LISTINGS RESTAURANTS

W2L choice:
New kids on the block

1. COMPTOIR LIBANAIS

Lebanese canteen, shop and delicatessen in Soho serving mezze, salads, dips and breads. www.lecomptoir.co.uk

2. PLANET HOLLYWOOD

Since closing its Trocadero branch, Planet Hollywood has opened a new �5 million home in Haymarket. www.planethollywoodlondon.com

3. IL BARETTO

Italian wine bar and restaurant in Marylebone offering a comprehensive menu on two levels. www.ilbaretto.co.uk

PORTERS ENGLISH RESTAURANT

17 Henrietta Street, WC2E 8QH. Covent Garden

T: 020 7836 6466.
www.porters-restaurant.com
Simple, traditional English food served at reasonable prices in comfortable surroundings. Porters once specialised in pies and traditional accompaniments; the menu has now expanded to include grills, fi sh and puddings, as well as afternoon tea.

RAINFOREST CAFE

20 Shaftesbury Avenue, W1D 7EU. Piccadilly Circus

T: 020 7434 3111.
www.therainforestcafe.co.uk
Animated wildlife, tropical storms and special effects create a backdrop for burgers, seafood, salads, pizza and pasta. Hungry for adventure? Try a Leaping Lizard Mezze or a Volcanic Cobb Salad…

REFUEL BAR & RESTAURANT

Soho Hotel, 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH.
Oxford Circus

T: 020 7559 3000. www.sohohotel.com Featuring a monthly changing menu refl ecting seasonal produce.

ROTUNDA

90 York Way, N1 9AG.

King’s Cross
T: 020 7014 2840.
www.rotundabarandrestaurant.co.uk
Part of the 10-storey Kings Place events venue opposite King’s Cross Station, it serves a variety of British, traditionally reared meat dishes with beef and lamb sourced from its own farm and matured on the premises.

SAF

152-154 Curtain Road, EC2A 3AT.
Old Street/Shoreditch

T: 020 7613 0007.
www.safrestaurant.co.uk
Serves raw, cold dishes to health-conscious diners. The menu is 100% botanical, with no animal products, dairy, refi ned or processed ingredients.

SATSUMA

56 Wardour Street, W1D 4JG. Piccadilly Circus

T: 020 7437 8338.
www.osatsuma.com
One of the best Japanese restaurants in town, with canteen-style dining.

SHANGHAI BLUES

193-197 High Holborn, WC1V 7BD.

Holborn/Tottenham Court Road

T: 020 7404 1668.
www.shanghaiblues.co.uk
Grade II-listed building incorporating three luxurious dining spaces and focusing on the traditional regional Shanghai. Staples include dim sum and seafood.

SILK

Courthouse Hotel, 19-21 Great Marlborough Street, W1F 7HL.

Oxford Circus

T: 020 7297 5555.
www.courthouse-hotel.com
This visually stunning restaurant, with its original courthouse features including the judge’s bench and dock, offers a menu inspired by the diverse cuisines to be found along the former Silk Route.

SKETCH

9 Conduit Street, W1S 2XG.

Bond Street/Oxford Circus

T: 020 7659 4500. www.sketch.uk.com
Once a guaranteed celebrity magnet, Sketch still attracts the rich and famous with its weekly-changing Gourmet Rapide lunch menu, serving three courses in an hour. Typical Sketch dishes include pan-fried fi llet of Scottish deer and poached sea bass in butter.

SKYLON

Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX.
/ Waterloo

T: 020 7654 7800.
www.skylonrestaurant.co.uk
In the refurbished Royal Festival Hall, Skylon offers a fi ne panorama of London’s skyline, with fl oor-to-ceiling windows overlooking
the Thames. A modern European menu completes the impressive dining experience.

SOHO THAI RESTAURANT

27-28 St Anne’s Court, W1F 0BN.
Tottenham Court Road

T: 020 7287 2000. www.thaisq.com Attracts a busy and fun crowd of hungry patrons to a pleasant, if not exactly swish, restaurant. Serves hot Thai food with an affordable menu of curries, noodles and rice.

SUGAR REEF

42-44 Great Windmill Street, W1D 7NB.
Piccadilly Circus

T: 020 7851 0800. www.sugarreef.co.uk Sugar Reef serves an eclectic mix of dishes, including sausage and mash, fi sh and chips, burgers, pasta, steak and hoi sin duck.

THEO RANDALL

The InterContinental, 1 Hamilton Place, Park Lane, W1J 7QY.

Hyde Park Corner

T: 020 7318 8747. www.theorandall.com The former head chef of the River Cafe turns his hand to his own restaurant at the InterContinental on Park Lane. Expensive, but reviews have been exceptional.

THE IVY

1 West Street, WC2H 9NQ.
Leicester Square

T: 020 7836 4751. www.the-ivy.co.uk
The waiting list is as long as the list of celebrities spotted here, despite the hefty price tag. Enjoy dishes such as cod and saffron, in the stylish, wood-panelled dining room. Reserve at least fi ve weeks ahead.

W2L SUMMER 2009 77