Bloomberg, 14 September
Richard Vines at the Dorchester Grill, London W1

Oversized Scottish warriors look down on diners from the gold-painted walls of the Dorchester Grill. Look closely and they're camp, more Jean-Paul Gaultier than Rob Roy, which turns out to be appropriate for the restaurant. If you think the Grill is a place for huge sides of beef, giant steaks and heavy old desserts, forget it. There's a new chef and this masculine establishment has discovered its feminine side. The marvel is that against such an exuberant backdrop, the food of Aiden Byrne, a 34-year-old chef from Liverpool, more than holds its own. With an adventurous menu and a commendable attention to detail in terms of preparation and presentation, Byrne shows just how sophisticated modern British cooking can be.

Evening Standard, 19 September
Simon Davis at Kenza, London EC2

When you bring food back from a holiday, or try to recreate a dish enjoyed, it never tastes as good at home. The hiccup being that it is virtually impossible to evoke the mood you were in when you enjoyed that pasta in Venice, munched that squid in Corfu, devoured that burger in a Californian diner or slurped that tom kha soup in a Thai cafe. You can’t pack smells, people, vibrancy and ambience into your suitcase. The excitable press release for the newly opened Kenza in the City trumpets it as an 'oasis' (press releases use words like that) ... 'evoking the energy and passion of the Maghreb'.
Kenza – The Evening Standard review in full >>


Metro, 19 September
Marina O’Loughlin at The Only Running Footman, London W1

I met Barnaby, owner of The Only Running Footman, and his wife Penelope in a harbour-front restaurant in Portofino; we bonded over the delicacy of the ravioli and the loveliness of my Marni bag. And if that little opener doesn't make you want to punch my lights out, you're a better person than I am. If it's any consolation, I proceeded to get so almightily hammered on local rosé that I ended up doing my finest impression of chav Brit abroad, platforms akimbo, comatose outside a picturesque waterside enoteca.
The Only Running Footman – The Metro review in full >>