jameswinter's profile

classy old school place in my 'hood. i’d heard it was 'past its best’, but I was pleasantly surprised by the food and and the service. i had the liver, which was very tender and tasty. the ambience and interior decor are stylish and original looking. sure, the artists that used to frequent the place in the good old days have likely moved on to cheaper eating holes, but don’t let that stop you making a pit stop here.

A storied old place with quiet class, and a 70+ year history. Doesn’t try too hard, but you’ll have a good time dining on Finnish or European classic food under nice old art works and chandeliers. that said, its not stuffy at all, service was solid, and food was consistently good. its a family owned place too, which I think adds to the soul.
nice central location, and definitely worth a trip.

Overall, an excellent and authentic experience. despite initial concerns since the place was empty when we arrived, we sidled into the well appointed interior and were greeted cordially. Its a fairly grand looking place, and the service and food (except for the old 'ask for meat samosas, and get served veggy ones’ chestnut) were consistent with the promise. I must admit that the enthusiastic spicing was a very pleasant surprise - when this place says 'madras’, they mean it. later the place filled up and there was a nice relaxed buzz. I’d go again for sure.

i know its not a fresh story. still, its worth a couple of visits. the choice of beers is excellent, and the food is competently turned out by a hard working kitchen. even if you hate the robed monk schtick, ignore it and grab some decent grub and tasty beers after a day of shopping in Covent Garden and seven dials

yes, its a carbuncle. But steel yourself and give it a try - just for the sheer postmoderness of it all. Maybe think of it as a small Trellick tower for drinkers. its close to the river too! it gets an extra star (should really be a 3) for me due to some fun memories to drinking too much with attractive young KPMG colleagues back in the day, particularly Amanda. Ah, Amanda, where are you now…(In the home counties running a wellness studio I suspect).

its an interesting mix of busy and rude folk (the customers and staff) with some nice old school touches. since its a tube line and “silver” link terminus, and the through point for a bunch of main line trains, its invariably busy (and with train delays, even more so). other hazards include very slippery floors in wet weather (especially in the ticket areas) and too narrow walkways leading to some ill tempered barging and humphing. Still, there’s a friendly guy loitering by the self service ticket machines offering you cut priced used travelcards, and a pretty good coffee place near the entrance, with a decent WC inside the ticket zone. in summary, a London microcosm. Just be a little patient in negotiating the place and you’ll do just fine.

A surprising gem in a strange little pocket of central London. My company staged a conference at this hotel (it was also very nice - modern, stylish and clean). At the end of the con we all piled into the Millbank and had a right old time. Good service, nice little canapes and the good drinks were flowing nicely. Its a stylish joint with plenty of room for a larger group. Plenty of standing room, or just grab a comfy couch and sip a cocktail. I’m guessing the reason there was enough space for us is that its not on the usual beaten path for the London boozer crowd. All the better since you’ve got space to move, with some good tunes framing the mood (not too loud, just enough) and they even had a live horn player accompanying the House tunes later on. Good work - brought back plenty of New York memories!

a don’t miss for the cultural tourist. the exhibitions change just enough to keep it fresh, and the setting is inspiring for some arting. the range of permanent work is excellent too, and the turbine room worth a visit just for the adaptive re-use of a monster industrial space. Serota has done a good job keeping the flow of varied work coming. Check out the plans for the extension too - bold.

had my going away to NYC dinner here many years ago. its changed since then, but still worth a cheeky visit for decent beer selection and inexpensive food. try dressing as a monk, too. you won’t get a discount, but it might be fun, though a little draughty in winter.

a bit crowded and annoying. this place is a victim of its own success. if you go early and grab a well placed table, you’ll be set for the evening. it does get a little boisterous at times, and the younger folk can be seen frolicking and mingling in a very relaxed way for brits. so if you are single, or want to get some buzz, drop in. if you are standing and being jostled with a full drink by the toilets, don’t worry, its a tradition there.