Gusto Dining Club » British

Kings Road SteakHouse & Grill

ian.sweeney@gusto-dining.co.uk — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 08:50:01 +0000

Wednesday 8^th September, 2010

386 Kings Road,
SW3 5UZ

Actual price per head: £62.66

Nearest tube: South Kensington (Circle Line, District Line, Piccadilly Line).

Remarks

Outrageously over-priced for what it was. A three course set menu was available but there was a huge (28%) supplement if you selected the 8oz steak. It’s a steakhouse!!!
We were seated under the stairs which afforded us some privacy from the the other diners; just as well as it was a birthday bash and we had some loud moments. This Marco Pierre White venue was OK but nothing special. Tables upstairs were somewhat cramped.
Some of us started with Bloody Marys which were admittedly excellent. We also got through four bottles of wine, three small beers, and just one bottle of sparkling water. The tap water was free.
The slow roasted pork belly looked dull and smelled delicious. The beetroot & goat’s cheese salad was unexciting; the cheese was creamy and smooth but almost tasteless. The gravadlax was a tiny portion and initially served on a very warm plate; that was sent back and returned with a cold plate as was expected in the first place.
The 8oz rib-eye steaks were quite nice and the fillet steak was excellent. Steaks were served with Portobello mushroom, beef tomato, and a Bernaise sauce that looked awful. We didn’t taste it. The new potatoes were undercooked (half uneaten), and the ‘triple cooked’ chips were disappointly nondescript (also half uneaten). The spinach was reassuringly green.
Creme Brulee was OK, and the cheesecake was good but no blueberries as promised on the menu.
Service was reasonable and charged at twelve and a half percent.

Bloody Mary	£8.50
Peroni (small)	£4.50
Cinsault Rose	£21.95
Marsanne VDP	£19.95
Slow Roasted Pork Belly	£7.50
Beetroot and Goat’s Cheese Salad	£8.50
Gravadlax with Mustard Sauce	£9.50
10 oz Rib-Eye Steak	£21.50
8 oz Filet Steak	£26.50
New Potatoes	£3.25
Spinach	£3.25
Triple Cooked Chips	£3.95
Creme Brulee	£6.50
Cheesecake with Blueberries	£6.50
Coffee	£2.50
Blenheim Sparkling	£4.00

Attendees

Brian B., Ian B., Ian S., Philip S., Stephane ?., Trevor O.

St Pancras Grand

ian.sweeney@gusto-dining.co.uk — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:24:59 +0000

Wednesday 7^th April, 2010

Upper Concourse, St Pancras International Station, Euston Road,
NW1 2QP

Actual price per head: £44

Nearest tube: King’s Cross (Circle Line, Hammersmith & City Line, Metropolitan Line, Northern Line, Piccadilly Line, and Victoria Line).

Remarks

Lovely venue.

Apple & Blackberry Crumble	£6.50
Americano Coffee	£2.50
Cambridge Cream	£6.50
Cappuccino	£2.80
Cheese	£10
Chocolate Tart	£6.50
Cumberland Sausage	£12
Double Espresso	£2.80
Endive Salad	£6.50
Fish & Chips	£15.50
Fish Pie	£14.50
Ginger Pudding	£6.50
House Red	£17.75
House White	£17.75
Set Menu (2 course TopTable)	£15
Set Menu (3 course)	£25
Sparkling Water	£3
Sticky Toffee Pudding	£6.50
Vegetable Soup	£6

Attendees

Andreas B., Andy Y., Brian M., Gilles C., Harrie B., Ian S., Jeremy P., Lee L., Mark B., Matt S., Noel D., Paul R., Peter J., Riki H., Steven V.

Idlewild

ian.sweeney@gusto-dining.co.uk — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:30:14 +0000

Wednesday 7^th October, 2009

55 Shirland Road,
W9 2JD

Actual price per head: £30

Nearest tube: Warwick Avenue (Bakerloo Line).

Remarks

The meal itself, set in the former Truscott Arms pub – which at one time was featured in Camra Real Ale guides, was of good food quality and presentation. A fair choice on the menu to suit palates and that should be a recipe for success. Less enamoured with the in pub setting, it did not feel like a formal dining room, but more a trestle table out of place. The biggest let down which mars so many places was that there was no one obviously in charge and there were only food servers and not waiting staff.
There were some misunderstandings in food service but swiftly rectified but a sense of disappointment with the sauces to accompany steaks which were a popular choice. The chef knows the ingredients and that was obvious but there are slovenly touches such as finding that the boards that steaks were served on left a liquid residue on the table underneath that could easily have led to stained clothing. The lack of efficiency meant that there was no inclination to linger for coffee as enough time had passed and many travel long distances to make these evenings and did not want to have poor journeys home. Final verdict – Acceptable but not one to rave about.

Attendees

Ali H., Anthony B., Bill R., Colin I., John H., Mark J., Mark W., Peter J., Paul R., Phil W., Richard U., Rob W., Steven V., Stuart W.

Damask at the Athenaeum

ian.sweeney@gusto-dining.co.uk — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 15:30:58 +0000

Wednesday 11^th October, 2006

116 Piccadilly,
W1J 7BJ

Actual price per head: £33

Nearest tube: Green Park (Jubilee Line, Piccadilly Line, and Victoria Line).

Remarks

What a lovely restaurant! Food was excellent. Service was good. Drinks are pricey; the cheapest wines on the menu are £19.75 per bottle and a small mineral water is £2.50

Attendees

Brian B., Ian S., Joseph G.

Archduke

ian.sweeney@gusto-dining.co.uk — Wed, 04 Sep 2002 15:30:02 +0000

Wednesday 4^th September, 2002

153 Concert Hall Approach,
SE1 8XU

Actual price per head: £35

Nearest tube: Waterloo (Bakerloo Line, Jubilee Line, and Northern Line).

Remarks

A very pleasant meal in good company.

Attendees

David R., David ?, David ?, Doug R., Esmond J., Frank ?, Henry L., Ian B., Ian S., Jeff A., Jeremy P., Kenneth C., Martyn, Richard W.