Mrs Foodie

I have a friend coming over who loves curry and was wondering if anyone has any recommendations for a really good curry in the Richmond area?

This seems to be a very old topic which has been rejuventated! My money is on either the Bingham in Richmond, which has just won its first Michelin star and I had a fab lunch there the other day - very reasonable and surprisingly busy for this time of year (but the newly acquired star will have helped!) The other one we like is Brula in St Margaret's - it has retained a bib gourmand for many years and is, I believe a sister restaurant to La Buvette (which is also excellent - had a really good girls night there only last week).

Has anyone been to Bingham in Richmond? I've heard good things about it - the chef used to work with John Campbell and was most recently at the Endsleigh in Devon

I think it is boil food (for that read oats) and place in a drawer. Then, when the oats are dried, cut a cube to take with you for your breakfast or lunch. Of course this is pre the famous "get food, dip it in batter and deep fry and serve with chips (French fries) and ketchup" which is the Scots ethos today!

I have been to dinner with a friend in Twickenham who bought a lobe of fresh foie gras from their local fish and game merchant - Sandys I think it is called. It was delicious, she gave me some to take home and cook - I served it with a few slices of fresh mango which cut through the richness really well and was an interesting mix of textures and temperatures.

Very late reply to your post about pubs near Chichester Nikkib, but have you tried the Earl of March in Levant? It is run by the ex executive chef of the Ritz Hotel and by all accounts the food is pretty good. I've not had a full meal there but had one course in the bar and it was excellent. (pigeon breast salad). I tasted my companion's venison casserole and that was pretty good as well. They specialise in seafood and game (according to season). We called by en route home after a sailing trip from Chichester so it is pretty handy as on the main route to Midhurst. I think the owners have got another pub up the road as well now. Would be interested to hear anyone else's reports on anything else good in the area.

Anyone been to Ambassade de l'Ile recently? I'm thinking of going there for dinner next week.

Thanks for that - do you rate Clivia or not any more? I remember Los Farolles from long ago!

Has nobody on the forum been to Majorca since last year??? We are off to Pollensa next month and I haven't been for many years. I recall Clivia being good and from other websites it still seems to be holding its own. Not planning to travel too far on this trip but any advice on any other good eateries in the general Pollensa, Alcudia area would be much appreciated!

I totally agree. I took a group of clients to the Fat Duck some years ago and it was a big mistake. They weren't foodies and of course had heard of the place and were desperate to go. The food wasn't enjoyed that much by most of them, which spoilt my enjoyment. I do feel sorry for Heston - and agree that he is handling it extremely well. He said on Breakfast TV today that he would personally phone all the customers and I believe him! That said, I have also spoken to a few chefs who feel that some of the strange cooking methods are an accident waiting to happen.

I do think it would be so much better if we were told the type of place they worked. Tonight's programme seemed rather unbalanced to say the least (but Greg did get his word in first on at least one occasion - rest of the time echoed M Roux's comments). They seem to have picked some quite cocky ones and I wish there were more girls - the one last night didn't do the female sex much good in the kitchen stakes. How many more times are we going to hear them say "I want to have my own restaurant, with a Michelin star", as if it is some kind of magic wand! I hope they do Iles Flotantes......

I think it would be wonderful to bring back the old, original Roux Brothers series. They are so funny together and it would be a good preamble to a new series altogether - maybe using two generations of Roux's - after all, Alain and Michel junior hold five Michelin stars between them, don't they, and I think their respective fathers are still pretty involved in the respective restaurants. I think there is another generation waiting in the wings too, Michel junior has a teenage daughter who has been seen helping out at Taste of London on the Gavroche stand.

Forgive me, but I assumed that most of the competitors, while chefs, weren't necessarily cooking in restaurants. I thought that was the whole point of the programme? There are lots of other places which need to have catering but the guests/inmates/students/patients can vary, as does the quality of the food.

You don't say if this is your first visit to London - if it is, you might consider some with spectacular views or those in amazing buildings as well, of course, as serving good food. Galvin at Windows, for example, has stunning views of Hyde Park, and the Mandarin Oriental is in such a spectacular setting, especially with the views of the Park.

Michel Roux junior looks pretty scary when he wanders round - I'd be terrified if I was cooking in front of him. The comment about him always giving his opinion first is very interesting - maybe Greg feels intimidated by him and he doesn't by John T? From the two episodes we've had so far it has been pretty easily to determine who is going to win - hopefully that will change and add some excitement. I think Roux junior is good, he scoffs the food in a far more delicate way than Greg, who generally makes you feel quite ill with all his chop licking and lip smacking. I think the programme shows lots of potential and is far more classy than it was before - it is just a shame that they still use those dreadful cliches.