St John
26 St John Street (EC1M, near Farringdon Tube)

For some people this is paradise...for others, this is sheer hell. For carnivores, it is a feast unlike any others (or a torture). For vegetarians, they may as well not bother. St John is an institution for London and world diners who follow chef/owner Fergus Henderson's "nose-to-tail eating" philosophy. There are wonderful restaurants around the world that follow this philosophy (just look at the menu and you'll see why we call it "head-to-nose eating"), but this is the Mecca of this cooking philosophy.

The decor is boring, like eating in a warehouse or a disused abbatoire...boring, but always full and boisterous. The service is never too good, but all that is of second importance compared to the fare.

After enjoying some nice red, I enjoyed the potato soup with snails. This is titles very deliberately, as it is not a snail soup. I would have loved to see more snails and perhaps cooked with the soup (like in Vietnamese cuisine), but it was excellent.

The main course was chitterlings with lentils. Most people would squirm hearing of this dish, but it was sheer excellence. Grilled with an olive oil and mustard base, it was done with skill that made it quite easy to eat. This is one of the only places you can enjoy something so simple but exotic, so I regard it as a treat. Bleh for some, gasp for others, tears for more, but cheers for some of us.

This is an experience eaters must have -- the menu changes by the day, and that is part of the joy of dining here. I've enjoyed snail salads, grilled eel, braised tripe, and more here, and it's always amazing. If you have the stomach and curiosity, this is the place to go!

Food: A
Atmosphere: B-
For Lone Diners: B

Sarkhel's
199 Replingham Road (SW18 near Southfields Tube)

My second evening in London was a busy one, but properly rewarded. I had spent the day discussing the founding of a new company with some friends, and we rewarded ourself for the hard work at London's best Indian restaurant (and frankly, the best Indian restaurant outside of the sub-continent), Sarkhel's. As usual, it was a total treat.

We were celebrating, so the wine was flowing for the three of us. As one of my partners in the company is vegetarian, it was not a difficult split for us with so much of the menu fitting for vegetarian diners (but for carnivores it is even better!). We split two starters -- the gade pakore (fish fritters) is just absolutely delicious, as well as the vegetarian version (which is diverse and interesting).

For the main course it is always a horribly difficult choice. For me, it's always been between the tandoori pomfret (fish) and the lamb shank -- both are amongst the best you'll ever have. But it's hard to get good fish in Indian restaurants, so I chose the pomfret. Amazing... My mates had other wonderful dishes; one even said that the chicken tandoori, the usually boring dish, was absolutely stunning. Excellent!

The restaurant is rather relaxed with amazingly good food, and not always easy to get a table. But the service is quick and attentive, perfect for solo diners or groups. I've never had an experience here less than amazing. It's a hike from central London, but it is definitely worth the ride on the District Line.

Food: A
Atmosphere: B
For Lone Diners: A-

Royal China
13 Queensway (W2; between Queensway and Bayswater Tube)

Fine, this restaurant is not in New York...but I'm back home in London for a week, so I decided to blog for a bit here. After a stressful flight from New York, I managed to get a table at what I consider the best Chinese restaurant in the world that Saturday evening. And it was a nice treat after all that...

With a nice glass of wine, I enjoyed a starter of spicy cold tripe -- extra spicy and delicious. Not everyone's soup, but it was done excellent as usual. And for the main course I had my usual, the oyster and tofu hotpot. Excellent (perhaps too hot at one point!), tasty and flavourful. Every dish I have had here, ranging from the steamed minced pork to the jellyfish, from the roast pork to the braised eel, is good.

I'm not into Asian/Oriental decor much, and it seems like a typical, large Chinese restaurant, so I won't comment on the atmosphere. But thank goodness I was in a non-smoking area -- which will not be needed anymore in a few more months, thank goodness. But the speed of service is great for lone diners and groups -- affirming my view this is the best Chinese restaurant in the world...at least outside the Orient...

I left this restaurant knackered, but more than happy. Goodness, good to be back in London...

Food: A
Atmosphere: B
For Lone Diners: A

Nice Matin
201 West 79th Street (at Amsterdam)

I know it sounds like a broken record when I say I hate going over to the UWS, but my friend up there picks the best places (see reviews of Gennaro and Regional). So on a excellent and freezing night I went over to the UWS again to enjoy a feast at Nice Matin. It was certainly once again a good choice.

We were given a table at the window, which was great. The place had an atmosphere of an European cafe, with a touch of Manhattan bar culture. It was both comfortable and relaxing, but without being too bland. The dimness, or lack of luminosity, helped the atmosphere greatly and was very condusive to all types of crowds, from the lone diner (of which I witnessed many -- a rarity in New York) to the romantic couple to larger groups. That is always a good sign.

Though it is Winter Restaurant Week, we chose not to have the special menu. As good as it looks, we both were not dessert eaters (that's my girlfriend's job...if I still have one at this point...sigh...). So we chose to go solo and it was an inspired choice.

For a starter I enjoyed the shrimp in garlic and oil. I hate eating shrimp in shells in public (though I love it), it was very nice. And the big pieces of garlic made it so much more tasteful -- thank goodness this was a boys' night out! The dishes appeared so quick, literally 3 minutes after we ordered! Excellent, especially for lone diners, but it actually beat the wine to our table...odd.

For the main course I enjoyed the hanger steak au poivre -- as I needed a good bit of beef after the previous night's shambolic meal at Bull & Bear. I was rewarded with a flavourful dish, cooked just right, with a large side of spinach (which I adore). Wonderful. My friend massively enjoyed his braised rabbit -- the day's special.

As suggested earlier, we skipped dessert and went searching for a bar soon after, but the meal was absolutely fantastic. I may slowly become a convert to the UWS...nah, as long as I got the 7 train to get me across town and up on the 1, then I won't bother. It was certainly worth the hike. Excellent!

Food: B+
Atmosphere: A-
For Lone Diners: A (*)

Bull & Bear Steakhouse
301 Park Avenue (at 49th Street; at the Waldorf-Astoria)

I had planned to meet a friend for a later-than-usual dinner at the usually-trustworthy steakhouse at the Waldorf-Astoria because of my previous positive experiences there. Before I moved to New York, I often stayed at the Waldorf and enjoyed the fare at Bull & Bear. I was not prepared for last night's experience.

First of all, due to some pipe issue, one of the other restaurants in the hotel was closed -- making Bull & Bear more busy than it should be. It was borderline chaotic. After being seated, it took the staff more than 10 minutes to get my drink order (while I waited for my friend). And took another 10 minutes to get a wine list after the menu was delivered. This was a bad start...

I had wanted to enjoy a nice prime rib -- it being one of the specialties of the house. I was shocked when they told me they ran out of prime rib and a few other dishes...huh? It's 8pm! Goodness... I ended up with a ribeye and we shared asparagus and spinach. I didn't dare for a raw starter seeing how chaotic things were...

The steak itself was fine, though overcooked. The food was nice enough, but the service was horrible and slow. There seems to be complete chaos in the restaurant that evening and it was out of everyone's control. And I noticed that they bumped all the prices up significantly and nothing was under $40 anymore (well, with the types of bonuses that people got in December, I'm not surprised...ugh...).

The place boasts a nice environment and is a solid steakhouse; the design is nice and relaxing, and the table lambs are not burdened by power chords (see my review of La Grenouille to see what I mean). But on this night, it was just too chaotic, and that was very disappointing that a hotel restaurant can't cope with the situation.

Food: B+
Atmosphere: B
For Lone Diners: C+ (*)

La Grenouille
3 East 52nd Street (between Madison & 5th)

I had planned an evening at the well-known La Grenouille for a romantic dinner with my girlfriend. This venerable restaurant has a wonderful reputation and I had hoped it would work its magic with us. At the end of the experience, I was a bit ambivalent about it all, and in the morning I still am ambivalent about this restaurant.

Certainly the restaurant is romantic and quite elegant, with an 'old world' charm about it. The staff works quickly and with the care of any top New York restaurant, and I would say that was complementary. The menu was a little 'old school' -- nothing wrong with that, but I thought it was just on the bland side.

I enjoyed the specials for both parts of the meal. The oysters to start were nice and fresh, and quite enjoyable. The main course was the special rack of lamb. It was tasty, but the portion was terribly small (two pieces?). It was disappointing in that respect.

We shared two desserts and that was excellent and rich. After a nice espresso we were ready to re-enter the cold and rainy evening. Overall it really didn't do that much for me or us, and I think this is a restaurant that could be considered a 'safe bet' but nothing more. There's aspects of it that are tacky -- especially the lamps on the tables. They work well, but when you have power chords all over the place, I saw at least 2 people that came close to tripping on them. That should be changed -- a rookie restaurant mistake, not a fixture like La Grenouille.

So overall, a little disappointing.

Food: B
Atmosphere: A-
For Lone Diners: C (*)

Taksim
1030 2nd Avenue (between 54th & 55th)

I love the cold weather, but my girlfriend doesn't...and it was 3pm and everything was shut. We were desperately looking to find a place for lunch. Luckily we stumbled (after 10 tries) into Taksim on 2nd Avenue. We both love Turkish food, so this turned into a perfect situation.

Taksim is proof that simple and casual restaurants can beat many of the "5-star" places anywhere. The food is homey and tasty, and the portions are large. Of course the decor is made for take-away and quick eating, but the food is wonderful.

I enjoyed the musakka over pilaf, which was extremely filling and rather good. Not quite the baked version we all know, but more of a mesh that made it work well with rice. My girlfriend enjoyed a very good grilled chicken salad.

For dessert we split a very tasty kadayif -- if you don't know this wonderful nutty pastry, you must try it! It is a Balkan/Turkish delight that pleases everyone. And Taksim did it very, very well.

Overall for a quick, accidental lunch, this was a great find. If you are in the area and want a quick but very good meal, this is the place. Excellent!

Food: B+
Atmosphere: C
For Lone Diners: A-

Bar Americain
152 West 52nd Street (between 6th & 7th)

As some of my readers could ascertain, I usually avoid restaurants 1) in Midtown West; 2) with absent celebrity chefs; and 3) essentially tourist traps. Well, I was invited to brunch by a friend and he suggested Bar Americain and I agreed.

It started off poorly, as we were shoveled into a busy corner when half the restaurant was empty. Just having to hear the nonsense that came out of the mouths of tourists was annoying enough, but in addition, a very badly-mixed bloody mary and absent coffee made the start of this experience negative.

Honestly, nothing on the menu excited me. Maybe the shellfish, but I know about weekends and the quality of raw foods...so I avoided it. Perhaps a good sign. I ended up with the burger americain with goat cheese...and what I got was a meatball sandwich. Ugh...it was a ball of grilled ground beef the size -- and shape -- of a jumbo egg. With a set of grilled burger buns, it was impossible to eat except with a fork and knife. I do not want to dislocate my jaw this Sunday. Plus, it wasn't good enough to risk mandible damage...it was a pretty lame burger. Overcooked, unflavourful, bland. Frankly any burger would be better than this...

My dining companion told me his food was rather disappointing too. To me it seemed like a directionless and boring set of dishes that most diners can put together -- probably better. This was really the essence of the New York City, Times Square area tourist trap. The food could have been better at the Applebee's down the road.

The decor and environment was a negative too. It looked like a large, hotel or Vegas-styled restaurant. It was bland and boring -- like the food. The service was poor and slow too. I find this restaurant really the epitome of the rubbish around Times Square. A waste of money and time... Mr Flay, this is a joke, you can do MUCH better than this if you just spend a little less time parading on TV!

Food: D
Atmosphere: D+
For Lone Diners: C

Esca
402 West 43rd Street (at 9th Avenue)

After a horrific day and a horrific week, I had decided to unwind at my favourite place to eat in New York, the fabulous Esca. It is indeed a hike to the West Side, but it was something I needed to do. I had a lot of steam to blow off (isn't this a common theme these days?)...

I got there and was promptly seated, despite being early. I was put in the same alcove as before, so very nice. The environment was much the same, though the restaurant was quite busy -- always a good sign. But the service remained top-class, as usual.

I enjoyed a wonderful bottle of lagrein as the feast began. I love the crudo section of their menu so much I ordered two. The first was the tilefish imported from Slovenia. Excellent texture, and the citrus base not overpowering. Excellent. I followed that with the ultra-rich escolar, which was just delicious. You can't overeat these things...if you've done it (like I have), you know what can happen to you...

I was more than happy by then. I then enjoyed my usual maccheroni alla chittara -- with lump crabmeat and sea urchin. It was fantastic but perhaps a little less rich than last time. It was so good that I actually ordered a second bottle of wine (perhaps a bit of a mistake) and ordered another one to take away! Goodness, the excesses of this evening...I needed it though, after this horrible week...

I ended up skipping dessert but treating myself to another helping of the tilefish crudo, which was fantastic. I spent a bit more time finishing that second bottle of wine, which was indeed way too much. I was overdoing it, but loved it. I paid for it afterwards, of course, but it's one of those nights that you need to do once in awhile...

Again, Esca did not disappoint and is still the place to go if you fancy some excellent Italian seafood. Nothing beats it. The winelist is spectacular as is the entire experience. Check it out if you haven't yet!

BTW if you want to read my first review of Esca it's here.

Food: A-
Atmosphere: A-
For Lone Diners: A

Another Index...

I guess with so many reviews it's best to have an index and a quick "best" comment. I still must say the top five restaurants are:

1) Esca (W43rd & 9th)
2) Megu - midtown (1st and 46th)
3) Porcão (Park & 26th)
4) Tintol (W46th & Americas/Broadway)
5) Korea Palace (E54th & Park/Lexington)

And the "worst" three are...

-1) Cinqueterre (E38th at Madison)
-2) La Carne Grill (Lexington & 39th/40th)
-3) wd~50 (Clinton between Stanton & Rivington)

Nevertheless, here's the whole list alphabetically...

212 (E65th at Lexington)
Alcala (E46th & 1st/2nd)
Alto (E53rd between Madison & 5th)
Ammos (Vanderbilt at 45th)
Avra (E48th between 3rd & Lexington)
BLT Prime (E22nd between Lexington & Park)
Bolo (E22nd between Park & Broadway)
Cafe Frida (Columbia between 77th & 78th)
Cinqueterre (E38th at Madison)
Country (Madison & 28th/29th)
Da Ciro (Lexington & 33rd/34th)
Esca (W43rd & 9th)
Gennaro (Amsterdam between 92nd & 93rd)
I Trulli (E27th & Park/Lex)
Japonais (E18th between Park & Irving)
Korea Palace (E54th & Park/Lexington)
La Carne Grill (Lexington & 39th/40th)
Lonesome Dove Bistro (W21st between 5th & 6th)
Madiba (DeKalb between Carlton & Adelphi in Brooklyn)
Megu - midtown (1st and 46th)
Phoenix Garden (E40th & 2nd/3rd)
Porcão (Park & 26th)
Public (Elizabeth between Spring and Prince)
Regional (Broadway between 98th & 99th)
Ruby Foo's (Broadway & 49th)
Tintol (W46th & Americas/Broadway)
Turkish Kitchen (3rd & 27th/28th)
Ureña (E28th & Park/Madison)
wd~50 (Clinton between Stanton & Rivington)

Public
210 Elizabeth Street (between Spring and Prince)

I have never been a big fan of fusion cuisines, so for me to walk happily into a place that openly describes itself as "free-spirited fusion" must mean the menu was intriguing enough for me to venture in. And to be honest, it was a mixed reaction I got after I left the restaurant -- though I was rather happy with the experience of this Australian-fuelled fusion.

It started off wonderfully with a delicious vanilla and mango mojito -- with an excellent aroma and even better taste. A great start. It was rather quiet as it was a Tuesday night and still rather early, but the environment was rather nice. I liked the decor, which works well for any audience -- understated, but creative. In fact, the excessive candles and darkness makes it a perfect romantic setting. Unfortunately, it was almost too dark to read the menu (I had to keep using my mobile phone to get enough light!).

The starter I chose the grilled kangaroo on coriander falafel. Aside from the falafel being way too salty and overwhelming to the delicate kangaroo, it was fine. I wish it featured the roo a bit more, as it should be the centre of this dish. The main course was the snail and oxtail ravioli. I thought once again the featured ingredient, the snail, was lacking -- it was all oxtail. It was good but a little unsatisfying. Some other places like Alto does a much better job with using lumache. The grilled asparagus side was the best part of the meal...

For dessert I actually enjoyed the six-mixed sorbets. This was the treat of the meal, ranging from the sourest of sours to the sweetest of sweets. The lack of intentional moderation of flavours with the 6 gave them the perfect mutual influence. I have to say I rarely enjoyed a dessert so much.

The restaurant is nice and not too over-bearing. It is way too dark, but could be an advantage for a romantic dinner. There's many good things, but I really wish the chef would enhance the use of the key ingredients in the dishes. Then this place would be terrific.

Food: B
Atmosphere: A-
For Lone Diners: B

Regional
2607 Broadway (between 98th and 99th)

I was meeting a friend for dinner in the fading days of 2007 and for him, the Upper West Side was a half-way compromise (yes, that's how far uptown he is), so we agreed to meet there. His last choice, Gennaro, was excellent, so I trusted him to find good food in UWS, and he did it again with Regional.

This restaurant, rather unpretentious, focused on various regional Italian dishes. Honestly, there was nothing too out of the ordinary here, but it was a good, solid Italian place with good portions. And the wines were nice too.

I enjoyed the fritto misto for a starter, and it was a good mix of seafood and the portion was good. The breading was not overwhelming, so you can taste the calamari and fish. Excellent, better than most other places. I found the presentation -- like fish & chips almost, wrapped in paper -- to be a nice touch.

Some of the secondi tempted me, but sensing the amount of wine I was to consume tonight, I settled on a pasta instead -- i spaghetti alla chitarra con ragu d'agnello...in other words, spaghetti with a lamb ragu. It was quite good and voluminous, which is what I needed. Of course this doesn't compare to the awesome stuff at places like Esca, but it was hearty and solid. So it was a plus.

The place was modern and open, so it is a good place for groups or less. It's a friendly place and the food came incredibly fast -- the fastest I've seen in months. So for lone diners, that would be a major plus. The lack of pretention on the UWS made it a nice experience. And the food was quite nice tood. Good pick again, Todd!

Food: B+
Atmosphere: B+
For Lone Diners: A-

Megu - Midtown
845 UN Plaza (on 1st Avenue off 47th Street)

I am usually not a big fan of Asian food, especially anything "trendy" but I have always heard great things about the Megu restaurants. So one evening I decided to drop into the closer of the two in Midtown. I had a very stressful day and was going there to blow off a lot of steam, and that later came back to catch up with me, sad to say...

It turned out to be both an excellent and appalling experience for me that night after Christmas. I was stressed and really should have enjoyed the wonderful restaurant more. I was given a seat at a romantic counter set-up...too bad my girlfriend was out of town (adding to my personal misery). The decor was nice and I think the environment is wonderful for any types of parties, from the lone diner to the group -- but excellent for romantic outings too. Good design, I must say.

I crafted a bit of an unique experience for the night, staring with way too much single malt scotch (my love and my weakness). There was way too many possibilities, so I decided to go all out. The food, paired with wine, came in steps to my own design. I started with some sushi, to take advantage of the fresh fish. Two excellent pieces of chu-toro melted in my mouth, as did two solid pieces of kanburi. That was an excellent start.

The next dish was just dreamy...ridiculously expensive, but worth it. If you want to splurge, this is the way to do it. As readers may know, I have always criticised the proliferation of "kobe" beef (from Oregon) around NY and American eateries...they have none of the real texture of Japanese beef. That was an experience I loved while in Japan, and I did once again this evening at Megu. I had the cold beef...at $48 for 2 ounces, it was pricey but it was worth it. Every bite was nearly orgasmic...oh, it was just amazing... I can eat it all day, the marbleness incredible, the texture just unique. It makes me hate this Oregon "kobe" beef so much more...

After that everything was anticlimactic. I had as a "main" by then the anago tempura -- eel. That was also very excellent. However, I was still dreaming of the beef and was way drunk by that stage. I remember ordering more of the $48 meat and enjoying more alcohol, but the rest of the nigh, sadly and embarrassingly, was very murky...

I have to say I marred my own experience at this awesome restaurant. Hopefully I wasn't too stupid and will be able to go back to enjoy this wonderful place. But I do totally recommend this place, the best Asian eatery in NYC by far.

Food: A
Atmosphere: A
For Lone Diners: A-