London - Boundary
Winter 2008/2009
Frank's view 
Avoid 'Table 65'
Would Sir Terence Conran be happy sitting where this Camel and companion were seated at Boundary, his latest London venture?
I doubt it.
Perhaps in his role as proprietor monitoring staff performance and efficiency, but certainly not as a paying customer on a jolly night out.
Initially it all seemed perfect – a large, private table in a booth against the wall in the centre of the restaurant, but then we sat down.
A large serving station, in the shape of two inverted, touching semi circles, stubbornly sits in the centre of the restaurant, like a humungous misplaced art installation. The arched areas facing towards the front and rear of the restaurant both offer a private dining space for parties of four. One of the serving stations faces the glass fronted open kitchens, and the other serving station faced us.
We passed the evening looking at staff posteriors and commenting on other diners' orders as waiters huddled in front of us tapping on the computer screen.
Our view of the restaurant was restricted to sideways squints and neck cricking upwards glances over the monolithic structure a few feet in front.
Sparkly zodiac signs adorn large acoustic panels suspended from the ceiling. It’s good to see a restaurant using décor to help control noise levels as well as create ambience. Plush red and brown velvet seating acts to counteract booming raucous conversation as it bounces off the Victorian warehouse walls.
The food is French bistro, indeed conventional Conran.
The glamorously entitled ‘Fruit de Mer’, leads the menu, followed by many of the usual standard dishes but with a few modern twists such as wild garlic soup.
Although the menu might appear somewhat pedestrian, the quality of the food is excellent and offers very good value for money. It’s difficult to spend over £8.50 on a starter and £18 on a main course. The wine is also very reasonably priced.
I have said on this site many times that a dining experience is only partially about the food, it is also about ambience, fellow diners, and where you sit. Our Boundary dining experience was tarnished by the position of our table.
Why do restaurateurs not check out each placement and ask themselves if they would be happy to pay good money to dine from that seat?
I am surprised the culinary knight did not do just that.
Boundary
2-4 Boundary Street
London E2
020 7729 1051
http://www.theboundary.co.uk/
,
I doubt it.
Perhaps in his role as proprietor monitoring staff performance and efficiency, but certainly not as a paying customer on a jolly night out.
Initially it all seemed perfect – a large, private table in a booth against the wall in the centre of the restaurant, but then we sat down.
A large serving station, in the shape of two inverted, touching semi circles, stubbornly sits in the centre of the restaurant, like a humungous misplaced art installation. The arched areas facing towards the front and rear of the restaurant both offer a private dining space for parties of four. One of the serving stations faces the glass fronted open kitchens, and the other serving station faced us.
We passed the evening looking at staff posteriors and commenting on other diners' orders as waiters huddled in front of us tapping on the computer screen.
Our view of the restaurant was restricted to sideways squints and neck cricking upwards glances over the monolithic structure a few feet in front.
Sparkly zodiac signs adorn large acoustic panels suspended from the ceiling. It’s good to see a restaurant using décor to help control noise levels as well as create ambience. Plush red and brown velvet seating acts to counteract booming raucous conversation as it bounces off the Victorian warehouse walls.
The food is French bistro, indeed conventional Conran.
The glamorously entitled ‘Fruit de Mer’, leads the menu, followed by many of the usual standard dishes but with a few modern twists such as wild garlic soup.
Although the menu might appear somewhat pedestrian, the quality of the food is excellent and offers very good value for money. It’s difficult to spend over £8.50 on a starter and £18 on a main course. The wine is also very reasonably priced.
I have said on this site many times that a dining experience is only partially about the food, it is also about ambience, fellow diners, and where you sit. Our Boundary dining experience was tarnished by the position of our table.
Why do restaurateurs not check out each placement and ask themselves if they would be happy to pay good money to dine from that seat?
I am surprised the culinary knight did not do just that.
Boundary
2-4 Boundary Street
London E2
020 7729 1051
http://www.theboundary.co.uk/
,
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
