Scrumptious food - Made in Mayfair

Mayfair.  Now, I can hardly claim to frequent the area.  It is by no means my stomping ground, and I can't pretend that I would ever be at home in The Ritz.  In fact, if I'm honest, I don't think they'd let me in.  But if you feel the same about this rather upmarket area of our dear capital city, but find yourself lost and in need of a beer and some bloody good pub grub, then fear not!  Take a left down Dover Street and step inside The Clarence.

The Clarence, Dover Street, London

On entering the pub, I was instantly hit by the warm atmosphere, the aroma of mulled wine in the air, and the bustle of people enjoying a few post-work beverages in the run-up to the festive season.  It seemed to be the perfect place for a cosy winter drink, and while you can dine in the bar area, I highly recommend taking the steps upstairs to the restaurant where you can choose from the same menu, but enjoy the benefits and comfort of quieter surroundings alongside impeccable table service.

After catching the sweet and spicy fragrance of the mulled wine in the bar area I'd already decided what my drink for the evening would be; sweetly flavoured and perfectly warm it was a fantastic start to the evening.  My partner took the excellent advice of our server for the evening, Anna, and tried a couple of ales throughout the meal, and all were thoroughly enjoyed.  There is a great selection and, if you are an ale drinker, you should definitely take advantage of the knowledge and expertise of the staff as they will be more than happy to find the right one for you.

We chose a pint of the Nicholson's home ale, and a festive mulled wine

For my starter I went for the smoked Scottish salmon, and what an absolutely great start to the meal.  The salmon was delicately flavoured, and was complemented perfectly by the yummy, salty cornichons (which might not be your bag but have a go, don't be pathetic).  I didn't finish all of the soda bread this was served with this as I found it a little heavy for a starter, but if you have a bigger appetite than me, get stuck in.  My partner went for the crispy squid with garlic mayonnaise; a generous portion and steaming hot with perfectly crispy batter.

The Scottish smoked salmon starter

Crispy squid starter

 My partner didn't hold back on the main and went for the ribeye steak, served with chips and a peppercorn sauce, plus two enormous king prawns to 'surf' it.  This was a proper man-feast and was beautifully cooked, and definitely enjoyed, but it's not a particularly cheap choice, and there are plenty of other delicious options on the menu if you find this one a little pricey. 

The fish basket main course was positively loaded!

I went for the basket of fish, which included cod goujons, scampi, king prawns and calamari, served with chips and tartare sauce.  The fish was really delicious, and beautifully presented in a basket with a stack of crispy chips on the side.  The portion was very generous, but I personally would have preferred a smaller amount, but served with some salad on the side - this came with no garnish at all which, for me, was the only thing I missed.  There is, however, a good selection of sides on the menu, including the house salad or vegetables, but whether you add these in or not, you won't be going hungry!

Dessert was out of the question, much as it pains me to say it, as we were way too full, so I chose to have a pot of tea whilst my partner went for an Amaretto latte (I nicked a bit when he was looking the other way and it was delicious, take it from me). 

Anna gave fantastic service, and was extremely attentive and helpful, and very keen to give assistance and advice.  She is a real credit to the company.

If you are ever in the area I thoroughly recommend a trip to The Clarence.  You will receive a warm welcome and friendly service, as well as some really good quality British pub food.  Then you can round off your evening with a stroll to see the Christmas lights, or perhaps down to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.  Or you can pop next door to Mahiki and pull a celebrity.

This wasn't your usual surf 'n' turf as you can see!

Guest blogger - AB

Click here to make a booking or for more information on The Clarence, Mayfair.

Chiquito - Mexican or Mexi-can't?

My latest restaurant review took myself and dining partner to Chiquito  - a restaurant that I have always had a fondness for following fine food and outstanding customer service on previous visits.

However, as every review is based on the merits of there and then, no bias was taken into this, and as we entered, on a Wednesday, the first thing that struck us was how quiet the restaurant was.

Chiquito have a superb two courses for £9.99 midweek menu, Mon-Thurs, from 5pm, and my previous visits have always been to take advantage of this!

A Wednesday night was a good choice - quiet meant our service was prompt

This time was different and we decided to take on the new 'Sizzling menu'.

We had the option of where we wanted to sit, and on entering the establishment, the most appealing are the booth seats - relaxing high-backed seats nicely cushioned.

The first thing to note here, is that if you are eating at the Hatfield restaurant, the chances are at least one of the doors will be permanently open. Now while we could see the point of having an entrance door open to show the restaurant is open, it doesn't make the winter chill any easier to deal with. It is unsure whether this is replicated throughout the chain, so worth checking when booking or sitting!

The meatballs were simple in design, yet scrumptious on the palate

We decided rather than a criticism, this was a point to remember for next time, as we did choose where we wanted to sit.

For starter I ordered the South Western Meatballs and my partner ordered the Prawn Skewer. This was after a chat with our server, who we believe (from the bill at the end) to be called EITHER Honey or Amanda. Whoever you are well done as your enthusiasm for advising us of your recommendations, as well as attentive nature throughout, was a credit to your restaurant.

The meatballs arrived looking fairly minimal for the appetite I had worked up through the day. However the heavy cheese, with the 'signature tomato sauce' and tortilla chips made it an appropriate first course. As with any starter, you don't want the sauce or accompaniments to out-flavour the actual central food. Safe to say on this occasion this wasn't the case as the beef and pork was juicy and steaming hot, just how I like it.

My partner's Prawn Skewer was in her words, 'enough for a starter'. Whether this meant she knew it would be a lighter choice, or that she was mindful of the 12 burgers she had ordered for her main is beside the point. The skewer was served with a tangy and moist salad - which perfectly complemented the juicy and wholesome prawns that were subtly flavoured.

The prawn skewer was a juicy choice for the starter

We were on to our mains, in good time about 10 minutes after our starters, after some nice (pint of) San Miguel refreshment. I had gone for Chicken & Chorizo Skewer, one of the 'Sizzling Specials', while my partner didn't in fact plump for 12 burgers, but in fact the BBQ Pulled Pork 'Hot Baked Wrap'.

I love chorizo. So despite the fact that it came with chicken, of which I find too 'standard' to choose as a meat dish in a restaurant, I was prepared to be proved wrong. Unfortunately, while the chicken was succulent and there was plenty of it, the flavour on the outside was not replicated throughout the meat. I could only presume from this, that the chicken had been cooked separate from the chorizo, as this had a strong, powerful taste. The meat, mixed with peppers on a skewer, was laid on a bed of cooked onion, and served with chips. I also love onion, and chips. So this was pleasing.

The Chicken & Chorizo Skewer - looks good, but did the taste match up?

The BBQ Pulled Pork Wrap was most definitely wholesome

My partner, on deciding on the wrap, was met with derision by me. She had changed her mind from having a Pulled Pork Fajita, to a Pulled Pork wrap. What the difference is I'm not sure (probably just a swap of guacamole and salsa for salad), but I presumed as the wrap was some £4 cheaper, it wouldn't be as good. Whether I am correct or incorrect on that is up for discussion, but after a couple of bites of the 'wrap' I can say it was money well spent. And the size of the dish was impressive. The pork was beautifully tender, and although there was not masses of meat in the split wrap, the richness of it was just right. This was served by a generous portion of mixed salad with dressing and interestingly-coloured onion, coleslaw and skin-on fries.

Following an intense discussion of our rapidly-expanding waistlines, we decided that dessert, although sounding fantastic from the menu, would be ignored this time. We asked for the bill and were soon on our way from what I would say is my 'favourite chain restaurant'. I can imagine the service might be slower on a Friday night or Saturday, but as long as the food is piping hot, generous in portion, and varied in choice, I am of the opinion others might agree with me on that one. However, the £9.99 menu apart, the main menu might not be as cheap as other chain restaurants, but for amount of food you get, this can easily be forgotten. All in all good work Chiquito, and well done on looking after your customers!

Scores on the doors (out of 10)

Setting - 7
Service -9
Quality of food - 8
Cleanliness and decor -9

Total score  - 33/40

To make a booking for a Chiquito restaurant near you, click here