VQ has actually opening its second restaurant in Covent Garden – an area where i’m sure will keep the place on its toes. The food is OK here at VQ and so is the wine, it’s not gourmet dining, nor is it pretending to be and there isn’t particularly a lot of skill. If you happen to be able to head to VQ between 6-8pm (cinema opposite which makes this place a good pre-meal) you get a huge 50% discount – this for me is what makes this place attractive. Paying full price (unless after midnight) you could eat only round the corner for the same amount and have much better food.
Starters are quite simple, a meze board, olives, crispy filo prawns and some very moorish truffled potato crisps with a potent blue cheese dip – though nothing to write home about. Mains, are simple yet effective and cooked well. We started with the ribeye steak, french fries, bearnaise sauce – topped with a grilled tomato. The steak itself was good, a nice smokey flavour – though not as tender as one may hope. The bearnaise sauce was strong flavoured and very delicious while the fries were crunchy, seasoned to perfection and made their way on to my top ten list of fries in London.
The chicken milanese, which is a beaten to death piece of chicken, covered in breadcrumbs and fried. It is deceptively good hear at VQ, it’s well cooked, the crumb is golden and crunchy and the chicken has lots of flavour. The rocket and tomato salad is simple, but affective. This is a no frills dish to look at but one which will leaving you wanting more, especially at 50% off. A side of their delicious fries i love so much are a necessity to this dish.
Desserts are classic and predictable but again, certainly do their job, satisfying even the fussiest of sweet tooths. The VQ knickerbocker glory with vanilla and strawberry ice cream, contains pockets of crunchy honeycomb, chocolate sauce and a very generous helping of E number’s heaven, smarties. It may sound like something conjured up for a child, and it is – but secretly us adults love to indulge in past times (gosh i feel old saying that).
You won’t ever leave VQ blown away by culinary delights, but you’ll always leave feeling satisfied, very full and with lots of leftover change in your pocket. As long as you head down between 6-8pm and take advantage of their 50% off deal or after midnight when the control of your credit card is no longer your own, then you’ll have a great time.
6/10
