Judy_Rosa

My travel group and I are visiting London for 3 days (next week!).

Our hotel concierge has made dinner reservations on our behalf the night we are attending the theatre. Since we are a large group (10) I asked for assistance as I didn't want to have to scramble last minute to find a restaurant that would take reservations for a large group.

We all want to go to a nice restaurant offering traditional British cuisine.

The concierge recommended Simpsons-in-the-Strand.

Any opinions about this restaurant? I read up on TA and it has good reviews, but value the opinion of the Fodor community.

Thanks!

Rubicund

Simpson's is an old established restaurant with a good reputation. It's been a few years since I ate there, but I seem to remember that it was very good. Have a look at their website:

http://www.simpsonsinthestrand.co.uk/

The menus are listed under "Grand Divan".

Judy_Rosa

Great, thank you so much!

nytraveler

Simpson's is very traditional/old fashioned. We have eaten there a couple of times (not our choice except the first one) and the food is OK but IMHO the prices high for what you get.

Avalon2

We were unimpressed! went with another couple . He was a London resident and had gone there many times as a young biy and man. He was also unimpresssed He said it wasn't what it used to be. We ordered our vegetable as sides. The men each ordered sometihing different and got seperate dishes. IThe oyher lady and I ordered the same choice. We were served one dish the same size as the mens. We said we had another dish coming and were told ther e was enough for both of us. And we were charged for 2 seperate dishes!!

Ackislander

When my wife last ate there a few years back, you could have dinner before the theatre and then have a reservation to come back afterwards for dessert and coffee. But maybe that was at the Savoy. So have your concierge ask.

When my father ate at Simpsons in late 1943, he was so happy to see roast beef that he would have been delighted to eat it even if badly cooked. It wasn't.

So it is a place with all sorts of historical associations that your friends are likely to enjoy whatever the food is like. Was Avalon2's visit recent?

flanneruk

Do you know what you mean by "traditional British cuisine"?

Simpsons, in my experience is fine if you like lots of meat and get off on the carving trolley thing. Fine, but only "traditional" if you believe claptrap like Downton Abbey is a documentary about life in the early 20th century.

More interesting food from British recipe books at the Gilbert Scott at St Pancras station. More interesting use still of British ingredients like game, oxheart, faggots and pork trotters (far, far more traditional than the parody at Simpsons) at St John in Smithfield and better yet at the nSt John Hotel in Soho.

But the truth is: like everywhere else, "traditional" British food was small quantities of stuff that didn't cost much to produce. Unlike everywhere else, though, few Britons have any delusions about a yesteryear of plenty and select their restaurant eating from the hundreds of foreign cuisines available in London, or from the dozens of fine young chefs who create truly interesting food, made of mostly British ingredients, but taking the whole world as their inspiration.

Really traditional eating out food in Britain for the past half-century has been what they sell at the thousands of Indian or Cantonese places that still dominate what we've been eating for most of our lives.

Bette

My husband and I always enjoy dining at Rules. We have visited London 14 or 15 times and usually include an evening at Rules, sometimes combined with the theatre.
Have a look:
http://www.rules.co.uk/

Judy_Rosa

Hmmm.....we wanted to experience a nice British restaurant before the theatre.

Maybe Simpsons is not the best option. Rules is a bit pricey for us.

We leave for Paris by way of St. Pancras and plan having lunch there before boarding, might check out our suggestion there.

Although I enjoy Indian cuisine, no one else in our group does, so that type of cuisine is not an option.

historytraveler

You'll drive yourself crazy trying to find the best possible choice especially as restaurant reviews/opinons vary widely. Simpson's is likely to be as good of choice as any. In spite of flanner's comments, I imagine a group of tourists will love the ambience whether it's authenic or not. While the food is not the best in London, it's absolutely fine and the overall experience should please everyone.

janisj

Simpsons in the Strand can be just about as pricey as Rules (depending on what you order of course)

If you want what some Americans visualize as a "Traditional English" place w/ very good conservative service, wood paneled walls, and sort of old fashioned but usually good food - Simpsons is about THE example. None of your ladies will likely be disappointed UNLESS they are major foodies and like more creative/innovative cooking.

Rules is even more so in a way and would be fine -- but I <i>think</i> you'd have to book a private dining room and they are usually full.

I've eaten at both several times - and one time when a group of nine of us (from the States, Ireland, Canada and London by way of Hong Kong/South Africa - a VERY 'cosmopolitan' group ) had a celebratory dinner, the London Barrister/QC in our group booked . . . at Simpsons in the Strand.

The best restaurant in London - no. A good place for a group that wants something traditional and 'special'- yes.

Judy_Rosa

Excellent, thank you. I think we're staying with Simpsons.

Avalon2

To answer aukislander I don;t remember exactly when it was we go to london 2 times a year for the last 40m
years or so. I know it was at least 5 years ago as another English friend was disappointed with our review since he had enjoyed it as a boy too and he died about 4 years ago!!

nytraveler

I think cuisine has moved on and Simpsons has - deliberately stood still. larger servings of carved meat and potatoes plus British vegetables and accompaniments like Yorkshire pudding or mint jelly with lamb. A lot of service where they drag carts around to the table and do things to the food there. Was probably a big hit in the 40's and 50's.

And it was always formal and upscale (image of what traditional upper middle class families - not working people would eat).

historytraveler

Good heavens, Judy Rosa seems to have already decided on Simpsons. Why is it necessary to refute her choice or offer other means of choosing? It's only a restaurant we're talking about not a life-defining decision. In addition, several have said that they enjoyed it or thought it was a good choice. I also think if one is dissing a place they should offer alternative, otherwise it's not especially helpful.

Judy_Rosa

LOLOL

I value everyone's opinion -- I appreciate how passionate everyone is on this site and it has helped me tremendously in making a lot of decisions regarding this trip.

I haven't received confirmation back from our concierge, so maybe he'll still trying to reserve and if he can't will offer up an alternative.

janisj

If Simpson's doesn't work out - let us know and we'll offer some other alternatives.

One place I like to take groups before the theatre is the Portrait Restaurant on top of the National Portrait Gallery. Nice room, very interesting view (Big Ben, the Eye, London roof tops), quite decent food. Near many theatres. (only Thrus/Fri/Sat evenings though.)

http://www.npg.org.uk/visit/shop-eat...restaurant.php

historytraveler

Judy_Rosa, you're right it can all get a bit silly. I was having a bad day and needed to rant a bit. Fodors seemed my best (safest) option. Have to admit that I've been posting for about twelve years and often find similar examples of the OP making a decision which some can't quite except. Certainly my rant didn't add anything either. I usually avoid commenting at such a point but not this time. Pot/Kettle ?

Judy_Rosa

haha....I've been accused of the pot/kettle thing myself on many an occasion. No worries.

What is an OP? DH? DD? etc? I'm new to this site, still trying to understand the verbiage.

We leave one week from today, very excited! I'm going to try to log in while there with my iPhone -- not sure if anyone would be interested in how the trip worked out (or not, as it were).

Thanks again!
Judy

janisj

>> OP? DH? DD? <<

OP = Original Post or Original Poster (in this case <i>you</i

DH = Dear (or Damn depending on context ) Husband

DD, DS, DGD etc = dear daughter/son/granddaughter/whatever. . .