Gusto Dining Club » £30

Palm Court Brasserie

ian.sweeney@gusto-dining.co.uk — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 22:58:40 +0000

Sunday 17^th April, 2011

39 King Street,
WC2E 8JS

Actual price per head: £30

Nearest tube: Covent Garden (Piccadilly Line).

Remarks

We ate at one o’clock from the Sunday roast set menu. Very good meal. Very good value. Very good company.

Attendees

Alan C., Alan Y., Benjamin C., Gary T., Gabriel G., George G., Ian S., John R., Mark T., Martin B., Patrick C., Peter J. Roger T.

Shikara

ian.sweeney@gusto-dining.co.uk — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 23:37:12 +0000

Wednesday 5^th January, 2011

65 Great Titchfield Street,
W1W 7PS

Actual price per head: £30

Nearest tube: Oxford Circus (Bakerloo Line, Central Line, and Victoria Line).

Remarks

Shikara has to be one of the best Indian restaurants in central London. The food is good. The staff are friendly. The value for money is outstanding.

Reservations

Ali H., Andreas B., Bill R., Chris S., Colin I., George F., Harrie B., Ian S., John H., Mark J., Martin T., Paul R., Peter K., Royston G., Steven V.

Cafe Mode

ian.sweeney@gusto-dining.co.uk — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:30:09 +0000

Wednesday 6^th January, 2010

57 Endell Street,
WC2H 9AJ

Actual price per head: £30

Nearest tube: Covent Garden (Piccadilly Line).

Remarks

Not great. The most sullen waiter ever. One diner said of Gusto: “As someone very new to gay life I much apppreciated the informal friendliness and will look forward to next months dinner.”

House Red Wine	£13.50
House White Wine	£13.50
Mineral Water	£3.00
Soup	£4.50
Tricolore Salad	£5.90
Gamberoni	£5.90
Calamari Fritti	£5.90
Smoked Salmon	£5.90
Bread	£1.30
Amatriciana	£9.00 – What a rip off!
Risotto	£9.00
Frutti Di Mar	£9.00
Funghi Pizza	£6.90
Goat Breshetta	£5.90
Mode Special Burger	£9.50
Rucola Burger	£9.50
Sirloin Steak	£12.90
Grilled Chicken	£12.90
Strawberry Cheese Cake	£4.50
Tiramisu	£4.50
Apple Pie	£4.50
Expresso	£2.00
Peppermin Tea	£1.90

Attendees

Adam, Andreas, Gilles C., Ian G., Ian S., John H., Michael N., Peter J., Riki H., Scott S., 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.

Actors' Retreat

ian.sweeney@gusto-dining.co.uk — Wed, 06 Mar 2002 15:30:31 +0000

Wednesday 6^th March, 2002

326 St. John Street,
EC1V 4NT

Actual price per head: £30

Nearest tube: Angel (Northern Line).

Remarks

Not the best meal we’ve ever had but the company was good.

Attendees

Alexander S., Arturo F., David E., Doug R., Gilles C., Henry L., Ian S., Julian C., Marc B., Michael W., Paul N., Phill W., Richard G., Richard W., Robert J., Roger T., Simon T.