It was a busy month for restaurant openings and SquareMeal readers have continued to eat out plenty, regularly rating and slating London’s dining haunts. Diner reviews, which can be left on our site by anyone, secure SquareMeal’s status as a one-stop shop for keen eaters. This is our chance to highlight your views, as well as a way for you to collate and compare the experiences of other diners.
It’s a rare occasion that you’ll be stuck for where to eat in the capital, especially with the constant stream of new openings. In Tooting, Charlotte A, made her way to Daddy Bao (above), from the team behind Mr Bao. Charlotte was more than happy with her choice, praising the “light and fluffy” buns and their “scrumptious” fillings. Over in Clapham, David H tried out Robin Gill’s new place Sorella, which sits on the same site as his previous venture, The Manor. David had a mixed experience, noting that he enjoyed the starting snacks, but not the pastas, and he was also disappointed that “the restaurant’s menu online turned out not to be what was on offer when we got there”. Finally, Jacquelyn W opted to try out the brunch menu at Ollie Dabbous’ Henrietta, and was impressed by a “delectable” shakshuka and an accompanying Bloody Mary. We enjoyed Henrietta on our recent visit too, and we can’t wait for Dabbous’ latest opening Hide, coming this April.
Although some diners are willing to risk disappointment at new openings, others are much more comfortable sticking to what they know. In Mayfair, David H went for his second meal of the month at Jason Atherton’s Pollen Street Social (above). Despite having eaten here a dozen or so times, David and his wife still left “with smiles on our faces”, having enjoyed “carefully thought-out” dishes in a “stylish” setting. Over in Chelsea, Joanna G returned to Daphne’s after 15 years, and was thrilled to find that it was as good as she remembers. Enjoying the likes of creamy burrata and lobster spaghetti, Joanna was taken with the “well-executed, unfussy” menu. Tonique C also returned to one of her favourites this month, dining at Novikov – Asian Restaurant in Mayfair. Tonique enjoyed “amazing” food including spicy prawn dim sum and spicy tuna rolls. However, she was less impressed by the customer service in the lounge, where she waited “45 minutes” for a drink. Not to worry Tonique, you’ll find plenty of other options in the area with our pick of Mayfair’s best bars.
Looks aren’t everything, but there’s no denying that for the Instagram generation, a well-kept restaurant can draw in the punters. In Barnet, Lolowa R was blown away by chef’s table Kitchen Theory (above), which is known for its eye-catching dishes and decor. Lolowa went as far to call it “the best dining experience in the UK”. She was enamoured with everything from the lighting to the aromas, and thought the whole thing was an “incredible experience” delivered by a “clearly passionate” team. Meanwhile, in Clerkenwell, Rebecca L fell in love with Japanese spot Sosharu. She thought the food was “tasty and pretty as a picture”, but was most captivated by the “stunning decor”, which made her feel like she was back holidaying in Japan. We love Sosharu too, and are pleased to hear that the proposed plans to move it to a new location have been scrapped.
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