Remember that time on this here London restaurant blog when I said I hadn’t had a bad meal in London in ages and I was like “WOW! What is going on in this world?” Well, I have paid the price for that. Recently, London’s restaurants have disappointed me, saddened me, made me mad. I’ve had more than a few decidedly average meals in London lately. The sun is out now though so let’s hope that spring has truly sprung and the best is still to come. Here’s where I’ve been eating lately, roughly in order of deliciousness.
Koya Bar, Soho: You cannot go wrong with Koya Bar or Koya. You really can’t. My tempura prawns were PERFECT. They were amazing. They were HUGE. How do they do it?? Also…one cup sake. Gotta love it. I love Koya Bar! The Verdict: Go!
The Delauney, Aldwych: Shnitzel as big as my head. Veal Holstein, actually. (I am still mad that Bob Bob Ricard stopped doing their Veal Holstein.) That and a green salad came to an eye-watering £32 quid or thereabouts. I took half of my Holstein home in a box, expecting to eat it later. I ate it as soon as I got home. Bad Krista. Very bad. I liked the spacious room, the floor tiles and the polished service. The loos were strangely a mess when I visited though. The Verdict: Go!
Merchants Tavern, Hoxton: Have I written about Merchants Tavern yet? I forget. I have been eating here a lot lately. Particularly all the bar snacks. I have been eating a lot of bar snacks at Merchants Tavern. Last night, they had the most delicious of potato skins with aioli for £1! £1!! Amazing. I’m still mad at them for getting rid of the Sunday afternoon DJ — the DJ only starts at 4 pm now — but it’s still a fab place to hang. The Aesop in the loos also makes me want to wash my hands all the time. And the parquet floors! Delightful. The Verdict: Go!
J. Sheekey, Covent Garden: Is there anything not to love about J. Sheekey? Sit in the bar and order some oysters and hang out. (And contemplate the dwindling balance in your bank account.) That’s what I like to do. The Verdict: Go and go again.
Jackson & Rye, Soho: Sunday brunch at Jackson & Rye was a popular affair. The place was jam-packed to an almost annoying degree, particularly right by the front door. Oh, to be that person who assumes that any popular restaurant in town will have a table for six people free if they just wander in with their friends at lunchtime on a Sunday! (In the rain no less.) Cheap cocktails, decent grub. Very personable service. The Verdict: I’d go back for a good time but I’d steer clear of the tables in the front by the door and the people with no reservations.
Bonnie Gull, Exmouth Market: I really wanted to like Bonnie Gull because I do love seafood more than most things. However, the stools by the window were precariously high. Who designs these things? Don’t people know that there are bar-height and counter-height stools for a reason? Anything else does not make sense. And while my croquettes were good, I did not enjoy my baby gem and salted anchovy salad. I think they tried to burn the lettuce? I am not sure. But it was a failure. Also affecting the experience but completely out of their control was the young mother who repeated her infant son’s name every two seconds repeatedly throughout my meal as she tried to stuff food in his gob. (Seriously, I counted.) The Verdict: I feel like I should give this place another try and get a table and not order the salad.
Morito, Exmouth Market: Another place I really wanted to like but didn’t. They drenched my pork belly with raw cumin. Have you ever eaten a lot of raw cumin before? I don’t recommend it. The crispy aubergine was great, but I wasn’t dying over the sweetness of the date molasses. Picky, aren’t I? Note I was in a cranky jet-lagged state during this lunch. I had decided not to sleep at all after arriving back from the US. Maybe that was a bad idea. The Verdict: Unsure.
Hoi An, Off Brick Lane: Another place I really wanted to like but didn’t! My bowl of pho was too heavy on the spring onions for my tastes. A good value overall though. And a pleasant, peaceful homey atmosphere with sweet service. The Verdict: Unsure.
We Grill, Leadenhall Market: Another place I really wanted to like but didn’t! (Are you sensing a theme here?) I was initially attracted to We Grill by its graphic design. All white space and nice fonts. However, once I got in for a closer look, I really had to question their information design. I wish I had taken a picture of the menu. Yes, let’s list out all the daily specials from other days of the week THAT YOU CAN’T HAVE in 500 point font. Also, I am tired of quinoa. The Verdict: Meh.
Tune in to my London restaurant blog next time when I return to Morito and try to get the taste of raw cumin out of my mouth. Also, maybe I go someplace that’s not between Soho and Shoreditch.
