Hurrah! The fortnight-long, strangely-named London Restaurant Week is here! Apparently venues in Manchester and Birmingham also take part, so it's really just the 'restaurant' bit of the name that's accurate.
During this fortnight well-known and prestigious restaurants offer three-course lunches for £15 and three-course dinners for £25, usually from a set menu.
Now, I'm in two minds about this event. I like the fact that it publicises good restaurants and encourages those who don't eat out very often to try somewhere new. On the other hand, the offer isn't exceptionally good value in most cases, compared to the year-round offers available online.
For instance, I've been wanting to visit the Albannach for a while and checked the list to find that it's taking part in restaurant week. I also checked Toptable, however, to find that they're offering 50% off all food. Well, that's not restricted to a set menu and it'll work out cheaper than £25 a head, so ...
I also noticed that Lanes, on Middlesex Street, is now a Marco Pierre White grill and steakhouse. I've always liked the restaurant but found the menu quite static and the atmosphere a bit 'city'-ish, so I was keen to see whether it had changed for the better. I checked the offers and again the Toptable offer won: I booked and went for dinner last night. Now I feel that I've done my bit for London Restaurant Week without being crowbarred into paying more than necessary!
And yes, it has changed for the better. The atmosphere is far more relaxed and the menu is a meat-lover's delight - a clever mix of fancy cuisine and simple steaks and grills. I'm certainly going to keep my eyes peeled for special offers in the future.
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