All Star Lanes review – dining in a bowling alley

Strike or gutter ball? Eating in a bowling alley conjures up images of limp, overpriced hot dogs and nachos but the Bayswater branch of All Star Lanes has a surprisingly enticing menu. Wicket, Kangaroo Face and I found ourselves eating there after knocking down some pins in honour of a mutual friend’s birthday. The subterranean [...]

Spuntino review – Italian and American small plates in Soho

West End bar food with a difference There are plenty of chain and independent restaurants in London, but some straddle this distinction such as the various, apparently independent Polpo restaurants that are all actually part of the same group. Although I have yet to make my way to Polpo or Da Polpo, I have dined [...]

St Anselm review – grills and thrills

This review of a New York restaurant is a break from The Picky Glutton’s usual London-based coverage. St Anslem is slightly unusual due to a combination of both its menu and location. Almost every savoury dish at this dimly-lit Brooklyn restaurant is grilled on a large gas-fired appliance, from meat and vegetables to seafood. It’s [...]

M. Wells review – a diner like no other

This review of a New York restaurant is a break from The Picky Glutton’s usual London-based coverage. Behind all the nice photographs and cheesy jokes, this blog has just two primary objectives. The first is to show you what a glorious time I’m having eating my round around London and the wider world! The second [...]

Nobhill Tavern review – lobster pie in your eye

This review of a Las Vegas restaurant is a break from The Picky Glutton’s usual London-based coverage. Nobhill Tavern is named after the upscale neighbourhood of San Francisco and isn’t some sort of bizarre double innuendo. Established by American celebrity chef Michael Mina, Nobhill Tavern has apparently become more informal and casual over the years. [...]

Red Dog Saloon review – London barbecue redemption in Hoxton?

The Picky Glutton ventures into deepest, darkest Hoxton in search of quality BBQ I have a great fondness for barbecue, but sadly there’s a dire lack of quality American barbecue eateries in London. The vaunted Bodean’s is deeply mediocre while Barbecoa is overpriced, especially for the shockingly variable quality of its food. I have yet [...]

Soulful or soulless? Amy Ruth’s review

This review of a New York restaurant is a break from The Picky Glutton’s usual London-based coverage. Soul food isn’t especially well-known in the UK, but it’s one of America’s culinary delights. Although it’s not well-suited for those of us on a diet, I nevertheless greatly enjoyed my introduction into the cuisine at Henry’s Soul [...]

Prune review – Small, but almost perfectly formed

This review of a New York restaurant is a break from The Picky Glutton’s usual London-based coverage. Most restaurants in the US tend to have staff that come across as very friendly, but that amiability usually feels forced and artificial – if they’re weren’t schilling for tips they probably wouldn’t look twice at you. The [...]

Meateasy review – pop-up burgers

Meateasy is achingly trendy. Judging from the midweek night when I was there with my entourage, the average customer probably lives, or wants to live, in Hoxton and has uneven facial hair and eclectically ostentatious clothing. Drinks are served in jam jars and the chairs are an odd mish-mash of different styles, with no two [...]