London restaurants 2

London restaurants: missing Manzis

Actress Sophie Thompson - Stella Crawford in EastEnders - mourns one of London's great fish restaurants

Manzi's nestled between Leicester Square and Chinatown, and it was the most wonderful old fish restaurant with gingham tablecloths and mermaids painted on mirrors and huge pretend plaits of bread hanging above the counter. The waiters wore proper unfussy waiter outfits and were invariably Italian and a bit eccentric, the house wine was perfect and the chips fresh and fat.

Manzi's RIP: Mamma Mia

My first meal there was a huge, plate-sized steak that I ate all of. I was six and very happy and the waiter said "mamma mia" when he saw that I had polished the whole thing off.

Still mourning

My last meal there was when I was 40-something and me and my husband were enjoying a birthday treat that involved lobster thermidore and skate in black butter with capers. I was very happy and then very sad, as that very night we learnt that Manzi's was to close. The sons did not wish to carry the business on. Our wonderful waiter gave me a cup with "Manzi's" on that is a treasure on our kitchen dresser, and I cried as we left. It was 2006. We are still in mourning for Manzi's.

As is London-RIP reader, Nell, who writes:

Whenever something special needed to be marked Manzi's was the place, with its checked table cloths, buzzy atmosphere, and waiters who had been there for as long as I had - 40 years. My first meal, when I was seventeen, up at the counter with a much older man.

Manzi's RIP: Curried halibut and stewed eels

First course curried halibut 2s/11d. Dover sole firm charred skin, and the famous strawberry and cream flan oh my god. They stopped the curried halibut in the eighties, but never mind, there were stewed eels and mash (flavoured with nutmeg) as a starter or main. It became a solitary vice, lunching on stewed eels and mash, sitting at the counter watching the waiters fill the sauce boats to the brim with spoonfuls of unctuous tartare sauce, me feeling so anonymous and independent and self indulgent.

Then they stopped serving food at the counter, but I was getting more sedate anyway. Last solitary meal was at the table next to Sir Peter Hall who was filling the room with his personality, and I was a bit annoyed, because Manzi's was MINE not his. Last month I was peering through the windows, the tables all laid, but the lights not on. Tears streaming down my cheeks. RIP

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Message:	15/15
Date and time:	12/02/2010 at 18:41:23
Sender:	London restaurants 3 :: Federica

Tamesa had opened a couple of years ago, on the first floor of the otherwise pricey and exclusive Oxo Tower. We came across it via Top Table, and after the first time, we became regulars. The decor was plain but quite nice, with 60's style tables. At the end was the bar, with comfy seats. The main thing was the amazing view to the river, the sunset, St Paul's. The restaurant was often empty but the food was delicious, always delivered. Sadly, it seems to have closed down a few months ago. Sadly missed.

Message:	14/15
Date and time:	12/02/2010 at 18:39:19
Sender:	Ron D. Hoult

As with everyone we were bitterly upset when Manzi's closed. We visited London five or six times a year and always stayed at Manzi's,yes they had an hotel on the upper floors, very comfortable.Of course we always eat at least once when we were there.My wife loved the grilled scampi,in the days when they were allowed to serve it.We loved the waiters, but they liked to play games,when newcomers asked for grilled scampi they were given Knives and forks instead of pickers and clamps. This highly amused them but in the end they always gave the correct implements particularly if Mr. Lucas, the retaurant manager, was around. The last time we were there the waiters all lined up and shook our hands, my wife even had a kiss from Mr. Lucas. Good memories but a sad ending!

Message:	13/15
Date and time:	22/11/2009 at 23:06:34
Sender:	London restaurants 3 :: David

short black aka espresso‏ was going to be my R.I.P. but never found a decent one anywhere, now where I live you can't walk 100 metres w/o tripping over a cafe with great coffee. (wgtn. NZ)

Message:	12/15
Date and time:	22/11/2009 at 23:04:40
Sender:	London restaurants 3 :: Pam

The Nosh Bar in Soho Where we used to all meet in our work lunch hours. Jackie Collins of Hollywood fame - who went to the London Polytechnic in those days - used to come and join us.

Message:	11/15
Date and time:	28/08/2009 at 00:32:19
Sender:	Tom Munzer

Let me join the doleful chorus about Manzi's. Over the years, my wife Patti and I have made more than 15 trips across the pond to visit London--not counting the times we hopped across the Channel when living in Paris. Manzi's was a must for all the reasons others have mentioned. Let me just add one more: the espresso was the best we ever had, including in Italy. We have a business card and postcard which shall be cherished.

Message:	10/15
Date and time:	04/04/2009 at 19:13:22
Sender:	Tim

The Great Windmill Street salt beef bar with the boxing photos was called Carroll's. The food was excellent and the service marginally more polite than at the Nosh Bar. A waiter called Lou was a great character and wouldn't even blink when punters asked for cream with their apple tart (having had chopped liver and salt beef)

Message:	9/15
Date and time:	31/03/2009 at 19:07:52
Sender:	peregrine

I miss the old Edwardian Kettners in Romilly Street. The replacement fizz bar and jazz place may be good things in themselves but are no substitute. My father used to take us there in the '50s when he wanted to celebrate a success. The atmosphere was wonderful, still with a touch of the Belle Epoque about it. The waiters were as splendid as the food. I remember eating there once almost half a century ago. While we were eating I overheard an elderly lady and her son preparing to leave. The mother was anxious that they should not be late for the theatre and asked the head waiter to order a taxi. He asked her to which theatre. She thought for a long Pinterian moment then said, 'Oh, I can never remember the names of these places but they're playing something musical. It's called, "Things aren't what they were".' 'Of course, madam'. He withdrew and ordered the cab.

Message:	8/15
Date and time:	31/03/2009 at 11:32:30
Sender:	William Chichester

I am so so sorry to see the most wonderful fish restaurant in London just... no longer there. I have been a customer for over 40 years and, to be quite honest, want to cry. I have had so many memorable times in their restaurant. It really was an experience to eat there and I just wish places as unique as this would last forever. RIP

Message:	7/15
Date and time:	09/03/2009 at 21:17:44
Sender:	London restaurants 3 :: Silver

The Nosh Bar returns to great windmill in or around the middle of march 09. The original site of Phill Rabin's Nosh Bar at number 39 is set to reopen its doors exactly 65 years after it first opened in 1944. With a return to all the traditional values of the original. Great salt beef on rye, cheese cake, lemon teas, the lot... All served up with a slice of attitude. I just thought you all might like to hear that as we are dedicating it to the people who remember it well, and all those who appreciate good honestly priced food and drink, as some of us still do.

Message:	6/15
Date and time:	27/10/2008 at 09:34:24
Sender:	Rien van Reems from Holland

The last 40 years we went to London nearly every year. November next we'll be there again and I checked Manzi's on the Internet. How shocked we were when we learned that Manzi's has closed. We were taken by an English friend to Manzi's 30 years ago and went back to the place every time. Some evenings we spent hours in the bar at the top floor, till there was a table. When we asked if we could pay for our drinks in the restaurant the bar-lady said ''no, because I dont trust the maffia downstairs. We took many friends to Manzis over the years and we were looking forward to the dressed crab and the strawberry cheesecake with whipped cream. We grew old with the waiters and we were there when the third generation of the family took part in the bussiness. There was champagne that night. How sad. This is a great shock.

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