Andy Lynes

Grimes' review could have been written from a read through of the menu and a walk around the dining room. Did he actually eat there? There is absolutely no mention of the type of service he experienced, how busy the place was, whether or not he actually enjoyed his meal, or even the slightest indication that he even looked at a wine list, let alone drank anything from it. What about the bread and coffee? Is this just a brief first run to be follwed by a more in depth review, or is this his usual style? Very odd. (Edited by Andy Lynes at 3:00 pm on Oct. 5, 2001)

Whilst wandering the dead posh streets of Kensington the other night, desperate for a beer, I passed Launceston Place. It was packed and looked very inviting (although I had already eaten) and "proper" i.e one of the few places in London not to have a chrome/blond wood indentikit interior. It took me back to the early nineties when I first started to eat out in London, when the food was really good and not that expensive. I am now dead keen to give the place a go, but it joins a growing list. So, has anyone eaten there, is it as good as it looks, should it replace Cigala or The Crescent as number 1 on my list of places to try.

Sounds like you really have found the most reasonable "posh" restaurant in London. That's another one to add to the list then.

Very true, that was also a stated reason. However, F and M has not affected someone like Shaun Hill in Ludlow, he's as busy as ever, so it seems like a complex situation.

i think they follow Fay Maschler around. More likely however is that they simply go to wherever the most impressive press release has eminated from that week. Although Matthew Fort does have a tendancy to wander off into the middle of nowhere now and again.

I happened to pass Cigala the other night as I rather drunkenly tried to find my way back to my hotel from the deadly dull Richard Corrigan at....The Lindsay house (those dots say it all really). Looked rather interesting, though I didn't like the stone cladding very much. Will definately give it a go soon.

I think I could forgive the price charged for spirit given the incrcedibly low cost of the food. If the food is good, that must be one of the best bargins in London. The food sounds ambitious, what would you compare it to, is it michelin 1 star standard do you think?

I agree, it looks like a lovely place to live, so I hope he and his family don't have to move out. Perhaps he'll turn up on the TV and pay off his mortgage that way. Omar, what a about a Waterside Inn report? Have you been yet?

According to this site http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC3580.htm 145 degrees F for medium rare lamb, thats definately not cold.

I think if you are serving meat to the general public, it has to reach a certain temperature in the centre to be safe. I will have a scout around to see if I can find the exact temperature. Without a doubt, you want the heat to have penertrated all the way through the meat in order that it doesn't taste cold and flabby. Did you send it back?

Heres a really interesting piece on fraud in the wine and spirit industry http://www.harpers-wine.com/featuresitem.cfm?featureID=40, written by an aquaintance of mine. I had no idea this sort of thing went on. Anybody had any first hand experience of this i.e a counterfeit bottle of wine or spirits.

The caterer has reported that 2 Michelin star restaurant Lettonie in Bath has closed. Reasons seem a bit sketchy, but lack of advance bookings from America have had a role to play apparently. Just goes to show what a precarious business haute cuisine is. Martin Blunos has not announced his future plans as yet.

Yvonne, thanks for your support, I'll always wear it.

Did I miss the meeting when this was decided?

I gave up sifting a while ago, and it hasn't done me any harm. Isn't it usual to measure first then sift anyway?

Sounds fantastic. I too have never attempterd puff at home, although do fancy myself as a bit of a pastry wiz, but this seems a very do-able version.

The menu is hilarious, I particularly liked the "Mandatory Vegan" and "Desserts Changed Often To Help Promote Obesity and Decay Healthy Teeth." Someday, all menus will be this honest.

Simon, I really like the food at Gallaghers, what was the problem with yours?

I have had Koffmans lunch in both Chelsea and Knightsbridge and couldn't agree more. However, it has been over 18 months since my last visit and he is now down to 3 AA rosettes and industry gossip says he is losing it. Have you had a recent experience which refutes this apparent downturn. I honestly hope so.

Sorry Micheal, can you elucidate. I think I know what you mean but put the flesh to the bones if you will. Ta.

i should add that only 5 tables were occupied at Gallagher and its a 130 seat restaurant. The large upstairs bar and lounge were also virtually empty. The website looks very good at http://www.conradgallagher.co.uk/ (Edited by Andy Lynes at 7:21 pm on Aug. 31, 2001)

Four more possibles for you : La Trouvaille £16.75 for two courses or 19.50 for 3 courses and cheese. Its a small bistro type affair, on a street parallel with Carnaby Street. There was about 5 choices per course and I will definately be going there soon, either for lunch or dinner. Incognico 12.50 for 3 courses. 3 choices per course, the place was really humming at 1.30 today. Not a thrilling menu choice, things like gravadlax and goats cheese tart, but definately a "scene" going on. Conrad Gallagher in Shaftesbury Avenue. I have just enjoyed some fabulous food there today. I'll post a full review a bit later in the weekend but it 18.75 for two courses and 23.75 for three. It's a very proper restaurant with excellent service, great bread, linen and glasses, but the room is a low ceilinged basement done out in a rather odd modernist way with a sort of huge continuous photographic mural all around the walls, which is mostly a dull brown intersperced with blurred images of what look like neon signs and car headlights. Its very much at odds with the Limoges crockery and modern haute cuisine on offer. Finally Alistair Little at 27.00 for 3 courses. Some wonderful sounding Italian food. Must give that a go soon.

Bux, i didn't contribute to that threaed as it had got a little out of hand by the time I got to it. I love reading menus, even if I'm not planning on going to a particular restaurant right away. Before there were a lot on the net I used to ring restaurants an awful lot. I have also been known to tour round cities, like Paris for example, just peering in restaurant windows and reading menu's. Sad or what.

Short answer from me is that 00 is the grade specified by many recipes, I tried it and found the texture of the dough to be noticably smoother and the resultant pasta lighter textured than using plain flour. I know there are many types and grade of flours but I just use plain, self raising, strong (for bread) and the 00. I have been using corm meal for pancakes just recently and have used bluecorn meal as well, but thats about it as far as my expertise goes.

I'm glad you like CB. I'm going back for dinner on 18 September so will report back then. The last time I went to Petrus was June 2000 and exactly the same happened to me. I got a few restaurants to fax through menus, one of which was Petrus with £32.00 on it. The time before that it was £28.00 so i thought the rise was reasonable. When we got there the price had shot up to £40.00. Still very very good. I had the cheese as well so we paid a bit of a supplement. How much will it be when he gets his second star (next January I think). Appaerntly the name will change to "Marcus Wareing" when he gets the second star by the way.