Charlie O

I agree - its one of my favourite restaurants. I've yet to go there and be disappointed.

Sounds like they're supplying the Turkish convenience shops down around Hoxton too.

Jan Moir reviewed it in the Telegraph (here) and gave it positive marks. I haven't got much experience of other good places to eat in the area that are suitable for an anniversary. The Wild Mushroom and The Place are restaurants that I've heard of that might be suitable. There are a few things worth including during your weekend though: Tush's Fisherman Rolls - freshly caught dabs fried in olive oil and served in a white roll - are a must. He can usually be found on the road the old fisherman's huts. The Mermaid is good for fish and chips IMHO - some people say they're fantastic. Judges Bakery is also worth visiting.

You could always make a terrine with it - bone the rabbit, mix in a processor with sausage meat, then add whole hazelnuts, juniper berries and herbs. Put it in a bain marie for about 90 mins at 180C While it's cooking (and cooling down) you could also use the bones to make rabbit stock. Another favourite recipe of mine is to bone the rabbit keeping the flesh in one piece (quite tricky). Then lay an omelette and herbs on top, roll it up and tie. Use the bones to make a stock and braise the meat in this for about 2 hours (I think). To serve, slice the meat and reveal the yellow omelette spiralling through

There's a Vietnamese grocery on the Kingsland Road. Just past Cremer Street and before the Geffrye Museum if you're heading north. Google maps link here It's smaller than anything in Chinatown but they're very friendly. I wouldn't know if they stock betel leaves though.

I'd second the recommendation (not that it needs it). Emmanuel is a really friendly guy who is very passionate about his bread.

is it? £60 is a pretty sharpish tab for the food alone. ← Agree with that - but then £25 for three courses puts it in gastropub territory. Anyway, I'll leave Phil to talk about the pricing. I'm off to spend more time in my bucolic paradise

I feel compelled to defend my neighbourhood - it's nothing like that. Bacchus is a short walk up Hoxton Street (past the library and the college) from the square. This is the sort of place where kids play out unsupervised and there's a thriving market. sunbeam - I'd stick to talking about food rather than property Anyway... kai-m - if you're staying near Bethnal Green than Bacchus is very close. It is in a different league to some of the other places mentioned in this thread and that is represented in its prices. The food is not faultless but there is ambition...

What Innocent and McDonalds want to do with their own brands is up to them. It's an interesting choice however for Innocent to make having worked so hard to differentiate themselves from the mass market unhealthy food and drink sector. they've put a lot of effort into presenting themselves as a different sort of company so McDonalds seems an odd partner. Having put yourself up on a pedestal means that there could be some sort of consumer/brand backlash - look at the don't-be-evil-let's-censor-results-for-China Google palaver.

I see there's a new Laduree outpost on the corner of Burlington Arcade/Picadilly. I've only noticed it in the last few days but it could have been there a lot longer. Has anyone been?

That's a great review - thanks Bapi.

Divertimenti have a wedding service

I'd say Hawksmoor is very good for what it offers - steak and (triple cooked) chips. There's a short thread on it here. I'd second what PS said - given the choice between Canteen and St Johns B&W, it'd be St Johns every time. They're also open all day so if you're in the area it might be worth popping in.

Bacchus and Canteen are two very different restaurants. Though it is not one, Canteen serves the sort of quality food that I wish more pubs would. Simple, honestly put together and very reasonably priced. However, its name is not unworthy. It is in the redeveloped part of Spitalfields Market - which, depending on what is around, can sometimes feel a little like the outside part of a shopping mall - and many of the diners can share long tables. To be honest, while its very good, I'm not sure that it is special enough for a birthday meal. Bacchus, on the other hand, is based in an old pub but I guess that I don't need to write much more about it. For a birthday meal, given the choice of the two, I'd go for Bacchus. You could always go to Canteen the next day for lunch. Having said that there are a number of other interesting, not too expensive restaurants around the area. St Johns Bread and Wine is just the other side of Spitalfields. Up the road and nearer your hotel is Hawksmoor - which you absolutely must visit for a post meal cocktail. Up on the Kingsland Road are a number of very cheap Vietnamese restaurants, although there's also one on Curtain Road that gets a lot of good reviews. You'll also not be too far away from the Eyre Brother's Restaurant which I've never been to but have heard mixed reports things about.

There are a couple of threads here and here that might answer your question. I'm sure there was another good one that I was reading in the cooking forum a while back - maybe a search will find it