Champagne Sadie

"cover charge" is something I expect to see in small restaurants on mainland Europe. Normally covers bread etc... Have not seen it in the UK.

Walls Vienetta

Possibly the funniest thing since Jasper Carrott - and he is a funny man.

I add to the recs of Bells Diner. The Muset is a safe bet too, and rather brilliantly, they don't charge corkage.

Both of last nights losers would have beaten tonights winner hands down.

This has to be the funniest thread in EG history. It's left me speechless.

Why would you do that? I think that you can get decent wine in Seattle.

CHECK HERE BEFORE YOU GO SHOPPING

It was my thinking when this series initially started that Leith and Peyton were totally the wrong judges for this type of food. You only have to look at the restaurants they run/own/execute. Staid, safe, boring, not heard of etc.... "Hot Pot" Salad, and a rather grusome looking cheese curd tart for "modern" British cuisine? I think I'll give the rest of the series a miss.

Sounds awful. Must be Gary Rhodes. ← Over to you Naebody

The Foie/peanut butter combo for me, did not work. Why waste good foie?

Steamed monkfish "scampi" with minestrone sauce Tuna fish steak with bitter red wine onions bread and butter pudding (Circa 1999) Easy Peasy.

Gilpin Lodge.

NOPE - Menu here

I think it it may have to be a gradual thing. It needs to start in infant school. Teach them that cooking can lead to good things. My mother taught me with fairy cakes, although nowdays I'm sure you can't let them like the bowl. . But, fairy cakes taught me that great things came from that hot thing in the kitchen. I was about 4. Then, progress to veggies, coleslaw is a good thing that they can have total responsibility over without cooking (I'm talking toddlers here). Peeling is a thing I get my godson involved with, he is 4 and loves hacking at spuds and parsnips, yes, with a safety peeler. Understanding ingredients is vital, and it's astonishing that some children don't under stand that beef=cow, pig=pork, milk comes from cows etc... Where I think the "powers that be" may have a problem, is that many of todays parents just don't have a clue as they have grown up in the super market generation, and thus don't understand why their children need to know.

Yep - rubbish.

I think Gordy will be the first to admit that he has never been a hands on papa.

Er, that would be by eating there very regularly over the last 4 years. How else would I know? ← Again you may 'not think it the same' but how do you conclude it is due to having a baby. I am genuinely intrigued. ← OK. Prior to the baby, Claude and Claire had the restaurant as their total focus - their “baby” so to speak. Every waking moment of theirs was spent in the restaurant, and Claude would spend many hours in the kitchen devising new recipes and experimenting with food. Meals I ate prior to the baby were outstanding, and at times had a significant amount of wow factor. Since the baby, Claude and Claire spend more time together as a family unit, they’ve told me so. Many of the items on the menu are tried and tested older recipes, and a tasting menu taken this summer held no new dishes for me, when on previous visits every dish I ate would be a new dish. Saying all this, I consider Hibiscus to be in my top 15 of worldwide restaurants, and I think that the move to London, coupled with increased competition will be the making of Claude. I hope this is satisfactory. Sadie.

I think its a bit soon.

Er, that would be by eating there very regularly over the last 4 years. How else would I know?

Arbutus getting a star is highly likely, but undeserved. L'atelier won't. L'Enclume won't. Hibiscus hasn't been the same since they had the baby. Won't get a 3rd star. Just my pennies worth.

Gourmet Burger Kitchens are good. Tayyabs in Whitechapel. There is a thread on here somewhere about this.

I'm sorry, but I find this to be one of the most patronising posts I have read in the history of EG. If you recall some of the worst meal"s" of your life in a LC, why on earth did you return?? Little Chef has been and will hopefully continue to be a valuable service to travellers and families for years to come. I don't eat in them, but know people that do, and you've basically just insulted them. What about people that just want a cup of tea? Or a Pee?

Le Champignon Sauvage was my stand out winner for 2006. 3 visits, with the food getting better each time. It was nice to go oop north and have a Sunday lunch at the Blacksmiths Inn with some very good friends. Anchor & Hope also very good.

Off Duty - The David Nicholls charity book Essence - D E-M. Didn't like the Aikens book, nor the Heston one.