The Gunmakers

The Gunmakers
14 Eyre street Hill
EC1R 5ET

Nothing cures a broken heart like a bowl of french onion soup with a cheese topped crouton. If croutons be the food of love then munch on…

And so it was with heavy hearts we trooped into The Gunmakers (our local just off Clerkenwell Road in london) to console our dear newly single friend.

The Gunmakers is a strange pub with it's very own microclimate out the back but the landlord knows us by name so we like it - it's also about 15 seconds walk from work. Tres Bon. It's full of new media types *waves* and the like. The iPhone to pint ratio is pretty high in there as is the big glasses and strange hair combination. It's like Shorditch got a job. The Gunmakers also has new ales in all the time - not my bag but they seem to be very popular with the serious ale consumers.

3 glasses of very drinkable Chardonnay down and my brain starts hinting to my stomach that food would be not only nice but sensible.

We stare blearily at the menu…

Nick goes for the steak because he's a MAN grr.. He's telling me about it now and say "it was so juicy and tasty and not a piddling little thing either, proper good size, I was well full - I think it might have been the best steak I've ever had except maybe… hmmm actually" (i've lost him at this point. He wonders off - lost in a world of steak based memories. This is the only place Nick will eat chips, they're real chips see… those skin on hand cut jobs. Lavarly. There might have been salad on his plate too but there is no room for salad in Nick food memory so he can't remember.

Meanwhile our friend was being consoled by her bowl of F.O.S which was deemed delicious and most of it consumed before Nick swooped in and finished it.

But Clare, I hear you ask - we don't care 'bout no others! We want to hear what YOU got your chops rounds. Well, since you ask. I was consuming lovely fresh moules marinere and frites with gusto - so much gusto infect that I gained some dinner medals to prove it. Doh.

I'm not sure even the best steak can beat Moules and Frites - especially when surrounded by good friends and 3 empty bottles of wine. 

Foddr verdict: Great for drinking groups large and small, not very romantic atmosphere but top food and top beer. 9.5/10

Check out their website here: http://thegunmakers.co.uk/

Marco Pierre White at L'Escargot

L'Escargot
48 Greek Street 
London
W1D 4EF

Damn, I fell hook line and sinker for this one... I admit it - the name Marco Pierre White on the front pulled me in like the celebrity loving airhead I try not to be. I was having a 'picky' night. I wanted to eat at a table with a white tablecloth and waiters in suits. Kicking myself now. Ow.

Great service as you'd expect from a 'famous name' restaurant but the food was odd and not in a good odd way. Nick really enjoyed his snails - and I should think so considering the name of the restaurant! Both our main courses were a bit mediocre to be honest. My venison dish lacked any flavour other than venison and was just a bit boring. Nick had the same problem with his lamb. Boo! Expected more from here. 

We had the misfortune to sit next to a couple of guys to who talked very loudly to each other for example "I've eaten in more Michelin star restaurants than you've had hot dinners". Pompous arse. The rest of the time they were on the phone. Their table was close and we were cross. The staff could have done something - maybe we should have said something but I didn't want to start a barney over the table and I'm a wuss.

That'll teach me for being so shallow. *sheepish face*

Foddr verdict: Good for a group or couple. reasonably priced and a good atmosphere apart from phone idiots. Oddly average food. 6/10

Launceston Place - 15.12.09

Launceston Place
1a Launceston Place
Kensington
London W8 5RL

Launceston Place was setting for Loft's Christmas dinner this year. The four of us donned our gladdest rags and tottered down to Kensington. Well the girls tottered, the boys strode manfully.

We always seem to arrive early when we're excited by a restaurant but it does give you a good opportunity to have a cocktail and a poke about before you sit down. 

On my nosy about I discovered the Chefs room, separated from the kitchen by just a door, the vast table takes up a lot of the room but it looks lovely and plush. There was a plasma screen showing what was going on in the kitchen to which was a nice touch. 

After our pre dinner cosmopolitan (sometimes you've got to keep it old school alright?) we sat down in the main dinning room.

Wow. To say we bought the average age down would be an understatement. Damn. we hadn't realised it was so quiet here. The restaurant was full but the conversation was down at low murmur. Now I'd like to think our infectious lust for life and food inspired the other dinners, but by the end of the meal everyone in the restaurant seemed to be having a much better and moor boisterous time. Ties were removed, glasses emptied etc. Of course, they might just have become tipsy. Who knows...

On to the food.

We chose to go for the regular menu at £45 for 3 courses. New year adventurous spirit caught me early this year so I chose dishes I have never had before. To start I had the Partridge cooked in whisky and heather, oats which was very tasty. (why don't partridges grow bigger eh?). For main I had Wild hare, nutmeg cream potatoes and spiced pears - a great combination and the hare was oh so succulent. The rest of Loft and co had  salt marsh lamb which smelt great and I was a little jealous of the salt baked potatoes. 

Ahhh dessert. How could i resist? I didn't is the answer. I order Apple parfait, toffee, walnut and apart from a combination of those ingredients I didn't know what to expect. Art on a plate is what I got. The apple parfait was shaped into an exact apple shape and the little stem on top was too cute. The parfait was then covered in chipped toffee and the walnuts were hiding inside. Clever stuff. I like my food to trick me!

Launceston_place_desert

Foddr verdict: At £45 a head for dinner Launceston Place is great value. Dinningroom might be a little quiet at first but it warms up. Good for small groups and couples. Great service. A jolly good time had by all. 8/10

Gordon Ramsay at Maze - 30.07.09

Gordon Ramsay at Maze
10-13 Grosvenor Square
London
W1K 6JP

We went to Gordon Ramsay's Maze for Nick's birthday and it was just perfect. It was a little while ago (July 2009) so details are sketchy now but I wanted to give it a write up anyway as we had such good time.

Arriving 15 minutes early we sat int he bar and had yummy champagne cocktails with raspberries and enjoyed the buzzy atmosphere.

We had the chefs menu - 6 delicious if slightly 'experimental' dishes. Service was just perfect and the ambience was cosy and excitable. The restaurant was two thirds full when we dined and the waiting staff are efficient but relaxed.

We we're a bit intimidated about how many courses we were having a kept forgetting which on we were currently eating. They included, a pea veloute, belly pork, a trio of sandwiches - the BLT was served in a glass (!) So many I can't remember them now. We were pretty full by the end and a little overwhelmed by the experience of having so many courses so we went home to digest. 

Foddr verdict: great for a romantic meal, good value considering its celebrity attachment. Eat early if you plan to go out afterwards. 9/10

Check out the website here for current menus. http://www.gordonramsay.com/maze/