In a case of untypically happy timing, we visited Hare and Hounds the evening before their brand new Michelin ‘Bib Gourmand’ was announced. I’d love to be able to claim some connection, however spurious, because Hare and Hounds deserves every plaudit it receives- including, just recently, mention in the Sunday Times as a ‘gastro-temple’. Don’t Read More
It’s not always easy to pick your favourite Oscar. It usually comes down to a toss-up between the immortal wit of Wilde and the ingrained irascibility of The Grouch. (You might add the musical genius of Hammerstein II, though I can never hear ‘Oklahoma!’ without thinking of Ruprecht.) But for all their gifts, I wouldn’t trust Read More
A little run of shopfronts near Barry’s Cold Knap is where you’ll find Mr Villa’s. Open since last November, it bills itself as a fish and chips restaurant and oyster bar. That doesn’t do it justice. The tables hold old-school vinegar and salt; the broad white and blue stripes, whitewashed walls, unfinished concrete floor, open Read More
‘Keralan Passion, Britsh Style’ runs the legend over the bar in the new Mint and Mustard, Penarth. With the acquisition of a new chef, ex-Dishoom and Bombay Brasserie, this is a high-profile and well-situated addition to Penarth’s town centre, being only an enthusiastically hoiked patata brava from the estimable Bar 44. There’s an expansive selection on offer, Read More
Old Monsieur Charles-Guillaume Etienne is apparently the man we have to thank for coining the maxim, On n’est jamais servi si bien que par soi-même. (Here he goes again, comes the collective groan) Bear with me. I mention M. Whatsisname because those words have come to us, not literally but certainly in spirit, as the adage: ‘If Read More
If you set yourself up as a ‘Steakhouse and Wine Bar’, and if your menu is divided into ‘Steaks’ and ‘The Rest’, you have to be confident in what you offer. Especially when your some of your prices stray into Hawksmoor territory, by common consent one of the very best steak restaurants in the country. Read More