Updated 3rd September 2010

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Roast for Breakfast

It’s breakfast that seems to catch the imagination of visitors to these shores. They suppose that we Brits eat a fried breakfast every day. Many of us wish we could, but the constraints of time, finances and waistline prevent a big fry-up from being anything other than a too-infrequent treat.

Roast in Borough Market offers very decent breakfasts. Yes, you will assume, dear reader, that the sausages will be superb and that the bacon will be memorable. Right on both counts. Roast has a great reputation for all things meaty. An evening meal here should not be passed up. But Roast has vegetables as well.

The Full Monty, Traditional English, and Big Fry-up are all the same thing. Substantial, delicious, moreish, tempting and meat-laden breakfasts. We wax lyrical about them because they are, from time to time, just what we crave. But how’s about vegetarians? Menus will offer vegetarian specials and non-meat options but they are often boring and almost always too worthy – fiddle-head fern cutlet and yak’s milk smoothie.

I am not a vegetarian, as I am by nature greedy. I love food in all its myriad guises so if for whatever reason I felt unable to eat meat, I would want to have the option of still enjoying the best food. So what about breakfast? Roast has a menu that embraces vegetarians, holds them close, says “There, there, you’re safe now” and presents them with a grown-up brekkie sans meat.

Try the Veggie Borough which includes a Veggie Borough banger, grilled tomatoes, field mushrooms, tattie scone, wholemeal toast and your choice of eggs. Now, that’s what I call a real breakfast that just happens not to include meat. Those veggie bangers are substantial sausages made of vegetables and grains. The texture is hearty and firm, and they’re full of herby flavour.

If your mind is set on somewhat lighter fare then you could do worse than a 3-egg omelette. These are fluffy and flecked with the fresh green of chives. Neal’s Yard Cheddar cheese, field mushrooms and herbs, or Smoked trout are your veggie options. A side order of bubble ‘n’ squeak might be tempting but remember it’s fried in beef dripping. For my overseas readers I should explain that this confection is a traditional Monday dish made from left-over potatoes and greens from the Sunday lunch. Patties of these crushed vegetables are seasoned and then fried till slightly browned. Delightfully comforting and rustic.

There are plenty of lighter items for vegetarians to graze upon. Toasted cottage loaf with a selection of English preserves, fresh fruit salad, muesli with Earl Grey prunes and yoghurt for the more health-conscious. Also Scott’s porridge oats with a jug of cream for the colder mornings. Two boiled eggs with Marmite soldiers for those with a taste for the finer things in life. Gypsy toast with stewed cranberries, bananas, pistachios and soured cream. Kippers with lemon and butter. Smoked trout with scrambled eggs.

The Full Borough is the meal of choice for the carnivore of the species. High-quality ingredients to remind us of why the most celebrated of British meals is still so popular. Ramsay smoked streaky bacon, Cumberland sausages, fried bread, Ramsay of Carluke black pudding, grilled tomatoes, field mushrooms, bubble ‘n’ squeak and your choice of egg, poached, fried or scrambled.

Roast has an appealing early-morning ambiance. Its prices are reasonable for such an establishment. The ingredients are well-chosen and the finest of their type, from the jams and preserves to the sausages and bacon. Breakfast isn’t a meal to be rushed. This is a departure from your usual routine. Order some Roast special-blend English breakfast tea instead of your mug of instant coffee. Indulge in a generous cooked breakfast prepared by chefs who are more awake than you are. Relax and read the morning papers rather than scraping the toast over the kitchen sink. In other words, enjoy!

Breakfast Menu
Monday - Friday 7.00am - 11:00am
Saturday 8.00am - 11:30am

Roast, The Floral Hall, Stoney Street, London SE1 1TL.

Reservations and Enquiries: 0845 034 7300
Fax: 0845 034 7301
Email: feedback@roast-restaurant.com
Visit Roast here

Iberica Food and Culture

Michelin-starred executive chef of Iberica Food and Culture is Nacho Manzano, who cooks at his restaurant Casa Marcial in Asturias, in the top left-hand corner of Spain. He is especially well known for his fish cookery and for his new take on traditional dishes. He has become an international ambassador for Asturian cooking.

Head chef Santiago Guerrero is a charming young man from Madrid. He trained both in Spain and in England and has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain, as well as The Castle Hotel, Somerset and The Waterside Inn. Before joining Iberica Food and Culture he worked as the Executive Sous-chef and acting Head Chef at L’Albufera restaurant in London's Melia White House Hotel, voted best Spanish restaurant outside Spain by their Ministerio de Agricultura Caza y Pesca. Quite an accolade.

Iberica is truly a Spanish centre. There is the ever-popular tapas bar, a beautiful restaurant on the first floor, an art gallery on the landing, a wine niche for small events and presentations, and a deli. This might not be as big as Harrod’s Food Hall but it is stocked with the best of Spanish foods and ingredients, many of which can only be found in Spain or here at Iberica. It’s a measure of the respect with which this amazing establishment is regarded.

At Iberica's imposing 15-metre bar you can choose between fifty hot and cold 'pinchos' and 'tapas' served from 11.30am till late into the night. There are plenty of simple cold dishes, such as cheese and charcuterie platters, shellfish and vegetable salads, croquettes, sausages, tortillas, rices and main-courses which reflect some of what regional and new Spanish food has to offer.

You can linger at the bar with a glass of Spanish wine or enjoy leisurely tapas with a drink at a window table where you can watch London pass you by. Prices start at an amazingly reasonable £1.50 for potato omelette with alioli sauce. The staff can suggest wine and tapas pairings so you don’t need to be an expert on either Spanish food or drink. Help is at hand.

We started our lunch with the Trio of Ham. This meat was carved wafer thin from the whole hams displayed in the aforementioned deli. What could be more evocative of fine food from the peninsula? Ham Croquets and Cheese Croquets will be familiar to those who have enjoyed leisurely hours in celebrated tapas bars in Madrid or even Barcelona. These were creamy, rich and real Iberian comfort food.

Dried tuna ‘mojama’ with homemade thyme bread and almond vinaigrette was new to me. A charming presentation on a slate platter. It’s the attention to detail which sets this establishment above so many others. Quality and care.

Stewed beef cheeks in rioja red wine with creamy chickpea purée is a culinary stunner. This is a slow-cooked dish of tender and flavourful meat. The sauce is glossy and rich and deserving of bread to dip. A dish for a cold winter in London.

Fried fresh squid with alioli is one to fight over. The seafood was tender with breading that was crunchy and light. The garlic mayonnaise had plenty of punch and was a delicious foil for the delicate squid.

Black Rice with cuttlefish, prawns and alioli must be Iberica's signature dish. I have had black rice in the past but it’s never had either the colour or the flavour of this version. Most have been pale grey and pallid, while this had a truly inky teeth-blackening lacquered sheen. Seafood in every bite. A must-try.

Caleya´s caramelised rice pudding and Fried Milk were our dessert choices. They showed two diverse faces of dairy-based sweets. Both were creamy and rich but the textures were different. The Fried Milk was a cube of white, set cream in a crunchy golden crumb. A delight to eat. The rice pudding will be nothing like your mother makes... unless your mum happens to be Spanish and an amazing chef. This was a light cloud with a golden lining.

Iberica offers London's longest list of Spanish wines by the glass, ranging from classics such as Cava, sherry and Rioja to many that will be new to British clients. There is nothing worse than being obliged to buy a bottle of your favourite tipple when you can only drink a glass. The bar stocks a wide range of Spanish beer, cider, brandies, liqueurs, Castile's sweet and dry anis, and Galician aguardiente. An ideal spot to learn more about Spanish beverages of all kinds. They will also be happy to supply you with Asturian sparkling waters, coffee and tea if you need to work in the afternoon.

Lunch will allow you to graze your way through some of the best Tapas outside, or even inside, Spain but the evening experience of the first-floor Caleya restaurant shows another facet. This must surely be the address of choice for Spanish fine dining. The chef is the same but the dishes on offer allow chef Santiago to showcase a more formal side of this stylish establishment.

Start your evening as we did at the bar. Order a glass of sherry and try a few slices of the freshly carved ham. They have whole hams from acorn-fed pigs bred by small Spanish producers. It’s unlikely you’ll find better hams than this anywhere else in the UK. A Spaniard whose family breeds pigs told me that the hams here are the best she has come across.

Those hams, or slices of, can be found in the Iberica Deli, next to the restaurant on the ground floor. (Monday - Saturday: 11:30 a.m. - 7pm) If you can’t get to London to visit in person then you can now shop online at http://store.ibericalondon.com/

Caleya is cosy. That’s the first impression. Cosy but still stylish and thoughtfully decorated with paintings owned by the manager. Not scenes of Don Quixote and a donkey but contemporary cityscapes in sepia. Take some time to look at these pictures. Amazing.

If you want an overview of all that is contemporary Spanish cuisine then you could do worse than order the Tasting Menu. Each dish is chosen to present ingredients at their best and some of those ingredients, although traditional, are far from the usual fare found in most Spanish restaurants.

We were regaled with:
Warm salad of baby leeks and spinach, young carrots with chickpea mayonnaise served in a 'cocido' broth – attractive and delicious.

Wild mushrooms served with its jelly, beetroot and rocket leaves was the very essence of mushroom flavour.

Stewed belly of cod with sweet pepper consommé, pil-pil glaze was as much about texture as taste. Yes, there is the flavour of fish, but it’s delicate. The flesh is glutinous and comforting.

Grilled fillet of Turbot with sea-urchin sauce and sweet potato purée. Another dish presenting well-chosen ingredients in an inspired fashion.

Roasted shoulder of suckling Segovia lamb with herbs accompanied by mushrooms and green peas is slow-cooked to achieve tender meat - a dish to attempt to replicate at home.

Granita of mixed berries, lemon sorbet and meringue batons, along with Mousse of 'Jijona' nougat with light chocolate sponge and mandarin sorbet, make for a veritable buffet of sweet and summery delights. These are small plates to nibble and enjoy with a glass of dessert wine.

The menu changes with the seasons, so you'll be tasting the best, the freshest and the finest the market has to offer, whenever you visit.

Iberica Food and Culture is a culinary ambassador. It seems to take that role seriously. It takes pride in every aspect of its business, both culinary and cultural. It isn’t just a fine tapas bar and classy restaurant but an inspiring departure from our cooler climate. Iberica isn’t just Spanish, it’s Spain, and remarkable.

Tapas Bar
Monday-Saturday: 11:30am - 11pm     
Sunday:12 - 16 pm (paella menu)

Bentley’s Grill

A restaurant anywhere that has endured for 94 years or so must be worth visiting. A restaurant of that vintage in London should have statues erected and probably have its own anthem. Not sure what that might be, but perhaps “When Irish eyes are smiling.”

Bentley’s welcomed its first guests in 1916. One commiserates with those who have recently opened restaurants in the Capital in the teeth of a recession, but one can only wonder at the emotions of Messrs Bentley dealing with the First World War with its fear and privations. Even more sobering when one considers there was another War to end all Wars a couple of decades down the line.

The Bentleys owned some oyster beds near Colchester so it was a natural progression to own a restaurant to serve the shellfish. Oysters were not always the luxury product they are today. Henry Mayhew, the celebrated Victorian social historian, commented that “The number of oysters sold by the costermongers (street vendors) amounts to 124,000,000 a year.” Oysters had a higher fiscal profile by the turn of the century but the Bentleys hedged their culinary bets with the first-floor dining rooms. They were still going strong when in 1961 young restaurant critic Egon Ronay wrote: “The two Mr Bentleys are not only excellent restaurateurs; they are also oyster farmers who sell their delicious produce all over the country.”

The restaurant is no longer owned by the Bentley family but it still has the same name and location. The same beautiful striking Victorian building in Swallow Street. It is now thankfully part-pedestrianised allowing a front terrace of traffic-free calm just a few yards from the ever-frantic Piccadilly. The facade has been described as both Arts and Crafts and Italianate and it’s charming, but the interior beckoned, and it lived up to the promise that the outside had offered.

Irish-born Richard Corrigan is an easily recognisable figure and much taller than he seems on television (mental note to self – buy a bigger TV). Richard spent four years cooking in the Netherlands before becoming head chef of Mulligan’s in Mayfair. His first Michelin star was awarded at Stephen Bull’s Blandford Street restaurant in 1994. Richard launched the Lindsay House in Soho in 1997 and was awarded a Michelin star. That restaurant has now moved to Upper Grosvenor Street as “Corrigan’s".

Dehesa Charcuterie and Tapas Bar

garnished with Prawns a la Plancha with Saffron Potatoes and glasses of light fino sherry. The whole hams on the counter add to the ambiance which is more reminiscent of similar establishments in Barcelona or Madrid than just around the corner from Liberty’s.

Anchovies, almonds and caperberries started our lunch. And indeed the aforementioned fino was our choice of “beverage”, as our American friends would charmingly describe our libations. We were joined by suited regulars as well as a few Japanese tourists. No table reservations here so those in the know come early. Platters of wafer-thin ham were unsurprisingly popular although my preference has always been for the cooked tapas. This is grazing food but you’ll not leave hungry. Order a plate of this, a little of that, try the Padrón peppers - these innocent little vegetables are for the most part mild but there are a few which are unexpectedly fierce.

We chose Salt Cod Croquetas with Romesco sauce. This is a common tapas dish but shouldn’t be overlooked. The fish has a particular and distinctive taste which I have always found appealing. Salt cod is favoured throughout Spain but also in Southern France. It’s laborious to prepare at home so take advantage when someone else has done the work. This is the finest of comfort food.

Ham Croquetas are made from the last cuts of whole hams. These were exceptional in having a considerable amount of cured meat inside, not the usual sparsely-distributed fine shreds more often associated with this dish. It’s a tapas-bar staple, and unbeatable when done well.

Chorizo a la Plancha offered nuggets of well-flavoured sausage. The red paprika-infused oil cried out to be mopped with a chunk of country bread.

Courgette Flowers with Monte Enebro and Honey were delicate and sweet with a salty tang from the goat’s cheese. A classic and classy dish made from young vegetables fried in a light batter.

Sanctum Soho Hotel’s No.20 Restaurant for Breakfast

Sanctum Soho Hotel is in the heart of London’s West End. Two Georgian townhouses have been converted into a striking 30-bedroom boutique hotel. It’s right between Regent Street and the iconic Carnaby Street, now lined with trendy clothes shops rather than the ethnic emporia of the 60s. The dark wood doors of Sanctum welcome the visitor to a small lobby and then into a bright and unique restaurant called no.20. Well, the hotel address is 20 Warwick Street so I guess that name is no surprise. Sanctum Soho is the brainchild of Concept Venues’ Mark Fuller. That company specialises in classy establishments in London, outside the capital and beyond these shores.

The restaurant interior is designed by Lesley Purcell and it’s a vision in almost 1940s style, oak floors and red columns decorated with glowing glass rods. Gold leather-buttoned banquettes and dark maroon patent crocodile-upholstered chairs seat the dining area guests, while plush crimson fabrics await those prefering to linger by the bar. No. 20 has 60 covers but the design assures privacy. The restaurant presents just a hint of the theme of the hotel in general: Glamour. This hotel just cries out to have guests from the A-list and ‘names’ looking for a central retreat.

We were there for breakfast and settled ourselves comfortably behind a large linen-laden table. It’s the best and most important meal of the day and it was comforting to find sensible breakfast foods. Heinz Baked Beans are not often seen on smart menus but here they were and I was pleased to see that. At least this restaurant takes note of what people really eat in the mornings. Bagel with Lox and Cream Cheese always makes a great breakfast and I am sure guests from New York will appreciate their inclusion.

A stack of Buttermilk Pancakes, Bacon and Maple Syrup was my guest’s choice. The combination of sweet and salty - fluffy pancakes and crispy bacon - contrasting tastes and textures, is always satisfying, and at

Sunday Brunch at Indigo restaurant – One Aldwych

One Aldwych has one of the best locations in London. It stands on a corner plot in the middle of the capital in Covent Garden, that neighbourhood being famed as the backdrop for My Fair Lady. It’s a stone’s throw from the River Thames and all the iconic sights of old London.

The hotel is nestled between the City and the West End where The Aldwych meets the Strand, and opposite Waterloo Bridge. It’s just a short distance from more than a dozen celebrated theatres as well as the world-famous Royal Opera House. It is considered a noteworthy Edwardian building and is now protected by English Heritage. It’s an architectural extravaganza of Continental-inspired splendour, designed by Charles Mewes and Arthur Davis, the Anglo-French duo behind the Ritz hotels in London and Paris.

This stylish hotel is the lodging of choice for many a visitor from beyond these shores. It’s prized for being just around the corner from so many places of interest but it also caters for those who are not staying but just passing through. Guests who drop in for a meal and even for some entertainment in the small but well-appointed cinema next to Axis, One Aldwych’s other restaurant.

It was a bright Sunday afternoon and we were in the mood for brunch. Indigo at One Aldwych offers a striking restaurant, a calming ambiance and a thoughtful menu. It’s a small enough restaurant to feel intimate, and casual enough for you to feel comfortable meandering through the Sunday colour supplements.

Our fellow brunchers comprised a few who were evidently hotel guests lingering over the papers and breakfast, but also some regulars from across the Pond. The staff were bombarded with requests for dishes which were almost but not quite on the menu. A ham omelette sans ham – the guest would like that on the side. Some goat cheese - that wasn’t even on the menu but there was a promise that the restaurant would find some. These requests were fielded with courtesy, charm and a willingness to please. I was warming to Indigo and we hadn’t even ordered yet.

Indigo offers soup, salads, on-toast items, mains, desserts, and any two courses of the above with unlimited Prosecco for only £24. That sounded like outstanding value but the food has to be good. The Soup of the Day was watercress and it was the most vibrant and light of its kind that my guest and I had ever seen.  It was delicately garnished with oil and crème fraiche and served with a selection of breads.

Some folks expect a roast on Sundays and Indigo offers that in an interesting fashion. A roast beef salad with watercress, Yorkshire pudding and horseradish sauce. It’s a light alternative to the traditional Sunday lunch, but my fancy on this occasion was Wild Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions on Toast. This simple dish was a small culinary triumph of both texture and taste. The fungi were cooked to perfection and still held their original contours. The large field mushrooms added substance and the onions were sweetly moreish. A very good start.

Other items on the Toast menu included Welsh Rarebit and Scotch Woodcock. A word or two by way of explanation: Welsh Rarebit is not a bunny from Wales but is a dish of seasoned melted cheese on toast, sometimes containing a dash of ale and/or Worcester Sauce. Scotch Woodcock isn’t a highland game-bird but a savoury dish consisting of scrambled eggs served on toast that has been spread with something tangy like anchovy paste or Gentleman's Relish. Yes, a British menu can confound the visitor.

Kedgeree has been a breakfast favourite since Queen Victoria and the days of the old Raj. An Anglo-Indian

Napket - Café, Canteen, Tearoom, Restaurant

On Saturday 11 July 2009 Napket launched its largest flagship café at 61 Piccadilly, W1.  With its position close to The Ritz and Old Bond Street, the stylish Napket Piccadilly has cult designer Peter Van Hooreweghe to thank for its striking interior. Such a location deserves a memorable treatment. No, it’s not trying to be the Ritz but Napket does contrive to be something out of the ordinary.

Seating up to 70 guests, the dramatic and eclectic space offers a melange of vintage elegance and industrial buzz. Sporting huge grey-glass Murano chandeliers and black-painted baroque chairs it is truly striking in a rather posh French fashion. That expression of pricey charm extends only up to pelmet height where the techie urban pipes and conduits take hold, with a few nice swathes of exposed brickwork.

It’s true that Napket is a small chain but it has the quirky feel of a one-off independent. This branch is unique in that it offers table service to guests visiting for breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner. Table service is also available for weekend brunch, with morning dishes the likes of Eggs Benedict and Napket Omelettes. The popular lunch spread is solely self-service throughout. It is also the first of the Napket stable to offer an evening dinner menu with wine.

We were there for lunch and its popularity was evident. Its Piccadilly address would obviously help trade but there were plenty of regulars here, and Napket has a raft of competition. It’s the food that draws the punters back. It’s rumoured that there are 20 varieties of speciality Pound Cakes here, so we grabbed a slice of Banana Loaf. Moist and moreish, it had all the credentials of homemade. But a slice of indulgent sweetness does not a lunch make.

My guest ordered a cup of soup from the station just by the front door. The same chef was offering toasted sandwiches and there were several generously-topped pizzas on this cold and wet summer day. The packaging is designed to be not only visually appealing in stark black with gold Napket logo, but practical for both eat-in and take-out. Consequently the soup was ladled into a large paper cup.

The salad bar here is becoming legendary. The choice is wide and the portions are huge, although I found the white marker-written salad menu rather confusing. This place caters for the salad connoisseurs. There is an extensive range of meats, leaves, vegetables and dressings to select from so your salad is made to order before your very eyes, and you have nobody but yourself to blame if your combination is bizarre or boring. The queue here was rather long but we had arrived at the busiest time and the bespoke nature of the salads encourages a slower turn-round than picking plastic from a shelf. The salad bar closes at 3 so ideal for those who have been kept in over lunch by the boss.

My Caesar salad was enough for two hungry diners and was full of the good stuff. No skimping here. Chicken, bacon, mixed leaves, Parmesan cheese and dressing were all there in abundance to the extent that my eat-in lunch morphed into a take-out supper. OK, so the plastic ‘silverware’ didn’t tick any boxes for me but it’s practical and the tables are cleared at top speed. I didn’t see any lingering debris.

My companion was taken with the chilled smoothies and opted for Immunity, which was a thick concoction of apple, mango and banana. It was pronounced delicious and possibly a worthy lunch substitute for those on the go.

Napket Piccadilly offers something for everyone. Whilst it’s not the cheapest option on the block it’s also true to say that you get what you pay for in both quality and quantity of food, as well as ambiance. I have visited for morning coffee when the café was tranquil and the staff attentive. The lunch hours are vibrant and the tables packed. Not sure what the evening might bring but I am sufficiently impressed to want to return.

Napket
61 Piccadilly, London W1J 0DY
Phone: 020 7493 4704
Email: 61@napket.com

Open
8am – 11pm

St Pancras Grand – Breakfast

Pear Tree Pub – Fulham

Heathrow Terminal 5 – Dining Destination

Terminal 5 opened on 27th March 2008 to a less-than-glorious start. I am sure most travellers have received their baggage by now but the memory of that ignominious first week will remain with those who were closely associated with it. But now it really is just a memory, and Terminal 5 is becoming a ‘destination’ airport terminal in its own right.

Terminal 5A, to give its correct title, is the biggest single-span building in Britain. Your response to most statistics might be, “Well, whoda thought?” but a visit to T5 will have you exclaiming “This must be the biggest single span building in Britain” with no prompting. It is a stunning vision of glass and beams and has an open and light aspect. It cost £4.2bn and covers 265ha, equivalent to 50 football pitches. 27 million passengers are expected to pass through Terminal 5 this year, and this passenger was paying particular attention to the air-side food.

61,000 sqft is dedicated to catering in Terminal 5, everything from The 5 Tuns Pub and Kitchen to M&S, providing the gamut of casual dining, but what was needed for my own early morning start? Breakfast when travelling is often comprised of a strange melange of local dishes appropriate for a different time-zone and of dubious taste and questionable texture, but Wagamama at T5 presents a menu that seems to have something for everyone, or at least as much as one could reasonably expect.

Wagamama is a noodle restaurant with several branches in central and greater London, and others opening elsewhere. It’s a noodle bar with all the attractive Zen practicality that a Japanese eatery would imply. Plenty of benches and chopsticks but also some rather delicious food. Its pan-Asian-inspired dishes have a cult following. Wagamama ‘chilli men’ is a noodle dish of stir-fried chicken or prawns with vegetables, and is a popular recipe search on the internet (Mostly Asian Food, www.mostlyasianfood.com), but the unique breakfast dishes were the draw this morning. Heathrow is the only Wagamama serving breakfast, both traditional and Asian.

Okonomiyaki – a Japanese-style pancake omelette made with peppers, cabbage and mushrooms, garnished with katsuobushi (a preparation of dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna) and aonori (edible green seaweed) – is a substantial egg dish, and flavourful. The tuna shavings give a slightly salty counterpoint to the vegetables.

Coconut Porridge is a bowl of oats mixed with regular milk and coconut milk, served with an apple and chilli jam. It is perhaps, for the less-adventurous guests, one of the more easily accepted of the pan-Asian breakfast items. We have all had steaming bowls of porridge to send us off to school on cold winter days. Well, this has the same comforting texture but a richness from the coconut milk and a kick from the condiment. A good slow-energy-release dish for the gruelling day ahead!

Caviar House & Prunier offer the traveller an oasis of calm luxury. It’s honestly not an everyday pit-stop, but far more accessible financially than one would assume, and proved to be just the place to while away some post-breakfast and pre-flight hours. Caviar House & Prunier is said to be a producer of the world's finest caviar and Balik smoked salmon. It has a reputation for presenting the highest quality, and there are experts on hand to make your first caviar encounter an occasion to remember.

Malossol is the most authentic Russian-style caviar and my favourite. Those little blue tins are here in abundance, along with some not-so-little tins. Malossol is a caviar with a particular Beluga flavour and is much sought-after in America and Japan. Granted, it’s not cheap but it would make any celebration memorable. If caviar is a bit too rich then try the excellent smoked salmon with a glass of champagne. Linger and savour. It’s all about pampering.

Obviously Heathrow isn’t just a dining experience. Retail therapy can calm the nerves and send one from these shores with a feeling of duty-free well-being. Tiffany & Co.’s signature jewellery pieces are displayed in their store. This is the only place outside their New York 5th Avenue branch where passengers are able to see these. Harrods Department Store is here, along with French luxury maison Cartier. There is a raft of other ‘labels’ as well. It’s a consumer paradise for the well-heeled, but for us humble folks there are the high street brands, too.

If those high-flyers are peckish then they would want a celebrated chef to be providing the posh nosh. Plane Food is a Gordon Ramsay restaurant at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, where Stuart Gillies is the appointed Chef Patron. He has worked with Angela Hartnett at The Connaught, before moving on to London's Le Caprice. He has also graced the kitchens of Daniel Boulud restaurant in New York City. Stuart ran the Boxwood Café at The Berkeley before becoming manager of Plane Food.

I am not a fan of Gordon Ramsay but I seem to be one of the few. That is to say, I don’t like his TV shows or his language, but his food is some of the best around. I have eaten in his Heathrow restaurant and have no complaints. Excellent. And the restaurant offers a picnic service which is novel and convenient.

One can order Plane Beautiful picnics from 7:00am to 9:00pm. They are priced at £14.95 for 3 courses. All meals can be taken onboard your flight, or simply enjoyed in one of the many seating areas in the terminal. My orange thermal bag contained Caesar salad with pancetta and soft-boiled egg, Cumbrian honey-roast ham and Parma ham, and a chocolate brownie which I must confess was the best I have ever eaten. The ham platter was fresh and substantial and my only criticism would be that there was no bread, the addition of which would have made this a complete meal. A simple bottle of water would have been worthwhile.

Heathrow Terminal 5 will start your trip in fine fashion or will offer a stylish homecoming. We all used to swell with pride as we watched Concorde soar. This building and its high-end amenities are fast becoming the equivalent in air travel facilities. OK, you wouldn’t want to spend your vacation within its confines, but it’s striking, contemporary and as good as it gets.

Mestizo Sunday Brunch with UNESCO support

Mexico already has many of its monuments on UNESCO's list of protected sites. Now it has gained international recognition for the country's unique cuisine. London has a restaurant which is recognised by the Mexican Embassy as providing authentic dishes. Mestizo near Euston Station will provide a vibrant introduction to Mexico’s culinary heritage.

UNESCO officials have added Mexico's food to the organisation's list of ‘intangible cultural patrimony’. That simply means that the cuisine of Mexico is now recognised as worth protecting and promoting. The trinity of corn, beans and chillis forms the foundation of Mexico's food, with each region of the country adding its own ingredients and spices to create a rich tapestry.

"We face an enormous threat from junk food and other foreign foods that are taking over our culture, which is why UNESCO could help greatly by supporting our traditional cuisine," said Mr. Rojas, the chef at Don Chon, a Mexico City restaurant specialising in pre-Hispanic dishes.

Traditional Mexican cuisine dates back 3,000 years to the Mayans, who had a healthy and delicious diet, but the “Mexican cuisine” that most of us have eaten is largely an adulteration of the authentic original. These dishes often owe their heritage to restaurants north of the border. Taste real Mexican food and you’ll notice a difference. The Sunday brunch at Mestizo is a showcase, and will allow those new to real Mexican food to graze and savour.

Mestizo offers a warm welcome at any time. I have become a frequent visitor and have never been disappointed. I eat out several times each week and still this restaurant is amongst my top three in London. It has a casual ambiance, and many regulars from the Mexican community, who must know a great deal more about this exciting cuisine than I do.

The brunch starts at noon and is available till 4pm. Go early as it’s a popular spot. Settle yourself at a table and check out what your neighbours are eating. There is a good chance that they will be Mexicans or regulars, so ask them what they have chosen. Don’t bother asking what’s good – it’s all good. Pour a glass of Agua de Horchata (rice, cinnamon, milk) or Agua de Jamaica made from hibiscus, and head for the food.

Perhaps start with Huevos Rancheros. This is a typical Mexican breakfast dish of fried eggs on fried tortilla with red or green salsa, rice and beans. A substantial plate, so come with an appetite or you will miss out on so many other delicious possibilities, such as Menudo soup, considered as a cure-all. Pozole is a traditional corn soup garnished with lettuce, radish, onion, avocado, chopped chilli and lime. Birria is lamb stew with tomato, onion and chilli ancho.

I wandered along the buffet and selected a little of this and a spoonful of that. This form of dining is ideal for groups as each guest can make their own selection and return as often as they like. There are salsas to spice the aromatic dishes and there are salads to cool the chilli-rich ones. Plenty here for vegetarians and even fish lovers as well as those who crave meat. The kids can amuse themselves by designing their own Taco or Quesadilla and you could celebrate Sunday with a shot or two of tequila.

The Tamales at Mestizo are comfort foods. The steamed corn husks are filled with masa and a variety of fillings. Try these with a drizzle of green salsa. Simple but memorable. The chafing dish to the right contained Pescado Relleno de Champinones, a delicate white fish wrapped in corn husk and steamed in its own juices with mushrooms. This was one of the best fish dishes of any ethnic persuasion I have eaten in ages.

The flavours here are surprisingly subtle. Pollo en Salsa Romero is a creamy chicken dish and ideal served with rice. Mild and with the chicken cooked to succulent perfection. This is another must-try.

I spent a long and contented lunch and enjoyed a sampling of almost all the savoury dishes on offer. I could be condemned to eat the same on my next visit, for next visit there will surely be, and I would be looking forward to the experience anew. But I needed a taste of something sweet and so I cut a slice of Tres Leches cake from the dessert display. This was a moreish preparation of light sponge soaked in a sauce made from, as the name suggests, three milks. If you are not sure of your capacity then I would counsel eating dessert first. Yes, its rich but it’s worth the calories.

Mestizo for Dinner

I had my first little peek at Mestizo last year. Just a cocktail and some nibbles but it was enough to give an indication that this was a spot to linger over and enjoy. An evening meal was in order so off I went with guest in tow to see if that first impression was accurate, or merely an illusion encouraged by one too many of Mexico’s famous beverage.

You might say you like “Mexican” food. You might have had “Mexican” food on trips to the US, and Taco Bell might be your favourite fast food but, dear reader, your experience is a faint shadow of the authentic Mexican extravaganza awaiting you at Mestizo.

Mestizo Restaurant and Tequila Bar has a convenient location just around the corner from Euston Square Underground station, and a few minutes’ walk from Euston main-line station. Its atmosphere is of dark wood charm but the impressive bar hints at fun times to be had. This establishment has a collection of Tequilas (over 130 at last count) enough to make any London-based Mexican quite home-sick. The restaurant has a cult following amongst the local Brits and, evidently, expat Mexicans. That has got to be an indication of this restaurant’s authenticity. It already has the vote of those in the know.

Mestizo offers food that is hard or impossible to find outside Mexico. I wonder why these dishes haven’t had the exposure of other ethnic cuisines. It must be that Europe has only a slight cultural exchange with those countries that rest south of Texas and California. Mexican food has migrated to its neighbour to the North, but has often been adulterated in transit. Tex-Mex food might be vibrant and zesty but it isn’t a patch on food to be found south of the border.

We started our evening with cocktails. Mestizo Spice got our attention. This was an amazing concoction of Casco Viejo chilli-infused reposado tequila, cherry brandy, crushed strawberries, diced red chilli and lime. It’s a tall delicate pink drink with a kick. I am not a cocktail habitué but this particular recipe evoked all that’s impressive about Mestizo – good taste and style.

Our starter was a Mixed Antojitos Platter which was an assortment of flauta (crispy fried rolled tortillas filled with chicken and topped with lettuce, sour cream and green tomatillo salsa), quesadilla (corn pastries filled with cheese, served with sour cream and salsa roja), jalada (jalapeño peppers stuffed with cream cheese, served with sour cream) - don’t miss these -, and tamales (steamed corn husks filled with masa and pollo con mole) – an authentic taste of Mexican comfort food.

The Mestizo staff are charming and helpful. Several of them are Mexican and all of them can steer you through what will likely be an unfamiliar menu. Mole Poblano was my co-reviewer’s choice for main course. This is a classic dish of boneless chicken breast served with a traditional mole sauce made of dried chillies, herbs, spices, almonds and chocolate, served with beans and rice and some flour tortillas. Mestizo make all sauces, beans, condiments and salsas in-house. The tortillas, however, are produced by a specialist bakery, although Mestizo do make their own moreish tortilla chips. The chocolate sauce was savoury and well flavoured with a silky texture. An introduction to the subtleties of Mexican cuisine.

Mole Huasteco (a traditional dish from the state of Hidalgo, Mexico) was new to me. It’s a boneless chicken breast served with a huasteco sauce, made from over 32 ingredients, including dried chillies, tomatoes, onion, almonds, garlic, sesame and pumpkin seeds. This is a rich and aromatic dish with an almost liquorice or aniseed finish. This must surely be a signature dish. If you only expect to make one visit to Mestizo then order this.

Indigo Afternoon Tea - One Aldwych Hotel

Indigo Restaurant at One Aldwych Hotel is the ideal spot for a spot of tea. Its unique location allows for the essential “people watching” without the disadvantages of traffic fumes and noise, and with the added benefit of those aforementioned people being kept at a healthy distance. You’ll have a good view of the moving London landscape from your cosy eyrie.

Indigo restaurant now offers the celebrated British afternoon tea with a delicious twist on the much-loved experience. Tony Fleming, the hotel’s executive chef, takes advantage of the finest, freshest ingredients and has tweaked the classic dainties – both sweet and savoury – to present a contemporary version of the typical afternoon tea. Nothing too outlandish or shocking to refined sensibilities, just changes to offer a lighter although equally indulgent experience.

This restaurant is a favourite of mine. In fact the hotel with both Indigo and Axis restaurants is a haven of understated good taste and a refuge from the bustle of city life. We ordered Assam and Darjeeling teas and settled back. I was expecting something charming and different and that’s what I got.

The three-tier stand is traditional and there were sandwiches. Roast beef, pink and tempting and spiked with horseradish, in my opinion the essential condiment, is served on caramelised onion bread. Smoked salmon is a must and here it has a spread of cream cheese on onion bread. Cucumber and cream cheese is matched with caraway bread to make one feel elegant and a bit Victorian (although they might have missed out on the cream cheese, and the bread would doubtless have remained sans caraway).

Sandwiches constitute the majority of that lower layer but Indigo has added some savouries and they are miniature versions of the dishes that were so popular as part of a High Tea a century or so ago. The hearty Scotch Egg is now made with a quail egg, and the Welsh Rarebit is a crunchy crouton topped with the cheesy mix.

The usual route to teatime satisfaction lies in starting at the bottom with the sandwiches and working up. I would counsel that you should have the ground floor platter first and then pass swiftly to the third. The Eton Mess is presented in a small glass and will captivate anyone with a passion for sweet decadence. Dive in, as this concoction is best consumed fresh.

Traditional warm Scottish drop-scones served with berry compote and clotted cream also grace that top deck. They replace the notoriously fickle regular scones. They are light and delicate and a worthy addition to the plate. But cakes are perhaps the most eagerly anticipated of the collection and they grace the middle level of the stand.

The Bitter Chocolate Tart has a truly adult and sophisticated taste. It might look a small slice but it’s rich; and there is pink and yellow checker-board Battenberg to follow. This really will evoke memories of childhood, although my childhood was punctuated with Battenberg from a box, a pale imitation of this Indigo delight. But there is more to come in the guise of carrot cake. A great example here with evidence of both nuts and carrots, and aromatic with warming spices. A substantial slice.

Afternoon tea at Indigo is a new enterprise. It’s only been available for a few weeks but it’s already popular. There was a pre-wedding celebration party, the girls wearing flowery dresses to complement the pastel teatime display. Another table held a family of three generations, grandparents sipping champagne while baby in high-chair tucked into a finger of sandwich and squidgy fist or two of cake. Contentment and joy reigned. I’ll return for another tranquil Saturday afternoon and I am sure the others will as well.

Afternoon tea must be booked in advance.
£26.50 per person
£35.00 per person including a glass of Louis Roederer Champagne

Indigo Restaurant - One Aldwych
1 Aldwych, London WC2B 4RH
Tel: 020 7300 0400
Fax: 020 7300 0401
Email: indigo@onealdwych.com

The Elgin Food Pub and Music House – Notting Hill

Previously a down-market Frog and Firkin, The Elgin is another pub that has recently been taken over by Geronimo Inns.  Fortunately the group has maintained the striking Victoriana and attracted a different clientele. The sports-bar atmosphere has disappeared along with its dubious drinkers, or at least the drinkers here are no more dubious than in any other neighbourhood pub. The pub does however boast a music pedigree, as The Clash played here. The tradition continues with live music on some nights. The back room of the pub is the 70-cover Music Room.

Since 1856 The Elgin has had many incarnations so it’s truly amazing that the character has survived. It now has ‘Grade II listed’ status, so those magnificent Victorian features will not be replaced by sombreros, Inuit canoes strung from the chandeliers, and black and white pictures of James Dean.

The décor is memorable and unique. A glass screen divides the front bar from the Gin Palace. This is no contemporary frosted glass affair. It’s the original stained and bevelled glass partition and it’s a testament to good fortune that it has survived both the ravages of war-time bombing and customers’ hurled projectiles.

The Gin Palace bar is striking. If the Vatican had a members’ bar it would be modelled on the extravaganza housed in this side room at The Elgin. Picture a huge dark wood sideboard with turned this’s and deeply carved thats punctuated with a glint of glass, and your mind will have conjured a fair approximation of this piece of fitted furniture. The ceilings are high here and this bar meets it in fine ornate fashion.

It’s no surprise that a Gin Palace will display a fair number of its name-sake drinks. The Elgin offers nearly 40. I am not normally a gin drinker but the waiter persuaded me that a glass of Brockmans flavoured with coriander, blueberries, blackberries and Valencia oranges might be to my taste. I am a convert and can understand now why gin was oft described as ‘mother’s ruin’. It would be easy to over-imbibe.

The Gin Palace is also a 30 or so seat dining room so we settled ourselves for the evening. There is a row of red-plush banquettes, tables and wooden chairs opposite the imposing bar but we chose the table for 2 by the window. It’s a quieter area than the main bar but it doesn’t have the isolated feel of an annex, as there is the through traffic of those heading for the music room.

Pressed Ham Hock Terrine was my guest’s choice of starter. It was moist, flavourful and well textured with chunks of pink ham. Served with toast, this made a substantial beginning. My appetite was a little more modest so I ordered the Caramelised Onion Tart with Goats Cheese which was sweet and coloured to a mahogany hue, with the cheese giving a salty tang. The accompanying salad was more than a garnish and was strewn with walnuts offering a contrasting crunch to the unctuous tart. Starter it might have been but it could equally have constituted a light lunch.

Jersey Royals and Garlic Spinach were the side dishes for the Pork Cutlet which must have been cut from the carcass of a porker of considerable size. This was a thick chop with real crackling, a sprinkle of stuffing and a potato croquette to elevate one corner of the meat above the pool of rich gravy. A hearty plateful of tender cutlet with an old-fashioned taste of real pork.

Bailey’s Crème Brulée and Rhubarb and Ginger Crumble with vanilla ice cream were our desserts. The brulée had a delicate hint of cream liqueur, perhaps a little too restrained but it was a delightful presentation of cracking sugar and creamy rich custard. The crumble could have had a more pronounced hit of ginger but it was a good example of what makes crumble so popular – a fruity, luscious base with a good topping of buttery crumble.

The Elgin is another of those pubs that are deserving of preservation. Solid food, charming ambiance and the chance of some good music. Well worth a visit.

Opening Hours:
11am to 11pm (Monday to Saturday)
12 noon to 10.30pm (Sunday)

Restaurant review: The Elgin Food Pub and Music House
96 Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 1PY
Phone: 020 7229 5663
theelgina@geronimo-inns.co.uk
Visit The Elgin here

Fire and Stone – Spitalfields

Yes, Pizza is fast food. Well, more accurately it’s fast-ish food. A good pizza has a freshly-made base and an exceptional one has that cooked in a real pizza oven. It’s fast food with a pedigree.

The first pizzas were simple affairs sold by the slice on the streets of Naples. It wasn’t available much outside the environs of that city and didn’t become widely known till after the Second World War when the returning GIs spread the word. As usual the UK followed suit and now there are pizza restaurants and kiosks all over the world.

Heritage meets history with the latest Fire and Stone Pizza restaurant in Old Spitalfields Market. There has been a market on this site since 1638 when Charles I licensed the sale of meat and veg. It was then a rural area near London rather than being in the centre of it. The existing structure was built in 1887 to service a wholesale market. It was subsequently extended and now has new office buildings added to the complex, although it still holds much of its traditional Victorian charm.

Fire and Stone opened on 1st August at this famous site, and has seating for 190 people. It has an airy ambiance as it is separated only by glass walls from the vibrancy of the market. It’s a contemporary restaurant with copper-clad oven on view to the expectant diners. Plenty of dark wood to complement the glowing metal. It’s already a popular spot after only a couple of weeks of trading. A good start when one considers the close proximity of other casual dining restaurants.

Lunchtime finds Fire and Stone filled with office workers and tourists visiting the market. The evening sees groups of friends looking for decent food before an evening of bar-hopping and cinema-going. Its location a stone’s throw from Aldgate East makes it ideal for convivial and surprisingly economic dining.

We started our meal with the Mediterranean Sharing Platter. This was a generous plate of Parma ham, salami, smoked ham, homous, taramasalata, black and green olives, cornichons (small pickled gherkins) and triangles of fresh pita bread. This was a substantial plateful and a bargain at less than £4.00 per person. You’ll need these nibbles while you scan the diverse and lengthy menu.

Fire and Stone is a small chain that offers quality pizza. There is a raft of pizza restaurants around but the goods on offer here are outstanding. There is a long list of exotic toppings but they have not forgotten the classics. You can have the basic Margherita with the three-colour garnish of tomato, basil and mozzarella (said to represent the Italian flag) and then add extras of your choice.

Napoli pizza tempted me. It’s a traditional one, but a simple dish reflects the confidence of the establishment, and there was nothing wrong with this one. Tomato sauce covered with spicy sliced pepperoni, mozzarella cheese and anchovies. The thin base was cooked to perfection – slight crunch around the edge with a firm rather than soggy centre. The topping was authentically Italian, and a sprinkle of semolina still remained under the bottom crust.

Marrakech pizza appealed to my guest. Cumin perfumed the minced lamb, while mozzarella, mint and yoghurt sauce, green olives, raisins and thinly sliced red onion drizzled with chilli oil were the flavourful toppings. This is well worth trying. OK, so it’s not a classic pizza – Fire and Stone offers many that are not, but let us not be food snobs. This restaurant does indeed have a list of the usual suspects, but consider trying some of the more exotic offerings. The aforementioned Marrakech is similar to a traditional Middle Eastern pizza-style dish, lahem bil ajine, but one of the most popular pizzas here is the Peking, with Hoi Sin sauce, shredded aromatic duck, mozzarella and spring onions. Another highly recommended is the London pizza with its nod to the English fried breakfast: tomato sauce, bacon, mozzarella, Cumberland sausage, black pudding and free-range eggs as its crowning glory.

Fire and Stone have reached a compromise between tradition and modernity. They present well-executed pizza made from the best of ingredients. They take pride in their products and that will appeal to the pizza purist. Others will say that the masterfully baked crust should be considered a worthy vehicle for other delicious foods, and those people will be well content with the globe-trotting menu of pizzas inspired by every continent.

Your friends might not be able to agree which topping is the best in house, but all will agree that Fire and Stone do a very fine pizza. I’ll be back for the Peking, or perhaps the New York, or perhaps I’ll make that American Hot.

Fire and Stone
4 Horner Square, Old Spitalfields Market, London E1 6EW
Phone: 0844 371 2554

Opening hours
Monday to Saturday 11am – 11pm
Sunday 11am – 8pm

Zeen – Flavour of India

Zeenat Harnal began work in the hospitality industry in 1980 as a management trainee within the Taj Group of Hotels in India. This is a prestigious chain which has given the world some of the most enthusiastic and talented managers and chefs. Zeenat moved from Mumbai to Bangalore where she took up a post of banqueting manager.

In 1988, she relocated to the UK as Operations Director of Noon Products, that company being owned by her father, Sir Gulam Noon. There she met Nizar Challawala, and in April 2008, Zeenat and Nizar became business partners and embarked on their own venture, a restaurant called Zeen in London’s Drummond Street.

It’s true that Drummond Street isn’t as celebrated as Brick Lane or Southall as a hub of Asian culinary culture but it has enjoyed a steady flow of visitors for decades. It’s located just a stone’s throw from Euston station and an even shorter toss from Euston Square Underground station. It’s tucked away just a block or so back from the main thoroughfare of the Euston Road but it’s a well-trodden path for those looking for good Indian food or a box of sweets from one of Drummond Street’s several immaculate and enticing sweetshops.

Zeen has a discreet door at street level. The guest is lead down a flight of stairs to a stylish and striking restaurant. This has a hint of tasteful retro with thoughtfully chosen seats in orange leather, dark wood tables, granite floors, open kitchen and low-hung lamps. The attention to detail has even extended to choice of glass jugs and salt and pepper shakers. Contemporary with an air of international quality.

We took our seats and perused the menu – a combination of comfortable old favourites and innovation. OK, to tell the truth there is more here that reflects the taste of discerning diners. It’s a collection to encourage those who have only ventured as far as Chicken Tikka Masala and an onion bhaji to try something different. It’s a menu that suggests a high-end restaurant in what is now one of the food capitals of the world.

My starter of Dahi Batata Puri was a substantial plate of delicate fried puffed bread stuffed with mashed potato, with its traditional garnish of yoghurt and tamarind. It’s the style of street food that is becoming more common as restaurant fare these days. My guest ordered Jheenga Achari which were marinated jumbo prawns cooked in a tandoor. This was worthy of any of Zeen's more celebrated rivals, and good enough to be a signature dish here.

If one is in doubt then it could be worth settling on the Chef’s Specials. These often showcase the expertise and passion of the chef, and at Zeen they have a remarkable selection of show-stoppers. Tandoori Pomfret is well worth trying. Pomfret must be the most popular of Indian fish but seldom seen on a supermarket fishmonger’s slab. Duck Jalfrezi is another of those fusion dishes appearing on up-market menus. Duck is not so often seen in India but it’s a meat which is well suited to Indian spices and cooking techniques. It still seems luxurious and a bit of a treat but at only £11.95 it’s a dish you’ll enjoy time and time again.

A must-try dessert here is the Rose Petal ice cream. This is a vision of pink loveliness with a delicate flavour that I’d liken to Turkish Delight. Attractive and even more delicious. The Indian Petit Four made a marvellously naughty end to our meal. Cubes of sweetmeats in all their glorious, teeth-aching splendour. Four varieties which made an indulgent and exotic conclusion to our evening.

Zeen is a restaurant which would not look out of place nestled in a smart hotel. The ambiance is charming, its location is central and the menu is enticing. The prices are, however, amazing. These have got to be some of the most reasonable prices around. If Zeen has quality food as its priority then continued success is assured.

Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 12 Noon to 3pm and 5:30pm to 11:30pm
Sat: 12 Noon to 3pm and 6pm to 11:30pm
Sun: Closed

Zeen Restaurant
130 Drummond Street, London NW1 2PA
Phone: +44 (0)20 7387 0606
Fax: +44 (0)20 7387 3947
info@zeenrestaurant.co.uk
Visit Zeen here

Chor Bizarre

Chor Bizarre - Mayfair's most striking Indian dining spot - is a legend, at least with those who have crossed the threshold even once. It is a little corner of real India. My guest, an Indian lady with impeccable taste in both food and decor, remarked that it was truly a replica of a corner of Chor Bazaar in her home town of Mumbai, where one could unearth dusty and hidden treasures. Well, Chor Bizarre is mercifully dust-free and the treasures are shown off to great advantage for the pleasure of diners. It should be noted (to the great joy of many) that those artefacts and objets d’art could be going home with you at the end of the meal – make your waiter an offer he can’t refuse.

This restaurant is a vision of dark wood, red velvet, mirror, old prints, carved screens and tables - yes, I know, dear reader, they are handy in a restaurant. The tables at Chor Bizarre are somewhat different from the norm and they are also different one from another. Carved stone legs support a white marble top here, an ornate grilled window has been transformed into a table for two over there, and the Indian four-poster bed seats a larger group. The concept of mis-match.... Hang on! What was that about a bed? Yes, a glorious big bed provides space under a canopy. The bed theme is found elsewhere with intricate metal and wood bed-heads providing backrests to banquettes. The chairs are an eclectic mix of upholstered classics and masterfully turned ethnics, as well as a red two-seat sofa.

It’s a restaurant with only 80 covers but its floor plan provides for a few cosy nooks and corners. There is a Kashmir-inspired booth which would encourage any visitor to linger rather than head for the Tube. That aforementioned Underground station is Green Park just a few yards from Albemarle Street. It’s Mayfair in all its up-swept glory, although Chor Bizarre offers charming substance rather than glitz.

Chef Manpreet Singh Ahuja is a charismatic figure whose enthusiasm for his restaurant and its food is infectious. He trained in Mumbai at the same catering college that has produced so many of London’s greatest Indian chefs and food writers. He draws his inspiration for his truly unique menu from his native Delhi as well as Kashmir and other regions. Chor Bizarre is the only restaurant outside the Kashmir Valley that has access to the secrets of the ‘Wazwan’ – the legendary ceremonial feast of 36 courses. One does, however, have the impression that Chef Ahuja could present his guests with dry toast and it would contrive to be the most vibrant scrap of bread you would ever encounter.

Chor Bizarre's menu offers some authentic street-fare, like the samosas, chaat and pakoras that have been a draw in Delhi's street markets for 700 years or so. Anything that has endured for that long was bound to be worth trying while we perused our other courses. Aloo Tikki Chaat encapsulates all that is enticing about street food. It’s soft, and tangy with tamarind and mint. Purani Dilli ki Papri Chaat is another casual dining delight, but the memorable snack was the outstanding Prawn Tak-a Tak. The dish is named for the sound of the slice on the griddle as it chops the meats. This form of cooking hails from the Punjab, the spices were South Indian, and the flavourful Missi Roti bread is from the North. A famous recently-departed TV chef would have described this dish as ‘India on a plate.’

We started our exploration of this tempting menu with a selection of Tandoori-baked goods. The Sampler offered us Sufiyani Salmon – flavoured with cumin and dill, Adraki Chaampen – lamb chops marinated in fresh ginger and spices, and Gazab ka Tikka – a restaurant special of marinaded chicken cooked with cream, mild and aromatic. An introduction to the quality of the food here: even the more common dishes exemplify the best of their genre.

The vegetarian main course introduced me to Kurkuri Bhindi. This should be a signature dish. It was a crunchy and gloriously tongue-tingling bowl of crisp fried okra seasoned with mango and chilli powder. This made a spicy foil for the creamy Dal Makhni – always a favourite with its comforting texture. These black lentils are simmered overnight in the cooling tandoor.

One of the features of Delhi cooking is its reliance on meat, but Chef Manpreet Singh Ahuja has chosen to include poultry and lamb dishes from other regions as well. Chor Bizarre has Keralan Chicken Stew and Chicken Chettinad amongst others, and we enjoyed our Kashmiri Rogan Josh. This lamb shank was meltingly tender with a rich sauce aromatic with cardamom and cloves. Just some steamed basmati rice was all that was needed to complete the meal. Charles Metcalfe has paired wines with the menu, so you are sure to find something that lays the myth that ‘you can’t drink wine with Indian food.’

Chor Bizarre has hosted and catered for many high-end events such as an Indian Evening at the Cannes International Film Festival; an exclusive café at the Georgian Restaurant at Harrods; a Tea Promotion at the Ritz, Paris. Chor Bizarre is home to London’s first truly authentic Indian Tea Bar ‘Chai Bazaar’ (nifty name), which gives its visitors afternoons of tranquillity as well as 30 or so teas from the subcontinent, along with a High Tea platter. More on that in the summer.

I am lucky enough to be able to visit fine restaurants all over the capital. They vary in style and cuisine but the best ones manage to transport the diner to a place away from their regular lives. An ambiance of opulence, a hint of Zen tranquillity or a glimpse of centuries past can provide much-needed distraction. Chor Bizarre is a unique portal, a gem in an already illustrious crown. There is much to discover, and it demands several visits. The literal translation of Chor Bazaar is ‘Thieves Market’. You might have your heart stolen away here, but you will in turn be stealing several hours of exotic bliss and unbeatable food.

Chor Bizarre
16 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4HW
Telephone no: 0207-6299802, 0207-6298542
Facsimile no: 0207-4937756
E-Mail: chorbizarrelondon@oldworldhospitality.com
Website: www.chorbizarre.com

Opening Times:
Mon - Sat
Lunch: 12:00 noon - 03:00 pm
Dinner: 06:00 pm - 11.30 pm
Sunday
06:00 pm – 10:30 pm
Private Parties: Private room for 25 people for full day conference & cocktails/dinner. Private catering.

The Cinnamon Club

Masala Zone Fulham

The very first Masala Zone restaurant was the Soho branch which opened in 2000. There are now 7 Masala Zones in London with more to follow. They seem to fill a long-felt gastronomic want for a good-value contemporary Indian restaurant with authentic food and unique ambiance. Masala Zone provides that, with each of its restaurants taking a different cultural and artistic theme.

The Fulham Broadway branch, the newest in the chain, is just a few yards away from Fulham Broadway Underground station and its attendant bustling shopping mall. Masala Zone has a modern and welcoming entrance which leads into a deceptively large restaurant. There is a lower dining area at the rear, as well as a private dining room which can be partitioned with sliding screens. The contemporary furnishings are contrasted by canvases said to be painted in the style of the frescoes from the grand mansions in Shekawati, Rajasthan. When I say canvases you’ll be thinking, dear reader, of pictures hung on the walls. No, these are full murals that cover the walls – striking, exotic but in keeping with the modern ethos of the restaurant.

We were there to try the Street Food. Not a selection of exotic hot dogs. Not pizza with Chicken Tikka topping, and not even chips with curry sauce. This is as near as you’ll get to subcontinental fast food without investing in a ticket to Mumbai. In fact, don’t even think of these dishes as fast food: consider them more as traditional foods more usually cooked at roadside halts and on small stalls in city streets. Popular food and it’s popular for a reason.

The Street Food menu offers a different style of dining. This is convivial, casual and varied. Ideal for small groups as you’ll have the chance to sample a wider range of dishes. I had expected them to be small snacks but they are surprisingly substantial. We ordered four between two of us and that constituted a full meal.

Bhel is a favourite with me when eating at

Soseki Japanese Restaurant

What is a Soseki? It is a who and he was one of Japan's favourite novelists, Natsume Soseki. He lived in London over a hundred years ago, and in the two years he was here he had plenty of time to miss the taste, sight and sound of home.

Soseki offers an authentic “sight” of Japan in the most magnificently striking fashion. It truly does encapsulate all that we would expect of the Japan of a couple of centuries past. The ground floor entrance might be contemporary and anonymous but as one ascends the single flight of stairs one is wafted to another world which couldn’t be further away from the glass and steel of the Gherkin which overlooks it.

The bar is the first truly Japanese element one encounters. It has an impressive wall of bottles and a strikingly low seating area. This isn’t a high-stool-swivelling night-clubby drinking hole. It’s tasteful and charming and introduces one to the still more stunning restaurant.

Soseki have avoided mass-produced beers and wines. They have developed a considerable range of "pure rice" junmai sake, some Japanese rice beers (it's the only restaurant in the UK serving Koshihikari Echigo rice beer and Hitachino red rice ale), and rice shochu. The wines have been selected specifically to enhance the food rather than overpowering the delicate flavours.

This restaurant is a vision of dark wood, tatami mats and kimono fabrics. There are intricate wooden shutters and painted ceiling panels. I wouldn’t, however, describe Soseki as “themed”; that word denotes a contrived style. There is nothing that seems artificial here. It’s more transported than themed. More engaging than engineered. This is the real thing and Natsume Soseki would have felt quite at home.

We were shown to our dining cabin. Yes, indeed, a small raised room at the end of the restaurant. There are two compartments inside this cosy and intimate space. The first holds half a dozen guests and the second was our nest for two for the evening.  A calm vantage point to watch the sushi preparation area and our fellow diners. Many of those guests were themselves Japanese: ex-patriots are a reassuring sign when one is looking for authenticity of any ethnic cuisine.

We settled ourselves in our cocoon of a booth and perused the bill of fare. The menu at Soseki is inspired by the Japanese philosophy of 'kaiseki-kappo' or Japan’s haut cuisine. This fashion of cooking originated in celebrated restaurants in 19th century Osaka. But unlike European haut cuisine, the Japanese rely solely on light and fresh ingredients and outstanding presentation. No heavy and cream-laden sauces here.

Perhaps it’s not so much a menu as a suggestion of courses of different cooking styles. The main ingredients are what’s best that day. The finest quality fish from sustainable sources. Soseki has received numerous awards including the prestigious Green Apple Award for the Environment, and the RSPCA Award for Animal Welfare. You can enjoy the best south-coast seafood without guilt. The use of seasonal fruit and vegetables ensures that the dishes change often. One could visit frequently and find new culinary creations to tempt.

Sakizuke appetizer was a confection of quail, both egg and flesh. A punch of chilli heat was unexpected but delicious. The shimmer of gold leaf added to the impression of opulence and held great promise for the rest of the meal.

Wan Mono Soup served in a lidded lacquered bowl had great flavour. Sashimi was a collection of raw fish and in this case salmon, yellowtail, sea bass and sole. A simple dish which relies on quality for its success.

Mushimono will be your steamed dish and this evening it was savoury custard. This was a triumph of texture and subtle taste. Served in a lidded ceramic pot resembling a small boulder - thoughtful and amusing.

Yakimono, a grilled dish, was tender slices of lamb with aubergine, asparagus and edamame beans. You’ll not find

Itsu – Notting Hill Gate

filling. The Crystal Roll with Fresh Crab was delicate and light. The Crystal Roll with Roast Duck should be a signature dish: the meat was cooked and shredded and packed along with vegetables to present a winning choice.

You might want a pud after sampling the savouries, and Itsu offers some non-Japanese sweets. My guest selected Seasonal Fruit on White Chocolate Yoghurt. The red berries were contrasted against snowy drifts, an idea which I’ll shortly be stealing. A crème brulée had my name on it. It might not be Japanese and at under £3.00 it was great value, but it was also one of the best executed I’d encountered in years . Specks of vanilla bean and a creamy texture were topped with the traditional crunchy sugar crust. I’ll grab that again on future visits.

Itsu ticks so many boxes: quality of food, thoughtfully sourced fish from sustainable stocks, value for money, and a unique ambiance. I might have arrived with a few cynical thoughts, but I left a convert.

Restaurant opening times:
Mon - Thurs:12 noon - 3pm / 6pm - 10pm
Fri:12 noon - 3pm / 6pm - 11pm
Sat: 12 noon to 11pm
Sun & Bank Holidays: 12 noon to 9pm

Itsu, 100 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3QA
Phone: 020 7229 4016
Fax: 020 7727 5653

Inamo Techno Restaurant

Wardour Street is celebrated as one of London’s night-owl alleys. Its selection of clubs and eateries are legendary so it’s no surprise that it also hosts one of the world’s few computerised restaurants. No, a robot doesn’t make the food and each table isn’t supplied with a microwave. Your table is, however, equipped with an interactive menu, ordering system, webcam of the chefs (that’s how you know they are not robots), and computer games.

This all sounds rather jolly to the prospective diner but it isn’t exactly music, computer generated or otherwise, to the ears of an ageing restaurant reviewer. Call me cynical, but it starts alarm bells. For what is all this technology compensating? Are these interactive tabletops merely a distraction from food that would likely be over-priced and under-done? Would our meal be foil-wrapped or reconstituted, vitamin-enriched space pouches? Only time would tell.

Inamo is a small restaurant with a basement bar. It already has a reputation for innovation as the passers-by confirmed. In fact they didn’t pass by. They stopped and whipped out the cameras. That’s gotta be a first. Will we diners find our visages on the front of the Osaka Daily Worker?

It’s a restaurant with the ambience of a nightclub. We arrived at 6pm and the place was already half full so it also appeals, evidently, to office workers and tourists in the know. The dining area is furnished with the intriguing tables, which at first glance seem quite ordinary. On further inspection one notices that the colourful tablecloths are projected from what look like industrial ventilators on the ceiling. A taste of what was in store.

We settled ourselves at our table, or should we call it a terminal? We were introduced to the workings of the interactive table/waiter/menu/gaming console/taxi rank and then we were left to fiddle. Yes, that’s what one does for a while. A tap here, a delete there and we were ready to tailor our evening. Perhaps a change of ambience. A delicate, pale blue Japanese motif seemed in order. My companion and I then each ordered our dishes from our independent menus. It’s possible to hail a 3-dimensional waiter if the computer-illiterate among you start to panic. But the prospect of the food at Inamo was causing me more panic than the over-sized mouse pad.

In truth I had no need to worry. Navishen Mudaly (ex Zuma, Indo-Jin, and Prism) is the head chef at Inamo. He is considered by some to be one of the country's top Oriental fusion chefs. Yes, it’s undoubtedly a themed restaurant but thankfully the quality of food has not been a victim. The dishes not only looked superb, they tasted authentic and would not have been out of place in a restaurant with linen.  The only thing that seemed to cause a bit of confusion with guests was the large, round, white, plastic disc. Was it a plate or a place mat? Some Brazilian diners decanted food onto this, whilst other visitors ate directly from the serving dishes. Not sure if there is yet an established etiquette for cyber-service.

Our food arrived just a few interactive games later. Thai Beef Salad was as good as I have had in even the best Thai restaurants in London. It was amazingly good value being only £8.00 for a generous plateful of tender and flavourful meat served with a tangy chilli som tam dressing. This should be a signature dish.

Then there were:
Seared Scallops, £6.75, thinly sliced with a yuzu and wasabi dressing. These were sweet and cooked to opaque perfection.

Unagi Nigiri,  £5.75, 3 pieces of eel nigiri sushi was my favourite of all the small dishes. I love eel and this particular dish presents it at its rich best. Simple with the traditional wasabi and ginger.

Baby Crispy Prawns,  £7.00, lightly battered, served with a Thai mango relish was the favourite dish of my companion and our waiter. The presentation was attractive and the seafood was moreish. Crunchy coating with no excess oil.

Salmon and Avocado Ceviche,  £6.50, diced salmon and avocado in a marinated citrus and chilli salad was light and refreshing. A lovely dish for a hot summer evening.

I am not a sake connoisseur but I’ll choose that rather than wine when eating Japanese or even Pan-Asian food. I ordered Takara ginjo shin which is one of the several sakes served hot. I used to think that all sake was designed to be served that way but the majority of restaurants now have a good selection of both hot and cold. I would still suggest you try the warmed version. Takara ginjo shin is well worth experiencing with sushi of any kind.

Inamo is a surprisingly good restaurant. I would go there even if there was a breakdown in cyber space. It’s a fascinating eatery but it’s not relying on novelty to encourage business. We noticed regulars here in a part of London which has a wealth of choice. It’s doing well and will continue to do so as long as the quality of food does not diminish.

Opening Times:
Mon-Thu 12pm - 11.30pm
Fri-Sat 12pm - 12am
Sun 12pm - 10.30pm

Restaurant review: Inamo
134-136 Wardour Street,
Soho, London,
W1F 8ZP
Phone  020 7851 7051
reservations@inamo-restaurant.com

Brasserie One... and more

Brasserie One is indeed housed inside, on the lower floor of the Institution of Civil Engineers, but that building is as far away from a portakabin as you could get. It’s typical of the imposing grey stone buildings of Westminster. Solid with steps and brass plaques. The entrance hall is an exercise in neo-classical architecture and art. It was built between 1910 and 1913 as the result of an architectural competition won by James Miller, RSA. Sweeping stairs, oil paintings and heavy wood polished to glowing warmth. The Institution is part of the Film London Partnership and has been used as a London film location for various productions.

We found our way to the cloakroom and deposited our coats. Still no donkey jackets but, rather, lots of men in suits. Off to the brasserie. A contemporary contrast to the grand public spaces. This was light and modern in muted magnolia tones with dashes of vibrancy supplied by the multi-coloured glass shades of the table lights.

The brasserie is frequented by the members of the Institution and those in the know. It isn’t a restaurant that you’ll likely just stumble over. It is, however, open to the public as is the café just next door. There are also private dining rooms which lend a new meaning to the phrase ‘fine dining’. That term often in reality means that the gravy is wiped from the edge of the plate and the ketchup is in a glass bottle. Fine dining at the Institution of Civil Engineers, on the other hand, is a memorable experience. Antiques, more oil paintings, polished tables and an ambiance reminiscent of embassy functions. They have private rooms here to suit anything from small groups to mass gatherings. Its location and exquisite style has assured that these function rooms have welcomed royalty, heads of state and the great and the good from every strata of society. The packages available are all, however, surprisingly reasonable.

One Great George Street is flexible and contrives to meet every possible entertaining need. There is a screening room, and with prices starting at £25.00 per head with refreshments, it’s within the budget of most event organisers. If you have a large group of close friends then it’s possible to hire the whole of the building. If you have 259 chums then you will be accommodated, as there is space to wine and dine 260 in either the State Room or the Great Hall. There are various function rooms available depending on size of party. All are well-appointed and striking.

But we were not throwing a bash and there were just two of us so we settled for Brasserie One. A menu which changes every week reflected what was good at this spring season. Open from 12.00 until 14.30 every week-day, Brasserie One can seat up to 67. If you are just after a snack then the cafe next door provides sweet and savoury lite bites.

I was struck by the prices. £12 or so for some main dishes is far less than one would expect to pay in comparable establishments. It is a neighbourhood where one could be rubbing shoulders with media types or even a peckish politician. I settled on potted shrimp as my starter and it was a generous portion of buttery and well-seasoned shellfish, attractively served in a deep square ramekin. My guest enjoyed his Palma ham with peppery rocket salad, garnished with the classic sweet pear and walnut.

My main course was Omelette Arnold Bennett. This was a hearty plateful of fluffy egg surrounding opaque white smoked haddock. Once again the freshness of the simple ingredients and the more than adequate portion size gave one that warm, cosy feeling of all being well with the chef and his kitchen. David Wilkinson has been Executive Chef at Brasserie One since 2000. He says “It’s my first role as Exec Chef, and I can honestly say with hand on heart that this has been the most enjoyable job I have ever had. The progress that we have made here, not just in the kitchen but also in One Great George Street in general, has been amazing. It's been a great experience, albeit challenging, building up the exceptional team we now have. All this experience has enabled us to cater efficiently for capacities previously not considered, with the quality and standard of the food we offer having improved immensely.”

My partner for lunch craved a bit of meat and was not disappointed with his pork cutlet which he proclaimed juicy and flavourful. It was a thick chop garnished with creamy mash, roasted root vegetables and braised apple. He hardly had room for dessert.

The sweets on offer here also change with the seasons, like Mango Panna Cota dressed with diced mango and a mango puree. It’s just the right time to find that fruit at its best in the shops, and used to great effect here. Thoughtful in both execution and presentation.

Brasserie One is a restaurant which works on every level. The food can’t be faulted. The chef sets high standards not only for the restaurant menu but also for function catering. Everything is made on the premises to assure that the good reputation gained over these past years is maintained. Attention to detail and realistic prices guarantee the continued success of this hidden gem.

The Brasserie and Café Bar are located at the Institution of Civil Engineers, One Great George Street, just off Parliament Square, a short walk from Westminster tube station.

Brasserie One
One Great George Street
Westminster
SW1P 3AA

Vist the web site here

Gaucho by the River

The Lancaster London Hotel Peter Pan Afternoon Tea

The bronze statue of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is one of the most popular monuments in London. He stands along the west bank of the Long Water. This site has a particular importance for Peter Pan and was specially chosen by J M Barrie – an enchanted glade where often, I have heard tell, one can find a golden sheen of fairy dust. But where can one get a bag of good quality fairy dust these days? The 5-star Lancaster London Hotel near Lancaster Gate has a supply.

The Lancaster London is appreciated for its panoramic views over Hyde Park, the largest of London’s Royal Parks; and then there is London’s famous skyline to enjoy. It is one of the tallest buildings in this prestigious area, with over 18 floors. The Lancaster boasts a brace of popular restaurants including the exotic and elegant award-winning Nipa Thai restaurant, but our goal was the Lounge Bar to enjoy an oasis of calm and a traditional English Afternoon Tea with a difference. One might describe it as a tea with character.

Not only does this attractive hotel have an amazing location but it also has that fairy dust. It’s probable that they have cornered the market. Rather than keeping it to themselves the management have chosen to donate a bag of the precious commodity (OK, so it looks like nuggets of bread) to every teatime guest. They have even included a map so you can find your way to Hyde Park to feed the aforementioned fairy dust to the ducks.

They do teatime so well at the Lancaster. The Lounge Bar is a vision of gold-hue carpet and dark wood. The bar area is an annex off the wide lounge area, which is lined with low tables, and the chairs and sofas are of the sleep-inducing comfort style. There is just a gentle buzz of discreet conversation from our fellow guests, some of whom were children utterly enthralled by the theatre of the event as well as the prospect of a glimpse of a particular lost boy. The ambiance is casually formal as one would expect and just right for a grown-up tea party.

The afternoon tea here is one of the most reasonable around. It has all the elements of the classic version but with thoughtful, not to mention delicious, extras. The tea table is laid with crisp white linen, sugar bowl, tea cups and plates, not forgetting the small pouches of the essential fairy dust. The traditional 3-tier silver stand arrives accompanied by squeals of delight from the smaller of the assembled guests. However many times I see such a display I am still excited. Nostalgia at its finest.

Crème Brulée isn’t a typical teatime item but here it is served as an Amuse Bouche before the main event. It was a Passion Fruit Crème Brulée served in a small taster ramekin. I trust this would be available in the Lancaster’s Island Restaurant along the hallway. It was a tangy stunner. One must have some savoury before the sweet so the lowest level of the stand housed the Lost Boy’s Sandwiches. These were a selection of Peanut Butter and Banana on wholemeal bread (sounds a strange combination but this really works), Smoked Chicken, Spring Onion and Mayonnaise on walnut bread; Egg Mayonnaise and Cress on herb bread. There were also miniature Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese scones with chives, and Cheese and Caraway scones with honey-roast ham and mustard. Little additions to the typical spread.
 
Scones are an essential part of any self-respecting tea, and the Lancaster offers Mrs Darling’s Scones (is this poetic licence or is the chef honestly called Mrs Darling?) These are served with strawberry jam or honey, and clotted cream. They were light and flaky scones and a good transition from the savoury sandwiches to the sticky sweetness of the delicately-executed fancy cakes garnishing the top layer of the stand.
 
As one would expect, these tarts, cookies and gateaux were labelled “Peter and Wendy’s favourite treats” and were a collection of strawberry mille-feuille, fresh fruit tarts, dark chocolate mousse, pecan tarts, Viennese shortbread and macaroons. All attractive and delicious, and helped down with several pots of hot jasmine and green tea.

One might not be able to “take tea” every day but The Lancaster provides a lovely venue for passing a few unhurried hours in the most perfect of surroundings. Great value for money for an exceptional experience.

The Peter Pan celebration tea is available in the hotel’s first floor Lancaster Lounge every day from 3pm until 5.30pm.

Lancaster London Hotel, LancasterTerrace, London W2 2TY
Telephone:  020 7262 6737
Facsimile: 020 7724 3191
Visit the web site here

Pinchito Tapas Restaurant, W1

kinds and, naturally, all things Spanish. Bruce Bartholomew might not have a Spanish name but he is a founder and director and the man who entertained me at the W1 branch. He has a fine pedigree of over ten years of working in fashionable London drinking establishments, including Beach Blanket Babylon, Zeta (Hilton), Cabaret Prophecy and Hakassan. He is justifiably proud of this, his latest venture.

I wasn’t at Pinchito’s for evening tapas nor for one of their renowned Paella Masterclasses, I was here for breakfast. Yes, dear reader, I can hear you raising your eyebrows, but read on. The Spanish have three meals a day just like the lucky ones in most of the rest of the world. The earliest one falls after dinner and before lunch and is called breakfast, or at least it is by English-speaking Spaniards.

Pinchito opens at 10am to catch the passing trade heading for the Tottenham Court Road, as well as a few business folk who want a quiet oasis outside the confines of their office walls. It’s conveniently placed just a stone’s throw from Goodge Street station. It’s not the faux-Spanish style of eatery which is mushrooming all over Greater London. Neither a sombrero nor a straw donkey in sight. No, this is urban. This is city. This has edgy but thoughtfully composed style. It’s not the Costa Brava. This is us.

The high bar, open kitchen, artwork, leatherette booths, stools and black tables provide a convivial space that works for breakfast, lunch or the ever-popular evening tapas. The late morning and

Santo Mexican Restaurant

Picture this, dear reader: it’s mid-May and the sun is shining. We head out onto the streets of London like lemmings with a mission. It’s the fear of those rays disappearing that encourages the citizens of our fair city, and a good number of tourists, to seek gentle entertainment in the company of their families or those they actually like.

It was on such a day that we sought diversion in Santo on the Portabello Road. It’s a trendy and eclectic neighbourhood with a host of ethnic and arty shops as well as market stalls and antique stores. Crowds of people enjoying some warm weather and looking for some good food at a reasonable price. We, the lucky ones, found Santo.

This small restaurant attracts a mix of discerning locals and curious tourists. Tables outside offer perches

his hob and work-station. The full kitchen at the back of the restaurant provides the slow-cooked ingredients but the assembly is in full view of the customers. It’s culinary theatre, and fascinating.

We settled ourselves and perused the drinks menu. Fernando has a good selection of Mexican favourites and the Margaritas are the most popular choice for the regulars here. I ordered the classic with a delicately salted rim. My companion chose a Flor de Jamaica which proved to be a rich red and fruity concoction which would encourage anyone of good taste to try just one more.

Our lunch started with a plate of lettuce garnished with scrolls of cheese, pickled peppers, tomato, black beans and Mexican rice. We didn’t have long to wait till the other dishes put in an appearance. It’s the nature of the Sunday brunch that various plates are delivered one at a time. This is an unhurried meal. One to relax over and talk of the events of the week.

The first of our array of dishes was a Torta Ahogada or "drowned sandwich”. It is a typical dish from the Mexican state of Jalisco and in particular the city of Guadalajara. This was the first time I had come across this dish even though I often eat Mexican food in London. It’s a spicy combination of crusty bread, pork as filling and lots of sauce. A messy business if one was to eat it by hand as is typical at Guadalajara football matches, but easily accomplished if one resorts to cutlery.

The next offering was a rolled and crispy taco filled with beef. It was attractively garnished with guacamole, red chilli sauce and sour cream. This one, I found, was easier eaten by hand. Very spicy and flavourful and fun to eat. The crispy cylinder was joined by some soft tortillas topped with Fernando’s signature dish of braised ox cheek. This is a must-try for any beef lover. The flavour is the very essence of beef with a gelatinous and soft texture. It’s becoming a fashionable cut of meat, in the same way that lamb shanks did a few years ago.

More soft tortillas next, but this time with a topping of shredded chicken. This was far less spicy than some of the previous dishes, with a delicate sweetness. The belly pork was another variety and was one of the best Mexican dishes I have tasted in a while, the meat being tender with a real flavour of the grill.

Our final dish was fish ceviche. This is a traditional preparation of white fish “cooked” in a marinade. The flesh becomes opaque when steeped in citrus juice. It needs to be left in the acid for only a short period or the texture will suffer. Fernando’s version was just right, with the seafood being served with diced tomatoes for colour.

Santo is a rustic charmer. The food is traditional, authentic and delicious. It’s already the usual Sunday haunt of residents of Notting Hill, but it’s worth a bus ride to enjoy a few convivial hours with food that’s a bit out of the ordinary.

Santo Mexican Restaurant
299 Portobello Road, London W10 5TD
Phone: 020 8968 4590
Visit Santo here

Opening times:
Tuesday - Thursday: 12.00 - 3pm / 6pm - 10pm
Friday - Saturday: 12.00 - 11pm
Sunday: 12.00 - 10pm

Freggo

Well, what is a Freggo? It was once a Freddo but changed its name when it opened a branch in London. Its origins are Argentinian and it fair oozes a certain je ne sais quoi ...or whatever that is in Spanish.

It’s an ice cream parlour, a sandwich bar, a café, a tea shop and a chic little refuge from the overwhelming buzz of London’s frantic streets. It nestles next door to its parent, Gaucho, on a pedestrianised thoroughfare just off Regent Street, offering outside seating whenever we have an approximation of a summer.

Freggo is a boutique café of striking colour and design. There is a high-backed banquette in one corner and stools and coffee tables in another. It’s PURPLE and it’s in capitals for good reason: this is corporate imaging at its slickest. It works. The Argentinian shops, those Freddos, are said to be in pale blue but London’s Freggo has pushed the envelope and discovered a style which is appropriate both for ladies wot lunch and for nightclub revellers who are seeking some sweet calories at 2am.

One might not necessarily connect Argentina with ice cream. We Europeans bow to the Italian idol of gelato or even that of a poor-quality soft ice cream sold from the back of a truck. But, when one thinks about it, one has every reason to associate Argentina with dairy products. They are celebrated for their beef (Gaucho next door is a veritable shrine to all things bovine) and what do cows make? A lot of milk. Combine that with Italian immigrants and you have a formula for ice cream heaven.

The quality of ice cream here is unbeatable. The flavours offer some very traditional Argentinian favourites which you’ll not find anywhere else on this side of a considerable stretch of ocean. There is nothing outlandish here. No mud-slide something or other. No uncooked dough (I have never understood the appeal of that). There is, however, a selection of confections that will reduce any homesick South American to tears. Try a cone or tub of Dolce de Leche which is rich enough to warrant sharing. True, it might warrant it, but you’ll be reluctant to share. This must surely be the signature ice cream.

It’s possible to offer several signature dishes in restaurants so perhaps Freggo should take the liberty of listing Malbec and Berries as a joint favourite. This is a vivid deep red sorbet-like ice with fruity but adult flavour. This could be a dessert at the end of the poshest of dinner parties and your guests would not be disappointed. It’s unique to Freggo and can be delivered in a radius of a few miles from the store.

Apart from their tempting ice cream, Freggo have a cabinet stuffed full of traditional Argentinian cakes and these are definitely worth crossing a street or two for. There is much here that is different but all those cakes and cookies that I sampled were delightful. They are made for Freggo by a South American baker in London and give a taste of authentic sweet treats.

Tarte de Marmalada is a crumbly pastry base topped with a quince jam which was tangy and moreish. Hot pancakes with ice cream and Dolce de Leche will have you hooked. The Dolce de Leche is used in many desserts and it’s addictive. It has an almost caramel cream flavour and a gooey consistency. You couldn’t eat a lot of this rich sauce, although you might like to try.

Alfajores are not to be missed. They have been popular in Argentina since the mid 19th century, but they have their roots in the Arab world. They are two discs of biscuit (cookie) sandwiched together with Dolce de Leche. Very sweet but ideal with a cup of coffee or even the prized Maté tea, which is said to contain even more antioxidants than green tea. It’s a traditional drink made from a type of holly and drunk from a small hollow gourd using a metal straw. Freggo, though, presents their Maté in a regular cup with a saucer.

If you prefer something less sweet with your cuppa then Freggo continues the South American theme with empanadas. These are pasties filled with various combinations of savoury ingredients, or try their tortilla of chorizo and beans. They also offer a spinach and mushroom frittata as well as a choice of toasted sandwiches. The soup of the day is popular in cold weather and we have plenty of that.

In short, I am taken with Freggo. It’s a simple concept of a small shop selling ice cream, drinks and snacks but it’s one of the best of that genre and the only one to my knowledge that sells such quintessentially Argentinian fare. The ambiance was stylish and comfortable and the staff charming and enthusiastic. This will be my regular central London pit-stop. I wish there were more of them.

Address: Freggo 27-29 Swallow Street, London W1B 4QR

Email: scoop@freggo.co.uk
Telephone: 020 7287 9506
Visit Freggo here

Browns Covent Garden

The bar is magnificent and even that wafts one back to gay Paree during La Belle Epoch. Silver ice buckets, dark wood, sweeping spiral staircases (one up and another down) dark leather and antique mirrors all add to the impression. Even the waiters wear those distinctive long aprons so beloved of continental front-of-house staff. The walls are muted taupe bathed in light from original sash windows giving views over the bustle of a busy London street.

We were seated on a corner banquette by the aforementioned windows and we enjoyed an elevated vantage point. Our fellow diners were tourists, and office workers who had Browns as their regular Friday lunchtime retreat. It’s difficult to find a solid central London restaurant that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg and isn’t full to bursting. Browns is big enough to be comfortable even when moderately full, but still with relatively speedy service.

I ordered a Mai Tai from the drinks menu, which runs to a stunning 20 pages or so of very respectable wines at reasonable prices. There is a good selection of chilled continental beers and even ciders, so something for every taste and occasion. The waiter was knowledgeable and was able to make good suggestions for food and wine pairings.

The menu is a fascinating and eclectic mix. From Burgers (I got a look at them and they were a cut above anything from a fast food chain, and with enough garnishes to sink a battleship) to Guinea Fowl as well as pies and more. A chalk-board with the day’s specials offered an array of equally stylish dishes.

My starter was a Goat’s Cheese and Red Onion Tart. The cheese was melting and tangy, contrasted by the sweetness of the caramelised onions. The roasted red pepper and rocket salad was a substantial garnish. The tart was piping hot with delicate and crumbly crust.

My guest ordered Chicken and Duck Liver Parfait. This was served with an apple and pear chutney and toasted rye bread and was amazingly good value for money. The paté was light and almost mousse-like and moreish. The fruit chutney was a well chosen accompaniment. Paté is a standard brasserie or bistro item and it’s often dry and uninspiring. This one, however, was delicious and thoughtfully presented.

My companion is a man often drawn to fish. He was tempted by several piscatorial dishes from both the main menu and the chalk-board. He dithered over the traditional fish and chips but settled on Monkfish wrapped in Prosciutto. This had its side dishes of buttered new potatoes as well as the colourful and flavourful Sweet Pepper Confit. Monkfish has a meaty flesh but it’s so often overcooked and bland. This dish was succulent and made more interesting by the salty spike of the bacon.

I chose Slow Cooked Pork Belly from the chalk-board as my main course. This was the best I had eaten in a long time. The meat was rich and tender with a soft rind, perfumed with spices, aromatic and adding so much to the dish. It was served atop a mound of real mash with a pool of proper gravy. This was comfort food of the highest order. Nothing fancy but just right in every regard. This should be added to the regular menu.

Desserts at Browns are listed as Puddings and I found that appropriate for this style of restaurant in its quintessentially British location. A good roll-call of classics including Sticky Toffee Pudding and Brownies. I ordered the Bread and Butter Pudding. Here it’s made with brioche, making for a light and rich dessert served in a wedge. The vanilla ice cream sported those black specks to confirm that it had truly been on nodding terms with a real vanilla bean.

My guest chose the cheese board. This was indeed a board groaning under the weight of three wedges of cheese (Brie, Danish Blue and Cheddar) as well as enough grapes to grace any posh sideboard, and a pile of crackers. This cried out for a nice glass of port or at least a glass of robust red.

Browns Covent Garden was a surprise. OK, so it’s part of a chain but it has the class of an authentic brasserie. The menu offers a broad spectrum of dishes and those that we ordered were well executed. The wine list was a revelation. If this particular branch is typical of the whole fleet then they deserve to remain a success. Its location and its history serve to make this a must-visit eatery for tourists as well as locals in the know.

Opening Times
Open: 9am (10am Weekends)
Close: 11pm
(11.30pm Thursday - Saturday. 10.30pm Sunday)

Afternoon Tea at Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill

Roast – the Restaurant

Iqbal Wahhab, now OBE, (awarded that high honour in recognition of his public service and services for promotion of the hospitality industry) is a man famously passionate about food as well as society in general. The Times has described him as "a National Treasure". He uses his position for the benefit of many and we all know how rare that is. Amongst other activities Iqbal works closely with The Prince's Trust, taking children from under-privileged schools in South-East London and spending half-days with them at Roast, and taking them on food education programmes around Borough Market.

He was born in Bangladesh and came to Britain when only eight months old. He is a graduate of the London School of Economics. In 1991 he set up his own PR firm specialising in food, drink and restaurants, and in 1994 he launched Tandoori Magazine. He sold the magazine to launch the award-winning Cinnamon Club in 2001 and in 2003 he co-authored The Cinnamon Club Cookbook (reviewed here). In 2005 Iqbal opened Roast, different in so many ways from Cinnamon Club but still reflecting the same high standards.

Roast is housed in the striking structure rising high over the celebrated Borough Market. Its facade reminds one of a conservatory or a glasshouse at Kew Gardens. It is in fact the portico of the former flower market and has made for a most attractive and unique restaurant.

The entrance to Roast is not one bit historic. There is a choice of lift (elevator) or a small lobby and a flight or two of stairs. We took the stairs as we had been warned that a considerable meal was in the offing. My dear American reader will no doubt appreciate the opinion of David Rosengarten. For those of you from the right side of the pond and beyond I can tell you that he is one of the most well-respected authorities in the US for all things foodie. He once told me that Roast is one of his favourite restaurants in London. We were expecting good things.

It would perhaps have been tempting to contrive an over-themed restaurant with the paraphernalia of produce purveying - a crate of King Edwards, some artfully displayed broad beans and a couple of Webb’s Wonders on Astroturf. But thankfully Iqbal Wahhab and his team rose above that. It’s a comfy and contemporary retreat from the exterior bustle. Every detail is correct and thoughtful, from the salt shakers to the artwork. A solid businesslike ambiance and staff who move with the practised ease of professionals.

Ed’s Easy Diner, Euston Station

Ed’s is a small chain of classic American diners. It was founded in November 1987 in London by Barry Margolis. It was the first of its kind in the UK when the first Ed’s opened its doors in Soho.

Over the last couple of decades Ed’s has become a landmark and has been a location for films, television and photo shoots. It’s a must-visit eatery for tourists coming to London, but has equally managed to cultivate a loyal local following.

We visited the latest Ed's which is conveniently located just outside Euston Station. It had only been opened a week but was already full with travellers and regulars. Its attractive and iconic interior is magnetic. It’s the most authentic American diner I have come across on this side of the pond. It encapsulates all that we think of as 1950s Americana: chrome, red vinyl, counter with high stools, and juke boxes.

The music was a big part of the experience. It’s well chosen and in keeping with the retro ambiance. I would suggest that even those who might not normally be drawn to that style of music will appreciate it in this environment. There are original table-top Seeburg 100 Wallamatic juke boxes dotted around for customers to browse and choose those long-loved favourites. OK, it’s true that some of the subject matter might seem less than jolly. Running Bear and Little White Dove (both dead in a river), Tell Laura I Love Her (dead in a car crash), He stopped Loving Her Today (dead in a box). Plenty of foot-tapping rock-and-roll tunes to keep you from the brink of suicide, though. All-American and designed to bring back memories for those of us of a certain age.

The kitchen is open, allowing guests sitting at the counter a view of food preparation and plating. Even the kitchen area has those authentic elements to waft you away to a little spot in California in simpler times. Quilted brushed steel panels, shake goblets and bottles of French’s mustard add to the impression.

I ordered a cheese burger. It just seemed right to have that most popular of diner fare. A bowl of wet fries kept me company while my beef patty was grilled. Ed offers a selection of fries from the classic and unadorned chips to those coated with chilli, cheese, bacon and cheese, and chilli and cheese. Atomic American Fries have jalapeno jelly, chilli, sour cream, cheddar cheese sauce and guacamole on the side but that’s a meal in its own right. The aforementioned wet fries are chunky chips with a brown gravy. Delicious when eaten piping hot.

The burger was made from 5oz of lean ground fully traceable, prime British Beef, each one grilled to order. Hamburgers are cooked medium or medium well. The management discourage well-cooked burgers as they feel it ruins the quality of the finished product. Mine was a succulent and flavourful burger and was a substantial meal. There is a good selection of burgers from the Classic garnished with griddled onions, the Original with lettuce and tomato, to the Big Bubba with added bacon and cheese.

My guest, a man who is a self-confessed hot dog aficionado, was tempted by a Chilli Dog. This is a large beef hot dog said to be made to a traditional American recipe. The dish starts as a sausage in a bun but then there is a liberal pouring of zesty chilli con carne. It’s a knife and fork job, unless you want it as a take-away to eat at home in the bath.

Save room for one of Ed's celebrated shakes or malts. They are served in the aforementioned stainless steel mixer goblets. Each container holds two glasses-worth of thick, creamy drink. Ed's Favourite Shakes flavours include Coffee, Butterscotch, Peanut Butter, Vanilla, Chocolate, Banana, Strawberry, Mint, Banana & Peanut Butter, Mint Chocolate, Coffee & Banana, Oreo Cookies, and Mocha (chocolate & coffee). The malts come in the same flavours so I ordered a chocolate malt …and two glasses. This is the real thing. If you have had an authentic malt in the US then try one at Ed’s. You won’t be disappointed. The manager told us that these are particularly favoured by kids, who are well catered for at Ed’s: they consider children as future tippers and want their continued patronage. They get their own Junior Bites menu and activity sheets.

Ed’s has charm and theatre. It’s a visual, audio and taste experience of first-rate casual dining. The staff are friendly and keen to please. You’ll go because you’ll be curious, but be prepared to become hooked. Great fun.

Ed's at Euston Station
The Piazza between Pret and Caffe Nero.
Opening Times:
Monday – Friday: 7am - 10.00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 8am - 10.00pm
Visit Ed’s here.

Ed's Soho, 12 Moor Street, Old Compton Street, Soho, London, W1D 5NG
Tel: 020 7434 4439
Fax: 020 7494 0173

Ed's Trocadero, Unit 34b London Trocadero, 19 Rupert Street, London W1D 7PA
Tel: 020 7287 1951
Fax: 020 7287 6998

Ed's Bluewater, Unit SVU001, The Water Circus, Bluewater Shopping Centre, Greenhithe, Kent DA9 9SG
Tel: 01322 380 939
Fax: 01322 623 852

The Five Tuns – Terminal 5

Yes, dear reader, I travel and I expect you, too, will have that delight from time to time. When one flies there are invariably tedious hours to fill while one waits for the plane which is still most likely stuck in JFK or Johannesburg. If you are lucky then you’ll be marooned in an airport with good facilities. The Five Tuns is located in Heathrow’s dramatic new Terminal 5 building and could be your refuge from both hunger and boredom.

This establishment strikes the right balance between a traditional pub and the Continental concept of a bar with real food and a family-friendly atmosphere. It’s an attractive airy space located on the top floor. It’s a contemporary vision of dark wood and moquette. I guess many of you won’t recognise the word but it’s a fabric with a pile, oft used as upholstery on London’s buses and tube trains. The material design is different and more thoughtful than the industrial version but it does give a nod to the location.

The menu is a solid mix of standard favourites with a touch of innovation. It has both an all-day menu and a breakfast menu for those who are jet-lagged and those who are still under the misapprehension that to eat well in England one must eat breakfast three times each day... or so said Somerset Maugham.

I visited one cold Monday evening and chose from the all-day menu which offered some gastropubby suggestions. Smoked Salmon served on a Potato Cake with a Dill Mayonnaise would have been the choice had the weather been more cooperative but tonight I was tempted by the Warm Black Pudding Salad with a Poached Egg. This was surprisingly substantial with plenty of well-seasoned black pudding crowned with a well-cooked and richly runny egg, the yolk creating a comforting sauce for the mixed leaves. For the uninitiated this might sound an alarming concoction but warm salad is a classic and a favourite in bistros across la belle France.

Fish and Chips looked tempting as it was served to a family of holiday-makers. Perhaps this is the most iconic of dishes and just what one craves after a week or two spent eating nothing more exciting than paté de foie gras, paella or saltimbocca. Or it could be that the prospect of moist white fish in a crunchy golden batter would be irresistible even sans vacances.

The French waitress confided that her favourite dish on the menu was the Chicken Curry, Rice and Naan Bread. I guess that seems exotic to those from a land almost void of decent Indian restaurants. The grilled dry-aged Rib-Eye Steak, Chips and Béarnaise Sauce was, however, the main dish for us. It’s a staple for travellers and terminal staff alike. Its presentation was impressive, arriving on a wooden board as thick as a kitchen table-top. The steak was delicious and perfectly cooked. The accompanying fries were stacked in a metal pot and were chunky, piping hot and the sort one encounters only where there is a skilled chef or a well-practised mum.

The dessert card had lots of traditional puds: Treacle Tart with Clotted Cream, Sticky Date Pudding and Toffee Sauce, Bread and Butter Pudding would all have been appropriate ends to our choice of a rather British supper, but the aforementioned Gallic server steered us in the direction of another one of her favourites, the Chocolate Brownie. I have never been a lover of these often dry articles, but this was a wedge of sheer chocoholic delight. I think this one could be more likened to a chocolate fudge cake with a hint of mousse. It was meltingly decadent and glossy. Nothing more to add apart from an espresso.

The Five Tuns is the sort of spot overlooked by restaurant reviewers. It’s not on a classy thoroughfare. It doesn’t overlook a monumental monument, and you probably wouldn’t have your wedding reception there, but it serves great food at reasonable prices and it’s just where it needs to be to provide a hearty meal for those arriving from or heading to distant climes. A good solid casual-dining spot.

Open every day from 05:30 am until 10:00 pm
Visit The Five Tuns here

Bob Bob Ricard for Afternoon Tea

Ricard is in fact a chap called Richard Howarth and the Bob Bob a wealthy Russian by the name of Leonid Shutov. Richard gave Leonid the nickname of Bob as he found Leonid unpronounceable. I guess Leonid renamed Richard out of revenge. The restaurant name is a bit of whimsical mathematics. Leonid is said to have put up two-thirds of the finance for the venture so he gets twice the mention.

We were going for afternoon tea. Bob Bob Ricard is found at the far end of Carnaby Street. Yes, that bastion of all things tie-dye and joss-sticky has changed out of all recognition into a street of chain boutiques. BBR is, however, a haven of class with a front door and monograms to encourage the prospective diner to expect something a bit special. This prospective diner was not disappointed.

Designer David Collins has introduced the same humour and melange of cultures displayed by the owners into the restaurant itself. It’s a veritable snapshot of an enlarged Orient Express. A stylish impression of a bygone but classy age when there were plenty of staff to polish the brass. It’s a restaurant which would seat 1930’s starlets, spies from Istanbul as well as Ladies wot lunch. On

life.

We were settled into our comfy blue leather-upholstered booth. Plenty of marble-esque table top and aforementioned brass. Each booth is furnished with a power point. No, dear reader, that’s not for your computer. BBR serves breakfast as well as afternoon tea (and every conceivable meal either side of tea), and the socket is for the toaster. An amazingly practical idea. Aside from the energy outlet there is a button marked Press for Champagne. It doesn’t have a tap, it’s rather just a means of calling the champagne waiter. I am sure that button has an almost hypnotic draw for some.

The afternoon tea here is classic but thoughtful. The crustless sandwiches include tomato bread for the ham and mustard, and coronation chicken on carrot and coriander bread. The ubiquitous cucumber sandwiches are made with onion bread. Nice elevating touches.

Scones at Bob Bob Ricard are served with a liberal helping of clotted cream and artisanal jam. A couple of cups of hot and reviving English Breakfast tea (OK, I know it’s no longer morning but I was the customer and the customer is always right) helped down this substantial spread, and we hadn’t even reached the top of the three-tier stand.

Notice it was “we”. Well, this stand gave enough food for two. I’d recommend you start with just that, if there are a couple of you. In the unlikely event that you are still peckish then try some of the other delights such as crumpets, muffins, teacakes and that toaster.

The top plate would have been beckoning to you while you munched your scones and savouries. It’s the cakes. These were a divine selection of half a dozen miniature fancies that will take you back to your childhood, or they will if you are English and of a certain age. Battenberg, Victoria sponge, Rum Baba and Cream Horn were tempting but the Custard Tart and Chocolate Beleron fair turned this reviewer’s head.

Bob Bob Ricard is ideal for an afternoon break. One can enjoy an unhurried atmosphere of old-fashioned charm and elegance. The staff were attentive and enthusiastic. The location is convenient for shopping trips to Liberty’s and Hamley’s and the prices are no more than one would expect. It’s a spot I’ll return to often – yes, for tea, but I hear the evening menu is well worth exploring.

Bob Bob Ricard, 1 Upper James Street, Soho, London W1F 9DF
Phone:0203 145 1000   
Email reservations@bobbobricard.com
Visit Bob Bob Ricard here

Paradiso Restaurant - St. Christopher's Place

Moët Movies at Axis, One Aldwych

One Aldwych is one of the best addresses. It stands on a corner plot in the middle of London in Covent Garden. This is an area which once boasted London’s biggest vegetable market but which is now celebrated as an iconic space filled with restaurants, boutiques and a market which these days sells crafts and objets d’art...

The hotel is in a convenient location between the City and the West End where The Aldwych meets the Strand, and opposite Waterloo Bridge. It’s just a short distance from 15 celebrated theatres as well as the Royal Opera House.

One Aldwych is an important Edwardian building. It is now protected by English Heritage who considers its facade worth preserving. It’s an architectural extravaganza of Continental-inspired splendour, designed by Charles Mewes and Arthur Davis, the Anglo-French duo behind the Ritz hotels in London and Paris.

Yes indeed a fabulous place to stay when in town for business or touristing, but One Aldwych is a port of call for Londoners as well as out-of-towners who want to enjoy a bit of evening pampering and a film. The film isn’t compulsory but the Axis restaurant offers an amazing package of Moët champagne and a movie. A full evening of entertainment.

The entrance to Axis is calm and Zen, a vision of marble and a welcome haven from the frantic Saturday evening crowd flowing down from Covent Garden. The anonymous foyer at ground level gives not a hint of the contemporary style of the restaurant. It’s stunning. The space is flexible allowing for groups, couples and large parties. The urban mural of skyscrapers now peeks through metal bamboo which reaches from floor to ceiling. A rather radical addition to the original decor but it works and adds texture to the imposing wall. The thoughtful architecture offers a gallery dining room which, although a balcony, offers privacy to the diners on that level.

The movie menu has a selection of four starters, mains and desserts. The film starts at 9pm so the time constraints make this short menu a practical option. It weighs in at an attractive £38.50 per person and that includes a glass of fizz and a film with popcorn.

Movie-going in London can be expensive, with tickets reaching £12.50. Add another £2.50 for the popcorn and then hope you get a good seat. The one without the kid kicking your back all evening. Axis offers a menu of delicious dishes as well as the champagne for a very reasonable price. The cinema seats 30 or so guests who are able to sip mini bottles of champagne, or perhaps a cocktail might be in order. 93% of regular movie-goers are said to be dissatisfied with the food on offer at their chosen high-street venue. No such problem at Axis.

Rillette of Salmon, blood orange, fennel and chicory salad and a sour dough crouton was my chosen starter. Served with a basket of fresh bread and butter, it made for a comforting start to the proceedings. I munched the light and fresh salad and enjoyed the ambiance of this amazing restaurant. A space which contrives to remain intimate even when full.

The menu offered roasted haddock, salmon fishcakes and braised pork belly, but my main course was Tarte Fines of Wild Mushroom. This was a simple plateful but one of the best European dishes I have eaten in a restaurant for ages. The pastry galette was spread with a duxelle (ok, so it was a paste but I am trying to educate my dear reader) of mushrooms and was topped with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. That’s a match made in heaven as long as the egg is poached to golden, molten perfection. This one was and it was creamy with the added richness of its buttery coating.

Desserts are too often disappointing. I am not keen on swags and swathes of cream, and a surfeit of chocolate is to be avoided when one is confronted by the prospect of a ride the length of the District Line soon after. Axis offers a selection which hit all the buttons for me and my only disappointment was that I couldn’t try all of them. My guest ordered Baked Jam Roly Poly with plum compote and crème anglaise (custard). This is an old-fashioned favourite and it’s good to see it return to even classy restaurant menus. This version was proclaimed to be particularly good.

Iberica Food and Culture

Michelin-starred executive chef of Iberica Food and Culture is Nacho Manzano, who cooks at his restaurant Casa Marcial in Asturias, in the top left-hand corner of Spain. He is especially well known for his fish cookery and for his new take on traditional dishes. He has become an international ambassador for Asturian cooking.

Head chef Santiago Guerrero is a charming young man from Madrid. He trained both in Spain and in England and has worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain, as well as The Castle Hotel, Somerset and The Waterside Inn. Before joining Iberica Food and Culture he worked as the Executive Sous-chef and acting Head Chef at L’Albufera restaurant in London's Melia White House Hotel, voted best Spanish restaurant outside Spain by their Ministerio de Agricultura Caza y Pesca. Quite an accolade.

Iberica is truly a Spanish centre. There is the ever-popular tapas bar, a beautiful restaurant on the first floor, an art gallery on the landing, a wine niche for small events and presentations, and a deli. This might not be as big as Harrod’s Food Hall but it is stocked with the best of Spanish foods and ingredients, many of which can only be found in Spain or here at Iberica. It’s a measure of the respect with which this amazing establishment is regarded.

At Iberica's imposing 15-metre bar you can choose between fifty hot and cold 'pinchos' and 'tapas' served from 11.30am till late into the night. There are plenty of simple cold dishes, such as cheese and charcuterie platters, shellfish and vegetable salads, croquettes, sausages, tortillas, rices and main-courses which reflect some of what regional and new Spanish food has to offer.

You can linger at the bar with a glass of Spanish wine or enjoy leisurely tapas with a drink at a window table where you can watch London pass you by. Prices start at an amazingly reasonable £1.50 for potato omelette with alioli sauce. The staff can suggest wine and tapas pairings so you don’t need to be an expert on either Spanish food or drink. Help is at hand.

We started our lunch with the Trio of Ham. This meat was carved wafer thin from the whole hams displayed in the aforementioned deli. What could be more evocative of fine food from the peninsula? Ham Croquets and Cheese Croquets will be familiar to those who have enjoyed leisurely hours in celebrated tapas bars in Madrid or even Barcelona. These were creamy, rich and real Iberian comfort food.

Dried tuna ‘mojama’ with homemade thyme bread and almond vinaigrette was new to me. A charming presentation on a slate platter. It’s the attention to detail which sets this establishment above so many others. Quality and care.

Stewed beef cheeks in rioja red wine with creamy chickpea purée is a culinary stunner. This is a slow-cooked dish of tender and flavourful meat. The sauce is glossy and rich and deserving of bread to dip. A dish for a cold winter in London.

Fried fresh squid with alioli is one to fight over. The seafood was tender with breading that was crunchy and light. The garlic mayonnaise had plenty of punch and was a delicious foil for the delicate squid.

Black Rice with cuttlefish, prawns and alioli must be Iberica's signature dish. I have had black rice in the past but it’s never had either the colour or the flavour of this version. Most have been pale grey and pallid, while this had a truly inky teeth-blackening lacquered sheen. Seafood in every bite. A must-try.

Caleya´s caramelised rice pudding and Fried Milk were our dessert choices. They showed two diverse faces of dairy-based sweets. Both were creamy and rich but the textures were different. The Fried Milk was a cube of white, set cream in a crunchy golden crumb. A delight to eat. The rice pudding will be nothing like your mother makes... unless your mum happens to be Spanish and an amazing chef. This was a light cloud with a golden lining.

Iberica offers London's longest list of Spanish wines by the glass, ranging from classics such as Cava, sherry and Rioja to many that will be new to British clients. There is nothing worse than being obliged to buy a bottle of your favourite tipple when you can only drink a glass. The bar stocks a wide range of Spanish beer, cider, brandies, liqueurs, Castile's sweet and dry anis, and Galician aguardiente. An ideal spot to learn more about Spanish beverages of all kinds. They will also be happy to supply you with Asturian sparkling waters, coffee and tea if you need to work in the afternoon.

Lunch will allow you to graze your way through some of the best Tapas outside, or even inside, Spain but the evening experience of the first-floor Caleya restaurant shows another facet. This must surely be the address of choice for Spanish fine dining. The chef is the same but the dishes on offer allow chef Santiago to showcase a more formal side of this stylish establishment.

Start your evening as we did at the bar. Order a glass of sherry and try a few slices of the freshly carved ham. They have whole hams from acorn-fed pigs bred by small Spanish producers. It’s unlikely you’ll find better hams than this anywhere else in the UK. A Spaniard whose family breeds pigs told me that the hams here are the best she has come across.

Those hams, or slices of, can be found in the Iberica Deli, next to the restaurant on the ground floor. (Monday - Saturday: 11:30 a.m. - 7pm) If you can’t get to London to visit in person then you can now shop online at http://store.ibericalondon.com/

Caleya is cosy. That’s the first impression. Cosy but still stylish and thoughtfully decorated with paintings owned by the manager. Not scenes of Don Quixote and a donkey but contemporary cityscapes in sepia. Take some time to look at these pictures. Amazing.

If you want an overview of all that is contemporary Spanish cuisine then you could do worse than order the Tasting Menu. Each dish is chosen to present ingredients at their best and some of those ingredients, although traditional, are far from the usual fare found in most Spanish restaurants.

We were regaled with:
Warm salad of baby leeks and spinach, young carrots with chickpea mayonnaise served in a 'cocido' broth – attractive and delicious.

Wild mushrooms served with its jelly, beetroot and rocket leaves was the very essence of mushroom flavour.

Stewed belly of cod with sweet pepper consommé, pil-pil glaze was as much about texture as taste. Yes, there is the flavour of fish, but it’s delicate. The flesh is glutinous and comforting.

Grilled fillet of Turbot with sea-urchin sauce and sweet potato purée. Another dish presenting well-chosen ingredients in an inspired fashion.

Roasted shoulder of suckling Segovia lamb with herbs accompanied by mushrooms and green peas is slow-cooked to achieve tender meat - a dish to attempt to replicate at home.

Granita of mixed berries, lemon sorbet and meringue batons, along with Mousse of 'Jijona' nougat with light chocolate sponge and mandarin sorbet, make for a veritable buffet of sweet and summery delights. These are small plates to nibble and enjoy with a glass of dessert wine.

The menu changes with the seasons, so you'll be tasting the best, the freshest and the finest the market has to offer, whenever you visit.

Iberica Food and Culture is a culinary ambassador. It seems to take that role seriously. It takes pride in every aspect of its business, both culinary and cultural. It isn’t just a fine tapas bar and classy restaurant but an inspiring departure from our cooler climate. Iberica isn’t just Spanish, it’s Spain, and remarkable.

Tapas Bar
Monday-Saturday: 11:30am - 11pm     
Sunday:12 - 16 pm (paella menu)

Mestizo Restaurant

I had my first little peek at Mestizo last year. Just a cocktail and some nibbles but it was enough to give an indication that this was a spot to linger over and enjoy. A real meal was in order so off I went with guest in tow to see if that first impression was accurate, or merely an illusion encouraged by one too many of Mexico’s famous beverage.

You might say you like “Mexican” food. You might have had “Mexican” food on trips to the US, and Taco Bell might be your favourite fast food but, dear reader, your experience is probably a faint shadow of the real extravaganza awaiting you at Mestizo.

Mestizo Restaurant and Tequila Bar has a convenient location just around the corner from Euston Square Underground station, and a few minutes’ walk from Euston main-line station. Its atmosphere is of dark wood charm but the impressive bar hints at fun times to be had. This establishment has a collection of Tequilas (over 130 at last count) enough to make any London-based Mexican quite home-sick. The restaurant has a cult following amongst the local Brits and, evidently, expat Mexicans. That has got to be an indication of this restaurant’s authenticity. It already has the vote of those in the know.

Mestizo offers food that is hard or impossible to find outside Mexico. I wonder why these dishes haven’t had the exposure of other ethnic cuisines. It must be that Europe has only a slight cultural exchange with those countries that rest south of Texas and California. Mexican food has migrated to its neighbour to the North, but has often been adulterated in transit. Tex-Mex food might be vibrant and zesty but it isn’t a patch on food to be found south of the border.

We started our evening with cocktails. Mestizo Spice got our attention. This was an amazing concoction of Casco Viejo chilli-infused reposado tequila, cherry brandy, crushed strawberries, diced red chilli and lime. It’s a tall delicate pink drink with a kick. I am not a cocktail habitué but this particular recipe evoked all that’s impressive about Mestizo – good taste and style.

Our starter was a Mixed Antojitos Platter which was an assortment of flauta (crispy fried rolled tortillas filled with chicken and topped with lettuce, sour cream and green tomatillo salsa), quesadilla (corn pastries filled with cheese, served with sour cream and salsa roja), jalada jalapeño peppers stuffed with cream cheese, served with sour cream) - don’t miss these -, and tamales (steamed corn husks filled with masa and pollo con mole) – an authentic taste of Mexican comfort food.

The Mestizo staff are charming and helpful. Several of them are Mexican and all of them can steer you through what will likely be an unfamiliar menu. Mole Poblano was my co-reviewer’s choice for main course. This is a classic dish of boneless chicken breast served with a traditional mole sauce made of dried chillies, herbs, spices, almonds and chocolate, served with beans and rice and some flour tortillas. Mestizo make all sauces, beans, condiments and salsas in-house. The tortillas, however, are produced by a specialist bakery, although Mestizo do make their own moreish tortilla chips. The chocolate sauce was savoury and well flavoured with a silky texture. An introduction to the subtleties of Mexican cuisine.

Mole Huasteco (a traditional dish from the state of Hidalgo, Mexico) was new to me. It’s a boneless chicken breast served with a huasteco sauce, made from over 32 ingredients, including dried chillies, tomatoes, onion, almonds, garlic, sesame and pumpkin seeds. This is a rich and aromatic dish with an almost liquorice or aniseed finish. This must surely be a signature dish. If you only expect to make one visit to Mestizo then order this.

Mestizo is a restaurant for convivial gatherings as well as intimate soirées. Many other guests had ordered the Taco Tray. This is for two or more and is evidently the meal of choice for groups or couples. It looks spectacular, like so many of Mestizo’s dishes, as well as being fun to eat. Perhaps a good ice-breaker on a first date.

The Mestizo desserts are worth saving a chink of space for. We ordered Flan Caresro which is the Mexican take on Crème Caramel. Light and sweet in a pool of caramel sauce. Pastel de Quesco y Coco is a cheesecake perfumed with coconut served with mango coulis. An exotic end to a memorable meal. I am sure it will turn out to be the first of many. The Sunday Brunch is said to be worth a visit. Mestizo is without a doubt one of my top five London restaurants.

Restaurant review: Mestizo Restaurant and Tequila Bar
103 Hampstead Road
NW1 3EL
London
www.mestizomx.com
Phone 020 7387 4064
Email eat@mestizomx.com

Tike Grill and Bar – A taste of Istanbul

Tike (pronounced ‘tikay’) is an authentic Turkish restaurant in the City of London. It’s part of a small but classy chain which began in 1998 in Istanbul. Since opening their first restaurant the four cousins from Adana who together make up Tasty Med have expanded their empire to reach beyond Turkey into Greece, Ukraine and now England. Tike serves traditional "charcoal grilled" barbequed lamb, chicken, kebabs, authentic dishes, fresh salads and pide from the wood-burning oven.

Fenchurch Place is an open square just in front of Fenchurch Street main-line station. It’s a stone’s throw from Tower Hill and Monument underground stations. Its location has made it a favourite eatery for city workers who can enjoy a quick lunch, a lingering mid-day meal, an early evening dinner or a convivial gathering before the homeward commute.

Tike has become the meeting place of choice for the discerning expat Turkish population. They enjoy a taste of home at amazingly reasonable prices. There can surely be no higher recommendation than the esteem of those who should know more about Turkish cooking than I ever will.

Located in a stunning Richard Rogers-designed building, Tike spans two floors and makes the most of the large windows to the front over both levels. The modern decor reflects the style of the building, and the ground floor has an informal atmosphere, set around the bustle of the popular bar and the open-plan bread oven which offers the prospect of amazing food to come.

Inspired by the skills of the Turkish baker, we ordered Lachmajun. It’s a thin bread topped with minced lamb, herbs and spices. Pide are small pies stuffed with kisir cheese and vegetables, and still warm from the oven. A glass of fine Turkish red made a delightful start to the meal. Tsatsik - light yogurt dip with cucumber - and warm bread kept us company.

Our tray of small dishes were soon to arrive and they were an attractive selection which offered an array of flavours, fresh light salads and creamy dips scooped up with more fresh warm bread. Cherkez Tavugu - creamed chicken breast dip with walnuts - was a particular favourite and a little different from the mezze of the more mundane Turkish restaurants in London. We continued with:

Patlican Salad - charcoal grilled aubergine dip with lemon juice and a hint of garlic.

Gavurdayi - finely chopped tomato, parsley and onion salad with a pomegranate juice dressing - was particularly delicious.

Hayirli - finely chopped Mediterranean flat-leaf parsley, onion and fresh herb salad - was fresh and well seasoned.

Ichli Kiofte are handmade steamed balls of cracked wheat stuffed with minced meat. These were surprisingly light and rather akin to Lebanese kibbe but without the deep frying. A must-try.

Pastirmali Houmus - hot chickpea puree topped with sliced cured meat which gave extra texture and flavour to a familiar dip.

Miutebel - warm oven-roasted aubergine dip sprinkled with crushed pistachio nuts. Creamy comfort.

My guest was tempted by Iskender for his “large” dish - lamb ‘Tike donner’ served on a bed of grilled bread topped with yogurt and grilled tomatoes. This is a considerable plateful and probably enough for two with a selection starters. If you are a lover of kebabs then your head will be turned by this one. If there is a group of you then you might consider the striking ‘Meterlik’ House Special ‘1 metre long Adana kofte kebab’! A real crowd-pleaser.

My main course was Tavuk Kiulbasti - grilled marinated chicken breast fillets - which were tender, juicy and flavourful. This would made an ideal light lunch if you don’t have time to graze on small mezze beforehand.

Kiunefe - warm kadaifi with a soft sweet honey cheese filing and crushed pistachio topping - was one of the traditional desserts on offer from Tike. The threads of pastry were delicate and syrupy. Enjoy this with some dark Turkish coffee or a glass of tea.

Irmik Helvasi is a traditional baked dessert made with fresh semolina and pine nuts, scented with cinnamon and with an ice cream centre. This was marvellously aromatic with a cold filling of real Turkish ice cream which our waiter told us was flavoured with mastic resin. A delightful change from strawberry or chocolate.

Tike is a restaurant which has already cultivated loyal followers. Its transport connections give it a catchment area which stretches from the City to the far reaches of Essex. I have no hesitation in recommending Tike for its quality of food, its knowledgeable staff and its unique design. It’s impossible to visit just once.

Opening Times
Mon to Fri 11am-12midnight, last orders 10.30pm
The restaurant is closed at weekends but can be reserved for special events

Tike Grill and Bar – A taste of Istanbul
5 Fenchurch Place, London EC3M 4AJ
Phone 020 7702 9965
Email ok@tikerestaurant.co.uk

Tortilla Mexican Grill

I had a somewhat cautious invitation from the management of the small Tortilla chain. They had noticed from my previous articles that I have been lucky enough to review some of London’s most swanky dining spots. But for me it’s all about the food: they had obvious pride in their eatery and that gave me the clue that this would be a fun and positive visit.

We found the Oxford Circus branch at Market Place. It’s a tranquil spot just a few steps from the frantic bustle of one of London’s most popular shopping streets. Plenty of fast food down there, but that food is a mile away from the fresh, healthy and delicious offerings at Tortilla. They are presenting sustaining meals that you could eat every day and still feel noble.

This isn’t the Tex-Mex food that so many of us have encountered on visits across the pond. Tortilla takes its inspiration from the Mission District of San Francisco. This is Cal-Mex and relies on fresh produce and food that would be ideal to take to the beach. OK, so London is a bit light on sandy plages but you can still have a relaxing break in one of the four Tortilla restaurants, or take the food back to the office, spread the beach towel on the desk and dream for half an hour.

The Oxford Circus branch is small, comfortable and stylish. Seats outside for smokers and those who want to bask in the blazing British sunshine, and plenty of seating on the basement floor to cater for the lunchtime rush and evening revellers. Simple wooden tables and chairs with cream banquettes are complemented by rich maroon tiles.

Ordering your first meal might seem to be a simple proposition: the menu offers five meal choices, but then the fun begins. There are more than 400 possible combinations and more if you include Margaritas or Mexican beer. You are the architect of your lunch or dinner so it’s bound to be one of the best you have had.

I ordered tacos and they were light and full of flavours and texture. You’ll choose different combinations of fillings and toppings to create a totally unique meal. Mine was grilled chicken with rice, black beans, cheese and sour cream. I like a kick of spice so I had a garnish of hot salsa. This isn’t for the faint-hearted so be warned.

The presentation was thoughtful. Metal mesh baskets are the order of the day rather than plates. They are supremely practical but have that touch of style which I find strangely lacking in polystyrene boxes. One finds a cosy corner to perch and adds, perhaps, a drop or two of a hot sauce. Grab a handful of paper serviettes before you start to eat: you might need them.

My guest enjoyed a Burrito of striking proportions (these are said to have been invented not in Mexico but in Los Angeles in the 1930’s). It’s a large diameter package of solid food. He had chosen a braised pork filling which he pronounced to be tender and flavourful. There were pinto beans, sour cream and guacamole, and salsa verde (medium hot) to add extra piquancy. This constituted a full meal and it wasn’t even the large version! There are eating instructions provided for guests who might be new to this casual hands-on form of dining.

Tortilla Mexican Grill has some of the best value food around. £5.00 will present you with a feast. The meats, vegetables and toppings are made fresh on the premises every day. The beans are cooked for ages to give them that authentic consistency. The tortillas are made by a specialist and they are steamed before serving so they are soft and moist. It’s the attention to detail that sets Tortilla apart. You watch your food being prepared in front of you but service is still remarkably quick. I shrink from calling it fast as that might conjure visions of red-shirted youths filling bags with already boxed and soggy fried goods. No, a good meal in a few minutes can be yours at Tortilla Mexican Grill. It will be my habitual halt when I need real food in a hurry.

Tortilla Mexican Grill
6 Market Place
London W1W 8AH

St Pancras Grand Restaurant, Oyster and Champagne Bar

Today I have a review of a smart restaurant conveniently situated about 2 hours outside Paris. Good transport links with easy access to city shops. Superb food and waiters who speak English, and a menu in English as well. Yes, that’s got your attention, my dear Anglophone reader! Even better news is that, if you live in London, you’ll be able to visit sans passport. Confused? Well, you wouldn’t be if you noticed the title of today’s superbly written offering.

St Pancras train station was designed by William Barlow in 1863 with construction starting in 1866. The famous Barlow train shed arch spans 240 feet and reaches 100 feet at its highest point. On its completion in 1868 it became the largest enclosed space in the world. It is still impressive to this day and is a marvel of Victorian engineering.

One of the most recognisable features of St Pancras station is the red brick Gothic front facade which was created as part of a competition and became the Midland Great Hotel. The inside of the station still reflects that same brick along with painted metal beams and lots of charm. The original building had 60 million bricks (Did Queen Victoria ask someone to count them?) and 9,000 tons of ironwork as well as columns of fourteen different British granites and limestones.

The St Pancras Grand restaurant has an associated Champagne Bar which is situated opposite the restaurant itself, on the Upper Concourse. You’ll not miss this amazing sight of a row of booths stretching for yards (it’s Europe's longest Champagne Bar at 95.8 metres). Each one is thoughtfully provided with blankets and under-seat heating for those with frozen assets. Even if you don’t have time for a civilised meal at the restaurant, a glass of fizz and a plate of smoked salmon is always an option.

St Pancras Grand is the brainchild of Martin Brudnizki, the designer behind Scott’s and The Ivy. The restaurant is either casually formal or formally casual depending on your expectations. It has all the style of (in truth, probably more style

Haché Burger Connoisseurs Ltd

Al Waha Lebanese restaurant, Westbourne Grove

Loch Fyne restaurant Twickenham

Formed in 1998, Loch Fyne Restaurants was established to cultivate oysters in the clear, clean waters of Loch Fyne in Scotland. The company has now grown to 46 sites and they employ over 1,200 staff working all over the UK. They don’t sell just oysters but fish in all its guises and even some meat dishes. They are committed to independent producers who use sustainable methods to deliver high quality foods. We are told that fish is good for us but we should all be concerned about about fish stocks and sustainability.

The Loch Fyne restaurant in Twickenham is housed in a former pub. It has retained much of its earlier character with oak-panelling contrasted with light cream walls. The original bar is still there although part replaced by a fish-on-ice display. There are chalk boards, and heavy wooden tables and chairs to add still further to the cosy ambiance. The layout of the old building might not do the serving staff any favours but it allows the guests the opportunity to find a quiet corner for an intimate soirée, or a roomy spot for a group gathering.

Those aforementioned chalkboards offer the day’s specials which our waiter informed us were some of the most popular dishes. It had a fish pie topped with mash, and gravadlax which I always find appealing, as well as smoked duck; but we wanted to try the regular menu. So we ordered a fruity rosé (Savino Primitivo, Italy and exclusive to Loch Fyne) and considered our selection.

The Loch Fyne menu had classic fish dishes like fish and chips, prawn cocktail with brown bread and butter, and moules marinières, but there is also innovation. How about Char-grilled South Coast squid with bok choi and sesame dressing? Spicy prawn and squid noodles with chilli, ginger and fresh coriander reflects the current desire for fresh flavours and light ingredients.

My guest, a man with traditional tastes, ordered homemade potted shrimps with mace butter and crusty bread. This had a charming rustic presentation with the seafood arriving in a small preserving jar - the sort with the rubber ring and the metal clip. The delicate shrimps were well seasoned and the onion gave an agreeable sweetness. Potted shrimp were a traditional Sunday teatime dish. It’s retro and comforting and there was plenty of it.

Whitebait with lemon mayonnaise was my choice of starter and in keeping with the fashionably old-fashioned theme of my companion. These little fishes had been dredged in flour elevated with a hint of chilli and were deep-fried till just done. Crisp, light and delicious. A squeeze of lemon was all they needed by way of condiment.

Char-grilled Loch Fyne Bradan Rost (kiln roasted salmon fillet) with mushroom, whisky and horseradish sauce was my guest’s main course. This dish is said to have quite a colourful history. Our waiter says the kiln roast salmon was originally going to be regular smoked salmon but the smoke-house burnt down. The resulting fish was eaten by the workers who proclaimed it to be quite marvellous, and so a fine dish was born of an accident. The two batons of fish were almost mahogany in hue and the moist flakes had intense flavour. This was deliciously foiled by the creamy mild sauce, and a bowl of fresh buttery seasonal vegetables completed the meal. 

My main course was Scottish smoked haddock risotto with a soft-poached egg. The egg was just right with a runny yolk of golden richness. The risotto was pale and flecked with herbs. Note that the fish was white and not the “yellow peril” of yesteryear, bright enough to read a book by and filled with artificial colour. This Loch Fyne haddock, along with the salmon, is traditionally smoked over oak chips from old whisky casks. A romantic concept but that process really does impart robust flavour.

The celebrated chalkboards put in another appearance with the dessert suggestions. All the desserts are made in-house, and change with the seasons and availability of fruit. Ice cream, Christmas pudding, apple pie, crème brulée and sticky toffee pudding would have been more tempting had the savouries been less substantial, but we truly had been well fed. We chose the Scottish cheese platter to share. We enjoyed a mature cheddar and a Scottish blue with oat cakes, grapes and a homemade apple chutney.

Loch Fyne has a loyal following of regulars. It’s a restaurant with a solid menu for fish lovers, and committed carnivores and vegetarians are also considered. The quality of food was first-class and the serving staff were knowledgeable about the menu, the specials and the company ethos. An ideal spot to enjoy a glimpse of the seaside near the River Thames.

Madsen Scandinavian Restaurant

Toms Deli

Westbourne Grove still looks delightful even in a snow storm. The lights of Toms (the Tom in question owns several other London eateries and is also Terrence Conran's son) were welcoming, although the light from almost anything other than a fridge door would have been a relief in such conditions.

The Westbourne Grove locals love Toms as it’s been there since the 1990s and has become something of an institution. Nicole Kidman has graced a booth at Toms as has Brad Pitt. Those booths are in fact made from old Paris Metro seats. Claudia Schiffer has been spotted shopping in the area and perhaps she stopped for coffee as well.

Toms is a deli and café with touches of old-fashioned sweetshop. It is food-lover’s heaven offering every conceivable sweet or savoury delight. It’s a small area that is artfully packed with temptation, and it’s a place with three distinct but overlapping personas.

One is first introduced to the confectionery emporium which has goods hanging from the walls and spilling from every shelf, counter, nook and cranny ...and a ceiling carousel. The buyer for Toms must have the best job in the world. There are continental chocolates nestling close to jars of boiled sweets (think sherbet pips and humbugs). There are bottles of designer cordials and boxes of Italian panattone. The displays change with the seasons so expect an occasional bunny (sugary not butchery) come Easter.

After passing through the front section of Toms one finds oneself on the horns of a dietary dilemma. Some tea and a slice of one of those cakes (these would have previously beckoned to you as you passed) accompanied by a nice sit down... or a little meander around the basement deli. OK, we did the deli first.

This is the savoury version of the aforementioned front-of-house – a veritable Aladdin’s cave of things one would love to try. There is a cold counter for salads, an amazingly good selection of cheeses, smoked meats and some ready-to-eat meals, and all manner of take-away dishes and sandwiches. There are eggs, fresh fruit and veg as well as a surprisingly good display of high-end sauces, condiments. oils and vinegars. This is a small space crammed with culinary Ooooh! and Ahhhh!

Next stop was the upper-floor cafe. It has more of a feeling of a traditional teashop although the addition of those French booths adds a quirky eclectic charm. The cakes are fresh and are difficult to pass up. The lemon drizzle cake was a great choice although they all looked good. If we had arrived earlier we could have sampled Toms breakfasts (served until midday) for which they are so famous. Eggs Florentine, Eggs Benedict as well as the Full English are on offer but come early at weekends or you’ll be defeated by the queue. The lunch menu features salads and pizzas, light bites and soup but this changes from time to time.

Toms Deli is just what you would expect from a smart London district. It offers classy foodstuffs in a stylish fashion. It has a worldwide reputation as a spot to take in when “doing London”. Well worth a visit for gifts for the gourmet in your life, for a cuppa and a cake or more especially for breakfast.

Taman Gang

Green Chilli Restaurant

Rasa Sayang

Laya’Lina - Modern Lebanese Cuisine

Located on the East coast of the Mediterranean, Lebanon is at the meeting point of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Its cuisine is refined and Laya’Lina is a marvellous showcase for its delicate but flavourful dishes.

Knightsbridge has a reputation for smart restaurants and many do warrant their fine reputations but some do rather disappoint. Laya’Lina is a tastefully understated but upmarket restaurant that is deserving of praise. It successfully balances classic dining with contemporary decor. The ground floor is small enough to be cosy and appealing to couples and small groups, whilst the basement area can accommodate larger groups and hosts music events as well as exotic belly-dancing soirées. Head there on Saturday evenings for those.

My guest and I were at Laya’Lina for the food rather than the entertainment, and that food is justly recognised as some of the best Lebanese around. It has everything you would expect of a traditional menu but it’s the quality that has allowed Laya’Lina to build such a loyal following. The presentation is attractive but a reviewer cannot live by garnishes alone. The food needs to be something special.

We started with a selection of mezze. The vine leaves filled with rice, herbs and spices were moist and light but the tabouleh (Lebanese parsley and tomato salad) was the most authentic I have tasted in ages. This was almost entirely delicious fresh herbs rather than the too-often presented salad of cracked wheat with a sprinkle of parsley. Muhamara is a crunchy-textured dip of subtly-spiced pureed nuts and it is outstanding. I confess that it’s the first time I have found this on a Lebanese menu so I can make no comparison but I can’t see how it can be improved upon. This should probably be one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, and there are few restaurants that can boast a starter with that accolade.

We continued our first course with hummus. Some food historians suggest that hummus was first prepared in the 12th century by Saladin (or more likely by his chef) who was the chap who gave the crusaders such a headache. Cheese Sambusak are small, delicate parcels. Falafel are chick-pea croquettes with a history dating back to the days of the pharaohs. Meat Sambusak are pastry parcels filled with seasoned minced lamb and pine nuts. This selection of small dishes gave a good introduction to some of the most popular nibbles, and to the quality of this restaurant’s food.

My guest ordered Laya’Lina Lamb Shank which was a baby lamb shank braised to melt-in-the-mouth perfection. The meat fell away from the bone indicating that this truly had been cooked slowly. It was served with rice, glazed with a cinnamon sauce, and garnished with nuts. A substantial meal with warming aromatic spices.

Chicken Taouk is a shish kebab of marinated chicken pieces. The chargrilled meat had a real flavour of open-fire cooking and was tender and juicy. The sweet roasted vegetables were a colourful and delicious accompaniment and the garlic sauce was stunning. That little bowl of white purée rested innocently at the edge of my plate but there is nothing shy about it. Anyone who loves garlic will want the recipe for this. It works marvellously with grilled chicken but would be a tasty addition to any roast vegetable platter. Perhaps I’ll persuade Laya’lina to go into full-scale production of garlic sauce, bottle it and sell it to Harrods around the corner.

From the desserts on offer I chose Baklawa, typical Lebanese layered pastries with almonds, pistachios or pine kernels. These are sweet sticky confections that go so well with thick Lebanese coffee. My guest enjoyed a raspberry crème brulée although fresh strawberries with chocolate dip were rather tempting. My advice to a dessert lover would be to order sweets first: there is every chance that you will not find room for cakes and sorbets at the end of an evening being regaled with such delicious savouries. Laya’lina warrants a couple of visits before you are really sure which dishes are your favourites. I don’t much frequent Harrods, but Laya’Lina will find me a regular visitor. This is Lebanese dining at its finest.

Restaurant review:

The Mitre

The Mitre has a facade very much in keeping with its smart Holland Park surroundings. It’s a 1930s building that has been used to good advantage by the present owners. It has a surprisingly spacious and light interior thanks to some large windows that overlook a palm-planted courtyard garden. This space isn’t used by the Mitre for outside dining but it’s an asset nevertheless.

Although covering a good few square yards The Mitre manages to feel cosy with its chesterfields and leather chairs inviting the bar clients to linger. There is a raised bistro dining area with booths for 4 or 6 guests as well as spacious areas for individual tables providing flexible accommodation for couples and large groups. There is a semi-open kitchen. That is to say you get a good look at the kitchen through a long hatch rather than having the impression that you are sitting at the chef’s table next to the dishwasher.

The staff were efficient and friendly although they had plenty to do looking after several large groups; the waiters were knowledgeable, enthusiastic, charming and calm, no mistakes or delays were evident and that is quite an accolade at this festive time of year.

 We ordered the Duck Board. This is a Mitre signature dish along with its fish counterpart. It’s easy to see why it’s so popular. It’s an ample starter for 2 people and it’s a marvellous thing to behold. The duck board isn’t a plank to keep one’s feet dry but rather a thick and rustic wooden board generously garnished with, well, duck. This is duck in all its guises. Duck rillettes (shreds of duck in its own delicious fat) with a couple of shards of duck crackling (more delicate than the regular pork which you are more likely to have encountered), crisp roast duck with a mound of spiced orange dressing, duck liver pate, and slices of succulent duck breast prosciutto with a miniature skewer of spicy pickled vegetables. A striking presentation of a thoroughly inventive dish. The head chef, Pat Lynch, trained at Scott of Mayfair and Le Pont de La Tour so it’s no surprise that the standard is high at the Mitre.

Our main courses were chosen from a solid British brassiere selection. My Yorkshire sausages with mash and onion gravy were a good example of why these isles have such a good reputation for bangers. These particular ones were the sort that one seldom encounters these days. They had bursting skins and that rich stickiness that comes from a well-cooked quality sausage. The onion gravy was full of caramelised sweetness and there was enough smooth mash to turn the head of a more-than-peckish rugby player.

My guest chose battered haddock, chips and mushy peas for his main course. The fries were thick fingers - proper old-fashioned chips, the sort that are big enough to have a fluffy interior. The mushy peas were a cut above those often found in chip shops: these were light and minty, and more of a purée than a mush. Remoulade sauce was alongside by way of an improvement over mayo or ketchup.

Be warned, come with an appetite or you will not make it to the desserts. These were a pleasing selection of treats. There was the traditional apple pie but also plum crumble for fruit-lovers. I couldn’t resist the sticky toffee pudding. Elsewhere, they are often pale and dry with a skimping swirl of sauce. This little beauty arrived on a large dish and was a glossy dark island floating in a sea of liquid toffee. Worth every calorie.

The Affogato makes for a stylish end to a meal. Vanilla-bean ice cream, a shot of espresso and toasted panatone. Pour the coffee over the ice cream for a delightful hot-cold taste experience. This is a simple dessert to prepare but it does rely on the best of ingredients. This just doesn’t work with cheap and nasty ice cream and a chunk of toasted white sliced. The version at the Mitre was just right.

The Mitre provided us with a warm refuge from a blizzard, an imaginative menu, well-cooked food at decent prices. It’s a popular spot and it’s easy to see why. No complaints from this reviewer.

Cookbook Cafe – Sunday Brunch

Le Colombier

I started thinking about food on my journey to Le Colombier. I started thinking about engineering, haulage and transport when I arrived at Le Colombier. How did they manage it? Had they transported a bit of France to Chelsea? Was the original restaurant removed in sections from some smart Parisian street? Was the furniture stacked into a UK-bound lorry? Could the traditional zinc-topped bar have been liberated from a French bistro by a man with a van?

Well, no, dear reader, the owner Didier Garnier established Le Colombier in 1998 in an existing building that fits the part of a Parisian Brasserie so well. It’s a vision of cream with blue accents. The restaurant is in every way authentically French. It isn’t French “themed”. It doesn’t have accordion music playing in the background. The staff are French and the menu is French. It IS French.

Le Colombier was a welcome haven after our short but freezing walk from South Kensington underground station. The restaurant was full with more guests arriving to enjoy an evening in the private dining room on the 1st floor (up to 30 for a seated lunch or dinner). You wouldn’t know there was a recession. No hint of credit being crunched or even slightly mauled. As the evening progressed it became evident that many of those convivial clients were regulars.

Although Le Colombier is without a doubt charming and elegant the atmosphere is relaxed. It has the sound of a restaurant being enjoyed. That is to say, a buzz of conversation that indicates that people feel at home. A smart restaurant, yes! A stuffy one, no.

Didier has had years of experience running the St Quentin group of restaurants and he even comes from a family of restaurant owners. His passion for food is evident. The menu reflects brasserie-style dishes, changing frequently to take advantage of the best produce available. Didier isn’t a man to shy away from culinary innovation, though.

There are many starters here that you would expect from any good French restaurant. Oysters, Foie Gras and smoked salmon; but Sardines La Quiberonnaise Millésime 2007-Vintage is the one to try. It’s 2007 Sardines, Lemon, Onion and Toasted Poilane Bread. How come the aforementioned sardines are awarded a vintage? Well, they are in a tin. Yes, preserved and presented like fine wine. Might sound strange but this is an amazing must-try item. France and Spain have long appreciated fish and shellfish in tins, jars and bottles. These are high-quality foods that have an entirely different taste and texture from their fresh counterparts. They take flavour from herbed marinades to create rich and tempting morsels. My guest proclaimed these sardines to be one of the most delightful hors d'oeuvre he had eaten in ages. Simple as so many great things are.

My warm goat's cheese salad was everything a good one should be, and a great deal better than most I have had in either France or the UK. The cheese was tangy with a creamy sauce. The salad was crisp and well-dressed, and the basket of real French bread and sweet Echire butter made a satisfying accompaniment - at no additional charge.

The main courses are all served with their appropriate vegetables so there are no ‘extra’ costs for side dishes. Le Colombier is just amazing value for money. There was a very good selection of fish dishes including sole, monkfish, and salmon with Hollandaise sauce (only £18.20) which I have ear-marked for my next visit.

Today I ordered loin of lamb which was amply garnished with Provencal tomatoes and courgettes. The sauce was bread-dippingly divine. The meat was tender with real flavour and cooked to melt-in-the-mouth perfection.

My guest tucked into the dish of the day, which was a ragoût of rabbit. This is an underrated meat and too seldom seen on menus. When it’s good it’s unbeatable but when it’s bad it’s horrid. This bunny was moist and flavourful with potatoes that were crumbly and aromatic. This was a substantial plateful.

The dessert menu offered lots of well-loved favourites such as Crème Brûlée, Tarte au Citron and Mousse au Chocolat but I couldn’t resist Crêpes Suzette. There were two generous pancakes with zesty orange and a good shake of Grand Marnier. You’ll not find better. It’s a standard dish but no less delightful for that.

My guest chose Chaud Froid aux Amandes. These are scoops of ice cream with slivered almonds and a hot chocolate sauce which

Chill out at Winter’s Hot Spot -
The Howard, London, goes Chalet Chic!
Restaurant Review

Tatra Restaurant

Front Room at Flemings Mayfair

La Porte des Indes

that I had talked to had anything other than high

Theo Randall at the InterContinental

This London hotel was opened in 1975, and reopened in 2006 after a £76m refurbishment. In the restaurant, natural materials are used to great effect. Wood veneers with metallic finishes complement tan leather upholstery; there is an "English grass" motif in frosted glass as well as coloured-glass vases artfully displayed in a subtly-lit slot. All of which combine to create a contemporary but comfy nook for diners. The overall impression is of understated class.

Although the ground floor restaurant boasts one hundred and twenty four covers (plus a twenty-seat bar area) it contrives both to cater for large parties and to provide quiet and intimate space for couples. But you probably won’t (although you might) be there for a romantic rendezvous. It’s the food that is the draw.

In his early twenties, following an apprenticeship with Max Magarian of Chez Max, Theo Randall found a position at The River Café, although in 1991 he left to spend a year working with the much celebrated Alice Walters in the USA. Theo returned to The River Café where Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers made him head chef and a partner in the business. In November 2006 Theo opened his first restaurant, Theo Randall, at The InterContinental Park Lane. September 2008 saw the restaurant receive its first gong - 'Italian Restaurant of the Year' at the London Restaurant Awards.

Theo’s menu presents the finest of real Italian food. His food is memorable without being intimidating. His dishes don’t pose but rather beckon to you. These are platefuls that encourage you to dive in and enjoy the seasonal ingredients and evident passion of the chef and his talented staff.

I could have eaten every dish from this impressive bill of fare but there is only so much one can consume at a sitting. I chose to skip, reluctantly, the antipasti (pan-fried squid with cannellini beans, chilli, anchovy, parsley and rocket is pencilled in for my next visit) and chose a pasta dish. This is probably the best you will find outside the boot of Italy. My Taglierini con Gamberetti e Carciofi (handmade pasta with brown shrimps, artichoke, chilli and butter) was a vision of harmony. The scale of the delicate pasta was perfectly matched by the small, sweet and delicious shrimps. A simple dish but correct in every regard.

My guest indulged his passion for anything cured and ordered Anguilla affumicata (smoked eel with beetroots, dandelion and fresh horseradish). He proclaimed the portion to be generous with lots of petal-like slices of fish matched with tangy and vibrant accompaniments.

Secondi saw me on the horns of an epicurean dilemma. Should I order the sea bass or the rack of lamb? So, I chose Coda di Rospo al forno (wood roasted Cornish monkfish with parsley, capers, Roseval potatoes, globe artichokes and prosciutto di Parma). The fish was succulent and the prosciutto added just the right salty counterpoint. The potatoes were meltingly delicious and the courgettes were a marvellously crunchy garnish.

Piccione al forno (I guess the same forno which had also accommodated my monkfish) was a pigeon cooked to pink perfection. These are such underrated birds. I think many people have visions of those nasty specimens one finds “decorating” London monuments. The sort with club feet, a nasty cough and low IQ. The culinary version of these tatty-feathered articles is chubby and juicy without the over-gamey flavour of many sport birds. The meat was melt-in-the-mouth tender.

Throughout the meal we tasted some excellent wines recommended by the personable and approachable sommelier. She was more than happy to recommend wines by the glass that perfectly complemented our food choices. The wine list was extensive with bottles starting at £20 or so. Not out of the way for such a restaurant.

We couldn’t resist the Piatto di dolci which was a selection of four desserts. I’d even invite people I don’t like for a meal here, just to have an excuse to indulge in this sweet array. The Amalfi Lemon tart was fresh and zesty, Vanilla Ice cream with chilled espresso was a simple presentation in a coffee cup but it was enough to impress with its dark bitter charm. The soft chocolate cake is one to fight over and the pannacotta with prunes and brandy was creamy, rich and decadent, as any good dessert should be.

This was a delightful evening spent in cosy surroundings enjoying amazing food. I cannot fault the restaurant or its attentive staff. The prices are what you would expect of such a hotel restaurant in one of the world’s most engaging capitals but I would venture to say that it’s value for money. The evening could not have been improved upon ...unless we had been able to find space for a slice of pear and almond tart or perhaps a sliver of Ricotta cheesecake. I feel another visit might be in order.

Visit the InterContinental web site at here.

Stanza

London is celebrated as perhaps having the most vibrant and eclectic theatre district in the world. Yes, going for an evening of roaring grease paint and smelly crowd is still a treat but it’s never been more accessible. Tickets are easy to book and you won’t need to mortgage the kids to finance the trip... but how about turning the adventure into an unhurried and memorable event?

Why not consider a pre- or post-theatre meal at the Stanza. Overlooking Shaftesbury Avenue the 80 cover first floor restaurant offers a comfy perch for relaxing and people-watching. The décor is modern with dark wood and several pieces of urban art to give a bit of city buzz. This is a surprisingly good-value venue right where you need it to be. It’s a short walk from every theatre of note so you’ll not need to invest in a taxi ride to get to your show before the curtain rises... although an encounter with a London cab driver is often amusing and educational it’s frequently costly.

Tourists praise London for many things: its historic buildings, museums, charming policemen but food hardly ever reaches the list. Great food is all around but it’s a matter of finding it. Locals will have favourite eateries with good food at reasonable prices but you need to be in the know. You could walk right by Stanza’s anonymous entrance and that would be a shame.

Stanza has a menu that, although not the longest around, is a good representation of the changed face of modern British cuisine. Head chef Maggie John Lewis has imagination and style and offers a bill of fare that I would be happy to eat my way through (I’ll be returning for Maggie’s signature dish of Braised Pork Belly stuffed with apricots served with crushed potatoes and caramelised apple). She has graced the kitchens of

Big Ben, London Bus and Afternoon Tea at The Howard

Mestizo Restaurant and Tequila Bar

Planet Hollywood

Seasoning Restaurant

My advice would be to book your table now! Seasoning will very soon be busting at the seams with discerning customers who are looking for fine food, and décor to match.

Seasoning does not scream stereotypical Indian restaurant. It projects cool class, or uncluttered chic with a hint of stylish subcontinent. There is a quite magnificent wine cabinet which also helps to elevate the restaurant above from the common. The guest book boasts notables from the arts and media who have already found this haven.

White walls and pillars are punctuated with original paintings, and these canvasses will be for sale. Yes, the theme is unmistakably Indian but a world away from watercolours of the Taj Mahal at sunset. Think contemporary and wall-worthy. Striking.

A wide flight of stairs takes one to The Spice Room. This is a function room with a capacity of another hundred or so guests. There is a nook housing the disco equipment and a small private area called the White Lounge for more intimate meetings. This lower level has a kitchen used to prepare food for the popular catering element of the business. They have ten years experience of catering at some rather swanky venues such as Banqueting House, Sheraton Park Lane and many others of equal standing. They also travel to Morocco, Portugal and Dubai to cater.

Returning to the main restaurant, the owners, Salil Bhatia and Nitin Munglani, have made an inspired choice of seating: chairs in clear Perspex with an almost classic design having high, rounded backs which my guest pronounced as extremely comfortable. This furniture helps to maintain an open and light atmosphere on a restaurant floor with 100 or so covers.

You’ll not go to a restaurant for a nice sit down and a gaze at some pictures. One could feel tempted to linger at the bar area which is modern and a departure from the dark wood panels of yesteryear. It’s likely you’ll be there for the food, and the quality of the surroundings encourages the visitor to expect something rather good.

We enjoyed our welcoming popadoms which were not the typical, uniform, frisby-like specimens but were light and had a hand-made quality. Then it was on to the starters: the menu takes a step away from the banal offerings of most high streets. It boasts a good many items that might not be found in your local restaurant, and speak more of food in India rather than that contrived just for the European market.

Each of the starters were attractively garnished and cooked to perfection. The Sheekh Kebab had a melting texture, a suspicion of ginger and a stuffing of paneer. We also enjoyed the Tandoori Paneer marinated in warming spices. Tandoori Prawns were moist and flavourful. Chicken Tikka was a good illustration of why it is Britain’s favourite dish. And Aloo Tikki goes to the top of my best loved starters. Don’t even consider ordering this to share. You’ll be starting the evening with a fight and that’s never a good thing. This is

Donna Margherita Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria

We chose a Tuesday evening to visit this little corner of Clapham, and it had all the makings of an uninspiring event. The weather was cold and dull (this is England in spring so what do you expect) and the restaurants we passed along the way were mostly devoid of clients. Those eateries that had signs of life were peopled by a couple of paying customers (placed prominently by windows or doors) or sadder still, by bored waiting staff who seemed set for a long and fruitless night. What would our destination hold in store?

Donna Margherita was buzzing! It was evident that this restaurant had been discovered by the regular Jacks and Jills of Lavender Hill and they are making good use of it. There seemed to be regulars who were warmly greeted by Enrico, the co-owner, as well as a table of some dozen or so 30-somethings. This was looking good! A restaurant with few empty tables in the chill of a financial crisis speaks for itself and the covered outside area (including a heater, thank goodness) suggests that this spot is expected to be popular all summer.

This isn’t a huge impersonal restaurant but one rather suggesting a rustic sitting-room, but without the manufactured rusticity of so many Italian establishments. This was a cosy, brick walled haven from the traffic of Clapham and Battersea. The sideboard heaving with antipasti and the unpretentious wood tables add to the appeal.

The menu was a surprise. It’s extensive and very well priced. There is an additional weekly Specials menu which offers tempting and reasonable food, and a wine list that seemed rather good value with wine by the glass on several of those listed. Pricey wine is so often the pitfall of eating out, but not so here.

We ordered a selection of the aforementioned antipasti, along with some bread baked in the wood-fired oven, fruity olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and marinated olives. The servings are large here and attractively presented. There were the traditional favourites but my guest particularly enjoyed the baked aubergine with mozzarella, and the deep fried courgette was a triumph. (I now have the recipe but you will have to visit the restaurant if you want to discover the simple secret of these crisp and flavourful vegetables.)

Pizza promises so much but so often delivers so little, but it’s a speciality here and I’ll go as far as to say it’s the best I have had in ages. We chose the simple Margherita which was light and delicate with a thin crust. The underside had the distinctive brown spots of a perfect bake and the topping of tomato and cheese was ample but didn’t reduce the base to a soggy mess. There are 18 or so other pizzas to choose from including classic pizzas like Quattro Formaggi (Four Cheese), Romana (anchovies, olives, capers) and Marinara (tomato, olive oil, oregano and garlic).

The restaurant menu is broad-based, offering pasta, risotto, meat and fish. We were tempted by the mixed shellfish and octopus in a delicious and rich broth. Octopus is often tough and unappetising but the chef of Donna Margherita knows what he is doing. It was tender and married well with the king prawns, clams and mussels. O’pignatiello, the romantic-sounding name for this dish, was served with small rounds of baked pizza dough although we resorted to dipping bread into the bowl to soak up the juices that we were loath to leave. This should be the restaurant “signature dish” and is amazingly good value for money at around £13.00 per head.

You might not make it to dessert (the portions are generous) but there are treats in store. Try Zuccotto al Cioccolato Bianco (£4.00): homemade sponge cake filled with chocolate ice cream topped with white chocolate. There is a dark chocolate version filled with vanilla ice cream which is equally as good. Affogato al Caffe (£4.00) is vanilla ice cream with espresso coffee. This is a simple dessert but it always seems sophisticated.

Donna Margherita Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria offers the real wood-fire oven experience. It doesn’t have to try to be authentic, it just is authentic. The cognoscenti (those in the know) already make this a popular eatery and I doubt that they will thank me for publicising their secret slice of Naples. I’ll return but I might make a reservation next time. Donna Margherita is no longer a secret!

Chutney – The hidden gem of Euston

Chutneys Indian Vegetarian restaurant first opened its doors in 1987. A little more modest capacity than now with only 40 covers at that time. 1994 saw an increase to 80 and 2009 sees Chutneys with 120 seats. If they continue in this fashion they will be renaming Drummond Street “Chutney Alley”. There are 2 floors with the basement and party room that can accommodate 60 guests.

The atmosphere is cosy with walls of green and ochre. The waiters are attentive but unobtrusive. Used plates are removed in a timely fashion although you never feel that you are being rushed. Many of the customers are evidently regulars and some are sufficiently enamoured by Chutneys that they use it as a meeting place.

The chef here has a talent for presentation. A strategically placed bloom here, an artfully arranged salad there helps to make a mouth-watering display for the lunch buffet. The dishes are both contemporary and traditional with several recipes being those of the chef’s grandmother. The food has the light feel of real Indian home cooking rather than the heavier, more calorific version that we have come to expect from many  main-stream restaurants.

Yes, this is a vegetarian restaurant but even card-carrying carnivores will find the dishes both delicious and satisfying. You can choose from dry-fried vegetables, vegetables in gravy (a better term than curry, a word most Europeans use to describe Indian food in general), salads, rice, beans, breads, bhajis, dhals, popadoms and, yes, you guessed it, chutneys. The buffet sports about 30 dishes which change each day.

This is an Eat as Much as You Like buffet and the prospect of that often fills me with fear. It conjures visions of canteen lunch counters offering heavy, oily, catering pack meals. Chutneys, on the other hand, has a classy selection of very tempting savoury delights that will encourage you to just have another small portion. My advice would be to pace yourself. Munch a popadom or two and order a drink. This will put you in the sufficiently relaxed frame of mind to start grazing on the main course... or courses! Save a little space for a light dessert of, perhaps, halva or creamy rice with almonds, or some fresh fruit salad.

I have a passion for Indian food but I am so often disappointed by restaurants which have little regard for the health or financial welfare of their clients. Chutneys offers some of the best vegetarian food in central London and at a very reasonable price. The location couldn’t be more convenient for travellers who are just a couple of minutes walk from Euston or Warren Street stations. Chutneys has a loyal following which has just increased. I will return!

Chutneys Indian Vegetarian Restaurant is open 7 days a week.
Monday - Friday buffet hours are from 12 noon - 2.30pm
Saturday buffet 12 Noon - 5pm
Sunday   buffet 12 - 10.30pm

Le Lys du Liban – Aix en Provence

This small restaurant (only 36 covers) is tucked away up a side street and is (if you are lucky) easily missed. I couldn’t say it’s like a corner of old Beirut, but Le Lys du Liban has a rustic charm and some of the biggest wooden ceiling beams I have ever seen – and they looked authentic, which is more than I can say for the food! (I am not going to give you the address as you won’t be going there.)

Things didn’t start well! We walked into the restaurant to find it empty with an overall impression of shabby. Just as we realised our error the “chef” appeared from under the bar. No, dear reader, I don’t mean from behind the bar but he was hidden out of sight and stood up in a state of shock...probably at seeing a customer!

This man was no more Lebanese than I am. He was tall (6ft 6 inches) with a pale complexion and reddish hair. He was huge and, although smiling, managed to seem a bit on the rough side. The sort that probably has friends by the name of Bugsy, No Nose and Knuckles. Now, I don’t want to offend anyone that has been christened with any of those names, but I hope they appreciate that en masse they are daunting!

The prospect of escape being cut off, we found our table (the one nearest the door) and resigned ourselves to the inevitable. BUT the menu looked quite good! Perhaps this was going to turn out to be the favourite lunch-time eatery for every office worker in the centre of town. Perhaps our early arrival had allowed us to sneak in and bag the best table and quick service in the most popular Lebanese restaurant north of Africa. Wrong. (You knew I was going to say that.)

We ordered mezze for 2 which supplied us with 12 different dishes. If you have been reading my reviews of books by Anissa Helou and others you will know all about mezze. To those who are new to the site I ask “What kept you?” and explain that mezze are rather like a Middle Eastern tapas, small dishes of various kinds of delicious (or should be) savouries.

A small pitcher of French rose cost 5€. Although there were a host of Lebanese wines on the list, it was only the French that came in either ½ bottles or 25cl pitchers. That was a shame as I would have liked to try some Lebanese wine. To drink a whole bottle alone (my companion had the car) would have been a bit too much even for my practised constitution! It was fortunate that only half their customers (me, that is) needed a wine glass, because the other glass still had traces of lipstick!

The basket of shop-bought pita arrived cold and in a plastic bag. (Note to waitress: Must try harder.)

OK, so it took a while for the food to arrive but there were 12 dishes to be made from scratch (yeah, right), and the mezze looked lovely. The waitress couldn’t tell us the ingredients in the dishes (she could have nipped out and read what it said on the plastic boxes) nor did she know the Lebanese names for the mezze.

Tabbooleh (herb and cracked wheat salad) was authentic in that it had mostly parsley, a hint of mint and a little cracked wheat but it had far too much salt.

Kibbeh (stuffed meat patties, usually my favourite). The shape was typical, like pointy meatballs but that was as near as they got to the succulent individuals that I am accustomed to.

 Kafta (meat balls). The kafta were not hot but warmer than room temperature (the microwave was evidently on the blink) and were tasteless. The tomato sauce was from a tin and was very distinctly Italian spaghetti sauce.

Hummus (chickpea dip) was fine but I am sure it came in a catering pack.

Stuffed vine leaves with cracked wheat, mint and peppers was probably the most flavourful of the dishes.

Stuffed vine leaves with meat were tasteless.

Cheese-filled pastries were over-cooked to the extent that the pastry tasted bitter.

Chickpea and bean salad had a delicate flavour of cumin which was so delicate that there was hardly any flavour at all.

Aubergine salad (Baba Ghannooge) was too salty.

Cucumber and yogurt dip was fine but that would be hard to mess up!

Falafel came from the same place the hummus did.

Stuffed courgette was tasteless.

Le Lys du Liban would probably be an OK restaurant on a hot summer evening with a long table full of friends. We, on the other hand, spent the entire meal alone – if you don’t include the daft waitress, the pasty-faced chef, and the men delivering the catering packs of ready-made food. Our focus was on the meal and it wasn’t great. It didn’t kill us and it didn’t cost a lot. Having said that I couldn’t say it was value for money.

Tapas Bar Crawl

If you don’t know Ben’s then you ain’t from Noooo York!

You can find plenty of glitzy restaurants. There are a host of celebrity chef establishments. The eateries to be "seen at" are without number but you have to go a long way to find anywhere that has the style of Ben’s Kosher Deli.

Ben's® Kosher Restaurant, Delicatessen & Caterers has been serving the public for over 36 years. There are quite a few outlets in New York State and now those “Snow Birds” (older folks who have flown to warmer climes) can get a real taste of home in Boca Raton, Florida.

Ben’s Manhattan branch is nothing much to look at from the outside. The deli counter is located at the front of the shop and supplies an unending list of sandwiches, salads and all the usual suspects of a New York Deli. Plan to have lunch in the restaurant and make your way past the counter to the unexpectedly rich and luxurious dining room. It's worth the extra few yards.

It’s like another world. Think of the best art deco and you have hit it on the head! It’s sumptuous in tones of gold, yellow and dark wood, and a shock after the chrome and glass of the front of house. It’s not a small place. It seats 250 but its décor allows you to feel cosy and cocooned.

We were shown to a comfy, well upholstered booth and were presented with a dish of dill pickles and a basket of different and interesting breads. I was pleased not to have to decide, because I find it difficult to make a quick choice when a waitress offers “Whole wheat, rye, Russian black, German pumpernickel, Swedish crisp, Lebanese flat, potato bread, sesame, poppy seed, onion, white enriched, milk loaf, baguette, raisin, walnut, herb or olive?” “Er, what was that third one again?” A very American concept of offering too many options, mercifully absent at Ben's.

I love Eastern European food of all kinds but the food here was a bit different. There were things that I had heard of - mostly from watching old American films where there is always a rude waitress and a fat chef called "Al" wearing a vest (or undershirt if you are American) - but there were quite a few mysteries on the menu.

Well, you can’t try everything, but wanting to try the kosher classics I ordered Gefilte Fish with Horseradish. They are meatballs but made with fish and they were delicious and a lot of them as well. It sounds just the sort of dish someone’s Bubbe (grandmother) would have made. Traditionally they would be made of carp which isn’t used much in western European cooking and it’s a shame because it’s a wonderful fish if prepared properly. The flesh needs soaking to get rid of what is sometimes a muddy taste.

There were also Kreplach on offer, which are Jewish ravioli, Ronnie’s Old-Fashioned Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls (a meal in itself) and Stuffed Derma (big dumplings) with brown gravy, as well as a long list of hot meals, salads and soups. You can find an Israeli Hero: don’t go all political, it’s only a sandwich, OK, a foot-long roll, overstuffed with everything but the kitchen sink and advertised as: "Feeds two big fressers or three average mensch" ...I am sure that must be a good thing!

One of my favourite pastimes when in the Big Apple is to eat street food. There is less to be found these days but if you happen upon a cart selling Knish then try them. They are little square parcels of pastry filled with mashed potatoes and/or other savoury ingredients. If you are worried about eating on street corners because of dining etiquette or fear of being mugged for your lunch (don’t worry, it won't happen) then you can find knishes in the more inviting surroundings of Bens.

This is a fabulous restaurant. It’s not just the food although that is a big part of it. It’s the ambiance and it’s hard to find anything to compare. If you like Jewish food you’ll love Ben’s. If you like Eastern European food you’ll adore Ben’s, and if you want to feel like a native Noooo Yorker then you'll hang out at Ben’s.

Ben's® Kosher Restaurant 209 W. 38th St. (between 7th & 8th Avenues) Manhattan, NY 10018

Simply Baltic......but much more!

This is a gem, (or should I say amber!) of a restaurant, specialising in food from almost all of Eastern Europe

One enters through a pair of striking wooden, metal- grilled doors to find the much celebrated Amber Bar. It was impressive, not for the amber, although there in quantity, but for its display of huge demijohns of vodka, enough to warm the heart of any connaisseur or enthusiastic hobbyist!

We lingered over our iced vodka, me with the delicious honey Krupnik and he with almond Wyborowa. Do try one of these incredible spirits, even if vodka isn’t your usual tipple. I must say that the Krupnick burst with a pure alcohol opening punch but mellowed to a sweet, deceptively soothing aftertaste whilst the Wyborowa was like a very adult marzipan. This could become a habit!

The bar opens into a truly stunning, vaulted main restaurant that has managed to reflect both minimalism and warmth. White walls, subtly lit niches and an immense amber chandelier that any self-respecting jeweller would give somebody’s right arm for! Light floods in from rooftop windows giving a bright and welcoming atmosphere for lunchtime or summer evening diners.

By the time we reached our seats we had become enchanted by the young, enthusiastic, professional staff. The service was attentive but unobtrusive, a rare find these days. Our guide was able to advise us on both food and wine with both charm and humour.

Flunch for Lunch?

Let’s not be snobbish about this. If you travel in France you might need a quick meal that isn’t too pricey. It’s quite OK to use the supermarket cafeterias, you don’t have to tell your friends!

Most big shopping centres in France will have a cafeteria of some sort but the one to seek out for best value for money (and of particular interest to parents of adolescent boys with hollow legs) is Flunch, and this writer will tell you why. You see, it all has to do with the payment structure. Now this isn’t difficult so stick with me.

You enter a Flunch and collect a tray and cutlery. Next you have a salad buffet, an hors d’oeuvre cabinet, a cheese selection, a dessert buffet. There will be a couple of desserts marked as dessert of the day and that indicates that they form part of a set menu.

After you have made your selection of starters and pud then you might be interested in a drink. There will be a drinks dispensing station with soft drinks and beer, and another area for wine. The wine can often be found in small barrels with carafes just next to them. Mostly it’s rose or red but there will be half bottles of white and better-quality red just around that section. The red from the barrel has always been drinkable so unless you’re an expert stick with that.

OK, you’re set to make your way to the till. “But wait” I hear you cry, “I haven’t got me dinner”. Silly reader! All the hot food is on the other side of the till and that’s the reason that Flunch is such good value. You are looking for the main dish menu and that’s above the head of the cashier. There will be a selection of about 15 different items amongst which will be the Today’s Special. Each day has a good value dish as a special and that could be moules et frites or couscous. Main dishes range from 7€ to 9€.

Give your order to the nice lady (don’t forget to ask for a token for the coffee machine) and she will give you a slip of paper that you are going to present to the chef at one of the hot food counters. If you are picky about how hot you want your “hot” meal then you will find a table and enjoy your egg salad before collecting the freshly cooked and still hot fish.

Think about it.....The hot dishes and veg are in the body of the restaurant and that means you get to have as many side dishes as you like. Chips sufficient to sink a boat, carrots enough to cure any eye complaints, ratatouille in quantities to fill any Provencal heart with pride, Brussels sprouts to....no, perhaps not.

Now, I am a woman of a certain age (I am certain and you are wondering) and my tastes are modest but I do like those garlicky green beans and the mash and the pepper sauce. You can, if you want, just have the veg selection and for vegetarians in France, that’s a Godsend.

Don’t run away with the idea that just because it’s France the food here will be fantastic. Most of the time it’s just good ordinary food, but from time to time you are confronted with meals that are, at the best edible, and at the worst nasty. I have encountered a lasagne the like of which I hope never to see again and the husband had a piece of beef that was so very underdone (even by bloody French standards) that a good vet could have had the poor cow back on its feet within a week!

Flunch is a great place for a (probably) decent meal at a reasonable price...and, hey, the French think it’s OK!

Kasturi Restaurant Fish Festival

Kasturi is a strong-scented oil found in rare musk deer. This prized substance has been used for the most expensive and luxurious of perfumes. The name evokes opulence and richness. Kasturi the restaurant specialises in Pakhtoon cuisine, which originated in the North-West Frontier Province of the Sub-continent. The essence of Pakhtoon cuisine is in the preparation of kababs and grilled foods with the minimum of added ghee or butter. But we were there to enjoy the Kasturi Fish Festival, which lasts till 10th October.

For six weeks or so, Mr Bashir Ahmed and his staff present a special menu comprised of fish dishes. Many Indian restaurants offer the occasional seafood dish, usually prawns in various guises, but the Kasturi menu has gone a step further and features only seafood. (The regular menu is also available.) These dishes include none of the usual piscatorial suspects such as Fish Curry (whatever that is) or Prawn Tikka Masala.

Kasturi is a light and bright restaurant without the dark and dingy trappings of the mediocre “curry houses” of yesteryear. Such restaurants are now much rarer as the British public has become more discerning and demanding. The layout of Kasturi allows for intimate soirées as well as for larger groups.

My guest and I ordered a bottle of house wine which was a chardonnay and most agreeable, and we munched our pappadoms while reflecting upon the Fish Festival menu. The Kasturi Seafood Platter (£8.95) gave us the chance to sample several of the fish starters: Crab Kabab, Fish Kabab and Salmon Tikka. The spices, although evident, did not overpower the seafood and I found the Salmon Tikka (Loch Fyne Scottish salmon marinated with spices and fresh herbs, char-grilled in a tandoor – a traditional clay oven) to be particularly good.

My main course was the Mixed Seafood Biryani (£11.95). This is the chef’s original innovation, using prawns, king prawns, octopus, mussels and white fish, served with a dish of chilled raitha on the side. This was flavourful with evidence of fresh spices. My guest chose Mahi Roll (£9.95), a sweet-water white fish from Lake Victoria, steamed, rolled and stuffed with mince, served in a creamy sauce of ginger, mustard and coconut milk. This is probably the most delicate of all the seafood dishes and quite unlike anything I have eaten in other Indian restaurants. All the fish dishes that we sampled were cooked to perfection, the fish being moist and tender.

Our side dishes included stuffed Indian round baby gourd in a mild curry. The vegetables were melt-in-the-mouth and the sauce was naan-dippingly delicious. This was my first taste of baby gourd and I can recommend it. Lemon Basmati Rice and a bread basket completed our array of dishes.

This award-winning restaurant seems to have a loyal following of both Europeans and Asians. Its convenient location just opposite Aldgate Underground station and a few yards from Aldgate East makes this a favourite with City workers and locals alike. The service was professional, polite and unobtrusive. The Fish Festival menu allows both Indian food aficionados and seafood lovers to experience something a bit different.

The Kasturi Restaurant Fish Festival runs from 1st September to 10th October 2009.

Restaurant review: Kasturi Restaurant and Catering Company
57 Aldgate High Street, London EC3N 1AL
Tel: 020 7480 7402 / 7481 0048
Fax: 020 7702 0256
Email: reservation@kasturi-restaurant.co.uk
www.kasturi-restaurant.co.uk

Noodle Oodle

The name Noodle Oodle might not be familiar to many but mention Inn Noodle and a few more might recollect a fast-paced noodle restaurant. This London restaurant holds the world record for hand-pulled noodles, and has reopened with a new name and look. It was opened in the summer by London's deputy mayor, Richard Barnes.

The restaurant which specialises in Shanghainese cuisine was awarded the Guinness World Record for the most number of bowls of hand-pulled noodles in less than three minutes, when its head chef, Fei Wang, beat the “celebrated” Gordon Ramsay in a head-to-head competition. Leave it to the experts, Gordon. Chef Wang has also appeared on UKTV Food’s Market Kitchen.

La Mien or Hand Pulled Noodles originate in Northwest China and Lanzhou in Gansu Province and are a popular dish all over China. The open kitchen at Noodle Oodle allows the customers as well as passers-by to witness the skill of Chef Wang who seems to be able to make these delicious noodles in seconds. But that’s not all that’s on offer here.

Noodle Oodle at 25 Oxford Street is a small establishment surrounded by unprepossessing shops. One might not expect to find such good food right here but this spot has been discovered by a host of discerning customers. It’s a bijou restaurant with dark wood tables and cream walls. It doesn’t shout Chinese restaurant. There isn’t a fish tank or carvings of willow-pattern scenes. The surroundings are unfussy and practical.

There seems to be a reassuring number of regular diners at Noodle Oodle. Europeans and Asians alike who have recognised this eatery as good value for money. A glance around at one’s fellow clients will offer the mental note “don’t over-order”. The portions are substantial. There are always meal promotions for £5.70 and also a 3 course offer for £9.80. Dim Sum, pork or chicken of various kinds and rice or noodles as well as a dessert for under a tenner is amazing.

The restaurant, although small, has three kitchen areas. The dramatic noodle-pulling arena in the window, a dim sum station and a separate area for stir-fries. The chefs are specially trained in China and are prized for their skills. We resolved to take advantage of those aforementioned skills and ordered a selection of dishes. There are 100 or so dishes on the menu, each with a clear picture, text and description in both Chinese and English. This must be a great relief to non-English speaking tourists.

We started with the Pork Dumplings. I think the management should rename these as Magic Dumplings. There is a trick and safety measure for eating these. Pick one up with chopsticks and place on spoon. Nibble a corner to allow some of the broth to drain into the spoon and then enjoy in a couple of hot bites and a slurp. But how are they made? A trade secret. The Pork and Vegetable Dumplings are also worth trying. The Queensway branch offers Halal dishes. These have had the pork replaced by chicken.The chefs have taken great care (3 months or so of experimenting with different recipes and cooking methods) to achieve results that are a good approximation of the original.

You’ll not want to miss the famous noodles. The texture is quite unlike that of dried, commercial varieties. The restaurant makes the fresh dough three or four times each day. They are the key ingredient for a collection of dishes but we chose to try them in a broth. This was flavourful and light and alone would have made a hearty meal.

The aromatic Beef Stew Pot was another rib-sticking dish. This had a rich sauce with plenty of chunks of meat. The seasoning was subtle and unmistakably Chinese with tones of five spice. The stew was served in a clay pot which made for an attractive presentation. Special fried rice helped to mop up the sauce. My guest pronounced this the best rice he had eaten in a long time.

The roast meat platter was exceptionally good. The duck was cooked to perfection, the Barbecue Pork was moist and flavourful but I’ll say the Crispy Pork should be as much a signature dish as the noodles. The meat was succulent but the crackling was a triumph. You won’t want to miss this dish. I consider myself a reasonable cook but I have never managed to cook pork, and more importantly its skin, so well.

If you have a inch of room left at the end of a meal you could consider a dessert. The Mango and Pomelo Sago is cool, creamy and refreshing although it’s made with skimmed milk. A no-guilt pleasure.

No surprise that Noodle Oodle is so popular. It has a cult following of regulars and a good passing trade of tourists. I’ll return and try more from this menu that offers something different from most Chinese restaurants. Quick service. Good prices. Great food. Happy customers.

Restaurant review: Noodle Oodle
25, Oxford Street, London W1D 2DW (non Halal)
106 Queensway London W2 3RR

Piya Piya – Thai Restaurant

Just yards from Old Street Station, Piya Piya is best known as the haunt of late-night city sorts. Its location has made it popular for groups who appreciate the evident skill of the barmen, who have a repertoire of exotic cocktails. You know, dear reader, that this reviewer is a bit long in the tooth for all that, so, as you would expect, I was there to eat.

Piya Piya is not only a lounge bar but also a Thai restaurant. It should be just as famed for the food as the booze. It attracts a loyal following of diners earlier in the evening, who come to enjoy the menu which has some amazing dishes.

Thai restaurants are not as ubiquitous as Indian or Chinese so you won’t be the first to ask for some advice when ordering. Our waitress was charming, knowledgeable and attentive. She suggested Pad Thai as one of the most popular dishes and recommended the Morning Glory as the vegetable side order to accompany my squid with peppers (Murk Pad Gratiam Prik Thai). We munched on prawn crackers while we waited for our first course. The regular white crackers were joined by some delicious ochre-coloured ones that were seasoned with pepper. They were moreish and were thankfully not whisked away on the arrival of the main event.

Food presentation here is thoughtful and attractive. Our starter platter was a vision of gold. It led one to expect something rather special. The prawn toast was crunchy on the outside but still moist in the centre. There were Thai Golden Bags (minced chicken and herbs), Thai Fish Cakes and Vegetable Spring Rolls but I’d say the Chicken Satay was unbeatable. The meat was juicy with a flavour of char-grilling. The snacks were served with three dipping sauces.

Squid isn’t the easiest of seafood to prepare so naturally I order it at every opportunity, not just to be devil’s advocate but because I love it. Piya Piya evidently has a chef who knows his stuff. The coils of white flesh were tender and the peppers still had a little bite. It’s a must-try. The Morning Glory was something of a revelation. This particular version was stir-fried with black bean sauce, garlic and ginger and I’ll be asking the chef for the recipe. Yes, it went well with the squid but it has sufficient character to have made a light lunch with just a bowl of rice. This wasn’t a dish to order just to feel noble for eating one of your five a day, this was a winner.

Piya Piya has already attracted a regular clientele but it would be a shame if it remained only celebrated by night-owls. It’s well worth a visit. An early meal here will have you rubbing shoulders with office workers and Thais alike. The service was impeccable and the food everything you would expect of a good value restaurant. I would eat here again.

Visit Piya Piya here.

Restaurant opening hours:
11.30 am – 3.00pm Monday to Friday
5.30pm – 11pm Monday to Friday

Piya Piya - Thai Restaurant & Lounge Bar
1 Oliver’s Yard
City Road
London EC1Y 1HQ

Satay House

The restaurant was opened in 1973 by the late Jaafar A. Shawal with his wife Zaharah Hashim. They had already established one of Malaysia’s first fine-dining restaurants in Kuala Lumpur called the Shawal Restaurant, and operated a hotel and beach resort on the West coast of Malaysia.

The couple wanted to bring traditional authentic Malaysian cuisine to the increasing Malaysian community in London and to share the cuisine with the rest of the population. It’s been a favourite haunt for Malaysian expats as well as locals who enjoy its relaxed atmosphere. These days, their daughter Fatizah Shawal continues to run the restaurant.

Malaysian cuisine isn’t Chinese and it isn’t Indian. It has been influenced by both, along with Nyonya (Straits Chinese) and the dishes of Borneo. It has some familiar flavours but others which might be new to you. Satay House specialises in the traditional ‘Malay’ style of cooking. It has quite a cult following amongst the local Malaysian population and that’s a sure sign that the food is authentic.

Satay House is a bright and modern oasis. It seems quite small but there is a lower ground floor which can seat 35-40 guests. It’s a cosy spot with an alcove accommodating those who want a bit of privacy. The large tear-drop lamps give an agreeable retro ambiance.

The menu is quite comprehensive, with, reassuringly, some dishes that even a diner new to Malaysian food might at least have heard of. Ask the waitress for her advice on combinations of dishes.

We ordered Keropok (prawn crackers) and Satay (skewers of char-grilled chicken or lamb marinated in spices and herbs, served with peanut sauce), which is something that most would have tried before, but these were moist and flavourful and a good start to our exploration.

Nasi Putih (steamed basmati rice) was served with our Kari Kambing (Malaysian lamb curry) and Ayam Percik (grilled chicken cooked in coconut milk and spices). Many high-street restaurants have shortcuts to food preparation; some use one base sauce for all dishes and just add different spices to finish. All the dishes here tasted individually prepared. The chicken in particular was meltingly tender and the large chunks of flesh made the meal quite substantial.

Sambal Tumis Udang (prawn in spicy sambal chillies) was spicy but not overpoweringly so. This should be a signature dish for Satay House. It packs a punch of flavour as well as heat.

Daging Goreng Kicap (stir-fried beef in soy sauce, peppers and chopped chillies) was the best I have tasted and was tender and rich. A definite favourite of my carnivore guest.

This was my first visit to Satay House. I found the food to be light without the all-too-common oil-slick, delicious and well prepared. The menu offers lots of dishes that are worth trying and would be enjoyed by those who already have a love of Asian food. It’s good value for money in a convenient location between Paddington and the Edgware Road.

Visit Satay House here.
 
Open 7 days a week.
Opening hours are:
Lunch: 12noon - 3.00pm
Dinner: 6.00pm - 11.00pm

Restaurant review: Satay House
13 Sale Place, Paddington, London W2 1PX
Phone: 020 7723 6763
info@satay-house.co.uk

Tsunami – Charlotte Street

This restaurant is the haunt of many regulars who, if they are sensible, will not be spreading the word. Who wants to find their favourite eatery fully booked every night of the week? There is a danger that Tsunami will be... or at least should be. If I was a selfish reviewer (and bearing in mind I want to return often) I would be carelessly forgetting to include the name of the restaurant or perhaps I might consider a misspelling to put you off the scent of this gem.

Tsunami is at the quiet end of Charlotte Street. It’s just a stone’s throw from Goodge Street station but this is a tranquil spot away from the rush of Tottenham Court Road.

It isn’t a huge restaurant. A narrow front leads to a wider area which is cosy and welcoming. The walls curve into the ceiling giving an agreeable intimate effect. The décor is minimalist without being too Zen or stark, and polished walls reflect light with a blossom motif in gold. The restaurant hints at traditional Japan but avoids the too-themed design of many a lesser establishment. Even the door handles give the impression of style.

It’s the attention to detail that is remarkable. The waiting staff are knowledgeable and engaging and take evident pride in their work. The presentation of each dish would not have been out of place in a 5-star restaurant. Each serving dish was different and thoughtfully chosen and even the paper liner for fried food was folded in the classic manner.

Nasu Goma (Grilled Aubergine with Sesame Paste) were delicious bites of piping hot pleasure. A marvellously welcoming start to a cold-weather dining experience. The hot Sake added to the warming comfort. Courgette Flowers stuffed with blue cheese served with miso dipping sauce continued the thawing. The tempura was light in both colour and texture and was a sweet counterpoint to the salty ooziness of the filling. Moreish, I’d say.

Lamb Cutlets (Organic best end lamb) grilled in Korean kimchi chilli sauce and served with daikon radish kimchi presented us with the most tender and flavourful meat. It’s one of the most popular dishes and a must-try. OK, it might not be the first dish that comes to mind when visiting a Japanese restaurant but it works.

Yellowtail Sashimi Jalapeno is a visual triumph. Thinly sliced yellowtail fish with coriander, garlic and finely sliced chilli in yuzu ponzu sauce was delicate but with a hot and spicy kick. This was another dish that seemed much favoured by the regulars.

The pièce de resistance (although there were two so I guess they would be pièces de resistance) was/were firstly the Black Cod with its sweet glaze. This was melt-in-the-mouth tender and succulent. It flaked into translucent petals at the slightest pressure of a chop stick. The second was beef. This wasn’t the Kobe beef of legend: each cow being massaged and fed beer makes for an amazingly expensive steak. This was Aberdeen Angus and one could have eaten it with a spoon. If you are a card-carrying carnivore you’ll not want to miss this. Tsunami offer two alternatives: Wasabi Aberdeen Angus Fillet of Beef with creamed leeks, oriental mushrooms, wasabi pepper sauce and foie gras, or Aberdeen Angus Fillet of Beef served with sea urchin and foie gras butter. Both are good but the foie gras butter adds a touch of creamy luxury.

The desserts made a memorable finish to a memorable meal. The Chocolate Fondant was as good as you might find in France. It moved with a sensual shimmer when poked and that’s a good sign that there really is some molten chocolate sauce inside rather than the accusing void that I have been confronted with at other restaurants. The Green Tea ice cream was vibrant and refreshing and the tangy Crème Brulée served in a lidded tea mug was a rich and decadent conclusion to a thoroughly good meal.

Tsunami is a restaurant to which I want to return. A reviewer’s palate can become jaded after a succession of evenings of food tasting but I left this restaurant with a skip in my step and renewed enthusiasm. Tsunami offered quality at affordable prices. I hope no changes are made. There is nothing to be improved upon and that is a rare accolade.

Restaurant review: Tsunami
Charlotte Street
London W1T 4PY
http://www.tsunamirestaurant.co.uk/westend.html

Bavarian Beerhouse

Yes, your intrepid restaurant reviewer has sought out another interesting eatery for my dear reader to try. This one is truly a bit different and it has a certain quirky charm. It’s the Bavarian Beerhouse on City Road near Old Street Station.

Established in December 2005, the Restaurant/Bar has quickly become popular with guests who are looking for a genuine German beer-hall experience. This is the very spot for that. There is the traditional service provided by waitresses in Bavarian "Dirndl" dresses. And a bar that would make any Munich drinking establishment proud. Yes, the beer really does arrive in litre glasses.There is a good selection of real German beers as well as schnapps and spirits.

The front area of the Beerhouse is, well, a beer house. It has wooden benches and on football evenings, screens to watch the big match. It’s a venue designed for group conviviality. It has a good number of regular clients who might come to eat and play cards at lunch times. The Sunday until Wednesday guests can enjoy "Bavarian Gemuetlichkeit" and have a relaxed and quiet time, but on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays it gets busy with big groups.

There is an authentic-looking ski hut or "Skihütte"at the back of the Beerhouse for those who want a quieter but equally authentic Bavarian experience. It’s a wood-clad cabin with room for 40 or so guests, it’s smart and folksy and ideal for cold winter nights. Start the evening with Glühwein – hot mulled wine, or Apfelwein – hot German cider.

A traditional Bavarian menu is a big part of the character of the Bavarian Beerhouse. All meat, pretzels and bread are imported from Germany so you know it’s the real thing. The dishes are substantial but that is part of the draw. This is an establishment ideal for those with hearty appetites but there are vegetarian options. Entire suckling pig is available for groups of 30 or so. Order in advance as they probably won’t have one just waiting in the fridge.

The restaurant is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. Kitchen closes at 10pm. The Dinner menu is often updated with specialities like White Asparagus in May. If you have had holidays in Germany then you will be familiar with many of the dishes on offer here.

Obazda Cheese, a Bavarian speciality, was my choice for a starter. This is a creation of mature cheese mixed with cream cheese, butter, beer, onions, paprika and caraway seeds, served with a pretzel. This was tangy and ideal for those of us who don’t want meat with every course. The pretzel dough is imported from Germany but baked fresh at the Beerhouse.

My guest chose Weisswurst – traditional Bavarian White Sausage. Two Bavarian white sausages, served with a pretzel and sweet mustard. These were presented in an intriguing fashion, arriving in a little bowl of hot water. Very practical. There is a technique for eating these sausages and the management thoughtfully provide instructions. Cut the skins and remove the sausage meat before devouring with sweet mustard. They might not look like your regular banger but my guest proclaimed them to be flavourful and delicious.

It was Monday and that’s Schnitzel Special day. There are several varieties on offer at the Beerhouse but I chose Wiener Schnitzel – classic breaded pork escalope served with French fries and a mixed salad. This is a simple dish but when it’s good it’s unbeatable and this one was. Be warned though, this is a meal for those with healthy appetites or those who have been shovelling snow from the runways at City Airport all morning.

My guest tucked into Spicy Bavarian Beerhouse "Wurstplatte" for his main course - spiral sausage (Bratwurst Schnecke), Merguez spicy sausage, cheese cracker sausage (Kaeseknacker) served with mashed potatoes, sauerkraut and mustard. This was a good combination of German sausages and North African lamb sausage which has become popular all over Europe.

In the unlikely event that you will have space for a dessert you can indulge in Kaiserschmarrn, which is a Bavarian-style pancake with raisins, or Apfelstrudel served with cream; and there is always Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, the celebrated Black Forest Chocolate Cake. My companion enjoyed his Bavarian pancake which is described as ‘scrambled’: the batter is stirred to create a sweet confection in bits rather than a flat doily. Well worth trying.

Bavarian Beerhouse has two distinct characters. It’s a party spot for groups and sports lovers but the ski hut provides a smart and private haven. Both the Skihütte and the Beerhouse offer good food at reasonable prices.

Restaurant review: Bavarian Beerhouse
190 City Road
London EC1V 2QH
http://www.bavarian-beerhouse.com