Le Petit Chef - London — Hotel in London

Restaurant Feedback: An Immersive Experience with a Few Bumps

I debated with myself before writing this review, as the experience was overall incredible. However, given the premium price, I believe it’s important to highlight areas for improvement where there’s little room for error.

The Positives:

The immersive experience itself is truly a 10 out of 10. From the captivating visuals to the interactive element, it’s clear that a lot of effort has gone into making this an unforgettable evening. The “normal” menu looks fantastic and aligns perfectly with the Little Chef’s interactive culinary journey. In addition, the staff was exceptional—friendly, attentive, and eager to enhance our experience.

The Areas for Improvement:

Table Placement Matters: Avoid sitting at the two tables located at the end of the restaurant. Unfortunately, the sound from the neighboring cabaret was so loud that it overpowered the speakers for the Petit Chef experience. Additionally, the projector at our table was blurry and went out seven times during the course of our meal, which significantly impacted the immersive aspect. This did not seem to be an issue at other tables. Kids’ Menu: The children’s menu was a major letdown. What was served felt more like a frozen TV dinner, with no flavor and no connection to the impressive culinary journey being showcased. Even children have taste buds, and they deserve a meal that mirrors the creativity of the experience. A smaller version of the adult dishes would be much more appropriate. Vegetarian Options: As a vegetarian, I was disappointed. The only adjustment needed for my meal was to replace the meat in one dish, but instead, I received flavorless alternatives that lacked any connection to the countries or the cooking showcased in the experience. It felt like an afterthought rather than a well-planned part of the menu.

Final Thoughts:

While the overall concept and immersive experience were fantastic, paying £225 for a vegetarian and a 7-year-old foodie felt like a joke. We actually went to a sushi bar afterward to eat because we left...

!!! AVOID !!!

For context, I was there on the 20th of Jul with my partner, the total bill was 334£ for the premium menu, which is 129pp + wine.

I will start with food, which is unfortunately not the worst thing, check the end of the review for the worst bit.

San Marzano Tomato Salad - The most bland and plasticky tomato, even the cheapest tomato from Morrisons tastes much better, ricotta and pesto were ok, the same as you’d buy in the shop Lobster Ravioli was the best meal of the evening. The lobster was okay but felt overcooked, and the ravioli was also mediocre, at least edible. Beef Tenderloin - the meat had never seen a single grain of salt, unseasoned and chewy, even though the color of the meat was good, the carrot and potato were ok, the single thing I ate from this meal. Matcha Cheesecake - The cheesecake was pretty good, people voted for it as the best meal of the evening, but sorry, it’s not what you’d expect from £129pp dining. Any dessert from most of the cafes for 10£ would taste the same or better most of the time.

Service - The staff couldn’t care less about you, we have asked for a glass of wine 3 times before it was brought to us, and the same story with water.

The worst part that you’d never expect for 300£ dining - if you are unlucky enough, you can randomly be assigned a table to sit shoulder to shoulder with strangers, so at the table for 4 people were sitting me, my partner and a random couple, which is not the most pleasant experience for a dinner not only for us, but also for a couple sitting next to us, because for 300£ they were probably also expecting at least to have a separate table.

In general - if you get a separate table and you don’t care about food and you came here only to see the cartoon on your table, you’ll like it, otherwise, just go to any Michelin star restaurant and spend the same money there, I’m sure you’d like...

So, for my wife’s birthday, I thought I’d treat her to a fancy evening at the Le Petit Chef at London Cabaret Club – because, you know, the name does suggest cabaret and excellent gastronomy, doesn’t it? Silly me, expecting truth in advertising.

We shelled out a modest £200 per person – because that’s what you pay for a bit of glitz, glamour, and a decent steak, right? Or so we thought.

Having experienced actual cabaret dinners in places like Barcelona and Gran Canaria – where you get a show and food that’s at least edible – we had a fair idea of what a proper evening entails. What we got, however, was... something quite different.

First, the "cabaret" – which, it turns out, was tucked away in another room entirely, as if it were a shameful secret. Apparently, it’s not included in the £200. But don’t worry! They ever-so-kindly offered us a free table for the last hour of the show, once we’d finished our 'fantastic' dinner (spoiler: it wasn’t).

Now, onto the food. Four courses – two of which were fine , and one of which (the steak) was a chewy, oily, fatty nightmare. Honestly, we’ve had better meals for a tenner at the pub down the road.

The dining area itself? Oh, just a charming little room that resembled a repurposed school canteen with delusions of grandeur. A true feast for the senses – assuming those senses include disappointment and regret.

To be fair, the one genuinely interesting part was the little projector story playing on the table – a bit of digital razzle-dazzle to distract from the sad reality of the evening.

In short: £200 for a lacklustre meal in a makeshift dining hall, and a cabaret show you might catch a glimpse of if you’re lucky. A truly magical evening – if your idea of magic is making your money disappear.

Would I recommend it? Only if you’re collecting bad experiences...