Eye-candy @ Galvin at Windows

Perched on the 28th Floor of the Hilton Park Lane, Galvin at Windows promises - arguably, one of the best views of London on offer. With Hyde Park at one corner, the Thames at the next, and the City skyline edging in between - the establishment gives new meaning to the phrase 'eye candy'. Their floor-to-ceiling windows help lighten up the chic art-deco interior. But does their food match up? 

I visited on a very busy weekday afternoon. With a michelin star under their belt, I had high expectations. The service was courteous, considering the fact the staff seemed to have a lot on their hands. I would admit, the number of diners then made me feel a bit like I was in a department store cafe. But  as I snacked on my warm bread and creamy French butter, my expectations remained high as I eagerly awaited my entrée.

May entrée of Teriyaki-cured salmon, Avocado, Pickled kohlrabi and apple had arrived promptly, and certainly did not disappoint. The contrastingly different flavours of the fish and teriyaki sauce provided a vibrance to the palate, which was subdued with the richness of the avocado. The apple and kohlrabi seemed a bit out of place with me, but did not serve to make anything worse either. So no complaints.

This was followed by a Braised lamb belly, féve, Charlotte pomme écrasée & herb lamb jus; undoubtedly the star of the show. The lamb belly was as tender as tender could be, and the crushed potatoes stuck the ideal balance between mash and chunk. The carrots and broad beans were cooked wonderfully, with all elements of the dish subtly brought together with the herb lamb jus. Bravo!

Desert consisted of a Baked egg custard, Rhubarb compote, Chocolate foam and Honeycomb. It sounded incredible on the menu - and the sweetness of the custard, tartness of the rhubarb, and bitterness of the chocolate encapsulated every flavor a great dessert should possess, but I thought it lacked a bit of texture despite the crunchy honeycomb, and required a more eye-catching presentation.

To finish off, I ordered myself a decent cuppa which was accompanied by some delicious  Chocolate and cloud-like Marshmallows - some of the best I've had. I was tempted to nick all of them back home with me, but resisted the temptation. Our bill per person had came up to about £40 per person, and  by the end I was simply too full for words.

Galvin at Windows certainly proved to have matched my expectations, and I enjoyed my experience there. It makes for a great place to take someone special to for an intimate meal or a dear friend coming visiting London, as you immerse yourself in culinary finesse whilst soaking up some lovely views. Just head on over when there aren't as many people there, so that you can appreciate the atmosphere even more.

Address: 28th Floor, Hilton Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE, United Kingdom

Presentation: 7/10

Ambiance: 7/10

Service: 7.5/10

Overall Taste: 8/10

General Impression: 7.5/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic

Mr Chow London, Knightsbridge

Mr Chow, situated in the heart of glitzy Knightsbridge, is definitely a place to see and be seen at. Frequented by the glitterati, the London branch has seen the likes of Simon Cowell, Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber walk through it's doors. But putting it's celebrity cult status behind, to me Mr Chow isn't what it seems to be.

Reminiscent of a high-end 1960s establishment, the interior was not as tacky as I thought it to be. Serving up what I'd call experimental-Chinese cuisine, items on the menu were more suited to the American palate. Think Chinese food in a white takeaway box, though slightly more elaborate than that.

We began our meal with Crispy Duck Rolls filled with shredded duck and vegetables. Though the rolls were a bit too crunchy and the sauce a bit too dull for my tastes, the duck and vegetables were tender and certainly made amends. Our expectations still remained high as we waited for our mains.

Our Glazed Prawns with Walnuts was a pleasure to eat. The prawns were cooked perfectly, and had a lovely crisp exterior. There was just enough of (what seemed to be) a mayo-based sauce to coat the shrimp, and together with the walnuts the dish proved to be a unusual but satisfying course.

If the dish 'Squid Ink Noodles with Squid' doesn't sound the least bit funky - then I don't know what does. Reminiscent of an insipid plate of Char Kwey Teow (a Chinese noodle dish from Malaysia), the only lasting thing I got out of eating this was a stained mouth. The dish was heavy, bland and one-dimensional. Strike one.

The Spicy Roasted Pork was not to my liking either. Apart from the disproportionate amount of pork to vegetables, the dish was too spicy for me to appreciate anything, not that there was anything worth appreciating at all. Also, did I forget to mention the strands of HAIR in it? Strike two. 

The Drunken Fish was a dish which tasted just as obscure as it sounded. The fish was abundant but lacked in quality and freshness - which was good, as the sauce had enough of rice-wine vinegar to overpower my entire taste-buds. Along with the pork and the noodles, this was horribly disappointing. Strike three.

Three strikes, and you're out. 

Our dishes were accompanied with some Fried Rice. The rice itself was delicate and filled aplenty with prawns and spring onions. It was a pity that we weren't able enjoy it, thanks to the overpowering mains that we personally felt obliged to finish (I mean, for the price that we were paying).

This serving of Peach Tart à la mode was given to me as a complementary dessert after having found strands of hair in my Spicy Roasted Pork. Cold and overly sweet, it wasn't enjoyable at all (the tart of course). And as for the ice cream? If ever Plane Jane were to be a scoop of ice-cream, she would've been just that.

Our bill came up to slightly over £200, and we left the restaurant full but sorely disappointed. To all of you who plan on visiting, you'd be better off ordering from a Chinese takeout than eating at - quite possibly - one of the worst excuses for a Chinese restaurant I've been to. Spare yourselves the pain and avoid it at all costs - because the least that one can expect from a restaurant constantly serving up the glitterati, are hair-free dishes.

Address: 151 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7PA, United Kingdom

Presentation: 3/10

Ambiance: 8/10

Service: 7/10

Overall Taste: 3/10

General Impression: 2/10

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Cheers,

BrianandRepublic