then receive the bill.

One of my personal pet peeves in restaurants is that when the bill is presented, the waiting staff often do not have the payment terminal with them, and have to go and fetch it separately. This is a waste of everyone's time especially as we'd like to get going, and I'm sure the restaurant would like to fill the table with some more paying guests. In this case with the meal being mediocre it was more annoying than usual.

Unfortunately The Island didn't live up to my memories, nor our expectations, and it seems unlikely we'll be back for a meal or drinks.

I had many a pint in The Island when I moved to London 16 years ago, as it was the closest reasonable pub. I don't remember haven eaten there, but having walked past more recently, I suggested it for a Friday Night Dinner.

On a rainy evening we headed to this pub in the middle of a residential neighbourhood. It was already buzzing outside, with people hiding away from the rain under the awnings, smoking away. My wife could also unfortunately smell this cigarette smoke when seated inside, close to a window, which put her off the food.

For our starter, we picked a scotch egg to share. It was nicely flavoured with a runny yolk, and was served with a sweet curry sauce. For my main I choose the slow roast free-range pork belly, served with white beans, winter kale, salsa verde. The skin wasn't particularly very crackly, and a little chewy at times. The white beans were OK, but could have been a bit softer too. My wife had the onglet steak, which was served with gentleman's relish and fries. The fries were nicely cooked and crispy, but the steak was cooked medium to well-done, rather than the ordered medium rare.

But what left down the meal, and the Island experience generally was the haphazard service. Upon arrival, it was speedy, although my wife, who arrived first, had to wait quite some time for the table to be prepared. We felt left to our own devices after our mains. It took a very long time for the dessert menu to show up, and then a significant amount of time before we could request, and then receive the bill.

One of my personal pet peeves in restaurants is that when the bill is presented, the waiting staff often do not have the payment terminal with them, and have to go and fetch it separately. This is a waste of everyone's time especially as we'd like to get going, and I'm sure the restaurant would like to fill the table with some more paying guests. In this case with the meal being mediocre it was more annoying than usual.

Unfortunately The Island didn't live up to my memories, nor our expectations, and it seems unlikely we'll be back for a meal or drinks.

James Street is full of restaurants. It's near Oxford Street and Bond Street, so an excellent place to enjoy a meal after a hard day of shopping, if that's your thing. We hadn't done any shopping, but after a week at work, a relaxing dinner is always welcome.

Sunday in Brooklyn is their second venue — their first one is in Notting Hill — and styled after a Brooklyn Brunch spot. So good for breakfast (weekdays) and brunch, but they also serve dinner in the evening.

We were seated in the front room with a bunch of other pairs of diners. The vibe was relaxed. The menu is fairly extensive with starters, salads, Italian plates, burgers, and mains. We weren't overly hungry, so picked the corn ribs to share as a starter. These were cut into quarters, slightly crispy, and were served with a slightly underwhelming peanut-flavoured dip (it wasn't really necessary as the corn ribs were delicious by themselves). They weren't the easiest to eat — fingers required — but yet very tasty.

For her main, my wife selected the flame grilled salmon. This came with a smashed avocado and pineapple salsa. Although tasty, the salsa being cold, whilst the salmon was hot, was a little odd. On the side, she also had a green bean and almond side, which worked better with the fish than the cold salsa. I had the grilled sirloin steak, with a peppery three pepper sauce, and served with a side of crispy and garlicky fries.

After our mains, we did have a look at the dessert menu, but opted against it. Even though our waitress was highly recommending having the Sunday Pancake™ that they're apparently famous for. We were too full— maybe something to try another time.

We enjoyed our Friday meal at Sunday in Brooklyn, and perhaps we should come back and have an actual brunch, and then also try their signature pancakes.

James Street is full of restaurants. It's near Oxford Street and Bond Street, so an excellent place to enjoy a meal after a hard day of shopping, if that's your thing. We hadn't done any shopping, but after a week at work, a relaxing dinner is always welcome.

Sunday in Brooklyn is their second venue — their first one is in Notting Hill — and styled after a Brooklyn Brunch spot. So good for breakfast (weekdays) and brunch, but they also serve dinner in the evening.

We were seated in the front room with a bunch of other pairs of diners. The vibe was relaxed. The menu is fairly extensive with starters, salads, Italian plates, burgers, and mains. We weren't overly hungry, so picked the corn ribs to share as a starter. These were cut into quarters, slightly crispy, and were served with a slightly underwhelming peanut-flavoured dip (it wasn't really necessary as the corn ribs were delicious by themselves). They weren't the easiest to eat — fingers required — but yet very tasty.

For her main, my wife selected the flame grilled salmon. This came with a smashed avocado and pineapple salsa. Although tasty, the salsa being cold, whilst the salmon was hot, was a little odd. On the side, she also had a green bean and almond side, which worked better with the fish than the cold salsa. I had the grilled sirloin steak, with a peppery three pepper sauce, and served with a side of crispy and garlicky fries.

After our mains, we did have a look at the dessert menu, but opted against it. Even though our waitress was highly recommending having the Sunday Pancake™ that they're apparently famous for. We were too full— maybe something to try another time.

We enjoyed our Friday meal at Sunday in Brooklyn, and perhaps we should come back and have an actual brunch, and then also try their signature pancakes.

James Street is full of restaurants. It's near Oxford Street and Bond Street, so an excellent place to enjoy a meal after a hard day of shopping, if that's your thing. We hadn't done any shopping, but after a week at work, a relaxing dinner is always welcome.

Sunday in Brooklyn is their second venue — their first one is in Notting Hill — and styled after a Brooklyn Brunch spot. So good for breakfast (weekdays) and brunch, but they also serve dinner in the evening.

We were seated in the front room with a bunch of other pairs of diners. The vibe was relaxed. The menu is fairly extensive with starters, salads, Italian plates, burgers, and mains. We weren't overly hungry, so picked the corn ribs to share as a starter. These were cut into quarters, slightly crispy, and were served with a slightly underwhelming peanut-flavoured dip (it wasn't really necessary as the corn ribs were delicious by themselves). They weren't the easiest to eat — fingers required — but yet very tasty.

For her main, my wife selected the flame grilled salmon. This came with a smashed avocado and pineapple salsa. Although tasty, the salsa being cold, whilst the salmon was hot, was a little odd. On the side, she also had a green bean and almond side, which worked better with the fish than the cold salsa. I had the grilled sirloin steak, with a peppery three pepper sauce, and served with a side of crispy and garlicky fries.

After our mains, we did have a look at the dessert menu, but opted against it. Even though our waitress was highly recommending having the Sunday Pancake™ that they're apparently famous for. We were too full— maybe something to try another time.

We enjoyed our Friday meal at Sunday in Brooklyn, and perhaps we should come back and have an actual brunch, and then also try their signature pancakes.

James Street is full of restaurants. It's near Oxford Street and Bond Street, so an excellent place to enjoy a meal after a hard day of shopping, if that's your thing. We hadn't done any shopping, but after a week at work, a relaxing dinner is always welcome.

Sunday in Brooklyn is their second venue — their first one is in Notting Hill — and styled after a Brooklyn Brunch spot. So good for breakfast (weekdays) and brunch, but they also serve dinner in the evening.

We were seated in the front room with a bunch of other pairs of diners. The vibe was relaxed. The menu is fairly extensive with starters, salads, Italian plates, burgers, and mains. We weren't overly hungry, so picked the corn ribs to share as a starter. These were cut into quarters, slightly crispy, and were served with a slightly underwhelming peanut-flavoured dip (it wasn't really necessary as the corn ribs were delicious by themselves). They weren't the easiest to eat — fingers required — but yet very tasty.

For her main, my wife selected the flame grilled salmon. This came with a smashed avocado and pineapple salsa. Although tasty, the salsa being cold, whilst the salmon was hot, was a little odd. On the side, she also had a green bean and almond side, which worked better with the fish than the cold salsa. I had the grilled sirloin steak, with a peppery three pepper sauce, and served with a side of crispy and garlicky fries.

After our mains, we did have a look at the dessert menu, but opted against it. Even though our waitress was highly recommending having the Sunday Pancake™ that they're apparently famous for. We were too full— maybe something to try another time.

We enjoyed our Friday meal at Sunday in Brooklyn, and perhaps we should come back and have an actual brunch, and then also try their signature pancakes.

James Street is full of restaurants. It's near Oxford Street and Bond Street, so an excellent place to enjoy a meal after a hard day of shopping, if that's your thing. We hadn't done any shopping, but after a week at work, a relaxing dinner is always welcome.

Sunday in Brooklyn is their second venue — their first one is in Notting Hill — and styled after a Brooklyn Brunch spot. So good for breakfast (weekdays) and brunch, but they also serve dinner in the evening.

We were seated in the front room with a bunch of other pairs of diners. The vibe was relaxed. The menu is fairly extensive with starters, salads, Italian plates, burgers, and mains. We weren't overly hungry, so picked the corn ribs to share as a starter. These were cut into quarters, slightly crispy, and were served with a slightly underwhelming peanut-flavoured dip (it wasn't really necessary as the corn ribs were delicious by themselves). They weren't the easiest to eat — fingers required — but yet very tasty.

For her main, my wife selected the flame grilled salmon. This came with a smashed avocado and pineapple salsa. Although tasty, the salsa being cold, whilst the salmon was hot, was a little odd. On the side, she also had a green bean and almond side, which worked better with the fish than the cold salsa. I had the grilled sirloin steak, with a peppery three pepper sauce, and served with a side of crispy and garlicky fries.

After our mains, we did have a look at the dessert menu, but opted against it. Even though our waitress was highly recommending having the Sunday Pancake™ that they're apparently famous for. We were too full— maybe something to try another time.

We enjoyed our Friday meal at Sunday in Brooklyn, and perhaps we should come back and have an actual brunch, and then also try their signature pancakes.

The Porter's Table is part of the massive new Guinness Open Gate London development, which features a brewery and tour, a beer garden, and several restaurants. They have a different approach to the original Open Gate in Dublin, where they mostly try out new beers on unsuspecting punters.

Where Gilroy's Loft specialises in seafood, The Porter's Table is focussed on grilling vegetables, fish, and meat. And of course there is a fair amount of different beers to sample as well.

After finding the restaurant, we soon got ourselves one of those while looking over the menu.

We originally only chose the frickels as our starter (beer-batter deep-friend cornichons), but after realising that we didn't have any vegetables with our mains, we decided to add the seasonal Brussels sprouts. When these came (after the frickels, and before the mains), we were glad that we did. They were prepared with beetroot and orange, which made for a delightful combination.

For her main, my wife had the butcher's skewer; lovely cubes of rib-eye, marinated, and grilled on a skewer with red peppers, tomatoes, and red onion slices. I had the pork chop, which came with half a roasted bulb of garlic, cut through horizontally. I enjoyed prising the sweet roasted cloves of garlic flesh out of the papery skin. My meal was seasoned, and nicely moist. We ordered some chips on the side, which were crisp and fluffy. The serving of mayonnaise was too small, but I nearly always find that his the case.

The food was nice, but the service was quite haphazard. Orders went slightly wrong, and were offered food that we hadn't ordered — nor did the tables next to us.

We'll likely return to the Open Gate, but probably to try Gilroy's Loft (the seafood restaurant), or the beer garden with food truck later in the year when the weather is much improved.

The Porter's Table is part of the massive new Guinness Open Gate London development, which features a brewery and tour, a beer garden, and several restaurants. They have a different approach to the original Open Gate in Dublin, where they mostly try out new beers on unsuspecting punters.

Where Gilroy's Loft specialises in seafood, The Porter's Table is focussed on grilling vegetables, fish, and meat. And of course there is a fair amount of different beers to sample as well.

After finding the restaurant, we soon got ourselves one of those while looking over the menu.

We originally only chose the frickels as our starter (beer-batter deep-friend cornichons), but after realising that we didn't have any vegetables with our mains, we decided to add the seasonal Brussels sprouts. When these came (after the frickels, and before the mains), we were glad that we did. They were prepared with beetroot and orange, which made for a delightful combination.

For her main, my wife had the butcher's skewer; lovely cubes of rib-eye, marinated, and grilled on a skewer with red peppers, tomatoes, and red onion slices. I had the pork chop, which came with half a roasted bulb of garlic, cut through horizontally. I enjoyed prising the sweet roasted cloves of garlic flesh out of the papery skin. My meal was seasoned, and nicely moist. We ordered some chips on the side, which were crisp and fluffy. The serving of mayonnaise was too small, but I nearly always find that his the case.

The food was nice, but the service was quite haphazard. Orders went slightly wrong, and were offered food that we hadn't ordered — nor did the tables next to us.

We'll likely return to the Open Gate, but probably to try Gilroy's Loft (the seafood restaurant), or the beer garden with food truck later in the year when the weather is much improved.

The Porter's Table is part of the massive new Guinness Open Gate London development, which features a brewery and tour, a beer garden, and several restaurants. They have a different approach to the original Open Gate in Dublin, where they mostly try out new beers on unsuspecting punters.

Where Gilroy's Loft specialises in seafood, The Porter's Table is focussed on grilling vegetables, fish, and meat. And of course there is a fair amount of different beers to sample as well.

After finding the restaurant, we soon got ourselves one of those while looking over the menu.

We originally only chose the frickels as our starter (beer-batter deep-friend cornichons), but after realising that we didn't have any vegetables with our mains, we decided to add the seasonal Brussels sprouts. When these came (after the frickels, and before the mains), we were glad that we did. They were prepared with beetroot and orange, which made for a delightful combination.

For her main, my wife had the butcher's skewer; lovely cubes of rib-eye, marinated, and grilled on a skewer with red peppers, tomatoes, and red onion slices. I had the pork chop, which came with half a roasted bulb of garlic, cut through horizontally. I enjoyed prising the sweet roasted cloves of garlic flesh out of the papery skin. My meal was seasoned, and nicely moist. We ordered some chips on the side, which were crisp and fluffy. The serving of mayonnaise was too small, but I nearly always find that his the case.

The food was nice, but the service was quite haphazard. Orders went slightly wrong, and were offered food that we hadn't ordered — nor did the tables next to us.

We'll likely return to the Open Gate, but probably to try Gilroy's Loft (the seafood restaurant), or the beer garden with food truck later in the year when the weather is much improved.

The Porter's Table is part of the massive new Guinness Open Gate London development, which features a brewery and tour, a beer garden, and several restaurants. They have a different approach to the original Open Gate in Dublin, where they mostly try out new beers on unsuspecting punters.

Where Gilroy's Loft specialises in seafood, The Porter's Table is focussed on grilling vegetables, fish, and meat. And of course there is a fair amount of different beers to sample as well.

After finding the restaurant, we soon got ourselves one of those while looking over the menu.

We originally only chose the frickels as our starter (beer-batter deep-friend cornichons), but after realising that we didn't have any vegetables with our mains, we decided to add the seasonal Brussels sprouts. When these came (after the frickels, and before the mains), we were glad that we did. They were prepared with beetroot and orange, which made for a delightful combination.

For her main, my wife had the butcher's skewer; lovely cubes of rib-eye, marinated, and grilled on a skewer with red peppers, tomatoes, and red onion slices. I had the pork chop, which came with half a roasted bulb of garlic, cut through horizontally. I enjoyed prising the sweet roasted cloves of garlic flesh out of the papery skin. My meal was seasoned, and nicely moist. We ordered some chips on the side, which were crisp and fluffy. The serving of mayonnaise was too small, but I nearly always find that his the case.

The food was nice, but the service was quite haphazard. Orders went slightly wrong, and were offered food that we hadn't ordered — nor did the tables next to us.

We'll likely return to the Open Gate, but probably to try Gilroy's Loft (the seafood restaurant), or the beer garden with food truck later in the year when the weather is much improved.

The Porter's Table is part of the massive new Guinness Open Gate London development, which features a brewery and tour, a beer garden, and several restaurants. They have a different approach to the original Open Gate in Dublin, where they mostly try out new beers on unsuspecting punters.

Where Gilroy's Loft specialises in seafood, The Porter's Table is focussed on grilling vegetables, fish, and meat. And of course there is a fair amount of different beers to sample as well.

After finding the restaurant, we soon got ourselves one of those while looking over the menu.

We originally only chose the frickels as our starter (beer-batter deep-friend cornichons), but after realising that we didn't have any vegetables with our mains, we decided to add the seasonal Brussels sprouts. When these came (after the frickels, and before the mains), we were glad that we did. They were prepared with beetroot and orange, which made for a delightful combination.

For her main, my wife had the butcher's skewer; lovely cubes of rib-eye, marinated, and grilled on a skewer with red peppers, tomatoes, and red onion slices. I had the pork chop, which came with half a roasted bulb of garlic, cut through horizontally. I enjoyed prising the sweet roasted cloves of garlic flesh out of the papery skin. My meal was seasoned, and nicely moist. We ordered some chips on the side, which were crisp and fluffy. The serving of mayonnaise was too small, but I nearly always find that his the case.

The food was nice, but the service was quite haphazard. Orders went slightly wrong, and were offered food that we hadn't ordered — nor did the tables next to us.

We'll likely return to the Open Gate, but probably to try Gilroy's Loft (the seafood restaurant), or the beer garden with food truck later in the year when the weather is much improved.

On a cold winter evening, there is nothing better than hearty food. As such, we visited Mamuśka, in the arches under Waterloo Station. The restaurant specialises in Polish food and drinks, including vodka and (alcohol-free) Polish craft beer.

The menu features all the Polish classics, from Barszcz and Pieorogis, to Placki and Schabowy. We definitely had to look some of these names up to figure out what they were.

We started our meal with a set of 10 mixed pierogies. That alone was nearly enough already, as they were filling. Some fillings were nicer than the others. My wife preferred the goats cheese ones, finding the meaty ones a bit samey and underwhelming. I liked the pork filled ones, but I was less enamoured with the Ruskie ones. Maybe because of the name.

For her mains, my wife had chosen the Salmon Fillet, which was served with mashed potato (which was a Christmas / seasonal special). The salmon was okay, but a little on the dry side. I picked the Schabowy Breaded Pork Loin, with a mushroom sauce. The meat was nice and tender, with a creamy sauce covering the batter which had gone a little soggy due to the sauce. It was also too much — a huge portion, the salmon was noticeably more restrained in size.

With our meal, we enjoyed a selection of the Polish Craft Beers. Two alcohol-free ones, and two alcohol full ones.

We found Mamuśka a little underwhelming. Unfortunately we sat next to one of the brick walls, which meant our table was quite chilly with cold air emanating from the brickwork — but this might make it a good spot in summer. But we were definitely no longer hungry.

On a cold winter evening, there is nothing better than hearty food. As such, we visited Mamuśka, in the arches under Waterloo Station. The restaurant specialises in Polish food and drinks, including vodka and (alcohol-free) Polish craft beer.

The menu features all the Polish classics, from Barszcz and Pieorogis, to Placki and Schabowy. We definitely had to look some of these names up to figure out what they were.

We started our meal with a set of 10 mixed pierogies. That alone was nearly enough already, as they were filling. Some fillings were nicer than the others. My wife preferred the goats cheese ones, finding the meaty ones a bit samey and underwhelming. I liked the pork filled ones, but I was less enamoured with the Ruskie ones. Maybe because of the name.

For her mains, my wife had chosen the Salmon Fillet, which was served with mashed potato (which was a Christmas / seasonal special). The salmon was okay, but a little on the dry side. I picked the Schabowy Breaded Pork Loin, with a mushroom sauce. The meat was nice and tender, with a creamy sauce covering the batter which had gone a little soggy due to the sauce. It was also too much — a huge portion, the salmon was noticeably more restrained in size.

With our meal, we enjoyed a selection of the Polish Craft Beers. Two alcohol-free ones, and two alcohol full ones.

We found Mamuśka a little underwhelming. Unfortunately we sat next to one of the brick walls, which meant our table was quite chilly with cold air emanating from the brickwork — but this might make it a good spot in summer. But we were definitely no longer hungry.

On a cold winter evening, there is nothing better than hearty food. As such, we visited Mamuśka, in the arches under Waterloo Station. The restaurant specialises in Polish food and drinks, including vodka and (alcohol-free) Polish craft beer.

The menu features all the Polish classics, from Barszcz and Pieorogis, to Placki and Schabowy. We definitely had to look some of these names up to figure out what they were.

We started our meal with a set of 10 mixed pierogies. That alone was nearly enough already, as they were filling. Some fillings were nicer than the others. My wife preferred the goats cheese ones, finding the meaty ones a bit samey and underwhelming. I liked the pork filled ones, but I was less enamoured with the Ruskie ones. Maybe because of the name.

For her mains, my wife had chosen the Salmon Fillet, which was served with mashed potato (which was a Christmas / seasonal special). The salmon was okay, but a little on the dry side. I picked the Schabowy Breaded Pork Loin, with a mushroom sauce. The meat was nice and tender, with a creamy sauce covering the batter which had gone a little soggy due to the sauce. It was also too much — a huge portion, the salmon was noticeably more restrained in size.

With our meal, we enjoyed a selection of the Polish Craft Beers. Two alcohol-free ones, and two alcohol full ones.

We found Mamuśka a little underwhelming. Unfortunately we sat next to one of the brick walls, which meant our table was quite chilly with cold air emanating from the brickwork — but this might make it a good spot in summer. But we were definitely no longer hungry.

On a cold winter evening, there is nothing better than hearty food. As such, we visited Mamuśka, in the arches under Waterloo Station. The restaurant specialises in Polish food and drinks, including vodka and (alcohol-free) Polish craft beer.

The menu features all the Polish classics, from Barszcz and Pieorogis, to Placki and Schabowy. We definitely had to look some of these names up to figure out what they were.

We started our meal with a set of 10 mixed pierogies. That alone was nearly enough already, as they were filling. Some fillings were nicer than the others. My wife preferred the goats cheese ones, finding the meaty ones a bit samey and underwhelming. I liked the pork filled ones, but I was less enamoured with the Ruskie ones. Maybe because of the name.

For her mains, my wife had chosen the Salmon Fillet, which was served with mashed potato (which was a Christmas / seasonal special). The salmon was okay, but a little on the dry side. I picked the Schabowy Breaded Pork Loin, with a mushroom sauce. The meat was nice and tender, with a creamy sauce covering the batter which had gone a little soggy due to the sauce. It was also too much — a huge portion, the salmon was noticeably more restrained in size.

With our meal, we enjoyed a selection of the Polish Craft Beers. Two alcohol-free ones, and two alcohol full ones.

We found Mamuśka a little underwhelming. Unfortunately we sat next to one of the brick walls, which meant our table was quite chilly with cold air emanating from the brickwork — but this might make it a good spot in summer. But we were definitely no longer hungry.

On a cold winter evening, there is nothing better than hearty food. As such, we visited Mamuśka, in the arches under Waterloo Station. The restaurant specialises in Polish food and drinks, including vodka and (alcohol-free) Polish craft beer.

The menu features all the Polish classics, from Barszcz and Pieorogis, to Placki and Schabowy. We definitely had to look some of these names up to figure out what they were.

We started our meal with a set of 10 mixed pierogies. That alone was nearly enough already, as they were filling. Some fillings were nicer than the others. My wife preferred the goats cheese ones, finding the meaty ones a bit samey and underwhelming. I liked the pork filled ones, but I was less enamoured with the Ruskie ones. Maybe because of the name.

For her mains, my wife had chosen the Salmon Fillet, which was served with mashed potato (which was a Christmas / seasonal special). The salmon was okay, but a little on the dry side. I picked the Schabowy Breaded Pork Loin, with a mushroom sauce. The meat was nice and tender, with a creamy sauce covering the batter which had gone a little soggy due to the sauce. It was also too much — a huge portion, the salmon was noticeably more restrained in size.

With our meal, we enjoyed a selection of the Polish Craft Beers. Two alcohol-free ones, and two alcohol full ones.

We found Mamuśka a little underwhelming. Unfortunately we sat next to one of the brick walls, which meant our table was quite chilly with cold air emanating from the brickwork — but this might make it a good spot in summer. But we were definitely no longer hungry.