Welcome to Bon Vivant’s summary of the restaurant reviews from the weekend’s national newspapers. Enjoy!

Giles Coren, The Times

Giles visits Pearl Liang in the Paddington basin, which he describes as ‘posh, quiet, cosily lit’ and ‘nice’. Prawn cheung fun and scallop dumplings were ‘well-made’, paper-wrapped sesame prawn rolls were ‘exemplary’, and soup-filled Shanghai dumplings were ‘brilliant’. The lobster noodle was ‘perfectly cooked’ with ‘firm, straggly, munchable noodles’. 8 out of 10.

Martin Ivens, The Sunday Times

In AA Gill’s absence, Martin reviews The Pearson’s Arms in Whitstable, Kent, where he finds the interiors ‘quaint’ and ‘warm’ and the English menu has ‘good pub gusto to it’. A starter of jerusalem artichoke soup and truffle oil was ‘exquisitely balanced’ and a main of British cassoulet ‘began well’ but the ‘goose fat rendered it overly rich and heavy’. 3 stars out of 5.

Matthew Norman, The Guardian

Matthew visits Faanoos, a ‘surreal Persian wonderland’ near East Sheen. The starters were ‘delicious’, including a ‘delectably smoky’ mirza ghazemi, ‘impeccably fresh’ hummus, a ‘gloriously zingy’ salad shirazi and ‘gorgeously unctuous’ savoury stuffed vine leaves. A main of chelo kebab sultami was ‘fine’ with a ‘marginally overcooked’ skewer of lamb, but a joojeh kebab was ‘magnificent’. No rating given.

Jay Rayner, The Observer

Jay is convinced that his visit to The Criterion in Piccadilly, London, will be one of his worst meals of 2010. It all started badly with a ‘thick, tepid gloop’ of an amuse bouche that ‘was so sweet’ that it made him ‘wince’. A starter of Cornish crab risotto ‘brought a tiny heap of bright orange and undercooked rice glued together with an overload of cheese’ and a bouillabaisse resembled a ‘vinegary broth’ with ‘a few prawns’ and ‘pieces of something unidentifiable’. The disappointment continued with the mains, with a rack of roast venison that ‘came swamped with a sticky mahogany sauce’ and an ‘overcooked’ sea bass that ‘lay in a deep puddle of unsalted, melted butter’. No rating given.

Tracey MacLeod, The Independent

Tracey reviews Tamada, a Georgian restaurant near Kilburn, North London, where ‘Middle Eastern influence is at work’ and the service ‘intuitive and sweet-natured’. The vegetarian starters tasted ‘hugely better than they looked’ including fried slices of aubergine that ‘had a blowsy depth of flavour’. The borsht was ‘oily’ and ‘watery’ and the lamb casserole ‘had an interesting otherness about it’. Tracey concluded that the food was ‘fresh, authentic and often really good’ and a must for anyone with ‘the slightest curiosity about the culinary properties of the walnut’. 3 stars out of 5.

Lisa Markwell, The Independent on Sunday

Lisa has a ‘near-holy’ experience at the ‘turbo-charged’ and ‘glossy’ Galvin La Chapelle in Spitalfields, London. A lasagne of ‘delicate’ Dorset crab was a ‘wobbly, gently flavoured soufflé-type affair’ and a tagine of squab pigeon that Lisa ‘adored’ consisted of ‘very rich, superbly tender meat’ accompanied by a ‘viscous, intensely savoury sauce’. Lisa’s husband reports that both the foie gras and veal were ‘exemplary’. 16 out of 20.

Zoe Williams, The Telegraph

Zoe visits Babbo (no relation to the New York favourite) in Mayfair, and finds it refreshing that the clientele have ‘more sense than money’. A starter of panzanella with tuna belly, lobster and tomato was ‘good overall’, although ‘underseasoned’ and ‘almost entirely bread’, while the snapper ravioli with mascarpone sauce was ‘absolutely fabulous’. The rib-eye steak was ‘succulent’, ‘well presented’ and ‘incredibly meaty’, and the pistachio ice cream was a ‘masterclass in frozen goodness’. 7 out of 10.

Fay Maschler, The Evening Standard

Fay finds ‘tacky cabaret with cornbread’ distinctly underwhelming at Circus, a new entertainment focused restaurant in Covent Garden. The cornbread with marinated plum tomatoes ‘delivers what it says it will’, while fried baby squid has ‘vivacious spicing’. The Wiener schnitzel and deep-fried onion rings are ‘too greasy to be enjoyable’, and the smoked chicken wings ‘seem to have flapped through a bath of all-purpose BBQ sauce’. 2 stars out of 5.

For more information about Bon Vivant, please visit our website at www.bonvivant.co.uk

Welcome to Bon Vivant’s summary of the restaurant reviews from the weekend’s national newspapers. Enjoy!

Giles Coren, The Times

Giles reviews Kitchen W8, a new venture from Rebecca Mascarenhas, of Sonny’s in Barnes, and Philip Howard, the powerhouse behind The Square. Giles summarised that he had an ‘amazing meal’, particularly given that the area is a ‘restaurant wasteland’.

A ravioli of wild mushrooms with melted onions and trompettes de la mort ‘had all the complexity and wealth of flavour you could ask for’ and a plate of smoked eels was ‘dazzlingly beautiful’. A foie gras mousse with raisin purée, fruit bread and parmesan was ‘a little too rich and sexy’ but the roast wood pigeon was ‘some dish’. High praise, indeed.  9.33 out of 10.

AA Gill, The Sunday Times

AA Gill was also impressed with his visit to Kitchen W8 and found the food ‘far better than anything else’ to be had in Kensington. A ravioli of mushrooms was ‘mycologically deep and loamy and generous’, and a velouté ‘as smooth and fragrant as a novice cigar-roller’s inner top front thigh’. The pigeon, sea bream and crème fraiche tart all contributed to 4 stars out of 5.

Matthew Norman, The Guardian

My Old Place, a cheap and cheerful Szechuan restaurant near Liverpool Street station is Matthew’s destination, one for which he would make ‘a monthly train trip for a fix’. The restaurant has ‘a warming buzz even when a third full’, but ‘an aesthetic triumph it is not’.

The crispy duck was ‘impeccable’, the poached slice beef with chilli oil ‘an absolute classic of unctuous delight’ and sweet and sour fish with rice was ‘majestic’. No rating given.

Jay Rayner, The Observer

Jay reviews Polpo, ‘a hip Londoner’s version of a bacaro’ with the look of a ‘place you’d find in New York’s Soho’ where ‘the pricing is forgiving and the portions generous’. He was impressed by strips of cuttlefish in its own ink and the chopped liver on crostini that ‘had a wintery smokiness to it’. A crostini of anchovy and chickpeas ‘didn’t deliver enough of the salty fish’ and the pumpkin risotto ‘was slippery rather than rich, and lacked flavour’. No rating given.

John Walsh, The Independent

John visits Mennula, ‘a cramped shoe-box of a restaurant’ on Charlotte Street. The menu was ‘lip-smackingly appealing’ with an emphasis on ‘a profusion of flavours’. A starter of seared scallops with lentils was ‘properly seared rather than just shown a hot pan’ and a bowl of broad bean soup ‘nice’ and ‘inoffensive’.

The rabbit wrapped in pancetta with aubergine sauce was ‘lovely’, with a ‘gelatinous feel about the meat’ and a dessert of Sfinci doughnuts filled with cinnamon cream and honey was ‘fine’. 3 stars out of 5.

Toby Young, The Independent on Sunday

Toby visits the Brompton Bar & Grill, a restaurant with a ‘raffish, aristocratic air; modern without being trendy’. He was ‘slightly unsatisfied’ with the pan-fried foie gras with sweetcorn pancake, and a roast pheasant with creamed sprouts and cabbage was ‘good’ with ‘a nice combination of textures’. 13 out of 20.

Zoe Williams, The Telegraph

Zoe visits Pizza East, one of the latest openings from the Soho House Group in Shoreditch. The soft polenta with chicken liver was ‘fantastic’, and the experience of eating it ‘wonderful, silky’ and ‘idiosyncratic’. She was in high praise of the pizzas, with the dough ‘striking a perfect balance between squidgy and dry’ and the puddings, including doughnuts and a fruit tart were ‘freakishly delicious’. 7 out of 10.

Fay Maschler, The Evening Standard

Fay visits Mansons in ‘deepest Fulham’, with Gemma Tuley, previously of Guy Savoy and Claridge’s, in the kitchen. Fay found the menu to be ‘a bit different and with some decent prices’, including game hot pot with cabbage that was ‘the perfect icy weather combo’ and veal chop with chips, where the chop was ‘rosy and juicy’ but the chips ‘came in for criticism from the recipient’. Fay liked the ‘buttoned-leather banquettes’ and the ‘rather terrific’ light fittings. 3 stars out of 5.

For more information about Bon Vivant, please visit our website at www.bonvivant.co.uk