Most of us on Guy’s campus have walked past this restaurant hundreds of times and never even noticed it. Opposite the back entrance of Greenwood Theatre, from the outside Champor Champor looks like a run down shop, and for years I didn’t even notice that it was a restaurant. However, on the inside it is like being teleported into a magical Malaysian world. The decorum is out of this world, from a large mural of a holy cow, to wooden carved pillars and artifacts of eastern creatures. It is original and quirky and the atmosphere is cosy and friendly. Unlike most restaurants, each individual table has its own unique set up, with intricate coloured fabrics. The restaurant is quite small and intimate and ideal for small groups.
The service was excellent – from taking our coats at the door, to watching us leave with smiles on our faces. The presentation of the food was beautiful with starters being served alongside exotic flowers and our main course being presented on huge banana leaves. The food is a Malay-Asian fusion. It is some of the best that I have tasted, absolutely wonderful – a taste sensation! There was a range of well known dishes as well as some of Champor Champor’s specials, such as roast fillet of Ostrich! The drinks list is like a tour of the world; Brazilian and Chinese wines alongside Thai rice whisky.
It is not a cheap evening out, an average three course meal, not including drinks comes to £36. Although it’s a little pricey there is no restaurant as exotic and fun as Champor Champor. So next time you walk past, why not treat yourself to the delights of the East!
To see for yourself – www.champor-champor.com
My verdict: 4/5
Champor Champor
London Bridge, 62 Weston Street, London SE1 3QJ
Nearest Tube: London Bridge
Tel: 020 7403 4600
Fact: London is home to over half of all the restaurants in the UK.
For students in London, eating out can go two ways. Avoiding the plethora of culinary delights in the capital really is a wasted opportunity – but doing the opposite by eating out too much can require the surrender of your beloved student overdraft.
The answer: www.toptable.co.uk. The website not only provides some of the most independent and honest reviews of thousands of London (and now further afield) restaurants, but is a ‘free and easy’ booking service.
The key for our purposes, though: the special offers. Updated daily, toptable’s special offers are quite simply outstanding. In this month’s ‘January Sale’, some of the best offers include 50% off food at Mango Tree (SW1X), The Terrace (WC2E) and Blue Elephant (SW6), £16.50 for 7 courses at Benihana (SW3, W1S or NW3), £30 for 3 courses at Marcus Wareing at The Savoy Grill (WC2R), or 3 courses and a glass of Cava for £15 at Covent Garden Grill (WC2E).
Eating out at some of London’s very best restaurants is entirely possible when using toptable. Be it a special occasion or a regular catch-up with friends, try somewhere new at some incredibly reasonable prices.
And finally… if you become a regular user, after just a few bookings you will be entitled to a free meal, – so even when eating out without a special offer, using toptable to book the meal can rack up points.
To see for yourself – www.toptable.co.uk
My verdict: excellent
‘Modern Indian Tapas’… ‘[A] godsend’… ‘[F]un and funky’.
Critics love Imli. It is different. But is it mismatched?
The tapas at Imli is varied and original, having the Tasting Menu allowed my guest and I to get a good feel for the philosophy behind the restaurant. It was certainly modern and casual but Imli isn’t somewhere to while away your night. The combination of flavours was balanced well and the dishes on the Tasting Menu complement each other. For the basic menu at £13.50 you get a lot of choice. The Chana Chat was excellent – although Imli isn’t the place for vegetarians.
The Smoothies and Lassis were outstanding, reminiscent of Busaba; indeed Imli’s dining concept has obviously sought inspiration from Alan Yau’s other creations, the infamous Wagamama and the only Chinese restaurant to boast a Michelin star, Hakkasan.
Imli is a one-stop-shop. It does not purport to preserve tradition. As such, a varied demography of staff and diners alike produce an ever so slightly uncomfortable combination. It does make for a refreshing change from Brick Lane and you should try it at least once, but it won’t create converts.
To see for yourself – www.imli.co.uk
My verdict 3/5
Imli
167-169 Wardour Street, London W1F 8WR
Nearest Tube: Tottenham Court Road
Book in advance: 020 7287 4243
Average Price: £17
‘Hip and modern but without pretensions’
Covent Garden Grill. A name clearly targeted at tourists. My guest and I visited on a Wednesday night, and were rather lonely in the basement. Nonetheless, the food was surprisingly enjoyable, and the ambience strangely satisfactory.
The menu is an odd mix of traditional British, Middle Eastern and Oriental. Sticking with the traditional British side, my guest and I both had an outstanding Chicken Liver Pate. It was light and discrete in texture but definitely full in flavour. I had the Calf’s Liver for Mains, and whilst there was a noticeable absence of gravy or jus, the Liver was cooked very well and obviously freshly sourced. For dessert, I thoroughly enjoyed the Vanilla Panna Cotta.
Covent Garden Grill has got portion control absolutely right. The servings were exact, and as a result we enjoyed a meal that left us refreshingly comfortable at the end.
To see for yourself – www.coventgardengrill.com
My verdict 4/5
Covent Garden Grill
16 Henrietta Street, London WC2E 8QH
Nearest Tube: Covent Garden
Book in advance: 020 7240 9600
Average Price: £30
