La Trompette, 5-7 Devonshire Rd, Chiswick

All you have to do nowadays is to know what the London dining public want, then give it to them and charge shedloads of money. La Trompette have clearly figured out what the affluent Chiswick crowd out but have forgotten to charge the shedload of cash?



Little has changed at La Trompette since it opened: something worth celebrating when so much here is so right. The food is the big draw. A starter of quail stuffed with ham and mushrooms, inside a glazed pastry case, was a humbling delight on a sweet and sticky Madeira sauce; large ravioli, plump with crab and scallop, were light and fresh. A duck breast and richer leg confit with foie gras were balanced with grilled chicory and sharp tasting cherries. The menu is priced so that three courses are only slightly more expensive than two, which makes the puddings seem a bargain. There's a notably strong wine list too with a the most helpful of sommeliers to guide you.

The Spotted Pig, 314 W. 11th Street, New York

Being a gastro-pub, The Spotted Pig strives to serve simple yet upscale food. This upscale food though is perhaps some of the best in New York.

Whoever adds Roquefort to a burger and serves shoestring chips alongside is gonna make the headlines - especially if it's actually a good one - and in my opinion it's a fantastic dish.

The Spotted Pig is an oddity of a restaurant featuring a deliberately distressed look: three small floors, totally vertical. It’s dark, cramped, and has stools instead of chairs which, allows for a little more flexibility when customers have to fill the gaps during busy times. The vibe that gives out the impression of being a warm, comfortable establishment works and is backed up with the British comfort food and well thought of wine list.



I had one of my most memorable meals here when I visited New York and after some research have just found out that April Bloomfield, the Chef, has created a new restaurant called The John Dory!



Bread - Went extremely well with the beer - hearty!
Staff - All you needed was at hand at this gastropub.
Overall - You have to visit it if your in NY.
(212) 620-0393

Hereford Road, 3 Hereford Road, London

If this restaurant is not already earning itself a place in London’s culinary arsenal then I'll go and eat at fast food joints from now on. The restaurant’s chef, Tom Pemberton, former head chef at St John Bread and Wine, has a fantastic, unequivocal approach to cooking: keep it simple. Brilliantly simple.

Having eaten there three times now it's a pleasure to see almost completely different menus everytime within the period of no longer than a month. This is a restaurant suited for adventurous eaters that offers British delights. My girlfriend had calves liver with mash, sage and bacon and I can honestly say that it was the best calves liver I've had since visiting The Spotted Pig in New York this time last year.

The restaurant itself is minimalism meets Manhattan featuring red-leather booths for parties and intimate tables for two overlooking the animated open plan kitchen.

It's a great little neighbourhood eatery but it does resemble St John's style. Who can blame Tom Pemberton for replicating what he has learnt and transferring it into his own concept - it's going to be successful so all the best to him!

Bread - Winter warming, brown with good butter.

Staff - Eager to please, simple but effective style of service.

Overall - If you live in or around Notting Hill Gate make it your local.

020 7727 1144

Michelin - The Star

At the time of writing, Michelin are preparing themselves to experience a sudden demand for their guide books. The Great Britain and Ireland Michelin Guide 2009 will be the most up to date and comprehensive source of reliable information when it comes to reviewing restaurants.

Inspectors make regular and anonymous visits to restaurants chosen entirely of their own accord throughout the year to gauge the quality of products and services offered to an ordinary customer. They will settle their own bill and ask for more information about the establishment but do not necessarily have to disclose their presence.

All of the restaurants that consider themselves to be near of meeting the standards required to meet the inspector's rigourous methods of reviewing are after one thing only -



The Star.

Pied à Terre, 34 Charlotte Street, London

For me, Pied à Terre seemed a little understated. It holds two stars but didn't flaunt them until the food came out. The food is contemporary French and was beautifully presented using some some fine produce, textures and a variety of flavour combinations.



The interior compared well to the food and the service was attentive. I'd go back with my girlfriend for definite. Shane Osborne has produced a fantastic little restaurant here.

Bread - Very Good, Guinness and Star Anis...yes!
Staff - Attentive and very welcoming.
Overall - It enters my top ten dining experience chart.
020 76361178

St John, 26 St John Street, London

There are more things to eat between the nose and the tail of a pig than are dreamt of in St John's philosophy. I ventured to Smithfield to expand my culinary vocabulary. Pig time.

Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver opened St. JOHN in October 1994. The former smokehouse, situated around the corner from London's Smithfield Market had fallen in to serious disrepair since ham and bacon smoking ceased in 1967.




Critical acclaim for Fergus's brand of simple, paired down cooking set in an architecturally though simple setting followed and St. John has won more that it's fair share of awards and high rankings in national and international listings.

Fergus is now a published chef: Nose to Tail Eating - A Kind of British Cooking, first published in 1999 and re-published both in the UK and the U.S. (as The Whole Beast) gained much acclaim and won the Andre Simon award for food writing.


When dining here, we ended up having four courses. The Roasted Bone Marrow, Caper and Parsley Salad is worldclass. The staff are proud of what they offer and, like Bread and Wine, showcase what can be done to create old fashioned recipes.

Bread - Good, solid and wholesome.
Staff - Passionate, proud and hold plenty of personality.
Overall - Great experience - like no other in London.
St John - 020 7553 9842

Good Restaurant?

Successful restaurants offer a seamless dining experience.

For me, part of the fun in eating out is the fact that it’s an unhurried social experience, with plenty of time to interact with your dining companions. There’s something truly brilliant about a restaurant setting that encourages relaxed conversation and enjoyment of food and wine. This doesn't seem like a lot to ask but it can be hard to find at times. More than a few ingredients have to be visible to enable a pleasurable culinary experience.

Restaurants

"Tell the cook of this restaurant with my compliments that these are the very worst sandwiches in the whole world, and that when I ask for a watercress sandwich I do not mean a loaf with a field in the middle of it."

— Oscar Wilde

The beauty of restaurants. Restaurants are businesses that rely upon the consistency of their products. If the product is a good one then you may have yourself the right formula, balance and concept but if not, you will certainly find out about it the hard way.