Hidden Tea Room review - Underground dining in central London hosted by Lady Gray

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' dining concept, recently popularised, essentially involved groups of strangers dining in an undisclosed venue. Payment is usually made via Paypal in advance and the venue will only be made known just prior to the event.

Sounds dubious? Well, it all depends on how you look at it. There's always this thrill about not knowing who you are going to meet during the session or how the host may turn out. And if you think that because of its unlicensed status, such dining places might actually be cheaper, there's where you're mistaken. Lady Gray charges £25 per head for afternoon tea; considering that for just £10 more, you can have your tea with scones (free flow for both) at The Ritz, which comes with all the pomp, there is an obvious premium placed on the novelty factor.

We were greeted at the door after providing the password "It's us, Lady Gray!" by whom I should refer to here as Earl Gray. He led us through what could only be described as a labyrinth and after a series of stairwells, we finally reached our destination.

We were greeted at the door by the Lady and their little adoringly excitable hound, Oliver (its real name). With glasses of champagne, we went up to a good size balcony with a great view while waiting for the arrival of seven other guests. The rest arrived a couple of minutes later and before long we were chatting merrily amongst ourselves about how we discovered the Hidden Tearoom.

At precisely 2.30pm, we were led into the dining room. Tastefully decorated with black and white photos, the dining room was dominated by a long table was lined with white tablecloth and set with cutlery and individually printed menu. I must say that the presentation was better than I had expected.

The session started with a wide selection of tea (presented to us in a separate menu) and we were assured that we could request for a change of tea halfway through. I opted for Lapsang Souchong but was told by the Earl that they have ran out so I went for Oolong instead. After fussing over the tea menu for a couple of minutes, everyone made their choices and we carried on with the conversation while the Lady and the Earl toiled in the adjoining kitchen.

The Earl came in with the courses soon after tea was served. I'm not going to go through the entire list here but you do get a rather wide selection here. Other than the staple salmon, cucumber, cheese, ham sandwiches, there were also piping hot raisin scones (still soft) with cranberries preserves and clotted cream. Next up, we had selections of cakes, shortcakes and soft chocolate biscuits before having a palate cleanser sorbet. The final course was the velvet and butter cupcakes accompanied with chocolate truffles. That was topped up with a pot of jasmine flower tea, which flower literally bloomed in front of our eyes.

If you're looking for picking off your scones from fine china and seated in plump cushions under huge crystal chandeliers, the Hidden Tearoom is probably not your cup of tea. For £25, you will get an experience with a personal touch and the quality of food is way above those served at The Ritz. Towards the end of the session, Lady Gray brought Oliver out to performed some tricks, much to the delight of the guests.

Surely, that beats having Neptune staring down at you menacing with his trident held menacingly over his head while you munch on triangular sandwiches.

Address: Old Street, London EC1V
Contact: ladygray@hiddentearoom.com (email for more information)
Nearest Tube station: Old Street
Website: The Hidden Tea Room

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: £25 pp
Service charge: N/A
Taste: *****
Service: ****
Ambience: ****
Suitable for: couples with a sweet tooth, love meeting new people and adore dogs

Read More......

Singapore Garden review - London Swiss Cottage Singaporean food

For 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 a go.

Singapore Garden is tucked away in a nice leafy area near Swiss Cottage. That in itself is a refreshing change as most Singaporean/Malaysian restaurants are located in Leicester Square or other bustling areas closer to the city. They may be more centrally located, but hardly somewhere you would venture to if you want a quiet meal.

The design of the restaurant is also understated and tasteful, when compared to its Leicester Square rivals. It has this corporate look and is a place where one can bring their business associates to. In fact when I was there, there were 2 businessmen talking shop at the table next to me.

The menu is fairly extensive with a selection of the usual Chinese dishes (sweet and sour pork, chicken with cashew nuts etc), a sprinkling of Asian dishes (Thai green curry had a place there) and a good selection of Singaporean / Malaysian dishes. mee goreng, Singapore laksa, fried kway teow, hokkien prawn noodle soup . They even have ho jien (oyster omelette) and tauhu goreng (deep fried benacurd with peanut sauce) which I have seldom seen here. We were delighted! Eventually, after much deliberation, we decided on having otak (Malay style grilled fish cake with spices), ho jien, beef rendang (beef curry, Malay style) and braised pork belly.






I was rather surprised to see the ho jien (£11) presented as a thick pancake style omelette , and was rather disappointed to find that it does not have the fluffy taste of the oyster omelette we had in Singapore. It was densely packed with oysters (which I guess should be a plus) but I can't help feeling that instead of a marriage between the oysters and the eggs, the result was a rather starchy pancake, overwhelmed by the oysters, with the eggs merely playing a supporting role in holding the oysters together. Traditionally, ho jien should be eaten with a spicy tangy chilli sauce which is sadly missing here.



The braised pork belly was divine. The pork belly slices dissolved in the mouth and the aromatic broth thick with the taste of the spices went very well with the rice. A pity that the portion was rather small and was gone in a flash. The otak (£8) came in thick rectangular portions beautifully wrapped in banana leaves, a nod to the original (though skimpier) versions peddled by hawkers in Singapore. It hit the right notes with just the right amount of spice balancing the fishy taste though I thought the dish would be perfect if it were a tad less salty. The beef rendang (£8 ) was uninspiring. I think one can cook up a beef rendang of comparable standard with prima taste's prepacked paste.

Sanitised and sold at higher prices, albeit at a nicer ambiance, one can't help feel that the dishes at Singapore Garden which originate as hawker dishes had lost some of its allure in the process. It would have helped if the staff were friendlier. While they were efficient and responded to your requests quickly, they were hardly attentive. Having said that, if you are pining for your local favourite, this is one place in London where you are more likely to get it than not.

Address: 83 Fairfax Rd, London NW6 4DY
Tel: 020 7264 8233
Nearest Tube station: South Hamstead

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £25 pp
Service charge: 12.5%

Taste: **
Service: **
Ambience: ***
Suitable for: small groups who don't mind their Singaporean fare done a bit differently

Read More......

Kai review - exquisite Chinese fine dining in London Mayfair with a classy touch

Come 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 filling!". That was quite a mouthful coming from a self-styled gourmet of sort.

We decided to go ahead with the dinner scheduled the very next evening regardless but we did step into Kai with really low expectations. Personally, I would like to try out what Harden's Restaurant Guide 2009 termed as the 'Best Chinese Restaurant in London' (source: from Kai's website itself).

Being the only Chinese restaurant in London awarded the Michelin Star in 2009, Kai is right smacked in the middle of Mayfair. The three of us arrived at Kai a good half an hour before the allocated time and were greeted with smiles all round.

There was a staff waiting by the reservation table, another waiting by the door, yet another behind the bar and the captain came up to us as we stepped into the restaurant properly, and all of them looked like they just stepped out from a toothpaste advertisement. I kid you not. Well, if the food weren't going to be good, at least we would be paying for the service, I thought to myself.

The ground floor was empty save for two Japanese gentlemen seated next to us when we settled down. Our dinner mate ordered a glass of sake (£10) after flipping through the wine menu. As Wife and I couldn't really handle alcohol, we opted for Dragon Well tea (£4.50) instead.

We noticed something rather interesting about the ala carte menu - there is not a single word of Chinese character on menu. I'm not sure about you, but I would think that it was a sure sign that Kai was really meant for non-Chinese. True enough, even though Kai was packed to the till, there wasn't another Chinese in the restaurant the entire night save for two Singaporean (it takes one to know another) families dining on the lower ground floor.

Let's get down to business, let's talk food. The Soft-Shelled Crab with Julienne Green Mango (£14) was one interesting dish heavily influenced by Japanese and Thai cuisine. The crab was lightly crisp without a hint of grease and the mango stripes that accompanied it really wet my appetite for what was to come.

We ordered one half of an Aromatic Crispy Duck (£31), which came with hot steaming pancakes with accompanying cucumber stripes and dark sauce. We were shown the entire (well, half of it) duck before it was deboned on a table right next to our table. The waitresses then wrapped a pancake for each of us just so to show us how it was done.

After removing a pancake skin from the bamboo steamer, I unwittingly left the lid opened causing the pancake to quickly cool to room temperature. A staff saw that and without a word, she quickly replaced the bamboo steamer with yet another hot piping one filled with pancake skins. I was beginning to think that the dinner would turn out well afterall.

The Lamb with Ginger, Spring Onions & Oyster Sauce (£24) came next. That was perhaps the only dish that we though could be done better. You have to admit that it is pretty difficult to go wrong with ginger, spring onions doused with oyster sauce but I felt that the lamb slices were a tad too tender. I had to do a double take to make sure that it wasn't minced lamb. Perhaps they should have gone a little easy on the tenderiser.

The soup came soon after. With a name like Mermaids in the Mist (£14), the soup had to be good and it did deliver. Two thick sea bass fillets, which sliced away cleanly, immersed in light Szechuan soup to give that sizzling taste, just enough to numb your tongue for a split second leaving you wanting for more.

The Braised Home-made Tofu with Minced Chicken (£28) came highly recommended by the captain when we asked for tofu dishes. We thought that the thin seaweed layer merged on top of the tofu was a nice touch. Spring onions and asparagus accompanying it suitably refreshed the palate.

Though I thought that the Poached Lobster Essence Noodles (£12) was a bit overpriced for what is essentially plain thin egg noodles cooked in clear lobster soup, Wife thought that the broth tasted heavenly. But we both agreed that the 'Peranakan’ mango cake (£9) was the winner for the night (together with the tofu dish that is). Firm mango sponge cake soaked in sago filled gunung melaka syrup brought back fond memories of the days when food hawkers roamed the streets back home.

To top up what turned out to be a fascinating dining experience, we were served a complimentary assortment of chocolates and a pot of digestive tea at the end of the meal.

The bill came up to close to £60 per person (service charge inclusive). With prices as such, Kai is not exactly your local diner but I would hesitate to say that it's not worth the money. The captain came up to me after the meal and asked whether everything went well and I replied that everything was perfect. Perhaps I went to Kai with too low an expectation but I wasn't being patronising when I told him that I would be back again.

Read about my return visit on Kai's £19 set lunch.

Address: 65 South Audley Street, London W1K 2QU
Tel: 0207 493 8988
Nearest Tube station: Bond Street, Marble Arch, Green Park

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £70 pp (with drinks)
Service charge: 12.5%

Taste: *****
Service: *****
Ambience: ****
Suitable for: those clamouring for fine Chinese fusion cuisine and don't mind splurging a little

Read More......

Antonio's Ristorante review - the Italian pasta restaurant tucked in an alley at Angel Islington

Some 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 had taken to opening up shop in alleys that run perpendicular to Upper Street. Antonio's Ristorante is one of them.

Antonio's Ristorante is one of those restaurant that is almost begging not to be found. If you search for its location using its postcode on its receipt (N1 1PQ - a typo), you'll end up a couple of streets away. The irony is that once you find it, chances are you'll ask yourself whether this is a mistake. Let's be frank here, dining in a shady looking place sitting beside a car workshop down a dark alley is not exactly your idea of a perfect evening, even if it comes with a fancy name such as Antonio's Ristorante.

But before you start backing off back to Upper Street, let me assure you that it's not as bad as it seems. I suspect the staff over at Antonio's know that the odds are stacked against them and they more than make it up for it in the excellent level of service.

We were greeted warmly by the host and led swiftly to our table, which was right beside the kitchen. Even though we had made a reservation, it was a busy night for Antonio's Ristorante as there was a private party going on on the first floor.

Its interior décor looked more promising than its sorry surrounding. With rows of recycled wine bottles adorning its walls, Antonio's, with dimmed lighting (a tad too dim for my liking, and the main reason why no photos were taken of the food) provided a perfect setting for a quiet dinner.

Toptable offered us a promotion for two courses with a Bellini thrown in for £15 per person. And we got a goat cheese soufflé for starter, a spaghetti with giant prawns and a roast veal for mains, and a Belgium chocolate mousse for dessert.

After an encounter with the Swiss' cheese fondue, we were a bit hesitant to order any cheese based dishes but we both agree that the goat cheese soufflé was surprisingly light to the taste and before long, we were scrapping the plate clean.

The spaghetti (al dente) was done just nice. Accompanied by a grand total of two large prawns (with a handful of smaller shrimps), the dish didn't last long as well.



We were, however, a bit disappointed with the veal. The two slices came caked with something that I could only described as disparate bread crumbs, which was rather bland. The dish also came with a slab of kische, some roasted mash potatoes and a small serving of carrot shavings seasoned in some sweet solution. The presentation was a bit awkward as it seemed to me that the chef was looking for something to fill the plate. But I must add that the kische went well with the carrots.

Even though the chocolate mousse tasted rather flat, the staff who served us made our day. She was attentive, efficient and always with a smile throughout the night. Though the food served at Antonio's is hardly to shout about, I would probably return knowing that the experience would most likely be a pleasant one.

Address: 134-137 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 1QP
Tel: 0207 226 8994
Nearest Tube station: Angel or Highbury & Islington

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20 pp
Service charge:N/A

Taste: **
Service: ****
Ambience: **
Suitable for: a quiet dinner for two, just ignore the car workshop beside it.

Read More......

Lanzhou la mian handmade noodles (Noodle Bar) review - Cheap and good food in London's Chinatown

The 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 you are in a hurry. I'm glad to find out that, just two minutes away across Charing Cross Road, Zheng Zhong Lan Zhou La Mian Noodle Bar (loosely translated as 'authentic handmade noodles from Lan Zhou') along Cranbourn Street offers made to order handmade noodles.

I first saw a review of this on Dos Hermanos and wondered why I hadn't been there before. Anyway, after lugging my groceries from Gerrard Street, I decided to give Noodle Bar a go.

I must say that Noodle Bar doesn't inspire confidence at the first glance. Like many lesser Chinese takeaway and quick eats, there are trays of boring fried noodles with choices of chicken, pork or beef. But that's not what I went to Noodle Bar for.

Having caught a glance of the more promising noodle chef's preparatory table further into the shop with small stacks of dough on it, I stepped right in for that must where the renowned Lan Zhou handmade noodles were prepared.

True enough, I was presented with a menu with names of all the different varieties of la mian (handmade noodles) the moment I sat down. I pointed to the top item, which was the niu nang la mian (handmade noodles with beef in soup). The waitress gave me a pleasant smile and a quick nod, turned her head and gave my order to the noodle chef. There was a minor commotion as the noodle chef started to prepare the noodles proper.

I must add at that point that I couldn't help but notice that many Noodle Bar patrons unfortunately ordered the precooked fried noodles with sweet and sour pork. Please, Chinese cuisine is so much more than sweet and sour pork, and that should be the last thing you order in a shop that specialised in handmade noodles.

As the chef prepared the dough for my noodles, I asked his permission to take a photo of him in action. Not only he readily agree, he offered to give me the cue when to take the best shot. I believe it wasn't the first time he got the request. He kneaded the dough a bit, rolled it further and swung around it a bit. The whole process took less than 20 seconds when he managed to pulled fine noodles from what moments ago was still a piece of shapeless dough. He called out to me, "Now, take your picture!", which I did in an instant.



A couple of minutes later, the freshly prepared noodles was served up in a pipping hot beef broth with generous slices of beef brisket. at £6, it is definitely more worth it than the instant noodles served at Jen Cafe. The broth was richly flavoured and the small sprinkle of coriander leaves and spring onions added to the aroma. More importantly, the noodles were springly with an excellent texture.

As I was lapping up the soup and devouring the noodles, the customer sitting beside me looked at his fried noodles and whispered to his companion, "Wish I ordered that.". Well, I am sure they would for their next visit.

Address: 33 Cranbourne Street, London
Tel: 0759 0057 600
Nearest Tube station: Leicester Square

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £10 pp
Service charge: N/A
Taste: ****
Service: ***
Ambience: *
Suitable for: those who value their noodles prepared straight from dough in front of your eyes. Go for their specialty: beef or pork soup la mian (first two items of the menu).

Read More......

New Seoul Restaurant review - this new kid on the block fails to perform

After 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 fix at Korean Kitchen just off Piccadilly Circus. However, after visiting it a couple of times, I started looking for alternatives. Surely, with the sizable Korean population in London, there will be other decent Korean restaurants outside New Malden, the Korean enclave in Greater London. Though I have tried Asadal, which is just beside Holborn, it was, in my opinion, nothing to shout about. So New Seoul Restaurant (the new Korean restaurant's name) might just be the answer.

Much as we would like, to down another dinner would be doing pure injustice to our stomachs. I decided to do a bit of sleuthing around online before sampling a meal at New Seoul.

Surprisingly, despite its short history, there are already quite a number of online reviews posted on New Seoul. More interestingly, all of these reviews are positive. In fact, the only glitch pointed out by one review was New Seoul's relatively shoddy facade. Even that was a precursor to yet another compliment heaped on the growing accolade. It does seems that New Seoul has established itself as the new kid on the block in a pretty short span of time. I'm impressed.

(Please note: I got it wrong apparently, Kake has kindly pointed out that New Seoul has been around for a couple of years. See her comment below)

Our merry band of four arrived at New Seoul on a Friday evening after work. Famished, we stumbled into New Seoul for some hot piping Korean barbecue. Unlike Asadal, New Seoul is a much smaller establishment with cosy furniture arrangement similar to Korean Kitchen. A polite Korean staff quickly showed us to the table. While my dinner mates are poring through the menu, I took a cursory glance around the shop.

As pointed out by the online reviews, New Seoul indeed has a simple layout without much of an ambiance though the dimmed lights helped a bit in that aspect. I couldn't help but noticed that there was only one staff manning the shop and because of its long and narrow layout, it took us quite a while to get his attention.

To out delight, the kimchi and beansprouts side dishes were complimentary. Although that is taken for granted in Korea, there are very few Korean restaurants based in London that serve them free. We gobbled that out within seconds and proceeded to order another portion of kimchi (£3) when we learnt that it was not 'refillable'.


believe me, the seafood tasted better than it looked

The seafood pancake (£6.80) was the first to arrive. My first impression was that it would look a whole lot more palatable if served in a plate with a lighter shade of colour. Other than the presentation, it actually tasted quite good. Curiously it reminded me of a damp roti john (popular in Malay street fare) sold on the streets back home.


the fried chicken is chunky and sweet, though not so fresh

The fried chicken in sweet lemon sauce (£8.50) comes in huge chunks with bones in them. Perhaps we were expecting the same boneless pieces over at Korean Kitchen but we noticed that there was some discolouration between the bones and meat, a sign that the chicken could have been fresher.


the fish broth was a winner

The fish broth (£7.50) that comes with a serving of rice turned out to be the surprise winner. The generous portion of fish came with commendable texture. However, I would recommend it as a dish to be shared as having it as a main would be a tad too boring.


the barbecue was a huge disappointment

We ordered a portion of pork (£7.50) and beef (£9.50) for the barbecue. That was perhaps that most disappointing part of the meal. The pork tasted a bit past the due date while the beef reminded us of the 'mini steak' that we had at Crane & Tortoise - bland, tough with a tinge of water still in it. We had to doused the meats in sauces provided to make it somewhat palatable.

Though the food served at New Seoul is passable, I seriously don't think that warrants the superb reviews on it posted online. I wouldn't be in a hurry to return again. Looking at the expressions of my dinner mates, I'm not the only one who will be sticking to Korean Kitchen.

Address: 164 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1R 5DU
Tel: 020 7278 8674
Nearest Tube station: Farringdon

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £20 pp
Service charge: 10%
Taste: **
Service: ***
Ambience: **
Suitable for: those looking for a quick Korean meal and you absolutely do not want to go beyond Clerkenwell area.

Read More......

Bodean's BBQ review - Hearty American burger joint at London's Tower Hill

In 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 eyeing your chips. To make matter worse, central London has been hit by blustery winds lately and eating outdoors is definitely not an option. But unknown to tourists, there is a decent burger joint just across the road - a 2 minutes' walk away from Tower of London ticket office.

Bodean's BBQ, which specializes in hearty roast pork burgers with healthy servings of chips is a hot favourite for the local working crowd. In my opinion, the only reason why it hasn't already been mobbed by tourists is due to its less than desired location. Tourists who actually made it across Tower Hill Terrace stopped short at Wetherspoon while a more satisfying lunch is a mere 10m down Byward Street at Bodeon's BBQ.

Although Bodean's has full service seating in the basement, most customers would choose to order directly at the counter on the ground floor and settle down in one of the bar stools. Service is always consistently prompt and friendly.


the large Soho Special kept me drowsy for much of the afternoon

I ordered a large Soho Special (£6.50) when I was there with a cup of tea (£1.50), an odd combination I must admit. Served with two slices of pickles, a handful of large cut chips and cheese dips, the burger was more than a decent meal. As the pork is lightly roasted in sweet BBQ sauce and not grilled, the meat tears away easily unlike those pork patties found in lesser eateries.

Curiously, there's a 40 inch plasma TV on a side wall playing Mohammad Ali's clips in a loop. If you fancy watching Mohammad throw punches while munching on your burger, Bodean's BBQ is your new favourite haunt.

Address: 16 Byward Street, Tower Hill, London EC3R 5BA
Tel: 0207 488 3883
Nearest Tube station: Tower Hill

Ratings (out of 5 *)
Price: below £10 pp
Service charge: N/A
Taste: ****
Service: ***
Ambience: **
Suitable for: a hearty lunch

Read More......