The Terrace, Harrods

Posted in Afternoon Tea, Restaurant reviews by Miss Foodie

Overview:

Overall rating: 4 stars

Price: £29 for Afternoon Tea
Cuisine: Afternoon Tea
Location: Knightsbridge

My thoughts:

I visited The Terrace at Harrods for Afternoon Tea as a post-exams treat. Located on the Fourth Floor of the department store, it is the perfect place to relax after a day of shopping. The restaurant is spacious and bright, with comfy armchairs for seating. Visiting the restaurant itself is a great experience. The grand and luxurious décor, in my mind, reminisces an environment close to something you would find in an exquisite hotel such as the Bellagio, Las Vegas, unlike other tea rooms in London. There is also the option to sit outside on the terrace.

The Afternoon tea itself is excellent value for money. Between 3 of us we shared 2 tea platters, which was more than enough since they arrived piled high with cakes, scones, macaroons, sandwiches and much more! The food is served along with your choice of tea or coffee. For an additional £7 you can add a flute of champagne

The menu features a wide range of cakes and sandwiches to suit all tastes. The restaurant also offers breakfast and lunch options. The dark chocolate cake with a hazelnut base was particularly delicious and the scones were light and fluffy.

My favourite part of the tea was the sandwiches. Their innovative fillings were unlike any other afternoon tea I had experienced before, and included a lobster roll! Other sandwiches included salmon, egg and beef, with different variations of bread. The restaurant is vegetarian friendly, with the option to switch sandwiches upon request.

The service was great, with welcoming, friendly and attentive staff to serve. The terrace rooms were not particularly busy at the time of our visit (which was midweek). However, booking in advance for large groups would be advised, to avoid disappointment.

Harrods is situated in Knightsbridge, and is easily accessible by tube, bus, car, or taxi. Overall I would definitely recommend afternoon tea at the Terrace, Harrods, as a great place to visit for a special treat, or a tea break on a day out, due to its relaxing and comfortable environment and its delectable sweet treats and sandwiches.

Restaurant details:

Harrods Terrace
Fourth Floor
Harrods
87–135 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge
London SW1X 7XL

Tel: 020 7730 1234

Opening Times:

Monday to Saturday 10am – 8pm
Sunday 11:30am – 6:00pm

Website: http://www.harrods.com/content/the-store/restaurants/harrods-terrace

24Jan2014

The Gate, Arkley

Posted in British, Restaurant reviews by Miss Foodie

‘The best pub in Hertfordshire’

Overview:

Price: £20 approx. for a three course meal

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

Cuisine: British

Location: Arkley, Hertfordshire

Review:

The Gate is my favourite pub of all time. It is exactly what you could expect of a great English pub: delicious food, a cosy, relaxed atmosphere, and exceptional service. Having been a regular visitor for the past 10 years, I can safely say that the food quality is always consistently excellent. I have never had a bad meal.

The Gate is situated in the leafy suburb of Arkley. Its recent renovation has only improved the décor, to make one feel at home. Features such as a warm fireplace, the odd bookshelf, exposed wooden beams and wall paintings create a cosy, homely environment perfect for a cold winter’s evening. Conversely, during the summer their garden area provides the perfect space to relax with a cool drink. The service is exceptional: the staff are friendly and polite and you won’t have to wait too long for your food.

The menu features ‘traditional pub grub’ including fish and chips or a steak and ale pie, alongside a wide variety of other meat, fish and vegetarian dishes to suit all tastes. Look out for their ‘blackboard specials’ which regularly change. The portions are large and filling and are definitely value-for-money. Having sampled most of the items on the menu I can safely say that whatever item you chose will be enjoyable, as all food options are consistent in their high quality and taste, and always served at the perfect temperature. A must-have dish is the breaded mushrooms to start, served crispy and warm alongside garlic mayonnaise. For any chip-lovers, I would definitely recommend their chunky chips that are served with many of the main course dishes. The restaurant is family friendly, with an excellent children’s menu.

Unfortunately, bookings are not available, and the restaurant can get very busy at peak times during the weekend, so it is best to arrive early for dinner. However, if there is a wait for a table you can always enjoy a drink by the bar in the meantime. The pub has a small car park, though this can get full very quickly during peak periods, however, parking is available on Barnet Road just outside the pub, if the car park is full.

Overall, I can wholeheartedly recommend a visit to The Gate. It is the perfect setting for all occasions, a family meal out, or a dinner with friends. The food, service and ambiance all contribute to a fantastic dining experience, and it is always a reliable treat.

Restaurant details:

The Gate
Barnet Road
Arkley EN5 3LB

Tel: 020 8449 7292

E: info@thegatearkley.co.uk

Opening Times:

Monday to Saturday: 11am – 11pm
Sunday & Bank Holidays: 12 noon – 10:30pm

Food service times:
Monday to Saturday: 12 noon to 10pm
Sunday & Bank Holidays: 12 noon to 9pm

Website: www.thegatearkley.co.uk

30Aug2013

Le Méridien Piccadilly’s Terrace Grill & Bar

Posted in British, Restaurant reviews by Miss Foodie

‘A sun filled, spacious glass terrace overlooking London’s Piccadilly.’

Overview:

Price: £60+ for 3 courses

Overall rating: 4.5 stars

Cuisine: Modern European

Location: Piccadilly

My thoughts:

The Terrace Grill and Bar at Le Meridien Hotel, Piccadilly is one of my new favourite London restaurants. Its décor is sophisticated and spectacular; a sun filled, spacious glass terrace overlooking London’s Piccadilly, with a modern yet relaxed vibe making it a perfect place to dine. A seat by the window is ideal, since the restaurant overlooks London’s Piccadilly.

I visited the Terrace Grill and Bar for lunch as a 21st birthday treat from my good friend Tania. The restaurant is renowned for its meat and fish grills, however there are options available for vegetarians too. The menus vary slightly between lunch and dinner; I assume that the high quality of food carries through to dinner as well. Every dish we sampled was cooked to perfection, extravagantly presented and fairly light, making a three course meal easily consumable.

To start, I ordered the confit chicken, which I can safely say is one of the best starter dishes I have ever had. The chicken was moist and well complemented with the chutneys that dressed it. Tania ordered the squid, which was served with a side of mango relish. Both blended together perfectly. (photos of starters) For our main course I ordered the chicken breast with chive mash from the Market Menu (which changes regularly) and Tania had the grilled lemon sole, which was lightly seasoned which allowed for the true taste of the lemon sole to prevail.

The deserts were fantastic, refreshing and light. I had the chocolate tart which was served with a scoop of ice cream and Tania had the lemon syllabub. Both were extremely enjoyable, (high praise coming from someone who doesn’t usually have a sweet tooth!)

The staff were friendly and attentive, contributing to the extremely enjoyable dining experience we had. When we visited, the restaurant was fairly quiet, however, we were informed that crowds do start to appear around dinner time, therefore booking in advance would be a good idea, to avoid disappointment. The dress code could be described as smart-casual and the restaurant would be a nice place to visit for a special occasion. I would definitely recommend the Terrace Grill and Bar since their food, service and ambience was exceptional.

Restaurant details:

Terrace Grill and Bar
Le Meridien Piccadilly Hotel
21 Piccadilly
London
W1J 0BH

Tel: +44(0) 207 851 3085
E: piccadilly.terrace@lemeridien.com

Opening Times:

12:00 – 14.30 (Lunch)
17.30 – 22.30 PM (Dinner)
12:00 – 18.00 (Afternoon Tea)

Website: http://www.terracegrillandbar.com

12Aug2013

Sopwell House’s Afternoon Tea

Posted in Afternoon Tea, Restaurant reviews by Miss Foodie

‘A cosy, comfortable and quiet environment to consume delectable sweet treats’

Overview:

Price: £22.50 for their Afternoon Tea.

Overall rating: 4 stars

Cuisine: Afternoon Tea

Location: St Albans

My thoughts:

I visited Sopwell House for their Afternoon Tea in celebration of my good friend Hannah’s twenty first birthday. In the heart of Hertfordshire, in St Albans, the hotel building is surrounded by greenery and gardens, making it a perfect country escape for a spot of tea all year round. The tea room is warm and welcoming, with cosy sofas, bookshelves, wall paintings that add touches of colour, and lamps which make you feel as if you are in the comfort of your own living room.

The tea itself is great value for money. Between six of us we shared three tea platters, which was more than enough since they arrived piled high with sweet treats and sandwiches, along with your choice of tea. Their presentation is super, with the plates exhibiting an abundance of colour.

My personal favourite was the chocolate cake, filled with thin layers of cream that made it light and delicious. Having said this, all their pastries and cakes were fantastic. The cakes were moist and soft, and the scones were light and fluffy. The menu was wide-ranging to suit all tastes, varying from carrot and chocolate cake, to tiramisu or chocolate éclairs.

Although the sandwiches were enjoyable, they unfortunately did not live up to the extremely high standard of the sweet options, due to lack of inventiveness in fillings and flavour. The sandwiches we tasted included tuna, salmon, egg and cheese, which can be varied according to personal preferences or dietary requirements.

The service was good, with welcoming and friendly staff. The dress code could be described as smart-casual and the tea rooms were not particularly busy at the time of our visit (which was midweek). However, booking in advance for large groups would be advised, especially on weekends, to avoid disappointment. At the time of our visit customers were mainly adults, however, I would say that the afternoon tea would be a nice idea for a family day out as well. Visiting the hotel itself is a great experience. The luxurious décor and quaint grounds make it a perfect place to explore on a day out. The hotel is situated just outside the M25 and has substantial parking, however, it is not very accessible by public transport.

Overall I would definitely recommend Sopwell House’s afternoon tea as an occasion for catching up with friends or family, as we did, due to its cosy, comfortable and quiet environment and its delectable sweet treats. It is slightly cheaper than other London afternoon teas, making it great value for money considering its generally high quality food and service.

Restaurant Details:

Sopwell House Hotel
Cottonmill Lane,
St. Albans,
Hertfordshire,
AL1 2HQ

Tel: +44 (0) 1727 864477

E: enquiries@sopwellhouse.co.uk

Website: http://www.sopwellhouse.co.uk/afternoon-tea-hertfordshire

20Jul2013

Al Fresco

Posted in Italian, Restaurant reviews by Miss Foodie

“A décor that visually transports one to Italy”

Overview:

Price: £10 – 15 for main course and drink

Overall rating: 3.5 stars

Cuisine: Italian

Location: Whetstone

My thoughts:

The highlight of Al Fresco is its décor that reminisces an Italian garden and can visually transport one to Italy. Its leafy decorations surrounding each table, partial glass roof and some exposed brickwork allows for an outdoor dining experience all year round. The lighting, in the evenings, is provided predominantly by lamps fixated to the ceilings and walls, contributing to the warm ambience of the restaurant. The tables’ decorations collude with such themes, with dainty flowers placed on each table, adding a touch of colour.

IMG_3077A

The menu features a wide choice of food, encompassing a variety pizzas, pastas, seafood, meat, poultry and salads, with an extensive choice for vegetarians. For starters, I would recommend the mixed platters to share. The ‘antipasto marinaio’ is perfect for seafood lovers, far more than enough to feed the suggested two to share. These platters really are the best starters on the menu, which is let down slightly by its other dishes. The funghi pan fried with garlic, for example, was a basic dish of chopped mushrooms fried in garlic and butter and was far too oily and sloppily piled on a plate.

I ordered the ‘Chicken in blue cheese and asparagus sauce’ ( which is unfortunately no longer on the updated menu). The chicken was moist, and well complemented with the creamy sauce. It was served with a side of well seasoned sautè potatoes and boiled broccoli, cauliflower and carrots, which were fairly plain and unfortunately did not live up to the chicken and potatoes.

The service could be improved slightly. Although the staff are friendly, I feel that greater attention could be paid to their customers, for example, greeting guests upon arrival in a swift and friendly manner, as opposed to leaving them to wait around for a few minutes and then vaguely guide them towards a table.

Al Fresco is always busy, being popular amongst locals, therefore booking is recommended for large groups. Its relaxed atmosphere makes it appropriate for all party types, including children and families. The dress-code is fairly informal, however, its picturesque setting makes it the kind of place that would be suitable for a special occasion. I, personally, celebrated my 21st birthday here.

Overall, I would recommend Al Fresco as an alternative to the Italian chains that are overvisited in suburban London. It is definitely one of the better Italian restaurants in the area, and its unique selling point is most definitely its décor and consequent atmosphere. The wide-ranging menu offers something for all tastes, however, some dishes are of better quality and taste than others. What lets the venue down slightly is the service, which could be improved in order to enhance customers’ experiences.

Restaurant details:

Al Fresco

1327 High Road

Whetstone

London N20 9HR

Tel: 020 8445 8880

Email: whetstone@alfresco-restaurant.co.uk

Opening Times

Monday – Saturday : 12 noon – 11pm

Sunday : 12 noon – 10pm

Website: http://www.alfresco-restaurant.co.uk/