rjs1

The Capezzana is also under the River Cafe label (in Sainsburys, or used to be), as well as under its own label from Liberty as you say.

I think that the oil might have been from Tenuta di Capezzana, west of Florence; we had it at Theo Randall recently and it's really distinctive, lightish in colour and and very peppery. Having been to both River Cafe and Theo Randall, I disagree with the previous post about Theo Randall not being in the same league, by the way - a Monday lunch there a few weeks ago was spot on, amazing value, and you don't need a compass and helicopter back-up to venture down to Hyde Park Corner. We had: bruschetta with that amazing oil; extremely fresh crabmeat with aioli and green salad; ravioli stuffed stuffed with chopped greens and served with a lovely buttery sauce; chargrilled squid with beans and chilli; tart filled with an amazing lemon custard. The only fault we could find was that the pastry of the tart was a little underdone. I didn't see the bill, but I think that it was about £22 a head for the food (sharing the lemon tart between two), which I guess from the posts above is about 35% of what it would have been at the River Cafe and just as good. It would be a lot more expensive in the evening, of course, but not quite in the River Cafe price league even then.

Aren't they notorious for eating absolutely anything?

There was a specialist selling goat meat at the farmers' market in Queens Park, London NW6 a few days ago - and I think I've seen the same stallholder at Borough Market occasionally. Maybe the Borough Market Trustees' office or Henrietta Green's office could put you in touch with them and you could ask them what sort of demand they find for it? I've cooked kid from this supplier and it was ok but not thrilling - maybe it would have been more exciting chargrilled. Wasn't there an American comedian who said "I love kids, but I couldn't eat a whole one"?

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It's designed for older children, but has anyone tried the (one Michelin *) Roussillon "parent & child" deal recently? According to the GFG 2007, "children get their own seven course mini-gastronomic menu". The principle sounds great. Jay Rayner went to review it a while ago with his son, and if I remember he thought that the kitchen was dealing with it brilliantly but FoH seemed to have an attitude problem about kids in the restaurant. I met the Roussillon sommelier at a wine tasting last week and he said that they could accomodate a three year old and a five year old.

Fifth, surely?

Another sweet red wine from Liberty and also a good match with chocolate pudding is Bodega Castano Monastrall (sp) Dulce. However, I think a Maury or Banyuls are also worth considering.

Le Pain Quotidien do a really good baguette at the moment - much better than Maison Blanc or Baker & Spice, I think. However, Baker & Spice (in Salusbury Road, Queens Park/Clifton Road, Little Venice) are good for many other breads, including miche and a potato & rosemary bread. Hard to beat their croissants, too - mind you, it's harder to pay more for one either. De Gustibus in Borough market (leek & bacon bread) is worth a try.

I used to live about 100 yards from this and the smells emerging from it whenever I went past would make me retch without fail. Never went inside for obvious reasons, but I'd say avoid.

Similarly, when my older daughter was under one, we took her to a number of top-end places and they always rose to the challenge perfectly. Pied-a-Terre has two Michelin stars but accomodated a small child at lunchtime with good grace, and the restaurant manager even went out and bought her a toy.

If you can get to Borough Market on a Friday (it's open from noon to 6pm), it's a lot less crowded than on a Saturday and generally you'll be surrounded by more people who are actually there for the food and fewer tourists "just looking". Also, for a fine dining experince on a budget, you might consider Theo Randall at the InterContinental for a weekday lunch (£18 for 2 courses, £23 for 3). The room's pretty sterile, but the food's the thing.

There used to be a Shimla Pinks in a converted loo near Liverpool Street station.

And about to open a branch in Little Venice (Clifton Road). With Sheepdrove Farm and Daylesford Organic both opening here in the last few months, plus Amoul, Gustoso, the Organic Grocer and Raouls, this is becoming a great place for food shopping (for those with deep pockets). Now all the area needs is a good fishmonger.

If she's staying in North Row, Gordon Ramsay's Maze on Grosvenor Square, which is only a couple of minutes' walk from her dorm, would make sense for a blowout - not cheap, but a lot cheaper than Royal Hospital Road.

That's a little too harsh. Tesco's "top end" pepper chicken with naan and lime and chilli rice (if memory serves) is actually pretty acceptable, I think.

[quoteNever trust a journo unless you know them to be pucker.

[quote And if he could stop making those bloody awful “chocolates” for Tesco I’d be really, really grateful. ←

[quote In the south of France, our favorite hostess not infrequently serves a tart of boudin noir and apples

quote "Mr Ramsay's company" is buying the Warrington Hotel in Maida Vale to turn it into a gastropub.