What's on the menu: reviews hat trick for Angela Hartnett's Merchant's Tavern

10 November 2013 by
What's on the menu: reviews hat trick for Angela Hartnett's Merchant's Tavern

Angela Hartnett's Merchant's Tavern gets a general thumbs up from the critics in a hat tricks of reviews this week.

It stakes a claim to be Shoreditch's smartest restaurant, says the http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/mandarin-oriental-hyde-park--hotel-review-8924009.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Independent's](http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/reviews/restaurant-review-angela-hartnett-is-at-the-helm-of-shoreditchs-latest-highticket-opening-the-merchants-tavern-8925753.html) Tracey Macleod, who finds an exciting menu of modern British dishes with a come hither twist.

Celia Plender, writing for [Time Out](http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/merchants-tavern), declares that teething problems aside, Merchant's Tavern is a restaurant with a lot to offer, adding that Hartnett, head chef Neil Borthwick and partners have much to smile about, while the [Sunday Times'](http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/Magazine/article1336393.ece) AA Gill finds "avuncular, friendly and forgettable service" amongst the food that is "constructed, sourced and considered with care".

Joe Warwick drops in on David Moore's pop-up Pied Nus for the [Metro](http://metro.co.uk/2013/11/07/pied-nus-the-byword-for-a-polished-pop-up-4175797/), where he finds a worthy successor to Simon Rogan's Roganic.

Amol Rajan, editor of the [Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/reviews/restaurant-review-padstow-might-belong-to-rick-stein-but-rocks-top-chef-nathan-outlaw-operates-by-his-own-rules-8928192.html), has a fabulous mean at Outlaw's at St Enodoc in Rock where even the ferry trip on the approach to the restaurant is a joy.

Hotel TerraVina in the New Forest may offer great wine, as the name suggests, but writing in the [Observer](http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/10/hotel-terravina-restaurant-review-new-forest-wine) Jay Rayner finds that the food is hardly vintage.

The Vanilla Pod in Marlow has good food and excellent service, says Matthew Norman in the [Telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/restaurants/10424882/The-Vanilla-Pod-Marlow-Bucks-restaurant-review.html), but he asks whether it's too vanilla for its own good.

If only Osteria Tufo in London's Finsbury Park was a little closer to Grace Dent's house. If it was, the [Evening Standard](http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/restaurants/grace-dent-reviews-osteria-tufo-8926393.html) writer says she'd be in there three times a week.

Giles Coren, in the [Times](http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/magazine/article3912811.ece), finds the combination of prawn and blackberry unforgivable at new South Kensington dim sum restaurant Bo Lang, London SW3.

In the [Evening Standard](http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/restaurants/fay-maschler-reviews-ognisko-8923895.html), Fay Maschler says that Jan Woroniecki's Ognisko in South Kensington has Polish food to relish.

The success of the Royal Native Oyster Stores, Whitstable, Kent, seems little to do with quality of cooking or warmth of welcome, says Marina O'Loughlin in the [Guardian](http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/09/royal-native-oyster-stores-restaurant-whitstable-review).

HOTELS

Great imagination has gone into the funky but not OTT decor at the Brook Green hotel in London London W6, while the atmosphere is laid-back and fun, says Tom Chesshyre in the [Times](http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/travel/bestofbritain/article3913853.ece).

Llangoed Hall, in Powys, is a Wye Valley hotel offering charming rooms, exceptional dining and lovely gardens, according to Fiona Duncan in the [Telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/hotel/121205/Llangoed-Hall-hotel-Wye-Valley-Powys-review.html).

This stylish new hotel on Cornwall's south coast has something for everyone, including a swish spa for the grown-ups, a wonderful playground and even free popcorn in the kids' cinema, finds the [Guardian's](http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/nov/08/hotel-review-the-cornwall-tregorrick) Harriet Green

It's all heir and nails at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London SW1, says Jo Fernández in the [Evening Standard.

*

Guide Girl
Guide Girl
* Visit Guide Girl for a round up of UK restaurant and hotel reviews from the last seven days*

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