tuscanlifeedit

We are stumbling around making a dining plan for London. I used to rely heavily on chowhound.com but there's very little there.

We like to make an evening out of dining in London. We don't drink and don't really like the theater much unless there's a dance performance we want to see. That's not looking good for our time period.

We enjoy hearty food with big flavors and a nice room.

Our last few trips to London were great successes for dining, but I don't really want to repeat all our places from a few years ago.

We loved Medlar and The Harwood Arms; thought Bistrot Bruno Loubet (now closed) was too buzzy and the food mediocre; had nice set lunch at Pierre Koffman.

In the past, we've visited Bocca di Lupo, and Bread and Wine.

We usually visit Tayyabs and Masters Super Fish. Don't have as much time this trip so want to make the most of our 4 dinners.

We are looking for tasty food, pleasant atmosphere at moderate prices. Need to make reservations.

I know one can't say "moderate" prices here because real numbers are more useful. But 50£ per person is too much for us. 30-35£ for a nice meal would be great.

Would love any French rec, maybe Italian, definitely Indian. Our hometown if full of Lebanese and Greek, so those are off the list. A good Chinese would be nice. We don't love North African.

I'll stop now.

All help appreciated.

We are not having fancy lunches because our days are filled with museum and gallery visits.

historytraveler

For something a bit difference have a look at the bbar next to Rubens at the Palace. It has very nice South African themed ambience.Not too fussy or overdone. The food also has a South African influence. www.bbarlondon.com

Odin

For French food, try Brasserie Zedel. It is inexpensive and quite good, beautiful restaurant.

https://www.brasseriezedel.com/

The Palomar for cuisine from Jerusalem, something a bit different.

http://thepalomar.co.uk/

janisj

Odin: I saw the Palomar when I was walking to the Gielgud theatre -- and was curious. Is it good? A terrific location for a pre-theatre dinner.

PalenQ

I'm curious as to where to find good English food in London? Or is that an oxymoron?

carolyn

I'm certainly not a knowledgeable foodie, especially Indian, but we have enjoyed our meals at the Delhi Brasserie on Cromwell Road. White tablecloths, nice atmosphere, not expensive, and we liked the food a lot.

jubilada

Tuscan, read Nikkis most recent London/ Paris trip report from this past fall. I remember she mentioned a fabulous meal in Liondon .

sundriedtopepo

Good question, palenQ
Tuscan, the Harwood Arms sounds good for us, we are at the Nadler, an easy walk away.
Where we live, we have a very diverse selection of ethnic restos, and when we go to London, we want English pub food, stuff we don't get here. Well, we do get imitation Irish pub fare, not very good though.
Would you recommend?

historytraveler

Odin, thanks for your recommendations. I just looked at Brasserie Zedel's website. Looks and sounds fabulous. It's on my lrestaurant list.

Belinda

Look at opentable.com. You can see menus. My favorute London restaurant is Merchants Tavern in Shoreditch. It might squeaj in under your price range with no alcohol. Amazing food, great ambiance, excellent staff.

Belinda

Squeak in

tuscanlifeedit

sundriedtopepo

We loved The Harwood Arms. Very very delicious. It was a bit expensive, more in the 50£ per person range, and the service wasn't fabulous, but it was delicious. Really great food. I had soup, lamb and a sort of cornmeal cake for dessert and they were all among the best dishes I've had in years.

The atmosphere is pared-down pub but the food is what's great.

The Nadler was almost our choice, but we went with an AirB&B apartment. We are staying at The Nadler Liverpool. We stayed there about 4 or 5 years ago, under its former name, and we liked it a lot.

Odin
The Palomar is the one place that is a definite on my list. Brasserie Zedel is now on the short list. Thanks.

historytraveler: I hadn't heard about bbar. I will look at their menus

carolyn: thank you for the Indian rec. The food boards and blogs are heavily recommending upscale and expensive Indian places. Your rec looks goods.

jubilada: I'll find Nikki's report.

Belinda, I've noted you mentioning the Merchants Tavern earlier.

Thank you all. I hope to see a little more. Chinese, anyone?

Lexma90

An Indian place that we've been to a number of times is Dishoom. Fun atmosphere, and I like have a selection of smaller dishes. We even had breakfast there once, which was ok. We were eating here late one night, and got to watch the interesting sight of some apparently important female personage leave Dishoom with her all-female team of bodyguards.

Somewhat touristy, but with some dishes you don't see elsewhere, is the nearby Punjab restaurant. I love the kadu sabji, pumpkin curry.

sundriedtopepo

Thanks Tuscanlife I am really looking forward to that now.

mjs

We also like Dishoom in Covent Garden. The Calamari is especially tasty. Have never been impressed with Chinese in London. The Chinese food is decent but one would think it would be better given Britain's Hong Kong ties.

Seamus

Fellow Fodorite Patrick introduced us to Rajasthan at 49 Monument St, London EC3R 8BU and it remains on our list of favorites. www.rajasthan1.co.uk/ Even SO who is not a fan of Indian cooking enjoyed it.

We also liked Brasserie Zédel - it is not posh but quite enjoyable, superbly located and very well priced , especially for London. They are constantly turning our freshly baked baguettes, a delight. Most of the staff are Eastern European, and service is attentive without being overbearing.

northie

YMing in Greek Street soho has a good variety of Chinese dishes .

northie

PalenQ - your statement is a hangover from the past . Isn't English food using good local produce and there's lots of restaurants that do that ? Eg The Ledbury and that's just one

Tulips

Brasserie Zedel and the other restaurants that belong to the same group (Corbin & King) are all good; Zedel is the best value of those, but you can eat at all of them for under 35 per person if you don't drink alcohol.
The Delauney, the Wolseley and the Grill at the Beaumont.
All their restaurants have a beautiful decor, and good service.

We haven't been yet, but are looking at the lunch menu at Pollen Street Social, 32 pounds for two courses - it's a Michelin star restaurant. Add 12,5% service, it's a bit more than your budget. That is certainly an English restaurant, with local produce.

Also look at Kurobuta; I love their food. Hard to say how much you would spend, as it's small dishes to share. They have 3 restaurants in London.

Tulips

Meant to add, for Italian look at Caldesi, near Marylebone High Street. It's great, very Italian. Next to that is a steak/frites place that's always crowded; Relais de Venice de l'Entrecote.

And there are a few excellent Italian restaurants in Notting Hill; Osteria Basilico, Mediterraneo, Essenza, Piccola Cucina all on Kensington Park Road.