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Hey thread, I need a restaurant for a birthday dinner for 2, somewhere affordable in the Marylebone/Fitzrovia area, preferably chinese/japanese? I was looking at Crazy Bear but I get the feeling there are authentic, better value options out there... Any ideas?
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Jan 16, 2015 15:38
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I like Yoisho on Goodge Street. Nice authentic Japanese feel.
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Jan 16, 2015 15:46
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angor posted:I have a friend who will be coming to London for a week, staying near St. Pancras station. He's looking for good food. He's open to suggestions, but definitely wants one GOOD Indian place (doesn't have to be fancy, food needs to be outstanding) and one place where he can get game (venison, grouse, boar, etc.). Ahdinko posted:Tayyabs has come up a few times in this thread I think, supposed to be a pretty good indian and its bring your own booze too I wouldn't go to Tayyabs these days. You'll be queuing forever and the food's not as good as it was. I'd recommend Rasa in Stoke Newington. Hop on the 73 or 476 from kings cross, it'll take 30 mins or so. There's two opposite each other, one a vegetarian and the other not. Really good and interesting, and Stokey has a nice (gentrified) village feel. The Jolly Butchers is just by there as well, which stocks a good selection of beers.
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Jan 18, 2015 00:16
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Lenin Riefenstahl posted:I'd recommend Rasa in Stoke Newington. Yes! This place is excellent. I've eaten at both the meaty and the veggie one and love them. It's Keralan festival food which is nice because it's really quite distinct from the style of Indian you tend to get elsewhere. I'd really encourage anyone to try the veggie place even if they are meat fans - I love eating meat and yet the food experience in the veggie one is perhaps more exceptional.
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Jan 18, 2015 18:54
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ineptmule posted:Yes! This place is excellent. I've eaten at both the meaty and the veggie one and love them. It's Keralan festival food which is nice because it's really quite distinct from the style of Indian you tend to get elsewhere. I'd really encourage anyone to try the veggie place even if they are meat fans - I love eating meat and yet the food experience in the veggie one is perhaps more exceptional. There used to be one in Soho. It's good
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Jan 18, 2015 19:04
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Lenin Riefenstahl posted:I wouldn't go to Tayyabs these days. You'll be queuing forever and the food's not as good as it was. definitely going to check this out
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Jan 18, 2015 19:07
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South-east stuff anyone? Hit me.
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Jan 20, 2015 21:04
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Anae posted:South-east stuff anyone? Hit me. Greenwich market on a Saturday is full of awesome and varied food stalls. I liked Saigon Buffet last time I went there (2002).
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Jan 20, 2015 21:46
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The_Doctor posted:Greenwich market on a Saturday is full of awesome and varied food stalls. I now live like 5 minutes walk from the Greenwich market. My recommendations if you are there on the weekend are the Ethiopian stall or the red cow carvery roast beef sandwich / plate. There are also churros and I believe a guy just recently started doing stroopwaffels as well for dessert.
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Jan 20, 2015 23:57
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Had the empanada the other week at Greenwich market, had the squits for two days and not the most inspiring taste, maybe avoid?
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Jan 23, 2015 17:05
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Just the empanada that is, the other food there is actually delicious and non-poisonous!
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Jan 23, 2015 18:05
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I have a longish layover at Heathrow coming up. I'm meeting family somewhere close by for breakfast. Any good breakfast spots? It's also my brother's birthday, so somewhere nice-ish would be perfect.
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Jan 24, 2015 17:38
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angor posted:I have a longish layover at Heathrow coming up. I'm meeting family somewhere close by for breakfast. Any good breakfast spots? It's also my brother's birthday, so somewhere nice-ish would be perfect. I wasn't aware you could leave air side in Heathrow for a layover like that. We're a lot more stringent about that than the U.S. Also, there's really nothing around Heathrow, the whole area is pretty much a dump. Hotels, industrial estates and warehouses.
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Jan 25, 2015 02:13
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The_Doctor posted:I wasn't aware you could leave air side in Heathrow for a layover like that. We're a lot more stringent about that than the U.S. Also, there's really nothing around Heathrow, the whole area is pretty much a dump. Hotels, industrial estates and warehouses. Yeah, you can. You have to go to the counter near the electronics shops and tell them you want to leave, and why. They'll escort you out. They do this on the hour, every hour. (This is the process in T5 anyways, haven't done this in the other terminals.) Shame there's nothing nearby. It's too bad they can't come into the airport to hit up Plane Food or Waga's.
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Jan 25, 2015 09:53
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There's usually a pub or restaurant in the terminal on land side. T4 has a Cafe Rouge, T3 has a Wetherspoons, not sure what T5 has though. How long is your layover? Your peeps might be able to grab you and drive you out of the industrial wastelands to somewhere they know perhaps? You've reminded me I have a 7 hour layover in Chicago soon, so I'll be escaping the airport and heading downtown for food. 
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Jan 25, 2015 10:37
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T5 has a Carluccios. Could do worse. It's not plane side.
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Jan 25, 2015 11:08
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therattle posted:T5 has a Carluccios. Could do worse. It's not plane side. That's probably the best best. Its a total shithole for miles around Heathrow.
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Jan 25, 2015 12:08
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Loving Africa Chaps posted:That's probably the best best. Its a total shithole for miles around Heathrow. I was thinking train into Ealing but even then there's nothing particularly interesting there for breakfast.
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Jan 25, 2015 13:36
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If it's very longish maybe take the Piccadilly line into London? Takes a while, but it's convenient and gets your right into the heart of the city.
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Jan 25, 2015 13:54
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therattle posted:T5 has a Carluccios. Could do worse. It's not plane side. Yeah, there's a pub there as well that serves breakfast. I was just wondering if there was anything worthwhile close by, which it doesn't seem like there is. The layover is 8 hours, so I have a bit of time. Might make the trek to Central and meet them there.
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Jan 25, 2015 15:46
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angor posted:Yeah, there's a pub there as well that serves breakfast. I was just wondering if there was anything worthwhile close by, which it doesn't seem like there is. Even if you only go as far in as Hammersmith your options will expand a hell of a lot. There really is nothing around Heathrow.
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Jan 25, 2015 16:13
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angor posted:Yeah, there's a pub there as well that serves breakfast. I was just wondering if there was anything worthwhile close by, which it doesn't seem like there is. Oh well, if you've got 8 hours, grab the Heathrow express to Paddington and central London is your oyster!
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Jan 25, 2015 16:21
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You're also on the underground going straight into central London. With 8 hours to kill do that or the train
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Jan 25, 2015 17:38
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angor posted:I have a longish layover at Heathrow coming up. I'm meeting family somewhere close by for breakfast. Any good breakfast spots? It's also my brother's birthday, so somewhere nice-ish would be perfect. The breakfast buffet at the Terminal 5 Hilton (actually a 10 m cab ride away) is jolly good.
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Jan 26, 2015 11:48
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Little Social was wonderful. Great food and ambience as well as music. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to Primal Scream while I devoured all the deliciousness.
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Jan 26, 2015 15:10
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Opinions on the Big Easy, Covent Garden?
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Jan 28, 2015 14:11
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Bollock Monkey posted:Opinions on the Big Easy, Covent Garden? Went there for my birthday back in October. I think I had the 'Taste-O-Rama' bbq platter. Bland, overly dry, not particularly warm food. Very disappointing. YMMV as my bf enjoyed his.
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Jan 28, 2015 18:28
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What are opinions on big number birthday suitable ribs type places? Been to the one on the corner near carnaby st (name escapes me) and thought it was nice but not wow. Alternately good dim sum or sushi suggestions also welcome. We went to HKK for my birthday recently and to alan wong last year for his, as well as rokka, yautcha and hakkasan, so somewhere outside of those would be nice to try.
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Jan 28, 2015 21:01
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Outside of Bodeans there's Duke's in Haggerston. More expensive and a smaller menu but what they do, they do very well. I went to Made in Italy just off James Street this week. It's one of a small chain of maybe 8 restaurants around London, I've also been to the Earls Court one. They do pizza by the metre, and it's pretty authentic stuff. Seemed to be staffed by Italians and there were other Italians eating there. Ordered more pizza than we could eat, took it home and had it for breakfast the next day. Amazing. Made up for their suprisingly disappointing tiramisu.
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Jan 29, 2015 11:55
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reality_groove posted:Outside of Bodeans there's Duke's in Haggerston. More expensive and a smaller menu but what they do, they do very well. I went to this branch about six months ago with a large group and when a couple in our group left early and tried to pay for what they had (the set menu price and a couple of drinks) the waiter and manager absolutely lost their poo poo when these people declined to pay the service charge (no idea why they didn't want to, this was going on at the till downstairs while the rest of us were still eating/drinking) and started interrogating the rest of our group quite aggressively until we assured them that we would pay for the service charge for everyone, including the two that declined. The pizza was good but I wouldn't go back due to the ferocity of the staff. The service was basic at best anyway. Brand New Malaysian Wife fucked around with this message at 16:07 on Jan 29, 2015 |
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Jan 29, 2015 15:55
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I've only refused to pay service once (Dishoom, Covent Garden) and the waiter couldn't handle it. The whole thing is a farce - either bake it into the prices, or leave it up to the diner. Specifying an optional gratuity then flipping out is ridiculous.
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Jan 29, 2015 17:47
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Yeah, in my experience 'optional service charge' is rarely optional.
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Jan 30, 2015 10:55
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That's the thing isn't it - you can't withhold it without making it a huge deal. It's probably working as intended because if you really want to withhold the tip, you'll actually have to tell someone at the restaurant why their service wasn't up to scratch rather than simply not dumping your change on the table and shuffling out quietly. It means you sometimes get actual feedback about your service but it massively discourages the feedback from happening. I do think that people working in the industry should be a little more prepared to see tips withheld from time to time, unless they are really confident in their level of service. That's my long train journey opinion of someone who has no idea what they're talking about.
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Jan 30, 2015 11:11
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Yeah, it's a nasty habit we've picked up from the Americans. At least there they have a reason. $2-3 an hour, and then the rest is made up with tips. You're directly paying the wait staff. Here, because of our labour laws, they get a full proper wage. I'd feel comfortable tipping if they went above and beyond what is expected for normal service, otherwise no. Often UK waitstaff are miserable as gently caress and seem to give as little a poo poo as possible, so why should I tip at all, or feel compelled to pay more for service?
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Jan 30, 2015 11:13
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I really don't think we want to start another tipping discussion on SA. Not even about UK-specific tipping. I went to 8 Hoxton Square this week and it was pretty excellent. Really simple meals, not much fuss, lovely service and great wine at reasonable prices. So yeah.
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Jan 30, 2015 11:58
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So where is good for brazillian all you can eat BBQ in London? I've been to the Rodizio Rico in angel a couple of times but I wanted to mix it up and go somewhere else
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Feb 4, 2015 01:53
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Ahdinko posted:So where is good for brazillian all you can eat BBQ in London? I've been to the Rodizio Rico in angel a couple of times but I wanted to mix it up and go somewhere else Preto Rodizio on Shaftesbury Avenue is pretty good (and cheaper), but Rico is definitely the better of the two.
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Feb 4, 2015 03:02
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Hey guys, For the past few months I've been working a couple of days a week on St Martins' Lane - Just by Leicester Square. Does anyone have any recommended places nearby I could stop at, for lunch with colleagues? I've toured up and down the lane and I'm looking to branch out a little more. Not in London that often.
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Feb 6, 2015 10:58
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You're pretty much in prime restaurant area there. Chinatown is good for cheap lunch options - Leong's Legends and Baozi Inn are both stock recommendations. Shake Shack in Covent Garden is actually good if you want burgers, in spite of the queue. If it's slightly more of an occasion Kopapa and Dishoom (both on St Martin's Lane I think) are excellent, as is Flesh & Buns up by 7 Dials. And obviously you're within walking distance of two branches of Scoff and Banter, an essential London destination.
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Feb 6, 2015 11:19
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| # ? Apr 16, 2024 19:43 |
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Terroirs, Hawksmore and Opera Tavern are all nearby. Not sure if you'd have to book for lunch or not though. Terroirs and Opera are easily in my top 5 restaurants in London, and worth stopping by even if you can't do for lunch. Also not so much a 'recommendation' as such, but you should also stop by the Chandos for a pint if you've never done it. Also thank you reality_groove for the recommendation!
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Feb 6, 2015 11:28
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