 A historical pub that's been serving up food and booze since 1856, this Victorian pub is bursting with character. Located just minutes from the picturesque canals of Little Venice, The Prince Alfred is conveniently located for locals looking for a charming place to enjoy a cheeky tipple and a hearty meal in a relaxed environment. The stylish Formosa Dining Room with its sharp, navy dining charis and comfy leather booths, seats up to 60 people and boasts an open kitchen, so guests can watch their meals being lovingly prepared. Downstairs beneath the main dining room lies the old coal cellar, which has since been transformed into four arches with seating, providing a secluded and sophisticated drinking or dining area.The cellars are available for private hire for up to 30 people, making it the perfect place to enjoy special occasions.  The cuisine All of the dishes at The Prince Alfred are made using the best seasonal British ingredients. The food here is traditional pub fare made with flair, think sausages and mash (£11.50); cod fillet with ratatouille, kale pesto and black pudding (£16.50); pork belly (£16.50) and braised beef pie with seasonal vegetables (£12.50), to name just a few of the delicious items on offer.  Our meal For my starter, I had the cured smoked duck breast with apple and celeriac coleslaw, fig and pomegranate dressing (£7.50), which was pleasantly tart and had a nice crunch to it. My friend opted for the butternut squash and baby spinach tart, Ragstone goats cheese mousse (£6.50), a comforting dish with warming, autumnal flavours. For my main, I selected the Sea Bass fillet with white sprouting broccoli, salsify, chilli tomato sauce and basil oil (£16.50), which was absolutely gorgeous and had the perfect balance of flavours. Be warned, the portion size is massive (consisting of 3x large slabs of sea bass), so only order this if you're feeling peckish!  My friend opted for the Duo of lamb with ragstone goat cheese, peppers, sultanas, minted peas and lamb sauce (£18.00), which was very tender and had a lovely sweetness thanks to the addition of the sultanas.  For dessert, we selected the Rhubarb & apricot tart, honeycomb ice cream, blackberry coulis (£6.00) and the sticky toffee pudding, vanilla bean ice cream, salted caramel sauce (£6.00) . Both desserts were nice, however, the massive slab of sticky toffee pudding was undoubtedly the star of the two. 
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THE place for sultry cocktails and steak... If you like your restaurants sexy and dimly lit with music pumping through the speakers, than STK is your type of place. Located in the modern ME London Hotel, STK has been the 'go-to' place for people who like to eat meat and party, which in my estimation is a pretty good way to live one's life. If you're not a carnivore, you'd best stay at home as this is a place designed for meat lovers.
As I waited for my husband to join me, I settled in at the bar area where I enjoyed a nice glass of De Loach, Hermitage Reserve, Pinot Noir (£8.00). The bar area was quiet for a Wednesday night, but I imagine this definitely wouldn't be the case on a Friday or Saturday evening when people are ready to let down their hair. Once my husband arrived, we settled into a cosy booth where the waiter promptly brought us each a chilled glass of champagne - a great start to the night. As we perused the 3-course pre-theatre menu (£30.00 per person, available Mon- Sunday from 5-7pm), which seemed pointless as I knew I was going to order a steak (a no brainer), we ordered a basket of blue cheese bread with pesto dipping sauce, which was scoffed just as quickly as it had arrived.  As gluttony was on the menu, we started with the waygu burgers, thick little bundles of salty, juicy meatiness. I loved the tangy burger sauce topping that was generously slathered onto the burgers and the soft brioche bun. We also tried the swordfish ceviche, which was really fresh and was bursting with lovely coconut and citrus flavours and served with a pleasantly crunchy salad. For our mains, I had a delicious USDA prime rump steak, which was truly scrumptious, and my husband opted for the Crispy Bass (£24.50) with pancetta and gnocci. The fish was fresh and flaky and had a gorgeous meatiness to it. For sides, we had the macaroni and cheese (which was just OK)(£6.00), sauteed greens (£4.00), the mustard mash (£4.00) and the Parmesan truffle chips (one of my favourite sides) (£4.00).  
Because one can never have too many blossoms in their life... From now until the 18th of June, Saka no Hana is celebrating the arrival of spring with the return of the cherry blossom garden in the Sake no Hana bar. Guests will love the gorgeous cherry blossoms, which decorate the space, giving it an ethereal feel. The breath-taking atmosphere is carried throughout the restaurant via a cherry blossom archway, which covers the escalators to the main restaurant, to instantly transport guests to a magical experience.
To celebrate the cherry blossom season, Saka no Hana has created a limited edition Sakura menu (£34.00 per person) featuring a cocktail, miso soup, a sushi and sashimi bento box and a main course. We kick started our visit in style with the signature cocktail, the Kaori Arpege, which featured Beefeater 24 gin, yuzu sake, cherry liqueur, peach bitters, grapefruit juice and agave. The cocktail arrived with three atomisers (each featuring a different flavour to spray the cocktail), which we found very exciting - even if we weren't quite sure what we were spraying each time we gave it a go!
 For our main course, we had the chicken sumiyaki, featuring large chunks of chicken, which were very moreish. For dessert, we had the cherry chocolate sake mousse and the chocolate crumble with sake jelly (£8.50), which were lovely. 
A unique Goan and Portugese fusion restaurant in the heart of Waterloo... Assado is a new(ish) Indian restaurant situated in the Hampton Hilton Hotel on Waterloo Road. The spacious restaurant spreads across both sides of the hotel's ample entrance, with plenty of room between tables, making it a nice option for those looking for a comfortable restaurant within the hustle and bustle of Waterloo. The Goan and Portuguese fusion menu boasts a generous selection of starters, mains and (unusual but welcome) desserts.  Starters Based on the waitress’ recommendation, we started with the mixed platter (£16.50). Highlights were the chicken tikka with top-quality juicy chunks of meat seasoned and baked to perfection, and the lamb samosas, which had a lovely crispy pastry and flavoursome meat with just the right amount of spice. Amongst other dishes on the platter, the prawn rissoles were a bit on the bland side, and the chick pea xiaccuti, had good clean flavours, but was too dry. We also tried the “dynamite squid” (£6.50), which sounded intriguing, but was disappointing as it was a bit rubbery and lacking in spiciness.  Mains For mains, we chose the classic Goan prawn curry (£15.75), the lamb xiacutti (£15.75), and a Goan pork dish (£15.50). The prawns in the curry were succulent and of a good size, but the accompanying sauce lacked a sharpness of flavour. We loved the rice, however, which was wonderfully fluffy. The lamb xiacutti was very tasty. The spices were expertly balanced and the texture of the masala was almost perfect. The only fault was that the some of the lamb was a bit on the chewy side. The same could be said of the Goan pork, which was (very slightly) undercooked. This Goan pork dish was similar to a sweet and sour dish and was served with a delicious risotto that was much enjoyed by our group. Dessert From the enticing dessert menu, we selected a freshly baked Portuguese custard tart (£6.50). The pastry crust was deliciously light, and the mango and coconut cheesecake, was almost perfectly textured with a nutty base. We also tried the bebinca (£6.75), which we were informed by the waitress was ‘a cake like no other’. The texture was certainly unusual – think solid mousse - and was accompanied by an utterly gorgeous cardamom-infused cheesecake. 
The hugely successful yet refreshingly humble British chef, Theo Randall, who earned River Café a Michelin star and who continues to create wonderful authentic Italian cuisine at the Intercontinental Hotel, has now opened Theo’s Simple Italian in the Hotel Indigo in Kensington to ensure that we all get a taste of the action.
Décor/Atmosphere
As with all Hotel Indigo properties there’s a distinct boutique-y and intimate vibe as you walk into the Edwardian townhouse and the inviting restaurant makes you feel relaxed immediately. Off the central room you'll find the bar, a cosier and more private area and a self-professed ‘snug’ designed for private meetings and events where you can also get some work done on your laptop or simply relax and unwind with a glass of wine after a long day.
For those who fancy popping in for a quick take-away lunch or snack, the cold counter offers homemade cakes and pastries in the morning and charcuterie and cheeses in the afternoon and they’ve even joined forces with Clerkenwell-based company Workshop Coffee who park a van outside and serve artisan coffee to those who love the real stuff.
There truly is something for everyone here. 
With Head Chef William Leoni at the helm and drawing on the ethos of his new cookbook My Simple Italian, Theo’s food is focused on seasonality, simplicity, basically the food we love to eat. There seems to be a movement at the moment of redefining Italian food and showcasing some of the cuisine’s more traditional dishes, and with this in mind there wasn’t a pizza in sight!
The menu is relatively short and this makes the process of ordering a pleasant one, made even more enjoyable by quaffing a glass of ice-cold Prosecco while we perused. Cicchetti, or small snacks, are the Venetian equivalent of Spanish tapas and we tried the veal, beef and pork meatballs with burrata (£3.50), which my partner claims were the best meatballs he’d ever eaten. I was simply astounded by their lightness, a characteristic we were informed is a result of using three meats, primarily veal. 
The dollop of burrata just melting on top of the rich and spicy sauce was a mere teaser for the antipasti dish we chose, which was a perfect pouch of luxurious cream and mozzarella, a truly authentic burrata (£9) from Italy. They’re a naughty pleasure at the best of times, but this one was out of this world. My only criticism would be that the fresh heirloom tomatoes that surrounded it, that I expected to instantaneously take me back to sitting on the balcony in Sorrento eating olive oil-drenched tomatoes with mozzarella and San Daniele ham, were unripe and lacked flavour. 
The manager insisted that we we try the pasta, their speciality, so we thought it only polite to try two pasta dishes for our starters. That’s what the Italians do after all!
The pappardelle with an oxtail ragu (£11), which consisted of beautifully light ribbons of pasta and exceptionally tender oxtail, was immediately comforting and took me back to the oxtail soup I ate as a child. The Tuscan gnudi (‘naked’ in Italian) (£6) gives you an insight into the simplicity of this dish, which featured a hearty portion of delicate ricotta dumplings dripping in noisette butter and topped with crisp sage and Parmesan. The gnudi were silky and moreish, and although they weren't as familiar as gnocchi, they were just as comforting. And finally, because it stood out from the moment we opened the menu, the fish stew with red mullet, prawns and squid (£22) arrived. The bowl was piled high with fresh fish and seafood, and was swimming in the most wonderfully rich and heady bisque, all served with toasted bread to soak up the juices and not forgetting that all-important hidden gem of a crostini sodden with flavour underneath it all. Drink The Italian wine list is unpretentious and it is such a nice touch that the staff can so knowledgably help you make a decision, satisfying any whim and pairing it with your food selection so well. The Prosecco we started with, Torre Ca’Morlin, was a fresh well-rounded sparkling, which was kind on the palate and eased us in gently. We tried a beautiful Fiano-Greco, which had similar characteristics to a fruity Sauvignon Blanc and worked very well with the richness of the meatballs and rich cheese. The smooth and dark Refosco red wine was full-bodied enough to stand up to the heady fish stew and the dessert wine called Mirto surprised me with its complexity. All in all, a very intelligent wine list, or very intelligent pairing, likely both.
Dessert
And just when we thought we could eat no more, a trio of desserts (£6.00) arrived. We started with the most divine lightly bruléed lemon tart, which transported me back to Sorrento, the land of enormous, plump and endlessly juicy lemons. Next was a white chocolate and orange tart, which was sweeter and light as a feather, with a perfectly crisp pastry that suddenly succumbs to its unctuous filling. Lastly, the Sambuca semi-freddo was refreshingly light and had a nice kick of espresso. As no Italian meal is complete without Limoncello, we had a cheeky tipple to finish off the meal. 
Service
It is quite clear that service is of the utmost importance adapting so effortlessly to the moods and wants of their guests. They genuinely want to please, and their tight team appear so happy and confident in what they’re offering here. The Manager is marvellous, a font of knowledge on all things Italian, and as it turns out, all things Theo (he’s worked with him for years) and his passion for this place is tangible. We could have talked to him all night, in fact we did. Our experience overall I keep referring to it as Theo’s Casual Italian because that’s how I think of it – a relaxed atmosphere, great hearty food, warm service. It seems the aim is for guests to relax and feel at home away from home, that there really is a personal touch to their stay, and this is precisely how we felt during our (all too short) stay. Location **** Food and drink ***** Ambience **** Staff attentiveness/friendliness ***** Theo's Simple Italian 34-44 Barkston Gardens London SW5 0EW www.theossimpleitalian.co.uk Luci Lyne |
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