chrisp

Whenever I've made lobster bisque it's taken DAYS, never mind hours

Andy Hayler (who has more resources than me to visit any new restaurants) also rates the Ambassade, and the new Connaught place. Myself, I'm in love with the relaunched Bacchus, and not least because it's so damn, damn cheap.

What was annoying last night was that none of the chefs on monday should of gone through and 2 if not 3 should of gone through last night. If they are all cack none of them should be going through. It's the fact that the show it's all so template driven every sigle episode and second Cooking Doesn't get better than this, Two michelin stars since 1991, he understands flavour, right that's him discarded and leaves these two head to head. I do think Michel Roux jr is doing a great job and coming across really well, actually telling people the secret of teaching the classics and getting these classics on TV everynight. ← It's the first "reality" cooking series I've actually been able to watch, and I have a horrible feeling I'm getting addicted. Last nights were all of a much higher standard than before - I really felt sorry for that Scottish fella who would have wiped the floor with most of last week's lot. And yes, M. Roux does a great job in analysing the strengths and weaknesses of each chef, but Baldy Greg is completely useless - all he can do is stand there agreeing with his colleague and trying not to look too out of his depth.

I'm not sure this is evidence of "friction" - at least not of any new friction. You can't add the drinks at Claridges Bar to your restaurant meal there, either.

Agreed. Apart from a couple the standard's been dire. No wonder it's such hard work getting a decent restaurant meal in this country. ← Notice how one of the biggest honours they give a dish is that they would pay for it. I should hope so! They are professional chefs! ← Haha - an excellent point. These people are charging real money to actual punters right now in their restaurants, and as far as I could tell M. Roux has said he would be happy to pay for about 2 of the 24 or so dishes (one guy's omelette I think, and that brie risotto) so far served up in the first week!

Haha! Hopefully never, bloody ripoff joint.

Was there any American legal reason not to just pay the $4,000 and tell them to pursue the no-shows-ers for the $1,200? What would they have done, refused to serve you the $4,000 meal and lost this? ← I'm guessing, if it's anything like the places in London that charge no-show fees, that they pre-authorised their credit cards so if they'd all had left whoever's card it was would have been stung for $2000. ← that's nothing like London. the credit card companies refuse to authorise such charges in the UK. a challenge to the relevant card company will do the trick nicely. ← Do you mean they don't charge for no-shows, or they don't pre-authorise in the same way?

Was there any American legal reason not to just pay the $4,000 and tell them to pursue the no-shows-ers for the $1,200? What would they have done, refused to serve you the $4,000 meal and lost this? ← I'm guessing, if it's anything like the places in London that charge no-show fees, that they pre-authorised their credit cards so if they'd all had left whoever's card it was would have been stung for $2000.

Scoop in Covent Garden has been getting good press recently.

Forgive me for asking what could be a naive question, but what exactly could Wareing mean when he talks of being "restricted"? I was under the impression that Petrus was Wareing's world and he could put pretty much what he liked on the menu. Or is it just a case of him getting resentful of Gordon taking a cut of the profits?

The Fox in Shoreditch doesn't add a service charge on, at least not in the bar area. But that's fairly unique in my experience.

ALmost certainly not. Bumped into James Nathan at an event and he said he was considering taking a stage at Le Gavroche. I told him he'd be insane not to do it. Clearly he's not insane. ← Ah, well, good for him.

Have they written it up yet? Can't see anything on the site.

Also - I've just had a flashback from last weekend, and I'm pretty sure I remember seeing the guy with the long curly hair who won Masterchef manning Le Gavroche's stall. Was I seeing things?

It would help visitors afford to be able to eat it. S ← I wouldn't mind paying restaurant prices for restaurant-quality food. Can't afford to sample Le Gavroche, L'Atelier, Sumosan, Rhodes etc. in a week by dining there, but it would have been nice to actually sample at least good quality food from all of these and more. As it stands it's like a BBQ party with loads of free booze and Boris Johnson to open it. Wonder why GR didn't have a stand this year? ← Maybe because Marcus Wareing did I went on Saturday evening and really enjoyed it. AND I payed for my own ticket. Had a few little bits from the restaurant stalls, the highlight being Gary Rhodes' brilliant white tomato soup. It is a bit pricey I suppose but it's London innit. There's also plenty of free stuff if you stick your neck out a bit (sausage rolls, mmm). Full report here. I am definitely going next year - maybe the next 12 months will give me time to find some friends who work for BA...

I've been twice for lunch and had a lovely experience both times. And if you avoid wine it's almost a bargain. Almost.

Hmm... I suppose that subjective reactions are likely to vary more wildly with a new, generally 'unknown' cuisine of this sort, just as they do at some of the worst/best excesses of mg/culinary constructivism. ... Perhaps if they dropped the label "cheese" it would help ← Or perhaps if they just put it in inverted commas! I agree - it tasted nothing like cheese but was nice anyway. Somewhere as wildly experimental and different as SAF doesn't need to make any concessions towards suspicious meat-eaters, in my opinion. Having said that, I don't think I would have tried that brilliant 'BLT-substitute' had it not been called a TLT...

I'm the same nikkib - was incredibly suspicious at first but really won over by the food. Since my first visit I've been back twice and each time has improved. I can particularly recommend the 'TLT' (tofu, lettuce and tomato) which has lovely crispy smokey tofu that really does taste like bacon! An extraordinary achievement, I have no idea how they can make something that tastes JUST like a BLT out of vegetables. And yes the cocktails are superb. Next time you go, try the Gin and Tarragon one. My full review here: http://cheesenbiscuits.blogspot.com/2008/0...shoreditch.html

Most - £150 a head at the Square, Mayfair. Worth every penny though 'as it 'appens. Cheapest and most spectacular - Tayyabs, every time. But also honourable mention goes to La Cerisiae in Paris. I had hazlenut soup followed by Pyrenean suckling lamb, followed by a chocolate dessert so extraordinary I ordered another one.

There used to be a quite nice restaurant called Ariva in Formby - it lasted about 6 months. Shame. Is the Left Bank Brasserie still going? That was always OK for a cheap dinner. In Southport the best thing you can do is get some fish and chips - my favourite is the Swan. Ludicrously cheap too.

This looks right up my alley. I'll have to go soon. I think it's the kind of thing that DH go for, too!

Hmm - I didn't think much of Trinity, although it's certainly cheaper than most tasting menus. I've stopped choosing tasting menus recently for the reason you've given - they are usually frustratingly 'bitty' and overpriced.

This is unusual in my experience. Every time I've been for dinner I've had at least 2 or 3 extra courses, and my sister had 1 or 2 extra when she went for lunch the other week, she tells me.

Amazing! On a side note, I love the A & H, as well as their other place, Great Queen Street. I don't really mind the atmosphere, esp. after a bottle of wine waiting in the pub. Everything seems very chaotic, but they always bring the delicious food promptly. For those against waiting I'd recommend coming on a Sunday when they take reservations. ← Yeah, Great Queen Street is fantastic, and my experiences there have been uniformly pleasant. And you know why? Cos you can book a frickin' table.

Yes, I'm sure they're making a killing, it's just not for me. Call me neurotic, but if I plan a trip for food I want to be reasonably sure I'll enjoy the experience when I get there.