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BANK is pretty consistent and still as popular as ever in Brum. It's just lost all its main players, as they go off to do their own version of BANK on their own. It'll be slap bang in the middle of the 'City' and it'll be called Opus. Not sure when exactly it's opening, but I would certainly see it being before Summer kicks in (if it ever does) Paris is very good and well worth a trip. If you take Paris, Jessica's and Simpsons as the three main players in Brum, Paris wins hands down. Ok, it hasn't got the star, but the place itself, the sheer opulence of the room and the peerless service (can't comment on the food these days as they've had a change of Chef) create a fantastic dining experience. There was, and maybe still be, a rumour that it was closing which would be a right kick in the knackers for the city. When it opened it was hailed as the restaurant that would achieve Birmingham's first star. With a change of Head Chef during the process, it got somewhat overlooked by Michelin, which is a shame. Steve Smith who was the Head Chef employed by Pat McDonald when it first opened to achieve this star was ceremoniously fired for not hitting his GP and was then replaced by someone who's just not in the same league. Steve was ex Marco Pierre White and is now Exec Chef at Seaham Hall and is a top bloke, even though he resembles the Milky Bar Kid

Can't argue with you there, I'd just avoid it at night and especially at the weekends. I'd still rather drink in one of the booths in the Crown on Great Victoria Street. That's what I call a real pub.

The Apartment's hardly a 'destination' restaurant! Hen nights, students, Matalan-suited married businessmen on the pull for a bit of young 'skirt', Bacardi breezer drinking teens munching on BBQ chicken wings and curly fries. Quality. You should try Printers Cafe. Daily changing menu and all made in house. It's my secret find in Belfast. So secret that it's not even in the phone book and our good friends at 118 118 haven't even got it listed.

Birmingham's come on in leaps and bounds over the last 5 years. Find me a city in the UK that doesn't have problems - Birmingham's no different. Ok, they have gun crime (who doesn't) the worst car crime figures in England and Wales and the daftest regional accent outside Liverpool, but it's still not all that bad.

On 'perusing' his site, some of his menus are downright offensive (and not cheap) and yes, how do ten couples staying for dinner and occupying every room manage to find somewhere to sit? Wife on hubby's lap, perhaps? Tag-team dining?

Err, No thanks. Kiwi fruit belongs in one thing only and that's the bin. It's in my room 101 with physalis and starfruit. I hope they're happy together.

Was just thinkin' the same thing! Looks like it's stuck in a timewarp. One course for £15 and 3 courses for £25? 'I'll have the soup, please' That'll be £15, sir. Err, no it won't.

Kiwi with shrimp? Are you mad?

More info on The Foodie here. I give it 12 months.

My Google skills are improving! The Astics are now at The Old Woolhouse in Northleach, Cheltenham. Don't know if it's the same place they were in when I knew their daughter, but at least I got the town right! PS: Nice spacehopper, Kaffirlime!

Fair enough! I had one stint on BBC2's Food and Drink show years ago, but I was only the hands and arms of 'Roux jnr' and what was seemingly a 30 second piece took (from memory) nearly 6 hours to film. It was filmed in the the owner/main man at Bazaal Productions' house in Notting Hill and I spent most of the day bored out of my skull. And, despite submitting my bill, they never paid me! I think I'll stick to cameo roles on Crimewatch UK

Did you get a call back? I got my call back for Hell's Kitchen. I'm in the final 40. Had the last audition yesterday... Fingers crossed. ← cool!!! good luck!! nah haven't had a callback guess i'm not through ho hum can't really complain will be on tv twice although both times i lost Hell's kitchen will be a lot better you got two well known chefs are presenters also rhodes and novelli are both meant to be quite nice chaps. keep us updated!! and remeber to have fun!! ← yeah just got my rejection letter for hells kitchen sigh!!! just have to consol myself with my audition for "Come Dine With me" next week hoho! Ukfoodie you make it through to the finals of hell's kitchen? Andy how about you any news on your program? ← Just out of curiousity, what's the huge appeal of being on telly? Doesn't float my boat, personally.

There was a restaurant years ago that was run by a French couple (him in kitchen and her in restaurant) that was either one or two tables and a no choice set menu (and I'm racking my brains here) and it was in their family home. Their surname was Astic and their daughter, Marie Regine, was AWT's PA at the time. A search on Google brings up very little and bearing in mind this was 1994, my memory's not as good as it was! It wasn't in the Midlands, per se, but somewhere in Gloucestershire and I think it was near Cheltenham. May or may not still be going.

The supermarkets will only continue to make these profits if consumers continue to buy from them. No punters, no profits. Unfortunately the great British public are all sheep when it comes to convenience and there's little more then a snowflake's chance in hell that they'll ever manage to subsist without them. Same with sofas, B&Q sales and bank holiday weekends spent at IKEA.

He was only recently promoted from his role as executive chef of the Burj-al-Arab to resort executive chef, when he left Dubai in May last year. He started the newly created role of executive chef at Sainsbury's in July last year and I think he's still based in Holborn. He helps develop the range of produce available in stores, strengthening links with both regional and international suppliers, and oversees development chefs as well as helping to develop the roles of the in-store ‘theatre chefs’. He was also tasked with looking to Japan and the USA for transferable concepts to make Sainsbury's the market leader. Before he moved to Dubai, he was executive head chef at Cliveden in Berkshire, where he held a Michelin star. Before that, I don't know.

The Ritz (just for the twee factor) but it's LUDICROUSLY over-priced.

The interview actually appears in the issue published today. ← It'd be great to be able to find anywhere over here that actually sells Restaurant Magazine. ← I'm sure WH Smiths will have it, or you could subscribe. Maybe Niall will let you have a look at his copy. ← I don't rate it as a magazine, it's all style and no substance. Fur coat, with no knickers, so to speak.

The interview actually appears in the issue published today. ← It'd be great to be able to find anywhere over here that actually sells Restaurant Magazine.

Not quite Belfast, but not worthy of a topic of its own, Paul Arthurs, in Kircubbin was getting good reviews recently, so we drove the 50 mile round trip down there, from Belfast, for a lunch reservation (which we'd also confirmed) only to find the door of the restaurant locked. On entering his 'fish 'n' chip' shop downstairs which he also owns, we asked if there was a problem upstairs, as the door was locked. We were then told he'd decided not to open for lunch.'But we're booked and we confirmed it' we barked. 'I'll go and get him up and tell him you're here' she proclaims. I think not. We left and eat in a ropey pub across the road, only to be told (on voicing our annoyance at what had just happened) that it's a regular occurance - he opens when he feels like it. I'm not even going to provide a link to his site - he doesn't deserve to have customers. There's laidback Irish and then there's Paul Arthurs.

I would doubt it. I'd hazard a guess that the nationals appoint their 'food critics' from within. They're seemingly appointed for their writing skills and not their knowledge of the subject. Any good journalist should be able to write on most subjects, given the opportunity to do some sort of research to back it up. But, what do I know?

Can't comment on Galway, as I've never been, but for 'upscale' in Dublin, there really are only two that spring to mind.my personal preference and here, which I've never tried. They're both two star Michelin. One closing note - Dublin's an expensive city, so bring loadsa wonga and enjoy the craic!

She's freelance, but looks after (with Jane Howarth) the food reviews. She also has her own silly website, which you've seen, and now has a food magazine called The Foodie, it's Website is here.I think she edits her own pieces and yes she gets paid. She always takes a carnivore with her and he/she gives her the feedback on the 'meat end' of the food. It's nothing but puff journalism and all governed by who does and who doesn't pay for advertising in the paper itself. Birmingham's critics in general are pretty lousy. Annette Rubery at Metro is really the only one that's taken seriously, as she's not restricted to looking after advertisers. Her deputy, Chris Beanland, who also writes on food is barely out of short trousers and his reviews are laughable.

Looks like New York's in for a bit of lurvin' from Michelin.

Whatever. Anyway, Paul Rankin has hit the mark once again with Roscoff Brasserie. It's a deceptive name, as to me it's far from being a brasserie and just as formal as the original Roscoff was. Prices aren't cheap and portions are small. £10 for a foie gras starter (foie gras the size of 2 postage stamps) and the food is steeped in French methodology. No fusion, Asian twists, just honest French inspired food. Bloody good service and a cheese trolley to die for. Belfast's new peerless restaurant. One to watch.

Slight generalisation there Postcode, suggesting a wee lack of market research and a frankly myopic view of who eats what in Belshaft these days. And for the record, I like the no knickers brigade. Where will ewe be opening then? Bangor? Helen's Bay? Both of which are populated by second generation/older variations of the self-same "scourge" ewe so eloquently describe, but have simply evolved into the types of creature who espouse the same wanton elitism that ewe do. (London)Derry? If so, then this is simply madness as the disposable income is nowhere near on a par with Belfarce, and the restaurant-going public nearly minimal (unless ewe serve ribs 'n' sauce and Ulster fries). I am genuinely am curious as to where ewe hope to open, if not Belfast, and the reasons for this. Call it a vested interest. Q ← A vested interest? Why? I'm curious.