Where? Cable Street, Tower Hill

Cirilo’s is not your usual Chinese or Japanese restaurant but offers more of a mixture of oriental cuisine styles. 

 The starters are, in the risk of sounding cliché, finger-licking good-the highlight of my entire meal. Starters include sticky ribs, tasty crispy aromatic duck and my personal favourite, delightfully crispy and tender fried shrimp, accompanied by sweet and sour sauce. I was surprised by how large the starter portions were.

It wasn’t just the starters that were generous in size, but main dishes were also unbelievably enormous making it a real treat. I went for Chicken Mami (£6.95) as my main dish. My huge bowl had what seemed like a year’s supply of steaming hot soup. This is not an exaggeration. From what I could finish, the Chicken Mami was richly favourable, satisfying and nicely presented. The marinated roasted chicken pieces were a great touch.

The huge portions in itself, gives the dishes a sort of wow-factor. The chefs’ expertise is reflected in the delicious and quality food. With me feeling stuffed by the end of my meal and the outstanding value for money, I was not disappointed. At Cirilo’s you can easily have a three course meal for as little as £20.

The waitress and chef made me feel special. They were very warm and friendly. The soft-lighting, relaxing background music and the wall paintings which I thought were particularly beautiful sets a serene atmosphere, great for a romantic or cosy meal out. The overall ambience of the restaurant’s interior results in the place being like a diamond in the rough. Cirilo’s odd location is questionable yet actually makes it a real gem.

Outside Cirilo's

Where? Oxford Circus

An atmospheric Turkish restaurant that draws on the culinary influences of the Ottoman Empire, prepared and served with a modern touch. It offers a truly “East meets West” experience.

 Ozer is part of ‘Sofra,’ a chain of licensed restaurants that serve a variety of Turkish dishes throughout the day. Named after acclaimed leading chef Huseyin Ozer, the restaurant was created to act as a whole new approach to eating that has dismissed many of the prejudices surrounding the traditional view of Turkish cuisine as just limited to fast food kebabs.

 The linen tablecloths and fresh flowers or candles on tables made me feel as if I was about to experience a memorable and romantic meal. Bright red walls and a sea of cushions set the theme of the place.

It is difficult to give a definitive guide to the cost of a meal, as they have a series of set menus, particularly at lunch and in the early evening that are good value. To be exact, there are three set menus – the healthy menu, crunch menu and party menu.

 As a struggling student, the word “Crunch” made decision-making quick and easy. The other two menus had over-priced food. The “Crunch” menu costs £10.95 until 6pm and £12.95 after, for the main dish and a glass of wine (or soft drink) with complimentary hummus, olives and warm bread. You can choose from prime scotch sirloin steak or spicy fish stew to tender chicken salad. Our waitress was extremely attentive and kind.

I opted for Chicken Kulbasti since it was highly recommended and I soon found out why. The seasoned chicken fillet was memorable. It was tender and juicy and served with rice and vegetables-a well-portioned and delicious dish. For starters I had a generous bowl of lentil soup (£3.95). I wanted to try an authentic Turkish desert, so I chose Kazandibi-an upside down milk pudding with a caramelized top with cinnamon powder and tahini ice cream. Delicious.

The  free hummus, olives and warm bread was a real treat and a great way to impress a new-comer. The overall décor and atmosphere of the place is also a plus. But I personally wouldn’t order anything other than meals from the “Crunch” menu, before 6pm. Times are hard!

The pretty layout

Where? Poland Street, Soho

Bodeans serves great American-style food and is, in my opinion, the best smokehouse in London for that authentic and unmistakable barbeque flavour.

The opinion at Bodean’s is that ‘fingers were invented before knives and forks’ so the idea is just to get stuck in. Sticky ribs, fat burgers, pulled pork and chicken wings tempt you to ditch the cutlery.

House specialities from the wood-burning smoke-pit oven include baby back, spare or beef ribs or barbeque chicken and combo feasts such as a quarter of chicken served with a portion of baby back ribs and their special pulled pork. Other alternatives on the menu include shrimp jambalaya, or  melt-in-the-mouth fillet steaks with chipotle butter and jumbo gamba shrimps.

There are two sections to this restaurant. The upstairs is more of a ‘fast food’ eating area, with a table service area downstairs-”deli-up, diner-down” is what they call it. Upstairs is modelled on an American diner with a more snack based diner menu. Then downstairs is a complete change to street level. You enter down a back stair case and arrive in a dimly lit basement space with tables and booths.

Upstairs Bodeans

I stayed upstairs after hearing that the downstairs  menu is more expensive-Why? I don’t know.  long high tables, high stools (not as uncomfortable as you would think) and two large 42” Plasma Screens featuring live, and pre-taped sporting events straight from the US of A (North American Sports) and Prem League Football. Upstairs the service was quick and efficient. I simply had to grab a seat, order at the counter and await my food, and it wasn’t a long wait either. The menu offers a variety of old- fashioned American favourites priced under £10-£15. Not too bad for quality food.

As a first-timer, I opted for a half slab of BBQ baby-back ribs served with fries and coleslaw (£9.95) and chowed down American-style (with fingers!). The rich bbq sauce is what makes the ribs mouthwatering and a pleasure to eat. I remember thinking that they were one of the best that I’ve ever had! What a complement. I also had a satisfying side of onion rings (£3.95).

Just two minutes’ stroll from London’s retail jungle Oxford Street, Bodeans is great if you’re looking for a quick meal of good, old-fashioned American food especially BBQ or a nice sit-down evening meal.

Bodeans sign

Where? Soho Street (off Oxford Street)

Soba in Soho Street is an ultra-modern noodle bar and great alternative to the already distinguished ‘Wagamamas.’

Named after a type of thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour, Soba offers nutritious oriental cuisine- a treat for both meat eaters and vegetarians. I quickly learnt how generous their portions are with my huge, tasty bowl of Chicken Ramen (£6.50) which was filled with a year’s supply of soup-great if you’re up for a detox. My starter of salt and pepper squid (£3.75) was expertly executed, and even the plain old dish of Chinese greens with oyster sauce was a tasty treat (£2.95). With the generous portions married with reasonable prices, it’s hard to complain- Side orders range from £2.80 – £3.90 and dishes range from £5.30 – £6.80.

The dining and décor is quite bright, open and minimal with long yellow tables and black lacquered benches dominating the room giving the place a genuinely Japanese feel. I did feel however, that the place was a little too spacious. At lunch time there was hardly any customers which is a pleasant change from the crowdedness we find in Wagamamas, but Soba lacked life. What didn’t lack life is the menu. I found it to be terrifically more varied than mama’s leaving me more spoilt for choice.

Thanks to its location, Soba is ideal if you’re looking for a quick snack to regain your energy during your shopping spree in nearby and exhausting Oxford Street.

Open from 12.00pm – 3.30 pm and 5.30 pm – 11 pm Monday to Friday, Saturday 12 – 10pm and Sunday 12 – 9pm.

Brazilian Buffet

Where?  the O2, Greenwich

Rodizio Rico is a Brazilian bar and restaurant that offers a truly unique dining experience. I remember thinking that I had never been to a restaurant quite like this. And I meant it in a good way. Rodizio in Portugeese means rotating. It refers to their unique style of service where experienced passadors (meat carvers) pass from table to table slicing different cuts of meat from skewers onto your plate. It’s like a buffet without having to get up as much to help your self- a luxury for all those lazy people out there!

As the friendly passadors offered me with what seemed like a never-ending tempting selection of meat, all I had to do was say “yes please” and enjoy. They continued to serve different kinds of freshly grilled meats until I couldn’t eat anymore. The selection of meat includes, beef in a variety of cuts from silverside to picanha, the heart of the rump; pork; chicken thighs and chicken wings as well as authentic specialities. I was also able to help myself to a vast display of traditional Brazilian hot dishes and exotic salads on the buffet.

However, I questioned the authenticity of the dishes only because the selection of traditional hot dishes were scarce compared to the salads and ofcourse the vast array of meats. I could tell that everything at Rodizio was excellently grilled because the meat was so rich in flavour and delightfully succulent. The lamb dishes were my personal favourite.

Just when I thought I had seen all what Rodizio had to offer, I was pleasantly surprised when a waiter arrived with a stunning and colourful display of luscious deserts on a tray. I chose three generous scoops of my favourite flavoured ice-cream draped in chocolate sauce. It was the perfect way to end the meal.

Initially I couldn’t help thinking that £22.50 was too expensive for a buffet (I’m used to paying £10 for chinese buffets), but by the end of my night I definatly felt that I got my money’s worth and more. Rodizio Rico is a great place to go when you have a big appetite and the urge to try out something new. It’s a carnivore’s dream come true.

Rodizo Rico in O2