Morning:
14°c
Some fares could fall by more than a third when Oyster is extended to every national rail station in London, it has emerged
More...
New Moon is nothing if not an international advertisement for the hungry virtues of virginity and young people can’t get enough of it
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
Theatre
A smart, prickly and rewarding view of sexual and emotional confusion
Cock
Restaurants
Kitchen W8 is a bargain for this area, if such sophistication is what you crave
Kitchen W8
Too long and drawn out but very entertaining with excellent special effects
This is a peculiar play and does not work for me. Some of it is very funny but there are real flaws
Alex has a strong powerful voice and was faultless, she is far better now than she was on the X-Factor
London,
Chris Blackhurst's rating
Reader rating
Description: Prices are "high" ("hardly a surprise for an AWT venture") at this "rather suburban" grill-restaurant, and its "simple" food is "OK, but nothing special"; take "dark glasses" so as best to appreciate the "bizarre" décor.
Food: 
Service:
Ambience:
Phone: 020 8878 4488
Website: http://www.awtonline.co.uk
Open: Mon: 6:30pm - 10:30pm
Tue - Thu: 12pm - 2:30pm
& 6:30pm - 10:30pm
Fri: 12pm - 2:30pm
& 6:30pm - 11:30pm
Sat: 12pm - 4pm
& 6:30pm - 11:30pm
Sun: 12pm - 10pm
Dress code: None
Good for: Good food, Ambience.
Payment options: All major cards except Diners
Space for all the family: Barnes Grill
All week, from last Monday onwards, the signs were up: 'Carters Steam Fair - here this weekend.' Archie, three, can't read but he spotted the carousels and the swing boats as soon as they started arriving on the playing fields at Barn Elms in Barnes.
In his favourite Spot book, Spot goes to the fair and it's one with a coconut shy and a merry-go-round - one just like Carters. All week, the excitement mounted - there was never any question of us not going on Sunday afternoon.
We decided to have lunch first, opposite, at Barnes Grill, one of the branches of Antony Worrall Thompson's now six-strong group.
It's tricky, lunch in a restaurant with tiny children (we've also got Grace, 15 months). If we want to play safe we can go to Giraffe or Nando's. But occasionally we crave something more sophisticated.
But that's a gamble. By aiming higher you can easily and quickly find yourself wishing you'd taken the more child-friendly, not to say much cheaper, option. Unfriendly staff, too opulent surroundings, food that is wasted on little ones, other diners who prefer not to see children, let alone hear them - the whole experience can be ghastly.
So, from the moment we entered Barnes Grill and saw bare brick, unpolished wood and floor tiles, we were relieved. When the high chair was brought immediately and the children¿s order taken straight away, before ours, we were able to begin to relax.
Worrall Thompson is too much of a pro, of course, not to know he can't operate in a place like Barnes without catering for people with children - it's impossible to walk around without sidestepping every few yards for yet another Day-Glo Bugaboo buggy.
While Archie tucked into sausage and mash (£6.25) and Grace had fish cake and chips (£6.25), plus honey-glazed carrots and broccoli (the maître d's suggestion, which they both ate), we were able to enjoy a warm salad of black pudding, chicken livers and poached egg (£7.25) and chilli-salt squid with spring onions and garlic (£8.25).
Our main courses came while they had their strawberry ice cream (£3.50). There was a point as I made my way through slow-roast belly of pork with braised cabbage, honey-roast carrots and parsnips, Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes (£13.95) that it became a struggle.
There was nothing wrong with the food but after the ample starter there was simply too much. Having children with you does this - if they're happy, you're happy and you often find yourself going overboard as a result.
I consoled myself that we would be spending the next few hours climbing on and off fairground rides and pressed on. Worrall Thompson is big on his ingredients and it showed. There was no faulting my pork or my wife's roast beef (£14.95). What impressed too was that there was no stinting on the children's plates - Grace¿s fish cake was one of the finest I've ever tasted.
We'd ordered a glass each of Château Lagrange 2005 (£4.95) and could easily have drunk some more. But our lunchtime reverie was always on borrowed time. Archie had finished his ice cream and only one thing was on his mind: the attractions across the road.
We would have liked to have lingered but could not. We'd had an hour and that was a blessing - we were not going to be allowed to stay any longer. So, without pudding for ourselves (not that we needed any), another glass of wine or even coffee, we were on our way. The bill came to £85.55 with service.
The fair was superb - just how fairs should be and, thank goodness, exactly like the one in Spot. On the swing boat, as Archie demanded to go 'higher, Daddy' I started to regret the poached egg, black pudding and pork but that was hardly Worrall Thompson's fault.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
