ljrich's Qype profile

If I make it back to Las Vegas, I’m definitely dining again at this extravagant, decadent and delicious example of the Vegas Buffet.

The Wicked Spoon, for 27 bucks at the time of writing, has dishes that include truffles, an improbable array of desserts and food variety that was so large, it catered for a group of differently fussy individuals, all of whom were satisfied.

Example dishes:
spicy tuna sushi
truffled potato gratin
ricotta and spinach pasta parcels
olive oil crusted salmon
various meats and rotisserie
marshmallows with crystallised rose petals
key lime pie with gold leaf decoration
mango sorbet
tempered white chocolate pieces
mini apple crumble tarts
chocolate and raspberry sugar-free dessert

In short, if you go to Las Vegas, even for one day, make sure you eat here.

P.S. that $27 includes coffee and soft drinks. Just make sure you leave room for dessert.

Edit: I returned here in Jan 2012 – price is now $35 (plus tip) – it was still a great experience. We ate a vast quantity of delicious bites after a tiring day attending the Consumer Electronics Show.

Easily one of the more surprising finds of recent times, this unassuming malaysian diner looks like your usual ‘big bowl’ fare, but sit down and pick out some gems within the menu, order a pot of tea (or something stronger) and prepare your tastebuds for an adventure.

Standout dishes for me were the Home Made Tofu in sweet cucumber and chili dressing, and the Carrot Cake which is actually a savoury fried dish that’s both comforting and utterly delicious. I tried some of the less familiar dishes on the menu, so I can’t vouch for the ‘curry and rice’ dishes – I would instead urge you to go with someone equally hungry – and share!

For those who like spicy, try the Lontong, which consists of compressed rice and a vegetable curry sauce slightly hotter than the Sun’s core. For those with less masochistic tastes, the staff will steer you towards gentler, yet still highly flavoursome food. They (refreshingly) know a lot about what’s on the plate, so those with a dairy or gluten intolerance will breathe a sigh of relief as you will be told exactly what to expect.

Reasonably priced and beautifully presented, I went here twice in 3 days just to check it was as tasty as I remembered – and it was. Both times I came in starving, and left rather full and satisfied. Five stars!

Starter and main coursel for two with tea: around £20
would suit: friendly pre-cinema meal, really hungry people. room for large groups downstairs

Come here when the weather’s rubbish, you’ll be toasty warm and full of okonomoyaki in a matter of minutes. That’s a word that took me from utter ignorance to complete worship of that most fabled of food – pancakes – but this time, it’s japanese style.

Okonomoyaki are savoury pancakes filled with whatever you like, plus japanese vegetables, cooked on a teppenyaki hotplate, then loaded with toppings. You’re left with a slicer to cut your own segments, which is why you might like to try more than one kind when you order, that way you’ll get a taste of everyone else’s dinner.

Happily they don’t mind if you yelp and stop them from squidging dreaded mayonnaise over these delicious circular morsels of japanese delight – now that’s what I call service.

Fill up with food: around £17 per person

Best for:
Those who like to share
people who feel the cold
fans of atypical cuisine

Thoroughly delicious refined modern indian food. Great value if you manage to pick up some of the special offers on the net, although it’s still a bit dear for a weekly outing.

Eating in a beautiful wood-lined library is a lovely twist. Don’t be fooled by the very proper-looking interior, the staff are absolutely fantastic – friendly and with just the right amount of service. It’s not far from the Houses of Parliament, which is why I thought it was a great place to bring someone who’s over in London on their travels. That’s what I did, and my friend was chuffed to see Big Ben at night after our sumptuous shared banquet.

My recommendation would be the mystifyingly spicy plaintain dumplings with beetroot chutney. The bread basket is also pretty sensational. Only reason this place doesn’t get 5 stars is that the desserts aren’t in the same level as the frankly knockout modern indian cuisine.

Dinner: around £32 per head for 3 courses (with special offers)
Would suit: small groups, couples, foodies with an eye for ambience

Tucked behind Oxford Circus, Rosalind’s is an intimate takeaway across the road from the Cookery School which shares the same management.

It’s not just a coffee house, but oh the coffee, the coffee, the coffee.

I RAVED about it at work, I said that was the nicest cup of coffee I’d had in MONTHS, thoroughly DELICIOUS beyond all reason. At the risk of sounding like I have shares in this place (I don’t!), Rosalind’s Kitchen might just make one of the tastiest most perfect coffees I have ever had in my life. Not surprising, considering these guys are rabid about where the beans come from, how they’re roasted, and how the coffee is prepared.

- I should add: when I was younger, I used to be able to tell the difference between Kenyan and Columbian by taste alone – don’t know if I can still do it but that boast was to add credibility to how much I rate this coffee.

And if you get there in the morning, there are sometimes free samples of CAKE to go with the coffee – it’s like a sweet-tooth caffeine freak’s dream! It’s not been open for long, but the kitchen’s already offering healthy lunch deliveries for nearby busy offices, and is open for passerby breakfasters like me as well as walk-in lunch warriors.

Rosalind, you are one seriously psychic lady. I would walk a mile out of my way for another cup of that coffee. And I would be walking on air for quite a while after drinking it!

Ahoy there, landlubbers, here’s some delicious japanese fusion fare adjacent to the Festival Hall on London’s snazzy South Bank. Feng Sushi’s a little gem of a place just off the river. This oriental mini-venue is well suited to a relaxed and cultured pre-concert dinner, small friendly groups and sustainable sushi maniacs.

And the sushi is good – after eating here as a punter many times, a few nights ago I was lucky enough to meet one of the co-founders at a Qype event held recently at the South Bank branch. The formidable Silla is big on sustainability and seasonality, and also served us delicious mouthfuls of accomplished modern maki and japanese bites, along with a surprisingly tasty cucumber ginger shochu cocktail.

Many different kinds of fussy eater are catered for at this place (although when it’s pointed out to me I always say I’m not fussy, I’m discerning):

For the pub-grub lover:
-chow down on japanese-style fish and chips (tempura fish and a mixture of conventional and sweet potato chunky chips – oh, and the chips are cooked PROPERLY)

For the vegetarian:
-feast upon the Nippon Duck (deep fried tofu with shredded cucumber, spring onions and hoi sin sauce wrapped in a pancake) Yes, you can have it without spring onions if you like, which I do.

For the health-conscious:
-nibble delicately on a selection of brown rice sushi. Actually there’s a lot of healthy to choose from here.

In short, if you like sushi but your friends aren’t fans, the modern menu allows for everyone to indulge. Lovely if you’re looking for somewhere to moor your belly before weighing anchor and setting sail into the South Bank sunset.

Dinner: around £14-£18 per person

Great find while on a shoot at MediaCityUK in Salford, this example of the Cafe Rouge franchise is a glowing one. The menu has enough choices for fussy types, and this particular restaurant has the added benefit of kind, friendly staff and someone in the kitchen who knows how to make a) dauphinoise potatoes and b) dessert.

2 courses were enough to satisfy a ravenous film crew who ate well after a day of heavy lifting. I'd happily recommend to those passing through MediaCity UK who want a nice filling meal in a relaxed environment.

Note for the indecisive: As at July 2011, as well as a mini-plate menu where you can order small plates tapas style, there's also a dessert selection for around 7 quid where you get 3 (3!!) mini desserts.

I had a 'spare' evening (groan), so registered for and subsequently turned up at the #BowledOverByQype event - held here at the All Star Lanes, nestled close to the Whiteleys shopping centre in Queensway.

I arrive at the Bayswater branch of the ten-pin empire to find some friendly faces lined up on 2 tables, awaiting dinner. Looking at the menu, I am one of the few who are relieved to find there are alternatives to burgers! I order the Tuna with red slaw (no mayo!! Hurrah!!) followed by the blackened salmon with beetroot.

Considering this is a bowling alley, I'm pleasantly surprised by the food - instead of an 'out of the freezer via the deep fat fryer/microwave' selection, I felt like I ate something healthy here - although there was a distinct impression of 'nearly but not quite' around the table when the food arrived. Still, the food was more than adequate for my empty belly, and I didn't need to have 'dinner no. 2' later.

Suitably filled with food, we were treated to a few frames in the private room. This had 2 lanes, a karaoke machine and kind and patient Oscar, our genial chap behind the bar, who whipped up incredibly boozy juleps to accompany the pudding canapes.

Oscar, I can only apologise for the joyous audio assault on your ears as we wailed our way through some of our favourite songs as others tried in vain to bowl during this aural torture. It is impossible to describe the sheer noise that 20 or so Qypers can make once they are filled with sugar and alcohol and encouraged to throw stuff and sing. A fun night was had by all.

I would unhesitatingly recommend the private room as a brilliant place to hold a party or event. What a great night out, even if you, like me, aren't that brilliant at bowling.

As at Jan 2011:
2 courses: around £20
Bowling: £6.25-8.75 per person per game
Private bowling and Karaoke Room holds up to 80 people