Aqua Restaurant Group’s London outlet is the “Rainforest Café for grown-ups”, says critic

The Hong Kong-based Aqua Restaurant Group’s first London outlet atop the former Dickins & Jones building on Regent Street is the “Rainforest Café for grown-ups”, according to Fay Maschler.

Spanning 17,000sq ft, Aqua London comprises Aqua Nueva, offering contemporary northern Spanish cuisine inspired by the region of San Sebastian, and Aqua Kyoto, a sushi bar and sumibiyaki charcoal grill.

Maschler, the Evening Standard’s food critic, is disappointed that Aqua Nueva is bleak, unnecessarily formal and serves Spanish food lacking in authenticity.

“With the bland verging on bleak, shopping mall interior, the hopeless ergonomics of the space and the unnecessary formality, I can sum it up no better than one of my daughters when young who pronounced a disappointing outing “none fun”,” she says.

Meanwhile, both the Metro’s and Bloomberg’s food critics are impressed with Venetian restaurant Polpo in Soho.

Time Out’s Guy Dimond finds the arrival of Antelope, a new gastropub in Tooting, to be a welcome addition to the south west London eating-out scene.

For these reviews in full and more, see What’s on the menu? To book a table and view the latest restaurant deals, visit Caterer Eats Out. Visit Guide Girl for the latest gossip from the fine dining world.

Aqua reveals more about its two planned London restaurants >>

Ex-Caprice director to launch Venetian restaurant in London >>

By Kerstin Kühn

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