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restaurants with a view


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It's always a worrying moment when a client rings wanting to 'pick my brains'

stockbroking queries i'm used to, but more and more frequently i'm being asked for restaurant recs, and this is the latest ....

client wants to take some american guests to a 'decent' restaurant preferably with a view of the london/city skyline. I think he's looking for a wow factor rather than great food.

thought of oxo tower and old neat's (but can't think of the name) and pont de la tour etc on ground level, anything else i've missed?

thanks

gary

you don't win friends with salad

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They don't serve food (I don't think), but the view from the Waterstone's Bar on Piccadilly is pretty good ... Oxo Tower by far the best. I didn't think anything had taken Neats place??

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the old neats is called river walk - has two bits, brasserie and 'fine dining'. the brasserie's not at all bad and full of eye candy, which is always nice.

top floor of smith's of smithfield has a brilliant view over the city and stunning (but expensive) organic steaks.

the much derided babylon - which i absolutely love, excellently camp space, really friendly staff, modern british food which isn't at all bad despite reports - has a fabulous view over town. plus you get to stroll in the beautiful roof gardens afterwards if you like. wow factor a go-go.

conran's coq d'argent has great city views. as does his blueprint cafe (which i like, sorry conran haters) over the river.

ubon - nobu's wee brother - is pretty damn' fab and sticks right into the river at canary wharf.

and isn't there something called vertigo at the top of the natwest tower?

i wish i wish they'd reopen the revolving restaurant at the top of the telecom tower ...

m

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isn't open yet, but Gary Rhodes may well setting up in the City's tallest building - Tower 42 (Natwest). It should have some view...

in the meantime what about ubon - other nobu in westferry circus, docklands. views are good, food suitably expensive.

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What about Coq d' Argent or the hideously expensive Champagne Bar at the top of Tower 42 ( old Nat west building)?

Hugely suspicious of the food here, but if that isn't a priority (!!) , the Windows restaurant in the Park Lane Hilton.

Ubon or Quadrato in the Four Seasons Hotel at Canary Wharf.

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isn't open yet, but Gary Rhodes may well setting up in the City's tallest building - Tower 42 (Natwest).  It should have some view...

in the meantime what about ubon - other nobu in westferry circus, docklands. views are good, food suitably expensive.

Welcome to Egullet Martin. Are you UK based?

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Vertigo, on the 42nd floor of Tower 42/old NatWest Tower does have unparalleled views over London - City especially. When we were up there last, we looked down and saw the rain coming in from north to south.

You have to go through a couple of security checks to get up there, though.

Haven't been for a couple of years but I do remember that the food was absolutely rubbish - a few salad leaves and a couple of slices of bread for £10, or something silly. If Gary Rhodes is taking over, it will be a change for the better. Lots of champagne though.

Mind you, people don't go there for the food.

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The Heights Bar & Restaurant at the St. George's Hotel - Langham place, across the street from All Souls at the top of Regent Street, you can see clear across to Harrods and beyond...

www.nutropical.com

~Borojo~

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Welcome to Egullet Martin.  Are you UK based?

Bummer

Does this mean I'm no longer the youngest person (apart from Magnolia, of course ;-) ) on the UK board?

and welcome

re rooftop views i believe most has been said. the restaurant at tower 42 is (or was, at least) on the 24th and had pretty okish random modern.

J

More Cookbooks than Sense - my new Cookbook blog!
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  • 3 months later...

Lovely view but stretched service and awful food at the Blueprint Cafe last night. Salt Duck, Red Cabbage and Watercress had a miserly portion of paper thin slices of duck which, if it had any taste, was completely overwhelmed by the sweetness of the dressing on the red cabbage. It was like a dessert and it killed the hitherto pleasant bottle of Morgon Beaujolais. Fennel, Celeriac and Spinach Soup was fine.

Ox Tongue with Tomatoes, Pepper and Basil had thick chunks of tongue but it was curiously tasteless and instead of slices of tomato and peppers came with a mushy salsa which had leeched juice and rendered the meat and the dish "wet".

Fahro's Braised Veal with Green Sauce was inedible (well, except for the fact that I ate it :wub: ). Think school dinner stew-brown meat with globs of fat with a gloopy green sauce. That'll be £16 please. We really should have sent it back but the restaurant was crowded, the waiters harrassed and we knew we'd have to wait ages for something else as we'd already waited ages to order and get what we had and, in all honestly, we didn't want anything else. We just wanted to go, despite the view.

On the way out I asked if Jeremy Lee still headed up here. I was told yes and did I want to speak to him? I confess I chickened out. At that moment I really didn't know what I'd say I now wish I had. This place was once considered the best in an area clogged with restaurants. I'd had an excellent meal here myself a couple of years ago. Maybe people still rate it but I really wish we'd stuck to our original intention and carried on round the corner to Tentazione instead. I won't be going back.

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I've heard rumours that Jeremy Lee may be moving to work in Brighton, which might be a good move for him. He's been at the Blue Print for a fair old stint now, maybe he needs a change of scene? That said, I had an enjoable experience there recently, but early evening and on a £20.00 a head offer. I wrote about it here.

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I have not been, but based on the reports here and elsewhere, Putney Bridge has a lovely view of the River and pretty good food and wine.  Not vertiginous heights, to be sure, but a relaxing flow of water.

The Butler's Wharf Chophouse has more or less the same view as Blue print Cafe, albeit from a ground floor level, and is now a better restaurant IMO. They still do set meals in the bar for £9 two courses, £11 for three which I think is one of London's unsung bargains. Only trouble with that is that you can't book. Interestingly the other big Conran joint along there, La Pont de la Tour, which has always struck me as a tourist rip off, was absolutely jam packed on an admittedly lovely Saturday night. They're obviously doing something very right.

Edited by Tonyfinch (log)
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