nikkib

I know it is a shame when floor staff don't "buy in" to the restaurant and understand it is difficult (and frustrating) when the chefs passion is not reflected front of house, this is why I think that news like Michelin is so important to try to enthuse them with the fact that they have all been recognised and rewarded for their hard work not just the chefs - even when it gets down to money - buy them all a beer, thank them for their hard work and remind them that this type of recognitition will, if they work on it see the restaurant get busier and busier and this will be reflected in their salary/tips. In fairness i haven't eaten at Arbutus yet, so will reserve judgement until then - Even if the floor staff don't see it as that big a deal, i would like to congratulate them all and look forward to eating there soon

They hava lot in common but i think they are essentially pretty different - i know a lot of kiwis/aussies who swear by vegemite but won't touch marmite. I find them preet similar but think vegemite is better for hangovers as it is not as sharp as marmite and has a deeper flavour

But Tony ate there the lunch after it was published so everyone would have already seen it, i would have expected the staff to be visibly buzzing about it I would be very surprised if they didn't want to pass the news on to their team until it was published anyway - surely its something to celebrate with your team and make sure they are well informed - if the waiters aren't aware of newly awarded michelin status hows their menu knowledge etc?

That works - my sister will literally try it withanything, i also add a bit to cream chheese andeat with celery/carrot sticks Vegemite seems better on bread not toast and is an excellent hangover cure - all that vit b12 etc is quite salty so makes you drinka lot of water too which can't hurta hangover!

chefs find out the day before so can only assume the staff were poorly briefed/not bothered

Not as painful as some of the ones suggested here but when i waitressed back in my school days we used to get the guys in the pot was to chop flour because the chef needed fine grain flour and we once sent a guy to the butchers for chicken lips

Try marmite and cheese together - like gouda or cheddar, on hot buttered toast/sandwiches and its also good with cheese and baked beans on toast - mmmmmmm The English ad campaign is centered around the fact you either love it or hate it

The Tasting menu at Petrus is £80 for 8 courses - A la carte is £60 and it was by far and away the best meal I ate in London last year simply outstanding, the wine list has plenty of choice on it for those of us who cannot afford Chateau Petrus (yet!) too, We had a table at 7pm and left at nearly midnight what with ordering a middle course on top of cheese and a tour of the kitchen.Cannot recommend it highly enough.

Try The Savoy Grill, Their Private room seats around 50 and would be within your price range.

Thats as well as maybe but not really the point - Substituting london for england is kinda a big "typo"

turn right at the second star and straight on till morning.

Ummm, The Platt review mentions that "his eponymous establishment in Chelsea is the only one in England to be awarded three Michelin stars", I'm assuming he means of Gordons restaurants as The Fat Duck in Bray also has three as does The Waterside Inn (in Bray as well)

I'm sure this has already been covered but THE SILVER SPOON is great

Try Jasmine tea with stoli raspberry vodka, shaken with a couple of fresh raspberries, ice and a little cranberry juice i like it short like a martini but it works long over ice too - jasmine teabreeze, mmmmm

Most of the ramsay restaurants do a set lunch from between £21 and £30 www.toptable.co.uk has details

order online from matthew walker - they seem to have lots of deliveries to the states - simply the best shop bought xmas pud around

Is Tonys pizzeria still open? that was a great local italian - scampi pizzas etc and a great, genail host. If it is i would highly recommend that

great thanks! will do

The Silver Spoon - the ultimate in Italian cooking was transalted for the first time last year into english should be bale to get that on amazon - worth checking out. No italian home is complete without one

Can anyone help with a recipe for a great ginger margharita?

ok so am back from belfast - suitably knackered but what fun! Mollys yard was a lovely start to our stay, small menu only about 10 dishes in total but we were spoiled for choice, i settled on a seafood chowder, mussels, salmon, smoked haddock etc and some very tasty potato wedges, good price winelist and as it was a brewery a 1/2 of Belfast blonde lager which was also very good. Very good cheese plate, all irish, cashiel blue , a porter cheese, gubbeen and an irish brie with what tasted like homemade cheese biscuits and chutney. All in all Yum - service was well meaning but so laid back it was almost horizontal but i was on holiday so hey! Michael deanes restaurant (1 michelin star) was absolutely delicious - cannot recommend it highly enough lovely ambience, charming staff and the food.... We had scallops with buerre noisette and black pudding, Studffed loin of rabbit with sage risotto and seabass/halibut with cockles, mussels etc. Assiette of desserts was perfect way to finish about 10 different things and all delicious and not too filling, good, inexpensive winelist too - If you are looking for a special meal check it out. The A la carte menu was £42 for 3 courses, coffees £3 Plenty of wines under £30 too, i would go back in a shot and as he has the deli and brasserie too you should try to make it to one of them. Rain City for brunch filled up with kiddies at about 12.30 but until then laid back, relaxed perfect hangover food, eegs florentine were cooked to perfection, the full fry up looked great, pancakes, museli etc All in all worth the visit. Cocktails at malmaison worth a trip too!

i thought it was a great read - obviously very biassed in places but i read it cover to cover in pretty much one sitting, well written too

a martini - brand to be decided on how hard the day has been - from bombay (lime twist)or hendricks(cucumber) to tanqueray ten for when you need the rest of the bottle just to recover. " A martini is like a womens breasts - one is never enough and three is always too many!" I can never remeber who that quote is by but think it sums martrini etiquette up pretty well

in terms of aesthetics for the selection - yes! Whilst obviously not a hard cheese in terms of say cheddar it has a much firmer consistency than the others in the selection and a hard rind which is where the term is intended and so would prove a nice counter balence flavour and texture wise to the others.

I would go for 5 pieces one goats cheese - (like a sainte maure) one creamy cheese ( this time of year a Vacherin would be perfect) one blue cheese (like a fourme d'ambert) one hard cheese ( appenzeller/morbier/a "tomme" etc) and a stronger washed rind cheese to round up (Epoisses etc) All different flavours/textures - you could do different countries too so a nice stilton or a Cashiel Blue for an British blue cheese or a hard Cornish Yarg or mature cheddar Fleur de maquis (although ewes milk) from corsica on the goat side is delicious too! Happy eating