Invading London

[Akiko]

After a few pre dinner drinks at our new flat.... we never made it to Baltic, thought that vodka shots on top of the shochu ones we had already imbibed was not a good idea.

So we went to Petit Robert instead, where the three of us promptly made two bottles of wine disappear.

What a lovely place with excellent food.

We shared starters of oxtail and foie gras on a bed of potatoes and filo wrapped prawns in a spicy tomato sauce ( I must admit, I think the spicy tomato sauce was ketchup and cocktail sauce mixed together). The prawns were an amazing texture soft and then crunchy on the outside with the filo.

I had the rack of lamb (wonderful), my husband had the sea bass with a fennel cake, and my sister in law had the bangers and mash.

The mains are served with a huge plate of veggies and chips, the chips were great, that crispy texture you get from double frying... I couldn't stop eating them, especially dipped in the au jus from the lamb or the bangers and mash. MMMMMM.

Highly recommend it.

[Chaz]

I see JBR at The Landmark is not included in the new Time Out guide. Serious demotion as this is a widely consulted guide,apparently.

Mind you,their inclusion policy is mysterious. They have never included Petit Robert, or The Don, or Quadrato (an excellent up-scale Italian in the Four Seasons hotel at Canary Wharf-although they do include the same hotel's pretentious Ubon). I couldn't see Angel Mangal either.

Have just got the Time Out Guide 2003 - and it is true Petit Robert is not included. I had a disappointing meal there a couple of years ago, but had better try it again after Akiko's glowing report... Incidentally, I heard a rumour that Robert is closing and moving to Wales.

I see that The Honest Cabbage in Bermondsey Street has been excluded from the Time Out Guide (it used to be there). Mar-i-Terra (Simon M's prelude to heaven) is also not there.

I was not far off the mark recommending Tentazioni, Champor-Champor, Baltic and Delfina as four of the best in SE1. They all get the 'red star' thumbs up in the Time Out Guide.

[Simon Majumdar]

The Honest Cabbage was ever so slightly BLAH when I was last there for Sunday lunch and no longer cheap. I know that they closed the other branch down ( The Honest Goose? ) so I wonder if they are having problems

Ma - i- terra was fun by the way. I recommend it

S

[tony h]

A recent bad experience? Details please if you would.

It was one of the first posts I did - early Ferbuary (under bluewine).

The lowlights: £160 - it tasted crap - the maitre'd told it was our fault for not choosing the a la carte. I wrote complaining & was invited back as his guest. 2nd time round - it was worse. The pre-starters were ritz crackers with philadelphia cheese - it went downhil from there. Pigeon wrapped in cabbage leave - so chewy - if I hadn't spat it out I could be chewing it today. Lemon souffle with cherry sauce - cooked at you table. Its a rare gift to be able to remove all the flavour from cherries. There was nice dish but I can't remeber what it was.

JBR was head chef at le manor - maybe that's what kep RB form getting his 3rd star all these years.