Skylon, London, England

Last time I was in London, I spent a long day wandering the streets, enjoying every little nook and cranny. It's a beautiful city, even in the rain, with plenty of parks to explore and creative sights to see. But after a day in the town, I was feeling a bit worn out, and needed to retreat from the street. I was meeting a friend for drinks later that evening, and decided to take a quite moment for dinner at the South Bank Centre beforehand.

For those of you who know South Bank, you may be thinking: "a quiet moment?". True - it's a buzzy place, with students chatting, people plugged into their iThings on every ledge, public music and theatre (some hot, and some in my opinion... not), families with balloons and babies en masse, and at this particular time there was a food festival on outside, so there were plenty of 20-30-40 somethings enjoying the afternoon sun with their plastic cups of beer in hand. It's a great community site, but nevertheless, I was in the mood for a quieter place to recharge my introvert batteries.

Skylon's Grill menu had exactly what I was looking for. A nice veggie ravioli with pine nuts and pumpkin, a side salad of kale, and a glass of wine to ease me into the evening. Because I didn't have a reservation, I couldn't sit and try the usual a-la-carte menu, but on first glance the smaller grill menu seemed to have more veggies anyway. The service was lovely, and because it was early evening I practically had the place to myself, except for a few couples quietly chatting. I remember beautiful flowers, and of course a lot of light - one whole side of the restaurant opens up onto the Thames.

This is a gem, right in the middle of one of the most popular spots for weekend festivities and the arts in London. There's not a lot of veg choice, but what I had was done well, and perfectly timed as far as my own collisions with restaurants in the universe goes. I'll be back again.

Add: Royal Festival Hall, London
Tel: +44 020 7654 7800
Web: http://www.skylon-restaurant.co.uk 

Criterion Restaurant, London, England

We have a winner!

After a dud night at Quaglino's, we had time for one more quick work dinner before I caught my car to the airport. I had a really narrow window, but I'd heard so much about the amazing interior design of The Criterion. It sounded like a London-must. I only had an hour there, and it was well spent!

The Criterion is right on Piccadilly Circus, originally opened in 1874. It has gold-gilded ceilings and reflections everywhere. It's so vibrant and romantic - my idea of heaven.

We enjoyed wine, starters, and then I started twitching for my main, watching the clock and fantasizing about missing my flight with a great excuse of being 'stuck' in this plush, golden wonderland. Our waiters were fantastic, and shortly my main was in front of me. It was a tri-colour cauliflower dish on a long rectangular plate. The purples, whites and light greens of the cauliflower were so imaginative and subtle - I truly felt like I was getting the fine dining experience, vegetable style. It was delicious, by most of all it was delicate yet vibrant all at once. So happy!

As soon as I finished my cauliflower rainbow, I took a moment to drink in the surroundings again, and then had to jump up and run back to my hotel to catch the car. I literally meant run - I switched shoes and bolted. But the extra 5 minutes in the beautiful Criterion was worth it!

Add: 224 Piccadilly, London W1J 9HP, England

Ph: 020 79300488

Web: http://www.criterionrestaurant.com/

Quaglino's, London, England

The task of organising dinner for work colleagues is more daunting than I gave it credit for. Especially when you're not in your home city. You don't want to appear as Mother Hen, don't want to blow the budget but also want to impress, and need to make sure it's convenient to office, hotel and etc. All these thoughts went flashing through my mind when I was tasked with the agenda for a recent project implementation meeting - I quickly decided that it would take more thinking than a quick work dinner warranted. Delegation turns out to be a wonderful thing! So Quaglino's was chosen, meeting all the corporate requirements and a 'favourite' of the Partners. From the outset it looked great.

We had a drink in the bar area, having to cram into the unreserved area, and then moved down the cascading staircase to the long dining room, punctuated with tall orchards running down the center. We took our table and quickly started scanning the wine and dinner menu. As usual, it didn't take me long to fall back into my old favourites of a New Zealand Pinot Noir, a salad, a mushroom risotto and a chocolate tart. They sounded more interesting than that, with reduced balsamic and a truffle thrown in, but they were comfortably the only vegetarian options on the menu from memory, or perhaps just the ones that caught my eye.

When the artichoke salad came out, I called the waitress over and discreetly mentioned that I thought they'd forgotten the artichokes. She pointed out that the potato chip type things on the top of the salad were actually the prized artichokes. Oops. It seemed like a bowl of rocket with 2 waxy potatoes hiding at the bottom, and said chips on top. I hate rocket, so I officially had 2 small potatoes and some chips for starter.

When my main came out, I remembered the lunch time displays in Asia - the ones that are cooked, put in the bowl, and then sprayed with some kind of plastic to make them freeze in time. Not the nicest compliment I know - sorry Quaglino's. I think my dinner had been waiting to be sent to me for a little long. And the mysterious truffles that I thought I'd spied on the menu where nowhere to be tasted. 

The highlight of the evening was the scenery. Jimmy Hendrix photographs are projected on to the walls around the restaurant, giving a clean cut eatery a funky edge. And the beautiful flower arrangements were a real stand-out.

My chocolate desert came, and it really popped out on the stage of it's plate. The dark chocolate wedge and the bright orange of the mandarin were so distinct against the white plate. I couldn't wait to dive in - my fork want down and then - ouch - an abrupt stop against the crust. Without alerting my colleagues, I tried a little harder to crack through the base layer. But no luck. I'm ashamed to say that I ended up eating the mandarins and chocolate filling and sent the butt-naked crust back to the kitchen.

My colleagues must have thought I am such a picky, ungrateful eater! I sent a bowl of rocket, a half eaten bowl of risotto, sans truffles, and a tart base back to where they came from. I was so hungry!

Quaglino's was a huge let down. Service was fine, and bathrooms were nice. In general, the food, which is what we were mainly there for, was a big disappointment. It's so rare for me to say that!

Add: 16 Bury St, St James's, London SW1Y 6AJ
Ph: 020 7930 6767
Web: http://www.qauaglinos.co.uk/http://www.qauaglinos.co.uk/

Nopi, London, England

A few  months back I heard about this new cook book called Jerusalem.  Not long later I saw a snippet of a documentary about Yotam Ottolenghi walking around the streets of Jerusalem, eating street food from his youth. So the movement had been randomly floating in my spectrum for some time before I found myself cruising past Nopi in London, one of the groups restaurants.

We were on the hunt for a great breakfast. After something nice at the Riding House Cafe, and again something enjoyable at The Wolseley, I was left yearning for a really big blow-my-socks-off veggie breakkie on Darby St in Newcastle. The breakfasts I've had in London are generally 'fine', but feel small and unimaginative. And definitely there is a spot to be filled in the good coffee department. So I was so happy when we eventually happened across Nopi by accident (although the OK-ish coffee was not the distinguishing feature for me)!

Nopi is inconspicuous from the outside - with a big glass window and a simple entrance. However I find most of the placed in this neighborhood are pretty missable from the outside - I think it's a symptom of the weather, where open fronts for outdoor eating seem to be a non-reality. On the inside, it's all white and brass, with birchwood tableware and linen napkins. It feels cool and simple - I think I was expecting a middle eastern themed cave. But Nopi was all clean and lightness. The ladies bathroom in particular epitomizes this feeling with angled mirrors in every direction and soothing cream stone tones. The light is so all-encompassing that there is an "out" sign on the floor to orient you once you're finished!

The breakfast menu was intersting - thank goodness! It's short, but each meal is distinct and several need some explaining. There are cheeses I wasn't sure of, and cooking methods that we needed to pull out google on. It made this experience all the more unique. I started with a rice porridge for the table to share, and then beans and egg on toast for my 'main' breakfast dish. More than half of the menu listings turned out to be veggie too!

I got to taste a little of each of my friends meals - each had some combination of egg, tomato, beans, cheese, and beautiful fresh bread. I had my first-ever mouthful of welsh gritts too, which I was initially sure was some kind of meat, but turns out to be mustard and cheese on toast - unless someone can tell me differently!

My beans were beautiful - al dente and completely filling. For once in London I didn't leave the table feeling ready for lunch already.

I was so pleased with breakfast that I bought the autographed Jerusalem book and now I'm salivating over all the things I can cook! My friends went back for breakfast again the next weekend. I'm still smiling from ear to ear - Ottolenghi has given me a new faith in London breakfasts. And although I was full and satisfied upon leaving, we did see the procession of salad platters rising up from the basement kitchen to be displayed at the front of the dining room (in good view from the front window for passers-by to spy). More inspiration to get cooking from my book!

Add: 21-22 Warwick Street, London W1B 5NE
Ph: +44 (0)20 7494 9584
Web: http://www.nopi-restaurant.com/

Sketch, The Gallery, London, England

Sketch, the Gallery, was one of the most memorable dining experiences I had in London. Everywhere you look there is some detail or charm to be taken in. It seems each chair, table, plate, and glass is different, as if it had all come from a well-positioned St Vincent de Paul shop, bequeathed with treasures from surrounding mansions.

Sketch has lots of gimmicks to keep you enthralled as you settle in to your table. There are lasers tracing geometric patterns on the walls, there are cocktails in tea cups, and there are of course the ladies toilets housed inside huge eggs, where you listen to some kind of frogs singing in the rainforest from inside your own personal egg. . . It's like my version of Lamb's Wonderland.

I went to Sketch with two friends, and it was hard to focus on the menu with so much atmospheric buzz! My mind went something like this:  

"OK. . . salmon, nope. . . oh laser. . .  right, lamb, nope. . . oh look at that vase. . . come on, focus. . . chicken, nope - oh I feel so low in my chair compared to everyone else. I guess because it's one-of-a-kind. Alright - noodles with miso. Read, read, read, no meat - done. Hmmm. . . I want a drink from that spaceship sunken bar I saw under the toilet platform. . . Hang on, do I really want a drink from the room under the egg toilets? Ooooo Lasers. . . I think they're moving in a different pattern now"

Honestly, the surroundings never really melt into the background here. With so many exciting colours dashing here and there around us, it took some time before we zeroed in on our own company. The waitress had to come back several times to check in on us before we were finally ready to order - I think at Sketch, where design seems to be the headlining act, it's probably not unusual for the waitstaff to have to zero you in on the meal!

I had some kind of Japanese inspired noodle dish, where the soup element was poured on at the table in front of me.  (Here's exactly what it was: Udon: an infusion of burned onions and marjoram, tofu, Judas ear mushrooms and girolles). I kept hearing that the chefs at Sketch were French inspired and following the infusion trend. . .  I definitely noticed the snails and Camembert on the menu! There was also a veggie risotto and ravioli on offer, and generally I think 3 options is a good run! There's a lot of variety, however I chose to steer clear of the Italian vegetable items as they're pretty easy to find on any menu.

My noodle dinner was very nice. Strangely to me, it didn't feel like fine dining. I think living in Asia, noodles to me are associated with a quick lunch at the local food hall, so although the flavours were nice, it didn't have an aura of 'spesh'. I liked the shape of the plate and the presentation.

The waitstaff were fine - nothing in particular to mention.

The headline is the theme. I think you could come to Sketch over and over, and still find something fun to occupy yourself. We had nice wine and lots of stimulation. And with enough veggie options to keep a few of us happy, I could certainly come again to see what I find!

Address: 9 conduit street, london w1s 2xg
Ph: +44 (0) 20 7659 4500
Web: http://www.sketch.uk.com/venue_Gallery_Martin_Creed.php

The Cinnamon Club, London, England

I've been very lucky to visit London a few times for work recently. My best friend lives there, giving me a perfect opportunity to see her! I saw Buckingham palace, the South Bank center, walked along the river to the tower of London, and saw the crown jewels. We visited Fortnum & Mason's and bought the mandatory jubilee edition tea box! Tick, tick, tick - I even bought the tea towel to prove it.

We had several nice breakfasts and high tea's - I could happily get used to the variety of eateries that London has to offer. If it wasn't for the weather and the ridiculously inconvenient railway system (try moving from said best friends house to company hotel with a suitcase, when you need to transition from the overground to the underground, up and down several flights of stairs - haven't the people in London heard of escalators? Hong Kong is oh-so-convenient in comparison!).... anyway, if not for the gloomy weather and the trains, I could see the charm of living there.  

So by the time I went to the Cinnamon Club, I was in work mode and enjoying the company of some great colleagues from the US and Belgium. We started with drinks in the underground of the club - it's cool, with classic drinks and a bit of a club vibe. I can't say I was blown over by the bar - it's nice and everything is in place, however we spent a long time waiting there while our booked table was being readied for us. The last patrons who were renting our dinner table before us weren't ready to move on! Our hostess got progressively more gruff as the wait wore on. . .

Finally we found ourselves in the restaurant - it's bright, with whites and woods, and a beautiful mezzanine level. It feels traditional, with crisp white tablecloths and high ceilings. The main dining hall bustles, and the chatter of patrons almost has a beer hall / bistro feel. Not your typical Indian restaurant decorations!


The service continued to be clumsy from that point. Waiters were formal and generally poised, but they were undermined by the double-ups in their offering. Wine was ordered and offered again. Mains placed in the wrong spaces. They were literally bumping into each other - halting in a stop-start dance of best intentions. Sorry - no cigar.

The food was nice. However at this point in time I can't recall what I ate... I remember that like the decore, the food wasn't your usual Indian curry. There were enough veggie options, and spices galore. I recall we had some desert too - something tooth-ache sweet!

I had a nice time at the Cinnamon Club - it's my first ever fine dining Indian experience, and it was very nice. It wasn't so overt and exaggerated as the usual Indian meal, and you can always count on Indian for tasty Vegetarian food! However the service undermined the whole deal for me. 

Address:The Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU
PH: 020 7222 2555
Web: http://www.cinnamonclub.com/