London Restaurant Reviews

Well, after doing this blogging thing all over London for the last four years, I figured it was time to commit to a list of my favorite restaurants in London. This list is subject to change as I review additional London restaurants, and you must remember that I am a "food for the people" kind of gal. So while I very much believe that all my London restaurant recommendations are delicious, they might not necessarily be romantic or Michelin-esque or, well, to your tastes. If you need further suggestions, you can drop me a line at kristainlondon AT gmail.com. But please--give me some parameters to work with (price, location, cuisine, event). (And likewise, if you have restaurant suggestions for ME, please share.)

To each, his (or her) own.

1. Vinoteca. St. John Street in Clerkenwell.
Every meal I've had here has been better than the last. My father insists on visiting every time he's in town. The service is friendly, tap water is provided without a fuss and instantly refilled, the vibe is congenial. In short, they tick all the right boxes for me. I like the proletarianism of their no-bookings policy, but it means you must get there early.

2. The Providores. Marylebone High Street.
I love sitting in the window of The Providores, reading The Economist, enjoying a glass of New Zealand Pinot Noir, and watching the world go by. (Do I sound like a snob or what?) This is my break from Oxford Street. They have a no bookings policy downstairs, so you may have to wait a bit. I love the food here as well...you'll do well to steer clear of bar snacks and go for the more sophisticated nibbles.

3. Crazy Homies. Westbourne Grove.
For my Tex-Mex fix in London. I love the kitschy decor and I can't live without the chips and salsa and guac. They do a mean margarita, with nice big chunky chunks of ice. They seem to go back and forth on their no-bookings policy, so call ahead.

4. Fernandez & Wells. Soho.
If only there were a branch by my office. I would seriously eat their chorizo sandwiches every day. I would probably drink a lot of rioja too. That's a bad idea. But I'd still do it.

5. The Raclette Guy at Borough Market.
The most delicious cheese sandwich in the world. Period.

6. Polo. Centre Point.
I love Korean food, and I love Polo. It is small, charming, and convivial. All the cold barley tea you can drink. Patient and educational service. Great for taking a break from the madness of Oxford Street.

7. Crystal Kebab. Holloway Road.
No London list would be complete without a kebab shop. The kebabs at Crystal are a religious experience. Oh, and they're open 22 hours a day.

8. Tayyabs. Whitechapel.
Part of me doesn't want to tell you about the deliciousness of the seekh kebabs here. Stay away. I also like the lentils and aubergine and I don't want you to have any of that either.

9. Ishbilia. Knightsbridge.
Who knew raw meat could taste this good? This was a recommendation from my buddies on Chowhound and boy were they right on. Love the fresh bread. Lebanese.

10. St. John. Clerkenwell.
Of course. I've never eaten in the restaurant. I've only eaten in the bar. Welsh rarebit for me, please. Go here if you want to eat pig's ears and bone marrow salad.

I had such a nice Saturday that I thought it might be fun to create an archive of the most perfect days in London, as defined by London bloggers. (Or heck, bloggers anywhere.) Here's what I'm suggesting:

Write a post about what you'd do on a Saturday in London (or your home city) if you could define your most perfect day. Link it back to http://www.londonelicious.com. Use the Comments on my blog to post a link to your day. I will create a big archive of everyone's perfect day towards the end of October...and then maybe everyone else can post the same summary...which could result in lots of traffic for everyone...

So here you go...my perfect day in London...

10 a.m.: Wake up. Head to coffee@ for some (decaf) coffee and free wireless. Catch up on the blogosphere.

11 a.m.: Borough Market. Arrive when the market is lively, but not ueberly packed with SLR-toting tourists. Buy some Comte from the Borough Cheese Company. Maybe get something to eat...but something small.

11:30ish: Walk along the Thames towards the Milennium Bridge. Cross it. Wander around St. Paul's and then up Cheapside towards Bank. Take the Northern Line to Old Street.

12ish: Take Exit 2 from Old Street tube up to the street and walk to the bus stop. Wait for the 55 bus, eastbound towards Hackney. Take this to Goldsmith's Row. Walk up to Broadway Market. Grab lunch from one of the stalls. Wander in and around the shops. Hang out at The Dove and have a Belgian beer or two.

1ish: Walk westwards along the Regent's Canal to Angel.

2ish: Wander up through Camden Passage north of Angel tube but a little to the rear. Check out the antiques and the little shops. Drop in to Mocado for a (decaf) coffee or fruit juice. Drop into Paul Young for some chocolate.

3ish: Foot massage (or any type of massage really) at Kobkhun Thai on the Essex Road.

4:30ish: After the massage, walk over to Upper Street and keep walking north until you hit The Sampler. Drop in to taste some wines.

5ish to 7ish: Rest. (Lately, I've been kinda addicted to Gossip Girl on DVD so I'd probably get sucked in.) Stay away from the blog.

7ish: Meet friends for drinks at The East Room. (Members only though kids. Sorry.) If you're not a member, try The Wenlock for real ale or Loungelover for gorgeous cocktails. (Very opposite ends of the spectrum there.)

9ish: Dinner. Hmmm. Where to go. Roka for sushi. Laxiero for Spanish. Maybe Lalibela for Ethiopian.

Midnight-ish: Return to The East Room for some more cocktails. Maybe Milk & Honey. (Again, members-only. Sorry!) Or, if I'm feeling like it, maybe The King's Head in Islington.

Later: Sleep.