Kikujiro

That article or a similar once said she was sourcing ingredients from Stefano Cavallini, so the news isn't all bad ... On which subject, those of you feeling flush and who aren't stuck walking down abandoned tube lines might want to know that SC is doing a dinner this evening together with the Isola chef at Isola. £55 per head for a set menu, not including wine, places still available. Phone 'em for more info.

Damn good memory. To be precise, he says: 'I hate it when restaurants say you have to leave a table by a certain time. Dinner should be stretched out so you can enjoy the company for as long as possible.' The article is available from the Guardian's still-free archive.

Does anyone have further thoughts on electric rice cookers? I've been meaning to get one for some time but am confused by the range of prices etc.

Whoops. Looks like it may be too late now. I walked past Ibla today and looked at the menu. The chef has changed (was Stefano Frigerio, now Nigel Someone) and the menu (set £25) is vastly less interesting than it once was. So now I'll never know what it was once like. Akiko: if you've already tried it based on my last post -- sorry, not what I thought it was. Matthew Fort got there in time, though as far as I can see neither Maschler nor our own JR did; maybe we should blame the critics for their lack of interest

Sorry to report, I don't look the slightest bit like my avatar. My nick is taken from the Takeshi Kitano film of the same name (Japanese title is Kikujiro no natsu, or Kikujiro's summer), and the photo is of that giant of cinema in the eponymous lead role.

Borough Market today was overflowing with cobnuts. It's clearly their moment. I would like to add that at one stall I bought: 6 baby artichokes, 2 punnets of blackberries, a head of garlic, 4 peaches, a grapefruit, 4 lemons, a load of cobnuts, and some of those amazing little peppers that look like miniature bell peppers [what the hell can I do with them, apart from arrange a still life?] -- all for £5.60, or about the price of a punnet of raspberries at Flaneur ...

It is but it's now called Myna Bird.

Now, you see, Simon can get away with rudeness because it's usually witty and ever so slightly self-deconstructing. It's always a mistake trying to put down people who have that particular talent, because it just comes out, well ... a bit wince-making. Simon: according to another post he's a chef. You may want to ascertain where ...

Nor me. Nor the Yellow Pages :) The concierge at which hotel?

I presume some high-profile restaurants, or ones in a thinly-represented genre, or a sparse location, merit reviewing for information's sake even if the review is not a positive one. By the way, was anyone else surprised by their recent 180 on the quality of food at Monte's?

Lot of us round here, in't there?

Except on the subject of SJ sourdough, of course. Of course, I'm sure it doesn't live up to Little Chef Personally, I can't face life without wheat products, but I do try to (a) avoid them sometimes; (b) go to the gym. 3 people have already asked about the sourdough at Flaneur. Apparently they're thinking of starting a petition.

Magnolia: thanks; I will. Poilane bread is great but neither it nor Paul are a short walk away from me as is SJ (or, even closer, SJ bread at Flaneur). Macrosan: yay. ps. re. Simon's CARBS = DEATH comment, this article from the New York Times [free, registration required] is well worth reading despite its length.

Genuinely curious to hear that. Ah well. I stand by my praise of it.

Went into SJ the other day to buy sourdough and was disappointed to find they didn't have any. Thought no more of it until today, when I was told that Fergus was trying to get rid of breads made with non-historically-British processes (i.e., the good ones -- sourdough, rye ...) Raw peas I can live with, but if my source is correct (likely but I haven't had it confirmed from SJ itself) this is 'rigour' gone too far, to the point of destructive and pointless limitation. SJ sourdough is not only the best bread they do/did, it's the best bread I've found in the area (Moro sourdough, hardly fit for breakfast, aside). Let's picket outside or something.

Just a note to say it's still very good. This evening skipped starter; had mackerel with spring onions, new potatoes and gremolata; strawberry and rhubarb gratin. Everything, from little polenta and basil amuses through bread, butter, mains, desert and coffee, was pretty much perfect, as was the service (a couple of minor errors corrected with great charm). Could get quite fond of the place.

Haven't been to Ibla on Marlybone High St but always wanted to; it comes highly recommended. Providores is also good for brunch. There's also Villandry on Great Portland St. I'm not sure it's worth the price (ate there recently and was vaguely underwhelmed by my lamb -- very fresh but hardly exciting in flavour -- as opposed to say Alistair Little, great again tonight) but the room is great, and you might run into Ian McEwan buying vegetables ... You're near-ish to Queensway (Royal China for dim sum; Mandarin Kitchen for seafood); Purple Sage on Wigmore St (allegedly decent if unremarkable chain Italian; never been). And all those Middle Eastern places around Edgware Road. Borough: food market great, restaurant scene less so. But walk over the millennium bridge and you're not too far from Moro, St John, Smiths, Eyre Bros., Club Gascon, etc. etc. [edit confession: seems I can't spell millennium]

Time Out (which I use most; the best admixture of opinion, clarity and breadth of coverage for the capital) and GFG. I'm impressed by the level of consensus you're getting on this. [edit note: off-topic Sunday Times rant removed; make your own mind up when you get here]

Did Sông Quê a couple of times last week. Didn't retain enough detailed impressions for a full review, but -- [a] schizophrenic service. Waiters mostly very friendly, but on the first visit, after announcing ourselves and claiming our reserved table, we were approached by a rather hostile chap who seemed to think we'd grabbed the table. Having reassured him we had a reservation, we were then subject to a brief cross-question (what name had we booked under? etc). As we'd already dealt with all this and been seated by a colleague of his, this seemed a bit unnecessary. His subdued hostility continued throughout. His colleagues were lovely. slooooooow. On first visit, we had an hour to eat in. Rice paper rolls and phos (is that the plural?) came very quickly; green papaya salad so much later (and after several reminders) that we'd already asked for the bill and only downed a couple of mouthfuls before running out to try to make the Barbican in time for the film. On the second visit, we arrived at 9.15 and only half our food had come by 10.45. We weren't out until well after midnight (I think). Oh, and they forgot one dish entirely. [c] pho was very good. other dishes good but no fireworks. green papaya salad okay, and much less interesting than the rather spiffing version at Busaba Eathai (so shoot me). [d] no aircon. Last visit could almost have been in Vietnam for real. [e] seems to be doing very well, which partly accounts for but is no excuse. menu still huge as of Friday, and no sign of it 'putting people off'.

Yup, that was the pricing on the menu. Maybe they've already planned a date for a price hike. 'Flock' is a word the use of which I might dispute

Just following your lead

Logged on last night hoping for just such a last-minute post, and booked for the same evening. After a couple of decent if expensive drinks at Hakkasan, rolled up to Paolo's around 8.45. It has 50+ covers, of which maybe 5 were taken when we got there. At one point in the meal we were the only diners I think. The menu is as follows. 2 courses £14.50; 3 £17.50; 4 £20.50. Single pasta course £8.50; single main £12.50. Antipasti Insalata Natalia / cos lettuce salad with parmesan shavings and dressing Pomodorini e cornetti con formaggio di capra tiepido / french bean salad with marinated tomato and warm goat's cheese Melanzane al forno con mozzarella di bufala e basilico / buffalo mozzarella with baked aubergines and basil Lonza di maiale con rucola e cipolline al balsamico / smoked loin of pork with rocket salad, baby onions and balasmic dressing Prosciutto di parma in carta da musica e ricotta affumicata / parma ham with sardinian music paper bread and smoked ricotta Tagliata di tonno al limone e erbe aromatiche / thinly sliced tuna with lemon and aromatic leaves Gamberoni saltati con zafferano e patate croccanti / pan-fried king prawns with crispy potatoes and saffron vinaigrette Paste Zuppa di ceci e fregola / chick pea soup with fregola Reginette all'uovo con piselli e pancetta/home-made flat pasta with fresh peas and pancetta Spaghetti al filetto di pomodoro e basilico/spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce, garlic and basil Malloreddus con salsiccia, pomodoro e semi di finocchio / sardinian gnochetti with sausage, tomato sauce and fennel seeds Tagliolini Paolo / home-made tagliolini with courgettes and black truffle [i'm beginning to regret typing the whole thing out like this, but I can't stop now] Ravioli con ricotta di bufala e melanzane / home-made ravioli filled with buffalo ricotta and aubergines Linguine alle vongole / linguine with fresh clams, sweet chilli pepper and parsley Risotto agli asparagi / risotto with asparagus and parmesan cheese Secondi Peto di pollo alla brace con zucchine in tecia / char-grilled breast of chicken with braised courgettes and mixed leaves Fettinne di maiale ai ferri con fagioli bianchi / Char-grilled loin of pork with white beans and caper vinaigrette Agnello alla griglia con peperonata / char-grilled leg of lamb with stewed peppers Trancia di salmone al balasmico / pan-fried salmon with green beans and aged balsamic vinegar Merluzzo con lenticchie e salsa al prezzemolo / roasted cod with lentils and parsley sauce Contorni Roast potatoes, stewed peppers, green beans, pan-fried spinach all £2.50 Mixed salad £3 / Rocket & parmesan salad £3.50 Dolci Tiramisù Torta al limone e mascarpone con lamponi freschi / home-made lemon tart with mascarpone and fresh raspberries Gelato alla vaniglia con salsa al cioccolato e polpa di cocco / vanilla ice-cream with fresh coconut and chocolate sauce Torta al cioccolato con gelato al pistacchio / home-made chocolate cake with pistachio ice-cream Selezione di formaggo / selection of farmhouse cheeses The menu, not a particularly interesting one, is strikingly similar to that at Il Forno in Frith Street. I don't know if there's any close connection, although isn't Al Duca in the same group as IF? Anyway, at current prices Paolo is much better value, and to my memory the cooking here is substantially superior. I had the tagliata di tonno, which could easily have been rather flavourless and drab of texture, but in fact turned out very well indeed -- excellent fish on perfectly-dressed salad. I've had the same reginette dish at IF (and thought it not bad), but here it was several notches up (and considerably richer, so that the proffered parmesan would have been overkill). Very good, fresh pasta, pureed and whole peas, quite a bit of butter. My companion had the tagliolini with courgettes and black truffle, which was obviously good value, rich, and pungent. After this had no room for pudding (nothing cried out from the menu anyway). With a perfectly decent bottle of Cabernet (£16.50 from a moderate wine list), coffee, water, limoncello and service, £65.25. About which it's really impossible to complain. What with them having little else to do, we had long conversations with the waiter and manager, who told us the place had been nearly full the night before. They've been open about six weeks and deserve to be doing better; Percy Street is hardly a place for passing trade. A substantial part of our conversation with the manager (Sergio, I think, although having had several drinks by then I wouldn't swear to it) concerned the room, which they know they have a problem with. It certainly sends the wrong signals, and reminded me strongly of PizzaExpress, or the latter's pasta chain offshoot, the name of which escapes me: marble table tops, creamy-orangey decor, huge mirrors, etc. That the marble and mirror frames are from Italy and hugely expensive doesn't affect that. Other minor issues: the menu's printed funnily so many words seem to have spaces in the middle (distracting, and strangely not a problem with the copy they gave me to take away); wasn't wild about the bread (served with oil and balsamic for dipping); coffee could have been a bit better. But the cooking is very good, it's extremely good value, and I hope they evolve and survive. Drinks afterwards at 23 Romilly Street. What is this place?

I am incensed. I intend to picket outside RHR until they give Cabrales their private number, as well as home and mobile lines for all the key staff

I finally dragged myself the whole 20 minute walk over to Viet Hoa last night (very good catfish, good but slightly overfried Viet spring rolls, tough duck) -- and the very next day Time Out announces that it's far surpassed by Sông Quê, just up the road at no 134G. ('In fact we think that, at this moment, it has the best Vietnamese food in London'). So ... anyone been yet? Better do so quickly, as the 180-dish menu is about to be slimmed down to 70 because its length is apparently putting people off. Last chance to get your pho with tripe.

Well, if you do any theme parks, remember the cardinal rules: get up early and always turn left