My favourite thing about visiting London is that I always stumble on something new to try – restaurant, activity, or a hidden gem in the city. For this reason, I don’t plan many activities when I have a trip to London. Instead, I leave room to be surprised. There are of course the standard bits like meeting up with friends, shopping, and catching a show at Piccadilly Circus. Other than those, I go with the vibe.
On my last trip, the boy and I stayed at the Park Grand Hyde Park Hotel. Although this hotel is in beautiful Hyde Park, I would not stay there again. This is not to say it is an absolutely terrible hotel; it just did not live up to what it appeared as on Expedia. The rooms were small and tight, the hallways were so narrow, our bags could barely fit, and beyond the reception area, the paint on the walls was dirty, and the hotel itself seemed to be poorly planned. If you don’t care much about where you stay because you plan to be out and about throughout your stay in London, then you might consider it. Otherwise, it’s best to consider other options. It had its pros though – the location being the key thing. It is a short walk to the park and to Kensington High Street, it has air-conditioning (something some hotels in London lack) and the staff seem OK. Not a dream hotel stay but good enough if you are looking for the bare minimum.
On this trip, I was keen to try restaurants I had never visited. Of the different places I tried, here are three that stood out:
La Palombe: The boy and I were set to meet some old friends for dinner and had just cancelled our reservation at a Michelin-star restaurant where the owner responded brashly to negative Google reviews. While looking at options near me, La Palombe stood out so I quickly booked a reservation. Like the name suggests, La Palombe is a cute French bistro in the Kensington area, a bit far away from the hustle and bustle of the Kensington High Street. We skipped the amuse-bouche and started with some entrees. The octopus was so good, that I could have eaten three more plates of it. The grilled duck and monkfish for the main course were absolutely delightful! We ordered a side of house salad for the table and the boy and my friends enjoyed some wine with their food. Everything was so good, we could have stayed there all night. The staff were friendly and the ambience was exactly what you’d want for a cosy night out and a catch-up with friends. If you are ravenous when you arrive for dinner, I suggest you start with the amuse-bouche and order something from each section of the menu. The portions are not large. They are designed to tantalize your taste buds, not to fill you up till you feel like you can roll down the street unaided.
Altonapoli: This was a spur-of-the-moment decision. The boy and I had just arrived by train from Bristol, we had checked into our afore-mentioned hotel, and we were famished. We decided to walk around the area to see what we could find. Outside Altonapoli was a boisterous man encouraging diners to try the restaurant for lunch. We looked at each other with that ‘why not?’ expression and went in. Happy to say there were no regrets. The menu is authentic Italian with a wide range of dishes to choose from. We ordered a Margherita Pizza and a Caprese salad. Both were delicious! I will certainly return there.
Smith’s Bar and Grill: This was a pleasant surprise in Paddington Central. I went there with a plan to have some fish and chips (as one should when you are in the UK), but the menu had other delicious seafood options so I chucked that idea. The calamari starter seemed popular the night we were there. The other diners close to us ordered it too and were all smiled. The seafood risotto and the seabass fillet mains were tasty and full of flavour. I loved the ambience of the restaurant too. After dinner here, we walked around Paddington Basin. I think it makes for a good date night restaurant.
Do you have any favourite restaurants in London you think I should try? Please share!
