Restaurant Review - Tossed

Restaurant Name: Tossed

Location: Multi sites, London

Visited: Once per month for lunch

Not strictly a restaurant but a fast food (tossed salad www.tosseduk.com) business with multiple sites in central London, and growing fast.  I felt I had to blog about this business as Tossed offer healthy and delicious salads made to order.  I do realise that this sounds like an advert, but it isn't and it is solely my own advert for Tossed because it is top notch.  There are many options these days with Pret a Manger, Itsu etc and they all have plus points and it is good to have choice but if you seek quality ingredients in a salad or wrap, then make a visit to Tossed.

I will not bore you with the details but take my word for it, the salad is good with lots of ingredients and tossed in front of you.  Its a good working lunch.  

Enjoy!

Restaurant Review - Georgian Restaurant, Harrods

Restaurant Name: Georgian Restaurant, Harrods

Location: Harrods, London

Visited: December 2010, Lunch 

The Georgian Restaurant on the fourth floor of Harrods is a must for tourists seeking a quintessentially English Afternoon Tea in elegant surroundings.  For those in the know, it also delivers a sumptuous buffet (especially at Christmas) supported by an a la carte menu offering fine, and I would say traditional English, cuisine.  Service is hospitable and prompt and if you become a regular visitor, that 'old school' hospitality awaits you every time.

This is an annual visit and has been for many years.  Harrods at Christmas time is magical, although only if you enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Festive season.  It is also Foodie heaven (although it does necessitate a visit to Selfridge's Food Hall to make the Foodie trip complete!) so a day of Christmas shopping, browsing the finer things in life and food therapy, both retail and Lunch, makes for me a day not to be missed.

Our 2010 visit was a great one and lunch was enjoyable.  This cannot be said for the last couple of years and had it not been for visits years ago that excelled, we may not have returned this year (in fact we nearly didn't and had considered 'giving it a miss this year'.)  In 2008 and 2009 some changes were made to the food offering and the service and quality suffered also.  It has economic downtime all over it and it seemed it was time to lower the cost of the product but maintain those selling prices.  Recessions can affect even Al Fayed it seemed.  However I have to say that this year its 'hey day' glory was almost returned and there was a real buzz to the restaurant.  Sadly the food has not returned to the heights of the earlier years and clearly savings have been made (for example the cold buffet used to include lobster and crab claws before 2008 which have not made an appearance since.) 

Harrods is all about luxury.  The Food Hall delivers the same, the 'best of' suppliers and ingredients sourced, and the restaurant used to simply be an extension of this making use of the best ingredients the market had to offer and then prepared for the restaurant.  Now the restaurant seems to have stopped being about the luxury foods such as Foie Gras (no longer on the menu, ethics aside here for a minute) and Salmon en Croute with Lobster sauce.  The latter used to be served at the table and was sublime, silky and rich.  2010 unfortunately saw the end of this dish,  and the old the menu, and in place a shorter and less luxurious one with some major deletions.  A feast is still to be had with the like of fruits de mer, but some of the old favourites have gone.  Change isn't always about 'moving forward' and I do feel some 'modern' twists should not have been imposed.


I had the buffet for starter and it was very enjoyable, and followed this with wild smoked salmon (one of the best I have had at Harrods for year) and then a Christmas Roast.  Had it been the menu of old I would have opted for the a la carte menu but no need to go down that road again ... the carvery was excellent.  This was all finished off with plenty of Harrod's bread and butter pudding (worth a visit just for this), washed down with some Dom Perignon.  


Plenty of good champagne can often iron out the flaws ....

Restaurant Review - Tamarind, London

Restaurant Name: Tamarind

Location: Mayfair, London

Visited: January 2011, Business Lunch 

Tamarind is a great restaurant serving delicate but punchy (Moghul cuisine) food matched with great service and atmosphere. 

I have to admit I have only ever eaten here for lunch and for business - which does mean my attention is less on the food and more on the business.  However, Tamarind's surroundings make it easy to enjoy both.  This latest experience was the best I have had, perhaps having temporarily lost their Michelin star they are damn well making sure it stays, and rightfully so.

I opted for the 'Winter' set lunch (which you always do on business lunches!) and started with light Tilapia fillets followed by lamb cutlets in a brown onion and spiced sauce.  As always at Tamarind it's the accompaniments that are delivered that are so very moorish.  It isn't until you start scraping the bowl of the side dish that you realise that it was as good as the lamb cutlets you were eating.  If not better.  On this occasion we had warm chickpea salad, rice & naan bread (the best you have had) and other delights that fused together perfectly, as they should at this level of dining.

We opted for dessert and had Rose ice-cream with baked apricots.  Absolute heaven, in fact I can taste it as I write.  If it wasn't for the fact I would ruin the memory I would attempt this at home. I do confess I love anything Rose (especially if it starts with Laduree Macaron) but this dessert was exceptional.

Not to be overlooked, Tamarind also serve white chocolate dipped mint leaves with their coffee which are worth the wait every time.  They are so good I almost didn't want to tell you.

It isn't surprising every business contact I dine with leaves the lunch happy. Surely this is good for business, or so I keep telling my expenses bill....

Restaurant Review - Walnut Tree Inn, Abergavenny

Restaurant Name: Walnut Tree Inn
Location: Abergavenny, Wales, UK
Visited: July 2010, Dinner

The Walnut Tree Inn restaurant has been famous for many years. I dined here last 10 years ago in one of it's 'hay days' and had a superb experience. In 2010, and under the helm of Shaun Hill and co, my experience lacked in some areas, and excelled in others.

The atmosphere was loud and casual and we were seated at a table for four in a low lit area of the restaurant. Visibility was low and without candle light we had all commented as soon as we squinted at the menu. The table was missing cutlery although was laid for four diners, and when we were eventually asked for our drinks order, we then had to wait for extra water glasses as two out of 4 were not present as they should have been.

So to the menu - simple and informal. Whilst I understand why, the menu lacked surprises and no single menu entry jumped out. It all looked okay, but only okay. I opted for scallops (as invariably I do) with coriander and lentils. Others had monkfish, courgette flowers with ricotta, and finally red mullet. Everyone enjoyed their starter, and all shared similar views - exquisite sauces, simple cooking, but masterfully prepared and delivered. The scallops were juicy and the coriander lentil concoction they rested on was delicious. The kind of sauce you wanted to eat as soup. The monkfish with tomato and chilli was apparently 'fab'.

For main I hesitantly (possibly reluctantly) chose the sirloin and salsa verde, others had a 'vegetarian option' tart, John dory and sea bass. All options tasted good, with good definition in the elements of the dish. It was simple but effective, and a nod to what can be accomplished with good local produce and simple techniques; a commodity many restaurants I see forget to consider, let alone strive to deliver. That said, and as I had probably pre-guessed, my Sirloin was just a well cooked sirloin and the salsa verde for me was on the wrong plate.

The desserts were a let down, nothing gelled and not one of the dishes we had was received with great applause. We would all opt for the cheeseboard next time.

Overall a good meal, although not a great 'experience'. Yes I would return, the cooking was excellent generally and the flavours were what all chefs aspire to in their cooking. It just didn't feel right and lacked something within it's informality. Probably formality - as the flavours and those coriander lentils deserved more of this.

Restaurant Review - Fifteen, Watergate Bay

Restaurant Name: Fifteen

Location: Watergate Bay, Cornwall, UK

Visited: June 2010, Lunch

Fifteen, the 'trading arm' of the Jamie Oliver Foundation which was created to support young people, often in need of direction, and transform their lives by giving them the opportunity to work in the restaurant business. As a dining experience, it was one of the best I have had.

We booked a table for 6 (+ 2 children) and were fortunate enough to be 'housed' in what appeared to be a private dining room, segregated from the main restaurant with large opening windows overlooking the beautiful Watergate Bay. Whether this is the norm for large tables I am unsure. This dining experience was memorable for all the right reasons. Great atmosphere, great service, and absolutely outstanding cooking. The food served was simply brilliant with only a couple of exceptions. It must have been some achievement to secure that site as well.

Whilst we waited for fresh Fifteen lemonade with a hint of Vanilla, which was as good as it sounds, we ordered their Puglia olives. Having tasted these before I knew what to expect - they are divine. I ate hand dived scallop and pancetta Spiedeni on fennel to start followed by John Dory with Cornish Razor Clams and Lenticchie di Castelluccio. Both of these were presented beautifully and cooked to perfection. Had the experience not been as good as it was I would complain more about 2 scallops on a skewer for approximately £16 as more scallop was necessary, but this aside, the meal was distinguished. The John Dory was excellent, razor clams had lost their delicate texture having been overcooked but in the scheme of things, it was ignored until now. Every mouthful was too be treasured.

Another guest had local Duck tortellini which when I return, is what I will be having. Light and buttery and packed a real punch, shrouded in the lightest pasta you have ever tasted. The presentation was inviting and so right.

The dessert list, as was the rest of the menu, was full of attractive options to make your mouth water. I opted for Amalfi lemon and ricotta meringue pie with peaches and clotted cream. I could eat this dish all day long. The texture and the remarkable flavours were a real treat.

Service was genuine with only a couple of service errors (forgotten drinks - we couldn't get enough of the Vanilla Lemonade ...) but that aside, it was of a very high level with very personable and attentive staff. If these staff were on the wrong side of the track before, then this restaurant and what it has successfully delivered should be highly acclaimed and everyone involved deserves a pat on the back.

I cannot wait to return, if only for that Duck Tortellini and those beautiful views.