Andrew

I would also put some in a traditonal Pimms. The other drink it goes well with is Hendricks gin with tonic. It doesn't work with other gins but seems to be perfect with Hendricks. Andrew

Are you planning to issue an iphone version? Andrew

Just been speaking to someone who went. One of their party loved it, one hated it and the other two felt it was a mixed experience. I can't work out whether it is the love / hate of Marmite or just such poor vfm that the food is good but just not worth the cost. I'm pleased I didn't get my credit card out (although I very nearly did) although would be interested to go as someones guest Andrew

Couldn't agree with Simon_S more.

One of the things I look for when eating out is whether it is something I can't cook at home. Far to often the 'local Italian' or Gatro-pub produce something that I could cook just as well at home (if I had the time!). Personaly I'd prefer to eat out less often and go to somewhere really nice than pay £40 a head for something I can produce at home.Needless to say it never works like that and I still frequent the 'locals' on a regular basis........ Andrew

Interesting post on the actual food (rather than the spelling of a particular type of shellfish!). David I particularly enjoyed the full report on your blog. I've been to Hibiscus a couple of times. Both times the food was excellent, there always seems to be something that was not quite to my taste but I can recognise the quality of the cooking and presentation. Your post has made me think it may be time for another visit, whether it has made me decide to change ovens is another matter Andrew

Sounds like a wonderful evening supporting an excellent charity. Andrew

Ian - the menu seems a fair bit longer than the standard tasting menu. Is this because it was 'something special' or just a few unadvertised extras? I have finally got around to gettng a table and looking forward to a visit next month. Andrew

Well I finally made it. After three long months the execution actually lived up to the hype - much to my suprise! I was with a work colleague so wasn't able to take detailed notes so this is from memory. We went for the set lunch. Amazing value at £22 for 3 courses or £26 for four. I arrived 30 mins early for the booking and was shown to the table and offered a drink. Five glasses of fizzy are on offer and I opted for an excellent glass of Ruinart (£16). A NV Moet & C was available at £11(?) and a vintage Dom P (2003) at £35. It came served with some excellent fresh green olives. My companion turned up and joined me with a glass of the Ruinart. We opted for the set lunch menu and were not disappointed. The 'famed' fresh bread in a bag was served with good freshly curned butter. Next up were the starters of peas with mint and mixed alliums in a chilled pine infusion. Both were excellent with the onions winning the contest (just). A fish course consisted of either charred organic salmon, samphire and grapes or ling with lemon verbena. I thought the ling was slightly better although my guest preferred the salmon. Both were hits. The mains were good but not quite of the same standard. They consisted of a barbecued lamb shoulder or a rabbit pie (with jersey potatoes, broad beans and sweetcorn in a buttermilk sauce. In their own way they both lacked something. the lamb had a good flavour but lacked a 'wow' and the rabbit pie looked amazing but was overwelmed by a little to much sweetcorn. Onto the dessert. We opted for raspberries with strained yogurt and the chocolate ganache with basil moss and sheeps milk ice cream. The raspberries were good and matched the description perfectly while the chocolate ganache was one of the best puddings I have had for some time. The chocolate came at a £5 supplement but wa swell worth it. All of this was washed down with 1/2 a bottle of Torrontes and 1/2 a bottle of Cotes du Rhone (£14.50 and £15.50, 2 coffees (£3 each) and a wonderful cannele, sponge cakes baked in beeswax with a really flavoursome cherry on top. With 12.5% service the total bill for two came to £144. There were two choices for each course of the set lunch so we just ordered one of each except when it came to the desserts when we ordered from the main menu. The portions were smallish which made the fish course ideal. The food was great, excelent value of money and I would return next week given the chance. I sat down at 12.30, my companion at 1pm and we left at 3pm. We were not rushed, no pressure to 'release' the table an dgiven how small the dining room is (less than 40 covers) that is real credit. The trouble is getting back! They are booking for lunch in November (I secured a reservation on the way out) and if you want dinner - it is April 2013!!! The fact I booked for 5 months time immediately afterwards sums up my view. Andrew

Oh to be on the guest list for that!

Not a winner of the best Burger in London award but possibly the best value for money award - Byron. I had a quick burger there the other day and was really impressed. It is an upmarket fast food joint, similar to GBC but the burgers are excellent. Ok, they are not up to Goodman or Hawksmoor standard at ~£10 for a burger and chips they are great value.

Most places serve a decent version. It is difficut to go to wrong. Locals all have their favourite place but usually it is noting to do with the muscles and relates to the choice of sauce, type of chips or atmosphere of the place.

This is one of those places I have not been to but have been meaning to go for a few years and never quite made it. When I want to go they never seem to have availability. Not having been there I can't comment on whether they deserve their stars but what I do know is I must make the effort to get there and soon. Andrew

Or I have been lucky. Having said that the really good stuff we have had has been in the last 7 days and not earlier in the season. Andrew

I have never seen the Michelin criteria so I judge things on my views and a comparision with other restaurants I have been to. In the last year that has ranged from 'locals' all the wall through to 3 Star 'celebrity' chefs. Everywhere can have an off day, it is disappointing for the customers on that day but these things happen. Some restaurants regularly get good feedback from a range of people, guides and blogs others seem to recieve a mixed reception. I have been CS twice, once I had a very good meal and one it was average and certainly not up to the standard I have had in far cheaper and restaurants with less awards. I'm not an inspector but it is clear there is real ability and real talent in the team here, it just doesn't deliver all the time.

Is it my imagination or is the English asparagus particularly good this year? The bunches we have tried (from Tescos and Sainsburys) have been excellent as have the portions tried in various restaurants (ranging from high end to our local 'gastropub'). It seems to have even more flavour than usual this year.

Interesting David, I've been there twice. Once had one of the best meals ever and the other was totally average. Given the same person is behind the stove each night it is somewhat surprising. The one thing you expect for somewhere with a star (or in this case 2) is consistency. Andrew

Do have a look at the 'restaurants in Prague' topic in this forum. Although many of the posts are fairly old the place I visited last November can be found at http://forums.egullet.org/index.php/topic/5024-restaurants-in-prague/page__pid__1851019__st__120#entry1851019 Andrew

I visited here on recommendation from a friend and had a great time. The menu in the evening is wonderful, so many things I could have chosen. We started with cocktails, good flavour and a liberal amount of alcohol. Starters were borchst which was clear and flavoursome and a simple dish of excellent English asparagus with hollandaise, salt and pepper (£10.50) - simple and really fresh. The mains were pork belly (£22) and a lobster curry (£32). Both were well executed. The pork came on a bed of red cabbage with black pudding and the belly was felt in the mouth but with a crispy top. I ordered an additional side of minted peas. The curry was served with various smaller dishes, popadom and rice. With a bottle of Gavi the bill with service came to £140. The decor is great and the booth we had was meant for four so was spacious. It would have been a little cramped for four. Downstairs is a bar area with the same interesting decor. I would certainly go back. It is not cheap but the staff and friendly and professional, the evening menu gives so much choice and it is a fun place to visit. Much has been made of the 'push for chamagne button' which we did not use. There is a russian theme through the menu which made it interesting and the wine list is long and varied with some top wines with minimal mark ups. Andrew

There has been much written recently about Purnells. I have seen a number of good reviews (including on this forum) from people whose views I respect, so I decided to visit during a recent trip to Birmingham. I had visited the chef's previous restaurant, Jessica's, many years ago and hated it. I disliked the room, felt the service was up its own back side and the food did not impress me - I don't remember why, only that I didn't like it. I vowed never to return. That vow carried over to Purnells. I was really pleased I broke that vow! I arrived early and had a drink in the bar area. The decoration of the bar and the restaurant oozes class and has enough that is interesting to take it far from the bland, safe hotel style that so many starred restaurants seem to strive to achieve. To accompany my drink there was a Parmesan choux puff which was flavoursome and light. Served warm it was pleasant and different. A good selection of olives were also provided. Numerous drinks we available (as you would expect) although somewhat unusually they also offer Krug by the glass (£30). There was no a la carte on the night I visited. You were offered a choice of an 8 course 'tour of Purnells' (all their signature dishes) for £80 or a 6 course seasonal menu for £60. The seasonal menu looked lovely but I opted for the signature dishes. A selection of wines is offered for £65. The food was excellent as was the service. A small sliced loaf of bread appeared with a very lightly whipped butter and a small pile of salt. The bread was plain, nothing fancy, but with great flavour and one of the best breads I've had served in a restaurant. A amuse bouche of leek and potato velouté started the tour. It was served with crispy pearl barley, crime fraiche and chive oil. It was tasty and a nice freebie. I wasn't sure what the crispy barley added, except texture, and why there was a need for a large quantity of creme fraiche. There was nothing wrong with having the barley or creme fraiche but just no real reason. The first course was poached egg yolk, smoked haddock milk foam, cornflakes and curry oil. This was good, although described as smoked haddock milk foam there was plenty of flavour and chunks of haddock. The cornflakes didn't add anything apart from texture (a bit like the barley in the amuse bouche). It was very enjoyable although came served tepid. I always prefer something to be hot or cold, that luke warm feeling I'm never convinced works. It arrived with a couple of very tasty and crisp smoked haddock croquettes. It was served with a very interesting white wine from Japan. Next up was described as emotions of cheese and pineapple on sticks "soixante-dix" with an excellent Macon. This mix of pineapple, goats cheese, whipped curd and dried pineapple was fun and had good flavours. A salad of crab, apple and celeriac purée and smoked paprika honeycomb followed. With was delicious. The apple and crab complemented each other perfectly. Next was the highlight (for me). Carpaccio of beef with red wine octopus, home corned beef and pickled onions, served with a full bodied Pinot noir from new Zealand. Everything about this dish worked, the octopus was a tender as I have ever had and the combination of flavours was just amazing. Then came monkfish masala with Indian red lentils, pickled carrots, coconut and coriander. The flavours were exactly what it said on the tin, a fun play on a Birmingham curry. The monkfish was cooked to a superb standard, tender and flavoursome. It was spicy without being mouth numbing hot. This was served with a Gewürztraminer. The main course was slow cooked lamb with basil emulsion, braised fennel and pickled cucumber. This was my least favourite dish. There was nothing wrong with it, it just was not to my taste. I found the lamb a little to fatty and rich after eating so much. We then moved onto the desserts. The first dessert was simply described as 'chocolate'. It was a very sweet, rich and slightly warm chocolate mouse served with a mango sorbet. It came with a couple of chocolate and passion fruit truffles. This was served with a glass of Krug. Next up was one of the nicest puddings I have had for some time. A custard cream served in an egg shell. This was served with red wine soaked strawberries. In terms of wine there was a perfectly acceptable dessert wine but interestingly they were offering a glass of Chateau d'Yquem 1996 as a supplement (£40 for 50ml). A real treat. Mention was made on the menu of cheese being available at a supplement (£9.50) but it wasn't offered to me so I can't comment on their cheese selection. Coffee and petit fours followed and were included in the price. It was a really good meal, with interesting well executed cooking and an imaginative selection of wine. I'm disappointed that it had taken me so long to visit and I would certainly go again. Andrew

Off there in just over a month and really looking forward to it. I can't remember the last time I booked somewhere 3 months in advance and feel I did well to get a table!

Given the cost of the Goodman or Hawksmore burger this would have to be fairly amazing for £20. The lobster sounds good value. Andrew

Finally made it to Dublin and had dinner in Thorntons. The food was good, we went for their 'a la carte' at euro78. 3/4 choices for each course. My partner had the vegetarian version. The food was very good, as good 1star cooking as I have had but the portions were very small and it was expensive. I realised the £ to euro exchange rate does not help but it was still over priced. The menu was fine but it was the add ons. We started with 2 glasses of champagne. The only champage they do by the glass (except rose) is a Bollinger at e23 a glass. Two half bottles of wine (a Sancerre at e35 and a Gevrey Chambertin at e55) added to the bill. The wines were good and not to badly priced for half bottles. Two glasses of dessert wine at e15 were pushing it for value for money and a mint tea at e7 was well over priced. With service the total bill came to e377. The food was well executed, presented beautifully and well served. The portion sizes were more suited to the tasting menu and needed to be larger for a 3 course offering even with an extra amuse to start and a pre dessert. The vegetarian menu was excellent although also suffered from being small portions. Would I go back - yes but I would have the tasting menu, skip a glass of champagne and mint tea. Andrew

Unfortunately most of the discussion is around Michelin what I'm really interested in is how the AAA diamond system works and whether you can compare a AAA 4 diamond with a 2 Star. Any views out there? Andrew

Has anyone been here recently? I'd been interested in some views? Thanks Andrew