Bapi

Bring it on- very much looking forward to this.

Tsk Tsk-that is a tad pricey. Rosie had the Turbot dish last year at a whopping £27. The meal we had at The Seafood Restaurant was not patch on the ones - we then had over the following days at Ripley's and The Black Pig. Best of all was the world class Venison Haunch at some back street café called Marion's. This was amongst every other dish consumed on the menu - no really -our group ate the lot bar one dish I seem to remember. Not too sure about the chef there though- very odd bloke with baseball cap permanently attached to his head.

Well Count - lucky you - what a fabulous little village. There seemed to be some rather mad cycling event taking place there on Sunday, the finish line of which was right in the middle of the village green. It looked like a wonderful place to have as a local and I think that by attracting the right person to run the kitchen it could be a great success. Having said that, it was packed anyway last Sunday.

After spending two hours cleaning the house, well frankly, I was bored. (I don't think my darling wife even knows what colour our Dyson is, let alone know how to use it). I needed some food in decent surroundings and we felt that we needed to get out of London. So, leafing through the Michelin Pub guide we came across the Plough in the pretty village of Winchmore Hill. (No, not the one in North London, near where we live, as I originally thought. After checking that they welcomed babies, the three of us set off to Buckinghamshire. The pub itself is slight anomaly, as it's set just off a quintessentially picture perfect English village green, the exterior remaining old fashioned, albeit very well kept. But the interior has only the vaguest hint that this is an very old country pub; the low beams remain, but are covered by leather to protect the guests from knocking themselves out. Not a problem for me. The Bar area is very modern with leather sofas and seats leading into the bright modern dining room with a brown flagstone floor and Farrow & Ball green walls. A short menu of four choices at each course was presented to us and we started with Salt and Pepper squid, French fries and Lime aioli for me and Scallops on a hazelnut and truffle mash, with a balsamic reduction. The squid was pleasant enough, although the odd mouthful was sometimes a little heavy on the pepper. The French fries were wholly redundant on the plate though, five of them being placed next to squid, did little to add to the dish. Not sure what the chef was thinking there. Rosie's scallops were more successful - the mash had a comforting texture and nutty taste, but with only the vaguest hint of truffle flavour being detectable. The scallops were good in the main, although part of one of them was slightly under cooked. For mains we both opted for a Roast Rib of Beef accompanied by the usual suspects. I asked for both our portions to be served rare which they duly did. However, then our little one did what comes naturally to us all, and so Rosie took him out to change him. The woman on the serving team was incredibly efficient and removed Rosie's plate to keep warm and offered to bring out more fresh vegetables when she returned. I, er, carried on eating- and was rewarded with well cooked beef which had bags of flavour. The vegetable accompaniments were good - not overcooked and lightly buttered, but the Yorkshire pudding lacked a little something. To finish, we had a Strawberry Panacotta with a Baileys cream and a Rich chocolate terrine with an orange sauce. Again both very good. With a G&T, Apple Juice, a large bottle of water, a glass of Rioja and an excellent glass of Bourgogne- the bill, which came with a 12.5% service charge added, was about £80. Certainly a very nice place to visit if you are in the area.

Last Wednesday was the first time in my life, I have pitched up to a meal knackered. Why so? Because I spent aeons yomping about Ludlow's streets, pushing a buggy around trying to get the squawking infant off to sleep. But it was worth it, as it worked a treat and we therefore enjoyed a peaceful meal and very pleasant lunch at Hibiscus. We arrived about 12.30pm and what thirst I had developed was quickly quenched by a comped glass of champagne, accompanied by cheese gougeres. (No croquettes on offer at Lunch). This was followed by an amuse of carrot foam sitting atop of an apple soda. Extremely refreshing, but the carrot flavour didn't pack any real oomph for me. We decided to go for the a la carte instead of the reasonably priced set lunch. The choice of a first course was a tricky one for me this time round. I make no bones about the fact that I love the way that Claude Bosi cooks langoustines and his dish of Pan Fried Scottish langoustines Tails, Iced Vin Jaune, Spring Leek& Liquorice Puree, Veloute of Potato and Hazelnut, at a £7 supplement would almost certainly have been my choice. But I saw this little beauty on the menu : Duo of Cornish Razor Clams stuffed with Chicken Kidney & Gingerbread Butter, Creamy Veloute of White Onion & Menton Lemon. It sounded intriguing so I had to have it. It was served within a split razor clam shell which had been charred slightly by being under a grill, this added to the both the presentation and the aroma of the dish. Within this sat small bite size pieces of the clam inside of which was the kidney and gingerbread. I didn't really detect the latter in any tangible form - it seemed to be more of a trace, the kidney being more prevalent, but not overpowering. In amongst the clam and kidney were little shards of preserved lemon zest, which again lifted the dish and worked well with the creamy veloute, which contained Mentom Lemon. This was served in tumbler, and contents of which I admit, I didn't know what to do with. Should I pour it over the creation before me or simply sip it after each mouthful? It transpired, that it was the latter. The flavour of the sweet, succulent clam worked well with the offal, when followed by a hit of the silky veloute. Fabulous stuff. Rosie opted for Ravioli of Roscoff Onion Confit, Cumin and Date, Date Consommé, Argan Oil. Five small ravioli, filled with the sweetest of confited onion, which married perfectly with the superbly delicate date consommé. The best derivation of this dish I have tasted so far. For the main courses Rosie had the Roast Corn Fed Pigeon, Royale of Jerusalem Artichoke & Lemon, Roast Baby Artichoke, Fudge Sauce, Gaufrette Potatoes. Eclectic ingredients and perfectly pink pigeon combined well in the small mouthful I was offered. I went for Milk Fed Paulliac Lamb in two services at a £10 supplement. First served grilled, Morecambe bay Cockles in Salted Butter, Garlic and Lemon Puree. Then, a Traditional Cold Moussaka, Confit of Provencal Tomatoes, Parsley and Mint Salad. The first course was just sensational, and it personified Spring on a plate. Small grilled racks of lamb, with wonderful crispy skin. The lamb itself was very pale in colour, almost like veal- which we learnt at the Waterside Inn, is because the lamb is despatched at a very young age. Despite, it not being terribly pink it was packed full of flavour and the sweet meat worked very well with the slightly salty cockles. Accompanying these and dotted randomly around the plate were the freshest of peas, small carrots and broad beans, interspersed with little swirls of the puree. Again the little hint of lemon brought a just a gentle nudge of acidity, to the plate which balanced the other flavours. A few moments later I was offered the second service a small tranche of the Moussaka. Served cold, the meat was still very sweet and worked well with the aubergine and the sweet tomatoes. Very nice indeed - but not a patch on the first course, which I could have eaten for breakfast lunch and dinner. All of the above was enjoyed with a half bottle of Pomerol from the well priced list, which was £30. For desserts we opted for the Assiette of desserts (for the whole table). We expected this to be a miniature version of the other desserts on offer, but we were presented with mini bespoke creations to be eaten in order. My memory fails me here and I am afraid I didn't take notes. What I do remember is that I wished there was some chocolate in amongst the foams and puddings. I think there was a fennel crème brulee- may sound odd - but it was very delicate and flavoursome. The one dish I do remember, was a green (avocado) tapioca pudding which had a very sour foam above it. I am afraid this is the only dish I have had at Hibiscus which I have not really enjoyed. But, as I have must have had about 12 meals and countless courses over the last three years - I can live with that sort of hit/miss ratio. The a la carte menu is currently £42.50, and with a glass of Gewürztraminer, the half of Pomerol, water and teas to finish, we spent about £130, which was excellent value for this level of assured cooking. We both commented on how we thought food seemed to be hitting all the right notes time and time again (bar the minor aberration above). Unusual ingredients are matched perfectly with subtlety and without the need for each of the elements to clamour for recognition. Most would agree and despite certain individuals writing disparaging letters to some guides about them, they have recently been awarded the Restaurant of the year accolade by the new Egon Ronay guide. A very enjoyable afternoon and bless them - they also made a fuss of our little 'un, especially Claude, which is not that surprising as Claire is expecting their first baby in July.

Uncanny. Whilst walking by the river in Ludlow last Wednesday, we came across masses of wild garlic growing freely. I picked some to help marinade some fantastic lamb chops we had bought from one the town's excellent butchers and then we carried on with our walk. Who should we see on our way back doing the very same thing? Actually, 'fraid that would be telling now wouldn't it ?

Just returned from a few relaxing days in Ludlow. We had a brief chat and a glass with Shaun, who seemed very content that things had now wound down at the Merchant House. In my opinion, why shouldn't he when you consider what he and Anja managed to achieve in a modest place, over 10 years, in a small Shropshire town. The fact that he leaves Ludlow at the top of his game is a testament to his talent and in view of the fact that he knows he has achieved all he can there- his timing. A loss to Ludlow, but he'll be back; without a doubt. A top bloke. We also managed the wholly unenviable chore of lunching at Hibiscus twice this week. A real burden One a la carte meal which for me included Milk fed Paulliac lamb in two services. The first of which was Spring personified on a plate. A knockout dish. Also managed the full Degustation at lunch which was yet again excellent, although with a squigly three-month old in tow, a little testing at times. More details of what we had later.

What ! Barred? Lickle ol' me? I was being kind to you Basil- actually to hell with it, your version was rubbish. Andy- Just as long as you didn't plaster the photos all over your wall and light candles and joss sticks before praying in front of them. Well, then, I think we can forgive you.

Burnham Market in Norfolk, is often referred to as Chelsea-on-Sea, in view of the large influx of (often very loud) Londoners arriving to spend the weekend. A picture perfect, if subsequently, horribly busy village about 3 miles from the beautiful north Norfolk coast. My wife has been holidaying in this area here since she was a mere two years old - and I too have fallen for its charms - so much so, that we became engaged and had our wedding reception, along the coast in nearby Thornham. In fact the area has wealth of good eateries, which include the Hoste Arms, also in Burnham Market, the Victoria at Holkham, the White Horse at Brancaster Staithe and the Michelin starred -Morston Hall, just down the coast. We have enjoyed a few meals at Fishes over the years under the previous owner, but had not ventured there for years and not since the current incumbent Matthew Owsley-Brown had taken over the reigns, four years ago. His previous experience extends to a stint with Rick Stein at the Seafood Restaurant (you can see that certain dishes have been brought over from his time there) and more recently at Noble Rot in London. He and his wife have much improved the interior with muted beige tones and tasteful artwork, and this along with the large glass frontage, gives the two rooms a bright and airy feel. The menu is, as the name dictates, unsurprisingly predominantly seafood and we were pleasantly surprised to see that the lunch menu was extraordinarily reasonably priced at £16.50 for two or £19.50 for three courses. I started with a Rare seared Tuna loin, Haricot bean and Pesto cassoulet, with a Red Pepper dressing. Five slices of expertly seared tuna, which had a spice encrusted exterior. These sat upon the cassoulet which had a good depth of flavour, the pesto being a gentle hint rather than a overly robust flavour. In addition, this included unannounced slivers of what I thought was jabugo ham but was actually speck. The red pepper dressing gave a splash of vibrant colour and lifted the dish. Rosie went for half a dozen Brancaster oysters, at a £3 supplement - which was worth it. A perfect salty, sweet taste of the sea. An excellent, and as our munchkin slept through this course silently, a peaceful first course. (As an aside they are very child friendly and we were offered a baby seat on booking) I followed with a Marmite Dieppoise- a delicate fish stew containing a fillet of sea bass, halibut, mussels and a langoustine, with small fronds of chervil as a garnish. This was served with a wonderful piece of brioche, smothered in a not overpowering rouille, finished with chopped chives. Marvellous for dunking into the broth. To drink we had a half of a luscious 2001 Trimbach Gewürztraminer, perfect with my dish, and a reasonable £15.25. Rosie opted for the Smoked haddock, with Toasted Brioche, Purple sprouting Broccoli, Hollandaise sauce with a Poached egg. A well presented dish, with well cooked fish and a fantastic hollandaise. This smokiness of the fish was offset by the sweet broccoli and rich hollandaise. A dish she very much enjoyed until about three mouthfuls from the end - when she noticed that a piece of the accompanying brioche had turned rather mouldy. A bit of a shock and I have to say it may have been something that would put me off returning to a place, if it hadn't been for one thing- the wholly professional way they dealt with the issue. Our waitress immediately asked whether she should replace the whole dish, but as I wrote, Rosie had nearly finished her meal , so she declined. She then took offending brioche away and returned very promptly with the chef's apologies stating that the dish had been removed from our bill. The owner's charming wife then came out and offered her and her husband's apologies as well, stating how upset he had been by the mistake. And you know what, they were genuinely upset by what had happened. Aberrations happen as we know, but if they are dealt with by such professional staff, then hey ho. So we continued with a Sticky toffee pudding, with caramel sauce and sticky toffee pudding ice cream. Textbook stuff, moist and datey and I am sorry to say - a bit better than yours Basildog. A mention of the staff - who were actually quite young, even the very impressive front of house chap, and who were knowledagble and efficient. A very good and reasonably priced find in area where, much to the locals chagrin, the influx of Londoners has seen a steady hike in property prices and one would have thought, food prices. The quality of the food on offer, is in my opinion, a few considerable notches above the more famous Hoste Arms, two doors down in the village, where we have had more recent meals. So will the incident above, stop us from going back to Fishes- absolutely not, we very much enjoyed the meal and look forward to returning later in the summer.

Welcome - A Little. Didn't used to be associated with a little venture on Frith Street did we by any chance?

I suspect he's got a season ticket (Hey! That would be a good idea! Mich 3* season ticket... unlimited degustations for a set fee... sort of like what the Odeon cinemas do but with more truffles included...) J ← If only Jon, if only. I am sure it will be a great evening- but, woe is me, I haven't a hope, of being able to attend

I agree- a real shame that this place is to close. Andy - just in case- can you stay away from any of the other restaurants I like.

I am informed by a gangly fop who pretends to know about wine - that he will be making the necessary arrangements. Can you make extra sticky toffee pudding please? I'll need it to do some wallpapering when I get home.

Come on fisherman- a few more details about Simon's food please? Glad that you enjoyed it though, as we are heading down to Cornwall in late June ( get cooking Basildog ) and we intend to stop off at Elephant en route.

Didn't see this Suzi- you are welcome. Had a quick meal there last week which was excellent. And during which we were invited to the Re-opening tonight. This should see the number of covers increase dramatically, so I'll let you know what it's like. B ← I forgot to post last week. The refurbishment has been completed and the place looks fantastic. Wasim and his brothers put on a good bash last Thursday, complete with strobe lights and bouncers on the door ! The place has been changed much for the better with a private dining area with banquette seating and the "old" Tayyab bit has also increased capacity. We shall have to see whether the queues through the door diminish or actually increase now that they can seat more people. The food on the night was excellent as usual and I got my first taste of Paya- which are lamb's trotters. Quite gelatinous and not to everyone's taste, but the broth that accompanied them was utterly delicious for scooping up with naan breads.( Moby can tell you how good the breads are from our visit the week before). They also served up Nehari - which is the shin. Melting meat on the bone, in darker sauce than the Paya, but just as satisfying. Might just have to venture back this week, to see how it's going.

You beat me to it Simon. See here

Don't worry- he is quite well behaved.

Didn't see this Suzi- you are welcome. Had a quick meal there last week which was excellent. And during which we were invited to the Re-opening tonight. This should see the number of covers increase dramatically, so I'll let you know what it's like. B

Sadly we didn't make it back in time to dine at the Merchant House before it closed. Although I know that Paul Bell ate there a couple of weeks before it closed. We are back at Hibiscus in a couple of weeks, who have been very accommodating about taking our 3 month old along for lunch or dinner. I'll be sure to give them your regards.

From the restaurant: "Just in case it helps your members, L'Enclume can certainly arrange for a babysitter if requested in advance by guests. Alternatively, although they don't have baby listening as such, and a lot of the walkabout baby monitors don't work as the walls are too thick, what most people do is to phone reception from their room, restaurant staff answer and neither puts the phone down. It's a little antiquated, but apparently it works! (They had this very situation last night and could hear quite clearly the rythymn of a snoring 1.5 year old boy) It can only be done for one room at a time though, as only one phone line is available for this, so would again need to be arranged with L'Enclume in advance." ← Certainly good news for the future with a new munchkin, but this is still not going to get me to L' Enclume next month. I won't mention who scheduled a Boy's trip for the day before I take the family away to Ludlow- but I think you can guess. Hence no Green Card

Amen to that Sam. I did ring them on the day I read your post and asked if they could help you out. Suzi. But they said that they were " having problems that evening". Made me realise that I should book for when I go this week. I used the phone instead though!

I am not sure that a twice yearly pilgrimage qualifies me as a regular at the Waterside Inn- BLH, but here are my suggestions for you anyway. Get there in good time and enjoy a drink perusing the menu in the lounge. ( Naturally, the terrace overlooking the river will be closed as it's February). I would think the Menu Exceptionnel would be a good way to sample a selection of dishes. Even though I am lucky enough to say we have been a few times( don't tell my Bank Manager), we always opt for the Menu Exceptionnel anyway, as I think it provides a better experience all round in terms of pacing and enjoyment. I have waffled on about this before on the WI threads that I am a complete sucker for their Pan-fried lobster medallion with a white port sauce and ginger flavoured vegetable julienne dish. A taste of which you may decide upon if you opt for the Menu Exceptionnel. A must in my humble opinion. Wine mark ups are unsurprisingly quite high - but the list is fantastic and naturally, entirely French. We have always tended to navigate towards the Louis Jadot burgundies they offer. The staff to are utterly charming and efficient and make sure you have a chat with the manager Diego- owner of the biggest smile in Berkshire. Above all- relax and enjoy. I am indeed jealous and have to wait till June for our next Lunch there. PS If you are driving - wash your car. One of my best friends went last year and he was so embarrassed about the state of his car he left it round the corner !

Similarly I would agree that Chowki is good value and the food enjoyable. But if I were to have one meal Indian/ Pakistani meal in London, it would have to be New Tayyabs every time.

Git

I agree- it can be quite highly spiced sometimes- but that's part of the appeal. Here is the website. There is plenty of choice as endless states, but not so for the starters. Incidentally, I had another great meal there last Wednesday. Try the pakoras- theyr are veggie - but be warned they do have sliced green chilli's in them.