Barney

Chavot also served one of the finest truffle risottos I have ever eaten.

I had the pleasure of being invited to the Capitals 30th anniversary dinner earlier this year. Every course was a marvel (but why do certain posh chefs still insist on reducing their gravy’s to marmite???). The two that really stuck with me were the veal sweetbreads and snails with a horseradish cappuccino and the black truffle ice cream for dessert. I thought the ice cream was going to just be a gimmicky way of using truffles but the earthy flavour of the truffles worked really well with the frozen sweetened cream

Aikens used to employ a deaf chef. When he needed to get the chefs attention he would spray him with a water mister from across the kitchen. Equal opportunities? Wojja reckon?

When Richard Neat was behind the stoves, PaT served the best value haute cuisine lunch in London, Aikens seemed to step into the role rather well still offering very interestingly technical food for the money. But for some reason (maybe instinct) I haven't been back in years. I never had a problem with the room I thought the Warhol prints made an interesting change. Andy, do you know whatever happened to Aikens? There was a while when he was being billed as the prodigy of haute cuisine, I loved his cooking, maybe it had something to do with his time spent with koffman.

I've eaten at racine twice now, both for lunch and dinner, and both times I have found the food exemplary. The tete’ de veau was the best I have eaten this side of the channel, (like Matthew Fort I ordered it as a homage to my mother) and the mont-blanc was everything it should be. I do agree about the liquorice ice cream though, both times I have been my dinner guests have sent it back.