Birdhouse

It's old news now but the coffee scene in London has finally matured and it is much easier to find a good coffee like the ones served at well known cafes like Taylor St Baristas, Sacred and Fernandez & Wells.  The formula for me is quite easy:  avoid the mainstream chains, listen out for a laid back Aussie or Kiwi using a La Marzocco machine and if flat whites are on the menu, then you have a pretty good chance.  Living in Battersea, we're actually quite lucky to have a few options for a good brew, not least including my very own home barista Dave!  


But when out and about, one of the best options in our neighbourhood is Birdhouse.  It's a simple cafe, doing simple food with damn good coffee.  The decor of yellow and metallic grey with the bird theme makes the place feel industrialised yet arty.  It's a cool place to hang out and enjoy a simple sandwich or cake, but of course the main attraction is the coffee.  The beans are a lovely roast providing a sophisticated shot, topped with perfect temperature milk (something the Brits took a while to learn about).  We love a good flat white here and it's also good to support the owners (an Aussie & a Cuban) who obviously take a lot of pride in what they do.  If you love your coffee, I promise you that you won't be disappointed at Birdhouse. 

Birdhouse - a recipe for success:  doing something really simple really well, especially flat whites

What:  Birdhouse
Where:  123 St John Hill's Road, Battersea SW11 1SZ
How much:  Coffees approx. £2.20 from memory, sandwiches less than £5

Bistrot Bruno Loubet

It's been a while since we had dinner at Bistrot Bruno Loubet but I still have very fond memories of the experience.  It was a group dinner mid week to celebrate the birthday of Maria and we enjoyed a pre-dinner drink outside at the back of the restaurant in St John's Square before sitting down to a wonderful selection of dishes.  Everyone enjoyed their meals which were full of flavour and colour.  It was also a treat to see Bruno himself cooking in the kitchen which is a rare treat, especially on a Tuesday night.  


I had the summer fish cassoulet full of lovely, light flavours from the herbs and vegetables along with a perfectly cooked piece of fish. The rabbit tournedos with artichoke barigoule (stewed artichoke hearts) and lovage (sea parsley) pesto was also a popular choice and equally tasty and not too heavy.  Esteban of course went for steak, taking the grilled Aberdeen Angus sirloin with spring onion persillade which looked delicious.

Special dish I can't remember but tasted good - Rabbit tournedos - Front of restaurant

All our plates were clean by the end of the meal and everyone was keen for dessert. Maria and I both had the apricot crème brûlée served with pistachio ice cream with Maria's plate decorated with a birthday message.  I wasn't sure whether the apricot and pistachio were a bit much but the flavours seemed to work well together.  Thin apple tart with crème fraîche and cinnamon ice cream was also a hit, proving that Bruno finds the perfect balance of classic French cooking with just a hint of flair that makes him such an accomplished chef. 

Fish cassoulet - Sirloin - Crème brûlée - Apple tart

Bistrot Bruno Loubet at The Zetter hotel is a highly recommended choice for any occasion.  It promises a wonderful, relaxed meal in comfortable surrounds, friendly service that is spot on, and food that is amazingly great value and sure to please everyone.   I am now thinking of when I can go back again - bon appétit!


What:  Restaurant Bistrot Bruno Loubet
Where:  St John's Square, 86-88 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5RJ
How much:  Entrees £6.50-8.50; mains average £17.50, desserts average £6.50

Tapas Brindisa

Lately I've been in the mood for Spanish tapas which made me think I should finally blog about one of my favourite tapas bars in London (apart from the other great places mentioned in my London Spanish post).  Tapas Brindisa in Soho is part of the Brindisa group who import and sell Spanish food through their shops and restaurants, including a chorizo grill and shop at Borough Markets.
  
The Soho tapas bar is simple but lively and has a casual cafe feel to it.  It's always quite busy and because it doesn't take bookings and is not very big, it can often mean a bit of a wait for a table but the food is worth it.  Dave and I went there with our overseas friends, Jason and Eunice which meant we got to sample a few more dishes than if it were just two of us.


We had 7 different tapas which were all quite different but all tasty including classics such as huevos rotos with ham taquitos (broken eggs over fried potatos with ham pieces) and gambas al ajillo (chilli garlic prawns).  Of course we also had a plate of Brindisa's quality hams, opting for the regional charcuteria plate of chorizo, salchichon, lomo and Teruel ham, which was beautifully presented and served with bread and olive oil. 

Broken eggs on potatoes - grilled lamb cutlets - classic garlic prawns - goats cheese with honey & beetroot

We also tried the deep fried monte enebro - handmade goats cheese with orange blossom honey and crispy beetroot which was pretty to look at but punchy with lots of flavour from the sweetness of the honey to the creamy strong taste of the goats cheese.  Another flavour packed dish was the chuletillas de cordero, grilled lamb cutlets with alioli - the Spanish know how to grill lamb and the Brindisa kitchen lived up to this reputation.  


However the winner for me us definitely the pulpo a la gallega - Galician style octopus with potatoes and pimento.  I saw a picture of this on the Brindisa website before we went and knew it would be good.  The octopus was tender, and was matched perfectly with the combination of potatoes and pimento.  It was even better than the picture suggested and I could have ordered another plate of this as it's one of those dishes I can easily get addicted to.

Jamon - croquettes & octopus - crema Catalana - homemade sorbet

Everyone was impressed with the food and the overall dining experience.  Given the quality of all the dishes, we were keen to try some desserts; predictably I went for the crema catalana which tasted nice but was a tad runny.  Eunice went for homemade strawberry sorbet which was served in a jar and looked like it was going to escape but the only place it went was straight to our grateful tummies!


What:  Tapas Brindisa
Where:  46 Broadwick St, Soho, London W1F 7AF
How much:  dishes £3.75 - £12.75 (£21.50 for the Iberico Selection)

A Surprise at the Surprise

It was Dave's birthday recently and I organised a simple surprise catch up with a few of Dave's mates at The Surprise, a lovely little pub tucked amongst the lovely houses of Chelsea.  Dave and I first stumbled across the Surprise during a walk through the back streets of Chelsea between King's Road and the Thames.  We loved the feel of the renovated pub:  the stained glass windows and partitions working wonderfully with the original bar and the lovely colours of the walls and the warm furniture.  Light in summer but also warm in winter, it was not surprising to find that it is part of the Geronimo Inns group of pubs, many of which we have enjoyed going to (the Northcote in Battersea, the Coat & Badge in Putney and the Fentiman Arms in Oval). 


Dave and I only had a drink last time but we got the chance to sample the food and more of the beers this time around.  With ten of us, we were seated upstairs in the dining area which was also very nice and comfortable.  The Surprise menu features lots of pub classics served as small plates from £2 to £6.95, with a few main sized meals on the specials board. 

Scotch Eggs & Cornish Squid - The Pub - Pork Belly

The warm Scotch egg with home made piccalilli was popular, as was the Cornish squid with lemon mayonnaise and crispy pork belly with apple sauce and sage.  Servings were small and when added up, can a bit pricey for a pub meal but this was offset by the quality and variety with everything very fresh and tasty.  Desserts were also yum including the espresso and honey crème brulee and the apple tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream.  The "prettiest" dessert was definitely the Eton 'tidy', a variation of Eton mess with blackberries, raspberries, vanilla cream and meringue. 

Inside the Pub - Eton "tidy" - Apple Tarte Tatin

The Surprise is definitely the kind of pub you can relax and spend a long time in given the lovely setting, the choice of food to snack or dine on, and a very good selection of beers and wines.  We spent a good six hours for Dave's birthday lunch and drinks, and even then we didn't tire of it.  We'll definitely be back to this local surprise.


What:  The Surprise
Where:  6 Christchurch Terrace, Chelsea, SW3 4AJ
How much:  plates from £2-£6.95, desserts £5.50 or £8 for the cheese board; pints average £3.50

L'etranger - for Maria & Esteban

As I've said before, the festive season is always a good excuse to eat lots of good food and it was just the excuse I needed to try out L'etranger, a restaurant that caught my attention at the 2011 Taste festival.  We went there with Maria and Esteban for our Xmas celebration and I specifically chose it as Maria likes French food but was also interested to have some Japanese or Asian food; L'etranger describes it's menu as "French with a Japanese influence" so this was the perfect choice.

L'etranger is a classy restaurant that serves excellent food.  As a more upmarket restaurant, the prices are on the high side (although not ridiculous) however the quality and flavours of the food are amazing and we all enjoyed it.  The wine list is huge and it's here you can very quickly increase your bill.

The entrées were a good start, especially the lovely looking roasted Scottish scallops with parmesan puree & truffle foam and the trio of foie gras (pan fried, crème brûlée, almond tempura) served with homemade mushroom brioche and some liquor to break the heaviness down.  Although I didn't order an entrée, they gave me a plate with a sample of the beef tataki entrée so I wouldn't be left out which I thought was a very nice touch.

Trio of foie gras - fried calamari - roasted scallops - sample beef tataki

The mains were equally tasty especially my smoked duck breast with cepes ravioli.  It was served with a cover which when they lifted it off, an amazing smoky duck aroma filled the area.  The taste was as amazing as the smell and I would say it is one of the best French duck dishes I have ever had as the meat was cooked so tenderly and it wasn't heavy as duck can often be.  The caramelised Alaskan black cod with miso, sushi rice & fresh ginger was also tasty and beautifully presented.  

Duck breast - Miso cod - Fried sea bass - Charolais fillet steak

After two great courses, it was hard to pass up on desserts and we were not disappointed with our choices.  As usual, I went for the  crème brûlée which was a different yet simple earl grey & dark chocolate crème brûlée with white chocolate ice cream and a yummy biscotti.  The warm apple tart tatin with vanilla ice cream was also delicious as was the moist and chocolatey chocolate fondant with green tea ice cream.

Crème brûlée - apple tarte tatin - chocolate fondant and green tea ice cream

All in all, it was a real treat and given the final bill, it was definitely only for special occasions.  I highly recommend the food at L'etranger and would gladly use any excuse to go back....such as Esteban and Maria's engagement?  Congratulations guys!! 

What:  L'etranger
Where:  36 Gloucetser Rd, London SW7 4QT
How much:  Entrées from £8.50 to £21.50, Mains £16.50 to £65 (for the grade 9 wagyu beef fillet) and desserts £7.50 to £10.50

Checking in at Hotel Chocolate

I'm a little late with my weekly post after going away to Granada, Spain for the long weekend (more on that in a future post hopefully....) so I thought I'd write a short post on what is probably my favourite British chocolate store, Hotel Chocolate.  The first time I learnt of Hotel Chocolate was when a store opened in West Quay shopping Centre in Southampton where Dave and I used to live.  The name of the store intrigued me and I had to check it out....

It was such a cool looking chocolate shop where you could always find a nice gift for someone or a treat for yourself.  One such gift idea is the Sleekster Everything Selection, a box of 30 lovely looking chocolates which all taste great (unlike some boxes where you always end up with some flavour that no one wants!).  My mum bought a box for Dave for his birthday and he wasn't disappointed, taking only a short time to finish the box pretty much on his own!

So many choices....

When Jack was in the UK on her previous visit, she also managed to find a few goodies to take back to Oz and our friends are never disappointed when we front up with Hotel Chocolate gifts - we know as they tend to be opened and finished within the same hour.  Whilst the chocolates are not as cheap as some mainstream or supermarket brands, they are definitely not as expensive as some of the posh European brands.  Highly recommended for a gift or just a nice treat for yourself - almost like a stay in a fancy hotel!

What:  Hotel Chocolate 
Where:  various UK stores and in some John Lewis stores, plus a handful of International locations
How much:  various from £2 a small bar to £85 gift boxes (you can go wild!)

four o nine - for Matt and Tom

This weekend was a big celebration for Matt and Tom so I thought it would be fitting to dedicate a blog post to them.  Situated above The Clapham North hotel, four o nine is Matt and Tom's local version of my Entree:  both are local restaurants serving fantastic food at great prices in very nice surrounds.  We went to four o nine with the guys recently for a pre-movie meal on a Sunday evening.  The place was really nicely decked out in a stylish but chilled way which was matched by the professional but chilled service.

We didn't have much time for dinner as we were in a bit of a rush but we still managed to squeeze in two or three courses each plus a couple of bottles of wine!  The boys all had a starter which were a bit different but tasty and well presented.  Dave had the Cornish white crab and brown shrimp tian with capers, cornichons, egg and crostini. This was probably the best starter although Matt's smoked aubergine soup served chilled was also interesting; as was Tom's salad with beetroot chips.

Mains were all very good also.  I especially liked my sea bass which was cooked perfectly with crispy skin and served with a lovely blend of mushrooms, beans, peas and kale.  Tom's beef was delicious and slightly better than Dave's veal.  Matt's mushroom, asparagus and ricotta stuffed round courgette with beetroot and marjoram looked interesting although a bit too much veg for my liking.  I'd say the mains would give Entree a good run for it's money, especially with the triple cooked chips (served with aioli). 

Desserts were somewhat rushed but three of us still managed to squeeze in a lovely chocolate brownie with ice-cream, some sorbet and a raspberry panacotta which was a bit too solid for my liking (when it comes to pannacotta it should be wobbly liked Jonah's famous boob-like vanilla panacotta).  Is it appropriate to write boob in a blog???  I digress.

four o nine was a hit and a great find for Matt and Tom as it is just a stone's throw away from their place.  The food is a little different but not overdone and very good value.  I have to say that although four o nine is a little bit cheaper, the quality is slightly higher at Entree with more consistency across the dishes/courses.  Having said that, I know we will definitely be heading back to four o nine as it is great for a casual meal or something more special.  There is even a private room for functions which leads to a small terrace for drinks/smokes.  I'm already looking forward to the next meal there with Matt and Tom.  

What:  four o nine

Where:  409 Clapham Road, London SW9 9BT

How much:  Entrees ave. £7.50, Mains ave. £17, Desserts £6

Donna Margherita - dedicated to the businesses of Clapham Junction

Given all the goings on in London, I wasn't really in the mood to blog last weekend but luckily things seemed to have calmed down which is a relief for all the local businesses.  One such local business is Donna Margherita which is on Lavender Hill where some of the rioters were making trouble smashing glass shop fronts and setting the party shop on fire.  Luckily the southern Italian restaurant was further up the road from the troubles of Monday night.  

Donna Margherita was recommended to me by my friend Esteban, a Napoli football fan who frequents the restaurant for good Neapolitan style pizza and televised Napoli matches.  We have been there a few times with him and Maria and also on our own to enjoy good Italian comfort food in a friendly atmosphere.  

The photos featured in this blog are from one such visit where our friend Anna also joined us.  It was a slightly different meal this time as there were a couple of specials on the menu that were well and truly special. The first was the fresh buffalo mozarella which had apparently been flown in on the day from Italy.  Whether or not this was true, the mozarella was delicious - firm and "meaty" for a cheese and definitely fresh.  We all shared this with some salad as a start.

Fresh buffalo mozarella and more of it in the gnocchi!

For mains, I stuck with one of Esteban's favourites, the O’gnocc a`Sorrentina, homemade gnocchi with (more) buffalo mozarella, parmesan, fresh basil and tomatoe sauce.  Simple but hearty and reliable.  Anna and Esteban also had pasta which they enjoyed.  Surprisingly no one had pizza although it is usually on the order.

Fresh lobster pasta - yuummm!

Dave and Maria shared one of the specials for two which was spaghetti with fresh lobster (half each).  It sounded good when it was described but I don't think anyone expected it to be as amazing as it was - the lobster meat was so fresh, sweet and and cooked perfectly.  It was so delicious with the simple tomato sauce and pasta that all of us seafood lovers (i.e. not Esteban) were jealous.  Good pick Dave and Maria!

If you're in the neighbourhood of Battersea/Clapham Junction, be sure to visit one of the many amazing local businesses including Donna Margherita.  Like other such businesses (Jack's cafe, Jamie's Recipease, and even chains like Pizza Express) Donna Margherita has a warm family feel to it, serving good quality food in a relaxed atmosphere.  Be sure to book ahead on a Friday or Saturday or when there is a Napoli game on.  And if you can't get in, check out one of the many other amazing places in the area (Entree, Lola Rojo, Pizza Metro Pizza, Brew).  Enjoy!

What:  Donna Margherita Italian Restaurant
Where:  183 Lavender Hill, Battersea  SW11 5TE
How much:  Entree's £6-8, pizzas average £9, pasta average £10.  Good selection of reasoanble wines. 

Best Pizza in London?

Da Portare Via was my favourite Pizza place in Amsterdam when I lived there and I was not the only fan.  My Italian friend Maria, who is now living in London as well, was also a fan of the very thin and light pizzas which are probably the healthiest but also tastiest pizzas outside of Italy.  

So when we both moved to London it was important for us to seek out the new best pizza place which has kept us very busy (and full).  There have been a few good Neopolitan pizza places including the following places that Maria and I have tried together:

Rossopomodoro - there are 3 restaurants in the chain and their pizzas are simple but a bit heavier than others

Donna Margherita - a nice local Italian restaurant in Battersea whose pizzas are a bit lighter but simple

Pizzeria Pappagone - near Finsbury Park, another nice local restaurant whose pizzas are also very good.  Out of the places I've tried, this is probably rated as second best for me (and may even warrant it's own post later).

However my favourite is Pizza Metro Pizza, recommended to me by Anna, an Italian colleague who raved on about the place and for good reason.  Pizza Metro Pizza serves meter long pizzas which are really good to share - everyone orders  their own pizza but it comes in meter long lengths that you can cut up yourself.  The pizza base is thin but doughy enough and the toppings are really good.  I have been a couple of times and enjoyed all the pizzas I have tried such as Bufalina which has big balls of buffalo mozarella with basil and tomato.  Portobello topped which mushrooms, rocket and truffle oil and cheese is tasty and not too heavy.  And PizzaMetroPizza is also a winner with meatballs and aubergine.  Also worth mentioning are the Mozzarelline Fritte which are fried balls of mozarella served as a starter - how could you go wrong with fried, chewy cheese?

Bufalina - one meter of mozarella heaven

Pizza Metro Pizza is recommended if you're after a good pizza in a nice relaxed environment.  Service is friendly and welcoming (like most Italian places) and if you really want to splash out and make a night of it, the restaurant and I recommend a bottle of the Taurasi Radici red wine; at £40 a bottle, it may feel a little pricey for a pizza night but it sure goes well.

Portobello - the original Battersea Rise restaurant - Pizza Metro Pizza

If you have any suggestions for pizza places, drop a comment on this blog.  My friend Maria has suggested that Piccolino in Heddon St could have a shot at the top spot but for now, Pizza Metro Pizza is number one for me.


What:  Meter long pizzas at Pizza Metro Pizza
Where:  64 Battersea Rise, Battersea SW11 1EQ, or Notting Hill also.
How much:  Pizzas from £8.50 - £12.50
Special thanks to Dave and Jack for encouraging me to improve my posts (and for their actual help) - hope you like this one!

Chez Bruce

Looking at my recent posts as well as posts-in-waiting, it's evident that I have been eating out a lot lately, and eating at some really good places. Chez Bruce is definitely one of those really good places. It was a spur of the moment decision on a Saturday to treat Dave and myself to a night out and I decided to try Chez Bruce. The place was strongly recommended by my good mate Tess who has recommended other great places and Chez Bruce was no different.

The restaurant is quite simple from the outside but buzzing inside. We sat upstairs in the private dining room with a few other tables which was nice and relaxing. We were offered parmesan biscuits to start with which were nice and warm. I took one but on the insistence of the waitress took another. In hindsight I wish I took 2 more as they were rather moreish and made the bread that followed seem rather plain.

The menu is 3 courses for £45 which matches the quality of the food on offer. To start Dave had the poached lobster with scallop mousseline and herb beurre blanc which was amazing, albeit with a £10 supplement. I went for the thinly sliced pork with warm summer bean salad, salsa verde, chorizo and crackling which was quite nice but filling.

Dave obviously chose the more outstanding entree but luckily for mains we went for the côte de boeuf for two, with hand cut chips and béarnaise sauce so neither of us had the better dish. The meat was really high quality and cooked really well. And whilst it didn't look very big, we were both quite full halfway through the mains which was extremely disappointing as the chips were sooo good! Jack would have loved them. Our meal was accompanied with a rather pricey but amazing bottle of Spinifex red wine from back home.

We were pretty full when it came to dessert so Dave just went for a simple sorbet whilst I had crème brulee which was a tad runnier than I like it. It was a shame that we were so full as we would have loved to have ordered the cheeses from the board which was generous. We were so full that we passed up on the free freshly baked palmier biscuits but luckily the waitress packed a few for us to take home with us which was a perfect way to end our meal.

Like Tess, I highly recommend Chez Bruce. If you live in the Wandsworth area you really shouldn't pass it up as it's an extremely high quality local restaurant, perfect for groups, families and couples. Thanks Tess and thanks Bruce for a top dining experience.

What: Chez Bruce

Where: 2 Bellevue Road, Wandsworth Common, SW17 7EG

How much: 3 excellent courses for £45 (plus supplements: £10 for the lobster entrée, £5 for cote de boeuf (each), and £5 for cheese)

Cinnamon Club

I have been eating pretty well lately and a recent dinner at the Cinnamon Club added to the growing list of good dining experiences in London. My high school friend Caro had organised a surprise birthday dinner for her husband Neill and a few friends. Although the surprise was ruined by the restaurant calling to confirm the reservation, the dinner was still a treat for Neill and the group.

The Cinnamon Club is set in the former Westminster library but feels very light and relaxed. The cuisine is described as haute Indian and the restaurant is well known in London and now in it's 10th year. We started with a cocktail in the Club Bar downstairs which was modern and served a balanced selection of quality cocktails.

We then moved to our table and started with a tasty little amuse bouche which I cannot recall the details of. I skipped entrees but the selection around the table looked and tasted delicious: Roasted plaice with Bengali spiced crab; the carpaccio of cured salmon , tandoori salmon (yum!) and green pea relish; tandoori breast of Anjou squab pigeon or the pick of the bunch: spice crusted seared scallops with squid ink mash and achari cauliflower puree.

The mains were equally impressive with both meat and seafood dishes well cooked full of different flavours and lovely spices. Having skipped an entree (regretfully), I went for the tasting plate of anjou squab pigeon, tandoori loin of lamb and ‘Oisin’ red deer - a small portion of each with a bit of mash potato for £37. The lamb was the tastiest as the meat was tender and full of flavour. Caro also ordered the lamb whilst others had the pigeon or a pork dish. Neill had the hot and spicy prawns which I'm sure he enjoyed given how quiet he was during dinner. Some of us were a bit jealous looking at the enormous size of the prawns, the thought of which is making me hungry now. (Gosh blogging is tough!) Not being much of an Indian sweets fan, I gave desserts a miss but a few of the guys shared the tasting plate of assorted desserts for £25.



All in all a great night - excellent service (knowledgable and friendly), fantastic food which I could eat over and over again, and a great setting. Add to that a good selection of pre and post dinner cocktails/drinks and good wines (we went for the reliable, easy drinking Indian red wine from Sula vineyards) and of course great company and laughs. The Cinnamon Club experience will be one to remember.

What: The Cinnamon Club
Where: The Old Westminster Library,30-32 Great Smith Street,London SW1P 3BU
How much: Starters average £8, Mains average £20, Desserts average £7.50

Semplice

For my birthday this year Dave took me to Semplice, an Italian restaurant in Mayfair off New Bond Street. The decor is nice and modern but the layout of the restaurant and the position of our table made the place feel dull and uninviting.

It was a slow start as we had to wait for drinks but we were much happier once we opened the menu and found lots of tasty sounding options including lots of produce from Piedmont, my favourite food and wine region in Italy. It was a tough choice in the end and but we were not disappointed with our selections.

We both had pasta to start: a buffallo mozarella gnocchi with scampi and asparagus was much lighter than expected and extremely tasty with the sweetness of scampi and asparagus working wonders with the smooth cheese based gnocchi. Dave's trofi pasta with lobster was also tasty albeit a stronger flavour than my gnocchi; both an excellent start accompanied with a lovely caraffe of Gavi de Gavi.

For mains I had the roast milk-fed Piedmontese veal with shitake, courgettes and olive sauce; it was very good and classically simple. However the winner was Dave's sirloin of Fassano beef (from a rare breed of cattle in Piedmont). The tender steak was cooked to perfection, juicy with loads of flavour. And it went perfectly with a caraffe of Barbaresco wine.


Given the quality of the food so far, we couldn't go past dessert and it was my birthday afterall! My beautifully presented coffee tiramisu (made with Giovanni Erbisti coffee) and tiramisu ice-cream was delicious and rivalled Dave's chocloate fondant which was a perfect size, well balanced and not too sweet. Dave's expresso made with Giamaica Afribon coffee beans (by Erbisti) topped the Italian experience nicely.









You cannot fault the food at Semplice but the dining experience itself was disappointing: the restaurant atmosphere suits a corporate meal rather than for a couple or family. And whilst service is professional, it lacked personality or warmth, much like the restaurant as a whole. Your meal at Semplice will be memorable but the dining experience won't be.

What: Semplice
Where: 9/10 Blenheim St, London W1S 1LJ
How much: Starters/Pasta average £14, Mains £29

Taste of London 2011

Good food, drink and entertainment all in one place: the Taste festival. Taste is an international food festival that is held in various UK cities plus others including Sydney, Amsterdam, Cape Town and Chicago. This was my second visit to Taste in London, held in Regent's Park. It's a great way to sample dishes and flavours from some of the top restaurants in London and also a fun day with lots of food samples, drinks to try (including a very smooth, triple distilled vodka I fell in love with called U'Luvka) and cooking and (food/wine/beer) tasting lessons. There are even promotional stands for different countries including Malaysia, Wales and the very popular Brazil stand that attracted all the crowds with their Brazilian drums and their hot dancers.












But back to the food. The dish of the festival for me was the chicken tikka pie with spiced berry compote by Atul Kochhar of Benares and Vatika (been there thanks to Dave!) - the pie was simple but sophisticated and very tasty. There were plenty of other excellent dishes too including Michel Roux Jr's braised beef with olives and polenta, and his squid ink battered squid rings. Not to mention Gordon Ramsay's braised pork cheeks with creamed potatoes and clove sauce or the Scotch Burford Brown egg from Quo Vadis.










Taste is a great day out, a chance to sample dishes from top chefs, to learn about new restaurant or products and also take advantage of the British summer....well, at least the food and drinks are good. Highly recommended for foodies looking for a good day out.











What: Taste Festivals
Where: London and other British/international cities
How much: £22 entry or £38 with £20 worth of crowns (the currency for buying dishes)