Scotts's Mayfair London - Revisited

It has been a while since our last visit to Scott's and this was not exactly planned. It was one of those afternoons that simply too cold to walk about and we happened to be in the neighbourhood of Mount Street. We made a quick phone call to make sure they have an availability, then there we were in a matter of minutes.

Welcomed by friendly doorman then by smiley cloak attendant ready to assist with our coat, hat and all those wintery essentials. And finally, we entered the main dining area. We normally would prefer a table at the rear area rather than the front as it offers more space and privacy. But as we made a last minute reservation during a busy afternoon, a table at the front was what available for us. Slightly over crowded with a small group right next to us, but at least the seat was comfortable.

The menu was handed over to us, we noticed there are new and interesting dishes being introduced combined with Scott's signature dishes. And after a lot of consideration, we decided to start with a simple Smoked Salmon and Manx Kipper Pate served with toast and pickled cucumber. Safe choices indeed. 

The smoked salmon was melting in the mouth as expected, went well with capers and freshly squeezed lemon. A delectable yet light starter. The Manx Kipper Pate was equally satisfying too, it was our first time trying it and we gladly to tell you it was rather unusual but certainly delicious. Delicate smokey taste of the kipper combined with butter and seasonings was a great companion to warm brown toast. We must warn you, the kipper pate is very more-ish, so don't get too carried away as there more tasty dishes to experience :)

Pleased with the starters we moved to the classic dishes, Lobster Thermidor and Sole Meuniere. Again, not a very adventurous options but very comforting. The Lobster Thermidor can be a little bit challenging though, as we noticed some inconsistency on flavour from our previous visits. But we were glad that this time the Chef executed the dish exceptionally well. The lobster was tender and juicy, the sauce was creamy and well balanced. We could taste the hint of mustard and parsley, great to dunk the chips into!!

The Dover Sole that we chose was 22 oz, we did not realize how big it was until it arrived. And at that point we wished we order the smaller one. Especially when it actually came with good size fish roe on top and we ordered a plate of green salad on the side. Seemed a lot of food to handle, though taste wise there was nothing that we could criticize. The fish was cooked to perfection, drizzled with butter sauce that was seasoned really well plus the green salad tossed in tasty mustard vinaigrette. Really flavorful. The fish roe itself was simply pan fried to retain its natural flavour. A real treat!

Overall it was a very pleasant late lunch at Scott's. No wonder this restaurant often visited by celebrities and dignitaries such as Nigella Lawson, Kevin Spacey and Bill Clinton to name a few. The only criticism we had on that particular visit was rather stern looking waiting staff. They were accommodating and efficient but did not seem friendly or happy. We wonder why.. 

Scott's Restaurant
20 Mount Street
Mayfair London W1K 2HE

Phone: +44 20 7495 7309
Website: http://www.scotts-restaurant.com

Tempo Restaurant and Bar, London - Revisited

It's been a while since our last visit to Tempo Restaurant and Bar Mayfair. We arrived minutes past noon and we were their first customers to serve. Great! We got to choose our table. And a nice table by the window it was. It's kind of fascinating to watch people passing by, especially few days before Christmas. Everybody seemed to be in a rush, struggling with bags of shopping in a pouring rain. Just to fulfill the thought of making others 'happy' for one particular day in the year. All that hassle, pressure and stress.. 

Anyways, let's get back to our favourite subject, food. Tempo has new menu this time and we were eager to try as many as possible. As starters we have decided to have Polipo - Warm octopus, saffron potato, olives and pesto and Bruschetta di Burrata - Mozzarella and sun-dried tomato accompanied by Sicilian Vermentino, perfectly chilled. 

The warm polipo was delicious, melt in the mouth. The flavour between pesto, tomato, parsley, olives and saffron potato mingled with the octopus delicately and nothing was too overpowering. Perfect. The bruschetta was lovely too! Unlike the traditional one with garlic and basil, Tempo's style of bruschetta is more a light version. The mozzarella that they used was very milky and creamy topped with sweet sun-dried tomato and contrast with tanginess of balsamic vinegar. Nice!

Pasta Course. It's kind of a ritual of ours to have pasta course in between the starter and the main course since we were told that's the traditional Italian way of dining. Well, we can tell you we would not complain about that, apart from having to struggle to get off of the dining chair at the end :)) 

And that's why we like to dine at Tempo, as they provide the option to have the pasta course as a half or full portion, so we can spare some space for meat/fish course and of course the dessert. So, for the pasta course we chose, Ravioli Verdi - ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes and black olives and Tagliatelle with creamy wild mushroom, parsley and parmesan cheese. We could tell that both pastas were home made and fresh, though the tagliatelle was a bit heavy than we have anticipated but taste wise we have nothing to complain. 

Moving to the main courses, we chose Ipploglosso - halibut served with savoy cabbage, puree of garden peas and diced panchetta topped with crunchy bacon and a dish out of the daily special, Pheasant served with polenta and spinach dressed in jus. 

What could we say about both dishes?? 'Scrumptious' would be the answer! The halibut was well seasoned and moist, definitely cooked in perfection. The vegetables that came with it was well portioned, just enough to accompany and compliment the fish. 

The pheasant was fresh and flavoursome, ideally matched with polenta and spinach. The jus finished the dish pleasantly, though, it was slightly too rich to our taste. But overall opinion from the starters to the  point of main courses we were well pleased. 

The only part that we were a little bit disappointed was the dessert. We chose the classic Italian dessert -  Tiramisu. It presented nicely, looked very appetizing, mascarpone was very light and creamy but lacking the taste of coffee liqueur and replaced by chocolate sauce instead. We found it rather unusual. 

Tempo Restaurant and Bar, to us, is still a pleasant place to dine. Friendly and accommodating staff, comfortable seats, nice ambiance, good food and good value for money. They change the menu regularly which add the attractions to the restaurant. Tempo also has private dining area upstairs, ideal for business lunch or dinner. We would gladly recommend Tempo Restaurant and Bar to our readers. 

Tempo Restaurant and Bar

54 Curzon Street, London W1J 8PG

Phone: +44 20 7629 2742

Email: info@tempomayfair.co.uk

Website: http://www.tempomayfair.co.uk/#home

The Tea Terrace at House of Fraser Oxford Street, London

For most of us, when christmas is approaching, everybody is all mad about shopping. Even wet and bitter English weather doesn't seem to fade people's festive spirits. Oxford Street is jammed packed with people as always. I personally love shopping, but not a big crowd lover. So I choose the day to shop carefully. Definitely not on the weekend, if I can help it.

But, today - Friday (sigh!) is an exception.. A friend of mine would like to meet up over a cup of tea at The Tea Terrace - House of Fraser. I could hardly say no of course. So, I got myself wrapped up and start making my way to Oxford Street. Let's make the most of the day.

This is the part that I enjoy being in central London, I could get from one place to another mostly on foot. Passing through the Shepherds Market, lively as always, then Mount Street Garden - perfect little hide away from hustle and bustle of London, Grosvernor Square with its rather intimidating security guards at American Embassy (God knows why do they have to have so many securities) and within minutes I arrived at my destination.

I have never been to The Tea Terrace before and I must say, I like how it's been set up. Very English, with Cath Kidston-like touch. It's busy with people having their afternoon tea, chatting away, very cosy. We were quite lucky not to have waited too long for a table. 

By the time we sat down, I started to feel famish. And the christmas special menu did not help either. Too much temptation for me to cope :) So, Turkey Roast it is.. 

My Earl Grey tea arrived first, served in flowery tea cup! Oh.. that is sooo me! I can imagine myself sitting all day at this place.. 

Not long after, came the Turkey Roast complete with all the trimmings. I could not wait to dive in. 

And you know what, it was really worth having! The turkey was tender and moist, covered in just enough jus. Lovely! The brussels sprouts were a little bit overcooked, but the stuffing and mini sausages, the rest of the roast vegetables and cranberry sauce compensated it. 

Considering the hassle and time it takes to cook turkey at home, I would suggest you to pop in to The Tea Terrace instead and treat your family for shopping after!! I know it isn't traditional, but hey, nothing wrong with doing something slightly different from time to time. 

I would not compare the meal I had to the same standard as in a proper restaurant, because it would not be fair as they did not charge as much. But this is the place where you can take a break from a long hours of shopping or simply treating yourself an afternoon tea or catching up with friends over a cup of coffee and cakes. The service was not the finest, but efficient. Good value for money and family friendly. I have no reason to complain... 


The Tea Terrace at House of Fraser Oxford Street London
5th Floor House of Fraser
318 Oxford Street, London W1C 1HF
Phone: +44 20 7499 8970

The Market Brasserie, London

The Shepherd Market in Mayfair always have answers to food lovers, from Indian food, Italian, Lebanese, Japanese, French to simple and hearty old English pub food are all there to choose from. And on our most recent culinary adventure, our choice goes to The Market Brasserie. 

Like its sister restaurant - The Little Square - that we have visited before, the concept of The Market Brasserie is simple, honest and comforting. What more could we ask during grey and wintery day? 

After choosing our spot by the window, we browsed through the menu. Grilled lobster is on today's special! Tempting, but we need something more substantial (read: stodgy). So, we start with Mushroom Rarebit and Calamari Fritti with sweet chilly dip, accompanied by a bottle of Poully-Fuisse followed by Rib-eye steak and Sea Bass with button mushroom and mashed potato on the side. Those should keep our rumbly tummies happy for the day.

Our starters arrived. Our first impression was 'good portion'. Just enough to get our appetite going and leaves plenty of room for main course and obviously - the dessert. Both mushroom rarebit and calamari served hot, which is important. Presented adequately attractive but not over the top. Taste wise, they were slightly under-seasoned, but we didn't mind. 

The main course, Rib-eye steak and Sea Bass. Again, very good portion and the steak cooked perfectly, medium to well done it was, served with green salad on the side. The sea bass was beautiful too, served on a bed of salad leaves with grilled vine tomatoes and baby fennel. The only flaw we noticed was the taste of fennel was rather unusual. Not quite anise-ey but more carroty... There's a mystery for you! :) 

Side dishes, the button mushrooms and mashed potato were 'okay', could be better with a little bit of butter and seasoning. But they were not disappointing us in a big way. 

What let us down more was the Poully-Fuisse. It tasted fine, but it has a lot of sediment at the bottom of the bottle, plus it was a screw top. That's very unusual for a reasonably good French white wine. We mentioned our concern to the staff and apparently it will be forwarded to the owner. 

We have gone through starter and main course, now it's time for a cheese platter and sweet treat. We chose Chocolate Torte. We were happy with the portion size of both starters and main courses, now we  got shocked by the portion of cheese platter! Well too generous!! And those cheeses were not quite mature to our taste. The chocolate torte was rich, almost mousse like but heavier, topped with two large dollop of double cream. We think after all the food we just gone through, we have to jog around Green Park several rounds to burn off the calories.. :)) 

All in all, we were quite pleased with the whole culinary adventure at The Market Brasserie. We would  not categorise it as a fine restaurant, but more to a local restaurant that everybody can visit anytime to find comfort food and casual service without breaking the bank. 

The Market Brasserie
18 Shepherd Market, Mayfair
London W1J 9QH
Phone: +44 20 74919442
Website: http://www.themarketbrasserie.co.uk/home.htm

1707 Wine Bar at Fortnum & Mason Piccadilly, London

Visiting Fortnum and Mason - Piccadilly to us is like a day out treat. The chocolate corner, tea and coffee corner, cakes and patisserie and so on are just too hard to resist. That’s just on the ground floor..

Knowing we are very weak-willed when it comes to food and drink, we went straight to lower ground floor to the Food Hall. Our intention was to pick up some little stuff to take home, which we did manage to do. But, when we were just about to climb the stairs, our eyes caught the menu board at 1707 Wine Bar.

And guess what?? Seconds later, we found ourselves sitting at the bar ordering Devilled Whitebait and Preserved Lemon Aioli and a bottle of Ruinart Brut Rose.

The time shows a quarter past 12, what was a quite bar when we arrived soon filled with people. It gives such a lively ambiance to the venue. Friendly staff helped too.

Our Devilled Whitebait arrived, presented quite uniquely in fritter basket with aioli on the side. Champagne glasses topped up and we tuck in in no time.

Well… we must admit, the whitebait didn’t blow our mind, but it was ‘okay’. It was reasonably warm when it arrived at our table, crunchy in texture, but we hardly taste the fish at all as they were so small and the batter over the fish was under-seasoned too, unfortunately. 

Not quite fulfilled by the whitebait we decided to order a portion of Baked Camembert a la Provencal, Florentine Chutney and Poilane and a Warm Potted Shrimp served on Rye. We can’t really go wrong with those two (we hoped). 

And we were right, we should have gone for the camembert and potted shrimp at the first place! 

The baked camembert was so deliciously creamy, complemented by small chunks of garlic that tasted so nutty. Spread the cheese generously over a slice of bread with a small dollop of chutney.... mmmmm... Heaven!

Forget the amount of calories in potted shrimp and just dig in while it still hot! That's all we can say.. 

Not the best potted shrimp we ever had, but the one at 1707 did serve the purpose. Filling and comforting during wintery afternoon... 

Enough savouries intake and on the second bottle of Ruinart, we then move to something sweet before we call it a day. What could be better than the old Knickerbocker Glory??? It comes in generous portion too! Ideal to share between two persons (unless you are a real munchkin, then you would want it just for yourself :))

Our overall experience snacking at 1707 was reasonably pleasant. A great place to spend long afternoon with family and friends. Service was not exceptional but the staff are friendly and accommodating. We wouldn't mind going there again... 

1707 Wine Bar at Fortnum & Mason Piccadilly, London
181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 77348040
Website: http://www.fortnumandmason.com/

Benares Indian Restaurant and Bar, London

The best part of being foodie in central London, in particular, we never run out of places to go to indulge ourselves. Envy?? Well... Don't be.. We didn't always have a great experience in every visit, so let us do the sorting out and safe you from unpleasant part of it. 

Our most recent visit was Benares - Indian Restaurant and Bar in Mayfair, London. Swanky restaurant by twice Michelin starred Chef Atul Kochhar, offers a new concept of fine Indian Cuisine. Set in bustling Berkeley Square slightly over shadowed by corporate offices and luxurious car showrooms, Benares entrance can easily be missed. Practical tip from us, look for Rolls Royce showroom, move few steps to the right and there it is. 

Namaste! Greeted the receptionist staff with a friendly smile made us immediately feeling so welcomed. She then took us upstairs to the bar and restaurant and handed over us to a charming hostess in beautiful golden saree who then accompanied us to our table. From there there rest of service handled by a team of waiting staff. The attentions given were rather overwhelming to be honest, in a positive way, of course. We certainly impressed by it.. 

As you can see from the images below, the lay out of Benares is neat, simple, tasteful and definitely comfortable. We could easily spend hours indulging ourselves going through mouthwatering dishes carefully chosen by the Chef Atul Kochhar. We couldn't wait to get the taste of it.

As the menu arrived, the mini papadums and three different chutneys served to the table. Sweet, sour with a little heat from the spice. Gentle kick to get our taste buds going. 

Just like the lay out of the restaurant itself, the choices on the menu are simple, to the point, yet fulfilling. Even let's say, we happened to be picky eaters, we would not have any problem finding what we fancy. There are seafood dishes, chicken, lamb, you name it and even vegetarian options. What not to like?

Well... we are definitely not picky eaters (we think you have figured that out), we simply love good and honest food prepared with fresh ingredients. And we sincerely appreciate the effort that have been put into the every dish served. Our reviews definitely described that. 

Starters, we have chosen, Tandoori Ratan - Fennel lamb chop, chicken seekh kebab and basil marinated king prawn and Karara Kekda Aur Salad - Crispy soft shell crab, handpicked crab salad, apple chutney and coconut mayonnaise. The word delicious would be an understatement. The lamb chop was succulent, chicken kebab was flavoursome and the king prawn was tasteful although slightly over cooked to our palate. But the main star was the soft shell crab. It was so beautiful we would have another one had we forgot that we still have main courses to go through. The crab salad, apple chutney and the coconut mayonnaise on the side were really compliment one to another. 

Main courses, our first choice went for the Batak Falliyan - Seared Gressingham duck breast, three beans stew, crispy duck skin. We requested to be cooked medium and it was cooked to perfection, melt in the mouth. Not forgetting the Pulao rice and Indian fried bread that we could not remember the name of it. We will get back to you for that. The bread is perfect to soak up the sauce, though it was good even to have it on its own.. 

Our second main course was Tawa Gosht Aur Sunhari Kahsta - Locally farmed cannon of lamb, umbles samosa, purple crushed potatoes and pickled baby artichoke served with Rogan Josh sauce. Another dish that blown us away. Tender and juice lamb, seasoned thoroughly without overpowering the natural flavour of the meat itself, accompanied with luscious crushed potatoes and artichoke. The samosa was simply an additional treat. A dish to die for! Such celebration of beautiful food really deserves a good bottle of Ruinart Rose Champagne. 

Suggested by the waiting staff, we agreed to have the Trio of Kulfi to share to end our Indian fine dining exploration. Creamy yet refreshing Lychee, Pistachio and Mango flavoured ice cream served with chunks of pickled peaches and coulis. Delightful!

To sum it all up, Benares is a fantastic Indian Restaurant and Bar that will change most people perception of Indian cuisine. Not necessarily head blowing spicy too, so it will suit to anybody's palate.  From the receptionist to the wine sommelier and waiting staff, they are very attentive and accommodating to ensure you have the best dining experience from the start to the end.. 
Highly recommended!


Benares by Atul Kochhar
12, Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square
London W1J 6BS

Phone: +44 20 7629 8886
Website: www.benaresrestaurant.com

The Little Square, London

Fancy delicious French food in central London that would not break the bank? We have the answer to that, The Little Square it is. Located right at the heart of Shepherd Market - Mayfair, little paradise for food lovers as the square is full of local pubs and international restaurants. Italian, Japanese, Indian, you name it... But don't get distracted, visit The Little Square for a casual French dining experience, you won't regret it. 

OK, let us share our experience with you. 

The restaurant is indeed small and often get really busy during lunch time, so we made our reservation prior to our arrival. We got there five minutes before the restaurant is officially opened, but friendly staff let us in and choosing our table. Nice! We chose a round table by the window as it offer us slightly more space for two. Comfy!

Before we go on further about the food, we would like to clarify that The Little Square is not a strictly French specialised restaurant, we recognised the French ambiance from some of the dishes on the menu and the fact the lady who served us is French. And also the way the restaurant was set up, with rustic wooden chairs and table somehow taking our imagination to some rural place in France. So there you go... 

Starters. Brussels Pate with toasted Poilane bread sounded very appealing, so we went for that and Cajun fried baby squid with lemon mayonnaise and rocket leaves. 

As expected both starters were very tasty and generously portioned too. The squid was presented in a bamboo basket on top of a bed of rocket leaves, with few drizzle of squeezed lemon and mayonnaise, we were set to dive in. Nothing beats lightly battered fried fresh squid! Delicious! 

The pate was just as good though. We normally would prefer more coarse pate, but to be honest, the one we had The Little Square, served with gherkin and fresh radish on the side was not bad at all.. 

Starters out of the way, now we're ready for the main courses. We chose Grilled salmon fillet with leek and pancetta potato cakes and lime and tarragon sauce and Crisp duck leg confit resting on Puy lentils to go with a bottle of Baron Philipe de Rothchild Pinot Noir 2010. 

Salmon fillet was cooked in perfection, soft in the middle and crunchy skin on top. Leek and pacetta potato cakes and the sauce really compliment the delicate fish without being too overpowering. Talking about a flavourful meal, we certainly got it!

Crisp duck leg confit was succulent and tender went really well with Puy lentils. Though, next time we would miss out the unnecessary sprinkle of sea salt on the skin as the duck was well seasoned throughout anyways. 

At the end of the main courses we were well and truly full, but as our readers would agree, a nice meal would not be complete without a sweet ending. Well ... We would have gone for sticky toffee pudding or bread and butter pudding but unfortunately all we could manage was mango sorbet!! And it was good though! Maybe you can try those mouthwatering deserts and share the experience with us?!



The Little Square
3 Shepherd Market London W1Y 7HS
Phone: +44 20 7355 2101
Website: http://www.thelittlesquare.co.uk