London restaurant experience - gift

London restaurant experience - gift

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w1bbles

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

147 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
I'd like to buy my brother a present for a significant birthday. Dinner for two, budget £500. Any recommendations for a central London restaurant please? Slightly quirky or unusual would be a benefit.

TIA.

Gary Woodland

2,563 posts

173 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
Core by Clare smyth for me.

Melman Giraffe

6,794 posts

229 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
sketch restaurant London

for something a bit different

TownIdiot

2,628 posts

10 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
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My favourite is St John Smithfield

Interesting and a bit quirky, good wine list and cocktails.

Not really a "dressing up place" if your brother is into that sort of style

lauda

3,777 posts

218 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
This is a fun experience if he like fish.

https://princeregent.londonshellco.com/

Your budget would comfortably cover two people with the wine pairing and leave some funds for nice pre-dinner drinks somewhere.

Core is excellent if you want a more traditional restaurant.

w1bbles

Original Poster:

1,103 posts

147 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
Wow - some great suggestions! None of which I would have found on my own... Some browsing required later on. Thanks all.

Venisonpie

3,830 posts

93 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
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Gary Woodland said:
Core by Clare smyth for me.
Agree, how far does £500 go now?

Gary Woodland

2,563 posts

173 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
Venisonpie said:
Agree, how far does £500 go now?
I think it’s pretty much the same as rgr/sketch etc ~250 a head for the food. So they’d have to get their own wine.

Shame it has to be central as I think the fat duck would hit the brief bang on if they’d not been. Still probably my favourite uk dinner.

Shaoxter

4,316 posts

135 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
Gary Woodland said:
Venisonpie said:
Agree, how far does £500 go now?
I think it’s pretty much the same as rgr/sketch etc ~250 a head for the food. So they’d have to get their own wine.

Shame it has to be central as I think the fat duck would hit the brief bang on if they’d not been. Still probably my favourite uk dinner.
Don't think Fat Duck is within budget any more!
Could try Dinner as an alternative Heston venue.

lauda

3,777 posts

218 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
Shaoxter said:
Don't think Fat Duck is within budget any more!
Could try Dinner as an alternative Heston venue.
Personally, I prefer Dinner to the Fat Duck. The Fat Duck was an amazing experience but I'm not a huge fan of meals where there are so many courses as you never get more than a bite or two of any one thing. I prefer a proper plate of food!

HTP99

23,571 posts

151 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
lauda said:
Shaoxter said:
Don't think Fat Duck is within budget any more!
Could try Dinner as an alternative Heston venue.
Personally, I prefer Dinner to the Fat Duck. The Fat Duck was an amazing experience but I'm not a huge fan of meals where there are so many courses as you never get more than a bite or two of any one thing. I prefer a proper plate of food!
Did Dinner for my "40th" (late as my dad died just before, life happened and then COVID), it was fantastic, well worth the money and even the wife who's not a foodie and wasn't particularly looking forward to it, enjoyed it.

She has looked in to The Fat Duck for my 50th (Jan 2025), it'll be circa £1k for the 2 of us, which is just ridiculous, plus the obligatory wine pairing.


Edited by HTP99 on Tuesday 27th August 15:49

Mobile Chicane

21,424 posts

223 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
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Core would get my vote as well.

gerlewis

104 posts

240 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
TownIdiot said:
My favourite is St John Smithfield

Interesting and a bit quirky, good wine list and cocktails.

Not really a "dressing up place" if your brother is into that sort of style
I second this. My brother is the senior sous chef smile

Lots of celebs eat here low-key

thepritch

1,303 posts

176 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
quotequote all
Gary Woodland said:
I think it’s pretty much the same as rgr/sketch etc ~250 a head for the food. So they’d have to get their own wine.

Shame it has to be central as I think the fat duck would hit the brief bang on if they’d not been. Still probably my favourite uk dinner.
I’d agree and be very tempted to say to the OP to get out there and experience it. For me there is no other. Granted you won’t be full even after 11 or 12 course (we went straight to the 7-11 afterward for some shortbread biscuits!!) but it’s one hell of an experience. My wife and I made a pact to eat / try everything - this was back in 2005, and the memories are still quite vivid today, in a very good way!

dunkind

356 posts

31 months

Tuesday 27th August 2024
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gerlewis said:
TownIdiot said:
My favourite is St John Smithfield
Lots of celebs eat here low-key
BiB
What’s the relevance of this comment?
Does it mean the food is better than elsewhere, do celebrities eating there make the food taste better?
Why do soft melts get all excited when they see a so called celebrity?
Places that put photos of celebrities on the wall after they’ve eaten there, why? Most of them wouldn’t know a decent meal anyway.

PhilAsia

5,238 posts

86 months

Wednesday 28th August 2024
quotequote all
dunkind said:
gerlewis said:
TownIdiot said:
My favourite is St John Smithfield
Lots of celebs eat here low-key
BiB
What’s the relevance of this comment?
Does it mean the food is better than elsewhere, do celebrities eating there make the food taste better?
Why do soft melts get all excited when they see a so called celebrity?
Places that put photos of celebrities on the wall after they’ve eaten there, why? Most of them wouldn’t know a decent meal anyway.
Why wouldn't they? Does being famous distort the taste buds?

You're not allowed to use Trump as a reference in your answer btw. smile

gerlewis

104 posts

240 months

Wednesday 28th August 2024
quotequote all
dunkind said:
BiB
What’s the relevance of this comment?
Does it mean the food is better than elsewhere, do celebrities eating there make the food taste better?
Why do soft melts get all excited when they see a so called celebrity?
Places that put photos of celebrities on the wall after they’ve eaten there, why? Most of them wouldn’t know a decent meal anyway.
Let me spell it out for you if you cannot make deductions:

These people have managers arranging their trips, doing lots of research to ensure the person has a wonderful trip. With so many managers arranging tables at this restaurant it is another data point one can use when deciding if you want to eat there. They have done the paid research saving you the bother. Alternatively you can use my suggestion in the negative, and decide you want to avoid the establishment.

smile



Edited by gerlewis on Wednesday 28th August 09:28

thebraketester

14,870 posts

149 months

Wednesday 28th August 2024
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Somewhat more mainstream but hospital road is very good.

Gnevans

498 posts

133 months

Wednesday 28th August 2024
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What type of food do they like to eat when they go out?

Lots of great central London options from varying cuisines.

22s

6,443 posts

227 months

Wednesday 28th August 2024
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I'd personally go for somewhere like Gymkhana - unpretentious, great service, brilliant food. https://gymkhanalondon.com/