My boyfriend and I dined at The London last night for his birthday. I had been unable to make a reservation because I only called about a month before the date, but I was actually offered a table the day before off of the wait list. Overall, I found the experience of dining here extremely enjoyable. One of the best parts of the restaurant is that you walk through the rather noisy, family-filled bar and cafe through a large door into what is definitely one of the chic-est and most fancy rooms I have dined in. The tables are intimate, sitting a couple side by side rather than across from one another. The staff was extremely attentive throughout the meal. Actually, it was rather cleverly choreographed, as we were waited by at least 6 different servers throughout the night. My boyfriend and I both chose the 3 course meal for $100. The cocktail selection is mediocre, but the wine selections are endless. The only problem was that it took us almost 30 minutes to decipher the menu, which, even when terms are in English, are difficult to discern. For example, I ordered the Alaskan halibut without having any idea what ""hearts of palm bone marrow"" were. Although the staff was extremely attentive, our server's English was unclear, so our questions about the menu went unanswered. Also, we had to ask twice for extra bread. My boyfriend was not overly impressed with the rabbit appetizer he ordered, but I thought the tuna appetizer was heavenly. The ""hearts of palm"" and halibut were very good as well, and the chocolate souffle dessert was outstanding. We spent a leisurely almost 3 hours at the restaurant, and the bill for 2 was, with gratuity, over 300 dollars. While this might not be the best NY restaurant I've dined at, the choreographed service along with the ""extras"" (like bon bons from a cart at the end of the meal), plus the wonderfully quiet and romantic atmosphere, absolutely make this restaurant a must try. You will feel like a king.
Pros: Excellent service, lots of extras throughout the meal, excellent fish entrees
Cons: The cost - yes, it's very good, but it's very expensive. You might be able to get better value somewhere else.
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