Bloomberg, 17 August
Richard Vines at 1 Lombard

Feeling a little bruised along with your investments? Planning to trade down to set lunches instead of indulging in the luxury of ordering a la carte? That might not save you much money if you pick 1 Lombard Street, where the lunch is among the most expensive in London, at £44 for three courses. Compares with £40 at Gordon Ramsay, London's only three Michelin-star restaurant. It may be London's most expensive place for lunch. I doubt it is anyone's favourite. Dining in their brassiere is much more fun. I've eaten there twice in the past few weeks. The place can get noisy, mainly because it is lively, with a good bar, happy diners and some friendly staff, though the service is uneven.

Time Out, 15 August
Ruth Jarvis at Stanza

Stanza occupies most of the former site of restaurant and members' club Teatro. The room has been given a revamp, with pretty ironwork, table orchids and mirrors, but still feels like an adjunct to a not-terribly-cool nightlife venue, with music and alcohol-amplified conversation spilling in from the contiguous bar. All the more surprising, then, to encounter some interesting and well rendered food. The menu is modern British, thoughtfully sourced and conceived simply but with wit and an appreciation of flavour. Stanza had only been open a month when we visited and had yet to settle down into a clear identity. It's a hard space to inhabit successfully, but a regular clientele will help, and its food, prices and Theatreland location might just lure one in.
Stanza - read full Time Out review in full >>

Evening Standard Magazine, 20 August
Mark Bolland at Mahiki

To be truthful, I was slightly terrified of going into Mahiki. It's hugely popular, hugely trendy and not normally the kind of place in which I'd ever choose to socialise - probably because I'm closer to 40 than 20. And because somewhere that captures the zeitgeist is always intimidating if you come along a generation too late. But isn't it funny how sometimes you can be completely surprised? I never thought I'd describe Mahiki as cosy - but that's exactly what it is. As comfortable as your favourite holiday destination, in fact. The kitchen is supervised by chef Nancy Lam, who has been on telly and smiles a lot as she walks through the club (another cosy aspect). The menu is fusion. We had chicken satay, prawn wonton, prawn toast, barbecued prawns (there's a lot of prawns here) and chips. All were delicious, but we were so hungry by the time they arrived that some of the green rush from the nearby banquettes would have probably tasted as good.
Mahiki - read Evening Standard review in full >>