Skinflint northerner seeks London food for minted Aussies
Discussion
Despite being an expat Londoner Im fairly out of touch and am struggling with this one so any help would be gladly received
Im off to the Smoke next week with the kids to meet my old mucker who emigrated ages ago and his glamorous Sheila who are in town for a week or so
Despite being lovely they are seriously wealthy, even more so than your average powerfully built PHer, and are used to eating out in the finest restaurants available to humanity - in Sydney admittedly LOL*......
My main limitations are that:
1) I am in no way prepared to drop £200 a head on a meal
2) One of the junior F'Tunch's is irritatingly fussy and the above would be a waste anyway, although the other would happily feast on Foie Gras and Pigeon if allowed and would certainly enjoy an 'event' meal which she is arguably owed for being dragged down to meet my mate
3) Zone 1 or near zone 2 obligatory
My main wish is to show the Aussies a good time and also to eat somewhere 'British,' different and memorable so Ive decided that a wander around Borough market should see us right for lunch but I still have no idea for dinner
Any suggestions for an authentic London meal at a good price would be very warmly received
For an idea of what I consider to be authentically London and good value for a treat Yauatcha in Soho is my current choice after a quick trawl through Tripadvisor, if you can do better then please say. His missus is a proper Aussie and so anything quintessentially British will be very well received - she still talks of the afternoon they had in Chatsworth last year so perhaps dimsum isnt the best choice
Cheers
- = Yes, I know the food scene in Sydney is kind of OK
Go for something they can look up and be vaguely impressed - Wolseley? By the a Ritz. Massively popular, admittedly a brasserie (grand brasserie) but fabulous for tourists, star spotting and so central everyone loves it.
In a similar vein, the Ivy Market Grill right on the Covent a Garden piazza would work. Plenty of English dishes in both. Plenty for fussy kids and you could be sitting between a local office worker and Nicole Kidman.
These are both (IMHO) bankers for what you want and won't great the bank (good selection and sensible price ranges of wine in both)
Look them up but both will truly do the job in a remarkably relaxed way.
Ps - Balthazar in a Covent a Garden is also a bustly hot ticket item as well....
In a similar vein, the Ivy Market Grill right on the Covent a Garden piazza would work. Plenty of English dishes in both. Plenty for fussy kids and you could be sitting between a local office worker and Nicole Kidman.
These are both (IMHO) bankers for what you want and won't great the bank
(good selection and sensible price ranges of wine in both)Look them up but both will truly do the job in a remarkably relaxed way.
Ps - Balthazar in a Covent a Garden is also a bustly hot ticket item as well....
My impressions of the Aussie culinary 'scene' is that while the fresh ingredients are top-notch, the skill in terms of how to put them together isn't there.
Lots of odd combinations, and unneccessary w
k, imho.
I'd take them to a pie and mash shop for jellied eels.
Either you're a or they are if £200 a head is the expectation.
Lots of odd combinations, and unneccessary w
k, imho.I'd take them to a pie and mash shop for jellied eels.
Either you're a
or they are if £200 a head is the expectation. Proper British food you say, in impressive surroundings?
http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/restaurant.ph...
http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/restaurant.ph...
Mobile Chicane said:
My impressions of the Aussie culinary 'scene' is that while the fresh ingredients are top-notch, the skill in terms of how to put them together isn't there.
Lots of odd combinations, and unneccessary wk, imho.
I'd take them to a pie and mash shop for jellied eels.
Either you're a or they are if £200 a head is the expectation.
You will probably only get stewed eels in a pie and mash shop;)Lots of odd combinations, and unneccessary w
k, imho.I'd take them to a pie and mash shop for jellied eels.
Either you're a
or they are if £200 a head is the expectation. Mobile Chicane said:
My impressions of the Aussie culinary 'scene' is that while the fresh ingredients are top-notch, the skill in terms of how to put them together isn't there.
Lots of odd combinations, and unneccessary wk, imho.
Are you saying you don't want pineapple and beetroot with that?Lots of odd combinations, and unneccessary w
k, imho.How about Langans? Most people have heard of it, it's not much more than pub prices, and there is a bit of a sense of occasion about it.
tomsugden said:
Proper British food you say, in impressive surroundings?
http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/restaurant.ph...
Simpsons-in-the-Strand is one of the worst restaurants in London. Trading off its name and proximity to the Savoy, it serves appalling food in surroundings akin to a nursing home. Woeful.http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/restaurant.ph...
22s said:
tomsugden said:
Proper British food you say, in impressive surroundings?
http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/restaurant.ph...
Simpsons-in-the-Strand is one of the worst restaurants in London. Trading off its name and proximity to the Savoy, it serves appalling food in surroundings akin to a nursing home. Woeful.http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/restaurant.ph...
te - aimed solely at Americans who know no better.desolate said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I was about to post the same.My favourite restaurant, bar none. And they always have some very simple dishes for people who could be deemed "fussy".
Lyle's www.lyleslondon.com
Great British seasonal food. In the evening it's a set menu, that changes every day, so you can't choose a la carte, but they do ask you if there's any specific food you don't eat, and cater around that.
Restaurant is fairly utilitarian inside, and the set menu is £46 a head, which is usally 4 dishes, and they also include some 'tasters' complimentary from the chefs.
Great British seasonal food. In the evening it's a set menu, that changes every day, so you can't choose a la carte, but they do ask you if there's any specific food you don't eat, and cater around that.
Restaurant is fairly utilitarian inside, and the set menu is £46 a head, which is usally 4 dishes, and they also include some 'tasters' complimentary from the chefs.
A bit out of the way (Bayswater), but one of my favoutite British restaurants is http://www.herefordroad.org/
The chef/owner worked at St John and you can see some influences.
The chef/owner worked at St John and you can see some influences.
Rosscow said:
x 1,000,000Although its been a while since I last went.
We were seated next to Sheila Hancock.
Social Eating House
Dean Street Townhouse
The Ivy Chelsea Garden on Kings Road
Both serve "modern" English food, all have relatively nice surroundings (first one a bit darker/date friendly), at somewhat moderate prices (1st one more expensive, 1 Michelin Star)
Love Yauatcha but it's not exactly English food!
Oh otherwise try Arbutus or Wild Honey for bargain Michelin star eating, although the food is more French than Brit
Dean Street Townhouse
The Ivy Chelsea Garden on Kings Road
Both serve "modern" English food, all have relatively nice surroundings (first one a bit darker/date friendly), at somewhat moderate prices (1st one more expensive, 1 Michelin Star)
Love Yauatcha but it's not exactly English food!
Oh otherwise try Arbutus or Wild Honey for bargain Michelin star eating, although the food is more French than Brit
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