rjs1

If you're taking away beans or ground coffee, the "Brunette" blend at the Algerian Coffee House always used to be excellent when I lived in the West End. Anyway, the coffee at Bar Italia, which used to be state-of-the art, has been pants for years. They gave up giving a stuff a long time ago. Monmouth at Monmouth St WC2 or Borough Market does it for me every time, but the seating at Monmouth St is torment, probably deliberately so as to prevent people lingering (to be fair there are only about twelve seats), so it's fine if you want a quick caffine fix but not if you want to stretch out the experience.

Unhappy feet....

Parsley in Time, perhaps?

A couple of years ago there used to be a fishmonger in Leadenhall Market, Linwoods or something like that I think they were called, that had them in season. However, with the sad conversion of what used to be a market of butchers and fishmongers into an anodyne shopping mall, courtesy of the Corporation of London, they've probably gone out of business. Any member work in EC3 and can update us?

As far as the Carmignano restaurants mentioned go Da Delfina: I think you would certainly need to book at any time. Likely to have someone who can speak some English. Cantina di Toia: No need to book except at a weekend. No one likley to speak English. La Bussola / Da Gino Probably need to book, especially to make sure that you are in the main room. Someone there likely to understand English. In any case, a good idea to at least check that they are open before setting off - many of the better places in rural Tuscany close for several weeks in the summer (usually in August). Bo dndnapo

Is the butcher the one featured in Bill Buford's book "Heat" ? Well worth reading before you go to Tuscany. De Delfina is a bit of trek from where you are. We spend a lot of time in Carmignano, but I haven't managed to eat at Da Delfina since I was a child. However, it is in a very beautiful village, it looks great from the outside and its local reputation is high. Our favourite two places in the Carmignano region are: (1) Cantina di Toia in Baccheretto Food isn't great, to be honest, but the space is incredible; the restaurant is in what was the kitchen of Leonardo da Vinci's granny's house; vast, completely smoke-blackened ceilings, a real sense of history to the place. The people are nice, its good value and there's a pleasant terrace to eat outside on. Best bet is simple things - I've had excellent spatchcocked chargrilled pigeon there, for example. Don't know the phone number, I'm afraid, but probably on google. (2) Albergo la Bussola /Ristorante da Gino in Catena This is on the main road from Firenze to Pistoia - about 23 km out of Firenze. As long as you like meat (they don't do fish, and vegetables are an afterthought), it's heaven. Great bistecca fiorentina, every kind of game imaginable - the owner is a fanatical huntsman - and a wonderful wine list. I once found a 1985 Villa di Capezzana Riserva on it for LESS than the Villa were selling it for at the cellar door the same day, and when I foolishly mentioned this to the owner he replied : "So? I bought it a long time ago..." Two starter options, Antipasti Toscana (good authentic traditional selection) and Antipasti della Casa (a bit fancy, but interesting). Pasta is good, but can be heavy on the butter and cream. Puddings are mainly bought-in tarts and cakes, but I think the ice cream is home made. One of the best meals I ever had was there, for six people, five courses, four bottles of wine, total bill about £100. however, that was 15 years ago and the prices have gone up a great deal since then. If booking, make sure you ask for the main room, or eat outside; the overflow rooms aren't so nice. Tel : 0573 743 128.

I think its now the York & Albany - or is that a separate place? ← Yes.

Or if they're fitting you in last minute to a restaurant that's fully booked later on?

Maze is open Sunday dinnertime, I think.

And they've got a nice private room. I think you'd struggle to get a meal in the private room at Pied a Terre for £50 to £60 a head for food.

Went for lunch a few weeks ago, for the first time in over a year, and thought it was really excellent, although drank far too much to remember details. Bill was over £100 a head, even with quite a lot of comp-ed wine, so it's a once a year treat.

Cheeses from Neals Yard; they pack them in solid cardboard boxes insulated with straw, which makes them perfectly safe in the hold. Don't know how the US food police would react, though.

Definitely not true - in fact, you will find it on many restaurant menus. Had them last week at Maze in a dish featuring beef cheek and tongue - very good it was too.

Matthew Fort - M Norman has a bit more hair! ← i can never remember which one it is, though i know they look completely different! ← Matthew Norman is the one who writes amusingly, Matthew Fort is the one who writes about a subject he actually knows something about. Hope that helps.

Wonderful value set lunch, according to Matthew Norman's recent review in the Guardian.

Foliage has a great atmosphere for a lunch in early summer because the view of Hyde Park is so lovely. Also while £400 wouldn't get you dinner for six with wine there, it'd stretch to some fairly good drinking for six at lunchtime.

His review today is 90% crap, literally, and has put me off food for the rest of the day.

There was nothing cruel about the way our livers got in this state.

You didn't like it much yet you went twice in one day?

They've just put a sign in the window saying that due to popular demand they are now opening Thursday and Friday lunchtime. The power of e-gullet?

Two of us had the FT lunch at Arbutus today (Monday). No problem booking four days ago, but the restaurant was packed. I thought that it was good value. Three courses, three choices a course, plus a third of a bottle of wine a head (choice of Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc), all for £20.08 excluding service. If I remember correctly, the normal set lunch is two choices a course and costs £15.50 (?). We both chose a salad of pink fir potatoes and ox tongue - good earthy tastes, although the presence of raw onion was going to be a bit hard on my guest's colleagues when he returned to his shared office. The Merlot was a good match for this course. We both chose pollack with chorizio as a main course - nice piece of fish, although at these prices I suppose the portion control had to be a bit fierce. I had baked rice pudding to finish, served in a miniture iron casserole - perfect nursery food, although I'd have loved a spoonful of jam to stir into it (perhaps I should have asked). With an extra glass (125ml, I think) of wine (a Picpoul de Pinet at £3.95), two coffees and service charge, the bill was just over £55. Service was charming and professional, an improvement over my only previous visit.

If you want to taste what's happening new Nordic cuisine-wise in London, try Texture, which has an Icelandic chef, for lunch, when all dishes (admittedly in pared-down portions) are £8.50. Rather than the River Cafe, Theo Randall's set lunch is equivalant quality, a fraction of the price and off Park Lane rather than off Hammersmith Broadway.

Drinking water?

It was a great place - the fig tarte was particularly good, if I remember.