Manzi's Seafood in London?

[Brahmama]

Has anyone ever eating at Manzi's? It's just off Leister Square and I've read marvelous reviews, but it's a bit pricey, and I wanted a recommendation from a real live person! It's our 37th wedding anniversary so it's ok to have a splurge - but only if it's outstanding!

Carol ;)

[Sunny Shores]

For Fish and Chips we go to The Sea Shell this is about the best known - For High level seafood we go to Bentleys in Swallow Street. Manzis has been around for years I once stayed in their hotel (cramped). Restaurant is always busy. Check out Hardens guide its a little like the Zagat.

[Brahmama]

Hi Sunny,

Thanks for the response. Fish and Chips is surely on our agenda as well as the Seafood dinner splurge.

Where is the Sea Shell?

I did find some reviews for Manzi's (I have the 03 Time-Out) and they sound ok, but I was hoping to get a "real" person recomendation.

The location is SO great to stay in - I'm looking at the rooms too, but I see that some are very small. How long ago did you stay there? The question that my husband has is (!) Did it smell like fish in the rooms?

We always take earplugs, but I never thought about a fish smell in the rooms over the restaurant......But what a great location!

Carol :D

[Globaliser]

Where is the Sea Shell?

It's here and its website is here.

 

Alas, I can't agree about the quality of the F&C at the Sea Shell. About 15 years ago it was absolutely top rate, but it's changed hands a couple of times since then and it has become quite disappointing, to the extent that I've stopped going and stopped taking visitors.

 

You can get good F&C (together with some more upmarket fish dishes) from the Fish Shop on St John Street, which is more of a restaurant than a traditional chippie. Map here.

 

For a more traditional F&C experience, you could try the North Sea Fish Restaurant, which is here.

 

And for another good fish restaurant in the middle of town, you could try Sheekey's, map here.

[Brahmama]

Thanks Globalizer - for the reply, information and the links.

Looks like it's decisions time! What a plethora of choices in London. It's mind-boggling.

We are staying just a block or two from Leicester Square.

Could you give me some recommendations of places to eat that are in this general vicinity?

Bear in mind that we are retired educators on a pension!

We will have continental breakfast at our B&B. But we'll need to find a Pub or sandwich place. We can't eat out in a "real" restaurant more than once a day. I'm hoping to find a good high tea one day (reasonably priced of course, sigh) and that will do for dinner as well.

Any help will be appreciated.

We will be here 3 nights.

Carol

[Globaliser]

Could you give me some recommendations of places to eat that are in this general vicinity?

Are you wanting recommendations of dinner places rather than pubs and sandwich bars?

 

If you need the latter for lunchtime/daytime food, then the best thing to do is to explore wherever you are at the time, and go with what you can find. Pubs will vary enormously in atmosphere and clientele, so you will probably want to be sensitive about how any particular place looks and feels when you get there. You won't be very comfortable in the sort of place which goes completely silent the instant you walk in. There are thousands of sandwich bars, from small individual shops to big chains, so you won't want for that sort of food either.

 

For dinner, any sort of cuisine you have in mind? Anything to avoid? In Leicester Square, you are within walking distance of literally hundreds of decent restaurants.

[Brahmama]

well, darn. I had just composed a slightly witty and reasonably intelligent reply to Globalizer and hit the Submit Reply button and POOF! an error message appeared, but I had lost the whole thing.

So I'll try again - but if it lacks wit and intelligence I know you will understand.

 

Anyway, Globalizer, we would like a spiffy place for our Anniversary Dinner and I am thinking Seafood/Fish. I realize that Sheekey's is the Fav (but the reviews are rather mixed lately) but was hoping that Menzi's was doing a good job too. We are staying there - and I love their Italian-slanted menu. (Lashings of pesto, potatoes with rosemary, my favorite rocket salad, etc)

 

Another night we should really try the Chinese with Chinatown virtually on our doorstep. Which is your favorite Chinese restaurant?

 

Of course I don't want a pub to become uncomfortably mennacing as we walk in! We've never had that experience in the 5 or 6 pubs we have enjoyed. Are you familiar with the Blackbird over in Earl's Court? We were at the Burns one year and made that our local. I happen to enjoy British food (no sneers please!) and would like to have Steak and Guiness Pie, parsnip mash, mushy peas, and of course sticky toffee pie. AND real ale, please! (Or cider) I realize there will be bunches of pubs, but was hoping for one with real (not frozen) food and with a welcoming attitude.

 

Oh - one more idea. We do love Indonesian rihstafel (horribly spelled, I know) and found one in London only to walk over there and find it only served it in the evening, and we were there for lunch.

 

Anyway, thanks for your time and ideas - I was hoping that you would spot this thread and post!

Carol

[lord of the seas]

Brahmama,I eat at J Sheekey at least three times a month it is excellent in both food and service and is the best place to have fish in London and should not be confused with some other Fish and Chip places that have been recommended,although a fish and chip experience is also not to be missed,it is a more casual dining option

Regards

John

[Globaliser]

Anyway, Globalizer, we would like a spiffy place for our Anniversary Dinner and I am thinking Seafood/Fish. I realize that Sheekey's is the Fav (but the reviews are rather mixed lately) but was hoping that Menzi's was doing a good job too. We are staying there - and I love their Italian-slanted menu. (Lashings of pesto, potatoes with rosemary, my favorite rocket salad, etc)

 

Another night we should really try the Chinese with Chinatown virtually on our doorstep. Which is your favorite Chinese restaurant?

...

Oh - one more idea. We do love Indonesian rihstafel (horribly spelled, I know) and found one in London only to walk over there and find it only served it in the evening, and we were there for lunch.

I think you're unlikely to be able to do better than Sheekey's for a "spiffy" seafood/fish dinner near where you're staying. As lord of the seas says, it really is a good restaurant and not just an F&C place.

 

I don't do the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown very much but Harbour City on Gerrard Street (the main pedestrianised street in Chinatown) is supposed to be one of the better ones.

 

I don't think you're likely to find any good Indonesian, though. You really need Amsterdam for that.

 

HTH.

[lord of the seas]

I think you're unlikely to be able to do better than Sheekey's for a "spiffy" seafood/fish dinner near where you're staying. As lord of the seas says, it really is a good restaurant and not just an F&C place.

 

I don't do the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown very much but Harbour City on Gerrard Street (the main pedestrianised street in Chinatown) is supposed to be one of the better ones.

 

I don't think you're likely to find any good Indonesian, though. You really need Amsterdam for that.

 

HTH.

Hi Globaliser,

Indonesian:" Malati " 21 Great Windmill Street W1 not bad and the right location

 

John

[Brahmama]

Excellent; I will add Malati to my short list.

Thanks for the replies.

Carol

[Sunny Shores]

I have now sampled Sheekeys ( Imust be dumb because any closer to my hotel (The St. Martins Lane) and I would be sitting in there for breakfast.

 

I will be a regular I'm sure.

 

P.S. there was no fish smell but I remmeber it to be quite smokey. This is over 14 years ago.

[Brahmama]

This is great! Talk about a first hand report.

Tell me what you had to eat? And about the experience itself. Were the people friendly and helpful about ordering? The waitstaff that is. Did you have to wait a long time to get in? And (finally) did you have reservations???

 

Carol

[lord of the seas]

This is great! Talk about a first hand report.

Tell me what you had to eat? And about the experience itself. Were the people friendly and helpful about ordering? The waitstaff that is. Did you have to wait a long time to get in? And (finally) did you have reservations???

 

Carol

Brahmama,

 

Reservations are essential

 

Unless you are me!!

 

John

[Brahmama]

Dear John,

 

Well, then, there's nothing for it. We will just have to be your guests so as not to need a reservation.

 

Lovely idea. :)

[lord of the seas]

Dear John,

 

Well, then, there's nothing for it. We will just have to be your guests so as not to need a reservation.

 

Lovely idea. :)

Brahmama,

 

Good thought,when do you arrive?

 

John

[Brahmama]

John,

We arrive 4 October bright and early in the AM at Gatwick.

Why don't you join us at Melati's for that Indonesian and hope that it's got a Rijsttafel!

;)

[lord of the seas]

John,

We arrive 4 October bright and early in the AM at Gatwick.

Why don't you join us at Melati's for that Indonesian and hope that it's got a Rijsttafel!

;)

Brahmama,

Oh yes it's definately got a Toilet!!

 

John