The Sunday Telegraph
13 June
Mathew Norman on a mixed experience at Yauatcha, London W1
It's moderately stylish for a dim sum place, in a mid-1980s, Beverly Hills Cop background scene kind of way, but we found it too dim, and the experience rather less than the sum of its parts, despite the sweet and helpful Chinese waiter. When I enquired after spare ribs in black bean sauce (£3), he did his best to put us off. "Very small bits, very strong taste," he said. "I don't think you'll enjoy." "Good," I said, "and is there anything else you think we'll hate?" "Chicken's feet in chilli black bean sauce." "Right, we'll have them too." "No," he insisted, "please, no." "It's OK, we're sadomasochists," I reassured him. "After this, we're off to be whipped in Wardour Street." (Score: 5.5/10. Dinner for one, with half-a-bottle of house wine and tea, £28)
The Daily Telegraph
12 June
Jan Moir disappointed by the Captain's Galley, Scrabster, Caithness
It would be lovely to report that dinner here surpassed all expectations, but this, of course, just does not happen. The Captain's Galley has the pick of a catch that is landed on its doorstep before being shipped out across Europe - but all the fish we order is ruined by being completely overcooked. There's no point in having the freshest fish in the country on your menu if you can't cook it properly. Also, when a venison dish is sent back because my guest had ordered it without vegetables, it's just not good enough for a restaurant to scrape the offending items off the plate and bang the meat in the microwave for a couple of minutes before returning it to the table. (Dinner for two, excluding drinks and service, £55)
The Sunday Times
13 June
AA Gill loves the new Cipriants, London W1
It instantly feels like a classic. The tables are too small, but that's authentic. The lighting's bright for London, but Italians like to see each other and are too vain to wear spectacles. The menu is the sort of old-fashioned, sophisticated comfort food that you just don't get in this country. I particularly adore the baked pasta. Over here the rule is that spag must be al dente: anything else is an aberration. It's the zeal of the convert. But pasta that's boiled and finished off in the oven with a b‚chamel sauce is unctuous and delicious and as soft as a little soft thing. I also had an excellent veal chop and good cannelloni. (Rating: 4/5)
The Guardian
12 June
Matthew Fort finds a clever mix of English, European and more exotic dishes from chef "Bob" Parkinson at the Swann Inn at Southrop, Gloucestershire
As I would expect from any chef with a season in Bibendum behind him, the basics were carefully done, the details punctiliously attended to, the whole satisfying at every level. This wasn't showy cooking, but it was fine cooking. The shrimps had just the right levels of butter and mace. The scallops in the Thai salad were fat and sweet, the pork melted genially on the tongue and the sprightly combination of fruit, shallots, chilli, mint and coriander refreshed all corners of the tasting system. (Score 16.5/20)
The Independent
12 June
Richard Johnson is well pleased with the unflustered Irish hospitality and Paul Rankin's relaxed menu at Belfast's Cayenne restaurant
At Cayenne, the asparagus (£7.50) came with a lemon and thyme butter - and a perfectly poached duck egg. All it took was a twist of fresh black pepper to create culinary perfection. The dish, like a lot of dishes on the menu, had a touch of Ready, Steady, Cook. And I don't say that in a patronising, I'm-a-sommelier-at-Claridge's type of way. Cayenne is about simple ingredients, simply cooked.