Yes, I ate the cute bunny rabbit!

It's fair to say, if you're taking a trip to Shoreditch, London, to seek a nice meal out, you're spoilt for choice.

So in that respect, my review of Lena Restaurant at 66 Great Eastern Street, left me wondering what this establishment could offer me ahead of other, rival restaurants.

In short, outstanding service, a warm and cosy feel, and delicious and varied food made my journey to the classy Italian eatery a worthwhile experience.

Unfortunately the weather didn't help with the scene shot

My visit saw me Tweeting a live restaurant review for the first time; I plan to use this means of social networking for future reviews and have received very positive feeback from it so far (follow me on reviews_live).

Head Chef, Pierre Caruana, 'will be making some exciting changes in the kitchen' we are told, so in my mind at least, the pressure was there!

First impressions of a fairly plain and demure outside are forgotten immediately on entering the porch area to be greeted by a friendly smile, and a sneak peek at an upmarket interior, with excellent lighting and a spacious dining area.

The salmon starter

On being escorted to our table, we were asked whether we wanted to hand our coats to the cloakroom - quite a rare occurence these days in central London unless you raise the topic yourself!

I decided on an antipasti to whet the appetite, the parma ham (cured for 24 months) seemed like an excellent choice - and it didn't disappoint.

Meaty parcels of one of Italy's popular imports set us perfectly for the starter.



I chose the home-cured Scottish salmon - watercress, sunblushed tomato & quail egg salad, ink mustard dressing, my partner opted for the sliced Parma ham - fresh fig, melon & passionfruit essence (obviously the antipasti went down a treat)!

I believe a food review should be critical where necessary, honest in substance, and genuine. Sadly to disappoint you from this point - there are very few negatives to come.

The salmon was fresh and lively, perfectly complemented by a juicy and appropiately crunchy salad. The quail's eggs were a nice touch, with your usual hen's eggs perhaps deemed too dominating for the size of the starter.

The Parma ham starter

The Parma ham, I was told, was very much the same as the antipasti, but more of it. A fair reflection!

For the main, I decided to be, what I thought, was brave, and I plumped for the braised Tuscan rabbit served with chargrilled baby vegetables, alongside a portion of roasted new potatoes, rosemary and garlic.

I had no preconceptions of rabbit, as it was the first time I had tried it - and this was perhaps for the best. Simply I can describe it as similar to chicken, yet much juicier and much tastier. Being more descriptive, the meat slid off the bone without falling apart on the fork and on the palate there was a desire to add to this taste sensation. The vegetables were cooked to perfection, crunchy with all the natural flavours intact and the potatoes were nicely seasoned without taking away from the earthy texture.

My partner went for the speck & pecorino wrapped chicken breast with zucchini, lemon-cream and jus. As I reached in with my fork for a 'test' I was told that I would enjoy it. And I did. Although it must be said, wherever I see chicken on a menu, I tend to swerve it and be more adventurous. However, certainly no complaints here; the chicken was thick and perfectly cooked.

The rabbit main course

The chicken main course

The only semi-criticism I might have on the mains, is that perhaps the rabbit was covered with a bit too much sauce (make your own mind up from the pictures). However, if like me you see extra sauce as advantageous for dipping the sides in, then reject this immediately!

Suitably mixed with a bottle of NV Borgo Sanleo Bianco, a fruity but dry white wine, the decision to take on a dessert was a tough one.

But we did - and decided to share a Torta Caprese - rich chocolate & almond torte, Amareto ice-cream.

The chocolate torte dessert

Now I'll be honest - of the various courses of a meal, dessert is my least favourite, however eating this Lena classic may lead me to re-evaluate that.

A large slice of 'torte' with a still-solid portion of natural ice cream rounded off the meal perfectly.

I would like to point out the superb service given to us by Gabriel - he was always on the lookout should we have any questions or requests, without being too over the top. Service with a smile, and a genuine care for his customers made our seating relaxing and pleasant

Lena Shoreditch has certainly made a superb appointment in new head chef Pierre Caruana - his experience having worked in The Eight Club in the City of London, as well as time spent in kitchens in Southern Italy give Lena a real authentic feel, with no corners cut on quality or presentation. Complimenti!!

I would very much recommend a trip to Lena Restaurant; competitive pricing, first class service and a varied and extensive menu make a visit there a must.

Scores on the doors

Setting - 8
Service - 10
Quality of food - 9
Cleanliness - 10

Total - 37/40

Click here for more information on Lena Restaurant and to book your meal there

All aboard for some tapas on The Thames!

It may well be 'the party boat rocking The Thames,' but my recent trip to Bar&Co was less to sample the nightlife and all about checking out their tapas menu.
Moored at Temple Pier, and running as a fully licensed bar, restaurant and nightclub, the venue really does appear as though it can cater for any kind of party.

Only five minutes from Holborn and right outside Temple Station in this unique location with views to the London Eye, Big Ben and Oxo Tower, after a couple of beers to whet my appetite beforehand, I was ready to experience some fine Spanish cuisine.


Idyllic setting makes Bar&Co a great choice for a meal or a party on the Thames

And I was not disappointed. My partner and I shared five tapas from the varied menu, and choose to accompany it with a bottle of the house red (I can never remember whether it's beer BEFORE or AFTER wine leaves you feeling fine).

For a Sunday night it was, perhaps as expected, very quiet. However, this is all the more reason if you are there for some great food and not a party night, to take advantage of the quieter nights. Service was attentive and efficient, prices were reasonable, and the setting was unique and relaxing.


The tasty croquetas de setas

The croquetas de setas (Mushroom croquettes) were sizeable for two, and came with a fresh and juicy salad, a perfect mix. The texture of the potato was smooth, and the mushroom flavour added to it perfectly.

The chorizo a la sidre (chorizos cooked in a cider sauce) was my first choice from the menu (and it wasn't just to add another alcohol source to my evening). It was just what I hope for - juicy sausage with sweet sauce that didn't last long in the dish! One of my pet hates about chorizo is a piece that has more fat than meat; safe to say this pet hate was left on the dock!

If chorizo was my first choice, then the albondigas en salsa (meatballs in tomato sauce) ran them close. This was reflected in the tasting - big, juicy balls bursting with enthusiasm and delight. Creamed in a tasty and slightly spicy tomato sauce, they went down a treat.

By the this point, the wine had already run low, but we decided not to drown our paletes in red and try and save our tastebuds for the rest of our tapas buffet.

The patatas fritas a la brava (fried potato in a tomato sauce) may seem like a standard choice, but we were deligted, not least with the size of the dish, as well as the crispyness of the little beauties.

The meatballs are served with a generous helping of sauce

Our final dish was the plato de jamon serrano (Spanish ham platter) that came recommended. It was a nice, cold alternative and afforded a little breathing space compared to the filling other dishes.

Prices on the tapas menu range from £2 to £10 (bread is £1.50), and I would advise you to take advantage of the knowledge of your waiter/waitress who can help make your decision as easy as possible.

The lighting is superbly suited for either an intimate meal with a partner, or a calm and relaxed evening with friends. The gentle bobbing of the boat is evident as you look towards the portholes, yet when seated it is barely noticeable. All in all we had no complaints on leaving Bar&Co, and complemented the servers as well as the chef on our exit. 

The stroll back along Temple pier, suitably filled up on scrumptious Spanish fare, was a perfect way to end the evening.
I am now looking forward to my invite to investigate the party element of Bar&Co!!

The view across the Thames is dazzling

Bar&Co



















Scores on the doors (out of 10)

Setting - 9
Service - 8
Quality of food - 8
Cleanliness - 8

Total - 33/40


Click here for more information on Bar&Co and to book your meal or night out there.

Click here for a Tube map to plan your journey.