23 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
It’s that time of
year where you want nothing more than to snuggle up at home with a good movie but,
knowing you cannot spend the whole of winter hibernating, you seek solitude in
cosy restaurants and bars. I had planned to go for dinner with my friend Ali at
Burger and Lobster, but since pay-day is still a week away we opted for a
cheaper option, Jamie’s Diner. Located in the heart of London’s theatre
district, there’s a real buzz of people leaving work, theatre-goers and tourists
mingling around. You’ll also be charmed by the Christmas spirit of the area,
from the huge snow-globe in the centre of Piccadilly Circus to the gorgeous
lights streaming up Regent Street. It makes for a fab walk after dinner, jostling
through the crowds and peering in at the Christmas windows.
Back to Jamie’s
though - I am easily distracted by all-things-Christmassy right now! The menu offers
typical diner-style food including burgers, hotdogs and ribs, though there’s
something a little quirky about the presentation. The “chicken-in-a-basket” is
served in a metal basket (the name gives some clue) and everything else arrives
on a metal tray, which I remember of Shake-Shack too, so perhaps a new trend?
Our wine was served in tumblers, which I’m a fan of – it makes me feel a little
less guilty about serving friends wine from a mug at home! Since trying to save
money we went straight to mains, ordering the chicken burger with a side of avocado
fries and greens. I’ll admit we were warned by the waitress about the fancy fries
but not ones to shy away from trying something new we were intrigued by them. To
our disappointment we weren’t that impressed. The chicken burger, served with a
side of “slaw” and gherkins was yum, but the fries were lacking in some serious
flavour! They had all the potential to be something great but yet they were
very much in need of seasoning. If you do go I would recommend the shoe-string
fries which other friends have raved about. Nonetheless, for £15.90 we were
both happy campers and I would 100% recommend eating here. The atmosphere is
great, and the view fantastic - if you’re lucky enough to get a window seat
then you look out over Piccadilly Circus.
If you’re looking
for similar food but in a bit of a rush then there’s the pop-up hotdog stand
beneath the diner which always smells incredible whenever I walk past. Perfect for
a late-night snack after Piccadilly Institute since it’s open until 12am.
It’s only open
for a limited time so I would definitely head there soon!
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