Van Antonis
Restaurant - Greek in Pinner
254-256 Uxbridge Road
Pinner
Middlesex
HA5 4HS
Contact Numbers
Reviews
Bad experience
It has been a few years since I visited this restaurant (they are or used to be in Bushey as well as in Hatch End); my first experience back then was poor. My experience last weekend was no better. 50 minutes after ordering a main course I was still waiting (at which point we left). In the meantime I had sipped on a glass of underchilled white wine, and suffered the 'friendly' chat of the owner that had interrupted what obviously must have been a private conversation. In ordering the wine, which on the menu stated a 'glass' (in contravention of the Nov 2010 amendment to the 2003 licensing laws, which states that precise volumes and prices must be visible on menus etc), I asked if the 'glass' was 125ml, 175ml or 250ml. The waiter didn't know, but summoned the owner/manager whose answer was 'a glass is a glass' (despite me explaining the laws to someone whose job it is to know!) TRADING STANDARDS - please take note. A very bad experience, and one which I will not be repeating. There are many restaurants in Hatch End; I would suggest using another. Don't say you weren't warned!
Bill Goddard - 06/12/2011 | report this review
Greek
MENUMenu in the window. Usual Greek fare.The manager is jolly and chats to you.Drinks by the glass included my favourite, a white zinfandel (which looks like a blush wine).While waiting we were given flat pitta bread, butter, and a plate of nibbles, carrots, celery, olives and scary slim green peppers. (I made the mistake of checking by biting a teeny bit off the tip of one. Yes, first a sharp acidic taste then ongoing tongue-tingling - chili peppers!) StartersIn addition to a trio of humous and taramosalata and another dip, spinach in pastry (which I was told would take longer to prepare than my main course), chicken kebab etc. I chose a fish cake of salmon and potato. My fellow diner had large king prawns served on lettuce leaves.Main CoursesI chose chicken kebab and they gladly changed the rice to saute potatoes. the menu calls them roast potatoes but they are saute potatoes. Excellent. Delicious. Lovely herbs. Super flavours. Good textures. Just right.DessertsGreek desserts are baklavas, those teeny sugary pastries. I got two with a couple of slices of refreshing orange.Ice creams were vanilla, strawberry or chocolate, with a bit of mint for decoration.CoffeeWe had double espresso coffee with brown sugar and milk.ServiceMost obliging. The manager enquired whether everything was okay when the food was served. When he came to clear and not everything was eaten he was most anxious to know whether anything was wrong to be sure we were happy with our food.BirthdaysThe manager asked if we had an occasion to celebrate or wanted any particular kind of music. It so happened that my friend's birthday was the next day. So the manager played Happy Birthday To you on the tape of a chorus of people singing it. We joined in. He brought up a slice of chocolate cake with a candle on it. Since we hadn't told him in advance about the birthday that was a nice, thoughtful touch which helped make our evening special and memorable. InteriorI think the log fire and red hangings and red vase are just wonderful. The most cheerful, happy restaurant in the area, in fact one of the nicest I've been to. A real cure for depression. Really uplifting. The manager calls himself Paul because that's easier for us to say. His real name is Poly-something. He said that on Friday and Saturday nights people dance around the room in a line to the Greek music. Why wait for Friday? I got up and danced. The wooden floor make a nice clack in time with a music if you stamp your feet.EXTERIOROld blue exterior has been repainted jolly red matching the interior.ATMOSPHERE & INTERIOR DECORReal fire in fireplace. Lovely and warm. Red muslin hanging from ceiling, red banquettes. Jolly Greek music. Even with only one table full on a chilly Tuesday evening felt really happy with jolly staff.Wooden floors would give a bit of echo but the background music means your conversation is kept private. They used to have plate throwing - only unglazed plates, and stag parties and hen nights would have a long table and a surprise stripper might appear. Now live music performer tribute act nights attract a crowd.ComfortWe had a choice of upright chairs or banquettes. The manager was happy to offer us a choice of tables. He let us move from the warm fireside to the other side of the room with a view of the fire. Then he suggested we take a larger table. But that table did not have such a good view of the fire. So he let us swap tables again and finally pulled up a bigger table so we could have a view of the fire and a larger table. Nothing was too much trouble.BookingThe restaurant is closed lunchtimes unless they have a party of six booked, which is likely nearer Christmas. In that case if you see they are open pop in while you get the chance.PriceThe meal for two was about £45, half what you would pay for a meal in the smartest restaurants such as L'Orient. We had more food than we could eat and they happily packed up the leftovers.On another occasion even less.VerdictRomantic and happy. Perfect.
A User - 11/12/2007 | report this review
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