Harden's survey result
Summary
Chef Rafael Cagali’s “casual option” – next door to his high-flying Da Terra in the old Bethnal Green Town Hall – “has rather flown under the radar” since opening two years ago; but it’s a “most underrated restaurant”, whose “fabulous” small plates reflect the founder’s Italian-Brazilian background. There’s also “great music”: it takes its name from bossa nova singer Elis Regina. Top Menu Tip – “Palm Heart and Scamorza pastel – absolute heaven!”
Summary
“I’m pleased they kept the hanging lights of the former Corner Room” – the previous occupant of this restaurant space within the monumental, erstwhile Bethnal Green Town Hall (nowadays a hotel). Chef Rafael Cagali runs the much-fêted Da Terra next door, and this October 2022 newcomer provides “a simplified version of the Michelin two-star cuisine” at its neighbour. Reports included plus points: “the quality combinations are full of flavour” and service is “decent”, while on the debit side, ambience has sometimes proved elusive and sentiments seem a tad muted: there are no full-on raves at how marvellous and incredible it all is. Top Menu Tip – dulce de leite doughnuts.
Summary
On the site of The Corner Room, star chef Rafael Cagali is following the strategy adopted by former inhabitants of the main restaurant space with this large Bethnal Green hotel (Da Terra, see also) by opening a spin-off in these more humble quarters. From a ‘Brazilian-Italian’ menu, ‘more rustic dishes’ will feature than those at Da Terra – ‘everything from my favourite street food to family meal celebration dishes that my grandma used to make’.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at Elis?
Town Hall Hotel, Patriot Square, London, E2 9NF
Restaurant details
Elis Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Elis It was great to be back at Elis the casual restaurant inspired by the team at the two michelin star Da Terra. Elis is based on the first floor in the Bethnal Green Town Hall and offers a mixture of brazilian and italian dishes designed for sharing. The kitchen is run by head chef Joe and front of house by Ilaria. Together they make a great team and provide a dining experience to remember. We arrived on saturday and headed to the first floor. Here we was met by Ilaria who welcomed us back before escorting us to our table. We enjoyed a drink while we looked at the menu. This consists of a great selection of small plates , pasta , meat , fish and desserts. Once we’d ordered we then chose a bottle of wine from one of the recommendations by Maria the sommelier downstairs at Da Terra. We opted for the light and fruity Trediberri Barbera D’alba 2022. SMALL PLATES - We started with the Roasted Beetroot with smoked ricotta and candied walnuts (cover photo). This was followed by the Palm Heart and scamorza pastel that were absolute heaven and the Mortadella , burrata and salsa verde. Our palate was then refreshed with the Trout Ceviche , grapes , celery and cucumber consommé. PASTA - Next to come were two amazing pasta dishes. My wife chose the King Prawn Linguine and for myself I opted for the Braised Beef Shin Cavatelli which was very rich but lightened by the acidity of the lemon. MAINS - These dishes were fabulous especially the Confit Duck Leg with a Tucupi Glaze. We accompanied this with the Barbecued Aubergine with a Teryaki Glaze. They came with a selection of sides including cassava , chimichurri , braised beans and a salad. DESSERTS - It was now time to finish with cheese and desserts but not before head chef Joe came over for a chat. My wife decided to have the cheese course whereas I chose to have the Warm Chocolate Tart with Tonga Bean Ice Cream and the heavenly Blood Orange Cheesecake. This brought an end to a fantastic afternoon of amazing food from Joe and his team and excellent service from Ilaria. It was also nice that the owners Rafael and Charlie found time to come up to welcome us back and to have a catch up. I really would recommend a visit to Elis even if you only had time for a quick snack because I’m sure that once you’ve tasted the food you will definitely be back. Before leaving we had time to thank Joe , Ilaria and all the team for a great afternoon and look forward to seeing them all again soon. "
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £30.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £5.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £8.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
Town Hall Hotel, Patriot Square, London, E2 9NF
Opening hours
| Monday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Tuesday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Wednesday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Thursday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Friday | 6 pm‑9 pm |
| Saturday | 12:30 pm‑2:30 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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