Andy Lynes

Did the chef ever work for Gilles Choukroun?

I met a couple of Cardiff residents last year who raved about Le Gallois.

St Giles House http://www.stgileshouse.com/eatdrink/index.php has been the subject of a "reality" TV show. The place has had its ups and downs but might be worth a punt, possibly! Adlards http://www.adlards.co.uk/ is the top place in the city but I understand the owner has put it on the market.

This isn't exactly close but the best one I can think of is Monteum Ltd, Fishermans Wharf, Brighton Road, Shoreham By Sea 01273 463014.

I was shocked to hear that chef Pravin Sharma recently passed away. Pravin was head chef of Silk restaurant in London and the 2006 Roux Scholar. He was being treated for Leukaemia when he died aged 30 earlier this month. I met Pravin twice, once at a press reception where he presented some dishes inspired by his Roux Scholarship stages at Olivier Rollinger and The Fat Duck and again when I interviewed him for an article about rising star chefs. On both occasions I was struck not only by his obvious culinary talents, but also by his openness and enthusiasm. I was convinced he had the makings of a great chef and that he was on the way to finding an original voice that would combine his knowledge of traditional Indian cuisine and his new found passion for modern haute cuisine. He had a certain charisma about him, but was also winningly modest. No doubt he had ego and ambition like any other successful chef, but he kept them well hidden and was a genuine delight to talk to. Heston Blumenthal wrote warmly about him earlier this year in a Guardian feature on mentors and proteges and you can read more about him on the Caterer blog.

Malcom Gluck got there before you at The Frontline - click.

I was there a couple of weeks ago and was amazed that their house wine is still only £11! What other two star in the UK offers that sort of value?

Until it closes of course click.

Le Becasse website has now gone live and Mark Palmer gave them their first national review this week click. I had an excellent meal there on opening night but simply have not had the time to write it up. I will soon. My interview with Alan Murchison will be appearing in a Restaurant magazine near you soon. I'm thinking of issuing the tape recording, made in the upstairs breakfast room of Ludlow's quaintest tea shop, which contains more swearing than Derek and Clive's entire back catalogue, is far funnier but unfortunately unprintable in its uncensored form.

Terry Laybourne's been a busy lad opening a few new restaurants and moving his "flagship" Cafe 21 to big new premises about 500 yards away from the original location- website. There's also the Blackdoor restaurant, brasserie and gastropub - website.

I don't think Arbutus ever aspired to a Michelin star, but it nevertheless has held one since January this year.

I'm neither a pensioner nor an American tourist but visited Betty's the last time I was in Harrogate. Very good, but the queue was a bastard. The Harrogate Grille opened in the Balmoral hotel recently. Could be a more casual alternative to Hotel du Vin.

When is this for - just thinking about new openings on the horizon.

Oh dear, that doesn't look good. Has there been any damage to the restaurant?

This doesn't quite meet your criteria but you can book an 11.30pm table at Embassy so you'd still be eating after midnight.

La Petite Maison has been reviewed by Fay Maschler, Marina O'Loughlin, Jay Rayner, Giles Coren, Jenni Muir in Time Out and Terry Durack, all of which are available online. In addition, Jan Moir reviewed it on her blog and there are no less than two reviews on former eGullet contributor Simon Majumdar's website. Quite a lot of gory detail to be going on with I should think.

Alex Aiken is opening another Le Poussin in Southampton in the Autumn on the site of latimers on the Quay soon which should be be worth a punt - website.

He's been open for a couple of weeks - website.

There is Scottish Salmon Confit in Olive Oil which is Koffman-esque although his version uses duck fat I think, and it might be possible that Suckling Pig in Four Ways with a Grain Mustard Sauce and Sautéed Provencal Vegetables includes a stuffed trotter but I don't know for sure.

This rumour popped up again in Joe Warick's restaurant news column in the Independent on Sunday magazine. I've just rung the restaurant and they tell me that Koffman has been consulting for them since January and works Monday to Thursday in the kitchen. I don't recognise anything particularly PK on the website menus but others may know better.

If you're talking chain or group restaurants, there's also a Malmaison in Oxford which are usually a pretty safe bet click.

So that's where Jay was off to when he advertised on his blog for a dining partner click. He was so subtle in his clues about the restaurant's location that I never, ever would have guessed.

I was there last Thursday (as was Fay Masch and Giles "more swagger than Liam f**kin' Gallagher" Coren - we all had separate tables of course) and whatever problems they were having with the creme caramel appeared to have been solved. It was easily the best I've ever had. It had a delicious rounded "dairy" flavour to it - if that makes any sense to anyone - as if it had been made with Jersey milk or something. It was perfectly cooked with the correct amount of wobble and definately didn't taste eggy. I want to eat it again right now. The reason I ordered the c.c. really was because of the warm orange flower madeleines that came with it, but to be honest you don't really need them. They are nice as a petit four with your coffee afterwards. I prefer the room to Arbutus, it's a bit more comfortable and has more character. the tables are quite widely spaced at the moment (can that last?) and the booths are really nice. the wood panelling is beautiful. As to the rest of the food, I thought the pollock was the most impressive dish -looked lovely and the gnocchetti were amazingly light. I have to say however that I'm not a fan of pollock to be honest, it doesn't have a great texture and I think something like confit cod would work really well. Not very PC I guess though. The gratin of cavolo nero with lemon and parsley with the veal was delicious. I don't think braised dishes have to be confined to winter - navarin of lamb is the perfect spring dish for example. I want to go back soon to try the corned beef, bavette of beef, the lamb and the waffles.

If it takes them that long to sort out the award then they should drop the catagory or find a different way of deciding it.

Congratulations to Mr E-M. I would say that the award has prompted me to make a return visit to Le Champignon, except that I've booked already. As wonderful as it is, how the bloody hell can the Hand and Flowers win a best newcomer award when it opened in 2005 and got a Michelin star in 2006?