Simon Majumdar

At Short notice, I took two clients/friends ( it is always nice to combine the two if very rare ) to dinner and overcoming the "never eat in a Fish restaurant on a Sunday" dictum, I booked a table at Sheekey's. When we arrived bang on 7pm and the place was deserted but for one table of a 'just about breathing" Octogenarian who was busily doing a Mr Grace impression with an astonishingly pretty girl of about 21. By the time we left at 10pm, the place was packed to the gunwhales with a very eclectic mix of people; crusty old suits, couples and one person at the next table to us who announced that his life had never been the same since " I got knocked out in the heats of Popstars" er!? The three of us took the trad route although I was intrigued to see some of the new-ish additions on this most trad of menus ( calimari, Chilli tiger prawns etc ) We started with Morcambe Potted Shrimp and a Dozen oysters ( looked at longingly by me as I can't eat them any more ) The Oysters were by all accounts "fresh and Delicious" the shrimp were very buttery but lacked sufficient spicing. I always put a good pinch of cayenne in mine, so I am not sure if this spoils it when I try them when eating out. We all ordered the Deep Fried Haddock & Chips for a main course. I did not have many of the chips as remember CARBS = DEATH But the ones I tried were superb. Double fried and crispy on the outside while fluffy in the inside. The fish was as close to perfect as I have ever had. Superb batter, firm white fish, great taste and texture. This came with an excellent tartare sauce and good malt vinegar The one weakness was the mushy peas. In an attempt to ponce them up, they had provided a puree of petit pois! What!? If there is one dish on earth that should not be ponced up it is mushy peas. What is wrong with Marrowfat peas? We were too full to have dessert. A great shame as one of the real beauties of places like Sheekeys and Rules is seeing our colonial cousins faces as the read the words " Spotted Dick" on the menu. The service was, as ever, spot on, efficient but unobtrusive. The bill for three including three glasses of Champagne ( served in the most beautiful tulip glasses I have ever seen ) a Bottle of Malbrough Sauvignon Blanc ( £29 ) and well made mint tea came to £161 inc service. Sheekeys is one of those places that I often recommend to people but alway forget myself when it comes time to book for my own meals. It is just expensive enough to be better on a company nickel, but reliable enough that it will never disappoint I must get back there more often 8/10 S

Er, no, I guess not Anyway, I found one, so here it is 250 gms Paneer ( Indian Cheese ), cut into pieces A cup & a Half of Half & Half milk 1/2 Sugar Green Cardamom ( Ground ) Raisins ( a handful ) 4 cups of Water Method 1.Mix the sugar with the water and gently boil to a thick syrup 2.Add the paneer to the thick sugar syrup and next add the Half & Half milk. 3.Continue boiling the mixture on a low lame for a few minutes. 4.Lastly add the ground cardamom and raisins and remove from the heat 5.Serve hot or cold with grated mace on the top or pistachios S

I recently had the misfortune to go to Asia de Cuba @ The St Martin's Lane Hotel for a business meal and I can say that it was one of the nastiest experiences of my eating out life. A truly horrid place Obviously a Schraeger trait S

My parents are down in London for the weekend and my Baba is waxing lyrical about the Payesh of his youth. I would love to try and make it for him Does anyone have a good recipe for this most unctuous of Bengali dishes? S

You are very right Suvir Last year just after 9/11 I was trying to bring some Rabri into my uncle in NY and had it taken from me at customs even though it was cooked food I am sure they had it for supper in the staff room You could ( if you didn't mind getting beaten up for making such a bad pun ) call it Daylight Rabri S

thanks for the link and the advice guys I may have to break the rules of my own signature and head south-ish and give it a try S

Vanessa Someone was telling me the other day about all the Korean places around New Malden can someone explain the geo- history to me. I read recently about the history of the Vietnamese in Shoreditch ( all to do with the rag trade so I am told ) but would love to know how NM became Koreatown. S

Thomas apart from the famous Bibinbaps and Kimchi, I have no idea what would comprise a korean meal I may try the place on Hanway St on Saturday, can you give me any idea of the sort of things you try? S

I think one would have to know what the readership ( or viewing ) of each of the sections would be to make a comparison. Perhaps their Ad rate card might give a clue I am reminded of the manager in Spinal Tap who when asked if they are becoming less popular says "No, it is just that their appeal is becoming more selective" S

I think he is on his way out. To go from a full page in a glossy section to the backpages of an "inky" bit to make way for some more much needed pages on fashion, cannot be seen as a good thing. I suspect his days at The Sunday Thunderer are numbered. S

I think it is about balance and John is right as being on Atkins does make you think about your eating habits in detail. in the end, moderation in all things, except Mr Booze of course. S

Has you seen me on Saturday, or indeed the state of me on Sunday morning after the Dim Sum outing, you would know the answer to that question!! S

I have banged on about this for a few other posts but I started Atkins in june 01 and now still keep off most carbs REMEMBER: CARBS = DEATH Anyway. My blood pressure reduced from borderline hypertensive to safe My Cholesterol level dropped and, most of all, I have now gone from 15st (210lbs) to 11st 3 ( 157lbs ) So yes, it works The regime is a bit tough, but becomes natural after a while and I also put it with an exercise programme as well I now treat myself to the occasional choccy or bit of wonderful bread, but cut out all the crappy stuff Worth a try S

The black ones are called Sandesh ( pronounced, in Calcutta at least, shon-dish ) The are a form of rosa and are gently fried. Terrific served with rose water. Oh and another tip for you. The best sweets in London are found at the Pradip Sweet Mart on the northwick park Rd. It is about 2 mins from Northwick Park tube on the Met Line. They have everything under the sun and it is sensational. I have their card somewhere and will dig out the address. It is well worth the short trip if you crave the good stuff S

Here is the link Pretty spot on apart from the woeful Song Que S http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/html/food/ea...top_direct.html

In principal the notion of a Chef/patron is the ideal and when it works, it really works. However, in reality most chefs are not always great business people and are blinkered to the economic realities of running a restaurant. So while the chef wants foie and amuse, the businessman wants portion control and table turning This is true of many businesses. Citing my own industry as an example. If a publishing company is run just by a highly creative publisher, it will produce great books but probably go belly up pretty soon, the example of Sinclair Stevenson proved the point. The reverse is also true. If the company is just run by a bean counter it will make paper profits but produce nothing of worth. I think in the end, if such a thing is possible, a healthy dynamic between a creative and an economic mind will produce the best results. With Chavot and his frequent moves one should also take into account that he can be, by all accounts, a thoroughly unreasonable man. S

Well? Tell us about it, Simon. I did Search out a thread called "the Majumdar Bros do Dallas" S

Harrow is a mere 20 mins from Baker St on the Metropolitan line The Golden palace is about 5 mins on the right as you come out of Harrow on The Hill tube. I used to live in Harrow on the Hill and would much rather head up there than West of Marble Arch/East of Hackney/South of The River/North of Camden. Harrow doesn't count as London, so I don't consider it leaving " The Safe Zone" S

Nah, just rumblings from a distant past Do go to the Hunan though well worth it S

ECAPITAL is excellent. If you stick to the Shanghai specialities. The cold plate of Shanghai starters are wonderful and the main courses of pork knuckle, clear prawns in vinegar and Beggars Chicken were very good indeed ( although John Whiting tells me it is far from authentic ) I recommend HUNAN more than I go there these days ( rather too close to South of the river for me!!! If you do go, let the owner choose for you. He will anyway. Last time I was there about 3 months ago, we ordered and the food that came was entirley different. It turned out all to be wonderful ( Hunan food tends towards the spicier side ) and he said " I knew that you would prefer this, so i changed your order" He apparently does this to everyone. The other one that often gets over looked is a place in Station Rd in Harrow which has superb reviews. John Tseng goes there more often than I do. embarrassingly enough I can't remember the name. John will though havn't tried the others S

The real difference for me as a ( very ) regular eater out and a home cook of OK standards is between simplicity and complexity. I am keeping ethnic food out of this as I am more than competent when it comes to cooking Indian food to a high level, but that is a different discipline and also something I have lived with for all of my 38 yrs When I cook at home I aim to use the very best ingredients I can buy. I then proceed to do very little to them as quite frankly I would fuck it up. When I go out however, I want the chef to do something that astonishes or at least something that I could not do. This does includes presentation, variety of ingredients ( not quality - I take that as a given as someone mentioned, most of us have access to excellent supplies these days ) and skill in preparation. If, as is so often the case, any of these are missing, I feel gypped as the chances are I could have got close to it at home. S

They did have the Hujo's matchbooks as I was offered one by Francoise when I asked for a card. When I asked why they did not have any of their own he said rather disarmingly "we'll get round to that when we get rid of the 2000 of these that they left in the cellar" You can't argue with the Logic The review has obviously helped. I noticed that there was a **** of The Sutton Arms in Metro this morning by the really rather good writer Marina O Loughlin. So I guess it will be packed to the gunwhales now as well. Ho hum S

These posts really remind me of my recent trip where I had meals at Bayona Galatoires Clancy's Bon temp Cafe but the highlight was without doubt Jaques-imo's in the garden district. I would urge anyone going for the first time not to miss this place I stayed at the international House hotel which I loved. great service, modern, no attitude. S

Ever the conciliator that's me. Perhaps something not quite so revisionist. Now I have had time to think about it, I can think of at least 10 people who got beaten up at our rather battered old school more than me and that is not including the teachers I suspect that you, like all those others, were just jealous of the rather sporty Zapata moustache I wore from the age of 11. S

Does that mean that you will come to the next one as well Michael? S