[Food] Restaurant 2025

[dazzer6666]

Hutong up the Shard

Funny going to these kind of places isn't it. Everyone is dressed to impress and the service is great but do you want to be there? Not particularly.

Food was undeniably very good, though duck pancakes to start tasted the same as most other duck pancakes do and was a bit of a lazy choice, though the duck was very showy and carved at the table and that. There's not much to say about the rest of the meal aside from some really excellent wontons were had and the deep fried lobster and wagyu broth are well decent. Pudding was fine and the wine flight (three glasses for 50 quid) was fun.

Not cheap, watch out for the 15% service charge in top of an already very expensive meal (5 people, nearly a grand).

I liked it and am finding reasons not to if I'm honest, can't really recommend it unless you like showing off or it's a special occasion (which it was) and you think someone would like that kind of thing. Go somewhere in Chinatown and have fun instead.

7.2/10

Won’t set foot in that place again on principle. Had a one-night stay in the hotel (yes, it was ridiculously expensive and massively overpriced imo even by London standards), decided to go for a drink in the bar but got ‘sorry sir, you haven’t booked………’.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/25024416.fork-restaurant-lewes-closes-four-years-opening/

 

[Nitram]

Sea Lane Cafe, Goring-by-sea. First visit this year and was surprised what a transformation this place has undergone. New facade and fixed covered inside area where they used to have an outdoor covered space.
As ever very popular with nearly every indoor seat taken and usual queue to order.
Still good quality food and plenty of choices, with usual good variety of cakes.

Menus | Sea Lane Cafe

Freshly prepared foods suited to all tastes Browse our extensive menus featuring a variety of mouthwatering breakfast and lunch options, along with a tempting selection of artisanal pastries fresh from local bakeries. There is something for everyone at Sea Lane Cafe!

www.sealanecafe.co.uk

 

[Machiavelli]

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/25024416.fork-restaurant-lewes-closes-four-years-opening/

Ooo, I clicked on that and it's the first time I've been on the Ar-goose in yonks, and won't be rushing back.
We went there last year following on from Grace Dent's complimentary review (Grace does like restaurants down these parts: Fourth & Church and Palmito have also been raved about), and have to say I wasn't wild about it. Really liked Squisito though if anyone is around in Lewes -- it's not too ambitious but what it does it does as well as it can.

 

[Since1982]

Went to Embers on Wednesday. Bit of a mixed bag we thought. Smoked lamb, tataki, pork skewers all very good. Bonfire potato also very tasty but a modest portion. Liver - a favourite of mine and I cook it better. Savoy cabbage we sent back as too salty to eat.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Home along tonight as the missus cancelled on me. Sigh.

Will resume dining duties with a friend tomorrow. It’s a go-to French place I love but reading between the lines I think they’re struggling and might close. I have a horrible feeling they might lose their star as well, not because of a dip in quality, but because the offer has become rather confused as they continually adapt things to get more punters in. I will not be drinking tap water.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

A couple of 'far from B&H' reviews - i.e. Edinburgh

Firstly, Timberyard - a tasting menu. Expensive but absolutely superb. We went for the shorter menu but I really can't fault a single dish. Menu posted below as I'm too lazy to type up what we had. Seriously, one of the best restaurants we've been to. 10/10

Followed the next day by Makars Gourmet Mash Bar. Simple food done very well. Meat and mash basically. We went for half portions which was lucky as you'd need the constitution of @Herr Tubthumper to manage the full dish. Another 10/10.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Signed up to the FT today….

* Note from Jancis Robinson: “I am happy to go on the record re my strong lack of enthusiasm for St John’s wine glasses, which I regard as an inconvenient affectation.”

…and I think I’ve found @Goldstone1976 ’s nom de plume.

 

[Machiavelli]

Signed up to the FT today….

* Note from Jancis Robinson: “I am happy to go on the record re my strong lack of enthusiasm for St John’s wine glasses, which I regard as an inconvenient affectation.”

…and I think I’ve found @Goldstone1976 ’s nom de plume.

FWIW, we use the glasses Jancis has advised and collaborated on with Richard Brendon and rate them highly.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Signed up to the FT today….

* Note from Jancis Robinson: “I am happy to go on the record re my strong lack of enthusiasm for St John’s wine glasses, which I regard as an inconvenient affectation.”

…and I think I’ve found @Goldstone1976 ’s nom de plume.

Well, I’m not wrong!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

FWIW, we use the glasses Jancis has advised and collaborated on with Richard Brendon and rate them highly

When we moved into our new apartment, I actually sought @Goldstone1976 advice on new wine glasses. I ended up with some very nice Riedel glasses. Just two types, one for fizz, a Shiraz glass for everything else.

Very happy with these.

 

[Bakero]

Just read Jay's review in the FT. I do have a subscription but my partner was also able to read it on her phone without being logged in

Where should we begin? At Rules, of course. Jay Rayner’s first FT restaurant review

Our new critic is borne back ceaselessly to London’s oldest restaurant

www.ft.com

 

[Goldstone1976]

When we moved into our new apartment, I actually sought @Goldstone1976 advice on new wine glasses. I ended up with some very nice Riedel glasses. Just two types, one for fizz, a Shiraz glass for everything else.

Very happy with these.

Yep, a flute and a shiraz glass is really all you need. You can expand, of course, but you'd be starting the diminishing curve journey in my opinion. Next up would be Chardonnay and then Burgundy.

Riedel is my everyday go to - really good glasses without being ridiculously expensive.

 

[Machiavelli]

Yep, a flute and a shiraz glass is really all you need. You can expand, of course, but you'd be starting the diminishing curve journey in my opinion. Next up would be Chardonnay and then Burgundy.

Riedel is my everyday go to - really good glasses without being ridiculously expensive.

We really rate their Chardonnay glasses round these parts but no longer use them or any Riedel because CBA with all the pfaff involved of changing glasses. The JR-RB is wonderfully versatile.

 

[HeaviestTed]

Mrs WS has wanted to try Burnt Orange for ages but I've been resistant because so many dishes contain chillies or spices. Their winter menu had quite a number of dishes without so I relented and we went last night.

As it's small plates we tend just to order loads of dishes for us both to share. First two up were Crispy Fried Artichokes and Lamb Cigars. The lamb was very pleasant with a nice yoghurt dressing. The artichokes though were blow your head off spicy. Even Mrs WS - who likes heat - said it was too much and that you couldn't even tell it was artichoke you were eating due to the spice.

Next up Flamed Sea Bream with a mango dressing, Grey Mullet with a crab curry, BBQ Chicken thighs with pickles and a Sumac ranch sauce. Along with side of skillet baked potatoes and skillet leeks with 'Ufra'.

Firstly, 15 minutes after ordering we're told the Grey Mullet is sold out - we decide not to replace it and order more dishes later if need be. The chicken was nice but nothing to write home about. The leeks tasted like a bowl of citrus fruit and you wouldn't even know there were leeks in the dish. Potatoes had far too much dressing. The Sea Bream didn't turn up until we chased it and it was admitted it had been forgotten. It turned up 15 minutes later. Sea Bream was cooked well but the mango sauce was awful - didn't taste anything like mango.

We declined the opportunity to extend the torture with desserts.

Overall - despite having the Sea Bream and a bottle of wine removed from the bill - it was highly disappointing. "Emperor's new clothes" as Mrs WS put it. The portions are minute - yes, I know, it's small plates, but the cost is well over the top for the portions. Fourth & Church or The Flint House do the same style at much better quality and much better value for money. I suspect Burnt Orange are trading on their association with the Coal Shed and the Salt Room. 2/10 ( and one of those points is for the bread and butter pudding cocktail that Mrs WS loved ).

This you two ?

 

[PeterOut]

Just read Jay's review in the FT. I do have a subscription but my partner was also able to read it on her phone without being logged in

Where should we begin? At Rules, of course. Jay Rayner’s first FT restaurant review

Our new critic is borne back ceaselessly to London’s oldest restaurant

www.ft.com

From Jay's comment at the bottom of the article - "Today's column is outside the paywall, so you'll need to be a subscriber to carry on reading me from next week". It's a shame that he is now (soon to be) behind a paywall - I always enjoyed reading his reviews, whether I agreed with them or not. Guess I'll need to find a 12ft ladder soon.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

From Jay's comment at the bottom of the article - "Today's column is outside the paywall, so you'll need to be a subscriber to carry on reading me from next week". It's a shame that he is now (soon to be) behind a paywall - I always enjoyed reading his reviews, whether I agreed with them or not. Guess I'll need to find a 12ft ladder soon.

I have taken the cheaper 5 quid a month subscription option which covers his reviews.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Finally got round to trying Kitokito on Sydney Street for lunch yesterday. It's fine. Fried tofu poke bowl and some pretty standard gyozas for 15 quid. Must say the meat option my pal had looked like the better option as there wasn't that much tofu on my dish comparatively, however I was in a meat is murder mood so went for the plant based option. I left satiated, the service was friendly and the food came out pretty quickly. Worth popping in for lunch I'd say.


7.0

 

[jcdenton08]

Anyone else enjoy GaryEats on the YouTubes?

 

[CHAPPERS]

Red Roaster at the Dome update. Menu has changed and is a bit less interesting and food took a while to come out. I'm assuming the previous chef, formerly of Semolina, has moved on. Coffee is still excellent though and it's a nice spot innit.