33 h. ago Song He Lou, London W1: no neon, no bunting and not much jostling for tourist dollars – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

With three floors to fill, this 270-year-old restaurant chain’s understated approach feels rather boldThe demise of London’s Chinatown has long been predicted, what with recent rent and rate rises, and diners’ changing tastes. Yet on a spring lunchtime last week, business on Wardour Street was booming, with alfresco noodle-slurping, long queues and endless selfie sessions all in full swing.Song He Lou, a historic restaurant brand that champions Suzhou cuisine, clearly believes there are big profits to be made in this postcode, and it has put its money where its mouth is by opening a whopping 144-seater right here in the centre of Chinatown. I’m not chucking in that “historic” willy-nilly, either: Song He Lou was founded in Suzhou near Shanghai almost 270 years ago, during the reign of Emperor Qianglong, and makes Rules in nearby Covent Garden, which is a piffling 227, look like a fly-by-night pop-up. Continue reading...

Society

33 h. ago Song He Lou, London W1: ‘No neon, no bunting and not much jostling for tourist dollars’ – restaurant review

Song He Lou, London W1: ‘No neon, no bunting and not much jostling for tourist dollars’ – restaurant review  The Guardian

Society

4 d. ago Jasper Conran reviews The Lavery: Delicious works of art served up in an artist’s lair

Jasper Conran finds ‘creative’ and ‘authentic’ cooking in a grand Kensington townhouse

Politics

5 d. ago MasterChef's John Torode makes telling remark hinting at true relationship with Gregg Wallace

The MasterChef host has publicly welcomed Grace Dent as his new co-host on the BBC programme.

Politics

5 d. ago John Torode declares it's 'onwards and upwards' for MasterChef after Gregg Wallace's departure as he gushes about new co

The food critic, 51, was announced by the BBC as Gregg's replacement in December after he was axed due to a series of complaints about his alleged behaviour.

Events

8 d. ago One Club Row, London E1: ‘Battered stuff, things in buns, strong drinks: a thrilling, retro ride’ – restaurant review

One Club Row, London E1: ‘Battered stuff, things in buns, strong drinks: a thrilling, retro ride’ – restaurant review  The Guardian

Society

8 d. ago One Club Row, London E1: ‘Battered stuff, things in buns, strong drinks: a thrilling, retro ride’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

They will feed you, water you, give you a good time and make you feel carefree and cossetedAs a name, One Club Row sounds a bit like the title of a 1990s lads’ mag, but it’s actually a purposely shabby-chic room above a pub in Shoreditch that serves martinis, oysters and schnitzels in a heady, tipsy, twinkly atmosphere that itself may well remind you of the 1990s. Or at least it will if you were “on the scene” back then. These days, the 90s are synonymous with louche, raffish semi-pandemonium, mainly because today feels so saintly in comparison. No 90s restaurateur ever offered reclaimed spud peelings as a starter or a kombucha-led, alcohol-free drinks flight to spare your liver, complete with an earnest lecture on zero-waste hospitality. Puritanism was definitely out there back then, yes, though mainly only in The Cranks Recipe Book. But mindfulness? Not so much.What One Club Row and similar London establishments such as the Devonshire in Piccadilly and the Plimsoll in Finsbury Par...

Society

9 d. ago A Thai restaurant without rice? This Michelin star hotspot is serving up something entirely unique

Fresh Thai flavours meet fabulous British produce at a central London spot that leaves Tom thrilled

Politics

9 d. ago Josephine vs Lita: One neighbourhood, two bistros, totally different dinners

One’s all camembert and carafes; the other’s lobster rice and loud playlists. In the latest Fine and Dime, Hannah Twiggs asks: can two very different restaurants both be bistros – and both be brilliant?

Politics

1 week ago David Ellis reviews Chuck's: Who needs a revolution when there’s rotisserie?

“We roast meat, and we look after people,” reads the Chuck’s website — and they do, says David Ellis

Politics

1 week ago Pixie Lott puts on a leggy display in a black satin mini skirt as she supports her husband Oliver Cheshire at his CHÉ Summer Collection launch dinner

The singer, 33, and her 36-year-old model partner, exuded glamour as they arrived together at the glitzy event.

Politics

2 w. ago The Lavery, London SW7: ‘One of London’s loveliest new places to eat’ – restaurant review

The Lavery, London SW7: ‘One of London’s loveliest new places to eat’ – restaurant review  The Guardian

Politics

2 w. ago The Lavery, London SW7: ‘One of London’s loveliest new places to eat’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

The Lavery, London SW7: ‘One of London’s loveliest new places to eat’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants  The Guardian

Politics

2 w. ago David Ellis reviews One Club Row: Imagine the Dev and the Dover hooked up

It’s as if the owners actually want you to have fun, writes David Ellis — can you imagine?

Politics

3 w. ago Dove, London: ‘inventive, unusual, tantalising’ – restaurant review

Dove, London: ‘inventive, unusual, tantalising’ – restaurant review  The Guardian

Politics

3 w. ago Tatar Bunar, London EC2: ‘No faff, no lectures. Just dinner, and lots of it’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

Tatar Bunar, London EC2: ‘No faff, no lectures. Just dinner, and lots of it’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants  The Guardian

Politics

3 w. ago David Ellis reviews Tom Brown at the Capital: He's showing off — and it suits him

Brown is operating at a level rarely witnessed, says David Ellis, he just needs to hold back a little

Politics

4 w. ago Dorian, London: ‘Truly refined decadence’ – restaurant review

Dorian, London: ‘Truly refined decadence’ – restaurant review  The Guardian

Politics

last month I finally tried the Notting Hill restaurant that's impossible to get into and I can see why A

In London's Notting Hill, Tom finds a secret dining space with surf, turf, style and swagger

Politics