Planet Hollywood, Haymarket
We might be addicted to the tostadas.
Review
What
do you think of when you hear the words "Planet Hollywood"? Well, for
Itchy it now conjures up the feeling of being so full that we could no
longer move - in a good way.
We took a trip to the legendary Haymarket restaurant feeling pretty hungry and ready to indulge in some diner-style treats, so the VIP platter was a no-brainer. With a selection of potato wedges, chicken wings and tostadas along with calamari and blackened jumbo shrimps, nachos and a few incredible dips, it was probably more than enough for a group of four - Itchy divided it between two (and regretted it when the mains came and we didn't feel hungry anymore!)
Before the feeding frenzy began we were able to take a look around at the Hollywood memorabilia – from a newspaper featured in Love Actually to Rocky’s boots – which felt slightly lost among the diners. Itchy thought it was a shame that visitors aren’t likely to see all of the memorabilia during their meal unless they really take a tour around the restaurant. (We recommend a little wander through the Bond room, up to the British room and past the glass cabinets along the outside wall – look out for some famous red underpants from The Full Monty…!)
We were also treated to some delicious cocktails - A Singapore Sling for the gin lover and a Princess Martini for the sweet tooth (a gorgeous mix of vodka, passion fruit puree, vanilla syrup and grapefruit juice... mmmm) which went down far too easily. Itchy was pleased to note that the bar uses premium spirits, such as Skyy and Grey Goose vodka, so your hangover will only be thanks to overindulgence, not cheap alcohol.
We think perhaps we decided on mains too quickly as we were a bit disappointed with the Lamb burger - all a bit plain for our liking, but tasty nevertheless. On the plus side, the steak we ordered "blue" actually came back exactly how we'd asked for it to. Served with green beans, perfect chips and peppercorn sauce, it was a hit with our self-confessed "steak expert".
During dinner diners can watch clips from hit moves, alongside music videos and birthday messages on the big screens (leaving us wondering quite which diner “Sharon, 40 today!” was… an excellent game) which could be distracting for some, but we felt that it added to the atmosphere.
The dessert list is enough to make anybody drool - from white chocolate bread pudding to apple pie and cheesecake - and we had a difficult choice to make. In the end we braved a "Super Sundae", despite our waitress warning us of its "absolutely massive" size. We really should have listened. It was bigger than any dessert we have ever witnessed: a huge martini glass piled high with cream and layers of ice cream, sauce and cherries. We're not ashamed to admit that it completely beat us (even after kneeling up on our seats to reach the top) and we felt rather sad that it wasn't suitable to put in a doggy bag.
Itchy’s been told that it gets very busy on Saturdays, so if you don’t like children, steer well clear. However, we would recommend an evening meal with one of the set menus – they’re good value and allow you to sample the classic dishes without breaking the bank. Go with a group of friends and try to sit in one of the booths for the full Planet Hollywood experience. Just don't get mad at us when you're so full you can't fit out of the door.
Images by Alice Gardner
We took a trip to the legendary Haymarket restaurant feeling pretty hungry and ready to indulge in some diner-style treats, so the VIP platter was a no-brainer. With a selection of potato wedges, chicken wings and tostadas along with calamari and blackened jumbo shrimps, nachos and a few incredible dips, it was probably more than enough for a group of four - Itchy divided it between two (and regretted it when the mains came and we didn't feel hungry anymore!)
Before the feeding frenzy began we were able to take a look around at the Hollywood memorabilia – from a newspaper featured in Love Actually to Rocky’s boots – which felt slightly lost among the diners. Itchy thought it was a shame that visitors aren’t likely to see all of the memorabilia during their meal unless they really take a tour around the restaurant. (We recommend a little wander through the Bond room, up to the British room and past the glass cabinets along the outside wall – look out for some famous red underpants from The Full Monty…!)
We were also treated to some delicious cocktails - A Singapore Sling for the gin lover and a Princess Martini for the sweet tooth (a gorgeous mix of vodka, passion fruit puree, vanilla syrup and grapefruit juice... mmmm) which went down far too easily. Itchy was pleased to note that the bar uses premium spirits, such as Skyy and Grey Goose vodka, so your hangover will only be thanks to overindulgence, not cheap alcohol.
We think perhaps we decided on mains too quickly as we were a bit disappointed with the Lamb burger - all a bit plain for our liking, but tasty nevertheless. On the plus side, the steak we ordered "blue" actually came back exactly how we'd asked for it to. Served with green beans, perfect chips and peppercorn sauce, it was a hit with our self-confessed "steak expert".
During dinner diners can watch clips from hit moves, alongside music videos and birthday messages on the big screens (leaving us wondering quite which diner “Sharon, 40 today!” was… an excellent game) which could be distracting for some, but we felt that it added to the atmosphere.
The dessert list is enough to make anybody drool - from white chocolate bread pudding to apple pie and cheesecake - and we had a difficult choice to make. In the end we braved a "Super Sundae", despite our waitress warning us of its "absolutely massive" size. We really should have listened. It was bigger than any dessert we have ever witnessed: a huge martini glass piled high with cream and layers of ice cream, sauce and cherries. We're not ashamed to admit that it completely beat us (even after kneeling up on our seats to reach the top) and we felt rather sad that it wasn't suitable to put in a doggy bag.
Itchy’s been told that it gets very busy on Saturdays, so if you don’t like children, steer well clear. However, we would recommend an evening meal with one of the set menus – they’re good value and allow you to sample the classic dishes without breaking the bank. Go with a group of friends and try to sit in one of the booths for the full Planet Hollywood experience. Just don't get mad at us when you're so full you can't fit out of the door.
Images by Alice Gardner
Tags
London |
offer |
specialist |
unusual |
bar |
cocktail |
burger |
chips |
cult |
film |
restaurant |
