Forum Topic

Restaurant recommendations

I'm looking for somewhere local to go for our wedding anniversary dinner next week. Anyone got any ideas ?  Thanks.

Pat Kingham ● 6525d19 Comments

We will make you very welcome at Thai Nicewww.thainice.co.ukDavid

David Archer ● 6525d

La Trompette in Chiswick is probably the best restaurant in this part of London - excellent food, very good wine list (sommelier is very helpful - and you could happily choose the cheapest of the three wines he'll probably recommend and it will be good [most people choose the middle priced one...]). Le Vacherin (also in Chiswick) is generally pretty good, but not consistently so (unlike Trompette), and isn't particularly romantic. The Glasshouse (in Kew) is also pretty good, but feels a little canteen like. Slightly further afield there is the newly reopened River Cafe in Hammersmith, where the food can be wonderful (or sometimes just 'interesting'), but I wouldn't call it particularly romantic either....Unfortunately, Ealing lacks any really good British/French restaurant. While Maxim's and Monty's are really, really good at what they do, they are neither special nor romantic.

David Fox ● 6525d

Thanks for your help.  Perhaps I should have mentioned, we are a bit old in the tooth for romantic ! Any views on Charlotte's Place ?

Pat Kingham ● 6525d

Went to Charlotte's Place after the fireworks a week last Saturday.  Found the food wondeful albeit the starter menu a little limited for my non-fish tendencies.  Good ambience; waiting staff perhaps trying a little too hard - but certainly better than the other way.Would recommend but have a look at the monthly menu first.

Philip Coe ● 6525d

I can't recommend Charlotte's highly enough. We go there  often! The food is always wonderful (French/European fine dining) and the ingredients seasonal and of excellent provenance. They have a superb wine list chosen by an expert and with useful descriptions next to each, no rip off prices either. They do wickedly nice cocktails too. The staff are very friendly and the prices very reasonable. It's romantic and modern and I feel very sure you won't be disappointed. I would book well in advance and ask for a table upstairs which has lovely views over Ealing Common. You could go to the Grange Pub next door for a pre-prandial too!

Verification Required ● 6525d

Charlottes is excellent but perhaps a bit romantic for you! Went to La Trompette once and don't think I would go back. Wasn't awful but was full of media types doing business. As most of the people there seemed to be being fed courtesy of their employer or the license fee payer they can get away with being very pricey.

Paul Cavanagh ● 6523d

Depends what time you go - there is a fab early evening deal that is not at all expensive and the food is just as good.Maybe you were there at lunchtime - I have never seen media/expense account people there of an evening.

Sara Nathan ● 6523d

I LOVE The Glasshouse - when I am feeling flush....food has always been excellent there - and the cheeseboard is as good, if not better than much fancier places up town

Trizia Fiorellino ● 6522d

is my Ealing favorite (and I am not biased merely because my wife won the "design a dish" competition there last year).  Little pricey for everyday eating, so for us it is special occasions (and when all the mains electicity power is out).

Robin Hall ● 6520d

Re book a table 'upstairs' at Charlotte's Place....I posted a note re Charlotte's Place booking system some time ago.  I reserved a table 2 months before a special day.  I was first in the diary, went in person to make the booking, reserved (so I thought) a table for lunch upstairs (which is very different to the downstairs). The manager rang me on the day to say the table would be downstairs.  I was obviously very upset but after a 'conversation' I was informed if I didn't like it not to bother to go. He was arrogant and very rude and I would never to there again.

Lesley Thomas ● 6520d

So, where did you go in the end?

Sara Nathan ● 6516d

Thanks for all your recommendations.  In the end our grand daughter (aged 12) came to stay and we opted for her favourite - the Raipur Northfields Ave and we all had a lovely time.

Pat Kingham ● 6515d

I see the interior designers have been in to Raipur.It looks hideous. All the furniture and "art" on wall looks like it came from a pound shop.

Al Stuart ● 6515d

But the food is always good and not over priced.  The 'art' on the walls is a good talking point too !

Pat Kingham ● 6515d

Where did we go in the end .... Anthony Worrell Thompson's restaurant in Kew.  I can't remember the name as another member of he party took over as I was so upset.  It was was a very nice lunch and we all had an enjoyable day in the end.

Lesley Thomas ● 6514d

Charlotte's place is probably the best European restaurant in Ealing proper, but it's incredibly variable - sometimes you'll have a lovely meal, sometimes it will let you down in one of a thousand subtle ways...Trompette, however, is just superb.  The food is great, very reasonably priced for the quality, and the sommelier is the best I've ever met.  The wine list is great - they have good wines under 20 quid or so but at every level there's great value.I love Trompette!(and no - i don't work there nor own any piece of it...)

Leon Markham ● 6510d

Its called Kew Grill and he has one in Barnes - strangely enough called Barnes Grill.  I have been to Barnes Grill and really liked the food. Quite traditional and explanations on where the meat etc was sourced from.

Diane Gill ● 6508d

I have started to go to 'The Village Inn' on Pitshanger Lane. I never bothered with Duffy's and know that it's still managed by the same people, but I assure you, they do the best hamburgers in Ealing and the rest of the food is brilliant too. Try it.

Richard Williams ● 6496d

Talking of restaurants what can be loosely described as one - The Harvester at Ealing Common - does anyone know what is going to be built there instead as they have boarded the whole area around it now?

Diane Gill ● 6495d