Foreword: I’ve been told by an eminent QC that I’m losing my touch and am being too nice in my reviews. “I like the ones where you hate it”, he says, “far more entertaining”. I cited in my defence a number of my less than glowing reviews but to no avail. Whilst he was only half […]
Author Archives: Nicky Richmond
May
20
Something for the weekend? The joy of Bristol’s bistros.
posted by Nicky Richmond
In an effort to spread my dining net further afield than my two usual stamping grounds, central London and South Oxfordshire, I decided to go west, specifically to Bristol and even more specifically, the Clifton part of Bristol. I think that Bristol may now be the second food city of the UK and it is […]
May
13
Coya. Peruvian/Japanese Roka-style mashup.
posted by Nicky Richmond
I’d tried to get into my standby, Roka Mayfair and the voice-without-warmth on their reception told that I might be able to get a walk-in, if I was lucky. It seems that even if you go somewhere at least once a week and you and your colleagues take clients all the time, well, they still […]
May
02
A Jewel in The Crown at Burchetts Green.
posted by Nicky Richmond
At the weekends I am often to be found in south Oxfordshire, supposedly relaxing and cooking wholesome food from scratch, hoping to justify my ever-expanding collection of cookbooks. My inner restaurant addict is having none of that.
April
13
45 Jermyn Street. The Fountain Room gets a facelift.
posted by Nicky Richmond
I once bunked off a school outing to that London. We were meant to be seeing the Treasures of Tutankhamun at the British Museum. My partner-in-crime Jacques, so much more sophisticated, not to mention three years older, took one look at the snaking queue and suggested hot chocolate and an ice-cream sundae at Fortnums. I’d never […]
March
25
Noble Rot. An affair to remember.
posted by Nicky Richmond
On entering, there is triggered a dim and distant memory of a rather louche afternoon spent here some time ago, in the entertaining company of a rather reprobate lawyer. This was before we all became slaves to modern technology and when you could just go AWOL for the afternoon, without someone thinking you were dead […]
March
10
Chutney Mary: the makeover.
posted by Nicky Richmond
My first impression is that they have spent a small fortune on the fit-out and my second is that I want to stay in the bar. Chutney Mary is the pimped-up reincarnation of the original restaurant of the same name which, until very recently plied its trade at the bottom end of the King’s Road. […]
March
03
Sartoria. Old dog new tricks.
posted by Nicky Richmond
Unless it has been shoved into a quiet corner, it seems that the tailor’s dummy has been done for in the refurb; that tailor’s dummy which sat in the heart of the restaurant, letting you know that you were in the middle of the the hand-made garment district, as if the Savile Row address didn’t offer enough of […]
January
23
Lurra lurra love. Or, what a cow.
posted by Nicky Richmond
Many years ago, when I was younger and had more energy, I used to swim every morning before work, at the public baths in Seymour Place. My daily companions were a group of elderly women who gathered there every morning, rain or shine, daily swim followed by daily gossip. I’ve been thinking about reinstating that habit, as my daily […]
January
20
The Quality Chop House. It’s on my list.
posted by Nicky Richmond
You can’t really write about The Quality Chop House without talking about its history. I was just going to mention that it had been a restaurant since 1869 and leave it at that. Thing is though, as a property lawyer by profession and an historian by education I can’t quite leave it there. So, combining […]
The Food Judge 