Food and More

Social Eating House, London W1F

2013-05-19T20:19:00.000+01:00

My memories from when I was little were those of a simple life. Courtesy of my dear parents. Except the food: The bad food, the good food, the commoners food, working class food and the posh food. Food was the priority.

We (brother and I), learnt to have food any way it was served. From the humble fasoglia-butter beans- which remain some of our favourite food, to rabbit (yes I do know), fish, steak and almost everything else. From posh restaurant to the local kebab place. We would go everywhere and so I learnt to have food any way it came. These days I make my way through some of London’s finest restaurants to the most authentic street food found at the spectacular Jemaa El Fna square in Marrakesh.

Fast forward to last week and in it’s 3^rd week of operation, I had a reservation at Jason Atherton's new 'social' venture: Social Eating House. This is in Soho. Forget Pollen Street Social or the like, this place is every little bit designed to suit the area. The bare brick walls, white washed to give just a tad of warmth and what I found to the beautiful portraits hanging off the walls just to add a touch of elegance, the 80's ceiling design and the tables whose tops were identical to a 70's criss cross parquet flooring. I know you won't admit it, but you all know what I'm talking about.

Social Eating House- The relaxed Soho interior

We sit ourselves down armed with the lovely and concise menu. Some jars at the start which we ignore. What are jars anyway? Why can’t I have a small portion of something in a bowl? Why does it have to be in a jar? It’s not like I’m at a farmers market choosing jam or preserve or whatever one would call it.

While deciding on food I ordered the wine. I tasted the wine. About 3 times. On the fourth time, the exceptionally observant waitress noticed that I was uncertain of something, takes it away and after a few minutes someone comes back-I have not said anything either before the wine was take away or after, in case you were wondering- and says that it's good just needs to be decanted. My friend steps in says that if we (including them) are not sure, we should have another bottle of something. Within 3 minutes we had a different bottle that we had chosen. Nice that she noticed that I was uncertain.

Another thing I had noticed in the meantime. The waitors were flying past with things on their trays that resembled bags used for steaming rice.

We soon found out. My friend's starter of mushroom and something was in fact mushrooms served in what I am still convinced was a microwaveable bag, on a cast iron plate. A pair of scissors was produced and this was cut open and left on the side, with a separate plate. Almost like a side to a starter but without the starter. If I could give a Michelin star, which of course I cannot do such a thing, I would give the first ever star to microwaveable mushrooms. This of course would be withdrawn as I am sure that the head chef, Paul Hood, does not microwave food and has used some brilliant method to cook the mushrooms in a microwaveable bag. So this leaves the mushrooms with no Michelin star, my reputation in tatters and most importantly a starter which despite initial appearances lacks any substance. A note to the creator, there can be such a thing as too much love as the smothered mushrooms would confess, if only they could talk!

Mushrooms in a bag

My starter was also a complex dish of ravioli with of wild boar bolognaise. It was ok.

For mains, my friend had mac & cheese. This I thought was lovely, and our waitress didn’t lie when she said that this was not your usual mac & cheese. I had the bavette steak from the specials. For all of £18.50 this comes with sides of chips and salad and sauces. Excellent value for money.

However. HOWEVER. I got my side of chips. I got my side of salad. My side of two sauces. Lovely. And a big empty plate. Steak was then served on a wood slab on the side. This took me a few moments to figure out. Despite their best efforts when I was little, when it came to table manners, my parents failed to prepare me for this. I looked at my dinner and thought I must be the only person in the world who doesn't know what to do with steak on the side. After silent deliberation my cool self and I decided we would not be beaten. We took our fork and steak knife and in the most elegant manner we could muster picked up the piece of beef from the wood slab and placed it on the plate. I am still praying that this is what one should do when presented with such a conundrum and that I have not missed some method like when eating spaghetti with just a fork having ditched the spoon a decade or so ago.

Steak on the side

After all of that? The outside was overcooked. The inside was just as I had asked: medium rare. It was a case of rough around the edges, but go past the exterior and there was a delicate and sensitive inside.

The dessert however was a different story all together. We shared the honey almond sponge, goats curd ice cream, orange. I don't know what the intention was but this tasted of marmalade on toast. There was sponge. There was ice cream. There were orange blobs: marmalade on toast. I don't even like marmalade. The result was incredible, almost miraculous. I don't know if the desired effect of this dessert was different and my taste buds went off on a completely different tangent, this was incredible and I loved every spoonful of it.

Delicious dessert

I was impressed that the staff were happy to listen to criticism. They even offered us a tour of the kitchen, which is always lovely. The problem here is that food still doesn’t know if it wants to be in Mayfair, Shoreditch, Paris even or Soho. It is still on the road to self-discovery. I don’t know if it will get there, I would like to think that it will. Maybe it should follow the sign post that says back to basics. On that road it would rediscover simplicity. Even if it decided to stop before destination basic, I do believe the recipe would spell success.

Would I recommend that you go? The truth is no. Would I go back? Do you know, they were so eager to listen to my comments, which in itself deserves a second chance. So I will go back. I hope next time the food is a little more self-assured and with more straight-forward. Then I would be happy to recommend the Social Eating House.

Rating 2/5

Expect to pay around £55 pp for 3 courses incl wine and service.

Social Eating House, 58-59 Poland Street,London W1F7NR Tel: 020 7993 3251 www.socialeatinghouse.com

The Hinds Head, Bray

2013-03-25T20:30:00.000Z

I have already discovered that I enjoy day trips. For me it starts with the half hour journey on the bakerloo line. While it would normally be a chore, my daily commute to work packed like a sardine on the waterloo and city line, doesn't allow me anything more than trying to avoid the armpit of the tall fellow commuter standing next to me. So 11.30 on a Saturday morning, the bakerloo line is an almost welcome trip. Cut off from the outside world, without even entertainment from text messages on the phone, give me a welcome half hour to read the papers together with a sense of gratification for having managed to read a whole article with no interference.

So paddington station for a proper train journey. We left London's hustle and bustle and a mere half hour later arrived in Maidenhead, for our short taxi ride to Bray, a relaxed place with a liking for Michelin star pubs- this is also where the Fat Duck is- on my wish list of course.

1pm lunch at The Hinds Head, a one Michelin star pub owned by Heston Blumenthal. Very much the pub menu, I found it somewhat lacked excitement. Although my starter of mackerel was every bit as light as it should be and perfectly done. The roast cod was equally perfect, although the I was disappointed the the mussel broth had only two mussels. I simply loved the triple cooked chips (then again I love chips) and the scotch egg is worth trying.

Roast cod with mussel broth

My favourite part about this though was the bar area of the pub. I mean this is a real pub where you can have real drinks- if I remember rightly we did very well with the bubbly.

I'll put it this way, I wouldn't complain if this was my local!

But still, take yourself outside London and time really does not matter. This was just a lovely day, made even nicer by our destination. In fact this is one place I would like to go back to.

Rating 3/5

Expect to pay £50pp for 3 courses, no wine incl service

The Hinds Head, High Street, Bray SL6 2AB Tel: 01628 626151 www.hindsheadbray.com/

Burger & Lobster, London

2013-03-03T19:20:00.000Z

I must be the last person writing about this place. I do talk about it though. All the time in fact. It’s my new place where I take my out of town friends to impress them with my knowledge of London’s restaurant scene. Ok, in terms of knowledge not quite a feat I know, everyone knows about it already.

It’s mostly a no reservation policy (although you can reserve for larger groups). I have been to 3 out of the 4 branches. It works something like this: you arrive, give your name and mobile number and in exchange you are advised of the likely waiting time. At the Soho branch we waited for over 2 hours, 1.5 hours at Mayfair, and a mere 30 minutes at the city branch. They are cool though. They let you have drinks at the bar or even somewhere else and call you when the table is ready. Most people have drinks at the bar there, which is a scene in itself. The bar staff know their alcohol and if you are not tempted by any of the drinks on the menu, they are more than happy to make anything else for you. Be prepared to part with most of a £10 note for a cocktail.

Now for the food. This is a theme restaurant. It’s either a burger or a lobster. That’s it. You know when you go somewhere and the waiters ask you if you know how it works. When you do finally get a table the very efficient waiters spend about 5 minutes explaining that there are only two things on the menu-there’s no written menu- it’s a verbal one. Burger or lobster, a whole one. There is also the choice of a lobster sandwich, which comes in a brioche. The latter is plain pointless if you ask me. All come with a salad and fries and cost £20=. I should mention that from the moment you order, the food arrives within 5 minutes, if not less.

I find this a paradox. How can a burger cost £20? This must be one of, if not the most expensive burger in London. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, but in London there are many burger joints with a lot of good burgers. And they don’t cost near as much!

But then there is a lobster, a whole one for just £20. This feels like its good value, I’m not convinced that it is- but what would I know. But there aren’t many lobster joints, which means that there aren’t many good lobsters either.

So most of us go there for the lobster, which is a good lobster. In fact it’s so much fun that we want to go back. We want to go back somewhere where the waiting time on average over an hour. And we are happy about it. All to have some lobster, which will cost us the meagre sum of £20=. But by the time we sit down we have already become very familiar with the cocktails and end up spending upward of £60 per person, when all we wanted was to have a lobster.

On reflection, this is a dreadful place. Whether you are in Soho, with the cool and trendy crowd- this by the way is my favourite- or in Mayfair with the size 6 designer clad ladies, trying to impress an eligible bachelor by pretending to like food, or the city branch with all the suits. The place is decorated in the manner of an upmarket shack: it appeals, and the waiters are clearly good at their jobs. The kitchen staff must be ok too although how difficult is it to cook a lobster?

I still don’t know when it is that we started not only enjoying but it seems wanting to wait for what feels like an age to eat. It seems that we are loving it. Waiting list has become the new reservation. But really, let me be honest, it’s awful. Save for the lobster of course. And the cocktails. And the service. And the ambience. All that aside, it’s awful.

Did I mention, I am back there next week. I just can't help myself. It must be all the waiting.

Rating 2/5

Mains are £20=, no starters
Burger & Lobster 4 locations around central London, check their website for full details

The Hand & Flowers, Marlow

2013-02-23T21:02:00.001Z

I have concluded that, like a spoilt child, I am a spoilt friend. My friend not only booked lunch, 4 months ago, thought to include me seeing as I like food, and even booked all the tickets with clear instructions as to where to meet and where we were headed. A Saturday day trip which took us to Marlow. Lunch was booked at The Hand & Flowers.

This is a small yet extremely popular establishment. It's no surprise. This delightful little pub has two michelin stars, in fact, it is the only pub with two michelin stars.

Lamb

I am trying to find suitable adjectives to describe the food. The thing is I find this difficult. Other than saying that the menu is a good combination of British and French dishes. The food is good, the service is excellent, and the dishes come out looking beautiful. What more can I say?

What was refreshing was the space we had. There is no compromising on the space to get more tables in. You see these may not be pub prices but you do get what you pay for and there is something to be said about comfort.

That's it for a review.

The novelty here and what made this so special was that it was a day trip. How much fun. It's almost the same excitement I had as an 8 year old, when my parents would take me on a day trip on a Sunday. From making sure I left home on time, finding the right platform at the station and finding my friends, all of us organised with coffees in hand and prepared with the weeks anectodes to entertain us on the hour long train journey there.

We didn't need anectodes on the way back, the alcohol we consumed ensured that we laughed at everything from the the train doors closing to the the train pull into a station (I know!).
So yes, day trips are fun, so much fun in fact that we've arranged some more. And The Hand and Flowers, would I go back? Before we left we made another reservation. In 8 months. Needless to say, my only responsibility is to turn up.

Rating 4/5

Expect to pay £80pp for 3 courses, sides and wine - there is a set lunch, £15 for 2 courses £19.50 for 3 courses

The Hand and Flowers, 126 West Street, Marlow SL7 2BP

Tel: +44 (0)1628 482 277

Note: You may need to book up to 10 months in advance, check their website for more details

An update

2013-02-01T20:23:00.000Z

To state the obvious there has been no review in January.

I lost the food buddy (or maybe they just lost themselves!) to whom I promised I would save the first review so I could get their feedback and help. No matter, it's now February and here I am with lots of ideas about where to eat and what to write about.

So, keep visiting, keep reading and most importantly, keep eating!

2012- A year in review

2013-01-06T17:24:00.000Z

In hindsight, I kept a low profile in 2012, at least on this blog. I can't say the same about other things. Amongst others I finally managed to move to a new home at the end of the summer, my friends and I even squeezed in a barbecue. Despite the lack of reviews I can assure you there was no shortage of restaurant meals.

Just to name-drop but a few:
Burger and Lobster-such fun with all the mess I managed to make with the lobster but at £20 it is one expensive burger they serve there.
Dishoom-the new one in Shoreditch. Like the original one in Covent Garden but bigger and more glamorous with a bigger bar.
Colbert-the new place which took the place of Oriel on Sloane Square. Now, for many reasons, I thought I would hate it. But I didn't. You had to wait for over half an hour to get seated. The crowd is what you can expect from the area, the waitors are French or act French and the food is not on the cheap end- £45 for a main and a glass of wine- although I did have a steak Dianne. But somehow, even if we did have our meal on the bar, surrounded by people battling it out to get drinks, I liked it. In fact I liked it a lot.

Some older and trusted places like Asia de Cuba. Even managed a couple of soft opening weeks, notably STK London. Can't possibly comment, they say it's a unfair to review on soft launches and I think they are right. But I had fun there, the company was good.

It has been noted by someone that this blog has been neglected. I have resolved that the first restaurant review of the year will be in January; which I hope, as promised, will be jointly with someone.

Wishing you all a happy and delicious 2013.

Anyone For Tea?

2012-03-04T13:09:00.001Z

Tea and Tattle, Bloomsbury London WC1B

A stone's throw from the British Museum, Tea and Tattle can easily go unnoticed save for the pavement sign outside Arthur Probsthain: Oriental and African Bookseller, the bookshop which hosts the teashop in it's basement.

A traditional tearoom which blends in seamlessly with more contemporary design. The walls are adorned with traditional pictures and older posters in modern frames and clocks ensuring that you don't miss any post-tea engagments. This concept also applies to the menu. Beside the selection of loose leaf teas and coffee and of course scones with clotted cream there is an inviting selection of sandwiches (made on the premises) and cakes.

A charming place and a worthwhile stop if you are in the area. The bookshop upstairs also deserves a browse.

Rating 4/5

Expect to pay around £8pp for tea and a snack. Open 9am to 6.60pm Mon-Fri, 12pm-4pm Sat

Tea and Tattle, 41 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3PE www.apandtea.co.uk

Powder Keg Diplomacy, Battersea London SW11

2012-01-17T22:24:00.000Z

I have, so far, been to the Powder Keg Diplomacy twice. I know you will read on but you are thinking why didn't I write about it after the first visit. You know what it's like. Girl about town, one party too many and it now feels inappropriate to review it without going back a second time.

A relatively new addition to Battersea's St John's Hill, it brings a trendy note with it. Once inside and you are walking through layers of ambiance. The front, looking out on the main road, has low chairs and sofas inviting you in a for a coffee or a drink. Then the bar with it's booths of high tables and then at the back the larger dining area. A Victorian inspired theme with warm colours and a vintage feel makes everyone relaxed and comfortable. The menu varies seasonally with game a feature. As a bonus, there is a weekend brunch menu till 5pm alongside the lunchtime menu.

My starter of braised ham hock and poached egg was almost like the British cottage version of eggs benedict. Felt quite right actually and more hearty than the usual eggs benedict, with toast served on the side and the ham hock, surprising not overpowering but adding to the velvety texture of the poached egg.

Braised ham hock and poached egg

For mains the sunday roast is a good option although the horseradish horse lacked any kick. In fact it reminded more of a stubborn mule refusing to move instead of the much desired, in this instance, kicking horse. Minor maybe. Important definitely.

Pheasant

The dish of pheasant looked equally inviting and my mussels not only plentiful but just as I would expect mussels to be. The service is polite and efficient although the waiter did need to be reminded about the bread for my mussels. Admittedly, I think the chef was trying a bit too much here. I was delivered a designer portion of three small slices of some fancy-I think focaccia- bread with olive oil and the works. A word of advice. Keep it simple. The traditional crusty bread would have done splendidly.

The other thing about the Powder Keg Diplomacy is the drinks list. Exciting wines-we had one from India- with prices starting at just under £17. There is also a very respectable selection of ales. And for the cocktail lovers, you won't be disappointed. The cocktail list is even more respectable. The drinks list will keep you there at least another hour. That's a promise.

Irrespective of what comments I have to make for individual elements of a restaurant, my rule of thumb is 3 questions. Would you come back? Would you invite your friends? Would you stay for one more drink? Let me be honest. This isn't Michelin star standard. No matter. The answer to my questions: Yes, Yes and Yes; in that order. See you there..

Rating: 4/5

Expect to pay around £28pp for 3 courses without wine- cocktails are around £7.50 each, you will be tempted to have at least two..

Powder Keg Diplomacy, 147 St Johns Hill, SW11 1TQ Tel: 0207 450 6457 http://www.powderkegdiplomacy.co.uk/

My Favourites of 2011

2011-12-31T10:44:00.000Z

Looking at the past year- or just under since I started writing, I have been to some lovely places. There are always some restaurants which I have gone back to time and time again. this is my list of my favourite restaurants of 2011.
Click on each reastaurant name to go directly to the relevant post.

Nopi- for sheer elegance, both in the decor and the food

Pollen Street Social- best upmarket restaurant

Dishoom- the best value and best Indian

Sophie's Steakhouse- not only is the food great, it's great for pre-dinner drinks also and always a fun night

Bread Street Kitchen- for the best design and the best cocktails

Trattoria Del Rosso- In Bologna my favourite of the restaurants I've been to outside of London

The Harwood Arms, Fulham, London SW6

2011-12-29T15:02:00.001Z

Saturday night and I was on my way to the pub for dinner. I was concerned that I had taken the wrong turning somewhere having found myself just off the bus at Fulham Broadway.

The GPS on my mobile insisted that I was on the correct route and soon I saw the corner pub on amongst the rows of attractive houses in the affluent neighbourhood of Fulham. An unassuming even old fashioned pub exterior. I walked in to the Harwood Arms. It wasn’t exactly gastropub which made it even more lovely and welcoming with just a hint of a traditional pub. Country pub meets up-market gastropub. Same for the food.

The food. If you think gastropub then this is the Rolls Royce of the pub world. The menu features British food and you can expect to find dishes like slow cooked shoulder of lamb or beef with celeriac, pickled walnuts and bone marrow.

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My starter

The food in all it’s glory is just to die for. With a daily lunch and dinner menu which is adapted to the season there is no lack of excitement. The perfectly presented dishes are simply perfected leaving you planning your next visit before you’ve even finished, that is if you haven’t been tempted by too much wine from the great wine list.

My main- Beef with celeriac, pickled walnuts and bone marrow

I say all this. Did I mention? This is the only pub in London to have been awarded a Michelin star. And well deserved I assure you. If you haven't been then make sure you do.

Expect to pay around £40pp for 3 courses, no wine

The Harwood Arms, 27 Walham Grove, Fulham London SW6 1QP http://www.harwoodarms.com/

Soif, London, Battersea SW11

2011-12-10T09:51:00.001Z

Food menu. Have you noticed that when you are handed with the menu, looking at the prices, these look increasingly reasonable?

So what's going on I hear you ask? Have our standards changed so that we now think that it costs less? In times of uncertain economic conditions I don't think so. Food in restaurants is now being priced in lower. It is now easy to find a substantial main dish at £15. Of course there are the sides to think about. What about the starters. Starters are easily over £6 up to say £11. But still not too bad you say. I agree, it's not too bad.
Then it's time for the wine. Ah how things have changed. Even at the local gastropub the house wine will be upwards of £18. The next wine will come in priced at over £25. You see where I'm getting to.

Open for less than 3 weeks at the time of writing, my new local, Soif, has to my delight had extremely positive feedback. I turned up last minute. Although there is a bar area where you can also have dinner (and confortable looking sofas at the front if you just want to have wines accompanied by some of the lighter dishes) the waitress very kindly offered us the table of people who didn't turn up in an otherwise fully booked restaurant.

The menu completely lost me. There was no structure in terms of the starters and the mains. It was described as tapas-like menu with dishes from France, Spain and Italy, although to me it all seemed french! We could apparently share or choose two courses each. We assumed that the dishes priced at less than £10 were starters and the rest were mains.

Rillette

Based on that I made my choice. The rillette to start followed by the braised pig's cheeks. The rillette came and was not only a dish that made you smile as you happily ate more, it was substantial. I assure you, there is enough so that you can enjoy the taste and texture without. The pigs cheeks were, the lovely waitress explained, braised in cider for hours and braised again. I found this dish very rich although I like rich flavours.

Braised pig's cheeks

I was spying at what the tables around me were ordering. Another dish was the hake with lentils. More lentils than hake it occurred to me that with other dishes such as Tete de Veau, the ingredients used, excellent quality no doubt are not the most expensive in the butcher's window. Even at Waitrose lentils cost less than a good chocolate. This makes me think as to the reasonable food prices. Ingredients are used that although inexpensive, bring us new flavours and challenge our taste buds. This for me is what food is all about. With an extensive, biodynamic wine list, expect to find a local crowd of foodies who like their wine.

Expect to pay around £23pp for two courses without alcohol

Soif, 27 Battersea Rise, London SW11 1HG, Tel 020 7223 1112

The Markham Inn, London SW3

2011-11-17T21:21:00.000Z

Saturday night and my dinner companion advised of a new place in Chelsea which is apparently all the rage and should we try it out. I couldn't believe that I hadn't already heard about it. After I overcame my initial shock of apparent ignorance in the matter, I readily agreed.

With no earlier availability, proving it's own popularity, the reservation was for a very continental 9.30pm. The lovely dark exterior of The Markham Inn can be seen as from the King's Road. I walked in through in straight to the bar; the small bar area may I add. I struggled to make my way through to the restaurant area. The table wasn't ready and i was directed to the bar for a drink with no thought of asking if they could take my jacket.

You can either have a seat at a bar area overlooking the open plan kitchen or of course a table in the large part of the dining area. In line with the ambience of the place, the menu offers a combination of French cuisine, eclectic gastropub food and also includes a few fish dishes of Mediterranean seafood. The Markham combines the element of bistros and pub in perfect harmony.

My foie gras starter was beautifully balanced by the fig tartine, making every mouthful an experience to be savoured. My burger was equally good and I would go as far as saying that this is probably one of the best burgers I've had.

Picture taken on my mobile phone

As for the service, save for the initial faux pas of the jacket, yes- I know what you are thinking but still, it was efficient and polite. The trendy interiors match with the equally trendy even glamorous crowd. Being as busy as it is this is a good spot for some people watching. The cocktail list is also worth a look at. Paired with the food the Markham's status as being 'all the rage' is justified. Whether you are after a hip place to impress your friends or some seriously good food I highly recommend it.

Expect to pay around £30 pp for two courses incl service no alcohol

The Markham Inn, 2 Elystan Street SW3 3NS Tel: 020 7581 9139 http://www.themarkhaminn.com/

Hawksmoor (Guildhall), London EC2V

2011-10-22T10:44:00.001+01:00

I am very fortunate in having friends who include me in their dinner plans. Friday night found me, with my friends at Hawksmoor Guildhall during the first week of it's soft launch. This is the 3rd restaurant of the chain following the successful Covent Garden and Spitalfields ventures. I'm not sure as to whether it is too harsh to be reviewing a restaurant during it's soft launch but in this instance I couldn't find much to fault, both in terms of the service, which came with a smile and the food. It can only get better.

Walking through the doors you are faced with a huge staircase leading you to the basement where it all goes on. The wood and brass look around the bar give it the old school look. The leather sofas and the dark green leather seats was vaguely reminiscent of my, if not strict, then certainly severe school days. The huge dining area felt the same. I half expected one of my teachers to turn up and remind me to 'sit up straight young lady'! However this doesn't last too long as the waitors are very casual in jeans and shirts only recognised by their aprons and notebooks. I could relax again.

Crab on toast

There is a good choice of starters from mussels with stilton and bacon to bone marrow and onions- which is actually very good. I had the crab on toast, which was perfect given the meat feast which was to follow. Now the steaks. I didn't know it was quite possible to have such huge cuts- or to consume them for that matter. To share you could have 900g or 1kg of porterhouse, chateaubriand and so on. This is no place for the faint-hearted. I had the 600g sirloin on the bone (£30). The best quality meat is served cooked to perfection. Sides including 'beef dripping chips' and sauces are extra.

900g Porterhouse

600g Sirloin

Slightly less of the 600g Sirloin

I think it took me around 40 minutes to work my way through that!

If it's quite possible, you can also have dessert (£6.50). There is a great selection of ice creams, although I had the sticky toffee pudding which was divine. In case you are wondering, I couldn't manage this on my own, my friends helped.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

As they say, you get what you pay for. Hawksmoor is not cheap, but you do get alot of steak. With quality like this and a wine list to match, they will no doubt have the city boys flocking to show off both their carnivorous appetite and their wallets.

Expect to pay around £60pp incl service excl drinks for 3 courses

Hawksmoor (Guildhall), 10-12 Basinghall Street, London EC2V 5BQ Te.: 020 7397 8120 http://www.thehawksmoor.com/

Bread Street Kitchen, London EC4M

2011-10-10T21:34:00.001+01:00

Bread Street Kitchen is the latest Gordon Ramsay venture. Much awaited and talked about, I did have my reservations, aren't there already enough restaurants bearing his name? Located in One New Change, I see it almost daily walking past. I almost made up my mind about it even before I went there. Reading about the extremely slow service on the opening night a couple of weeks ago, I was thinking that this is typical. I already went through the menu. British cuisine in the majority with starters around the £10 mark and mains typically over £16, to £29.50 for the rib-eye, my thoughts were, overpriced for average food and unspectacular decor that I would not recommend.

I arrived to be greeted by the smiling hostess who directed me up the stairs. I went up to find a huge warehouse area which was quite stunning in a very industrial way, with the pixar-like desk lamps giving the place a very playful feel. I was told that my friends were at the bar at the far end. The far end was very far. The bar area quite welcoming despite the large and airy feel to the place. There is plenty of space, from sofas where you can look out of the floor to ceiling windows to cool seats at the bar area.

The cocktail menu is extensive and inspired. These are probably some of the nicest cocktails I've had in recent times. The perfect start to any meal, at which we were led to our table.

The food menu I found strange with three sections. Raw bar, Hot Kitchen and Wood Stone. The food wasn't bad but didn't overexcite me either. My starter of the thinly sliced beef with quails eggs, was under-seasoned. My burger, not only substantial but also rich in taste, can be overwhelming for some. Sides have to be ordered separately. Try the macaroni cheese which is lovely.

Macaroni cheese

Oysters also feature on the menu

Although with a smile, the service was slow. The starters took longer than expected and to compensate we were offered more bread. We declined the offer! After finishing our first bottle of wine, we were waiting too long for the second bottle.

Burger

After a shared cheese plate to finish, we headed back to the bar for more cocktails. You just have to.

To be fair, I was too judgemental. I liked Bread Street more than I thought and I loved the warehouse feel. Go there for drinks. And if you feel like a bite to eat, although not cheap, you can do worse than a meal here.

Expect to pay around £40 for pp for two courses, incl service excl wine

Bread Street Kitchen, 10 Bread Street, London, EC4M 9AB Tel: 020 3030 4050 Open from 7am http://www.breadstreetkitchen.com/

Bellevue Rendez-Vous, London SW17

2011-10-06T22:34:00.000+01:00

Don't you just love it when you have a good local place. The kind that you invite your friends to join you for dinner or a weekend lunch because you know that even if they have to make a 50 minute journey across London, they will thank you and find that the journey was worth it. Bellevue Rendez-Vous, a french restaurant just by Wandsworth Common and round the corner from the very famous Chez Bruce is not like that. This is the kind of place that makes you want to move to the area just to make it your local.

This is not your classic french restaurant with sombre tones and austere staff. The brightly coloured walls and green runners on the table it put you at ease and the friendly waitress prepare you for an thoroughly enjoyable meal.

Foie Gras

There is an option of a set menu, £21 for 2 courses, £25 for 3 and of course the a la carte. The menu includes such french things as snails for starters and rabbit as main. I had the foie gras to start. When it arrived I was somewhat concerned as to me it seemed like nothing more than a slab of velvet looking terrine. A large basket of french bread to accompany this, the taste was less slab and more velvet, and definitely foie gras. Lots of it, and you know how I like lots of food.

Then it was the rabbit for me. The waitress came back twice. The first time to say that it is served with mashed potatoes, the second to say that actually it's served with lentils. So much the better I thought. I prefer lentils.

Rabbit with lentils

The rabbit was succulent and delicious. The lentils were creamy and moreish. I'm not sure what I liked more. Nonetheless, it's a combination that I've never tried before and it works well. The best thing about it? This is a place for people who like to eat food-not just look at it. After the two courses I didn't need dessert.

Do I still think you should go? Absolutely. Do I think that it's worth a visit from locals and visitors to the area alike? Definitely. It's a nice little area to explore; complete with the local pub, boutique and overground station. If it's not raining, the Common makes for a nice walk. Bellevue Rendez-Vous ticks all the boxes.

Expect to pay around £35 for 3 courses without wine, service is not included on the bill

Bellevue Rendez-vouz, 218 Trinity Road, Wandsworth Common, London, SW17 7HP Tel: 020 8767 5810

Chiswell Street Dining Rooms, London EC1Y

2011-10-03T21:00:00.000+01:00

Mid-week, after a serious session at the gym, found me at one of the nearest places for dinner. The Chiswell Dining Rooms, part of the same group which runs such well-known places as The Botanist on Sloane Square.

The well dressed city crowd, looked every inch as relaxed as the surroundings and their professional attire would allow. Immaculately presented, with leather seats and flowers, it reminds more of hip and happening Chelsea hangout than a city bar/restaurant.

The wine menu is extensive although my initial reaction was of a slightly limited food menu. No fish and chips or burgers in sight. In this instance I skipped starters and just had a main: the stuffed pork loin, which came with black and white pudding apple sauce, pickle jus. A large portion, nicely presented and perfectly adequate. The flavours all worked to convince me that the whole menu is well-though out and a good meal is to be had here. I must say that I found it very amusing when I saw that they brought the bread with two radishes. Yes the question mark remains!

Stuffed pork loin

Bread and radishes?

I like London because each area has it's own distinct personality. I don't think that Chiswell Street Dining Rooms is quite what you would expect in the city. Nonetheless, relaxed in it's formality, it is a perfect choice for a business lunch or dinner, or even just a drink. It is also open for breakfast, so if you are looking for an excuse for a breakfast meeting, here it is.

Expect to pay around £40 for 3 courses without wine.

Chiswell Street Dining Rooms, 56 Chiswell Street, London EC1Y 4SA Tel: 020 7614 0177 http://www.chiswellstreetdining.com/

Jamie's Italian, London, Covent Garden

2011-09-28T22:00:00.000+01:00

At the end of the London Fashion Weekend it seemed quite appropriate to get some food. To tell you the truth, my friend and I were heading for Dishoom in Covent Garden. But on seeing Jamie's Italy next door, we both thought that the prospect of some of Jamie's Italian cuisine sounded very exciting.

Charcuterie

I like Jamie Oliver. I like his cookbooks, I like his TV shows, I even like his magasine. So it follows that I would like his restaurant. Moreso, we all know he loves Italian food. So do I!

The first thing that I observed was how loud it was. Lots of children of course but still not a very relaxing atmosphere. The decor is a rustic one with lots boxes of 'produce' and charcuterie seeming quite tempting with an even more ingenious bread board. Quite a large and busy place but we were quickly led to an outside table as we requested. It looks like Jamie is trying to create the rustic Italian look complete with olive trees. I just don't know the last time they were watered, they seemed to be withering slightly. Anyway, how can a place be rustic when the address starts with Unit 33? Sitting down, despite the best efforts no doubt, it felt like part of a chain. Looking at the website, I realise there are so many branches that a chain is exactly what it is. Not a good sign in my book.

The menu is extensive. Lots of choice of bread and antipasti boards and plates. An interesting selection of both pasta dishes, which you can either have as a starter or a main and mains. I had the scallop and squid ink spaghetti and my friend had the bucatini carbonara-both as main courses.

My friend had asked our very pleasant waitress of the carbonara was served with alot of sauce and she was assured that's it was quite dry. It wasn't, I too thought that there was slightly too much cream.

Scallop and squid ink spaghetti

There was probably one scallop in the ink spaghetti, cut up in slices. The squid was small and there were also capers in the dish which I found did not go well with the pasta or the scallop. The delicate nature of the (few) slices of scallops seemed to be overwhelmed by the natural intensity of the capers. I also wasn't overjoyed by the combination of the scallop and squid. At £13.90, I think this was overpriced and certainly not what I would expect to pay at a place like this, which to me resembled Italian chain restaurants in London.

If I was to rate it, I would give it one star (out of five that is). The only positive comment I have to say, is about the service, the waitress was very friendly and polite and couldn't apologise enough when we said we hadn't enjoyed our meal.

To conclude, I still like Jamie Oliver and I'll still buy his books. But I don't like his restaurants. I can assure you, I won't be going back and I suggest you don't either.

We paid £33.55 for our meal and two glasses of wine. Service is not included in the bill

Jamie's Italian, Unit 33 10-12 Upper St Martin's Lane WC2H 9FB http://www.jamieoliver.com/italian/covent-garden

Made in Brasil, Camden Town, London NW1

2011-09-25T09:24:00.001+01:00

Recently I haven't been a particularly good blogger with few new posts. I have a few recipes I would like to share, more reviews and so on. For a number of reasons I just haven't got round to it. To be fair to myself, work, and more importantly my boss (boss, if you are reading, take note), have kept me so busy that I have little energy left for anything else. On another note, I haven't been anywhere which has been notable enough, for whatever reason-which includes not being good, that I immediately want to inform my followers- yes all twelve if you- about.

Yesterday, after an extremely long and exhausting day, I was lucky enough that my friend agreed to a drink. It was a beatifelly warm day so we went to Camden Town. I obviously don't go there enough. The sheer number of people is quite overwhelming but very refreshing to see such a different crowd of people. It's true what they say, the world is a different place south of the river, so crossing that divide is always interesting.

First, I declared my wish for a drink and within moments, my desire for food. We sat at one of the numerous bars overlooking the Canal just by Camden Lock for a beer, in what was left of the rest of the sunny(ish) afternoon. I remembered of the Brazilian place I happened to go a few times for drinks so I suggested we try the food there.

We made the short walk to Inverness Street and walked past the numerous bars/restaurants, which, by the way, all look equally interesting and walked into Made in Brasil. The salsa music in the background, which together with the promise of food perked me up in what was for me a tiring Saturday otherwise.The decor is funkier than the outside would suggest with some low tables for drinks at the front, a bar which whose look promises wonderful cocktail and tables at the back. The courteous waitress led us to a table, by the window as we requested. It was quite early, 6pm, so we were two of only a handful of people there.

The drinks menu is extensive and has all sorts of lovely cocktails. It took longer to decide on drinks than on food. Almost always, I have wine with meals. This time I opted for a pineapple caipirinha. I've had a fair few cocktails in my life and only was this good, at £6.50 it is excellent value.

Pineapple Caipirinha

The menu consists of authentic Brazilian dishes. To be honest, I am not familiar with Brazilian cuisine so if anyone knows better you can verify this. However, I do know that halloumi is certainly not Brazilian which was one of the starters! But there was a good selections of both meat and fish dishes and a few vegetarian choices also.

To start, we settled on Lula 'a dore'- bread crumbed baby squid and the coxinha- chicken pastries. Both were straightforward dishes, the baby squid was a nicer version of calamari and the chicken pastries were what I would recognise as chicken croquettes. Although we happily ate them, I wouldn't say that these were out of the ordinary and quality that you would expect at the least.

Lula 'a dore'

Coxinha

I had the feijoada to continue. This is slow cooked mixed pork and black beans stew served with rice. The stew comes in a separate bowl which you add over the rice. As previously mentioned, I can't comment on how authentic the dishes are, or how true the flavours are to local brazilian cuisine, however I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. The portions were substantial and the stew was lovely with perfectly cooked pork.

Feijoado

My friend has the Virado a paulista: pork cutlet with poached egg and brown beans served with rice which was an equally substantial dish, and as tasty.

Over the course of our meal it started getting much busier, with people who seemed to know their brazilian food better than us. I have once been there after dinner when the music gets going and everyone is there not for the food but the cocktails. Whatever your 'usual' kind of place may be, you will enjoy this, with a mixed crowd and interesting people watching. The fashion sense is certainly different to that in south west London.

We ended our meal with alcoholic coffees which I recommend. The service is in fact very good which for some reason surprised me. I know I may be unfair here, but I was expecting typical run-down bar kind of service. Far from it. Although I wouldn't suggest you make a trip to Camden Town just to go here, if you are in Camden Town, then it's certainly on my list of recommendations. This place does get packed so if you want to sit down, get there early.

We paid £31pp incl service for two courses, a cocktail each and an alcoholic coffee each

Made in Brazil, 12 Inverness Street, Camden Town, London NW1 7HJ Tel: 020 7482 0777
http://made-in-brasil-bar.co.uk/

Le Relais de Venise, London, Marylebone W1

2011-09-12T20:04:00.000+01:00

Last night I found myself in an extremely wet central London. After a drink my friend and I thought, as per usual, food. Where to? We were on Marylebone High Street and after walking for about 10 minutes in the rain, I remembered of this place that I went to about three years ago. All they serve is steak frites. Agreed, we headed to Le Relais de Venise.

Let me explain. All that is served here is a salad, a basic lettuce salad and then steak frites. Yes, that's it! We found it and already there was a long queue which went all the way round the corner. There were another 15 minutes to the evening opening- Sunday dinner starts at 6.30pm and people were waiting outside in the rain, just for steak frites. Did I mention? They don't take reservations so there are always long queues.

So. You would think that for people to be waiting in the rain for the place to open then it must be good. Very good.. Right? Sorry but I'll be frank and you can stop reading here if you want, here's the conclusion: wrong! Very wrong.

I guess there is a certain novelty to the fact that all that is served is salad and steak. Surely there must also be a novelty in queuing? I don't think so. Come on, we are no longer 18 waiting to get into a west end club.

In we went, convinced that this would be an excellent dining experience. The diners seemed to me to be in the vast majority tourists, certainly no locals from what I could gather. The decor that of a typical french bistrot where nothing has changed in the last 30 years. The waitresses dressed the part in a black uniform with the white aprons. We were presented with the menu and almost instantly the waitress came back for our order. We asked for two minutes and when she came back, she briefly explained the concept and asked how we would like our steak. My friend was promptly interrupted when he requested medium rare. No such choice, it's either medium or rare. Orders done together with a bottle of wine, our salad arrived. Lots of lettuce-my tortoise would have loved that- with some dressing and walnuts. Ok salad done. Our steak arrived.

Waitresses serving up

Steak frites (note: emphasis on the frites)

House red

To be fair it's very efficient. The waitresses serve up the slices of steak and sauce and more frites than I have ever seen before on a plate. If it was alive, the frites would have drowned the steak. Poor steak.. Steak was average. They do come back and serve you seconds, because apparently they keep it warm for you- I think we got another three (small) slices. And lots more frites, to drown the second round of steak-just in case. We debated on the sauce as we detected hints of curry. We asked the waitress and were advised that it's a 'secret' sauce. It's a sauce, not the invention of the century! Anyway, what can one say.

After all the frites we had we didn't need dessert, although there was a satisfactory selection. The bill arrived. The 'set' menu is £21 pp and our wine (house red) was £15. Including service we paid £32 each. Quite overpriced if you ask me. So if you are in the area and are tempted-don't. You're better off going to the fish and chip place accross the road.

Le Relais de Venise, 120 Marylebone Lane, London, W1U 2QG Tel: 020 7486 0878 http://www.relaisdevenise.com/

Dishoom, London, Covent Garden

2011-09-04T14:51:00.000+01:00

Every so often you come across a place which is quite unique. Dishoom is one of those places. It's not unique for the food. Although the food is worth trying. It's unique because this is a Bombay cafe. Open all day, I have been back for brunch on two occasions. This is not local to me so my returning there says something. It's welcoming and relaxing. You could in fact spend hours reading the papers, drinking chai and having brunch, lunch or whatever meal you may choose during the day. For London I would say this is a refreshing take on Indian cuisine, not so much for the originality of the food but more for the refreshing aspect of the Indian dining experience.

A great deal has been said and written about this place, So I'll keep this one short.

If you go for breakfast, I recommend the Bombay breakfast bake. Two eggs, baked on a lentil bhaji mash. I don't know if this may seem like a strange combination, but I can assure you it's perfect start to a weekend.

The chicken roll, was nice but nothing spectacular, although the dessert of pineapple and black pepper crumble was more exciting.

Chicken roll

Pineapple and black pepper crumble

Although the service could have been more attentive; at times it seemed that the waitors were too busy entertaining each other, Dishoom is authentic in it's uniqueness. I don't know of any place quite like this in London. Then again, there are less than 30 left in Bombay.

Expect to pay around £15pp inlc chai

Dishoom, 12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9FB Tel: 020 7420 9320 http://www.dishoom.com/

Nopi, London W1, North of Piccadilly

2011-08-16T22:21:00.002+01:00

Soho on a Saturday morning seems like a good idea on a week day when I am planning my weekend. Come Saturday, it's a different story altogether. The morning usually finds me running around doing weekend chores, feeding the tortoise and so on. All of a sudden I'm begrudging Soho and, being cynical, I'm wondering if Nopi, the newest Yotam Ottolenghi venture, will be worth the effort.

I arrive, promptly, may I add, to find Nopi on the outskirts of Soho, just North of Piccadilly Circus, hence the name. I walk in to find a place of fairly minimalist decor, clean white lines, white splash-back tiles on one wall and exposed brick work on the other painted white. Wooden tables, and reminders of a more kitsch era, with the brass lighting and bar elements prepare me for a relaxed yet elegant lunch.

My lunch buddy was running late, so while waiting I ordered an espresso and I think in that time I memorised most of the menu which consists of Mediterranean dishes, divided in categories of veg, fish, meat and sweets. The menu recommends three savoury dishes per person and are designed to share. I took their word for it. Dessert should be extra, no?

Lunch buddy arrived about 20 minutes later. First things first. Bottle of prosecco. We finally decided on lunch. You know, I actually remember every single dish without having to look at the menu. Our lunch consisted of the following:
Shakshuka, a North African dish of braised eggs, peppers and tomatoes. The spices used, I detected turmeric, were beautifully balances and made this an excellent dish to start.
Courgette and manouri fritters. A Greek dish, for the Greeks reading this, they are kolokythokeftedes, and very good they were too.
Seabass with mussels and fennel pollen.
Chargrilled octopus. Perfectly cooked.
Rabbit pastilla. If I had to pick a favourite this would be it. The rich flavours of the succulent rabbit enveloped in the perfectly formed pastry.

Shakshuka

Courgette and manouri fritters

All the dishes were deliciously authentic. I was relieved to see that the main ingredients were always basic with no attempt to change them. This was done by way of the accompanying sauces which perfectly complimented the excellently done dishes.

My first impression was correct: relaxed yet elegant dining, with service to match, it was most definitely worth the effort. I am curious to go back one evening, to check out the vibe.

It's on the expensive end of the food scale, but you must go, the food is worth it. A walk around Soho on an early Saturday afternoon can be fun too-amongst other things, there are some interesting book shops!

The dishes are around £10-£12 each. Expect to pay around £40pp incl service, excluding drinks.

NOPI, 22 Warwick Street, London W1B 5NE, Tel: 020 7494 9585 www.nopi-restaurant.com

Square Tavern, commonly known as Strappos, Sotera Village, Cyprus

2011-08-08T20:58:00.001+01:00

My (basic) research confirms that Sotera, a village in the Southeast corner of Cyprus, is indeed that: a village, with just over 1,500 residents. If anyone has more accurate information, please let me know. About a 15 minute drive away from the more lively, to say the least, Ayia Napa, this is a sleepy place, where some more authentic tavernas have opened up, attracting Greek-Cypriots and expats who either live, or are visiting the area and are looking for something more genuine and simple, off the beaten track.

The Square Tavern, also known as Strappos (after the owner) is predictably located in the main square, surrounded by the cafeneia, the local coffee shops. A family run restaurant, you are greeted by Louis, the owner's son, who is also the head chef. Eleni, his sister is the efficient waitress. Simple traditional decoration there are no airs and graces here. The open-plan kitchen gets top marks.

I don't think you can get a menu here. Louis comes along and asks what you would like. The food, typical of Cypriot cuisine, comprises of a choice of fish and grilled meats, souvlaki of course is a favourite and traditional dishes made on the day. You will have to ask what's available.

Traditional Cypriot: Grilled halloumi and lountza (smoked pork)

Cyprus potatoes make the best chips

Excellent value for money, the food is what Cypriot cuisine is all about, quantity without compromise on the quality. Highly recommended.

Expect to pay around €15pp (appr £13pp) without drinks.

Square Tavern, Sotera Village, Cyprus Tel: 00357 23 824859, 00357 99 605501

Bistrot Bruno Loubet, Clerkenwell London

2011-08-04T21:04:00.001+01:00

Bistrot Bruno Loubet forms part of the funky Zetter Hotel. A very vibrant addition to what always seems to me a bit of hit and miss area in terms of the bars and restaurants. Then again, I don't know the area that well so I could be wrong.

I've been before and it is one of the places that do stand out for me. This time a friend from out of town was in London and was staying in the City so the Bistrot Bruno Loubet seemed like an obvious choice. Well located for the city yet far away for the mixed crowd to be relaxed and informal for a fun evening out.

There is a bar and an open kitchen and the decor is a very uplifting 70's theme. I had made the reservation on line, however when we arrived, promptly for 8pm may I add, they could not find it. Nonetheless the waitor gave us a table saying that it was not a problem. I was slightly concerned as I thought that it would be empty, making me think that the food was probably not as good as I remembered. I was wrong, within the next half hour the whole place was packed! This is still a very hip and happening place and looks the part as well-I want to believe that we did too!

The menu is french. Inventive dishes varying from the more simple salmon tartare to the mauricette snails and meatballs for starters. Mains include a good selection of meat and fish dishes: summer fish cassoulet to rabbit tournedos.

If I am to describe the food. It's a case of old meets new. Traditional dishes which have had a makeover. And what a makeover.

I started with the snails and meatballs. Snails aren't really my favourite but I was feeling adventurous. The dish came with royale de champignon sauvage. What can I say. This was quite simply excellent. It's the kind of dish that comes with a twist but yet has a certain traditional heartiness to it. They waitor later informed me that the recipe came from the chef's mother. That would make sense. I then went on to have one of the daily specials: the veal kidneys with mash. I especially liked the zucchini fritti which accompanied it, which had an intense flavour of oregano. I think I have already mentioned that I was feeling adventurous. This was a particularly rich dish and possibly not to everyone's taste. Still. I liked it. I must also say that the portions are very generous. No need for side dishes here.

Veal Kidneys

After such rich courses I had ice cream and sorbet. Some interesting flavours including olive oil and lemon. For the chocoholics it's worth mentioning the chocolate delice. My friend had this and it was worth it.

Chocolate Delice with salted liquid fudge centre

The service was excellent: friendly, polite and efficient. For a cool place, I was very comfortable. I would recommend this place, for the quality (and quantity) of food and very good service I would say that it's also good value for money.

I'd like to see if the bar gets busy on a saturday night. I might just check it out!

NB: There is a reason why one should call to make a reservation, I pressed the 8am button when I was reserving online!

Expect to pay around £32pp for 3 courses excluding drinks and service

Bistrot Bruno Loubet, St John's Square, 86-88 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5RJ Tel: 020 7324 4455 http://www.bistrotbrunoloubet.com/

Galapagos Foods, Battersea, London SW11

2011-07-28T22:30:00.000+01:00

There are times that, much as I like to cook, I just can't be bothered. I don't want a big night out, I just want to have some good food, without any of the fuss. Being in this mood, on my way home I hopped off the bus and headed to Battersea High Street. I did have a place in mind from last Saturday when I tasted some of the wonderful pies at their stall in Northcote Road market: Galapagos Foods. Battersea High Street starts off (or ends-I'm not sure which) at the popular Battersea Square. A promising start with the bustling cafes and restaurants-the place to be when the sun is out. The high street is a mixture of and ambitious restaurant and a pub and the more old fashioned barbers and not-very-glamorous internet cafe. A perfect fusion of the diversity of the area.

I walked in to be greeted by the friendly owner, Elaine and her husband. On the walls you find souvenirs obviously from their travels. I noticed the aboriginal artefact on the wall to the Galapagos turtle mosaic. And then there are some products for sale like olive oil and tea. I looked around and I though the walls could do with some paint. On the other hand, I quite liked it. A very down to earth place. The sort that is hard to come by nowadays in London. They are obviously too busy thinking about the food.

The black board indicates a choice of courses comprising the set menu. The a la carte has a wide variety of dishes from all over the globe: from moroccan tagine to corsican beef casserole. I had the latter. It was served with penne and although I found the beef excellent, the accompaniment of penne was a bit boring. Saying this Elaine was very welcome to suggestions.

I was asked for if I wanted dessert. Being curious Elaine gave me a list (verbally) of 8 or 10. I'm not sure what I was more impressed by. The fact that there was such a big choice or that she remembered to list them all! Everything is made either by Elaine or by their chef. I had the walnut and ricotta cake. I have to say this was proper cake, moist but not too sweet.

At just under £20pp with a glass of wine for two courses, I would say it's a tad overpriced, but a small price to pay for such genuine food and the friendliness of the owners.

Galapagos Foods, 169 Battersea High Street, London SW11 3JS Tel: 020 8488 4989 www.galapagosfoods.co.uk

Opera Tavern, Covent Garden, London

2011-07-25T18:18:00.001+01:00

I'm not a fan of Covent Garden. Saying this it doesn't mean that there aren't good reasons to go there. The Royal Opera House, home to the Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet is a beautiful building. If you happen to be there for a performance there is something quite glamorous about it. It's not that you can't find any good restaurants or bars. However, the likelihood is that you will find, at best, something average and at worst a tourist trap.

One weekend, a friend and I both had friends visiting from abroad. I heard a few positive comments about the Opera Tavern and seeing as we had overseas guests, thought that it would probably be a good opportunity to visit covent garden.

We found the Opera Tavern conveniently located a short walk from the Royal Opera House. The wooden decor makes it very welcoming, and the bar area looks ideal for a casual dinner. We were led to a relatively empty upstairs dining room, despite the fact that this was Sunday lunch.

The menu comprises of Spanish tapas, sharing dishes. Again I'm not very fond of tapas. I find the portions are usually too small for say four people to share. And unlike other cuisines designed to share, tapas usually involve small dishes where you are effectively cutting a tiny portion. I feel that, although the cuisine is well represented, the culture isn't. This is food designed to accompany wine. Not the other way round.

Stuffed courgettes

The menu is diverse and there are dishes for every taste. We had a selection. I remember the courgettes stuffed with goat's cheese. Essentially the courgette flowers were stuffed and the were indeed good. However I thought only the flowers should be served, the courgettes did not add anything to the flavour and detracted from the delicate texture of the flower. The carcuterie and cheese dishes are all very good. Overall the quality and presentation was good although nothing spectacular that really stood out.

On to the desserts. I was pleasantly surprised. The flavours and texture were perfectly balanced and if you do visit, then desserts are a must. I did feel slightly let down when the waitress was not sure why the desserts were so go and suggested that perhaps the chef on duty that day was the dessert chef. What sort of a response is that? Does that mean that normally desserts aren't as good? That would be a shame. I am hoping that this not the case.

Poached Italian Meringues

Bitter Chocolate Sorbet with Espresso Granita

Warm Hazelnut Cake with Lemon Thyme Ice Cream

The service was average (as evidences previously!). I suppose on a busier day I would expect to find some foodies enjoying the wine with a couple of dishes-the wine list is a good one- and other than that probably a covent garden going crowd. Overall, I would rate it at a 3 out of 5. If you are in the area it is probably one of the better places to go. However I wouldn't recommend you go out of your way for a meal here.

Expect to pay around £20pp excl drink.

Opera Tavern, 23 Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JS Tel: 0207 836 3680 http://www.operatavern.co.uk/