Duck Liver Pâté
Habit

Habit

Friary Court, City of London,Westminster, United Kingdom

Wine • Steak • British • Sandwiches


"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."

Boot and Flogger

Boot and Flogger

10-20 Redcross Way London, SE1 1TA, United Kingdom

Wine • Steak • British • Vegetarian


"Tucked away down a little side street in Borough, The Boot and Flogger is a lovely little place. The dining room and bar are a lovely throw back to an earlier time, with little tables and wing back chairs along one wall and a bar on the other. A very good wine list accompanies a varied but not over long menu (plus several specials). Nothing here is super fancy but everything is cooked well and there are options to suit everyone. I will say that a couple of things were under seasoned but that is personal preference and I was able to top up the seasoning myself. Also the steaks were not the best and probably the only thing on the menu I would avoid. I think perhaps the grill could be little hotter to achieve a really go sear but I'm being very fussy at this point. One other very minor point is that the lighting over the table is a little bright. Satnd out dish for me is the smoked salmon starter. It's simple yet has been elevated with a light and crisp salad of perfectly picked cucumber and a sweet chilli dressing. It complements the mild smoke of the excellent quality salmon and really is perfect. So many places will just serve you a plate of salmon with a lemon wedge and some stale bread, but this is prepared with thought and care and is perfect. Staff are all really nice and the atmosphere is perfect. Aircon to keep it from being too hot and the wood panelling makes for a nice atmosphere where background chatter is pleasant and not overly loud. Three courses each, a bottle of wine, bottle of water and a glass of port came to £150 including service. Not cheap but worth it"