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The Cow

The Cow

89 Westbourne Park Road London, W2 5QH, United Kingdom

Steak • Pasta • French • British


"We had a really rubbish night here and I can’t remember a time where I felt more ripped off. Firstly they take credit card details with a 48 hour cancellation policy and £30 per person charge for cancellation or no show. I’d never dream of no showing a restaurant reservation without letting them know, but this feels extreme, even for Notting Hill. We arrived half an hour early for our table, had a drink downstairs in the pub (where a single bag of Tayto crisps are £2.50!!!!! . Our reservation was at 6pm so I went up at 5:50pm to see if they’d seat us early. The place was empty bar a table of 9 10 adults and children. I was told they couldn’t seat us yet and to come back up 15 20 mins later. Right. Back downstairs. Waited another 20 mins, until around 10 past 6pm. They said they were just setting our table, which was a table of 2 right next to the big table. Every other table was empty, so I asked if actually we could sit away from the group and pointed out all the empty tables. We were told this wasn’t possible. We sat down to a wobbly table and got on with looking at the menu. Then we asked if we could have the chicken Kiev (the whole reason we came as we’d heard how good it was by a friend who’d had it years ago when they lived in the area we were told no, that’s only available in the bar. It’s priced at the same price point as mains upstairs so I asked if they could make an exception and was rudely told no. Even though it all comes out of the same kitchen and we’d have starters and desserts as per the menu up here. Just no. Starters were just about ok at the time just about I had the pint of prawns but felt very ill the next day. My partner had the Barnsley chop which was so tough it was borderline inedible in fact he didn’t eat it. I had the fish stew but there’s no chips or fries on the sides menu so I was sold mash instead. A lump of cold, dry potato turned up on the table. While we were eating another table sat down in the corner and throughout the meal my partner was asked to move out the way so they could get to that table, or push his chair in so they could get past madness when he was literally just sitting normally as anyone would?! Our bill was £150 odd so for pub fare it’s not cheap. We came away feeling so frustrated and actually just really pissed off at how rude the staff were and how ripped off we felt. A **** experience. What a shame!"

Le Sacre Coeur

Le Sacre Coeur

18 Theberton Street Islington London, N1 0QX, United Kingdom

Beer • French • European • Mediterranean


"sometimes eating in a restaurant is not about trendy eating, fine eating and small teller, but eating about comfort that makes them happy. recently I went to a small restaurant in angel: le sacré coeur, where one of my French friends invited me. it was a good reason to recover many years in a familiar and simple atmosphere. to begin the meal, we shared a plate of mix of marinated olives, cheese with sef and brot olive oil, as our waitress told us the most important courses were quite large. the cheese was good, served at room temperature, two disappointing points over this plate: the quality of the brotes was 't good, so a scandal for a French restaurant and where was the saucisson? my friend ordered a entrecôte grill with a pfeffer sauce. I was impressed by the size of her entrecôte and it was served with beautifully cooked thin frits. the entrecôte was perfectly cooked, tender and juicy. this entrecôte was better and cheaper than the one I tried in chabrot bistrot des halls at smithfield market. as a main course I had the classic coq au vin. it was such a pleasure to have a classic dish done so well, the carrots and mushrooms were slowly cooked in the sauce. carrots melt like butter in mouth. I remember when I went to the trendy brasserie zedel at piccadilly, the mushrooms and carrots were cooked separately from the sauce, it did not taste as great as they were too crispy. the coq au vin first came to the table, I did not notice that it came with a side: sautéed kartoffeln. I think this court would have been enough to be shared by two people. le sacré coeur is not the "coolest place to be for a meal in london, but for me this place was much better than some trendy places. it was very good worth a (massive) main course around £12, it came to £20 per head with wein and the plate we shared. sometimes they can surprise the humblest looking places. le sacré coeur was a simple French restaurant with a very friendly atmosphere and nice French waiter (I know that they are in the real famous to be rude to chris pople.) I will definitely come back to le sacré coeur when I am nostalgic or if I want to eat real French comfort eating without a poor le sacré coeur on when the bill comes. 8/10"

Blanchette

Blanchette

9 D'Arblay St, Soho W1F 8DR, FSA Food H, London, United Kingdom

Steak • Salad • Tapas • French


"I’ve been her several times over some years. The general atmosphere is good and the food good but variable: Mixed Olives (out of a jar) a real let down come on guys! Serve them fresh. The Rillettes was lovely with gherkins “and served with some fried type bread; just French bread would have been ok. Rillettes is fatty so no need for bread fried in oil… the mustard mayo tasted and looked just like salad cream, disgusting, forget it as it adds nothing to the dish. The sea bream tartare cured egg sesame and soy was very unpleasant. Far too salty the sesame was polarising as a flavour and there was not a hint of acidity to cut through the oily fish. Didn’t finish this dish. We had confit duck which was beautiful. Couldn’t taste the wild garlic and there were no broad beans. What we got was delicious confit with petit pois and lozenges of runner beans. But still very pleasant. I’m guessing the menu was written in the Spring but not revised. Finally I had the goat cheese and my partner the raspberry and mint sorbet both good The wine is TOTALLY over priced I would say with a mark up of 500%. We had the house white which would be around £7 a bottle wholesale but sold to us for £37. Not worth it. I would go again but offer this : It’s very very noisy! If you are going to serve from an a la carte menu make sure it’s amended and upto date. Never serve bottled olives in a French restaurant. Yes I’m a foodie and food critic. I would go again but be careful what i ordered."