A beautiful, somewhat hotel-lobbyish makeover finally gives the Viet Hoa's hearty, home-style dishes the setting they deserve (it used to look like a DSS office). Wonderful, vivid dishes and a strong service ethic make this a real destination in the Shoreditch/Hoxton hipster corridor.
Extremely disappointing "it place" serving adequate gastropub dishes at dizzying foodie prices to people easily swayed by newspaper food punditry. An interesting space - the former Virgin Records canteen overlooking the canal - but chaotic, slovenly service and wow-free dishes meant we won't visit again.
Child-friendly, adult-tolerant burgers'n'brunch chain, heavy on wearisome happy-clappy slogans but offering decent value for the hangover crowd too. With wall-to-wall crayons and infant screaming, it can feel like you are eating inside the CBBC studio. But a bottle of hard-to-find Brooklyn Lager soothes the pain.
Comically opulent English/Russian melange of tea room, cocktail bar and diner which feels like it should be located in a street off Times Square. Dishes are worth the price point, though, and consist of comfort food with an "olde new world" spin. Tremendous fun: each booth has a red panic button - it's for emergency champagne.
Viet Hoa
70-72 Kingsland Rd.
London, United Kingdom E2
+44-20 7729-8293
A beautiful, somewhat hotel-lobbyish makeover finally gives the Viet Hoa's hearty, home-style dishes the setting they deserve (it used to look like a DSS office). Wonderful, vivid dishes and a strong service ethic make this a real destination in the Shoreditch/Hoxton hipster corridor.
Dock Kitchen
344 Ladbroke Grove
London, United Kingdom W10
+44-20 8962-1610
Extremely disappointing "it place" serving adequate gastropub dishes at dizzying foodie prices to people easily swayed by newspaper food punditry. An interesting space - the former Virgin Records canteen overlooking the canal - but chaotic, slovenly service and wow-free dishes meant we won't visit again.
Giraffe
29-31 Essex Rd.
London, United Kingdom N1
+44-20 7359-5999
Child-friendly, adult-tolerant burgers'n'brunch chain, heavy on wearisome happy-clappy slogans but offering decent value for the hangover crowd too. With wall-to-wall crayons and infant screaming, it can feel like you are eating inside the CBBC studio. But a bottle of hard-to-find Brooklyn Lager soothes the pain.
Bob Bob Ricard
1 Upper James St.
London, United Kingdom W1F
+44-20 3145-1000
Comically opulent English/Russian melange of tea room, cocktail bar and diner which feels like it should be located in a street off Times Square. Dishes are worth the price point, though, and consist of comfort food with an "olde new world" spin. Tremendous fun: each booth has a red panic button - it's for emergency champagne.