early dinner-saturday

[sarah w]

I am looking for somewhere for about 5:30-6pm, reasonably speedy but good food for a meal for 4 people

on saturday. we are going to see a show @ the peacock theatre which i believe is on Portugal street nr Lincoln inn fields.

i have been to this area but day but not by weekend evening, i can imagine alot of places are closed as no business types about ?

we will be coming into waterloo so can always go to covent garden area on the way if needs be

I was thinking of:

bank @ aldwych

bodeans

gaucho grill

etc

i look foward to your advice. I have been to most places nr waterloo and alot of the norms The ivy, Incognico and so on

The friends we are going with like mediterranean style or quite simple meat/veg dishes combos

Thanks

sarah x

[circeplum]

cigala!

[sarah w]

tell me more !

[circeplum]

hope this does the link to cigala thang ...

[endless autumn]

Have just posted something here about Incognico - Shaftesbury Avenue, on the east side of Cambridge Circus.

I think they also do the same deal early evening - or you could just go for lunch and see if you can make it last until the play opens.

[sarah w]

thanks endless autumn but i have actually done deca and incognico- a few times so out for something a little different, never on the bargin pre theatre deals though

I looked at cigala website and looks good but i think it would be better for leisurely eating

keep em' coming

x

[Winot]

Anchor and Hope, The Cut. Reviewed here.

[endless autumn]

oops - sorry, should have bothered to read your post properly...

OK then: two pre-theatre deals I know of in the area -

West Street, between 5.30 and 7.15 two courses cost £13, and three £15.50

Mon Plaisir, two courses of trad Gallic fare £13.95, three for £15.95, including a glass of house wine and a coffee

not enormously interesting, granted, but at least appropriate

[Andy Lynes]

You are just around the corner from QC restaurant which opens at 5.00pm and offer a pre theatre menu. I had a great meal there earlier this year.

Website.

The thread.

[circeplum]

You are just around the corner from QC restaurant which opens at 5.00pm and offer a pre theatre menu. I had a great meal there earlier this year.

jun tanaka. damn fine chef. weird place, though ...

[Hallie]

weird place, though ...

Not if you like dining in a morgue...

[Gus]

One of my favourite restaurants in London is nearby (well, in Lamb's Conduit Street, near Cigala mentioned above).

It's Ciao Bella, a laid back little piece of Italy in London. Unpretentious, unstuffy, but a great place to go with friends, and very reasonably price. There'll probably be a guy playing the piano, when you go to your table you'll get large chunks of parmesan and olives, and a friendly, warm as opposed to austere and formal welcome. A lifting place. And for a really good meal get the seafood spaghetti cooked in a paper bag (the flavours infuse and it's wonderful - and costs about £7).

[endless autumn]

Went to Ciao Bella for a friend's birthday party once: not a good night, though the fault was not with the company.

I think the food's quite foul, but it is an amusing place. I'm unlikely to return, however.

Edited September 19, 2003 by endless autumn (log)

[Gus]

then you didn't have the seafood spaghetti in a paper bag!

seriously, surprised you found the food SO bad. i mean, it's not a fancy food place. but what it does is good, basic italian cooking. the pasta and pizzas are splendid.

the think i like about it is that - unlike most restaurants in london - it isn't just aimed at people eating on expenses, those building credit card debts before the recession kicks in, and people trying to impress on dates. there's nothing pretentious about it.

and in summer you can eat outside.

[Spam]

unlike most restaurants in london - it isn't just aimed at people eating on expenses, those building credit card debts before the recession kicks in, and people trying to impress on dates.

I think that there are plenty of restaurants in London where you can eat well without feeling it has to be on expenses. I can think of at least ten restaurants within fifteen minutes walk of my house in battersea where I could eat well for little more than a tenner. I am not in a massively well paid job, so for me it is all about value. I think we are very lucky that in London eating out is more about value and less about pretention.

[Gus]

To Spam:

Name them! (I say this not as it might sound - as a challenge - but because it would be good to know where they are).

Restaurants in this category, to my mind, are the best. The ones where you have meals you really enjoy with friends, where you go to have a good night not a special treat (with all the stress and risk of disapointment this entails).

I'm nowhere near Battersea... so if you wanted to name your top 10 around london, go on!