tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:00:01 +0000Reviews of London's restaurants and eaterieshttp://www.londonchow.com/noreply@blogger.com (C K)Blogger51125LondonChowhttp://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-1630492033905772786Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +00002009-12-09T06:57:55.141ZTurkishGood food cheers me up, especially one that is reasonably priced and comes with excellent service. After introducing K to Puji Puji during his visit to London, he returned the favour by asking me to meet up with him lunch at Hazev, the new Turkish restaurant that opens up at Heron Quay, right across the footbridge from central Canary Wharf. Other than a full restaurant, Hazev host a deli besidehttp://www.londonchow.com/2009/12/hazev-review-london-turkish-food.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-3779397334972501626Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:48:00 +00002009-12-08T07:20:41.270ZasianIt must be pretty tough for an Indian restaurant to be located within a stone's throw to Masala Zone in Angel Islington's Upper Street. Londoners seem to have this penchant for Wagamama styled dining - tucking into pseudo fast food on simple tablecloth free tables with equally plain seats. Even with the lunch special that Gufaa is currently having, people still flock to Masala Zone for reasons http://www.londonchow.com/2009/11/gufaa-review-cheap-indian-food.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-1089443987378680589Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:00:00 +00002009-11-26T22:19:01.913ZChineseWe met up a friend at Bayswater over the weekend. You would have thought that it was going to be at either Kiasu or Four Seasons but we decided to try something new and, frankly, I had enough of roast ducks so we headed to Whiteleys, which was a shopping mall right at the northern end of Queensway. Nothing's hidden from view - a currently popular open concept theme It didn't take us long to http://www.londonchow.com/2009/11/cha-cha-moon-bayswater-whiteleys.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-8381307534109981559Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:00:00 +00002009-11-23T19:00:42.669ZasianWe were at the British Museum's Moctezuma : Ruler of Aztec and popped by Abeno along Museum Street for a light snack after the exhibition. More precisely, we were gunning for the okonomiyaki, which is a Japanese rosti with chopped cabbage instead of potato strips. Each table has got a metal hotplate installed and that alone, when heated up, is a welcome respite from the chilling wind blowinghttp://www.londonchow.com/2009/11/abeno-review-japanese-okonomiyaki.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-3241265053321708153Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:15:00 +00002009-11-19T22:16:28.336ZBritishMy colleague, Ab is absolutely besotted with fish and chips. While the rest would shun the company's canteen on Fridays as it serves only fish and chips on that day, the two of us would make a beeline for it. There's something comforting about have a piping hot fish and chips as the weather turns colder. Curve Restaurant and Bar at Marriott West India Quay Hotel is currently having a 3 in 1 http://www.londonchow.com/2009/11/curve-bar-and-restaurant-review-london.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-5729152655954485016Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:25:00 +00002009-11-17T22:33:48.215ZasianWe headed to Japan Centre, which has relocated to Lower Regent Street, to stock up on some groceries over the weekend and decided to stop by Mitsukoshi Restaurant and Bar for lunch. A previous visit ended in disappointment as we turned up after 2pm and the last lunch order was closed for the day. So this time round, we made sure we were there way before then. Once we got down the stairs (http://www.londonchow.com/2009/11/mitsukoshi-restaurant-review-london.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-8531703224898154364Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +00002009-12-08T07:26:24.665ZFrenchI had heard good reviews about Eastside Inn for some time so I was very pleased to find myself attending a dinner party there. Eastside Inn - a corporate contemporary setting Eastside Inn is located in Farringdon. We thought it would be easy to locate but in the gloom of a rainy autumn evening it took us some time to locate. Eastside Inn has a contemporary setting though I must say I found it http://www.londonchow.com/2009/11/eastside-inn-review-london-farrindon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-2106744712225237546Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:00:00 +00002009-11-23T19:07:36.422ZChineseYum Cha's name has been tossed around whenever I asked for recommendation for affordable dim sum in London. Rather than to return to Royal China (my current favourite) for afternoon dim sum, we decided to hop on to Northern Line and head towards Camden Town to try out Yum Cha. The first thing that struck you when you reach Yum Cha are the posters that promises huge discounts (up to 50%) for dim http://www.londonchow.com/2009/11/yum-cha-review-camden-dimsum.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-4533232161846962638Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +00002009-11-10T21:44:22.877ZasianEvery weekday when the clock struck 12pm, the underground shopping arcade in Canary Wharf will suddenly be swamped with hungry souls who are determined to fill their stomach and do their shopping within a span of 60 minutes. The contrast between the calm at 11.59am and the chaos descending upon Canary Wharf shopping arcade is almost surreal. I won't be surprised if these people have been biddinghttp://www.londonchow.com/2009/11/canary-wharf-waitrose-curry-rice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-4908104835632977725Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:20:00 +00002009-11-06T23:27:42.356ZcomfortI normally refrain from writing about chain stores but thought otherwise as I have been dining in this one on a rather frequent basis. In fact, this is a hot favourite among some people I know. Perhaps it's because of the spiciness - the 'sweating it out' is a curiously liberating experience, or the comparatively generous reward program - one free quarter chicken after only the third purchase. http://www.londonchow.com/2009/11/nandos-canary-wharf-jubilee-place.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-6977075341761513863Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:27:00 +00002009-11-14T01:09:39.099ZChineseCuriously, though lovers of Chinese cuisine in London often heap praise on Yauatcha and Hakkasan, they don't normally head towards these Michelin starred restaurants on a regular basis. Ask any Londoners who are familiar with London's Chinese cuisine and they are likely to point you towards Royal China. Out of the four Royal China restaurants in London (Bayswater, two along Baker Street, Canaryhttp://www.londonchow.com/2009/10/royal-china-canary-riverside-review.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-4967119956347591688Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:53:00 +00002009-11-14T01:13:51.773ZitalianSomeone once told me that you can never go wrong with Italian food in London. I have to agree with him as I have yet to find anyone who would refuse a good pizza or pasta, and I am pretty sure everyone has got their favourite pizzeria that they would retreat to at the end of a long day at work. Tenore Pizzeria, which is a 5 minute walk from Sainsbury in Angel Islington, is one class act. http://www.londonchow.com/2009/10/tenore-wood-fired-pizzeria-review.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-6192803005191588318Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:17:00 +00002009-10-16T00:30:17.024+01:00Chinese The Lotus Floating Chinese restaurant - the exterior looks much better than the interior While there are a number of pubs or restaurants along River Thames, Lotus is probably the one full fledged Chinese (Cantonese) restaurant on the water in London. Together with Royal China, which is located at Westferry Circus, Lotus dominates the Chinese culinary scene in London's Canary Wharf. The large http://www.londonchow.com/2009/10/lotus-review-canary-wharf-cantonese.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-4692267639348454422Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +00002009-10-15T23:46:14.197+01:00Chinese  Keelung is along the quieter Lisle Street Keelung, serving Taiwanese hawker fare, is located along Lisle Street in Chinatown, which is not exactly where the action is. If not for See Woo, which is a popular Chinese grocery store, Keelung would probably have to count on word by mouth. Then again, with Liang Shan Hao Han - The Legend Continues, an off shot from Liang Shan Hao Han (Leong's Legendhttp://www.londonchow.com/2009/10/keelung-review-london-taiwanese-food.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-5778496563124871442Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +00002009-10-12T23:30:46.652+01:00Korean get pass its facade, Jin Go Gae has a more inviting interior To recap, W, a Korean acquintance of mine recommended me two Korean restaurants in the vicinity of Raynes Park train station and I was determined to try them out in a single day. After lunch at Cah Chi, the three of us headed to Kingston before hopping on to bus 131 to Burlington Road for dinner at Jin Go Gae. After our experience athttp://www.londonchow.com/2009/10/jin-go-gae-new-malden.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-2765327282555051469Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:00:00 +00002009-10-12T23:32:05.986+01:00KoreanCah Chi comes highly recommended by a Korean acquaintance of mine (W). We were dining at Korean Kitchen and I began to bug him for his favorite Korean restaurant in London. After deliberating for quite some time, he came up with just two, Cah Chi and Jin Go Gae, both of which are in the vicinity of Raynes Park train station. Not only that, he very helpfully sent me an email detailing the http://www.londonchow.com/2009/10/cah-chi-review-korean-food.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-5226892409033496216Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:00:00 +00002009-10-12T23:32:31.772+01:00American Simple and subtle, hidden tearoom style Tea is quintessential to the British as stout is to the Irish and having afternoon tea is literally a social event that takes up the better part of a leisurely afternoon with some friends. Over the weekend, four of us up the ante and booked ourselves into an afternoon champagne tea session at Lady Gray's Hidden Tearoom. For the uninitiated, the 'Hidden' http://www.londonchow.com/2009/09/hidden-tearoom-review-lady-gray.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-4118573700083683188Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:24:00 +00002009-10-12T23:32:43.613+01:00asianFor those of you who are pining for food from home after all that feasting at Singapore Day, let me introduce you to another eatery in London - Singapore Garden. I have heard of the restaurant for some time, but have put off visiting the restaurant since it sounds like a dubious beer garden. After having read a rather flattering review of the restaurant at Time Out London , I decided to give it ahttp://www.londonchow.com/2009/09/singapore-garden-london-singaporean.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-4131663912335469677Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:00:00 +00002009-10-12T23:32:53.659+01:00ChineseCome to think of it, we almost wanted to cancel our dinner reservation at Kai when we heard what an Cantonese acquaintance's take of the Mayfair restaurant during a meal at Korean Kitchen last Friday. "I don't know what cuisine Kai serves," he lamented, "If it's supposed to be Cantonese, it sure didn't taste like it. And it was expensive as well. We paid £80 per person and it wasn't even fillinghttp://www.londonchow.com/2009/09/kai-mayfair-chinese-fine-dining.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-1415428537930363496Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:30:00 +00002009-10-12T23:33:38.259+01:00italianSome say that Angel's Upper Street is one of the most happening street in Europe. I'm not sure how true that is but the fact is that the entire street is filled with restaurants of almost all major cuisines on Earth. If you were to dine in one of them for every week, it could very well take you a year before you pay a repeat visit. In fact, the street is so crammed with restaurants that some hadhttp://www.londonchow.com/2009/09/antonios-ristorante-review-italian.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-3108055914298646185Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:47:00 +00002009-10-12T23:33:49.719+01:00asianThe Chinese live to eat and that's one irrefutable fact, like gravity or Yauatcha offering more bang for your buck than Hakkasan. More so is that fact that finding a Chinese eatery in London's Chinatown that scores on taste, pricing and service is practically an impossibility. Sometime back, I made a mention of Jen Cafe, which offers freshly made dumplings, being a great place to grab a bite if http://www.londonchow.com/2009/09/lanzhou-la-mian-handmade-noodles-cheap.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-8626805395379420113Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:44:00 +00002009-10-12T23:33:58.883+01:00asianAfter a meal at The Fryer's Delight the last time round, we took a walk east along Theobald Road and then along Clerkenwell. Even though I was stuffed from the fish and chips consumed just before, something caught my attention - a new Korean restaurant has started business alongside the Chinese takeaway, which I have walked past countless times. That got me excited. Currently, I get my Korean http://www.londonchow.com/2009/09/new-seoul-restaurant-korean-london.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-1188102301354058519Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:00:00 +00002009-11-03T22:12:07.826ZAmericanIn my one day in London guide, I recommended the two fish and chips stalls and Wagamama for lunch after a visit to Tower of London and I've come to realise the folly of that. Wagamama is packed during lunchtimes and though the queue moves at a decent rate, being packed onto long canteen style tables doesn't really aid one's appetite. If that is bad, try manoeuvring a slab of fish with pigeons http://www.londonchow.com/2009/09/bodeans-bbq-london-american-burger.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-7081026772083656742Wed, 19 Aug 2009 11:00:00 +00002009-10-12T23:34:15.390+01:00asianI was looking through Toptable for a straits food restaurant which I missed. I was pretty confident that I had tried everything worth trying but was proved wrong! 54 proclaims itself as London's premier Malaysian restaurant and bar. Its pricing is also easily the most expensive among the straits restaurants I have tried. Their 7 course promotion is going at £24.50 while their ala carte main http://www.londonchow.com/2009/08/54-malaysian-restaurant-review.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2218863180946943867.post-7782472129994268620Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:30:00 +00002009-10-12T23:34:23.353+01:00asianI had too much of a meat fest lately and decided that I needed something delicate for a change. I decided that what I really needed was Japanese food, but where can I get decent Japanese food in London? A quick search through Squaremeal brought Soseki to my attention. According to Soseki's website, their menu "is inspired by the Japanese concept of 'kaiseki – kappo', a style of cooking which http://www.londonchow.com/2009/08/soseki-review-london-japanese.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (C K)3