14. August 2015: Restaurant Zoilo

Somehow the Restaurant Zoilo is becoming one of these place I always end up going to when I’m in London. This time I was actually – for the first time – having a proper dinner and not only a glass of wine. To start off, I went for a drink called “They used to call it burnt wine” (GBP8.95) with “Tomaso vodka (HM), raspberry puree, cranberry juice, lemon juice and ginger beer” which was quite refreshing and fit well to the first course.

The “pickled watermelon, white anchovies, watercress & fresh almonds” (GBP 6.95) were an interesting combination of different flavours and consistencies. Especially the crunchiness of the almonds with the softness of the watermelon and the combination of the salty flavours of the anchovies and the sour sweetness of the pickled watermelon made it a very interesting start.

As a second small course I had the “empanadas” in their three offered forms: “braised beef, potatoes, spring onions & olives” (GBP 3.50; on the menu the price was indicated with GBP 3.95), “shoulder of lamb, wild garlic, carrots & mint” (GBP 3.50; on the menu the price was indicated with GBP 3.95) and “spinach, goats’ cheese, raisins & pine nuts” (GBP 3.50; on the menu the price was indicated with GBP 3.95) which were okay.

The next course was the “sea bass ceviche, onions, chilli & preserved lemon” (GBP 7.95) which was very refreshing with a nice hint of spiciness due to the chili.

Being a huge quinoa fan, I went for the “grilled lamb neck, sweetbreads, black quinoa & artichokes” (GBP 10.95) and it was a good decision. The lamb neck was very tender and the quinoa delicious.

The “chimichurri beef burger, smoked bacon, provolone, onions & pickles” (GBP 6.95) was yummy as well – good meat, not too juicy and not too dry. Perfect.

The “classic chips ‘provenzal'” (GBP 3.95) on the other hand were really on the boring side. I mean, okay, there is not too much to expect from potatoes but still, they were very blunt.

The “Corte C, 2013, Malbec/Cabarnet Sauvignon/Bonarda, L de Cujo” (GBP 34.75) was a good fit to the dishes – nice red wine with a certain heaviness without being to overwhelming. To finish off dinner, I went for the “dulce de leche créme brûlée” (GBP 7.95) – a very nice finish.

The place is still very atmospheric but it seems like you have to book at least like three months in advance in order to get a table to eat there. We only managed to get a “table” at the bar (to be fair there are only four tables). The prices are very decent for what you get which is also true for the beverages (i.e. sparkling water, 0,75L, GBP 1.75). The service is dedicated, passionate, and knowledgeable about wine.

One thing which kind of pisses me off though is the automatic adding of the “Hope for Children donation” (GBP 1.00). I don’t mind the GBP 1.00 at all but it is a question of principle that you inform the customer that he is about to make a donation and not just add it without saying. They used to have small leaflets back in December 2014 where they explained the cause and background of the donation but they either run out of it or decided to not do that anymore. I don’t want to make a fuzz out of it – but it is not the way it is supposed to be.

However, if you are into wine and like good food, you should definitely eat at the Zoilo.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Zoilo

Duke Street 9

W1U 3EG London (UK)

Tel.: +44 20 74 86 96 99

E-Mail: info@zoilo.co.uk

Homepage: http://zoilo.co.uk

About the Author: Sven

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.