"Davy's wine bars have been a part of the London scene for more than 30 years. They have a deserved reputation for good wine and well-cooked simple fare. We were disappointed, though, in Habit. The decor is typical of Davy's, having the appearance of what I imagine a city coffee house might have been like. There are plenty of oak and barrels about the place. There are bar and restaurant areas with lots of alcoves and semi private rooms. In times gone by, a Davy's would have been jam packed at 8 o'clock on a Friday evening but there were just four people watching TV in the bar area, a group of six dining in one of the rooms and my wife and me. It is true the Rio Olympics on TV were a counter attraction but ... The menu is basic and brief. We chose crab toast to start. This comprised two slices of barely toasted bread spread with marie rose sauce and piled high with crab meat. The whole thing was topped with a fennel, avocado and chilli concoction which in colour was grey to the point of looking unappetising, and whilst it did not taste unpleasant, the fennel masked the avocado. Our main course was fish and thrice cooked chips. The fish was fine, although the batter could have been crispier and the portion larger. Cooking chips three times is something of a foodie fad that is fast becoming a cliche. The chips were soggy and waxy rather than crispy and fluffy inside. The accompanying mushy peas were well minted and tasty but an unfortunate luminous green in colour. Service was prompt and cheerful seemingly in apology for the lack of ambience. The bill, including a glass of wine each was a reasonable enough £50. I can't help feeling, though, there is better to be had elsewhere for not much more money. I hope Davy's can put some quality into the food and some vibrancy into the atmosphere and that in so doing they would attract more customers and create a venue that would capture some of the popularity of Davy's from the 1980s."
