LISTINGS RESTAURANTS

Restaurants: Refining the taste buds

TOM’S KITCHEN

27 Cale Street, Chelsea, SW3 3QP.

South Kensington/Sloane Square

T: 020 7349 0202. www.tomskitchen.co.uk Laid-back traditional meals served up in informal surroundings on four fl oors of a former pub. Seasonal produce with many British staples are prepared for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There’s also a cocktail bar and games room with pool.

VANILLA

131 Great Titchfi eld Street, W1W 5BB.
Oxford Circus

T: 020 3008 7763. www.vanillalondon.co.uk London’s fi rst ‘taster-menu only’ dining experience, with unusual dishes like eggs cooked for 45 minutes and potatoes coated in edible clay.

VITA ORGANIC

74 Wardour Street, W1F 0TE. Tottenham Court Road

T: 020 7734 8986. www.vitaorganic.co.uk Delicious vegetarian and vegan meals, all organic and including moussaka, curry, soups and stroganoff with rice or noodles. Includes a raw food menu and juice bar.

VOLT LOUNGE

17 Hobart Place, SW1W OHH. Victoria

T: 020 7235 9696. www.voltlounge.com
All ingredients are seasonal and traceable
to source, with meat from British farms
and seafood found off the south coast and the Orkneys. Beef, lamb, sea bass and scallops have a prominent place on the menu alongside pasta, risotto and a choice of delicious desserts.

WAGAMAMA

10a Lexington Street, W1F 0LD.
Piccadilly Circus/Oxford Circus

T: 020 7292 0990. www.wagamama.com Fast and effi cient service greets long tables and benches where customers are all seated together at this ever-growing chain. Plenty
of noodles, ramen, soups, salads and rice dishes. Children’s dishes available.

YAUATCHA

15-17 Broadwick Street, W1F 0DL.
Oxford Circus

T: 020 7494 8888.

All-day tea house (150 varieties) and dim sum (24 varieties) from the man behind Hakkasan and Wagamama.

IMAGE: REFINERY

Hearty fare, good prices and a stylish setting are the name of the game

at The Refinery, discovers Kellie Smith

Just a couple of minutes’ walk from the Tate Modern, this bar-cum-restaurant has the feel of a converted warehouse with a large, open space, fl oor-to-ceiling windows and a mezzanine level for private dining.

My dining buddy and I were seated in a booth, allowing us a little privacy to tuck into our dishes. For starters, we shared prawn and lemongrass lollipops with a citrus-soy dipping sauce (delicious) and a grilled fl atbread board with three dips: hummus, oven roasted tomato with goat’s cheese salsa, and taramasalata.

Feeling slightly sated by this point, I was relieved I had chosen a salad for
the second course — but this was no ordinary mound of lettuce. Grilled salmon skewers and a mixed herb salad with chunky strawberry vinaigrette and toasted almonds were placed in front of me, while my partner attacked a crispy half chicken with quince chutney, mixed leaf salad, mashed potato and parmesan gratin. Both dishes were superb and were washed down by a lovely New Zealand Pinot Noir and coffee — we were too full for dessert.

There’s no escaping the fact The Refi nery is a bar — and although the restaurant has its own clearly defi ned area, the punters can get noisy, so avoid it if you’re looking for a romantic dinner. But if you’re seeking tasty fresh fare, reasonable prices and friendly staff, this is a thumbs-up. www.therefi nerybar.co.uk

THE REFINERY

110 Southwark Street, SE1 0TF. Southwark/London Bridge

T: 0845 468 0186.
www.therefi nerybar.co.uk
Located in the landmark Blue Fin building, The Refi nery exudes industrial sophistication, with fl oor-to-ceiling glass walls and an open kitchen. On the menu: sharer boards with
a selection of meats and cheeses, gourmet burgers and New York Deli Stack sandwiches.

THE WOLSELEY

160 Piccadilly, W1J 9EB.
Green Park

T: 020 7499 6996.
www.thewolseley.com
Built as a showroom for Wolseley cars in the early 1920s, The Wolseley is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It seeks to create the ambience of a classic Viennese grand cafe, serving everything from morning pastries to afternoon tea and sandwiches.

78 W2L SUMMER 2009