Tue 31 Jul, 2012 UJ RESTAURANT SUPPLEMENT So many restaurants, so little time. It seems the restaurant scene in London shows no signs of slowing down. So, to keep up to speed, here’s our round up of some of the latest openings that have taken our fancy. From a ping pong pizza joint to the new pisco spot on the block, you won’t be going hungry any time soon. BANCA Banca – Milan via Mayfair 30 North Audley Street, W1K 6HF www.bancarestaurant.com | 020 7647 2525 | @BancaRestaurant In a sentence Milan via Mayfair, from the people behind Zuma and Roka. Vibe Very Italian and very classic (think crisp white tablecloths, marble and waiters in cream blazers). There were suited men to our left, Italian ladies-who-lunch to our right. Flavours Fresh, seasonal fare from Northern Italy. The antipasti menu is broad – native lobster, baked sea scallops, seared octopus and terrine of rabbit to name a few – while the pasta and risotto sections stick to simplicity (go for the lasagnette or veal and aubergine cannelloni). Secondi is where it gets fancy, with seared monkfish, poached salt cod, roast milk-fed lamb and piglet belly. Top Tip If the 5-course menu is too much to take in at lunchtime, take a bar seat at the hot or cold counters and do it Milan-style. Highlight The apricot compote and lime ice cream dessert. Refreshingly zingy. BURGER AND LOBSTER BURGER AND LOBSTER – B&L gets its claws into Dean Street 36 Dean Street, W1D 4PS www.burgerandlobster.com | 020 7432 4800 | @londonlobster In a sentence Queue-tastic Mayfair haunt digs its claws into Dean Street. Vibe Brick walls and red banquets. A nice bar, which could become a bit of a scene (perhaps an alternative to DST), but it was relatively quiet when we went in. They need music. Or if they have it, it needs to be louder. A great mid-week lunch or dinner spot. Flavours The lobsters are huge and the garlic lemon butter went down a storm. Chips were just as we like them – skinny, salty, crunchy and plentiful – but the salad was small and had as much parmesan as leaves. We're not so sure about the XXL mayo bottles on the tables either. Top Tip Don't sit at the bar if you want to eat. A table is necessary for crustacean cracking. Highlight No queue the night we were there (hooray!) and you can book ahead. And we love a bib. HELIOT HELIOT – A slice of Vegas in W1 Cranbourn Street, Leicester Square, WC2H 7JH www.hippodromecasino.com/heliot | 020 7769 8844 | @HippodromeLDN In a sentence A slice of Vegas in the heart of the West End: the Hippodrome lives! Vibe If you like Vegas, you're going to love it here. The smell of tobacco hits you from the moment you walk in and the gambling floor was bustling at 7PM. The Tom Dixon designed light fixtures and private room with a nod to Firmdale décor attempts to bring a hint of London style to the overall feel. The theatre – where Polly Rae was performing when we were there – is where you'll find us. Flavours Think room service menu with a few upscale offerings thrown in. This is not gourmet dining, but it is extremely well executed comfort food. The millionaire's mac 'n' cheese with pheasant egg and black truffle was indulgent, as were the lobster fish fingers. The drinks are good – the cocktail menu is a tome – and the champagne was properly chilled (surprisingly hard to find in this town). Top Tip Go here late night (they serve dinner until 1AM). People watching will be great and it's not members-only so you can go with a group you've just met at a party, sans hassle. Highlight It's fun, something a little different for a night out, and it really felt like we were in Vegas. Mini vacation in W1! LIMA LIMA – Noho's latest Pisco outlet 31 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia, W1T 1JH www.limalondon.com | 020 3002 2640 | @lima_london In a sentence Noho's latest Pisco outlet. If Ceviche is a cheeky late night stop out, then Lima is its cooler, grown-up sibling. Vibe Chic without being boring, the décor is contemporary with an Inca touch – everything down to the glassware and crockery is effortlessly stylish. Perch at the bar by the open floor-length windows on summer evenings. Flavours Fresh, sharp and sexy. Sustainability and attention to detail are key here – most ingredients are sourced from the UK, with a select few from Peru. The texture and flavours of unusual ingredients like pink molle, Botija olives, purple corn and blue potato mean the dishes are a cut above. Top Tip Go all out with the starters. Get at least one from each section – tiraditos (sashimi-like slices of fish), ceviches and causas (filled potato). The bay scallops and braised octopus transported us back to the beaches of Mancora. Highlight The Pisco cocktail menu – go for the Cuento del Diablo, spicy with a sweet strawberry kick and devil horns. And the encyclopaedic knowledge of the waiters (thanks Juan!). PING PING – Ping-Pongtastic pizza place 180-184 Earl's Court Road, SW5 9QG www.weloveping.com | 020 7370 5358 | @weareping In a sentence The management teams behind Love Brunch and Bungalow 8 create a home of their own. Soho House Group watch out. Vibe This is where the hot west London crowd is at. The service is slick, the staff is top tier, the crowd has preppy flair, the music is pumping, and the drinks are worth travelling for. Oh, and there's ping pong. Flavours Thin crust pizza – highlights included The Pear (pear, walnuts, gorgonzola), The Truffle (truffle, roast potato, homemade sausage), The Ceviche (cod, passionfruit, basil), as well as a tomato-led salad that was outstanding. Top Tip Bring friends, settle in, and spend the night here. They have enlisted some of London's top DJs to spin the night away, so brush off those dancing shoes, and rev up that backhand. Highlight The staff (and the male uniforms), music, and Rhubarb Aperols. Reserved Archive > LINK TO THIS FEATURE: Reserved by MY, JC & TR SPOTLIGHT Win a Seat at a Secret ting Sponsored Listing London meets Jamaica this summer at ting's Secret Supper Club. Enjoy the sparkling grapefruit crush drink in a variety of fun cocktails (we like it simply on ice with lime, too), alongside a fittingly exotic 3-course Caribbean meal at a secret location. If you can't bring the party to the Caribbean… ting is giving 30 readers and a guest of their choice the chance to attend the Secret Supper Club on Monday August 13. To be in with a chance of winning, simply 'like' www.facebook.com/jamaicating and head to the Secret Supper Club tab to enter your details. Competition closes at midnight on August 6. Winners will be chosen at random, notified via Facebook and phoned by August 10. @Jamaica_ting www.jamaicating.com Agenda Picks This Week’s Restaurant Picks EAT EAT EAT EAT Sushisamba combines Japan x Brazil x Peru for an alfresco dining experience with a twist. Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, EC2N 4AY Pop up Flat Iron are serving up steak made, well… on a flat iron. Owl & Pussycat, 34 Redchurch Street, E2 7DP Enjoy a recipe for perfection at Feast's latest foodie extravaganza. Guy's Hospital, St Thomas Street, SE1 9RT Russell Norman's empire continues to grow as Polpo opens up in Smithfield. 2 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6DR CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIStingS LIKE SHARE FORWARD PREVIOUS EDITION (c) 2012 Urban Junkies. All rights reserved. Reproductions of any portion of this website only with our express permission. Urban Junkies is a free daily mailer. All listings and features are editorial: We do not receive any payment from venues, artists or promoters. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information listed but we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.