Words from Yannis

Babylon sits on the 7th floor of a building in the middle of High Street Kensington, with the Roof Gardens (a club by the same owners) sitting on the 6th floor below.

Babylon is more about the experience than about just having dinner. Not that the food isn’t good - with the exception of a main of lamb which came across slightly bland and dry, the smoked eel with horseradish starter successfully joined some bold flavours, the goat cheese starter was delightful, the beef fillet and langoustine main was an unusual but delicious dish, and the desert selection was imaginative and fulfilling. Aside from that though, a lot of effort is put in to the friendly and efficient service, the dish design (the deserts are particularly elaborate) and the whole experience of having a drink on the terrace before dinner and the visiting the night club downstairs after.

A big selling point of the place is of course the garden and the view. The 6th floor has a large area around the club with a garden you wouldn’t believe is on top of a building: there are fully grown trees as well as streams with ducks swimming in them and small bridges to cross. This also provides an eerie feeling when sitting on the terrace of the restaurant of the 7th floor, as the view of Royal Albert Hall, the London Eye, and as far as Canary Wharf is visible just a few inches over the tree tops.

The price tag of course reflects all this. For example, there were no mains under £20, the cocktails (in the club at least) were a bit over £10 and having had dinner at the restaurant only gets you out of queueing for the club but not out of paying the £10 entrance fee.

Still, Babylon is overall a good choice for a special occasion, particularly in good weather, so long as you’re prepared for the price tag. Book a late table, have a drink in the terrace taking in the view, have a design dinner and then descend to the club for a night-cap. It’s bound to be a great Saturday night out.

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After reading some good reviews on Retsina, we decided to give it a go, and we were not disappointed.

The food was very satisfying. Our mixed meze starter included a variety of dips with warm pitta and a very tasty grilled halloumi that set us off well. A main of beef stifado (beef and onion stew) was excellent, and the chicken and lamb mixed grilled and huge salmon steak pleased as well, although the pork kebab came out a bit dry. These were accompanied by a brilliant Hatzimihalis Cabernet Sauvignon. Although we didn’t have room for deserts, a plate of fresh summer fruit rounded off the meal nicely, as did the Greek coffee and loukoumia offered at the end.

However, the biggest selling point is possibly the service rather than the food. It was friendly and efficient, but it seems almost an insult to leave it at that: it was hospitable, we felt like guests rather than customers. This was amplified by the fact that the majority of the clientele seemed to know the (Greek-Cypriot) owners quite well, creating a more homey atmosphere. The complementary digestif after we had paid the bill went down well too. And with the service not included in the bill, you are free to add the amount you see fit, and we were more than happy to offer the customary 12.5%.

I am always a bit apprehensive about recommending Greek restaurants, as I know that it carries more weight than suggesting any other type of restaurant. I can safely say however that Retsina is as authentic a Greek restaurant as one can possibly find in London, and I would definitely recommend it. I will no doubt be going back.

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After a long walk by the river in the beautiful weather, dinner al fresco at a pub outdoor area seemed just the thing to do. And as we chanced by Gordon Ramsay’s stab at a gastropub (which we were meaning to visit), that seemed like a good place for it.

It’s the first visit to one of Gordon Ramsay’s establishments, and food did not disappoint. Both starters (salmon and beetroot salad with ricotta) were well balanced without being too much. The sausage and mash main was very satisfying, definitely one of the best I’ve had, while the sole fillet with vegetables was tasty and light. The terrace was lovely and quiet, and the indoor dining area (more like a restaurant than a pub) looked very cosy for colder evenings. The only thing that left something to be desired was the service, as we had to ask for our food menus and for our bill twice.

But overall it was definitely an enjoyable visit with very good food, and at a very reasonable price. Worth a visit.

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After I visit a restaurant (which I perhaps do too often) I always feel like sharing my impressions… So from now on you’ll have to suffer a ‘Restaurants’ category. Or feel free to skip it!

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