Partridge
Skylon

Skylon

Royal Festival Hall London, SE1 8XX, United Kingdom

Wine • British • Italian • European


"I used to really like Skylon it was somewhere you took someone for a special treat a real destination. But times have changed, there is so much more competition around I can’t help feeling that Skylon has faded a little. It still has potential; it still could be great, but on this occasion, it fell short of the mark. Maybe it was just the January blues, or maybe because most people were probably dining on the ES offer menu, but the staff seemed tired and lacking in energy, food service was very slow, and little touches were missing (for example, water wasn’t topped up, and even when we asked, it took over 10 minutes). Our starters were nice almost worth waiting for! and it felt like the mains could have been nice they were well cooked, and generous with ingredients, but all incredibly salty especially the risotto. Such a shame, because this really let it down I managed to eat around half (alongside some bread to offset the saltiness), but then gave up. I hate food waste, so asked if I could take away the rest (a small spoonful with some salad would have done us for lunch the next day). But apparently this is not possible at Skylon... this also shocked me... I’ve not encountered anywhere for a long time which wouldn’t accommodate a “doggy bag” (occasionally places have charged for a box, or occasionally the packaging has been a little makeshift, but people have always been happy to help). As a venue, it’s still nice has a great view, so with a bit of a shake up could be great again, but I won’t go back unless I hear that things have changed."

The Angel At Hetton

The Angel At Hetton

The Angel Inn, Hetton, United Kingdom

Pub • Pubs • Coffee • British


"Visited the Angel Hetton recently and have mixed feelings. We were aware the Angel had changed hands but didn 't fully appreciate the TOTAL change we were going to. Anybody who previously loved the Angel Inn must realise this has now gone both in ambience, decor, staff and food. The Angel Hetton is a totally different place, the decor is now wood, concrete, grey, sparse and I have to say a little cold. The Bar top is an absolute amazing piece of art work and the new wooden bench seating with funny built in seat pads is somewhat uncomfortable but functional. We had lunch through in the Restaurant which has not changed layout but again the colour pallet is now grey...... grey, grey, grey! The atmosphere even though it was busy was hushed and just lacking, maybe we came on an off day? The menu is small and very 'fine dining ' focused, the food was wonderful and all our party enjoyed each course, you will no longer find any 'Old Angel ' favourites like 'Money Bags ' or 'Sticky Toffee Pud ', the dishes now are small, perfectly formed, and there is the presence of foam which always amuses me when I dine at fine dining establishments. Staff are pleasant and efficient, the lady sommelier was very good and had a lovely bubbly disposition. Would I return? Yes but probably in the evening and with the knowledge that the Angel is now a modern, fine dine restaurant rather than the warm, comfortable good food Inn it used to be. Price wise there isn 't a great deal of difference but some of the party did go off the lunch set menu. We were away in an adult group, I would bring my children here but they are over 12 years old, I would not be overly comfortable bringing young children here as I have in the past though. The food is something special and will surely encourage a new breed of diners to the Angel, I will be interested to see its future development."

Bybrook Manor House

Bybrook Manor House

Castle Combe, SN14 7HX, Wiltshire, United Kingdom

French • British • European • Vegetarian


"we liked bybrook. it had a nice feeling and it fits well into the hotel that is a century old house. so there is much dark wood; many stained glass windows. there are also generously dimensioned tables, with a lot of space between. and there are comfortable chairs – an important aspect when they will spend some time sitting on them. the employees of the servier staff as well as a team and all the delays we have experienced were almost safe on problems in the kitchen. the current personal problems of the restaurant are known and the consequences must be accepted. to end september, a “a la carte” menu is offered in addition to a tasting menu. after that there is only the tasting menu. I understand why a restaurant could do this – it reduces costs and makes living easier for the kitchen team – but it is not necessarily progressing. Perhaps they have already begun to change to the new model – we ordered from the war basket, but the most important price sub-sizes were not generous, even for his Michelin star status. the card offers three options at each cursor and shoots out with a few kanapes. a smoked cod teat was filled with taste and for the other one a mousse bead was covered with a beetroot glaze and served on a spoon. we chose both the same starter – effektiw lobster “three possibilities”. it was recommended that a lobster bisque be drunk from its small cup, but also suggested that it could be used as a sauce for the other elements. there is a single bite of lobster in a tempoura battery with a dab of mayo to it in. and the “main event” – a poched lobster tail with thin cut fennel and a tiny gurke. each element was Spot-on and they all worked well together. in the current mode brot was served as curs in his own right. a mini leaf and butter was good. for a main course was the line caught braut, um, brunette. and for seasonal eating. a mussel mousseline was filled into a courgette flower, and a scattering of fertilizers and drilling just added to the summeriness. the other main course was definitiw the tasting of menu conditions. the kind they might have wondered if they would need a visit in the local chippy on the way to home. that was ryeland lamb from near herefordshire. there is a tiny boned velvet, a cube-long cooked shoulder a cube of kartoffel and a teaspoon size dab each of the cauliflower pure and black garlic pure. it cost everything really well, but they really needed more. for dessert went one of us with a classic paris brest – two layers of baked made a sandwich of coffee cream, with a hazelnut palette and, separately served, a milcheis. cheese on the other side of the table – six local. the likes of bath blue and montgomery cheddar, served with very unlocal membrillo and caramelized feigen. very thin nuts and seeds cracker were a beautiful crisp. the petit four we had with coffee were excellent. a single bit of lemon sponge cake and a chocolate “cigarr” covers a passion fruit puree. good contrast and, unlike many places, actually good to work with the coffee and show the ability of the baked cook."