Located in the 5-star Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, only a stone's throw away from Kensington Palace, you'll find the award-winning Park Terrace Restaurant, a stylish place to grab a relaxing meal. Led by Executive Head Chef Steve Munkley, the talented team here prepares a variety of seasonal dishes using fine ingredients and produce sourced from local farms and orchards to ensure the utmost quality. The vibe The service is 'no frills without the fuss', meaning the waiter was always at hand when needed, but was by no means obtrusive. Given that the restaurant is located within a hotel, it can lack a bit of atmosphere depending on the night you visit, but is a good place to go if you want to enjoy a conversation with your dining companion. The crisp, white linen tablecloths and the smartly dressed waiters lent a bit of formality to dinner, making it feel more like a special occasion - even though we'd arrived straight from work, early on a Tuesday evening! The menu During our visit, I ordered from the Bobby Moore menu, which has been created to mark the hotel's 50th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the England team winning the World Cup. This seasonal menu is based on the former England captain's favourite foods and was created by Bobby's widow Stephanie and Steve Munkley. The menu will be available until the end of the year, with a £1 donation from each dish going to the Bobby Moore Fund, a charitable fund, which is dedicated to raising money for Cancer Research UK to fund pioneering, life-saving bowel cancer research. The Bobby Moore menu included a charcuterie platter with olives and soda bread; Gazpacho Andaluz with a toasted baguette; en-croute Scottish salmon with Jersey Royals, wilted spinach and tomato salad; and for dessert an English Strawberry Jelly Trifle with a gin and tonic sorbet. Throughout the meal, we couldn't fault the service or the food. I really enjoyed the 'build your own' gazpacho, which came with a chilled bowl of tomato gazpacho and sides of freshly diced veggies (celery, cucumber, peppers and shallots), so you could add as much or as little as you like of each of the ingredients!
Meat lovers would go nuts for the charcuterie platter, which had a variety of meats piled high atop a wooden serving platter. The salmon en croute was also fab and had a light, flaky pastry, making it a new favourite dish. The star of the show for me, however, was the trifle, which was so fresh, so British and the perfect summer dessert. Overall, this is a great place to go if you want a relaxed meal in a refined setting. Park Terrace Restaurant Royal Garden Hotel 2- 24 Kensington High Street London W8 4PT http://www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk/Restaurants-Bars/Park-Terrace A.A. Miln
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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.
Renowned as one of London’s best Thai establishments, Nipa Thai is a 55-seat Thai restaurant located on the first floor of the Lancaster London hotel. Boasting unrivalled views across Hyde Park, it's perfectly situated for those looking for fabulous Thai cuisine in central London. Nipa Thai strives to be as authentic as possible. Everything from its Thai staff to the decor (a teak panelled interior with traditional Thai furnishings), to its cuisine (made using original Thai ingredients), helps to reinforce this. Given that Nipa Thai has received the prestigious 'Thai Select' award from the Thai Government for its excellence and that it's further bolstered by its 2AA Rosettes rating, and one can gather that they must be doing something right when it comes to nailing authenticity. The menu at Nipa Thai The extensive à la carte menu at Nipa Thai includes starters such as Por Pia Tod (crisp spring rolls containing glass noodles, cabbage and crab meat with a sweet plum sauce). Main course dishes include specialities such as Pla Nueng Ma Nao (steamed seabass in a garlic, lemongrass, lime leaf and chilli broth). There is also a wide selection of Thai salads, pan-fried dishes and red or green Thai curries. Delicately flavoured Thai desserts include favourites such as Caramel Lychees (caramel delice with a crunchy lychee centre, chilli and pineapple Carpaccio with salted caramel ice cream). Our visit to Nipa Thai During our visit we were well looked after by Nipa Thai’s Restaurant Manager, Kaseam Jongpitakrat. Given the extensive size of the menu, Jongpitakrat talked us through the options and provided recommendations. Starters We started with the Por Pia Tod (£11.00), deep fried spring rolls filled with glass noodles, cabbage and oriental mushrooms, and a portion of prawn crackers (a classic favourite). Next we tried the Satay Kai (£11.00), char-grilled marinated chicken served with peanut sauce and cucumber relish, which was nutty and scrumptious. It was also recommended that we try the Kao Krieb Pak Moh, a steamed rice wrap, sautéed chicken, shallots, roasted peanuts, served with crisp lettuce, fresh chillies and coriander. The lettuce provided a pleasing crunch and it was very tasty indeed. Mains For our mains, we had Panang Nuea Rue Moo (£16.00), dry and aromatic beef red coconut curry with basil and kaffir lime leaves, the Kaeng Kiew Warn Kai (£16.00), vibrant chicken and Thai aubergine in a spicy green coconut curry, and the Kuey Tiew Phad See Iew Kai (£12.00), wok stir-fried rice noodles with chicken and oriental greens. All of the dishes had great depth of flavour and were nicely presented. My favourite dish hands down was the Kaeng Kiew Warn Kai,which was gorgeous and had a bit of a kick without being too over-the-top spicy. After our meal, the waitress provided us with a steaming hot hand towel, which is always a nice touch. Although we were ridiculously full after our Thai feast, my friend and I shared a banana fritter with ice cream. Our verdict As Nipa Thai is located in a hotel, it can be a bit lacking in ambience, depending on the time of day that you visit. Overall, the food is fantastic, and it's a great place to visit if you're seeking premium quality Thai food in relaxing surroundings.
Royal China is a popular chain of gourmet Chinese restaurants, with six restaurants in London and three restaurants internationally. Across all branches there is one menu for diners to peruse. Royal China is renowned for its dimsum, which is served until 5pm with an evening dimsum platter offered only in the Fulham branch. The smallest of the restaurants in the group, The Fulham branch has a distinctly intimate feel.The restaurant’s exterior is dark and inconspicuous with a black and gold-themed décor including a quirky wave and bird mural design and an ornamental arrangement on the bar. Quirky decorations aside, the professional and knowledgeable staff and the crisp white tablecloths help to create the impression of a well-oiled machine. Throughout our meal a head waitress cast a watchful eye over the dining room and even spotted my napkin as it slipped off my lap without my knowledge. The staff were also quick to help with the menu, something I’ve found very helpful thanks to my new-found indecisiveness when it comes to ordering! Without hesitation, we ordered the steamed chilli pork dumplings (£6.80) to get our dim sum fix and they were perfect silky mouthfuls of umami. Next up was the pork chop with salt and chilli (£8.20), which I always use as a benchmark of a good Chinese given its combination of the well-seasoned coating, moist and tender meat and the zingyness from the fresh chillies and spring onions that adorn it. For me, it’s the perfect dish and they do it very well here. To accompany our meal, we needed a bit of veg for colour, so we opted for the sautéed green beans with minced pork (£10.80), a popular Sichuan dish and one of my favourites, which was gorgeous. I adore chilli and I really crave spicy food, so our main course was selected to incorporate this. The Sichuan prawn (£13.50) was a touch too sweet and sticky and lacked those qualities we associate with the province (numbing peppercorns, chilli bean paste), but the extra punch of the birds-eye chillies (at our request) was a welcome touch. The Chiu Chow chicken (£10.80) was beautifully smoky and savoury and the classic Cantonese-style roast duck (£11.20) was rich with glazed skin and doused in the most moreish sweet soy. Steamed rice (£3) with a hit of chilli oil on the side was all that was needed to soak up the delightful juices. For our chosen libation for the evening, we selected the Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon (£20.50), a very palatable wine that's smooth yet tart enough to cut through the strong flavours of the food we selected. We found that the wine list and the drinks menu was varied in both region and price to cater for your every whim. And finally, to end where we began, we ordered Vietnamese pancake rolls filled with pork and prawns (£5.80) as our 'dessert'. If some people adhere to the motto ‘life’s short, eat dessert first,’ then is this really that unacceptable? Food and drink: ★★★★★
Ambience: ★★★ Staff attentiveness/friendliness: ★★★★★ Royal China 805 Fulham Road London SW6 5HE www.rcguk.co.uk Luci Lyne Enjoy healthy salads, homemade cakes and much, much more at this laidback cafe...Having first opened in February 2011 on Soho’s busy Wardour Street, L’ETO’s cafés and restaurants have become renowned for delicious, hand-made cakes and savoury delicacies, served in a laidback atmosphere. With six London-based locations under its belt, tastiness isn't far away. L'ET'O serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in its Belgravia, King’s Road and Brompton branches. Resident chefs prepare everything on site from coffee and cakes to salads, artisan sandwiches and main courses, with dishes available to eat in or to order as deliveries. Enjoy a wealth of healthy lunch options... My friend and I visited on a weekday to enjoy a lunchtime pre-Christmas catch up. Upon our arrival, it quickly became apparent that L'ETO is a true feast for the eyes, with a wealth of freshly made dishes and desserts on offer. With so many delicious options to choose from, the most difficult task is deciding what to order! During our visit the friendly staff talked us through all of the salads and mains to help guide our decision. While we debated on our mains, I enjoyed a refreshing peach and elderflower iced tea, which was served in a stylish glass (see below) and my friend opted for a glass of sauvignon blanc. We were pleased to see that the drinks menu was very extensive and included tea, coffee, fresh juices, smoothies, vegan juices and the option to add a healthy booster to your drink of choice. The display lunch menu The display lunch menu provided a variety of options including fresh salads and hot meats (see below). The salad options were amazing and included everything from couscous to aubergine and everything in between. The meat options included turkey, teriyaki salmon and fish cakes. All items in the display lunch menu are seasonal, so the options are continually evolving throughout the year. As we couldn't decide whether to order off the ala carte lunch menu or the lunch display set menu (£14.90 for 2 salads + 1 main course or £16.90 for 3 salads +1 main course), I ordered a main and my friend ordered from the lunch display set menu, so we could enjoy the best of both worlds! The fabulous display lunch menu options... Mains Mains options include pastas, salads and risotto. For my main, I ordered the Beef Fillet tagliatea di manzo style (£28.96), which consisted of chunks of beef filet served iwth rocket, fresh tomatoes and parmesan. Although it was seriously tasty and the beef was lovely and tender, it's a bit pricey at nearly £30, so I personally feel that the lunch display menu is the best option as it's more reasonably priced and provides so many options to choose from. Desserts L'ETO's desserts are fantastic, so ensure you leave room to enjoy one of their delectable delights. Options include everything from honey cake to spinach cake (which sounds gross, but it's very moreish) to various tarts and cakes, all of which looked incredible. For those of you who don't live near a L'ETO, they also provide the option to order cakes, pastries, muffins and other treats online. We found that L'ETO is a great place to catch up with friends while enjoying scrumptious, freshly made cuisine in stylish surroundings. Our experience overall Food and drink: ★★★ Ambience: ★★★ Staff attentiveness/friendliness: ★★★★ L'ETO 243 Brompton Rd London SW3 2EP www.letocaffe.co.uk
When I think of Covent Garden, classy restaurants aren't usually front of mind, so it was refreshing to discover Li Veli Winery & Bistro, a chic Italian restaurant and wine shop in the heart of Covent Garden.
Li Veli specialises in traditional wine and food from the Southern region of Puglia, a destination that is on my must-visit travel list. Given that I'm obsessed with all things Italian (and have visited Italy 10 times in the past eight years, it's amazing that I haven't yet discovered the joys of Puglia, but for the time being, I had to settle for travelling vicariously through Li Veli. My friend and I (see my glamorous wine afficando friend below), had the pleasure of visiting Li Veli on a dreary Tuesday evening. Despite it being the beginning of the work week, we were surprised to discover that the restaurant was buzzing. That being said, I assume that word travels fast when one finds somewhere fabulous!
Li Veli Winery & Bistro specialises in the Apulian cuisine of Southern Italy, and is a joint venture between the Falvo family, owner of the Masseria Li Veli Winery in Puglia, and the Melpignano family, founder and owner of the San Domenico Hotels Group, resulting in a taste of Southern Italy in London's Covent Garden.
All of the dishes at Li Veli are authentic Pugliese dishes accompanied by Li Veli’s award-winning wines. Before our meal, we had the opportunity to peruse the extensive wine offering in Li Veli's wine shop and of course, we couldn't resist sampling a few of the sensational wines, which we enjoyed both before and during our meal. As one would expect, the wine list was extensive and boasted a number of superb wines, many of which are refreshingly available by the glass, so I'd recommend enjoying a few during your visit, if possible. Stand out wines included the Colesel Noai Brut Prosecco n.v. (Veneto) (£7.95), a delicate straw yellow Prosecco; Li Veli Montococo 2011 (£9-£11), an intense ruby red wine with flavours of red and black berries and a spicy finish; and the Li Veli “Askos” Verdeca 2013 (Puglia)( £8.00-£10.00), an intense and fruity white with good acidity.
Above: Nicola Russo, Manager at Li Veli Bistro and Chef Antonio Calò who pulled out all of the stops to ensure that we had an enjoyable experience during our visit.
Above: The fabulous starters at Li Veli Winery & Bistro. From left to right: Homemade focaccia flatbread with cherry tomatoes, nduja salami, bruschetta with tomatoes and peppers and the cheese trough featuring Gorgonzola and Asiago cheeses from Puglia.
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Bon Appetit!There's nothing more delicious in life than indulging in a sensational meal. |