What's on the menu – James Martin's Manchester restaurant 'lacks star power'
James Martin's new Manchester city centre restaurant "lacks star power" according to the critic for http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/nov/01/askham-hall-penrith-lake-district-hotel-review" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Manchester Evening News](http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/restaurants-bars/jamess-venue-lacks-star-power-6245755).
AA Gill visits Lima in London W1T for the [Sunday Times](http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/Magazine/article1333749.ece) and admits that the problem with the menu is that he doesn't understand it, describing the dishes as "carefully formed into gummy, slightly lumpy slop and put on plates and offered as food".
[The Times'](http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/magazine/article3906789.ece) critic Giles Coren fares a lot better at Orwells, the Henley-on-Thames restaurant with Ryan Simpson and Liam Trotman at the helm. Despite criticising the absent apostrophe in the restaurant's name, Coren finds a menu of unexpected class.
Marina O'Loughlin reviews Gujarati Rasoi in London's N16 for the [Guardian](http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/02/gujarati-rasoi-london-restaurant-review) and says you'll be fighting over the last scraps at this tiny restaurant, run by Urvesh Parvais with his mother Lalita Patel.
Manuel Olivieri, the chef at Tartufo in London SW3, has imagination and talent, but the restaurant's cramped atmosphere is far from inviting, says Matthew Norman in the [Telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/restaurants/10402460/Tartufo-London-restaurant-review.html).
Granny knows best but will PipsDish's take-it-or-leave-it cooking catch on, asks John Walsh in the [Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/reviews/restaurant-review-granny-knows-best-but-will-pipsdishs-takeitorleaveit-cooking-catch-on-8914025.html). He certainly hopes so.
Fay Maschler reviews BallarÁ³ in London NW3, for the [Evening Standard](http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/restaurants/fay-maschler-reviews-ballar-8912829.html) and finds "the spitting image of old Sicily" in Belsize Park.
Also in the [Evening Standard](http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/restaurants/grace-dent-reviews-gymkhana-8917108.html) this week is Grace Dent's take on the already-lauded Gymkhana in London's Albemarle Street, which satisfies her longing for a fancy curry.
Jay Rayner finds in Zest, London NW3, a Jewish restaurant that is utterly inclusive and serving really good food - something the [Observer](http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/03/restaurant-review-zest-at-jw3-jewish-food) critic admits he'll have to get used to.
The [Metro's](http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/31/shoreditchs-hoi-polloi-ace-location-average-food-4166886/) Joe Warwick struggles to get excited by the utilitarian menu at Hoi Polloi, in London's Ace hotel.
HOTELS
The [Telegraph's](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/hotel/120719/The-Winning-Post-hotel-Berkshire-review.html) Fiona Duncan reviews the Winning Post hotel in Windsor, Berkshire, which offers characterful public areas, well-judged service and excellent dining.
Bailbrook House hotel in Bath is a quiet hideaway with good deals, though some of the decor is a little twee says Tom Chesshyre in the [Times](http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/travel/bestofbritain/article3908566.ece).
Stately pile, impressive menu… new restaurant with rooms, Askham Hall on the edge of the Lake District in Penrith hits the spot (almost) perfectly, says Tony Naylor in the [Guardian.
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