Joe Allen and other London, United Kingdom Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Joe Allen

Very discreet at street level and consequently most tourists walk right by (I think this is a deliberate ploy). Not sure how to describe the food - maybe 'progressive Californian' - always an interesting menu. Draws the thespian crowd. Apparently a lot of the wait staff consist of acting wannabees and you get the odd celebrity. I like the food and atmosphere.

Favorite Dish: Everything. Although not shown on the menu I am informed that really good burgers are available if requested.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: +44 (0)207 836 0651
Address: 13 Exeter Street, London, WC2 E7D
Directions: Covent Garden
Website: http://www.joeallenrestaurant.com/london/jalonmenu.htm
Other Contact: Fax: +44 (0)207 497 2148

Restaurant Name: Noodle Time

Just to prove that you can eat fairly cheaply in London. There are a number of noodle bars around the capital where a meal and drink can be had for around a fiver. This particular restaurant is in Greenwich. The food is fine and service very efficient.

Favorite Dish: Lemon chicken, sweet and sour anything, dumplings.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 020 8293 5263
Address: 10-11 Nelson Road, Greenwich, London, SE10 9JB

Restaurant Name: Rules

Supposedly the oldest restaurant in London. Very traditional English food - lots of game dishes and proper puddings. Superb service.

Favorite Dish: Everything

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Theme: Local
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7836 5314
Address: 35 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London WC2E 7LB
Directions: Covent Garden
Website: http://www.rules.co.uk
Other Contact: Email: info@rules.co.uk

Restaurant Name: Topo Gigio

Like Joe Allen it doesn't look much from street level but is quite cavernous down in the basement. It's your typical Italian restaurant - every waiter has a huge phallic-like pepper grinder (popular with the ladies). Great food and atmosphere.

Favorite Dish: Anything for starters and main followed by the Tiramisu for dessert.

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Theme: Other

Address: 46 Brewer Street, Soho
Other Contact: 020 7437 8516

Restaurant Name: Taro

A nice little Japanese restaurant in the West End. Always busy and caters to a lot of Japanese (which must surely be a good sign). If I go there alone I normally sit at the counter and watch the chefs. Excellent food and not expensive. Friendly staff.

Favorite Dish: The pork dumplings to start with and then anything.

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Theme: Other

Address: 59 Brewer Street, Soho
Other Contact: 020 7734 5826

Restaurant Name: Porters English Restaurant

Another traditional English restaurant but definitely down market compared to Rules. Known for its pies. Reasonably good British fayre at reasonable prices.

Favorite Dish: A pie, of course!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7836 6466
Address: 17 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8Q
Directions: Covent Garden
Website: http://www.porters.uk.com
Other Contact: Email: neil@porters.uk.com

Restaurant Name: Goddard's Pie House, Greenwich

The staple diet of East Londoners, of which I am one. Great Pie and Mash at a bargain price. I love the place but the food may not be to everyone's taste.

Favorite Dish: Double pie and mash swimming in liquor and covered with lots of pepper and vinegar. Mmmmmm ....

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Theme: Local
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 020 8293 9313
Address: 45 Greenwich Church Street, Greenwich, London, SE1
Directions: Greenwich
Website: http://www.pieshop.co.uk

Restaurant Name: Wong Kei

This place is an institution. It is large with several floors and the waiters have a reputation for their surliness (which adds to the dining experience in my opinion).
However, the food is reliably good and it is really cheap. A pot of complementary tea is served straight after you sit down. If you are alone, or in a group of less than 4, expect to share a large table with complete strangers. This can be fun, depending who you are sharing with, but I normally get the dreaded smokers which is the downside to this place. This is not a swanky place. Not my choice for a first date and I normally pre- warn people about the service, just in case they are taken aback.
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Update Oct 2002
Wong Kei has had a bit of a makeover recently and is a bit plusher inside now. The food is still great .... and as cheap as ever. Sweet and sour pork with rice costs £3.70. This is amazing considering a pot of tea is included and the location is right in the centre of London. The same dish costs £6.50 from my local takeaway.
On my last 2 visits there has been no-one smoking on the ground floor which is brilliant. I don't know whether this was just good luck or if there is a now a no smoking policy in effect.

Favorite Dish: The set meal, especially the sweet and sour pork.

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Theme: Chinese/Dim Sum
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7437 3071
Address: 41-43 Wardour Street
Directions: Chinatown

Restaurant Name: Butlers Wharf Chop House

One of the fabulous Conran restaurants in London, of which there are quite a few these days. This is one of the cheaper ones but bears all the Conran hallmarks of fine food and excellent service. There is a great view of Tower Bridge and there are tables outside, weather permitting. The menu is traditionally English, featuring fish & chips, steak & kidney pud, roast beef etc.
In addition to an ą-la-carte menu there are also fixed price 2 and 3 course menus. The wine is not cheap with a glass setting you back about £4.50 and bottles from £15 upwards. For an average meal expect to pay between £30 - £40. However, for the superb location and excellent quality of food and service it really is great value. Everything is just right. Even the bread they serve is mouth-wateringly delicious and it is this kind of attention to detail that makes the Butlers Wharf Chop House worthwhile. Too expensive for me to eat there regularly but definitely a place for those special occasions.
Here is a selection of dishes from the ą la carte evening menu to give you an idea (courtesy of the Conran web site).

Starters
Hot Smoked Eel £7.50
Fresh Pea and Lettuce Soup £6.00
Veal, Pork and Mushroom Terrine £8
Lambs Lettuce, Stilton and Pear Salad £7
Loch Fyne Smoked Salmon £9
Venison & Wild Boar Faggot £8

Main Courses
Fish & Chips £12.50
Roast Suckling £16.50
Steak & Kidney Pudding £13
Steamed Sea Trout Fillet £15.50
Peppered Rump of Lamb £16.50
Slow Roast Belly Pork with Prunes £15.50
Smoked Haddock Fish Pie £14.50
Roast Rib of Beef £17
Charcoal grilled Steak & Chips
Sirloin 8oz £16.50, 12oz £21.00
Fillet 8oz £19.50, 12oz £25.00

Favorite Dish: Steak and kidney pudding. This is a traditional English dish, the kind of thing I grew up on so I appreciate a good one and it IS good here.
I was working with an American years ago when we saw this on the lunch menu. He turned to me sheepishly and asked whether the kidney meant kidney beans. No, I told him, it is real kidney! Americans and Canadians, in my experience, have a real hang up about offal but these dishes are delicious. My Canadian cousin ribs me mercilessly about our diet of lung and spleen pies but I don't care!

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Theme: Local
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$41 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7403 3403
Address: The Butlers Wharf Building, 36e Shad Thames, SE1
Directions: Shad Thames - cross Tower Bridge going north to south and take the stairs down to the left on the other side of the bridge.
Website: http://www.conran.com/eat/restaurants/index.html
Other Contact: Fax: 020 7403 3414

Restaurant Name: The Porterhouse London

This smallish chain brews its own beer as well as serving beers from around the world. The beer is actually brewed in Dublin and not in London.
The atmosphere is pretty good - it's quite dark inside. Beer is not bad and there is a decent selection of food to soak up the alcohol.

Favorite Dish: Haven't tried many but the pork sausages and mash wasn't bad. It is served with a mustard sauce as opposed to the more traditional onion gravy.
The burgers are also good.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 020 7836 9931
Address: 21-22 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden, London, WC2 E7NA
Directions: Covent Garden
Website: http://www.porterhousebrewco.com
Other Contact: Fax: 020 7379 7991