Richard Bagnold

I have to be honest and say that I had never heard of Ben’s Canteen until I was shown here by a friend as a decent, passing option and I was absolutely chuffed as a result. It’s the sort of casual yet ‘fits all occasions nicely’ venue with its simple but stylish design and friendly Antipodean staff. It was only a brunch had on this occasion and I gathered the bloody and virgin Mary’s are a big favourite (that also pack a fair punch) whereas I opted for the peanut butter and banana shake, also served in an original jar. Generous offers here and worth a pop in.

The shake was very nice and certainly creamy but I would have actually liked more of the peanut butter and banana flavours to come out more as is a great idea and combination to offer.

The shake was very nice and certainly creamy but I would have actually liked more of the peanut butter and banana flavours to come out more as is a great idea and combination to offer.

However, the knock out here was the pulled pork on toast with poached eggs and hollandaise. Firstly the homemade hollandaise was marvellous, the eggs were wonderfully orange and runny and the pulled pork was absolutely superb! Pulled pork is very popular these days and as such in its mass production can be very sloppy and bland I find and is hit and miss how you are going to get it. This however, was juicy, spicy but also non-drippy as well and basically it was an absolute winner all round.

A lovely and original idea / change for brunch and combined with the highly down to earth and smiling service, frankly I would travel back here or to the other branch (if passing near Earlsfield) in a heart beat to try some other dishes. There seem to be some very good offers including the £20 burger feast for 1 which looks very good and I definitely want to come back.

A lovely, new find.

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Having done Tom’s Kitchen at Westferry Circus numerous times, I have always wanted to see this one and was very pleased at the result. There is much space inside to enjoy not feeling cramped and I liked the sofa seating options with no tablecloths adding to the simple and comfortable style of the place. Very good food here, for the casual style that it is and recommended.

Lunch was had on this occasion and I enjoyed every bit of it. On my guest’s side was the salmon to start with vanilla dressing which was wonderfully original and my pan fried foie gras with duck egg and bacon whilst, probably not the most healthy option was utterly wonderful. I elected to try the steak tartare starter as my main owing to the day’s allowance of calories already been breached with foie, and I did like the way the egg was slow cooked giving one more control on the spreading. It was fairly on the spicy side and although it was not at Chiltern Firehouse level for steak tartare (very difficult to get near frankly), it was still pleasure as were the truffled, triple cooked chips which were excellent – some of the best had. Although I did not try the chicken schnitzel, it was a pretty hefty portion, which is therefore a good return on the price and I was informed it was very good.

Lunch was had on this occasion and I enjoyed every bit of it. On my guest’s side was the salmon to start with vanilla dressing which was wonderfully original and my pan fried foie gras with duck egg and bacon whilst, probably not the most healthy option was utterly wonderful. I elected to try the steak tartare starter as my main owing to the day’s allowance of calories already been breached with foie, and I did like the way the egg was slow cooked giving one more control on the spreading. It was fairly on the spicy side and although it was not at Chiltern Firehouse level for steak tartare (very difficult to get near frankly), it was still pleasure as were the truffled, triple cooked chips which were excellent – some of the best had. Although I did not try the chicken schnitzel, it was a pretty hefty portion, which is therefore a good return on the price and I was informed it was very good.

Overall I was really pleased with this visit and it proved that Tom’s Kitchens simply have a seal of quality whether brunch or a main meal and I this branch would appear to be very nicely done and an entirely safe bet whenever needed. It is almost crazy that I haven’t managed to do his flagship Kitchen in Chelsea yet, so I look forward to doing that one whenever I can.

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My second visit to Dabbous and although the headline is that the dishes on this occasion were not as explosive as the first visit, this is understandable as the set menu for lunch was opted for this time as opposed to the showcase tasting menu. It proved to be a superb option and easily one of the best Michelin starred set menu packages that there is available and it is a winner for anyone that likes food and wants a degree of casuality about the process at the same time.

Getting straight to the verdicts I thought the duck egg mayonnaise with a hint of truffle on wonderful baked crisp was a genuine delight and the cod with beautiful tarragon cream sauce and chestnut puree was absolutely lovely (the hint of liquorice and mint notes from the tarragon and chestnut were the perfect balance to the rich cream sauce and the fish itself was perfect). The dessert which I regrettably didn’t taste was cleverly seved with its supporting chilled rhubarb mouth wash and I was infomed this and the trout starter were both delicious. All cheeses were English and all well chosen. The wine list by the glass was extremely good value and my Sauvignon Blanc (£6) did the job of providing a refreshing support act nicely.

Getting straight to the verdicts I thought the duck egg mayonnaise with a hint of truffle on wonderful baked crisp was a genuine delight and the cod with beautiful tarragon cream sauce and chestnut puree was absolutely lovely (the hint of liquorice and mint notes from the tarragon and chestnut were the perfect balance to the rich cream sauce and the fish itself was perfect). The dessert which I regrettably didn’t taste was cleverly seved with its supporting chilled rhubarb mouth wash and I was infomed this and the trout starter were both delicious. All cheeses were English and all well chosen. The wine list by the glass was extremely good value and my Sauvignon Blanc (£6) did the job of providing a refreshing support act nicely.

Two other generic observations hit me on this visit: the first was that it was actually a joy not to have to wait 6 months for the table as was the case last time (which I’m sure is a small relief to the team as well in a certain way); the booking was made last week (at time of writing) and things have thankfully calmed down a little at Dabbous waiting list wise. The second is that I don’t recall a 3 course set menu for lunch on our last visit so the fact that it was available on this visit was a very welcome sight. At £28 for 3 courses and £34 for 4 courses at lunch (set menus) and for the quality and style of what is given, this is an absolute no brainer of an option to go for if you need a faster and more reasonable lunch menu at Michelin starred level. Genuinely lovely dishes and unobtrusive, attentive service, this remains an extremely good option in London and if anything, this visit has pretty much reinforced my urge to get back to do the full tasting menu again.

It was good to see such gutsy moves from the chef who, in his simplistic creations, gave a menu that I thought was a triumph. I now understand what the fuss is about, just a shame it is probably lost on many who may go there purely because of the ‘hot ticket’ factor. The food there was superb and this comfortably sits in the very top bracket of all 1 Michelin starred restaurants I have been to – I would rather have this menu than many 3 Michelin starred places. Suitable for any occasion as the food itself will delight everyone to the core.

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Mixed emotions on this restaurant based on this opening visit. Rabot 1745 stems from the Hotel Chololat empire and is a unique restaurant in that every menu whether tea, starters or mains has some form of chocolate in every dish. So this is definitely fun but the headline I did leave feeling shortchanged for the overall package on this visit which was for aftternoon tea only.

It was very pleasant to have high tea overlooking Borough Market which was explored afterwards and this is undeniably a nice change of scene. The sandwiches including banana and chocolate, cocoa gin-cured salmon and avacado and beef with white chocolate horseraddish were all pleasant to have but the reality is I did not get any wow moments or really feel the punch of the ingredients. There was obviously real care that had gone in to the design of this menu and the mini carrot cupcakes were about as good as they ever can be with a wonderful sugared cream on top with mini marzipan carrots, but ultimately the flavour show simmered at nice. The chocolate mousse that was homemade to go with the orange and chocolate mini scones was very light and had lovely texture but, was a little like the iced hot chocolate drink in that it was mainly creamy with a hint of ‘chocolateyness’ rather than the other way round.

It was very pleasant to have high tea overlooking Borough Market which was explored afterwards and this is undeniably a nice change of scene. The sandwiches including banana and chocolate, cocoa gin-cured salmon and avacado and beef with white chocolate horseraddish were all pleasant to have but the reality is I did not get any wow moments or really feel the punch of the ingredients. There was obviously real care that had gone in to the design of this menu and the mini carrot cupcakes were about as good as they ever can be with a wonderful sugared cream on top with mini marzipan carrots, but ultimately the flavour show simmered at nice. The chocolate mousse that was homemade to go with the orange and chocolate mini scones was very light and had lovely texture but, was a little like the iced hot chocolate drink in that it was mainly creamy with a hint of ‘chocolateyness’ rather than the other way round.

The other main aspect that hit me on this package was that although the cake stand was very lovely, I did have to pinch myself that such a small amount was to share between two – without the glass of prosecco (which was a reasonable £5 each), the single sandwich and cake stand you see was £20 each (including a hot drink). As nice as it was I think this was a bit too much for what was offered and a simple top up of the same (which could have easily been done) would have made the bill easily £100 minimum. I would argue that the rate of return for high tea at the Lanesborough or the Savoy would make you feel more comfortable going to this ball park price for afternoon tea.

Still, it was a pleasant option no doubt and I feel it almost my duty to go back and try some of the savoury options to see how these pan out with the added elements of cocoa in every dish. The terrace is still a lovely place to grab a coffee so, in the unlikley event they have a spare seat, it’s nice to know a very pleasant option to grab a hot chocolate with someone if needed – and this would most certainly include the salted caramel hot chocolate again which was very good and consumed rapidly.

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Utterly superb value at this restaurant located a short walk from the Cardiff city centre and a great option for lunch especially. The three course meal for two people and half bottle of wine in a caraffe for £35 (for two people) is superb value for money when the quality of the food was as it was. There was obvious and real care that went in to the products here from the home made bread, carefully sourced butter and wonderful soup as examples. A reasonable option with some enjoyable moments.

I always like going for the very simple dishes sometimes as they are the perfect test to see how much attention to detail a place is concerned with – if they can do the very basic things really well (such as soup, bread and salads for example), then I find it is a very good litmus test and bodes very well for the dishes they are more proud of. The food on this occasion was all good with a very good apple and brie salad. In fact the only things I did not agree with was the dessert being a little too sweet and the fish main being over a bit too quickly, but all in all these were minor things and the overall effect was extremely good. A definite option to go to on any return to Cardiff and wouldn’t surprise me at all if this was the flagship of the neighbourhood options.

I always like going for the very simple dishes sometimes as they are the perfect test to see how much attention to detail a place is concerned with – if they can do the very basic things really well (such as soup, bread and salads for example), then I find it is a very good litmus test and bodes very well for the dishes they are more proud of. The food on this occasion was all good with a very good apple and brie salad. In fact the only things I did not agree with was the dessert being a little too sweet and the fish main being over a bit too quickly, but all in all these were minor things and the overall effect was extremely good. A definite option to go to on any return to Cardiff and wouldn’t surprise me at all if this was the flagship of the neighbourhood options.

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This was a delightful option to come by. Immediately the interior makes you feel comfortable and easily surpasses many restaruants that obviously haven’t put thought in to their decor and the service was charming throughout. The menu is only on the blackbaord adding to the fun of picking everything and I thought the staff were wonderful in catering for my bizarre choices (starters and starter / kids menu portion sized mains with sides) as I just wanted to try a little of as much as possible with so many good options. All were cooked in this way and there were some great options. Although I found the bread a little plain, it was superb having it home cooked with wonderful butter and I thought the salmon and dill creme fraiche was wonderful. The Pork, mini fish and chips and prawn and squid with Asian slaw were all pleasing with the only low moment for me being the fish cake which I found dry and a little bland.

Overall however, for pub food I thought this was absolutely lovely with obvious care going in to all of it and is a lovely, safe bet to go to whenever needed with the fantastic value it has for the price. I love the comfort of pubs like this and that you can have a full meal, pint and more drinks if needed for such a good price.

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A wonderful Mother’s Day champagne breakfast and superb value for money at £14 per person for a glass of champagne, orange or apple juice, hot drink and main breakfast meal. Understandably for the occasion it was packed but even that was the case the staff seemed to be quite happy and were entirely gracious with us throughout the energy of the service which makes such a difference. The French toast was beautifully light and the salmon and scrambled eggs were very good value. I enjoyed the frehsly made pan au chocolate and the jams to go with fresh croissant were all good. I also loved my crepe with bacon, gruyere cheese and eggs but would have much preferred the eggs to be runny (they were mostly hard). However, the overall effect was lovely French brasserie food in a bustling environment for very good value with very warm service. Bravo all the staff here on all counts; a very pleasant visit.

Food Grade: 65%

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I have been to the outdoor café version of Iberica in Canary Wharf many times (just 20 metres from the restaurant and by the fountain of Cabot Square), but this is my first visit to Iberica restaurant. Headlines are that it has a very nice layout and design with some comforting dishes and very fair wine selection but unfortunately there was plenty of areas to improve in other ways. Key points on the food were that it was probably the meats and cheese and ham croquettes that were the most satisfying dishes; the squid was fresh enough but I think is done considerably lighter at City Social and the batter on the fish for the fish and chips was too soggy to enjoy. Other dishes including the desserts were pleasant but not strong enough to make me wish to come sprinting back.

To begin, the booth table we were placed at had virtually nowhere to put one’s legs as a strange thing to experience and this was noticed by all four diners. Not a great deal the restaurant can do about this now, but I would say it is noteworthy if you are tall otherwise you really will not be comfortable. There is also the surprising aspect that if you wish paella, it seemed from the waitress last night that you need to order in advance of getting to the restaurant – quite an unusual approach from the restaurant as I’m not sure how any diner would be able to anticipate this and it does not appear to say so on the online menu.

To begin, the booth table we were placed at had virtually nowhere to put one’s legs as a strange thing to experience and this was noticed by all four diners. Not a great deal the restaurant can do about this now, but I would say it is noteworthy if you are tall otherwise you really will not be comfortable. There is also the surprising aspect that if you wish paella, it seemed from the waitress last night that you need to order in advance of getting to the restaurant – quite an unusual approach from the restaurant as I’m not sure how any diner would be able to anticipate this and it does not appear to say so on the online menu.

The service in general did not include smiles at anytime and appeared quite stretched and out of comfort. Language barriers can always be broken through eventually but there didn’t seem to be any desire from the staff to want to break through this barrier. It was also a little strange that the we were asked if we would like to try the wine, indicated yes and full glasses of wine were poured. There was general sincerity in the service so the full 12.5% optional service charge was given but there was general thoughts as to whether this should be given based on the general lack of warmth, difficulty in communication and the long waiting times between courses (approx 20 minutes to gain desserts at the end).

Such was the level of strain that the staff appeared to be in for a half full evening I actually assumed this was a new opening, but on asking, it was revealed that they had been going for 4 years, so I’m not sure why there was obvious stretch in the service and hospitality on this visit. Ultimately, I believe the strength of Iberica here may be the ability to have ham and cheese outside in the Summer by the fountains with some good wine; I feel the restaurant could up its game in terms of providing the experience.

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This was a visit I will not be forgetting for a long time. To cut a long story short it was essentially the best pizza I have ever had in my life and the main reason for this was the extraordinary dough base. Made with equal parts of water, flour, rye and potato, it is left to rest for 4 days before being ready to do its stretching before hitting the oven. Once your choices are made and it is ready, the result is a perfectly spongy and fluffy (with that wonderful touch of stickiness to the inside) with a thin base that was out of this world. It basically felt as if you were eating through a crisp at the bottom base as it was that crunchy with heavenly fluffy bread above so basically anything on top was always going to be ok because of that. As it happened, the topping choices were great. From anchovies and spinach to salami and warmed ricotta, to a pure tomato base with herbs and a hint of garlic and fresh cherry tomatoes off the vine – these were some of the strongest, natural toppings had on record and carried their own combo move of a Street Fighter ‘Hadoken’ by just being as fresh as they were.

The other brilliant thing about this place is that they don’t serve by the traditional quarter dinner plate size slice (which is always impossible to eat without looking like a Neanderthal), here you simply choose how narrow you want your slice and then this is cut to order with scissors, weighed and then billed as per the weight and topping. The final touch I absolutely loved was the fact that after barely a few minutes in the oven and all is ready, it is cut in to further bite size pieces with scissors again just to make even easier to eat – perfect. Ales and matched beers are also available in the Pizzarium fridge to provide the final polish to one of life’s must not combinations but absolutely must dos in this case.

The other brilliant thing about this place is that they don’t serve by the traditional quarter dinner plate size slice (which is always impossible to eat without looking like a Neanderthal), here you simply choose how narrow you want your slice and then this is cut to order with scissors, weighed and then billed as per the weight and topping. The final touch I absolutely loved was the fact that after barely a few minutes in the oven and all is ready, it is cut in to further bite size pieces with scissors again just to make even easier to eat – perfect. Ales and matched beers are also available in the Pizzarium fridge to provide the final polish to one of life’s must not combinations but absolutely must dos in this case.

If you are in Rome for any reason, get yourself in a taxi wherever you are and just get here for a grazing lunch or evening bite for the single, biggest no brainer of roughly a €20 lunch with drinks. Bonci is located in an area that resembled an estate outside of Deptford which was quiet and desolate, apart from the seeming coach load of Japanese tourists travelling to this specific eatery (Bonci pizza) in the same way they do The Fat Duck(!).

Sadly, as the pizza was so good, I walked away from here gutted on two levels: 1) I didn’t get to meet Gabriele Bonci and 2) every pizza I am due to have in the future I simply knew would not be as good as the one just had and I probably won’t have it that good again until I go back here. Something I simply have to do as a must in the next few years.

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Again, under the inspiration of Anthony Bourdain’s Layover, an hour long walk across Rome was conducted to get to this venue to try what Romans seem to enjoy a lot – Cacio e Pepe. And if you’re going to try this simple pasta, eating it at an outdoor restaurant called Cacio e Pepe would seem a pretty good place to start(!). There’s no rocket science here other than the pasta being freshly made, perfectly cooked to have a very slightly hardened centre with an absolutely wonderful olive oil, cheese glaze and unexpectedly punchy kick of pepper. Simple and very effective.

One without and one with lardons was tried and although adding the bacon to this will no doubt be an utter sin to purists, I have to say this was a good choice (all except the pieces that had gristle in them which wasn’t such a pleasure). I thought they both had wonderful flavour, but if pushed, I can’t get away from the fact that the bacon oil at the bottom of my one was an absolute delight to dip all remaining pasta in to.

One without and one with lardons was tried and although adding the bacon to this will no doubt be an utter sin to purists, I have to say this was a good choice (all except the pieces that had gristle in them which wasn’t such a pleasure). I thought they both had wonderful flavour, but if pushed, I can’t get away from the fact that the bacon oil at the bottom of my one was an absolute delight to dip all remaining pasta in to.

An outdoor neighbourhood Italian eatery with simple and perfectly done pasta with cheese and luxurious fat, accompanied by red wine….that’ll do it(!).

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