City Re:Vue - Hare & Tortoise Russel Square

I have taken far too many pictures and written far too many city reviews without ever getting round to posting them. I always feel as though there is something more pressing to say at the time and I'll do it tomorrow. Anyway here's what happened when I went for lunch in the sun.

We get there, there is no queue, which is a surprise because there is always a queue (I've only been twice before but I'm still allowed to say always. Anyway its good because it means we can be seated right away.

So we order food which comes promptly. I ordered Roast Duck and my friend being an ardent crustacean lover ordered a Shrimp Fried Rice. Not the most exciting meals but it was a late lunch/early dinner.

The food was okay. Nothing to write home about. And I say this with tears in my tear ducts trying to come out because normally the food and the service here is great. I think we caught them on a bad day.

Anyway the rice comes with a Miso Soup. We thought this was very strange but if it comes with soup it comes with soup. So the lady puts down the strange super suction bowl of soup on the table.

Its not a very clever contraption in the fact that it is almost impossible to open without spilling. My friend was unsuccessful. Her blackberry had a soupy swim and the (really bad) smell of the soup stained the table and floor around us. The waiter threw a few tissues at us and we mopped it up. They came back to mildly clean the floor so no one died but not so that we could enjoy our food stink free. The disdain (on their part) was pertinent. About 10 minutes later when no new bowl had arrived I asked if she would be getting a new bowl. The sigh. The look of disgust. And the quick shuffle to the kitchen was the answer.

She got a new bowl of soup. She didn't eat it. I wouldn't have either.

Anyway this is not supposed to be a bad review because the other times I have been there its been good. Hare & Tortoise is a chain restaurant that serves pan-asian food for a very reasonable price. The food is well made and it tastes good. It is a great place to go for a dinner with a few friends after work. The Blackfriars venue is much nicer as it has been forced to cater to the heart of the city and you can see them cooking the food infront of you (which is always nice).