London Restaurants
Although we always thought British food and London restaurants in particulars got a bad rap, there is no denying that London is currently the best restaurant city in the world and eclipses New York in the dining arena. Follows a few of our dining suggestions.
The Yauatcha dim sum restaurant opened on April 13th 2004 and the teahouse opened early July 2004.
In January 2005 Yauatcha was awarded a Michelin star, making it one of only two Michelin starred Chinese restaurants in the country – the other being Alan Yau’s Hakkasan.
Opening hours:
Tea House
Monday – Saturday: 9.00am – 11.00pm
Sunday: 9.00am - 10.30pm
Dim Sum Restaurant
Monday – Friday: midday – 11.00pm
Saturday: 11.00am – 11.00pm
Sunday: 11.00am - 10.30pm
Reservations for the Dim Sum restaurant are taken on 020 7494 8888. Yauatcha is located at 15 Broadwick Street London W1F ODL.
On the ground floor and basement of Richard Rogers’ Ingeni building, at the corner of Broadwick and Berwick Street in Soho, is Alan Yau’s teahouse. The proprietor of Hakkasan and Busaba Eathai has again collaborated with the French interior designer Christian Liaigre, this time to provide Londoners with an amazing place to yum cha.
In colloquial Chinese, ‘yum cha’ means to have tea, but since the rules of hospitality dictate that drink should not be served without food, the phrase is actually shorthand for the social ritual of catching up with one’s friends for a good gossip over dim sum. Yauatcha is London’s first specialist dim sum restaurant: open all day, seven days a week, serving some two dozen varieties of the delicious little snacks, which are delivered to the table in bamboo baskets rather than dispensed from a roving trolley.
Yauatcha’s dim sum is prepared by a team under the supervision of Cheong Wah Soon from Hakkasan, the only Chinese restaurant in Britain to boast a star in the Michelin guide. Equally accomplished in her field is Hsieh Chih Chang, the tea mistress from Taipei, who is responsible for compiling the tea list, selecting teas and the most appropriate chinaware in which to serve it from China and Taiwan.
Tea is taken extremely seriously in Taiwan – home of oolong - where Mistress Hsieh conducts master classes on the history and ritual of its service for the edification of Taipei’s elite and where an embryonic chain called ‘Cha for Tea’ is holding Starbucks at bay. Yauatcha offers some 150 varieties of tea - 60% of them Chinese - which are sold in the ground floor teahouse at prices ranging from £2.50 per pot up to £25 and packaged for sale from a small retail area near the entrance, where other tea-related products are also available, including pots and cups and scented candles.
At the entrance, nearby the retail tea area, is a five meter-long white marble counter, where Yauatcha’s unique array of patisserie is displayed. Stephane Sucheta, a traditionally-trained and highly accomplished French pastry chef whose last job was to run the U.S. operation of the renowned Parisian patissier, Pierre Hermé, devises these pastries. Stephane is working with the Chinese staff and incorporating Oriental ingredients, specifically to compliment the range of teas.
Yauatcha appears like a fantastic teahouse made real. In fact, that is exactly what it is: the kind of place that Alan Yau imagined would be ideal for yum cha and where he hopes you will join Yau at cha.
The Dim Sum restaurant seats 120 and The Tea House seats 64.
There are not enough accolades to for Yauatcha, London’s hottest Chinese restaurant. But don’t expect some noodle joint. Two floors of elegant, modern design await you. Upstairs, as you enter, an eye-catching array of desserts; one flight below, twinkling lights on the ceiling and a wall flooded with recessed accompany London’s best bar, where 4 tenders turn out drinks based on sweet, sour and creamy, some tea bases, all intoxicatingly delicious. The upmarket Asian clientele point to the excellent service and food that will blow your mind. All dumplings, whether steamed lobster and pumpkin or scallops and chives; baked venison puffs, duck spring roll Malaysian style stir-fry noodles; shrimp, scallops and vegetables in xo sauce and a chicken and hundred year old egg congee compete for the best dish of the century. The desserts may be somewhat westernized but all killers: Especially the brownie with a ganache filling. New York, San Francisco and even Vancouver Asian restaurants pale by comparison.
Café des Amis
Café des Amis has recently been taken over by a dynamic young team headed up by Nadir Suleiman (previously at Pharmacy and Osia) and head chef Koenraad Inghelram, who trained with Albert Roux and was recently head chef under Scott Webster at the critically acclaimed Osia on Haymarket.
The team hope to inject a new lease of life into this quintessentially French restaurant, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year (it was Lawrence Isaacson and Neville Abraham’s first restaurant). In the kitchen Koenraad uses the finest ingredients for a distinctly French flavour with influences from the Mediterranean. Marinated Spanish gordial olives and Italian Marcona almonds may be followed by Scottish rope grown moules mariniéres, seafood risotto nero or any of the classically French dishes such as soupe de poisson, or a pan fried sea bass in sauce lieu de vin.
Meanwhile the basement bar has undergone a sensitive refurbishment which sees the central bar remain and the introduction of a softer more feminine scheme: low seating, crushed gold velvet banquets and delicate crystal drop lighting complement the original art deco framed black and white images of ballerinas magnificent in tulle on the walls.
The popular wine bar has been refined and improved by the new owners, and now offers a wide selection of cheeses from La Fromagerie and an extensive wine list designed to suit all budgets - from the comfortably affordable Le Beau Chene Grenache right through to the stellar Lafite Rothschild 1983. Open until 1am, this is the perfect place to slink off to after the ballet or theatre to enjoy a plate of Keltic Grade A Oysters and sample a fantastic vintage.
In the heart of theatreland, just a pirouette away from Drury Lane and the Royal Opera House, Café des Amis is ideal for a lazy brunch or an informal working lunch, taking in the vibrant atmosphere of Covent Garden over a plate of smoked salmon and blinis or a steak baguette. Hanover Passage is the perfect place to dine al fresco - tucked just off Long Acre tables are placed a healthy and tranquil distance from the traffic.
In the evenings the bar and restaurant fills up with romancing couples, mid-week workers winding down and dressed-to-the-nines pre/post theatregoers. Decorated with iridescent sparkle and a dramatic central chandelier, you could easily be forgiven for thinking that the black and white photographed ballerinas that flank the walls were about to whirl down the spiral staircase and into the restaurant itself. It’s not surprising, given the setting, that Pavlova features on the menu. Other indulgent puddings include Konrad’s callebout chocolate soup, served with black pepper ice cream - a gastronomic finale sure to bring the house down.
The Zetter’s airy crescent-shaped restaurant occupies the majority of the ground floor of the building and is bathed in natural light from the sash windows that wrap round the room, giving view onto the historic cobbled stones of St John’s Square.
The food is Italian – a nod to the area’s ethnic roots – while the attitude is Australian, courtesy of Melburian Michael Benyan. ‘Peeling away the conventions and complexity of London dining and giving us big flavors’,[1] The Zetter is open all day and offers flexible eating, catering as much for grazers as it does for those enjoying an à la carte meal. Lazy brunches extend until the late afternoon on weekends, and are inspired by renowned dishes from the Melbourne Wine Room, such as avocado on toast with crispy pancetta.
The ‘intelligent, ambitious’[2] menu comes from head chefs Megan Jones (ex-Moro) and Cameron Emirali (a protégée of Gary Skelton at The Edge). Changing monthly, it exploits the best produce on offer at the markets: summer may bring grilled turbot with vignarola whereas winter sees duck leg braised in Amarone with red cabbage & caramelized pear. Pasta, risottos and pizzas vary weekly, and the restaurant’s wonderful tortellini and Focaccia is made on-site. The all-day bar menu offers a variety of Italian inspired dishes, including vast plates of meats and cheeses.
Drinking
The 60-strong wine list, with at least twelve bins available by the glass, specializes in Italian bottles, and is grouped by characteristic rather than origin. Master of Wine Peter McCombie hosts regular informal tasting events, and diners can also enjoy innovative cocktails from barmen Mario Spirto & Federico Riezzo (ex-Sanderson), such as ‘Gin-jam’, which features gin muddled with homemade fig jam topped with Prosecco.
Address: 86-88 Clerkenwell Road London EC1M 5RJ
T. Room Reservations 020 7324 4444
T. Restaurant 020 7324 4455
Nearest Tube: Farringdon
Opening Hours:
Breakfast: 7am-10: 30am (Mon - Fri),
7am - 11:30am (Sat - Sun)
Brunch: 11am - 3pm (Sat - Sun)
Lunch: 12pm - 2:30pm (Mon - Fri)
Dinner: 6pm - 11pm (Mon - Sat),
6pm - 10.30pm (Sun)
Capacity: Restaurant 90
River Fleet Room 20
New River Room 80
Average Spend: Restaurant £35 (à la carte inc wine)
Alan Yau opens his third Busaba Eathai
May 2005 saw the opening of the third and largest Busaba Eathai at Bird Street in the heart of the West End: only moments away from Selfridges.
The new Busaba Eathai offers the same contemporary style of Thai casual dining with an average spend of £12 per head that has been so popular in Soho and Bloomsbury.
The now familiar menu offers a good selection of Thai salads, noodles, curries and stir-fries and in addition a new complete menu: Set Thai. The menu also offers an extensive list of Asian inspired, juices, smoothies and drinks.
Remaining faithful to the original design concept by Christian Liaigre, the new restaurant is based on communal dinning around square tables and bench seating. The interior employs rich palate of materials including bronze, stone, and hardwood which are warm by the soft lighting of the paper lampshades. The extensive kitchen is visible to all diners through a colour glazed screen timber lattice work.
The striking timber and slate shop front incorporates a distinctive logo signage along with an interactive menu screen designed by Tomato.
The new Busaba Eathai is located at 8-13 Bird Street, London W1U 1BU and the number for enquiries is 020 7518 8080. The restaurant seats 170 and is open 7 days a week. It is open from midday to 11pm Monday to Thursday, midday to 11.30pm Friday and Saturday and midday to 10pm on Sunday. As with all the Busaba restaurants there is a no reservation policy and no smoking.
Ian Pengelley opens Pengelley’s on Thursday 24 February 2005
In February 2005, chef Ian Pengelley opened his first independent restaurant and bar, Pengelley’s, in the heart of Knightsbridge, (164 Sloane Street, 020 7750 5000). Here he serves his ‘New Asian Cuisine’ – which Ian defines as ‘the best of Asia under one roof’ - an admittedly personal and eclectic selection and interpretation of what he considers to be the finest dishes from around Asia, and the culmination of Ian’s career so far.
Our lunch was extraordinary. NY has nothing to match chef Pengelley’s magical touch. From the most ethereal dumplings imaginable to exquisite compositions of seafood, pork and a tasting lunch to die for, Pengelley’s is a London must.
Ian grew up in Hong Kong and with his strong grasp of Cantonese, trained in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and China, before coming to England to continue his career. Having worked at Cicada, The Birdcage and The Hempel, before becoming the launch head chef of E&O in London’s Notting Hill, where he stayed until July 2003, it is fair to say that Ian has played a big part in the popularization of so-called ‘Pan-Asian’ cuisine in this country. Since leaving E&O, Ian has worked hard to take his cooking to another level, hence the term ‘New-Asian’. He has embarked upon extensive travel and research in his quest for more authentic and ambitious results. All his research has been infused with his life long and defining passion for Asian food.
“There is endless inspiration for me to take from the food of Asia, which means that the menu at Pengelley’s will always be a work in progress, constantly evolving and changing.” Ian Pengelley
Like most chefs, Ian has long since nurtured an ambition to open his own restaurant, a place where the food will always come first and where he will have the creative freedom that he craves. He has waited patiently for the all-important right opportunity to arise, which came in the form of Gordon Ramsay and his company, Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited which has provided the finance, sourced the site and set-up Pengelley’s on behalf of Ian.
At Pengelley’s, Ian heads up a brigade of world-class chefs, including a sushi chef from Tokyo, a dim sum chef from Hong Kong, and a wok chef from Thailand. Ian is on hand to guide them to suit western tastes, often refining certain elements but without affecting the core integrity of any dish. Together the chefs ensure that all the flavors are both authentic and vibrant; with everything created from scratch each day, from cracking their own coconut milk to roasting their own Peking ducks.
The menu is divided into simple and self-explanatory sections including ‘soups’, ‘salads’, ‘grilled’, ‘steamed’ and ‘sushi sections’, as well as a separate ‘dim sum’ menu. Highlights of the menu include: ‘beef pho’; ‘smoked trout with green mango salad’; ‘caramelized pork hock with chilli vinegar’; ‘quail kushyaki’; ‘halibut with black bean and chilli’ and desserts of ‘jasmine custard and tea poached pear’ and ‘young coconut rum and mango’. There are also daily changing specials.
On the second floor is Pengelley’s Bar, which has been created in conjunction with bar specialists the ‘Gorgeous Group’, whose expertise includes team training, product development and service design. They are behind award winning concepts such as Zeta Bar, Hakkasan, Apt 195 and The Grove in Hertfordshire. Inspired by Ian’s Asian flavors, The Gorgeous Group have helped develop a drinks list, which includes a range of palate cleansing martinis with an Asian twist, a list of Bloody Marys, which will compliment the spice and textures of Ian’s food. There is also a nod to the colonial past with a section dedicated to punches and slings.
McFarlane Latter which has transformed the first floor space into a sleek has designed Pengelley’s and sexy room, which realizes an Asian design aesthetic with the use of natural materials and luxurious finishes. There are contrasting patinas of different woods throughout the restaurant - on the floor, walls and ceiling. There is a mixture of booth and banquette dark brown leather seating, and freestanding circular tables with elegant, curvaceous chairs. The oak wall linings display richly colored artwork panels featuring specially commissioned artwork by Barnaby Gorton, whose depictions of taut muscular torsos and limbs create a unique and sensual focal point to the room. The bar on the second floor continues the theme of natural textures and luxurious finishes. A long granite bar, slate and wooden flooring are softened by inviting sofas, Asian daybeds and discreet lighting. The bar has a 1am license and benefits from a dance floor.
Address: 164 Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9QB
Telephone number: 020 7750 5000
Fax number: 020 7750 5001
E-mail: reservations@pengelleys.com
Website: www.pengelleys.com
Owner: Ian Pengelley Ltd
Head Chef: Ian Pengelley
Opened: Thursday 24 February 2005
Interior Designer: David Latter
Restaurant Capacity: 84
Bar Capacity: 100
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday for lunch and dinner
12pm – 3pm and 6pm – 11pm
Dim Sum available from 12pm – 6pm
Average Spend: £55 per head
Closest tube: Knightsbridge/Sloane Square
Our Take: A fabulous restaurant below a trendy lounge sets the stage for some of London’s best Asian food. The chef may have pose in the buff for the colorful Frescos that adorn this stylish and minimalist designed gem, but make no mistake the food is serious. A team of chefs and cooks man an array of stations that encompass the best cuisines of Chine, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia in dazzling presentations. Go for the tasting menu that features no less than 12 courses and such wonders as gossamer scallop & egg white dumplings, complex salads, the best Malaysian-style curry this side of the Orient, and lovely desserts. A la Carte, exotica offer succulent ham hocks, tempura soft shell crab and an express den sum lunch. Great cocktails and service complete the picture.
CONTINUING ITS CULINARY SERIES OF SPECIAL MENUS, THE RENOWNED RIB ROOM & OYSTER BAR, SHOWCASES THE WINTER GAME MENU IN NOVEMBER
The five-star Jumeriah Carlton Tower, known for its premier Knightsbridge location, its comfort, and its luxury, also offers fine dining options, among which is the famed Rib Rooms & Oyster Bar. For the month of November, The Rib Room & Oyster Bar will continue its series of special menus, involving a culinary exploration of food with emphasis on creativity and variety.
The Rib Room & Oyster Bar, offering fine British cuisine since 1961, is known as one of London’s best steak houses. The October menu featuring Smoked Salmon, will be superseded with the November menu which will include various signature game selections including Daube of Venison, served with celeriac puree, Roast Red Leg Partridge, served with cream winter cabbage, Suffolk bacon, and fondant potato, and Pot Roasted Pheasant, served with roasted root vegetables and herb dumplings.
The menu offers a three-course meal, with three choices for each course. Appetizers include Smoked Highland Venison, Clear Soup of Wild Duck, and Pressed Terrine of Game and Cumbrian Ham. Dessert choices include Treacle Sponge with Vanilla Sauce, Warm Apple Tart with Cinnamon Ice Cream, and a fine selection of home made ice cream and sorbet.
Attached please find a winter game recipe from Chef Simon Yang at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower that your readers can prepare at home.
For further information and reservations, please visit www.jumeirah.com or call toll free: 1-877-854-3051.
Voted Best Value Business Hotel by Conde Nast Traveller UK at the 2005 Reader’s Travel Awards, the five-star The Carlton Tower is ideally located in the heart of Knightsbridge. Part of the Dubai-based luxury hospitality group Jumeirah and sister to the world’s most luxurious hotel, Burj Al Arab, The Carlton Tower, offers a wealth of experiences, combined with first class service. Spectacular health club facilities, contemporary bedrooms and a wide variety of dining options from the famous The Rib Room and Oyster Bar and the recently opened Pengelley’s Restaurant are just some of the hotel’s attractions. Other hotels in the group’s portfolio include The Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Emirates Towers Hotel, The Jumeirah Beach Club Resort and Spa, Madinat Jumeirah and Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa in Dubai and in January 2006, the historic 500 room Essex House Hotel in Manhattan, New York. For reservations, please call The Carlton Tower toll free at 877-854-8051 or visit www.jumeirah.com.
RHODES TWENTY FOUR
24th Floor @ Tower 42 London
Located on the 24th floor of the City of London’s tallest building, Tower 42, Rhodes Twenty Four is the latest offering from Britain’s top chef, Gary Rhodes. 2005 Michelin Star winner, Rhodes Twenty Four offers traditional British cuisine in an outstanding location in the heart of the City, with its stunning views across the capital.
Commonly revered in culinary circles as the ‘Chef’s Chef’, Gary Rhodes has a reputation for bringing quality, precision and finesse to every dish he touches. Rhodes Twenty Four’s core value is Very British Fayre and the menu at the 76-cover restaurant reflects the very best dishes, flavors and textures of British Food, but always with an innovative twist.
The menu features British classics and favorites, each born from the ideas of old, displaying a new elegance and style; from new season lamb with fresh mint jelly, mutton hash and grilled sardines on toast, to jam roly poly with fresh custard and jam sauce.
Commenting on the menu, Gary Rhodes said:
“British classics and favorites have passed through many changes, with different approaches to ingredients resulting in varied techniques and tastes. I have always had a strong passion for classics, more or less all of the new trends have been born from them and we take the traditional concept from its original idea, introducing recognition of flavors with elegance. These recipes, with their rejuvenated style, are here to be enjoyed and to revive the feelings predominantly for good traditional British cookery”.
From the tables and chairs, the lighting, ambience, architecture and sculptures, to the glassware, plates and every knife and fork, Rhodes Twenty Four shows and tells a new story from beginning to end.
The story Rhodes Twenty Four wants to share is that good food doesn’t have to be played with or overdressed; all it needs is to be put together simply and well.
So, whether you are entertaining clients or celebrating a special occasion, Rhodes Twenty Four is the perfect place. The restaurant is also available for hire, for more information please email mailto:reservations@rhodes24.co.uk.
Rhodes Twenty Four
25 Old Broad Street
London EC2N 1HQ
Reservations: 020 7877 7703
Opening Times: Monday to Friday
Lunch: 12.00 pm – 2.30 pm
Dinner: 6.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Our Take: Located on the 24th floor of London’s tallest building in the financial district and an eerie facsimile of NY’s Windows on the \world, star chef Gary Rhode re-invents English cuisine with appetizers like remarkable homemade sausage with and a heady foie gras terrine. Entrees include sautéed sea bream with celeriac and a tian-style steamed mutton pudding with rutabaga pure. Even the giveaways like the fresh baked rolls, a demitasse soup of smoked halibut, saffron & hot peppers are terrific. Don’t miss such dessert winners as warm rice pudding soup with ginger snap cookies and airy bread pudding with a brioche-brulee crust. The wine selection (epically by the glass) is accomplished and service may be the best in London.
Shanghai Blues
Address 193-197 High Holborn
London WC1V 7BD
Tel No 020 7404 1668/9, fax: 020 7404 1448
Email info@shanghaiblues.co.uk
Web Site www.shanghaiblues.co.uk
Opening Times Open Monday to Sunday from 12noon to midnight
Owner David Yiu, the Weng Wah Group
Cuisine Chinese cuisine
Signature Dishes Emperor Dim Sum with Abalone, sea cucumber and shark’s fin, braised pork belly in special Chinese herbs and vinegar, pumpkin dumplings with prawns and minced pork
Head Chef Hong Qui Feng
Menus A la carte, Dim Sum menu
Party menus available on request
No of Covers Mezzanine Lounge 25
Private dining room 10 to 25
Function room 40 to 50
Main dining room 60
Private Parties Exclusive hire of restaurant 200 seated 400 standing
Wine List A broad selection of New World, European and fine wines
Catering Service on request
C/C All major credit cards accepted
Shanghai Blues, 193-197 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BD
Restaurant bookings: 020 7404 1668
Open every day from 12 noon to 12pm
Prices:
Shanghai Blues Tea Set 1: any tea, 3 dim sum £15 per person
Shanghai Blues Tea Set 2: any tea, 4 dim sum £17 per person
Shanghai Blues Tea Set 3: any tea, 5 dim sum £19 per person
A supplement of £2 per person price for Champagne tea (glass of Spring Fizz or champagne).
The menu focuses on modern regional cuisine from Shanghai. Signature dishes include Emperor Dim Sum with abalone, sea cucumber and shark’s fin, pumpkin dumplings with prawns and minced pork, braised pork belly in special Chinese herbs and vinegar. A large Dim Sum menu is also available.
Head Chef Hon Qui Feng is an acclaimed chef within Chinese government circles and was regularly required to cook for cabinet ministers. The restaurant seats 180 guests
Shanghai Blues is a £2.5 million investment and is part of the Weng Wah Group, founded by David Yiu. Other acclaimed restaurants within the group include Shanghai (E8) and Weng Wah House (NW3)
General Manager Andrew Hung has over 10 years experience within the restaurant industry. Originally from Hong Kong, Andrew brings a wealth of culinary knowledge and passion to Shanghai Blues
Hotel Information
An oriental haven in the heart of London
Do you find it increasingly difficult to find a restaurant in London where diners are allowed to take as much time as they like to enjoy their meal, where they are given the space and attention they deserve and where they can simply relax and have a good time without feeling pressurised by the staff? If you have observed any of the aforementioned and long for a return to easy-going, unconstrained dining, then Shanghai Blues is the perfect restaurant for you.
This oriental restaurant and bar offers a range of options to make your experience a special one. The restaurant oozes character and style. Situated in the grade II listed building that formerly housed the St Giles library, the high ceilings in the dining rooms give a wonderful feeling of space combined with more secluded areas such as the VIP bar and the private dining room. The chocolate brown colouring of the floor and walls gives a warm opulence which is complimented by relaxing aquatic blues and vibrant reds.
The airy dining rooms have large Chinese antique alter tables which allow diners to communicate more easily whilst enjoying the creative Dim Sum menu. Thanks to thoughtful design, plenty of space has been left between tables so diners aren’t distracted by other guests’ conversations.
The mezzanine bar is available either for diners to lounge and enjoy an aperitif before dinner or a drink after your meal. The extensive cocktail and wine list specially devised for Shanghai Blues will help you unwind and complete the whole dinning experience.
The menu focuses on modern regional cuisine from Shanghai. Signature dishes include Emperor Dim Sum with abalone, sea cucumber and shark’s fin, pumpkin dumplings with prawns and minced pork, braised pork belly in special Chinese herbs and vinegar. A large Dim Sum menu is also available
Head Chef Hon Qui Feng is an acclaimed chef within Chinese government circles and was regularly required to cook for cabinet ministers
The restaurant seats 180 guests
Shanghai Blues is a £2.5 million investment and is part of the Weng Wah Group, founded by David Yiu. Other acclaimed restaurants within the group include Shanghai (E8) and Weng Wah House (NW3)
General Manager Andrew Hung has over 10 years experience within the restaurant industry. Originally from Hong Kong, Andrew brings a wealth of culinary knowledge and passion to Shanghai Blues
So, for a truly exclusive dining experience in the heart of London, check out Shanghai Blues, an oriental haven on High Holborn.
