Seeking a Great (Solo) Dining Experience

[The Little Blue House]

I have posted here a few times about my upcoming trip to Europe. Now that the schedule is all set, I know that I have one night (December 26) on my own in London. I am looking forward to it and I really want to eat well that evening, though not too expensively.

Being on my own in a (so far) strange city, I would prefer to venture not to far away from the hotel (near Kensington High Street) or at the very least, to have the destination not be too hard to find.

Any suggestions are very welcome!

Thanks,

Emily

[Matthew Grant]

I'm only hazarding a guess but a lot of restaurants may be closed on Boxing day, I also imagine that a lot of the produce may be a couple of days old

[MobyP]

What is not expensively?

You'll be near Racine, which has some good reviews here. Also across the park from Royal China (Queensway) for above average Chinese food.

But as Mathew says, Boxing day is the dead zone around here.

[Suzi Edwards]

http://www.londontouristboard.com/whats_on...stmasindex.html

this might help you make sure you don't miss anything.

i was pleasently surprised by how much was open in ny for thanksgiving but i think you might find that lots of places will be closed here. i'd second moby's chinese idea though.

[ainswome]

Well Little Bay in Farringdon is other side of the the circle line but it is certainally cheap, pretty good and I think it is open on boxing day (it's definately open xmas eve)

[The Little Blue House]

I'm not sure that I want to do Chinese--I live in Hawaii, and that is one of the very available choices at home. Thanks though!

-Emily

[circeplum]

busaba eathai is good if you're on your own because it has bar-type seating (esp the one off tottenham court road) and is really reasonably priced. thai food pretty good too. gorgeous design. (don't know if it's open, though.)

wagamama works for the same reasons.

if i were in town, i'd offer to join you! can't be on your own on boxing day in a strange city! (though i did it in new york once. went to the empire diner. good choice for lone eating.)

m

[curlywurlyfi]

to lessen the chance of encountering Christmas timing issues, you could always head for one of the vast range of Lebanese/Middle Eastern places on the Edgware Road. my favourite is Al-Dar but it is, deep breath, grips side of chair, not licensed, thus rendering it utterly pointless. Maroush is good but not always stellar. If you go there you can have a prod round the brilliant Green Valley supermarket (Edgware Rd end of Upper Berkeley St) - I reel just at the pastries, but they also do an amazing array of olives and fresh roasted nuts. Or, if I drag myself back to the restaurant request, there's Al Waha on Westbourne Grove, which is great, and prob a bit closer to High St Ken.

[The Little Blue House]

if i were in town, i'd offer to join you! can't be on your own on boxing day in a strange city! (though i did it in new york once. went to the empire diner. good choice for lone eating.)

m

I do feel rather odd going to a city like London, and somehow not knowing a single person there. It seems like a major oversight in my life so far.

I am willing to spend a bit of money, provided I am treated nicely and there is a decent wine list. I would prefer to not do "ethnic" unless ethnic is French or Spanish (two cuisines not readily available here in Hawaii). I think that I want to sit at a table and not a bar because I am shy, and bars can be a bit overwhelming. I want my experience to be pleasant, and I want to feel as though I have treated myself, because this night comes in the midst of lots of family holiday craziness and will be my one moment of sanity (i.e. no family).

-Emily

[Holly Moore]

I'm always able to rationalize my way around "not too expensively." And close to the hotel isn't all that expensive and a ride to and fro in a London Taxi is part of the tourist experience.

I had a great dinner on my own at London's oldest restaurant Rules. Finished off the Prime Rib with Yorkshire Pudding for two, earning a Jeevesian "Well done, sir" from my tuxedoed waiter.

Fine, traditional British dining.

[jackal10]

I'd say come and see us in Cambridge, except that its an hour north by train, and I don't know how reliable they would be on Boxing day, and expecially late at night. Alas we can't offer accomodation, since remote family and waifs and strays are taking it all. College is closed for the holidays, or we could use the guest rooms there.

[anil]

I'm not sure that I want to do Chinese--I live in Hawaii, and that is one of the very available choices at home. Thanks though!

-Emily

Have some pub food Seriously it is an experience that you may not find in Hawaii.

[Scott]

if i were in town, i'd offer to join you!  can't be on your own on boxing day in a strange city!  (though i did it in new york once.  went to the empire diner.  good choice for lone eating.)

m

I do feel rather odd going to a city like London, and somehow not knowing a single person there. It seems like a major oversight in my life so far.

I am willing to spend a bit of money, provided I am treated nicely and there is a decent wine list. I would prefer to not do "ethnic" unless ethnic is French or Spanish (two cuisines not readily available here in Hawaii). I think that I want to sit at a table and not a bar because I am shy, and bars can be a bit overwhelming. I want my experience to be pleasant, and I want to feel as though I have treated myself, because this night comes in the midst of lots of family holiday craziness and will be my one moment of sanity (i.e. no family).

-Emily

Andrew Edmunds is avery friendly, cozy, very typical london restaurant. Good value, and excellent wine list.

what I don't know is if they're open

[The Little Blue House]

I'm always able to rationalize my way around "not too expensively." And close to the hotel isn't all that expensive and a ride to and fro in a London Taxi is part of the tourist experience.

I had a great dinner on my own at London's oldest restaurant Rules. Finished off the Prime Rib with Yorkshire Pudding for two, earning a Jeevesian "Well done, sir" from my tuxedoed waiter.

Fine, traditional British dining.

I am the type of person who spent $500 at Charlie Trotter's, and walked out with a smile on my face because I really felt like I got a deal... But get angry when Indian food in Honolulu is just not all that good, but still costs more than $20 per person. So the better the experience, the happier I am to spend the money... Though, I don't really have $500 right now. Less than or about $100 (including decent but not ridiculous wine) for one is better...

What are the chances that Rules would be open? And about how much was your meal?

I love taxis.

-Emily

[The Little Blue House]

I'm not sure that I want to do Chinese--I live in Hawaii, and that is one of the very available choices at home.  Thanks though!

-Emily

Have some pub food Seriously it is an experience that you may not find in Hawaii.

Can you (or someone) recommend one? And if I don't drink beer, should I go anyway?

-Emily

[anil]

I'm not sure that I want to do Chinese--I live in Hawaii, and that is one of the very available choices at home.  Thanks though!

-Emily

Have some pub food Seriously it is an experience that you may not find in Hawaii.

Can you (or someone) recommend one? And if I don't drink beer, should I go anyway?

-Emily

Wenlock Arms and Lamb & Flag are the two that come to mind. I do not know the exact address, but I manage to go there through 'rote. Maybe some locals could chime in.

[Suzi Edwards]

i think a search of the uk forums will bring up the addresses of the pubs. i'm not a pub person so i can't recommend either, but i am not sure that they are famous for their food though they are certainly well regarded pubs.

i was in kensington for burger club the other night and i walked past both clarkes and kensington place (both on kensington church street) both are quite famous. clarkes is "the british chez panisse" and could be a really good bet for a solo meal. i've never been but would keen to hear any reports. they do a "set" menu for £5 per head. it also has a lovely looking deli attached which fi mentioned she really rates. a little futher down the road is kensington place which was named as one of the uk's most important restaurants a while ago. this is mainly because when rowley leigh was cooking there it was part of the british restaurant revolution so i can't comment on what it's like now. it was packed last tuesday and struck me as a buzzy fun place to go. might be a good solo dining place as it looked great for people watching.

don't miss pierre marcolini in lancer square on kensington church street too. amazing chocolate. we bought the single bean ones and had a chocolate tasting at home. madagascar won, in case you are interested :-)

[Andy Lynes]

they do a "set" menu for £5 per head.

It's £49.00 unfortunately - full SP at

Sally Clarkes website.

[Andy Lynes]

If it was me, I'd be tempted to try Launceston Place. It's in the area, is a sister restaurant to Kensington Place and as such has some input from chef Rowley Leigh, and looks like a comfortable and intimate sort of place where they might look after a lone diner. Website here.

[Suzi Edwards]

ooops. sorry, missed out the 0 there.

[Janice]

If you fancy trying a pub, the Anchor and Hope on the Cut near Waterloo might be a good compromise (assuming it's open). The food is great, very British, and a friend of mine had an experience of being treated exceptionally well there recently when dining alone despite the place being packed.

[Andy Lynes]

I have also heard excellent things about The Anchor and Hope from a chef friend who is very difficult to please. Not very close to where you are staying but it is right by Waterloo, so fairly easy to find.