spaarne

<i>mmm - that would be mashed potatoes</i>

I heard another name also. Maybe it was a local slang term. Maybe it was out in Wales or Scotland.

Grandma

A friend who spent a lot of time in London put us on to this place convenient to Trafalgar Square. The pound was 2 to 1 at the time so we really appreciated good food at decent price in an interesting place. A bit hectic but fun.

http://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.or...-in-the-crypt/

raincitygirl

On my recent trip to London (July) we ate at a Peruvian restaurant called Lima. 31 Rathbone Place,Fitzrovia, London. phone: + 44 203 002 2640 www.limalondon.com
The food was really good, fresh and quite different to anything I've had before. Very good and welcoming service and the Pisco sours were excellent. Portions were maybe on the small side for some but when I'm having 3 courses I prefer that.

We had a very good lunch at Olivelli (good Italian food) at 9 St. Christopher's Place, London
phone: 020 7486 3196 www.ristoranteolivelli.co.uk
St.Christopher's Place is a lovely pedestrian only street with great little shops and cafes etc. You access it from Oxford Street right across from Bond St. tube station.

If you continue up it you eventually make your way to Marylebone High Street, another great street for shopping. ( in case anyone has an interest in shopping, Tom) And if you keep going up Marylebone High St. you can have a nice break in Regent's Park. There's a restaurant there but it is also a lovely place for a picnic, the day we were there, people were sprawled all over blankets, picnic-ing and drinking champagne, wine etc. Very civilized.

The restaurant in our hotel, the Ampersand,is called Apero (it's downstairs), we ate there quite a few times and the food was really good, as were the cocktails. Unlike mcheryl, I love Pimm's and the barman at the Apero did a similar one called Summersip that was delicious.

You could walk to the Ampersand from your hotel, the address is 10 Harrington Road, it's near the South Kensington tube station. Also close to that tube station is Carluccio's which I ate dinner at twice, it is busy, good service, pretty casual, the food was good, not outstanding Italian but good, we just walked in both times, had to wait about 5 minutes for a table.

We had a very good lunch at the restaurant at the Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly. phone: 020 7300 5608 [email protected]

We had really good food on this trip, there were maybe two or three meals out of over three weeks worth of meals that were "average" and none that were awful.

In Bath three years ago I ate at Jamie Oliver's Italian and it was good and they have a nice terrace to sit outside on if the weather is good.

raincitygirl

I can second Grandma's recommendation to eat in the crypt at St. Martin's in the Field. We wanted a quick dinner one night before a play and it fit the bill.
It is cafeteria style but a good range of choices of interesting food, not expensive. They had wine by the glass.

HappyTrvlr

Fish and Chips in London at The Laughing Halibut was delicious. We walked there from Westminster Abbey. It set the standard for us and other places couldn't compare.

michele_d

Ask Jane at Bramley House (I assume you are still staying there) for the pub she recommends in Chipping Campden. It is up Sheep Street (don't you love that name) at the end on the left as you are driving out of town. We ate there our first night after we arrived from the US.

It was a great little introduction to England. I had a wonderful meat pie: so tasty...and yes, it contained peas and I'm not a big pea eater, but somehow in another country, far from home even peas taste better!

It is there we learned how to order in a pub: go up to the bar, place order, pay, sit down, wait to be called. In Bourton on the Water we saw a large handwritten sign outside a pub that explained "How to Order in a Pub". If we'd only seen it two nights earlier I could have eaten an hour earlier and not have nearly fallen asleep while waiting for a waiter to take our order.

Have fun Tom. The small back roads connecting the towns are just beautiful: lined with overhanging trees, fields full of white sheep, an occasional old stone church. I never got tired of them. You guys will love it.

Can't wait to read your trip report on this area to bring it back fresh in my mind.

Fra_Diavolo

A bit out of the way from South Ken, but The North Sea is quite good for fish and chips. Maybe if you visit the Library http://www.northseafishrestaurant.co.uk/

For Indian food, well, Pakistani, try New Tayyab. http://www.tayyabs.co.uk/ Outstanding -- out of the way but well worth the trek. Order the lamb chops. BYOB or drink the mango lassis.

For trad Brit food at a reasonable price, Porter's near Covent Garden. http://www.porters.uk.com/

maitaitom

spaarne..cool website.

nyt - website says it is still alive...might have to forego memories for new ones

annhig - Love that rhyme...peas, not so much

raincity - thanks for all the suggestions. I can taste the Risotto della Chef already!

HappT - I might go to the Laughing Halibut just for the halibut

easten -thanks for the Salisbury suggestion. Is that where Salisbury steak was invented?

jamikins - now I really have my pub work to research

rnc - The cucumber might make it hard for a Pimm's Cup, but I usually will try anything once.

Thanks so much everyone for your input.

maitaitom

"It is up Sheep Street..." I shall not be sheepish and will ask. Hopefully they won't pull the wool over our eyes. Yes, staying at the Bramley

Fra - Roast Tomato and Basil Soup at Porters sounds good.

On second thought, maybe I'll let the others sightsee, and I will just eat!

tuscanlifeedit

Tom, we stayed at Queensgate in February. It was our best ever eating trip to London. Here is a part of my report:

Places we ate: Medlar (fabulous); the Harwood Arms (fabulous food, service a bit short on what the prices would have one expect); lunch at Pierre Koffman (a very very good Deal for such nice food and service); Bistrot Bruno Loubet (great food; too glamorous and buzzy but still fun); the Wolseley (where I saw RUFUS SEWELL, and I'm a big fan) and two delicious meals at downmarket favorites, Tayyabs for Indian and Masters Super Fish for fish and chips. We had reservations for Zucca on Saturday night, but had already eaten way too much, so stayed in, watched television, and had sandwiches. Through the week we had many many treats from Paul, Borough Market, and Fortnum and Mason's, which we were having a hard time staying out of.

Mrs_Wilde

We had wonderful meals at the Eight Bells Inn in Chipping Campden. We liked it so much we ate there every night. Very high standard fare for a pub.

We usually go for fish and chips at Fish kitchen by Borough Market in London - we don't go for the restaurant but the takeaway right next to it - much cheaper and fun to sit in the alley way on child-sized chairs people-watching while we split an order. Cooked right in front of you! Not sure if they are open on days other than market days (Thursday-Saturday).

For what I consider Euro-Indian fusion we had a nice meal at the Cinnamon Club in London, especially liked the setting (an old library) and very polite service.

The Café-in-the-Crypt at St. Martin's in London is our favorite place for tea and scones - we were not that impressed with the meals but the atmosphere is great.

latedaytraveler

Hi Tom,

Always love your trip reports. I agree with Grandma about St. Martin in the Fields Crypt. Earthy/crunchy and reasonable – with beer and wine only – you will be eating literally on the grave stones of those who went before us. Good for lunch or respite if you are in the area.


Also around Trafalgar Square – the PORTRAIT RESTAURANT on the top floor of the National Portrait Gallery with great views of London. Then, of course, we have RULES RESTAURANT on nearby Maiden Lane, the oldest (pricey) restaurant in London, frequented by Dickens yada, yada.


Really looking forward to your trip report….

carolyn

I'm not knowledgeable about Indian food, but we like to stay in the Gloucester Road tube stop area and near there ate at Noor Jahan in Bina Gardens once and at the Delhi Brasserie on Cromwell Road once. The NJ was a Fodor's recommendation, but we liked the Delhi better (as I said, not sophisticated foodies).

Rock and Sole Plaice has good fish and chips.

stevelyon

The only other word I can think for mash is tatties as in neeps and tatties, but some would disagree as tatties may also refer to roasted potatoes.

bilboburgler

They have a British name for mashed potatoes but I forget what it is.

Well we do suffer from Chef's French which means a meaningless phrase made up to lool like a French phrase to try and fit in with the style of a restaurant. Normally spelt wrong to give it a bit of working class cache (see also all Labour politicians say "less" when they mean "fewer" but you hear a slight pause first as they have to make think which is the wrong way to say it). So you might have seen "pure de pomme de terre" or "puree di pommis" or "pommes de terre au crème".

Other than that we do use "mash" as in "sausage and mash", still what they say London is generally amusing to us in the rest of the UK.

"tatties" as you say steve are solid or semi-solid potatoes often roasted

Gordon_R

>>"tatties" as you say steve are solid or semi-solid potatoes often roasted<<

In Scotland, "tatties" do generally refer to mashed potatoes, as in "bashed neeps and tatties", the traditional accompaniment to haggis.

Tulips

Second the Cinnamon Club; beautiful restaurant - more Anglo Indian, great food.
Thrishna - off Marylebone High Street is another Indian that is not standard; minimalist decor, absolutely fantastic food. It's small - book ahead!
Amaya is a stunning restaurant, in Knighstbridge. Expensive, but special, with an open kitchen. That area of Knightsbridge - Motcomb Street - is very nice, by the way.

The Cote chain of brasseries is excellent, and good value - also do a good breakfast.

Sorry, never been to Simpsons! Do let us know, if you go, how it is.

annhig

neeps and tatties [aka spuds] are essential components of the cornish pasty.

accept no imitations.

OReilly

hey, Ye Olde Mitre is my local work pub - maybe we will see you there

For posh Indian try Cinnamon Kitchen near Liverpool street station. They do early specials, usually 2 courses and a glass of champagne for about £20. There is also the posher Cinnamon Club in Westminster and the more casual Cinnamon Soho.

flygirl

Don't miss Borough Market while you are in London. Not open on Sundays - only Thurs-Sat.

Not only will you have lots of food to sample, you have this:

http://boroughmarket.org.uk/kappacas...cheese-toastie

This grilled cheese sandwich is worth the trek.