Category Archive: Fine dining

White linen, silver service, but not in Mr Michelin's book

Review: Core, London

Core is proper fine dining. The elegant room filled with soft lighting on white linen, the miracle thin glassware, the shimmying clusters of waiters bearing the next remove, it’s all there. This is not “casual fine dining” or “modern fine dining”. And that’s lovely. This is exactly the place to come if you want to …

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Review: Mere, London

We’re not sure how to pronounce Monica Galetti’s restaurant, Mere. It’s certainly not “meer” as in a watery marsh. It seems more likely to be “mair” if it’s French for mother. But the website confirms that it should be “mary” which is a Samoan pronounciation. The restaurant also aims to be French with South Pacific …

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Review: Opheem, Birmingham

I wonder to what extent labelling a dish “Winning dish on Great British Menu” skews the punters to order it? I’m willing to bet that a lot more of them fly out of the kitchen than the other mains or starters they’re sharing the menu with. And chef Aktar Islaam has two “winner on GBM” …

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Review: The Coach House, Exmoor

Or to give it its proper title: “The Coach House by Michael Caines“. In the interest of full disclosure, this kind of thing really gets on my wick so I was likely to be skeptical going into this meal! Is it really necessary to suck people in with a name? All I can find on …

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Review: Jamavar, London

Jamavar has recently had a change of chef at the top. I hadn’t realised, but it’s actually the first UK outpost of a small group of exclusive Indian hotels. The interior is very clubby, all mirrors and dark wood and little brass lamps. Comfy too. Service was decent and friendly. We went all-in for the …

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