I would like to begin by publicly apologising to Russell Norman and his team, because on reflection, I think I was man-pmsing when I wrote the Polpetto review. I was out of line, and rude, and I hope I can be forgiven. Handslap. Most of…
You can almost expect Audrey Tautou to waltz through the front door of this cosy restaurant; hang her coat, and whip her beret onto the coat rack. With Piaf marching on in the background, your eyes follow her every move, as she sits herself down…
Gordon Ramsay restaurants are entering the autumn of their lifecycles. Cycle being the keyword here, with many of his proteges, who used to run his restaurants during their heady years, moving on to bigger and better things. Originally a spin-off from the next-door small plate…
What it must feel like to be Yotam Ottolenghi. Author of two likeable, innovative cook books; Owner of a string of likeable, innovative takeaway/café/restaurants, and the custodian of a weekly vegetarian column in Guardian. And women just love his food. There is something extremely likeable…
These days, people naturally assume I take all my meals outside the comfort of the home; which is technically untrue, since I do eat home-cooked food at least during half the week; it is just that I’m not the one doing the cooking. That’s why…
March 2016: Josh Katz is now head chef at Berber & Q. Camden doesn’t lack restaurants in number, it’s just most aren’t worth the detour. But things are changing. On the surface, one wouldn’t think this bar-café located at a gig venue – serving the…
*Update Revisited on 10 July 2012 – I had the Salmagundi, a salad of chicken oysters, roast marrow, salsify with some kind of rich vinegar (I’m guessing). Hereford ribeye for mains, great concentrated flavour, and charring but not as good as say Goodman. Tipsy cake…
If somehow you missed it the first time round in ’10, make sure you don’t miss it now. The patty is grounded Scotch chuck and is supplied and prepared fresh by Darragh O’Shea in his Knightsbridge shop. His Irish Angus steaks are – as you…
Ever since the Great British Pound took its glorious tumble following the economic rodeo of ’08, travelling the world with HM in your pocket doesn’t go as far as it used to no more, all my assets doing an extended shrinking violet number. Ta-da. Picture…
Yes… the blog has been rather slow lately because I am still travelling in Asia. I’m on my annual leave to celebrate Chinese New Year. I must say, I am itching to get back to London, especially to meet my reservation at Heston’s Dinner at…
Happy Chinese New Year folks. I took this picture yesterday, at my parents’ house in Brunei. It’s a lion dance to usher the new year in, and I think the lion had peeled three satsumas to make the chinese character of ‘Wang’ , which is…
Perhaps it has aspirations toward becoming the Ding Tai Fung of Europe, what with the copycat white walls, chefs folding xia long bao behind glass panels. Full marks for ambiance and kudos for trying to emulate a franchise which has perfected the delivery of consistently…
