I'm looking for recommendations for restaruants in Soho or Covent Garden area. I've got Cheap Eats in London but it's always nice to hear from those who have experienced the real thing. Thanks in advance!

<BR>One of the best restaurants that we have been to is Rules. Wonderful <BR>English atmosphere and great food. If you go prior to theatre they have special priced meals (3 course). It is located behind Covent Gardens. Do not miss this great treat. If you want tips on the theatre I have seen about 40 plays in London.

Not sure of your price range, but guessing it is low since you are looking at Cheap Eats. I agree about Rules --the pre theatre is a bargain, but still about $30 per person as I recall from last June. I love Belgo Central, industrial looking place where you take an elevator down into this vast hall with monk robed waiters for really great deals on mussels and frites, or roast chicken, or pork, and a huge selection of great beers. Also, I love Wagamama, a very popular modern Japanese noodle house, also in a sort of basement. Both these places are very popular, especially with local business people at lunch, and both have really good food. For a fun evening try Sarastro, sort of behind Royal Drury Lane Theatre. It's like eating in the prop room of a big opera warehouse, with sort of middle eastern influenzed food. Quite reasonable. I rent a flat in Covent Garden every year, so if you have any questions about specific places, email me. I've probably eaten there.

Just looked at my journal. Last year at Rules we paid 20 pounds each for three course pre theatre. But they let you choose anything from the menu. I had venison carpaccio, rack of lamb over creamed leeks with dauphainaise potatoes, and sticky toffee pudding (my favorite dessert in the whole world). My partner had Irish oysters on the half shell, grilled loin of venison, and sticky toffee pudding. So, although it is not cheap, the food and atmosphere should make this a viable splurge on just about any budget. (Ala carte, I think our meals would have been at least double in price.)

I agree about Wagamama's being fun and interesting. (Note-you have to sit at community tables) Another restaurant we enjoyed was Sofra-wonderful tasty Turkish food Located at 18 Shepherd Street, Mayfair, Tel 017-493-3320. You should also try Chuen Cheng Ku-the place to have dim sum. A true Asian treat of bite size appetizers. They roll carts around and you can pick what you want off the carts. They have wonderful soup, spring rolls, pork buns, all kinds of dumplings, etc. The best dum sum since San Francisco. They are at 17 Wardour St, Chinatown, W1. Go for lunch-both are moderately priced restaurants. If you are on a budget don't pig out. Do you now about tube passes and how cheap it is to get around London. Take an extra passport picture and you and buy extended passes for the tube. You must try Prett's (chain-all over London) for true English sandwiches, there like our fast food restaurants but eons better. They serve everything homemade. There breads are delicious and the desert are great. A very wide variety of sandwiches from chicken with mango chutney,egg salad,etc,etc. Can you tell how mch I love London and I haven't even started on the museums and art galleries.

I want to second the advice to makeuse of pre theatre dinner menus offered by many of the classy restaurants in Central London. <BR> <BR>I often make use of them to go somewhere I might not usually afford, in the evening after work. <BR> <BR>I can recommend the menus (which change regularly) at L'Escargot (Soho), Criterion (Picadilly Circus), Soho Soho, and a host of others. <BR> <BR>Try and pick up a London Restaurant guide for ideas. Many of the restaurants would not feature in cheap eats as their full price menus are not usually cheap, but pre theatre is usually under £20 for 2 or 3 courses includinf coffee but exclusive of other drinks. <BR> <BR>For cheaper eating the many cafes and bistros in Soho area are good value. <BR> <BR>Pret a Manger might be the chain referred to above, the sandwiches etc are good, but it is more suitable for lunch. <BR> <BR>After the top restaurants is a level down of good ordinary restaurants which cater for a wide range of tastes... Look in the window at other people's plates if you can to decide whether it looks any good! <BR> <BR>Chinatown is def a evry good idea for value food as most have set menus at a range of prices <BR> <BR>Happy Eating. <BR> <BR>Kavey

Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate the help! <BR> <BR>Do you know if the Ivy has a pre-theatre menu?

Try the Pizza restaurant, which doesn't seem to have a name, on Drury Lane. It is brilliant and very good value. The portions are big and the atmosphere is lively. It has green chairs and tables, if that helps.

I'm sorry I can't remember the exact names of the restaurants but we found several "spaghetti warehouse" type places that had great pasta at reasonable prices. The food was good and service very personable. In fact, the most expensive meal we had was the one at Planet Hollywood. (No surprise I suppose)