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Mayochup

A London based food, parenting and travel blog. Follow us on our travels

We were given a Groupon voucher for a 5 course tasting menu at Galvin at Windows located in the Hilton at Park Lane, London. Based on our experiences at Ormer, we were very excited and looking forward to tucking in on some amazing food.

Galvin at Windows lies on the 28th floor which offers great views of London at night. Upon entering we were shown to our table but as it has been a very hot day, it seems the air conditioning was struggling a bit and the restaurant felt very hot and stuffy.

We were offered a Bellini and some bread whilst we were waiting which was a mix of brown and onion bread. The onion bread was really nice but the brown bread was tough and a little dry.

Onion and brown bread
Onion and brown bread
An aperitif soon followed which was soft cheese and tomato on crusty bread. The cheese overpowered pretty much everything but it was quite nice anyway.

Galvin at Windows
The aperitif
The first course was described as 'Vichyssoise', truffle cream & gougiere. No idea what this was but no matter, we eat anything anyway. When it came, it was a cold soup which was creamy but lacked seasoning. Adding dill would have enhanced the dish and added an extra flavour but as it is, it was a little dull.

'Vichyssoise', truffle cream & gougiere at Galvin at Windows
'Vichyssoise', truffle cream & gougiere
Still, on to the next course which was 'Roasted pollock, brandade croquette & watercress veloute'. The fish was very delicate and very subtle in flavour. If mixed with the croquette and the veloute, you couldn't taste the fish at all so best to eat that separately. The croquette was nice but seemed an easy option for the chefs to compile the dish.

Roasted pollock, brandade croquette & watercress veloute at Galvin at Windows
Roasted pollock, brandade croquette & watercress veloute
Up next was 'Cornish pie "feather blade", mustard emulsion & pickles. This was the least favourite dish of them all. We couldn't understand why the pickles were there in the fist place, the flavour combination did not work at all. The pie was a bit dry and the pastry was too thick and on the dry side. The mustard emulsion was nice though.

Cornish pie "feather blade", mustard emulsion & pickles at Galvin at Windows
Cornish pie "feather blade", mustard emulsion & pickles
The last savoury course was Baron Bigod, chutney & raisin bread. This was disappointing as it involves no cooking whatsoever and a lazy addition to the menu. A bit of cheese, chutney and bread in a top class restaurant tasting menu?

Baron Bigod, chutney & raisin bread at Galvin at Windows
Baron Bigod, chutney & raisin bread
Dessert was 'Chocolate fondant, caramelised bananas & banana ice cream'. The chocolate fondant was very chocolatey and had the gooey centre however, it completely overpowered the banana ice cream.

Chocolate fondant, caramelised bananas & banana ice cream at Galvin at Windows
Chocolate fondant, caramelised bananas & banana ice cream
The food served here would be befitting of a gastro pub and not what you would expect of a top class restaurant. When comparing the food to Ormer who offer a similar tasting menu at a similar price, this falls way below their standards. Even the presentation of the dishes could have been better.

If you plan to drive in and park under the Hilton car park, be prepared for the astronomical car park prices. For our 2.5 hour stay we were charged £30 so it may be wise to park elsewhere and walk in.


Galvin at Windows
22 Park Lane
London
W1K 1BE
http://www.galvinatwindows.com/

Galvin at Windows - London Hilton on Park Lane Hotel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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Tucked away in a side street in Marble Arch, if that's such a thing, is the welcoming exterior of La Porte des Indes which is best described as an Indian restaurant with French influence. The interior is decorated with Indian art, artifacts and huge plants spanning from the lower ground to the ceiling. Reminded us of the greenhouses in Kew Gardens.

La Porte des Indes exterior
We booked the Jazz Sunday Brunch which is £35 per person and is a buffet spread out on two floors. Which is great as you can go up as many times as you like. You can find the starters and desserts on the lower ground floor and the mains (vegetarian and non) on the ground floor. Price also includes 1/2 pint of beer, glass of red or white or a soft drink.

Now, due to it being a buffet, we went a bit wild on the starters. We tried everything they had to offer and did not leave enough room for the main course buffet. Still, can't complain as each of the starters was amazing apart from the Watermelon and Pepper soup. You would think there's a twist on it but no, it's simply cold Watermelon juice with pepper granules floating on the top. Err right... but we'll let that one slide.

Different types of starters available

The Watermelon and pepper soup
We went for the meat mains and there are four choices, or all four, and on offering was Lamb Bhuna, Murgh Tikka Makhni and white fish curry I can't remember the name of.

The main course buffet

Selection of main courses with rice

Unlimited naan bread brought to your table
Whilst we were enjoying our meal, we were showered in light entertainment in the form of a jazz band and the fire alarm a few times. To mix things up, the jazz band played a few well known TV theme tunes.

Light entertainment
After a well earned break, we eventually waddled to the desserts and what an offering there was! Fresh fruits, belgian chocolate mousse, Panna Cotta and those really really really sicky sweet Indian sweets plus more I can't remember off hand.

Selection of desserts


What did puzzle me was the lack of French influence. We thought we would find it in the food, and especially the desserts as the French are masters of that, however there wasn't any. Belgian mousse is err Belgian and Panna Cotta is Italian. Thinking back to the mains and starters, there's none there either. Still, that's a small gripe considering the wonderful food we were treated to.

If you love Indian food, and lots of it, then this is the place to come. Make sure you're really hungry to get your moneys worth!

Score: 9/10

La Porte des Indes
32 Bryanston Street
London
W1H 7EG
http://www.laportedesindes.com
020 7224 0055

La Porte des Indes Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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Date night this month was a trip to Ormer in Mayfair found via bookatable.co.uk which is a wonderful site where you can find posh eateries without the posh prices. There are minor drawbacks as you don't get the full a-la-carte menu to choose from but the choices available to you sound amazing and there's something for everyone.

Shortly after we were shown to our table, we were offered champagne (complementary as part of the package) or a soft drink for those who do not like it.

What was not on the menu is a little aperitif which consisted of pickled cockles with lemongrass emulsion and lobster powder. Reminds you a bit of Vietnam with the British twist of the cockles. Please excuse the photo's as the restaurant area is quite dark therefore the camera struggled a bit.

Pickled cockles with lemongrass emulsion and lobster powder
Oh and the unlimited crusty bread with stylish butter.

Crusty bread with butter
For starters, we went for the Cured Mackerel, which consisted of tartare, avocado, elderflower and dill sour cream, and the Homemade Linguini that contained crab, courgette tomato, parmesan foam and basil. When they came, the food was dressed up in such a way that a Masterchef finalist would be proud of. Food art at its best. The Cured Mackerel was served inside a glass chamber and smoke was poured into it at which gave it a peculiar cool smoky taste that, truth be told, I didn't really like. The Linguini, however, was amazing. Light and full of flavour.

Homemade Linguini

Cured Mackerel
For the mains, we both went for the Braised Pig Cheeks which was served with sweet potatoes, grilled pineapple, aubergine and gem lettuce. This was absolutely delicious and there were two very clean plates afterwards. As you can see below, this is another work of art and although it doesn't look a lot, it was just enough.

Braised Pig Cheeks
Souffle has always eluded me, until now and we were delighted to see that on the menu so it was a no-brainer decision to go for it. The Apricot Souffle was served with jasmine and almond ice cream.

Apricot Souffle
The staff were very friendly and all too willing to chat to the guests. There were a few birthdays and some showed off their singing skills whilst others were offering their advice for those who find it difficult to make decisions on the menu. Our waiter was the more intellectual type however, he did mumble quite a lot and we found it very difficult to decipher what he was saying.

We asked for the bill and we were offered some little chocolates and cakes as a 'thank you' which is a nice touch.

Our leaving gift
If you fancy this, the three courses and a glass of champagne is £35 per person and can be found via bookatable.co.uk

Score: 9.5/10

Ormer Mayfair
Flemings Mayfair Hotel
Half Moon Street
London
W1J 7BH

Ormer Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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For lunch, we were invited to Sen Nim, a Japanese restaurant in Islington, and we couldn't wait as it is another chance to try our favourite cuisine.

We arrived at 12:30 to an empty restaurant but as we were part of a group, that did not matter. In fact, it enabled us to get the best seats right in front of the chef demonstration area.

As we were looking through the menu, we were informed of a few items that weren't available and crucially it was marinated beef therefore they couldn't cook it on the hot plate. I can only assume they had a busy service the day before. The replacement was chicken or beef udon noodles instead.

Beef udon noodles
Most of the group ordered the set menu which consisted of soup and a main and I was the only one that went for the sushi. Luckily enough, and I was not aware of this at the time, the sushi was two for one on Sundays.

California Maki and Volcano Maki
A special mention has to go to the waitress. She was the most forgetful scatty brained individual I have ever come across. She managed to deliver the mains without giving us the starter, forgot about drinks for a few people and I'm pretty sure that all two braincells were being used. Still, on a positive note, she can't get much worse.

Now on to the main event. Our demonstration chef, I forget his name, we here to show off his skills and prepare prawns, scallops and make egg fried rice in front of our eyes. Not before a dramatic cleaning process involving oil and a lot of heat! There was even time for a trick or two to entertain us.

A fire show
Chicken Gyozas were an afterthought but a wonderful addition. And delicious as usual.

Chicken gyozas
Our chef cooking prawns
We all left completely stuffed and struggling to move although some of the group wanted dessert in the patisserie across the road called Belle Epoque. This little place has won awards and served up pastries like this.

Raspberry and Passion Fruit tart 
Overall, the restaurant serves up great food. A little improvement on the waitress (or a different one) would have made the experience better but we would definitely return.

Score: 8/10

Sen Nin
206 Upper Street
Islington
London
N1 1RQ
http://www.sen-nin.com

Sen Nin Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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On a hot and sticky summer afternoon in London, we went to the Night Market which is part of London Food Month. Not having eaten for ages, we were more than enticed with the wonderful smells coming from the festival as we waited for friends so we could all go in together. Tickets were £7.50 each so we had hopes that this would offer free samples, goodies and demonstrations much like the BBC Food & Wine show. Sadly, this was not the case.

Two cooks over a very hot barbecue
To get in, we were put through security checks which is on a par as going through customs at major airports minus the x-ray scanner. It's reassuring to know that all efforts have been made to make the event safe in view of recent events in London. However, it was bizarre that they were not allowing cameras into the festival and it does not say anywhere on the tickets that they were prohibited but Mrs Mayochup somehow managed to walk in with hers.

The night market wasn't that big but it allowed us to visit all the stalls. We decided as a group that we would all try everything and split the cost as items on their own were quite expensive.

Wood pigeon with game chips
The wood pigeon with game chips was not much change out of £10 and is just a mere snack, The pigeon was well seasoned, tasty and the chips extremely fattening but moreish.

Charcoal truffle burger
Burgers ready to go
The burgers were odd and appealing due to its colour. The charcoal was too overpowering and the burger was dripping with fat.

Spicy Korean chicken with salad
The spicy Korean chicken with salad was nice and just perfect for a hot summers day although it wasn't that spicy at all. This one didn't last long.

Korean Bao buns
The Korean bao buns were amazing. This was the best find in the night market.

Duck with watermelon
And this was the most bizarre thing in the night market. There was a short queue for this one and we found out why, The duck had so much batter that there was hardly any duck and the watermelon just didn't go.

Umbrella decoration
Chinese dragon dancing round the night market
We settled down for some games and drinks for the evening and before we knew it it was 22:30. Time for dessert. We just about got something as the stewards started to close off the queues at 22:40 which is strange as the night market is advertised being open until 23:00.

Overall, if you are just a couple or on your own, then the £7.50 fee to get into the night market is unjustified as you don't get anything back for it and if you want food from the stalls then they are expensive and drink also. As we were in a group, we all shared food so we got to sample a lot of dishes and had a great time as well as splitting the cost.

Evening Standard Night Market
Perks Field
Kensington
W8 4QP


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We decided to return to Matsuba for our wedding anniversary dinner and as it is a very small restaurant holding no more than approx 30 covers, we were wise to book. Several people did turn up expecting to get a table and were turned away disappointed however, they know what to do the next time.


We arrived on time and although we had a reservation, Matsuba did not have our table prepared so there was a little wait before we sat down and this waiting theme continued for the rest of our visit. We were left to wait with the menu's for quite some time before we placed our order and there was enough time for a mini power nap before our starters and sushi arrived. We also noticed that tables who arrived after us were served before us and had a lot more attention from the waiting staff. Could this be that they favoured bigger parties than the 'table for two'? The first time we got any check back on our meal was when we almost finished our mains. Far far too late. But enough of the negatives for now, let's focus on what Matsuba excels and the reason why we returned and that is the sushi and appetisers.

The first to arrive was the Meat Gyoza and as we were so hungry, the plate did not last long. The flavours were well balanced and every mouthful was a joy to eat.

Meat Gyoza at Matsuba
Meat Gyoza
Following in quick succession was the most favourite item of the evening and that was the Tempura Prawn. I could have eaten them all night long but that would have been quite an expensive evening!

Tempura prawn sushi at Matsuba
Tempura prawn sushi
Just as we finished the Tempura Prawn, the Gyu Tataki arrived. This is quickly seared on a high heat leaving the centre very rare. It gets its flavour from the ginger and the vinegar soy sauce.

Gyu Tataki at Matsuba
Gyu Tataki
Thankfully, due to the slow service, we were left again to digest the food before we ordered our mains. We actually had to call someone over to take the order otherwise we will still be sitting there.

We ordered the Gyu Teriyaki and Stonepot Bibimap. The Gyu Teriyaki was cooked wonderfully with just the right amount of Teriyaki sauce. Not too overpowering. The Stonepot Bibimap was plentiful in vegetables however, the meat aspect was lacking a bit.

Gyu Teriyaki
Gyu Teriyaki
Stonepot Bibimap
Stonepot Bibimap
It's not often we go for dessert but we decided to finish off with a raspberry and mango frission. Again, this took a long time to arrive which is strange as they are all pre-set and in moulds. How hard is it to put it on a plate and serve?

Raspberry and mango frission
Raspberry and mango frission
After a little over two hours in Matsuba, we paid and left. Although we love the food and the sushi is to die for, the service is a massive let down unless you are a table of more than two people. For that reason, a straight 10 turns into a 7.

Score: 7/10

Matsuba
10 Red Lion Street
Richmond
TW9 1RW

Matsuba Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
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