Comments on: Tom Ilic

By: Deborah

Deborah — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:20:53 +0000

The pictures speak for themselves – perfectly cooked and presented. I have been to this place and found the food brilliant every time – it just isn’t pretentious, especially in price, which is what you seem to look for. Yet you manage to find truffle oil “a huge flavor”, balsamic “sticky” and parmesan “bolshy”. Well at least the you understand the cabbage.

By: Helen

Helen — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:47:04 +0000

Shay – Thanks for your comment. I was very surprised about the meal, because it was completely at odds with what so many people have told me. I agree that it is hard to judge a restaurant on one review but at the same time, many of us only get one chance to go to a restaurant and on this occasion, it sadly wasn’t very good. I do believe however, that this is not the norm for Tom’s restaurant, simply because so many people have told me good things and I am genuinely sad for him that I had this experience, as I really wanted to like it and I love his approach. I would try the restaurant again, and cross my fingers that he’s either there or that they were just having an off night.

I’m afraid my experience that night was as I’ve written here and as far as that goes I have to stand by it.

By: Shay Riordan

Shay Riordan — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:49:17 +0000

Worked with Tom for a while and that does not sound like Him at all. Food was always spot on and yeah every Kitchen has a bad day. He might not have even been even there that night. I would have spoken to him after the meal and aired my opinion. You get good value down there and you cant really judge the guy on one review.

By: Melanie Seasons

Melanie Seasons — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:22:38 +0000

Wow. Either way, that dessert looks spectacular. Gorgeous.

By: Helen

Helen — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:44:50 +0000

Sorry Jeanne – I just dug your comment out of spam – can’t find the first one though. Anyway, yes they do!

By: Helen

Helen — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:21:38 +0000

Jonathan – It’s bizarre isn’t it. I hear such contrasting things. Our meal was just so disappointing. chris has been twice too and apparently it was very average the first time.

Charlie – No! Don’t tell me that! Tell me he is the devil’s spawn!

Mel – Really?! Well now I am baffled. I may try it again at some point, although probably not for a couple of months. Here’s hoping that my experience was not the norm. I love the concept.

Ryan – Uh-oh – looks like he was!

Les – Yes! Name the date and I’m there.

By: All Inclusive Vacation

All Inclusive Vacation — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 21:30:49 +0000

ohh sorry you had a bad meal there- beef tartars and capacious should never be drowned in anything- the whole point of having fresh, scarlet meat. has the quality deteriorated?

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:17:46 +0000

Ryan: Yes it was SMdS that I was referring to – I’ve been twice this year and had tasteless, watery steak both times. I did quite enjoy it the first time I went (http://cheesenbiscuits.blogspot.com/2007/06/santa-maria-del-sur-battersea.html) but that was before I’d been to Hawksmoor and Goodman, and well, basically it was before I knew there was better out there.

The staff are lovely, the salads and the wine list is fine and it’s not a terrible restaurant. But the steaks are wet-aged, uniformly beet-red, bland and useless.

I don’t understand how you can have had the steaks at Hawksmoor and prefer SMdS. But each to their own I suppose.

By: Fatty Leslie

Fatty Leslie — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:53:28 +0000

U need to go to Hereford Road. U ready?

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:13:28 +0000

I hope your dining companion wasn’t referring to Santa Maria Del Sur as the ‘crap’ Argentinean!!!

It serves uncomplicated but perfectly cooked steak. I’d be there once a month but its suddenly become difficult to book since it got to the semi finals of the F-Word. I’ll whisper it very quietly…but I actually prefer it to Hawksmoor. Don’t tell anyone…