Irish Coffees

Irish Coffees

Those of you with a penchant for Irish coffees, as I do, could do a lot worse than pay a visit to Mae Ping a Thai restaurant in Croydon.

The preparation of the coffee is a most enjoyable performance to watch, as the waiter brings a trolley to your table and then begins the show.

-The rim of the glass is dipped in liqueur and then in sugar

-A small stove on the trolley is lit, and the sugar caramelised in the flame

-Whisky is flamed in a ladle and poured, with a flourish, into the glass

-A coffee liqueur is then flamed and poured

-After which the coffee itself is poured

-Finally the cream added

I would hasten to add that the Irish coffee looks, and tastes as good, as the performance leading up to it.

Therefore Mae Ping is worth visiting for the Irish coffees alone. The food, atmosphere and service are also good!

Mae Ping
16-18 South End
Croydon
0208 760 0278

Franklins

Restaurant

Franklins
157 Lordship Lane
Dulwich

Phone:- 0208 299 9598

Website www.franklinsrestaurant.com

Overview

Eva and I went to Dulwich last week to try out Franklins, a pub and restaurant that has gained a reputation for good quality English food. I also understand that the pub is recommended for its beer as well.

Ambience

Franklins consists of a small cosy pub at the front, and an intimate romantic restaurant at the rear. The restaurant is situated on both the ground floor and the basement.

It was a Friday evening, and both the pub and restaurant were very busy, it is therefore advisable to book in advance.

The restaurant was lively, with the open kitchen situated along the wall at the back, yet intimate and cosy. The wooden floor of the restaurant contrasted with the brick walls, on which were hung several large antique mirrors and a large picture of an Empire day outdoor party.

The tables were laid with paper cloths, and were quite close together but not uncomfortably so.

The atmosphere was relaxed, but lively; I would swear that I saw Prince William dining at the table next to us.

Menu

The menu, which was unashamedly English, is varied on a regular basis and had a variety of hearty dishes to choose between. This particular evening, amongst others, it contained; devilled kidneys, jellied oxtail, pork belly with snails, rack of lamb, calves liver with Pease pudding and a sirloin steak.

They even serve a savoury course, which is something that is not so common in restaurants these days.

Service

We were warmly greeted, and promptly shown to our table.

The staff were very friendly and efficient. Service and food preparation were well coordinated as they needed to be, given the number of covers.

We were kindly offered another, less central table, when it became free; a nice gesture.

Food

I started with the devilled kidneys on toast. This was a splendid dish, consisting of a very generous portion of lambs kidneys served atop a chunky cut piece of well toasted bread.

The kidneys were delightful; tender, rich and very piquant.

First class!

I chose the spring chicken with leeks for my main course. This dish was a combination of a succulent, tender whole poussin served with a delicate white wine tarragon sauce on top of leeks.

I chose boiled new potatoes to accompany it. Both the chicken and the potatoes were delightful.

Eva started with the scallop roe on toast. This consisted of a generous portion of pink, fluffy delicate tasting roe accompanied by two triangles of thick cut toast.

It was delicate, delicious and a pleasure to eat.

Eva then chose the rack of lamb with garlic for her main course. This was pink and tender. I tried some and was impressed with the flavour, and texture, of the lamb; it was not overpowered, but complimented, by the garlic. Eva ordered the dauphine potatoes to accompany the lamb, an ideal combination.

Now, by this stage, we normally opt for coffee and liqueurs. However, I was feeling greedy and decided to try the savoury. Therefore I ordered a Welsh rarebit.

I was not disappointed; a more piquant and flavoursome rarebit I could not have wished for, duly arrived.

It consisted of a very generous slice of thick cut toast, smothered in melted Irish cheddar and mustard.

Outstanding!

The meal, which included a bottle of Chablis and liqueurs, came to £87 before service.

Overall Opinion

We had a most splendid meal, and evening. I guarantee that we will be returning to Franklins again.

We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this fine restaurant.

Restaurant

The Crazy H
50 South End
Croydon

Phone:- 0208 688 6132

Website www.crazyh.co.uk

Overview

It was the 4th of July, and so Eva and I decided to try out The Crazy H (formerly Rockwell’s) an American diner in Croydon.

Ambience

The Crazy H was a bright and cheerful bar and restaurant, themed to resemble an American diner from the era of Rockwell’s paintings.

The Crazy H had a cosy bar with sofas and chairs, a main dining area and a secluded dining area by the open grill/kitchen.

The main dining area, to the left of the bar, was dominated by a 1950’s style jukebox. This fine piece of equipment was on free play mode, and so I took a trip down memory lane and played some splendid hits from the late 70’s and 80’s. However, don’t be alarmed the volume was not set so high that it was intrusive.

The tables were covered in check cloths, and the walls decorated with American memorabilia. Most notably there was a fine selection of Norman Rockwell prints, harking back to an era that never really existed.

One missed opportunity; Crazy H had forgotten it was July the 4th. Maybe it would be worthwhile thinking ahead to Halloween and Thanksgiving, and coming up with a special theme for those evenings.

Menu

In addition to the main menu, there was also a children’s menu valid until 19:30.

However, moving on to the adults; the main menu offered a good selection of “diner type” dishes. These included; potato skins, ribs, nachos, fajitas, 14 types of homemade burgers, steaks and chicken.

Service

The staff were very friendly and welcoming. The service was quick and efficient.

Food

I chose the potato skins, with cheese and bacon, for my starter. They were very tasty, a good sized portion laden with cheese and bacon; hot and flavoursome.

I opted for the rib eye steak for my main course, served with fries and fried eggs. I was very pleased with my choice; the steak was a good quality piece of meat, and had been cooked medium as requested. The fries were tasty, and sufficient in quantity.

Rather rarely for me, I chose to have a dessert; and opted for the apple pie with cream. This was very good. The slice of pie had a generous amount of apples under the crust; these were not mushy, but chunky with a good texture and flavour. The pie had just the right amount of sweetness, and had a hint of cinnamon.

Eva started with the breaded mushrooms. These had a nice texture and flavour, and were not soggy or greasy. They came with a good quality spicy dip.

Eva chose the “Mexicano” for her main course. This was a home made burger served in a massive sour dough bap. It came with cheese and a jalapeno and salsa topping, together with a large baked potato.

The burger was of good quality, both in terms of texture and taste. It definitely put to shame those mass produced slurry burgers proffered by certain well known chains.

Eva finished off with an ice cream.

The meal, which included and exceptionally good bottle of Pinot Grigio and an Irish coffee, came to just under £54 including service.

Overall Opinion

Great fun, worth a visit if you want a change from more formal dining.

Restaurant

L’Autre
5B Shepherd Street
Mayfair
London

Phone:- 0207 499 4680

Overview

Eva and I spent the other evening strolling around Shepherds’ Market, and came across L’Autre. Despite the French sounding name, this restaurant, come bistro, serves a combination of Polish and Mexican dishes.

Ambience

The bistro is romantic, cosy and intimate. The main part is situated on the ground floor, and is not much larger than a reception room of a domestic house. There are also tables outside and a dining area downstairs.

The décor is “bistro kitsch”, with a wooden floor and wooden beams decorated with knickknacks and stuffed toy animals (some of which are wearing sombreros). The tables are situated close together, and there is a bar (space prevents you sitting around it) at one end of the room.

The management have a rather unusual policy with regard to single diners, which we witnessed first hand, they don’t allow them. The rationale being that the single diner may intrude on the intimacy of couples.

Menu

The menu offers a good selection of Polish dishes including; Borstch, pate, dumplings and stuffed cabbage. The Mexican selection is a little more limited, concentrating mainly on a variety of burritos.

The bar has a selection of chilled vodkas, including Goldwasser which contains flecks of gold leaf.

Service

The service is pleasant and efficient.

Food

I chose the charcuterie for my starter. This consisted of a very generous selection of sliced smoked meats (sausage, chicken and ham); served with salad, horseradish and dark rye bread. The combination of meat tasted superb, I was very impressed.

I chose the Golonka for my main course. This was a large boiled ham hock, served with a good sized portion of mashed potatoes, red cabbage and sauerkraut. The meat, which was tender and succulent, was cooked to perfection; literally falling off the bone. The potatoes were excellent, and had been flavoured with a little cheese. This was a most hearty dish, make sure you have a hearty appetite to do it justice.

Eva chose the fish blini for her starter. This was really special, resembling a large pasty, it was stuffed with prawns, crab and trout. It was served with roe, and a sour cream sauce. I am not a great fish fan myself, but tasted it and was very impressed with the quality and combination of flavours. Eva was delighted.

She chose the Pozarski for her main course. This was minced veal, flavoured with dill and other herbs, shaped into a cutlet. The meat was creamy and succulent, and had a very special flavour of dill. It tasted superb. The dish was served with a mushroom and cream sauce, and was accompanied by boiled potatoes, carrots and French beans.

The bill, which included; a bottle of Chardonnay, an Irish coffee and brandy, came to £59 including service.

Overall Opinion

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal, and will definitely go back there again; making sure that we have starved for a day beforehand!

Restaurant

King’s Restaurant
The De Vere Grand Hotel
Kings Road
Brighton

Phone:- 01273 224300

Overview

We celebrated Eva’s birthday in King’s, which serves a variety of fish, meat and vegetarian dishes in opulent surroundings; evocative of the Victorian era.

Ambience

As noted, the décor of King’s is evocative of the past glories of the Victorian era. Two silver carving trolleys mount guard to the entrance, which leads into the spacious dining room and sea front veranda. The dining room is resplendent with marble columns and dark wooden panels. The tables are laid with crisp white linen and silver cutlery.

We were given a veranda table, which afforded us a splendid view of the sea.

However, it was sad to see that were only a few other diners in the restaurant. In my opinion, a place such as this would benefit from being busier. The lack of customers also negates the restaurant’s ability to serve roast meats on their splendid carving trolleys; there is after all no point in roasting a joint if you only have a few customers. A point that was readily accepted by one of our waiters.

Menu

The menu offers a variety of dishes including roast lamb, Dover sole, chateau briande, lobster (Friday and Saturday only) and breast of chicken stuffed with cous cous.

Service

The staff were very professional, and the service polite and attentive.

Food

I started with the smoked salmon which came with a twist of lemon and sprig of dill; no brown bread oddly enough. However, it was fine way to start the meal.

I chose the roasted half English duck, in orange and liqueur sauce, for my main course. I am pleased to say that it was well cooked (unlike some establishments who offer you a carcass dripping in blood). The meat was succulent and tender, the sauce was a well balanced combination of liqueur and oranges.

The meal was accompanied by sauté potatoes and cauliflower au gratin. The latter, to my view, was undercooked; and on raising this with the waiter I as offered a replacement or no charge. I opted for the latter.

I finished my meal with a selection of cheese and biscuits, the latter being served from a magnificent silver serving bucket.

Eva started with asparagus with Hollandaise sauce. The asparagus was tender and not stringy. However, Eva noted that the hollandaise had started to curdle.

She chose pork fillet with sliced apples in a green pepper sauce, accompanied by thyme and red cabbage. The meat was tender, and the accompaniments were an innovative and welcome change to the more traditional apple sauce

Eva opted for herb buttered new potatoes as a side dish, these were cooked to perfection.

The overall bill which included; champagne cocktails, a bottle of Chardonnay, brandy and Irish coffee came to £122 before service.

Overall Opinion

We enjoyed the evening, and rate this as a good quality restaurant. However, I would suggest that the prices are more akin to central London rather than to Brighton. This may account for the lack of customers, which to my view negatively impacts the restaurant’s atmosphere.

Restaurant

Donatello
1 Brighton Place
The Lanes
Brighton

Phone:- 01273 775477

Website www.donatello.co.uk

Overview

Eva and I spent a couple of days in Brighton; and, feeling in the mood for Italian, dropped into Donatello one evening.

Ambience

Donatello is a large restaurant and offers; a smoking area, a non smoking area, a large bar, upstairs function rooms and outside seating for those that feel brave enough to face the uncertainty of the British weather.

The restaurant is bright and cheerful; some of the walls are painted red, others green and at the far end of the smoking area you can admire your reflection in the wall sized mirror. The stairway up to the function rooms is adorned with photos of celebrities, including Tony Blair, who have dined in the restaurant.

Menu

The menu offers a good range of Italian dishes including a variety of; pasta, pizzas, fish, steaks and veal.

Service

The service is very attentive, friendly and efficient. Although the restaurant is large, and was busy when we were there, there was a large enough complement of staff on duty to ensure that that customers’ needs were efficiently attended to.

Food

I started with the lasagne, which was rich and creamy. The sauce was a well balanced blend of tomatoes and cheese, which did not overpower the meat and spinach filled pasta.

I chose steak, in a green pepper sauce, for my main course. This was first class. The sirloin was cooked rare, as requested, and was exceptionally succulent and tender. The piquant sauce complemented the meat, and did not overpower it. The dish was served with a good sized portion of fries, carrots and courgettes. I was very happy with my choice.

Eva opted for pizza, and chose one with a topping that included; Chorizo, artichokes, prawns and peppers. It had been freshly prepared, and the dough had a light not “claggy” texture. She enjoyed it, but felt that it would have benefited from a more generous tomato and cheese base.

The total bill, which included; pre dinner drinks a bottle of Pinot Grigio, brandy and Irish coffee, came to £61 including service.

Overall Opinion

We enjoyed our meal, and will be pleased to visit again when we have the opportunity.

Restaurant

Coach House
59 Middle Street
Brighton

Phone:- 01273 719000

Website www.coachhousebrighton.com

Overview

Eva and I had a leisurely lunch in the courtyard of The Coach House, a bar and restaurant five minutes away from the seafront in Brighton.

Ambience

The Coach House is a bright and breezy restaurant and bar. It has a small courtyard in the front, and being a sunny day we “pitched our tent” there.

Menu

The menu offers an extensive variety of dishes including; mussels, steaks, falafels, lamb noisettes and fish cakes.

Service

The service was relaxed, friendly and efficient. The waiter was honest enough to guide my initial choice of starter (pate), to what he felt to be the more reliable soup of the day.

Food

I started with the carrot and coriander soup. The flavour being more of coriander than carrot, made it a refreshing change to those luminous orange creations served in other establishments. It came with a swirl of cream, and a good sized portion of freshly baked bread.

I chose sirloin steak for my main course. This came with chunky home made chips, cherry tomatoes and mushrooms. I asked for two fried eggs to top it off, no raised eyebrow to that request. The steak was cooked to perfection, and was exceptionally tender and flavoursome.

Eva had a hearty bowl of mussels in a white wine, cream and garlic sauce. This was served with a mountain of freshly baked bread. The dish was absolutely first class, full of flavour and very filling.

The meal, which included two bottles of Pinto Grigio and an Irish coffee, came to £58 including service.

Overall Opinion

Definitely worth visiting should you be strolling through the streets of Brighton on a sunny day. We will go there again when we are in town.

Restaurant

Christopher’s
Thistle Victoria
Buckingham Palace Road
Victoria
London

Phone:- 0207 976 5522

Website www.christophersgrill.com

Overview

Christopher’s is an independently operated American grill restaurant situated in the Thistle Hotel Victoria station.

Eva, Victoria (Eva’s niece) and myself, had a jolly Sunday evening there.

Ambience

The restaurant is stylish, and is set in a splendid high ceilinged room interspersed with pillars decorated in the manner of an ancient Egyptian palace. In addition to the main dining room, Christopher’s sports a trendy cocktail bar which is sleek and comfortable; ideal for pre or post dinner “quaffing”.

Menu

The restaurant’s theme is that of an American grill, as such there is a good selection of grilled meats on offer. In keeping with the American theme, the menu also includes American inspired dishes such as; pumpkin soup, crab cakes and pecan pie.

Service

The service was attentive and efficient, our pre dinner cocktails were swiftly despatched; enabling us to stimulate our appetites whilst perusing the menus.

Fresh baked bread was offered twice; before the meal, and with the starters.

Food

I started with fettuccine which was combined with meatballs, Chorizo and spinach. In my opinion the meatballs, although firm in texture, lacked any discernible taste. I would recommend that the chef adjusts the seasoning accordingly; basil, garlic and black pepper should do the trick.

As a main course I had a 10oz new York strip, rare, with French fries and bernaise sauce. This was succulent and tender; seared on the outside, to seal in the flavour, red and juicy on the inside. The fries were tasty, and the portion generous. The Bernaise sauce, served in a bowl, complimented the steak.

I finished the meal with a couple of Irish coffees, which were very well constructed; the cream being decorated with coffee beans.

Victoria started with pumpkin soup, which was spicy and flavoursome. I regretted not choosing this myself.

Eva had the crab cakes and rocket salad for her starter. The cakes were moist and had a well balanced seasoning.

The ladies both opted for corn fed chicken breast with mashed potato, they were pleased with their choice.

Victoria finished her meal with the satsuma terrine, which bore a passing resemblance to a thick slice of smoked salmon. However, I am happy to say it did not taste like salmon! This served as a refreshing and tangy closing dish to the meal.

Eva finished with the pecan pie, which she thoroughly enjoyed.

The overall meal, which included a bottle of Chablis, a bottle of water, champagne cocktails and Irish coffees, came to £174 including a £20 service charge.

Overall Opinion

We enjoyed our evening, and will return again at some point in the future.

Restaurant

Elio
17 Limpsfield Road
Sanderstead

Phone:- 0208 657 2953

Overview

Eva and I recently bumped into an ex member of La Brasa’s staff, who now works in Elio and gave us their card; so we decided to try it out last night.

Elio is a traditional family owned Italian restaurant offering an appetising range of meat, fish and pasta dishes.

Ambience

The outside of the restaurant is modest and unassuming. However, the inside is warm, cosy yet spacious. The main dining room has seating for around 50 people, towards the back is a comfortable bar with enough seating for four separate groups of guests.

The ceiling of the bar area is decorated with football shirts. The walls are decorated with family photos and memorabilia, together with photos and testimonials of some of the celebrity guests who have dined there.

The dining room has a suspended wooden beamed ceiling hung with Chianti bottles and bunches of grapes.

The tables were laid with light pink tablecloths, napkins and “Tiffany lamps”.

We had booked, and when we arrived we were initially offered a table that was not terribly well positioned. However, after a brief word we were asked if we minded having a drink in the bar whilst another table could be made ready for us. No problem with this, a couple of gin and tonics; whilst leisurely reading the menu is a pleasant way to ease yourself into the meal!

Menu

The restaurant offers a variety of traditional Italian food including veal, steak, pasta and fish. In addition to the printed menu there was a blackboard, which displayed the specials of the day; including lamb shank and mussels.

The wine list is unfussy and inexpensive.

Service

The service was attentive, friendly and efficient. The restaurant was busy, but the owner found time to go round the tables and talk to his guests. Being a family run restaurant all members of the family were “roped into” serving; including the granddaughter, who was on dessert trolley duty.

Food

I started with the cannelloni; which was rich, creamy and warming a good start.

As a main course I tried the lamb shank, which was succulent and braised to perfection; so that meat fell off the bone. This was served in a rich, dark red wine sauce which was exceptionally flavoursome. Sauté potatoes, broccoli and carrots were included in the meal. These were fresh and professionally cooked, not overdone.

Eva started with a very generous portion of mussels in a creamy white wine sauce. They were excellent, the flavours complimented each other no one ingredient overpowering the other.

As a main course Eva had the veal with Parma ham in a sage and white wine sauce; most excellent and not, as can sometimes happen with Parma ham, too salty.

Eva finished off with fresh strawberries which were disappointing, wooden and flavourless; but fresh strawberries in January is a little unlikely!

The overall meal, which included a bottle of Chardonnay, four gins, two Remy Martins and an Irish coffee, came to £81 before tip; good value.

Overall Opinion

We will add this restaurant to our list of favourites, and definitely visit it again. Salut!

Restaurant

Quaglino’s
16 Bury Street
London
SW1Y 6AL

Phone:- 0207 930 6767

Overview

Quaglino’s claims to be one of London’s trendier restaurants; based in the heart of The West End, it offers a restaurant, bar and private dining room on two open plan floors.

I was out last night for a few drinks with three chums from my days in KPMG, and we found ourselves looking for something to eat at around 9:00PM. Our first choice, Rowley’s in Jermyn Street, was full; so we ambled along to Quag’s.

Ambience

The restaurant and bar is decorated in the modern “in your face” style. I am more of a traditionalist in taste, and I have to confess that the size/height of the room and the half glazed ceiling resembled a cross between a greenhouse and a barn. Some tables were laid with tablecloths others were not, these unlaid tables were bright red and presumably there to add colour. The private dining room situated on the top floor overlooks the restaurant, and resembles the directors’ boxes one sees at football stadiums.

The bar is situated on the top floor, and to one side of this there was a jazz band playing reasonably decent tunes.

When we arrived we were greeted by one of the many staff (all dressed in black). He seemed concerned that we had not booked, and that in order for him to check to see if we could be accommodated he pressed us to have a drink at the bar first. One of my chums politely, but firmly, pointed out that there were quite a few empty tables and that we would take one of these now “thank you very much!”. We were shown to a red table (obviously for naughty people who don’t do as they are told).

Menu

The restaurant offers a reasonably varied menu comprising amongst others; pork, rabbit, chicken livers and steak.

Service

The service is professional and efficient. When we sat down we were promptly offered our menus and bread. Rather oddly there were no side plates for the bread; I assume, therefore, that Quag’s is so proud of its hygiene they feel you can eat off the table directly.

Food

I started with chicken livers on rösti potatoes, with a rocket salad. I have to say these were very well cooked; succulent, tender and lightly pink. The rösti, which can sometimes be greasy and unpleasant, was cooked to perfection. I chose the roast shoulder pork with apple sauce as my main course. I have to say that this was quite good, a good sized portion of pork had been sliced reasonably thinly and was presented on a plate with a thin (in my view slightly overpowering) jus/gravy; together with good quality crackling and apple sauce. A side dish of traditional chips (not fat drenched reconstituted fries) came as an accompaniment.

One of my chums also opted for starter, the crayfish, which he seemed pleased with. The main courses that my friends opted for were, pork, steak with a bernaise sauce and saddle of rabbit.

The steak was tender and cooked slightly rare, I tested it and think it was good. The sauce bernaise was absolutely superb; rich, creamy and one hell of a big portion! We all ended up dipping our chips in it!

The rabbit was generous, two thickly cut saddles and by all accounts tender and tasty.

I finished off with an Irish coffee, which was good, and a small chohiba panatela (cigar to you and me); this was sold by a very short skirted cigarette girl (more reminiscent of restaurants from the fifties) who kindly chopped the end off for me. I would say that the price, £12.50, was an absolute disgrace. Next time I will ask the price first!

The overall meal, which included one bottle of Casa Merlot, two Irish coffees, my cigar and a glass of wine came to £146 including 12.5% service and a mysterious £1 “street smart” charge (whatever that is, could someone enlighten me?).

Overall Opinion

Overall I would say Quag’s is a bit of a curate’s egg, the food is good but in my opinion it is overpriced and the ambience is not to my taste. I suppose for that part of London we could have been ripped off in worse places; so as my father would say “you pay’s your money and takes your choice”.

Restaurant

La Brasa
108a Croydon High Street
Croydon

Phone:- 0208 760 9610

Overview

La Brasa has been open for some two years now, owned and managed by Cesar Rodriguez. It comprises a cosy Argentinean restaurant, with a rural atmosphere, on the ground floor.

Eva, I and Kajsa (Eva’s daughter) visited it last Saturday, one of many evenings we have spent there over the last two years; each visit has been highly enjoyable.

Ambience

The restaurant is decorated in a rural Argentinean style, wood predominates the décor but not in an oppressive manner. A homely touch is added by the variety Argentinean “nic nacks” that are placed throughout the restaurant. The atmosphere suits all types of occasions from romantic dinners to parties.

The background music is an eclectic mixture of Latino, Abba and Tom Jones, played at a volume to suit the mood of the guests. Indeed, as the evening progresses people are encouraged to salsa with each other or the staff. As regards closing time, it is flexible, one evening we left at 3:00AM and I have heard a story of a party that went on to 5:00AM; in other words the restaurant operates on the relaxed Latin principle of staying open until the last customer leaves. We had an early evening leaving sat 1:30AM!

When we arrived we were very warmly welcomed by Cesar and his wife. I would point out that all customers, be they new or regulars, are equally warmly welcomed. The restaurant was busy and it is necessary to book. However, you can take a chance; one group of people arrived at 11.30PM and were given a table.

Menu

The restaurant offers a menu comprising Argentinean specialities such as steak with chimichurri sauce (a spicy medley of amongst others, coriander, tomatoes and parsley), chicken empanadas (a sort of chicken pasty), sea bass and a seafood paella.

Service

We were warmly greeted and shown to our table. The service is attentive, friendly but not intrusive.

Food

I started with corn on the cob with melted butter, this consisted of two good sized cobs which had been chargrilled. It was well cooked, and an enjoyable tactile experience to eat; of course you have to use your hands.

I followed on with half a chargrilled chicken with two fried eggs. The chicken was succulent and properly cooked, I did the dish justice and used my fingers at the end to pick the bones clean it was really good.

I rounded off the meal with an Irish coffee, which was hot and well presented.

Eva started with sauté calamares which were generous in quantity and succulent to eat, she thoroughly enjoyed them. Her main course choice was chicken breast with asparagus and banana in a cream sauce, her dish of choice on many occasions. Although the combination may sound unusual, it does work; and contains a good sized portion of chicken breasts.

Eva also had an Irish coffee, no room for a dessert either!

Kajsa started with the feta cheese salad; a very large bowl of, amongst others, feta cheese, avocado and lettuce. She felt that it was almost a meal in itself. She followed on with a quarter chargrilled chicken (no fried eggs!) which, like mine, was well cooked yet succulent. She had a hot pancake filled with ice cream in a fruit sauce for dessert, which she was very pleased with.

We all dipped into a large bowl of thick cut pomme frites, as the accompanying side dish. These are always cooked to a consistently high standard, and in no way resemble the fat injected cardboard “French fries” served by other establishments.

The overall meal, which included two bottles of a sauvignon blanc, came to £71 before tip; good value in my opinion.

Overall Opinion

Definitely one of our favourite restaurants; ten out of ten for service, atmosphere and food. I have absolutely no negative comments to make about it!

Restaurant

L´unico
265 Croydon High Street
Croydon
CR0 1QH

Phone:- 0208 688 7998

Overview

L´unico was opened in the last twelve months, on the site of another Italian restaurant. It comprises an intimate Italian restaurant on the ground floor.

Eva and I visited it last Saturday, and have been there a couple of times before; we have thoroughly enjoyed each visit.

Ambience

The restaurant is intimate, but not cramped, ideal for a romantic meal or larger civilised gathering. Although it is situated on the High Street, with its varied selection of passing/staggering “nightlife” on Fridays and Saturdays, the outside “hullabaloo” does not intrude.

The décor is soothing and balanced; the walls are light peach in colour and the floor polished hardwood. The tables are properly laid, with well pressed tablecloths and napkins.

The restaurant is well staffed, and we were very warmly welcomed by the manager. Although the restaurant is intimate and, being a Saturday, it was busy the atmosphere is not claustrophobic or intrusive. I would recommend booking, as all the tables were occupied when we dined there.

On our first visit there was a live guitarist playing, I hasten to add an acoustic not electric, guitar. This was very pleasant and non intrusive; I am not sure as to when, or how often, L´unico offer live music.

Menu

The restaurant is Italian, but offers something a little more than the standard “Spag bol” indeed the word bolognese does not appear anywhere on the imaginative menu. The extensive menu offers a range of fish, fowl, meat and pasta dishes-freshly made on the premises (the latter can be taken as a starter or main course).

Should you wish something that is not specified on the menu then ask, if the ingredients are available, they will be happy to cook it. On a previous visit, feeling particularly hungry, I asked for a couple of fried eggs to be served with my steak; no problem!

Service

As noted, we were warmly greeted and shown to our table. The service is attentive and friendly; as soon as we were seated we were offered our menus together with a complimentary bowl of olives and basket of bread.

Food

I started with the lasagne, which was firm and had body and texture; unlike some restaurants’ versions of lasagne it was not presented in a glutinous bubbling sauce that overpowered the pasta.

I followed on with the “pollo a diavola”, a spatch-cocked poussin cooked with chillies and garlic. This was excellent, a good size, very piquant (not too spicy) and succulent. The chicken needed the accompanying finger bowl as in order to get every piece of flesh from the carcass I had to use my hands (a very satisfying experience!).

The chicken came with sauté potatoes, which were well cooked and very tasty. I also ordered a side dish of peas and carrots for Eva and myself to share. Unfortunately, they were delayed and did not appear until we had more or less completed our main course. Although they looked good we sent them back, as eating vegetables on their own was a little pointless; needless to say we were not charged for this.

Feeling suitably replete I did not have a dessert; but rounded off the meal with an Irish coffee, which was hot and well presented.

Eva started with a good sized portion of mussels in a white wine sauce; she was very please with them. She then had veal escalope with Parma ham, in a sage and white wine sauce. She thought it was excellent; although, for her personal taste, she felt it would benefit from being presented with a little more sauce. Sauté potatoes were served as the accompaniment.

Eva also had an Irish coffee, we were then offered a complimentary liqueur. I had a dessert wine, which I must say was a little sharp for my taste, Eva had a Cointreau.

The overall meal, which included a good bottle of Chardonnay, came to a very reasonable £52 before tip.

Suggestions

I present below a few, well intentioned, suggestions; which I hope are taken by the management in the spirit in which they are intended:

 Serve the vegetables at the same time as the main course.

 Consider adding a sweeter dessert wine to the wine menu.

Overall Opinion

Definitely a cut above the average Italian restaurant. We both agree that we enjoyed our evening, and are very happy to recommend it to others.

Restaurant

The Polka
20a Lower Addiscombe Road
Croydon
CR0 6AA

Phone:- 0208 686 2633

Overview

The Polka was established in the eighties; but was taken over in the last few months by a new owner, Guy Ngu, who aims to enhance the traditional Polish menu by offering a fusion of Far Eastern and European dishes. It comprises a restaurant on the ground floor, and a function room on the first floor.

Eva and I have visited it on several occasions over the past few years, and more recently since Guy took over. We are pleased to note that the decline that we witnessed in the quality of the food, that was evident in the final months of the old management, has been reversed. Guy takes a “hands on” approach with the menus and quality of food selected for serving. I particularly like the website, which gives a very detailed overview of the restaurant together with pictures and menus. You can visit it on:

http://www.polkas.co.uk

Ambience

The restaurant is bijou, but not cramped, decorated with Polish artefacts and “bric a brac”. In the far left corner is a small bar which boasts an extensive array of speciality vodkas. My particular favourites being Bison grass (quite potent!) and a vodka I haven’t seen since visiting Berlin some years ago, Danzig Goldwasser (a unique vodka that contains flecks of gold leaf; which are very good for the digestion - take my word for it!).

The restaurant is cosy and welcoming; ideal for a family gathering or romantic dinner for two. I would recommend booking, as all the tables were occupied when we dined there the other evening.

Under the previous owners Eva and I often found that the restaurant was a little chilly; we were pleased to note that this problem has now been addressed, and the ambient temperature was just right.

Menu

As noted above, the restaurant offers a variety of European and Far Eastern dishes; ranging from crispy butterfly prawns, steak tartar, pork dumplings to the house speciality (smoked sausage, dumplings and stuffed cabbage).

The wine list is complemented by a lengthy vodka list (both flavoured and plain, of various strengths); I personally recommend trying a “shot” before dinner. Unfortunately, owing to the limited size of the bar fridge, only a few types are ice cold.


Service

When we arrived we were warmly greeted by Guy who showed us to our table. The service is attentive and friendly, and should you want to try a main course as a starter there is no fuss or raising of eyebrows.

Whilst ordering, a selection of bread was brought to us; one of which, a cumin flavoured rye, was particularly pleasant.

Food

I started with the pate and toast, I would say (all due apologies to the chef) that although the portion was a good size the taste was a little bland; maybe a few drops of brandy would add a little zest to this dish. My forthcoming recipe book has quite a decent recipe for pate, samples of my favourite recipes can be found on my website:

http://www.kenfrost.com

I followed on with a good sized fillet of veal cooked in breadcrumbs with, at my own request, two fried eggs on top (the technical name for this dish is Holstein Schnitzel). I am very pleased to say that the veal was tender and succulent, not overcooked and dry as some restaurants are prone to serve.

Feeling suitably replete I could not manage a dessert; but rounded off the meal with an Irish coffee, which was hot and well presented.

Eva had meat stuffed dumplings with bacon lardons for her starter; they were excellent and I highly recommend them. Eva then had the pork loin stuffed with prunes in sauce. Although the portion was generous, the meat was a little tough.

As is the tradition of the Polka, we were offered a complimentary vodka each at the end of our meal.

The overall meal, which included two vodkas as apéritifs and a good bottle of Chablis, came to a reasonable £53 before tip.

Suggestions

I present below a few, well intentioned, suggestions; which I hope are taken by the management in the spirit in which they are intended:

 Install a good sized fridge to accommodate all the vodkas. Vodka should be served ice cold, not at room temperature.

 Take up a discussion with the butcher who supplied the pork to ensure that future cuts are tender.

 Change the pate recipe.

Overall Opinion

We both agree that we enjoyed our evening, and are happy to recommend it to others.