Simon Majumdar

Again there is a big difference between offering a fair portion of whatever it is people have ordered and "supersizing" Doubling the amount of food ( and in the case of Fast Food, the fat, additives etc ) for a few $$ is one thing and, I would hazard at the root of many of the health scares amongst the more disenfrachised of western society. What Tony is talking about is good old fashioned value for money. I guess this is subjective, what I would consider a snack, some emaciated supermodel would consider a weeks worth of throwing up. S

I think there is a big difference between having a small portion of a number of dishes to allow you to try a variety of flavours and a tiny portion of your main dish of the evening. I like the idea of "small plates" for example at Club Gascon. It allows you to sample a large number of dishes in one evening without breaking the bank of ordering too much. But, ordering a main course and having it come out with a microscope is a different matter. S

Tony, I think you are 100% correct, you are a fat, greedy b***ard. Seriously though, I know what you mean Lola's - the portions were Lilliputian and I suspect this is to compensate for how much they are paying jones. It is like a football team from the lower leagues splashing out all their cash on a star player but having to cut corners elsewhere to make up for it. A recent visit to St John also saw my first indication that they were exercising portion control. Against the very spirit of the place, I would argue. NY seems worse, unless you go to an ethnic restaurant, the food barely troubles to hide the pattern on the plate. The only time I ( or to be truthful, Robin ) complained was at The Clerkenwell Dining Room, where the menu described the Suckling Pig as " three slices of....." What turned up was A slice..... When pointed out that there was a porcine paucity, more was brought without question, but I wonder how many people would have complained? I think we are being gypped S

I am planning to Tandoor some Quail and Lamb cutlets tonight and want to serve it with a fresh ( slightly spicy) salad that will not over power the flavours of the meat. I am thinking a simple dish of tomatoes, red onion, and corriander, but would like something a bit different. Any thoughts/help appreciated S

Suvir Welcome back I am thrilled to see you back here and look forward to taking advantage of your incomparable knowledge S

More than all right. See you then S

I think if you have the chance to get Stella/Wilfrid/Andy/Tony together in the same room at the same time, then you should move the drink to the 11th Stella and I can hopefully hook up on the 5th when I will be in the Wenlock anyway. If anyone is passing, they are welcome to join in S

You would get to eat great food and drink amazing wine, but you would have to be his bitch.

Months?!!! I judge mine in minutes. But Steve is right, back to the food S

Jay, I forgot to mention that the oily rag is instead of an advance. I am sure I would not be able to match the sky high figures that a man such as you demands S

Gavin - there are some obvious rules for date dining 1) Fly honeys ( ahem!) very rarely care about the food. In fact it is pointless to spend too much on dinner as they will be bringing it all up later anyway. Go for somewhere either a) dark ( a pre requisite when you look like me ) so they can imagine being there with someone called Brad or Josh b) Loud and Spangly - so if they are dull as ditch, you have a distraction 2) Costs for the meal should be in direct relation to the number of the date. So, if it is a first date, then prepare to impress and flash the cash. If it is a second date, then you should show your sensitive side and go somewhere cheap but with great food so you can pretend you ( you in general, not you in particular, Gavin ) do not redefine shallow on a daily basis. Of course, if it is a third date, you will have either pulled or are never going to so you can go anywhere where the server ends by saying " would you like fries with that" 3) The man should always pay. If a woman is going to have to spend upwards of three hours in my company the least the poor mare deserves is a free meal. 4) All restaurants for dates should have the exits clearly marked so that if the woman starts talking about a) Her feelings b) Her past boyfriends c) babies d) Commitment or even worse, marriage, you can make a dash for the nearest escape route 5) Try and have the restaurant near a dry cleaner. If you follow the above rules, you will, as I have on innumerable occasions end up with most of the menu or at least red wine, poured over you. Warning: Byriani is a bitch to get of a linen jacket. Hope this helps S ( The Shaman of rough & tumble )

You are 100% right to split clients into two. 1) New and "clients to impress" Then the food does come second ( unless I know they are as obsessed as we are) to service and ambience. 2) Clients with whom I would be friends anyway even if we did not do business. This group often comes to my home, but if not, I would choose St john's, La Trouvaille and increasingly Eyre Bros. Authors of course do not count and are lucky to get a wash down with an oily rag. I don't entertain as much as I used to ( in so many ways ) But when I do go out with clients, it is a great opportunity for no risk smart eating S

There are basic rules involved when taking important ( and in this case, nice ) clients out to dinner a) The setting is more important than the food although it is rarely good form for them to go home in a body bag after a bout of botulism b) The service should be impeccable c) You should probably spend a little more than you would on a meal for yourself Pont De La Tour just about fitted the bill, the food was ordinary to say the least, the service was exemplary and a fraction of what we paid for the meal could have saved Getty Jr an ear. We were seated outside which was wonderful as the weather was warm and our guests from Spain were transfixed by the sight of the sun setting behind Tower Bridge. Starters were ropey to say the least. A tian of crab looked good but lacked freshness. English Asparagus looked fine but I didn't taste it. My starter of Foie Gras was risibly bad. A miniscule portion had been cooked for too long over too low a heat so it in effect stewed rather than "pan fried" It was served on a bed of what looked like baby food diced vegetables that my nephew would have turned his nose up at. Mains were a little better. Sea Bream was fresh and not gussied up too much. Rack of lamb was cooked as requested, as was my beef. The real problem was a lack of quality ingredients. My beef was flavourless and I suspect the result of the corporate purchasing inherent in all Conran places. Desserts were from the " hats of to the Pizza Express dessert trolley" school; a horrible "white and Dark Chocolate Bombe" a better Parfait and a Peaches in Zabaglione which had been flashed under the grill for just enough time to make it tough. The wine list here is superb if very very expensive. A Puilly Fume ( makers name escapes me ) was excellent but at £65 it should have been. A wonderful Schaeffer Sangiovese/Cabernet blend from the Napa was about £55 and lovely but not worth that amount. Service throughout was excellent. They aced the napkin test and were on the button with the wine pouring without trying to make us order extra bottles. My over riding impression of this restaurant was the exact opposite of the view I had of LOLA's. Where LOLA's had a wonderful chef working in limiting surroundings, here there was a workaday chef providing ordinary food with not great ingredients to an expenses crowd via a slick corporate dining machine. Would I go there again? With clients possibly? Our guests loved it. Would I go on my own nickel? There are not enough wild horses etc etc......... 4/10

My take on Nahm was one or two exceptional dishes ( a dish of crispy pig skin in a sour sauce was one of the best dishes I have ever eaten ) alongside some that were no more than bog standard The pricing was also extraordinary with £120 per head being way over the top. The main reason I have not been back was the service which was pushy ( trying not to allow us to order anything but the set meal ) and tainted by the slightly sinister presence of the front of house chap who I believe is also the chef's business manager. He was rude to both guests and staff which is a bit of a double whammy. S

I am in the good old US of Stateside between the 8th and 16th. otherwise, I am, as always up for a drink or three S

The reason I suggested The Wenlock was a) To Piss Andy off ( natch ) b) Because Stella loved it on a previous visit Now if you guys want to get all selfish on our arses, well that's just up to you S

Stella I will leave the others to talk of the boring stuff What we have to decide is when we are going to meet you in the Wenlock and get bladdered? C'mon guys what are you? Bleeding Amateurs........ S

If you were in a sinking balloon with Emeril, Jamie Oliver or Bobby Flay, which of them would you throw out of the balloon first? Emeril's girth should not count against him, this is based on low hatred only. S

lucchi are, if I am correct, like puri and served with tamarind water. Panch Phoron ( or five spice ) is the very centre of all my cooking. My family mix is white mustard seed, black mustard, seed, fennel seed, onion seed and black cardomon I fry it in oil until they all pop and then add any other powdered spices, tumeric ( naturally ) and a small amount of chilli ( Bangladeshi cooking uses nearly no chilli ) and they whatever vegetables I have. A good recipe using this base is to sweat a chopped cabbage in the mix until very soft and then add small shrimp and a little sugar. A wonderful simple supper. Do Piaza - this means "twice onions" literally and it means that onions are used twice in the dish. this can vary, but in my recipe you fry onions in the spices and then make your ghonto as normal ( using whatever meat/fish you want ) then deep fried onions are added at the end. S

I am not sure to be perfectly honest. By way of introduction to the food. Here is the best source of Bengali recipes on the web http://hicalcutta.com/sutapa/recipes/list.html There are some wonderful things on there. I can heartily recommend making the payesh....... S

Sizzler is the name of a number of restaurants in calcutta where food is served " sizzling" on platters. Very good it is too S

Steve The dish you mention falls under the category of Bhaji. In the west most people associate this with cricket ball size fried onions which is actually quite nasty, but in Bengal it means any fried vegetable dish. The dish you had is often made with the squash I mention above ( Luao ) and the only spice apart from a little salt is Turmeric which is the most used of all Bengali spices. Interestingly enough Turmeric is also a staple of the first Aid cabinet in Bengali homes and it has the most beneficial anticeptic properties. gargle with it in warm water for tooth problems or sore throats and rub a little of the root on a cut to stop bleeding. S

Bengali's ( me included ) are obsessed with texture in their food. So fish has to have plenty of bones and most Bengalis would rather eat the crispy skin and bones of a chicken than the succulent flesh Seafood can be good in Bangladesh. I have some recipes at home. I will dig them out S

now things have settled down a bit, I think Suvir is right to suggest a new thread on Bangaldesh. It does not deserve to be swamped with what has gone before My Tamar ( My Grandmother ) was from a small village in what was then East Bengal. That meant on our visits to New Alipur in Calcutta, we would often have Eastern Bengali Food which was quite different from the Bengali food of the Ghoti's I remember a couple of dishes Doi Begun - which was an eggplant in a yoghurt sauce Sobji Bhaji - which is fried vegetables Lubra - I cannot remeber what it was, just it tasted good Finally there was a dish of a marrow like squash which was sauteed in clarified butter with a little kalonji. I think it was called Lao. People frm East Bengal were the butt of many jokes in Calcutta. I guess like the Irish in England and the Polish in the US, but the food, while very simple was and is exquisite Good to talk about food again S

The Foundry is a truly grim place run by little rich boys who set it up ( and a not great publishing company ) with daddy's money. Pissy lager etc etc. Almost as horrible as that Grand central across the road. how could you Winot? you seemed a person of consummate style, grace, wit and dare I say elan. S