Well, as it is a tradition for lazy journalists I thought I should get involved in the racket and give my list of the crappiest five meals I have had this year…. So here goes:
Crappiest Five Meals of the Year
1. The General Greene in Brooklyn, New York. Given the reviews in the New York Times and NY Mag I was amazed at how they conspired to come up with such a bad meal.
The food was so underwhelming or, at its worst, plain bad that I cannot conceive of how the NYT gave it a good review. The lack of skill in the kitchen and in the conception of the dishes and creation of the menu (i.e. a salad which combines radishes and anchoives) suggests that it was not simply an ‘off day’ but that this is just a bad restaurant.
If you get very lost, don’t heed warnings and do end up there (which is slightly hard if you live in London) stick to the drinks.
2. The Water House off Regents Canal in Hackney. An absolute eco miss. Review here. I am still searching for the words to echo its complete and utter failure as a restaurant.
3. Ms Marmite’s Supper Club in Kilburn. A triumph of a PR and self publicity. The first supper club I tried and it remains stolidly the worst. Weak vegetarian food.
4. Bob Bob Ricard in Soho. Why bother? You can go to the Wolseley and get a proper 1920s/1930s experience replete with proper staff, heritage, chefs who can cook and other customers. Or, you can go to BBR and sit there in an empty abyss of a restaurant and wait one and half hours for a chef to learn how to cook and bring out starters and a further hour for mains.
When each of our six waiters asked “have you been to BBR before?” or “can we explain BBR to you” we knew we were in for a disgrace. When the gaudy decor and classless clashing of elements hinted to Russian money backing it, it was guaranteed.
5. Then finally two places which are not bad per se but just disappointing as I wanted and hoped for more:
Princi on Wardour Street. If McDonald’s was Italian and acceptable. All front, average dough.
Gordon Ramsay at Hospital Road. The food was obviously well cooked and enjoyable but it was also flat. Uninventive. Also its focus is so clear; money. Everything is would you like six single glasses of champagne at a premium (and not suggest a bottle which is cheaper). Would you like truffle with that…. Joy needs to be in that food.
Oh well, time to think about the good now….
