Matthew Grant

Raj, do you really think that Amaya has better food and is more forward thinking than the surprisingly unmentioned Rasoi Vineet Bhatia? I like both restaurants but certainly feel that RVB is a better high-end restaurant although I haven't been for a while.

The River Cafe, perhaps not the usual style of high end cooking but it is a great place for lunch especially if the weather is good.

Matt - do you have to treat them differently to normal pans? using detergent on them, oiling after use, etc? ← I normally just run mine under a hot tap without any detergent while the pans are still hot and give them a quick wipe with a sponge. I think it is probably recommended to keep them slightly oiled although I don't conciously do this. No problems with rust as long as you dry them properly, (I stick mine on the hob for a few seconds). They are extremely easy to keep!

I think you may be mistaking a cast iron pan for a black iron pan, they are different. The Bourgeat would be fine for stuff other than fish although I don't see the necessity for a non stick frying pan to cook a risotto (saucepan) or fricasee (black iron pan)?, in fact , off the top of my head I can think of very few occasions other than fish when I would resort to a specific non-stick pan.

For a non stick pan I picked up a Bourgeat industrial type heavy pan from Nisbets, cost around £50 but is very durable. HOWEVER, I only use it for things like fish which are very delicate, for almost everything else I use a black-iron pan which becomes non-stick after a few uses, costs under a tenner and can withstand the heat in the oven as high as I can get it. I wouldn't be without my black-iron pans, without doubt the most used thing in my kitchen aside from my knives. Black-Iron frying pans Bourgeat Non-Stick Pan

Whoa! I was eagerly looking forward to opening that and thinking that this is a place I don't mind splashing out on. Catch being that this doesn't mean splashing out, it means having to remortgage the house.

I think I can hand over my unofficial, self appointed title of chief publicist for Arbutus to Naebody

I think I heard this right, current main courses include Chicken with pea and Foie Gras Veloute (desperately trying to think of excuse to go once more )

June, he has got the place running, there are reviews here somewhere. I'm in agreement with June and Basildog, I haven't seen the show but can't help feeling that this is purely a publicity stunt, why would you want to theme your restaurant on produce from such a narrow (largely urban) area. It may be interesting as an experiment but surely long term this is destined not to work?

Holland vs Ivory Coast

Do you think Coren liked it?

No comment

Do you need to put your name on a list for a cancellation or just ring up on the off chance? I'm booked elsewhere but would willingly trade for a table a L'Astrance.

I doubt you'll get a table for dinner if it is for July. I tried about 4 weeks ago for June and was told that they were fully booked until the beginning of July

And not really Tandoori Chicken as it was cooked under a grill, I suppose "spicy grilled chicken" doesn't sound good enough

The mat seems to be a little slippery if you are a solo diner, fine if you have somebody on the other side leaning on it as well.

I switchd off before the end, I thought Caines had made it Also shocked that Prue Leith keeps going on about how original it is to team Turbot with beef!!!!

I wish the judges wouldn't keep going on about Atul Kochars food looking beautiful. IMO it looks a little sloppy and plated like food from the early 1990's. I appreciate that it may be a little different from most Indian derived cuisine but it isn't really that beautiful is it?

I wouldn't worry too much just yet, Saturday night was full with around 90 covers . I guess it takes a few days for reviews to take effect, after all most people will have already booked a table for Saturday night before somebody like Maschlers review comes out on Wednesday

Scott, feel free to PM me your racing tips

Don't mention her name, it brings me out in a rash

I'm already going to Gaya, don't care about the crowd there or the other places I've booked, just want a livelier Saturday night. John whats the bar like at Senderens, any less conservative?

Would Senderens fit the bill?

Just to add that I was at Buddha Lounge a few years ago and it was bloody awful, Isn't Mandalaray just Man Ray rebadged? Maybe I should adjust my criteria a little, it doesn't have to be too trendy just have a good buzz to it, sort of like Nobu Berkeley in London (I don't want to go to Nobu Paris). What about a decent restaurant with a decent bar attached?

OK, I've got reservations at Ambassadeurs, Gaya and Mon Viel Ami. All thats left is to find a Cool/trendy restaurant packed to the rafters with good looking people (so that I don't stand out too much ) where copious amounts of drinking are encouraged and the food is acceptable. Alternatively a good restaurant close to a similar spec bar will fit the bill. Any ideas? Edit to add: Should be open on a Saturday