What's on the menu – 'unstoppable cooking talent' at Merchant's Tavern finds Fay Maschler

20 October 2013 by
What's on the menu – 'unstoppable cooking talent' at Merchant's Tavern finds Fay Maschler

Backed by Angela Hartnett, Merchant's Tavern head chef Neil Borthwick clearly has "unstoppable cooking talent". But don't all rush at once, says Fay Maschler in the http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/hotel/119414/Bank-House-hotel-Kings-Lynn-Norfolk-review.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Evening Standard](http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/restaurants/fay-maschler-reviews-merchants-tavern-8883432.html), some creases still need to be ironed out at the Shoreditch restaurant.

Joel Kissin's Boulestin receives two reviews this week. AA Gill writes in the [Sunday Times ](http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/Magazine/article1327955.ece)that despite the confusion in the format of the London SW1A restaurant, he likes the food, describing it as "pretty damn formidable".

The [Telegraph's ](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/restaurants/10370519/Boulestin-London-SW1-restaurant-review.html)Zoe Williams pays a visit too and finds that everything that doesn't work at Boulestin, seems like a quirk, and everything that does, works wonderfully.

Jay Rayner heads out of town for a meal at the Tavern in Cheltenham. The [Observer's ](http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/oct/20/the-tavern-restaurant-review)critic experiences a restaurant with a split personality, and he's only a fan of one of them.

Following recent rave reviews for Karam Sethi's Gymkhana, it is little surprise that two more critics feel compelled to see for themselves what all the fuss is about.

Lisa Markwell is the second to journalist from the [Independent ](http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/reviews/restaurant-review-once-youve-dined-at-gymkhana-youll-never-pop-out-to-your-local-curry-house-again-8884378.html)to check it out, after John Walsh last month. She says that once you've dined at the London W1 colonial India-inspired restaurant, you'll never pop out to your local curry house again. The [Metro's ](http://metro.co.uk/2013/10/17/gymkhana-is-all-the-raj-but-most-memorable-for-the-gin-4148581/)

Jason Atherton's Berner's Tavern at the new London Edition hotel plays host Giles Coren for the [Times](http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/magazine/article3894321.ece), who says that while he loves the room he probably reviewed the restaurant too early.

Hutong is "ruinously expensive", but Matthew Norman says the views from the Shard are undeniably worth it in the [Telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/restaurants/10370424/Hutong-London-restaurant-review.html).

The Leconfield in Petworth, West Sussex, offers English food with sexy Breton touches by head chef David Craig-Lewis and consultant Pascal Proyart - but watch your waistband, warns John Walsh in the [Independent](http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/reviews/restaurant-review-the-leconfield-offers-english-food-with-sexy-breton-touches--but-watch-your-waistband-8884216.html).

Marina O'Loughlin challenges herself to take Union Street Cafe, London SE1, on its own merit for the [Guardian - ](http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/oct/19/union-street-cafe-london-review-gordon-ramsay)by pretending not to know that it has anything to do with Gordon Ramsay.

HOTELS

Sally Shalam heads to Cornwall for the [Guardian - ](http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/oct/18/idle-rocks-st-mawes-cornwall-hotel-review)this week. She says it is a pity that the restaurant at the newly launched Idle Rocks in St Mawes, Cornwall, doesn't match the laid-back vibe of the rest of the hotel.

Writing in the [Times](http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/travel/article3893588.ece), Tom Chesshyre describes the setting of the St Moritz Hotel near Wadebridge, Cornwall as great, but found the acoustics in the restaurant to be noisy.

Fiona Duncan for the [Telegraph - finds that with most of the public rooms given over to dining space, Bank House - in what is the best location in King's Lynn, Norfolk - feels more like a restaurant with rooms than a hotel.

*

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

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking