Any preference what kind of food?
London restaurants
Depends how much of a factor money is, really. For less than a fiver, you can eat yourself stupid on vegetarian curry in Islington, for instance. Although that's not much use if they're staying miles away.
Unfortunately, the cheap Italian restaurants in Soho have pretty much gone (Polo was my favourite, now a chain coffee shop, IIRC). For the authentic cockernee experience, there's always pie & mash (good one in Deptford, but unfortunately -- once again -- the one in Greenwich has gone, to be replaced by a "gourmet burger" establishment).
Would be useful to know whereabouts they'll be staying.
http://www.squaremeal.co.uk/restaurants/london/view/81334/Tokyo_Diner
http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-3881.php
only the pizzas though
the wild cherry cafe is also pretty nice, run by b huddist hippies though
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/2699.htm
however you can go one better than eating out coz theres the london oyster festival next weekend
http://www.haysgalleria.co.uk/Hays/HaysGalleria.nsf/events?OpenFrameSet
Eat Tokyo and Café Japan in Golders Green. Fill up on sushi (and Eat Tokyo's got loads of different Japanese food, also big portions and decent price) for under £20 each.
Also Centrally Aki All three much, much better than Tokyo Diner (which isn't awful) - a lot of Japanese restuarants in London are really, really shite/overpriced.
Abeno on museum street http://www.london-eating.co.uk/4890.htm - there's also one near Leicester Square now - about a tenner with a beer and no starter for Okonomiyaki which they cook on a hotplate on your table. Portions aren't great but prices are relatively cheap, and it's tasty.
Diwana on Drummond street - south indian vegetarian (byo beer from off license next door), eat for less than £10, really good food.
Fish and Chips - Fryers delight near Holborn is less than a fiver and really nice, only decent one I know of in the centre. http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/features/28.html
Also Faulkners on Kingsland High Street, about £10 but ultra-fresh fish and stuff, very traditional.
Vietnamese places on Kingsland Road/Dalston or Mare Street/Hackney:
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/3019.htm
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/5565.htm
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/7020.htm (under a fiver)
http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/reviews/903.html (nice place inside a community centre down side street, probably £8-15)
edit: none of these are close to South Ken, don't know anywhere down that way.
catch and cantdo - you legends!
Thanks very much.
Dev, if money is no object surely they can go to a bookshop, buy Time Out London restaurant guide and piock a great restaurant. The ones suggested so far all sound awesome but very thrifty - great, but london has world class fine dining, if this person wants that they should go for it.
PS catch, whats your japanese connection again? Is your partner japanese? I forget.
Tacks wrote:
Dev, if money is no object surely they can go to a bookshop, buy Time Out London restaurant guide and piock a great restaurant. The ones suggested so far all sound awesome but very thrifty - great, but london has world class fine dining, if this person wants that they should go for it.
I don't think that it is no problem. She said 'middle' standard, but I think she isn't prepared for London prices. The first problem with your suggestion is that Time Out is in English.
So please keep the suggestions coming.
I am sure if my friend doesn't use all of them, some people with read, and give them a try.
Devrim
Devrim wrote:
Tacks wrote:
Dev, if money is no object surely they can go to a bookshop, buy Time Out London restaurant guide and piock a great restaurant. The ones suggested so far all sound awesome but very thrifty - great, but london has world class fine dining, if this person wants that they should go for it.I don't think that it is no problem. She said 'middle' standard, but I think she isn't prepared for London prices. The first problem with your suggestion is that Time Out is in English.
our suggestions are in english...?
There's a lovely Korean place - about 12-18 quid plus sake or whatever - called Bi Won, at the bottom of Coptic Street. Really superb, substantial dishes (the hotpot is remarkable), decent tempura &c.
si wrote:
There's a lovely Korean place - about 12-18 quid plus Sake or whatever - called Bi Won, at the bottom of Coptic Street. Really superb, substantial dishes (the hotpot is remarkable), decent tempura &c.
Oh yah!
Mwah!
Groovy. I'm off to japan next year, has been my dream for half a decade.
Restaurants!! We need a bit of contemporary european favour i think.
Two of the best from my old area:
The Little Bay
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/3967.htm (Belsize park road, just of Kilburn high road)
Lovely cheap (but proper) restaurant, european menu and regularly changing specials menu. The house white was fucking gash last time though, go for the sauvignon. Starter and main would be masses, but supplement with a side of vegetables cos they're delicious - the cabbage and the potatoes are personal favourite. There is often cool stuff like duck breast of veal on the menu,* but you can expect to pay £20 a head or less if you don't go mad on the drinks (and don't, go to all the wicked pubs in the area). Without drinks you could eat for as little as 12 quid i reckon. Shit, the main thing is the incredible interior and its atmosphere - it has little platforms, alcoves, feels really old and bustling all the time, generally candlelit - really magic to me.
Small and Beautiful
http://www.london-eating.co.uk/2374.htm
Dead near and dead similar to the Bay, but actually on the high road, next to the overground and 2 mins from Kilburn tube. Incy bit more in price, but slightly more spacious and better wine list. Food richer and bigger variety, and the decor is again a winner. I'm getting confused between the 2 now, but i think S&B is generally a complete winner whatever you do, cos it has less seating and has to go the extra mile.
But they are both great. Fuckit, i'll take her to dinner i really want to eat there again.
Oh if they want to end the night by being attacked with a razor, nip into the barbers and ask Tony if he's a turk 
How can anyone eat at restaurants after reading this http://libcom.org/library/abolish-restaurants
raw
I know, it's like how I stopped using money after I read this. http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1867-c1/
Which restaurants in London would you recommend to someone going there for the first time?
Bear in mind it is someone coming from Turkey, so price is also important.
Devrim