Rocking steak at Roxie

Ladies who lunch/dine/enjoy consuming food are generally well provided for in Fulham. There are tons of options for salads, "light bites", sushi and the like, but when a girl wants steak (juicy, bloody, deliciously carnivorous steak) suddenly the options seem either super swanky, super expensive, or just plain super-size. That's why we thought the concept behind Roxie, on the Fulham Road, was such a good one. A beautifully designed 'steak and wine cafe', it was conceived as a lighter and more casual way to get your meaty fix (with fishy and salad-based fixes too, for those who lean that way) with lighter fillets as standard, and a beautiful selection of wines, cocktails, salads and side orders to build around your meat.

When we were invited down last week, we were struck by the friendly and casual atmosphere, the décor at once sleek, modern and inviting. And once we got over that... we were struck by the food. Although the options are by no means ground-breaking, the steak is done to a T, and because you build a meal out of smaller dishes, it makes for a really convivial evening. The starters and mains mostly come with a small side salad, so for those on a diet, you needn't overdo it: but we recommend you do.To accompany our surf and turf (light fillet and sizzling prawns) and flame-grilled ribeye and fillet strips, we chose some devilishly good (and devilishly fatty, I'm sure) homemade double-cooked chips, a refreshing greek salad and lashings of bearnaise sauce and garlic butter. The starters are also a bit of a must: lemon and herb prawns were sizzlingly flavoursome, and the seared scallops with jerusalem artichoke puree and pancetta had us signalling our appreciation through a series of smacked lips, mmm noises and other (probably unladylike) sound effects.

Washed down with a bottle of Argentine Torrontes, and a healthy splash into the cocktail menu, the evening was spot on for ladies (and gents - all steaks come with the option of sizing up to standard, large or 'ravenous') looking for a much needed catch-up dinner with friends and loved ones. The staff are super-friendly, the service unpressured, and there are plenty of options on the menu everyone should like, so you can sit back, enjoy your food and concentrate on good times with friends. Now go forth, and get thy protein fix.

Roxie Steak and Wine Cafe

803 Fulham Road

London SW6 5HE

For bookings call: 0207 371 5785

Apologies for the lack of interior shots, they came out all fuzzy. But check out Roxie's gallery for an idea - it's really gorgeous!

Eathai, Eat lots of Thai... at Busaba Eathai

Usually this blog prefers to focus on local independent businesses and restaurants, but I thought I might make an exception for one of my favourite London chains, and it's only a little chain, promise. There were a certain set of hoardings I saw appear on the Kings Road that caused a small squeal of excitement, and possibly a very tiny anticipatory dribble. Long having been a fan of Soho Asian diner, Busaba Eathai, I was pretty gleeful to have my own local branch.

Some of you may have visited the other Busabas - besides the venue in Soho I believe there is one in the City and another in Hoxton, and now Chelsea - but the concept has been faithfully transported into SW3. The interior is full of dark woods, big shared square diner tables, twinkling tea lights, glistening buddhas and the smell of incense. The menu is full of South Asian favourites, all of great quality, although not especially adventurous, and the prices are similar to those of Wagamama. Unsurprising that, considering that Busaba is an offshoot of the same stable.

On this occasion, the boy and I indulged in rather a feast. I think I've mentioned about a million times over that Thai and South East Asian food is pretty much my favourite thing ever. We kicked off with beers and orange and cranberry juice (Bottle Green rather than freshly pressed I'm afraid, but really delicious... must track some down when I'm next in Waitrose). For starters we shared Tom Yam Talay, a spicy and sour seafood noodle soup, goong tohd prawns in breadcrumbs with a chili lime sauce (this was beautifully fried, with the prawns still soft and juicy and the sauce was most refreshing) and lightly steamed chinese broccoli with garlic and brocolli which also tasted tasty and virtuous.

For mains we tucked into a Malaysian favourite of mine, Pad Kewtio, which features chicken, king prawns and holy basil in a chilli sauce around thick rice noodles. However, the piece-de-resistance was the red beef curry, with lychee, parsnip, lime leaf and chilli. The coconut sauce was thick, creamy and nutty, just the way I like it. Although true thai aficiionados might find the sauce lacking in spice, there are some loose chilis in there for the braver amongst you and I'd say the heat is about right for most western pallets.

Busaba Eatthai
358 Kings Road
London SW3 5UZ

Join the Jam

Ever since I have lived in Fulham, I have frequently made the walk up to the King’s Road and turned right over the bridge towards Embargo’s, Public and beyond. Ever since I have lived in Fulham, the little corner site just across the bridge from Chutney Mary has either been derelict, under construction, or hosted some kind of venue with a very brief tenure.

I bloody hope the new Jam Tree Chelsea outpost lasts a bit longer because I think it is fab. We’ve got plenty of gastro-pubs in the area so I was really pleased to hear that The Jam Tree would have a twist: a menu based on favourite Anglo-Colonial dishes, an ample beer garden (make that pretty huge) and a 2am licence. I love fusion-style cuisine, and particularly love Asian food so was really excited to have an unpretentious local, who’d serve me up a good Malaysian curry, along with plenty of pints/white wine spritzers. PERFECT, right?

Right indeed! I went along to the Jam Tree with le garcon on Saturday for an early supper and the food did not disappoint. Whilst it’s not the cheapest of places (my starter was £7.50) and the mains range from £10.50 to £18.50 I would say the prices are definitely worth it. The Sotong Manis (battered sticky squid with a chilli, garlic and spring onion dipping sauce) was one of the best starters I’d had in ages (I love sweet flavours in starters and mains) and the Malaysian Prawn Laksa was a decent-sized portion, creamy, hearty and with the perfect consistency and amount of heat.

For my main I went for the Jamaican curry, and the portion was absolutely enormous. The curry was great and the accompanying chutney really made the dish – my only complaint would be that there was not a big enough curry:chutney ratio. More chutney with that dish please, it was so delicious that I wanted a generous helping with every mouthly. Boy went for the Lamb Rump with jersey royals, pea and mint jus and wouldn’t shut up about it the entire evening. It must have been pretty damn good, as he wouldn’t give me a single bite (meanie!).

As we were in a rush, we didn’t get to sample the beer garden. But we did have table with a fairly good view of it, and even at about 6:30pm it was doing a pretty fair trade (though not quite full). There’s loads of space, loads of tables and some pretty nice decking out there. They also have a late license and frequent DJ nights so I reckon this could be a bit of a hot spot come the Summer. I’ll have to go back for girly drinks and check it out.

The Jam Tree

541 Kings Road

Chelsea

SW6 2EB

http://www.thejamtree.com/chelsea/index.php

Mewsing around Mayfair

I first encountered Mews of Mayfair when a good friend of mine had her 21st in the private dining room (unfortunately) a good many years ago now. Although we stuck to a (delicious) set menu and didn't spend much time in the main bar, I was struck by the location of the venue, hidden away in a narrow little side street Mews just off the elegant hurly-burly of New Bond St. I felt like I was entering a tiny little segment of Victorian London and have been back on a few occasions since to visit their sumptuous ground floor cocktail bar.

Having never before visited the main dining room, I was excited when a Toptable Spotlight offer dropped into my inbox advertising a £50 food voucher in return for a mere £20 of my hard earned cash. I eagerly booked in for my birthday dinner and told my boyfriend that my contribution was made, and that he could spring for the rest (well, £50 towards your own birthday dinner is pretty generous isn't it?)

After a drink in the dark, opulence of the ground-floor bar (more on that later) we moved up the first floor dining room, which was a soothing yet chic haven of crisp white linen and leather banquettes. Although the tables are really close together (the space is quite small, but the staff are very attentive about getting people out from behind their tables in a pretty ladylike fashion!) the space still felt luxurious and the service was impeccable. Having splurged our 'free' £50 on a bottle of champagne we settled down for the serious business of ordering. I had the Dressed Crab and Avocado, whilst the boy had Organic Gravadlax with Grain Mustard Dressing (both £8.50). The portions were a bit on the small side but presented beautifully and absolutely delicious. Perfect to whet our appetites for the main course of Chateaubriand, Snail Bearnaise and Portobello Mushroom with a healthy side portions of chips and Spinach (£55 for two people). Pairing the bearnaise with snail was an inspired idea, and the flavour and texture of the portobello mushroom complimented it perfectly. The meat itself was done rare, just as we like it, and was melt-in-your-mouth gorgeous. If the starters were small, they whet our appetites for a fairly sizeable maincourse, which made the price seem more than reasonable.

A note also about the service: our waitress was brilliant. She judged us perfectly, and indulged our (usually terribly) jokes, whilst being terribly good-natured without being obtrusive.

Having enjoyed a really first-rate meal we moved down to the ground floor bar. I absolutely adore this venue. At the centre of the low-ceiling is a huge chandalier, and the banquettes and chaise-longues are oversized and opulent in their dark purple velvet. I felt like I was in a hidden Victorian opium den (in the best way possible). The outdoor seating along the narrow mews road adds a lot of character also and the bar is always buzzing. The cocktail list is extensive and imaginative. On this occasion we drank the Rose and Grape, and the Mutiny Mews. On previous occasions I've also had the Mews Berry - which remains my firm favourite of their selection.

It sounds a silly point to labour (and I have indeed had a Twitter conversation with Mews about this - said I know) but the toilets are great as well. Honestly, the best smelling loos in all of London. Decorated rather nicely too...

Anyhow, the whole experience makes for a really great evening. It feels luxurious - a mixture of elegance and opulence - without costing a fortune. An evening spent hopping from restaurant to cocktail bar to downstairs lounge makes for a very pleasant evening indeed.

Mews of Mayfair

10 Lancashire Court, New Bond St, London W1S 1EY

10/10

All images taken from the Press Office Section on the Mews of Mayfair website

Tendido Cuatro - Tapas that will knock you for six

We've dined all over SW6 in the past few months, but I suddenly realised we'd rarely gone beyond Parsons Green. Assured by good friends that there was indeed fine dining further along the New Kings Road, we booked in at Tendido Cuatro, on the basis of the warmest of recommendations.

And we were not disappointed.

So whilst I would never pretend to be a connoisseur of fine Spanish cuisine, I did live in sunny Spain for a year, and ate enough tapas that I pretty much haven't been able to enjoy so-called Spanish restaurants back in the UK since. Although, my fears were allayed by the fact that Tendido Cuatro was owned by the same group as the much-famed Cambio de Tercio on the Brompton Road.

Although the front is rather ignominious, the low-lit interior in deep reds, with Picasso-eque paintings on the walls is welcoming, with a sophistication belied by the exterior. The staff, in authentic Spanish style, are friendly and accommodating, and judged the crowd perfectly, swiftly bringing over the vino once we were seated. A raucous evening had commenced.... Indeed, our lovely waitress had the grace to laugh at some fairly awful jokes on the part of our gentleman friends, and we had a hilarious evening.

The menu is pretty extensive, but not so much so that it is baffling. Although, all the tapas looked so great we did find it pretty hard to choose. Tendido Cuatro had added quite a cosmopolitan twist to some traditional dishes like Patatas Bravas, and had been a more adventurous with dishes like the Caramelos de Queso, con Gambas en Salso de Vinagre de Frambuesa y Mango (sweet and cheesy prawn parcels - much more delicious than they sound!).

The dishes were beautifully presented, and on the whole came out in well-timed succesion, although we did wait a while at the end for our last dish: grilled chicken marinated in lime and olive oil. Though, once we tasted it, all was forgiven! Our pan con tomate, traditional Catalin garlic and tomato bread, also had to be requested twice, but arrived very promptly after that.

In the end we went for:

- PAN CON TOMATE A LA CATALANA

Toasted bread, fresh tomato & olive oil “a la catalana"

This was really lovely, but very garlicky. Luckily, that's just the way I like it!

-CROQUETAS CREMOSAS DE JAMON CON SALSA DE TOMATE & TOMILLO

Serrano ham & béchamel croquettes with tomato and thyme sauce

A Spanish staple, done beautifully but with a the tomato and thyme sauce representing a nice twist that I haven't seen tried in Spain.

-CALAMARES “FRITOS” O A LA ”PLANCHA”

Deep fried or griddled “fresh squid

Another staple. Tendido Cuatro had stuck to the classic way of serving this, but what else can you really do with this? Not too greasy, with the garlic mayo (more garlic! No snogging for me that evening!) just right.

-TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA DE PATATA, CON HUEVO DE CORRAL & CEBOLLA

Spanish omelette (free range egg, potato & onion)

Another Spanish staple, and I must admit it's not usually my favourite. This one was pretty tasty!

-POLLO DE CORRAL A LA PLANCHA CON MARINADO DE LIMA

Grilled Chicken breast, (free range) marinated in lime & olive oil

It's a shame this arrived late, as it really was amazing. A perfect zingy antidote to the many creamy, and mayonnaise-y dishes we'd ordered alongside it.

-CHIPS DE BERENJENA CON MIEL DE ROMERO

Aubergine chips with rosemary honey

These were really delicious. I love a sweet sauce with things, as you can probably tell from many of our selected dishes. Beautifully presented in a little stick, and just the right consistency: not too greasy, not over-cooked nor dry.

-FABADA ASTURIANA

Traditional stew of white beans, chorizo, pork from Asturias

Again, this is something I haven't always enjoyed in Spain, due to their habit of boiling in a lot of chunks of lard. Luckily, the Tendido Cuatro version was slightly more slimline, and a million times more delicious. Very smooth on the tongue, earthy and filling.

-CARAMELOS DE QUESO, CON GAMBAS EN SALSA DE VINAGRE DE FRAMBUESA & MANGO

Soft cheese and prawns “caramels”, raspberry vinegar & mango sauce

Personally I enjoyed these, and they were an interesting experiment. However, I do love sweet sauces with mains, and I remembered some gorgeous bechamel and prawn parcels I had eaten in Spain. Opinions were mixed on these, but well worth a try if you want to indulge in some treats you won't have tried before.

-PATATAS BRAVAS

Spicy “patatas bravas “ (Potatoes)

Another Spanish staple, given a fantastic Tendido Cuatro makeover. The spicy tomato sauce is hidden inside the potatoes, and they are topped with a creamy sauce. We ordered double rations of these as they were so good!

-CHORIZO DE SALAMANCA A LA BRASA

Char grilled spicy chorizo from Salamanca

Chorizo: done properly. Delicious, salty and juicy.

Sake No Hana - great food and location, mediocre service

I admit that the whole furore surrounding this place had totally passed me by. To the extent that, when looking to book a cheap Wednesday night dinner with friends, and spotting it on the Tastecard listings, I assumed it must have been a much cheaper affair than it actually was. After all, TasteCard doesn't usually offer you deals on anywhere remotely fancy! I didn't follow through to the restaurant website (poor research I know) and was rather mortified when I turned up, having promised the girls a quick, and cheap, bite to eat, courtesy of my 50% discount.

Nonetheless, the surprise ended up being less embarassing, are more fabulous. Luckily, despite the dinner being scheduled the day before pay day, everyone was so excited by how goddam GORGEOUS this place is, that we barely registered the prices.

Sake No Hana is situated in what looks like a commercial building just off Picadilly, near Green Park. There is an intimate, low-lit cocktail bar on the ground floor (drinks from £9.50... I'm afraid we passed!), and to reach the main restaurant you go up a floor either by lift or escalator. Riding the escalator felt like entering a trendy nightclub, all black lacquered walls and low-lighting. Once you emerge onto the first floor you are greeted by an open sushi-kitchen and a minimalist but luxuriously designed restaurant, with the emphasis on sculptural woods (especially gorgeous was the wooden design suspended from the ceiling), and sleek furniture in varying hues of white.

Unfortunately, it transpired that my 50% off deal did not apply to the sushi and sashimi, which is unfortunate in a Japanese restaurant, but again it was my fault for not doing the research as on post-meal inspection this was clearly advertised on the TasteCard website. Not that it mattered, of the four of us, three ordered Japanese mains.

The food, when it arrived (and it arrived as soon as it was ready - I understand this might be the Japanese way but I do think expensive restaurants should make the effort to make sure food arrives together) was absolutely delicious. I order Tonkatsu Pork on a bed of white cabbage, whilst two of my friends ordered the seared tuna salad. The last clearly couldn't control her sushi cravings for the sake of her wallet and went for a selection of, very expensive but divine-tasting, handrolls, maki and futomaki. The food was also beautifully presented on dark slates - I know this is not the most original, but I do think it looks good. However, the service was less than brilliant. I think we might have ended up with a bit of a rookie, newby waitress but she tried to bring us somebody elses food on three occasions, didn't know which plate was meant to go to each diner, and we did have to request a glass of wine three times over. However, on debating the service charge with the restaurant manager, he was extremely professional about the whole thing, removing the 13% charge (ouch!) without fuss.

All in all, we had a wonderful experience, and the few hiccoughs didn't spoil the evening for us. Although, admittedly the experience probably seemed even better because we were totally unaware of any of the hype surrounding this place, and had been expecting somewhere on a different scale completely. Plus, we were long over-due a catch up!



 

Blue Valentine

Now I'm very aware that those of you who are happily (or even unhappily single) have absolutely no desire whatsoever to hear some over-gushing blogger wax lyrical about her perfect Valentine's evening, so I'll leave it at this: Boy - you did goooooood.

And for those of you with a secret Bridget Jones-eque desire for Valentines to be a bit of a flop for anyone the slightest bit loved up... Well, I've got a pretty good peace offering for you too. I pretty much ruined Valentines by spewing, several times, at Blue Elephant, Fulham.

I'd just like to caveat that I really don't think this was the food, which was, as always, bloody divine (not for nothing this joint is a firm favourite of mine). But merely because, stupid Jess, I went to my Valentine's meal CHRONICALLY hungover. Not a good start I know... who does that? But anyway, let me assure you, the 3 courses I managed to sample of this 5 course extravaganza were absolutely delicious.

I've only been to Blue Elephant a few times, but it really is quite a magical place for me. I've documented my love of anywhere with a theme before, and this place really is like a much better version of the Rainforest Cafe. Adding in those crucial grown up factors of beautifully cooked, beautifully presented food, and substituting the plastic, robotronic animals and half-hourly "thunderstorms" of the Rainforst Cafe for a wonderfully balanced mix of dark woods, foliage, a koi river and even a miniature floating market... Blue Elephant really does get you on all your senses. And did I mention I LOVE Thai food, and I LOVE anywhere themed....

We booked in for the obligatory 5 course set menu and kicked off the evening with cocktails. I rather predictably went for a Mai Tai, which was pretty much on the money, and presented with the typical Blue Elephant flourish. The boy was feeling a bit more adventurous and I'm glad he was, as I'd never tried the absolutely gorgeous mango and chilli martini otherwise. It really was a fantastic mixture, drawing inspiration from Thai cuisine in a way I hadn't seen applied to drinks before. It was a really great balance although we perhaps took it down a bit too slow as those final dregs were pretty darn spicy!

The first course of three amuse bouche arrived. As with many Thai restaurants, the Blue Elephant sets a lot of store by presentation. Luckily, the taste was just as good. The trio consisted of Soup Bai Toey - coconut cream soup flavoured with pandanus leaves, Chor Muang -steamed floral dumplings with butternut pea flour and an exotic stuffing & Yam Saparod - pineapple and spring onion salad. The triumph of the three was the dumpling, which had a lovely thick consistency and tasted slightly peanutty, although the balance of flavours in the salad and the delicate yet creamy soup were also pretty special.

I'm glad my little bout of illness didn't set in until after the starter platter, and I thought all these were the highlight of the meal. My favourite was the Yam Mamuang Ped Rom Kwam -a spicy little basket of Thai green mango salad, with smoked duck portions and crushed peanuts. I also loved the Pia Yang Ta-Krai - grilled salmon skewers with a mint and coriander sauce. I was intrigued by the Thai Foie Gras but I have to say I don't like foie gras at the best of times, and while I applaud them for trying to add their own twist to a classic, I didn't enjoy it. Less adventurous, but also pretty tasty, were the prawn cake and chicken and crab dumpling that rounded off the starters.

But aren't they laid out so beautifully.....

I confess I basically didn't eat any of the mains. I think spice on an unsettled stomach was really taking it's toll by this point. The boy said they were all delicious, particularly the Beef Massaman and the Giant King Prawn with tamarind sauce. However on the whole, the selection of mains and accompaniments were slightly less adventurous than the first few courses. Also served were:

Kai Himmapan - a medley of chicken, deep fried taro, onion and cashew nuts in the Chef's secret sauce

Poo Nim Pirot - Crispy soft shell crab flavoured with fiery chilli and Krachai Root

Kron Karn Luang Garden - wok fried vegetables in soy

Ba-Mee Thok - green wonton noodles tossed with garlic oil, chicken flakes and shrimps

Koo Klong - steamed and jasmine rice

I begun to feel better in time for puddings - I swear it's true that your sweets are stored separately in your stomach from your savourys - and again the restaurant rounded off with a selection of mini-bites. Mango sorbet, belgian chocolate mousse (divine!), raspberry macaroon and mixed Thai fruit. All were really tasty and I love having a selection of sweets to round things off - it makes me feel like a naughty little girl going wild in a candy shop!

So although my evening was slightly ruined by feeling so poorly - something totally out of the restaurants control, and they couldn't have been more lovely when they realised I was having to frequent the ladies whilst clutching my stomach more often than the average diner - I can definitely heartily recommend. The service is great (although at one point we did have to order tap water twice before receiving it), the food and presentation gorgeous, the setting AMAZING. 5 stars.

Blue Elephant

3-6 Fulham Broadway

Nearest tube: Fulham Broadway

The Valentine's Menu was £79 per head, excluding drinks

Ode to the Sands End

We've been saving up this post for a while. Like a pair of love-lorn teens unable to express ourselves, we really haven't known how to put it, to do justice to it.

The Sands End, my friends, is like the Gisele Bunchden of pubs. We love it.

Maybe it's because the menu is to die for, and food comes out perfectly every time.

Maybe it's because, living so close, we get that nod of recognition from the staff, some of whom have become friends, that makes you feel like you're coming home, rather than leaving it.

Maybe it's that shabby chic, higgledy-piggledy decor that just treads the line between elegant, cosy and quirky.

Maybe it's because they serve the best goddam scotch egg ever to grace the British Isles since Fortnum and Mason served them up in 1738... probably better! It's warm, the egg still manages to be gooey, it's perfectly seasoned and trust me - you'll never be able to eat one of those supermarket imitations ever again.

Maybe it's because, if it's good enough for Prince Harry & co (I NEVER spot celebrities, let alone royals, so that evening was pretty exciting) it's more than good enough for me.

Either way, whether we're looking for a white wine spritzer and a gossip, the perfect venue to have the parents treat us to a Sunday Roast, the scene for a first date (cosy and intimate, whilst still lively) or a place to while away an entire day with friends, gradually picking our way through the menu, browsing the Sunday papers and becoming more raucous as the wine and ciders flow.... this always seems to be the first port of call.

Nonetheless - we could eulogise all day. But it would seem biased (we know - it basically already is biased) if we didn't submit The Sands to some sort of review.

But which occasion to choose? There are too many to think of. So we'll go with the principle of recency, and review the Sunday lunch I recently had with friends.

I was first introduced to the Sands End by the boy, who actually used to live further down Stephendale Road (and now I've ended up here - could this pub be the missing link?) and so it's become somewhat of a tradition to get a meal at the Sands when he comes to stay. This time, another friend was over from Germany also who really wanted a good pub lunch, so the choice really did seem obvious! After the initial panic when we burst through the doors at 12pm opening time, only to find that every single table had been booked up (this place is popular!) - the staff were really accomodating and did some table battleships for us - we settled in and greedily perused the Sunday menu.

Now I have to admit, I'm somewhat a creature of habit when it comes to this place, and every time we come I insist that between me and the boy, we order the oysters and a scotch egg to start. This is not a culinary match made in heaven I know, but they're both so good that I can never decide between them so my greedy little tummy has to have both (my stomach is a brat!). So it was fantastic to have a third party to get out of this starter rut and see what else the Sands can serve up as a first course. John had the pork rillette - a kind of grainy pate - which was charmingly served up on a slate, with the rillette inside a traditional chutney jar. I'm not really into my pate, but both boys were in raptures over it, so we'll give it the big thumbs up. Especially as I'm a real sucker for nice presentation.

True to form, the oysters were incredibly fresh and served with a perfectly balanced garnish, and the scotch egg (described above) was just as gooey and delicious as ever.

For the mains we ordered the Roast Beef, the pork belly and the pheasant. The roast beef was perfectly pink, the pork belly was succulent and the meat pulled apart in that delightfully easy way (like you're ripping off bits of candy floss) that indicates it is cooked just-so. BUT the piece de resistance was the pheasant. I mean, my pork was really good, but as soon as I had a bite of that pheasant a case of serious food envy beset me. It was rich, yet tender, and just so so yummy. All three dishes were served with perfect roasties (fluffy and slightly salted on the outside) and a selection of vegetables that had been lightly caramelised, adding yet another layer of flavour to some plates which already tasted pretty damn good.

All in all, two courses and some drinks for three came in at just over £80. That's not the cheapest ever, but a) this is Fulham, since when has dining out been cheap? and b) this place has a deserved reputation as a bit of a culinary destination. It's dining area is always full. In fact, I notice it is proudly displaying a recently acquired badge that says "Recommended in the Guide Michelin 2011". 'Nuff said.

Buona Sera at the Jam - tree house dining at its finest

Being a total sucker for anything themed, or even just a bit kooky, I’d always been really intrigued by Buona Sera (at the Jam) on the King’s Road. Crammed into one of the KR’s typical tiny shop-spaces, is a restaurant of almost 20 tables for four, and a fully functional Italian kitchen – and the experience is anything but unpleasant! That’s because dining is split over two levels. Each table is its own wooden booth, and they are stacked, with the top booths reached via ladder – like your own personal tree house! So when the boy and I met up with two of his friends for dinner on the King’s Road over the weekend, and one friend requested a ‘fun Italian’, Buona Sera immediately sprang to mind. A word of warning however, this restaurant gets booked up, especially as everybody wants to dine in one the upper booths, and we had to wait until 9:30 to be able to eat. That said, we did ring up to book around Saturday lunchtime, and if you don’t mind soaking up the atmosphere from one of the lower booths, tables are fairly easy to come by.

What I did really like about this place, was the friendly customer service. Arriving bang on at 9:30, and starving, unfortunately our table wasn’t ready. The staff couldn’t have been more apologetic, explaining that a previous table had arrived very late for their booking and we were settled on a lower booth to make our order, and promised a free aperitif at the end of the meal. As soon as our table cleared, we were whisked up a level (TIP: do not attempt this in heels if you have spent the previous few hours at the pub, I was practically deposited via fireman’s lift, much to my party’s amusement!) and settled in our own little tree house. A great deal of thought has obviously been put into the design – despite all the furniture being made from wood, the booths were really comfortable, each has its own little set of dials to control lighting levels and the music volume, and they have decked the canopy with plants.

So what did we order?

I started with the garlic bread AND a delicious squid and tomato stew (Piggy I know, but as I mentioned, we’d been at the pub and I was ravenous!), followed by the miale pork (a kind of pork steak stroganoff). The garlic bread was a bit too garlicky, but I was impressed that the waitress immediately offered me a half-portion, seeing as I was ordering another starter, as a lot of restaurants are unwilling to halve their takings in this manner, let alone unprompted. The squid stew was also really tasty, but the piece de resistence was the miale. Another of our party ate this too and I think we were annoying the others in our raptures over the taste. It’s hearty, delicious and the sauce and balance of ingredients was just of the right consistency. At £14.90 for a very decent sized main course, it was really very impressive.

Amongst them, the other three ordered chicken wings (not very Italian, and actually whilst perfectly decent not especially amazing), and beef carpaccio (delicious, and as this arrived a few minutes after the others – I didn’t even notice the difference was so slight! – we were offered yet more Amaretto!) for starters. For mains, between us all we ordered two of the delicious miale, one traditional lasagne (pronounced “beautiful” by a very appreciative diner – it really is great when an Italian puts as much effort into getting the basics right as offering a broad and exciting range) and some spinach and ricotta cannelloni – also a real success.

Food and wine were flowing, and the final bill for two courses and drinks for four came to £90, including service, which I thought was incredibly reasonable. There were a few little glitches with timing the courses and getting us to our table in time, but they by no means ruined our evening, and the staff seemed more than eager to compensate for them, and were proactive about this too – we didn’t have to ask. Those free Amaretto’s to finish the meal were a perfect end, but as you can imagine, my exit from the restaurant was almost twice as graceless as my entrance. This place is unpretentious and great fun, perfect for enjoying hearty portions of great traditional Italian fare. Although, I have also been here on a date, and because you can adjust the lighting and have quite a lot of privacy, I wouldn’t rule it out for simple and quirky romance, either.

Buona Sera at the Jam

289A Kings Road, Chelsea

Photos my own

As close as you get to Rome in Fulham

Friday Night Dinner with a girlfriend who has recently returned from her gap yarr- Paggy's!

This is one of my favourite restaurants in Fulham, when you walk through those red doors after a grey rainy day having crawled through traffic on a smelly 22 bus, there is no question that you will leave with a big smile on your face :)

The staff are hilarious, whether it's your first or 100th visit you are treated like an old friend, promptly offered a drink and some delicious oven baked garlic bed. The menu is diverse, offering authentic and tasty Italian dishes- the parma ham chilli pizza is seriously warming after a cold day.

We chatted for ages, gossiped while sharing a carafe of their house white (drinkable).

If you go on a Friday night there is pumping dance music and big tables of birthday parties shrieking with laughter- not ideal for young families but for a 20 something in Fulham, the perfect way to unwind after a week at work.

Good service, good quality ingredients, diverse range of dishes and very reasonably priced. We shared calamari to start (delicious) then had 2 pizzas, a carafe of wine and 2 pots of peppermint tea (not very rock and roll....) and the bill came to £20 each! Jess and I have also been previously and been given free lemon cello if you're feeling more daring than peppermint tea!

Paggs we love you!

Photos our own

The Hurlingham Pub and Kitchen - a solid Saturday afternoon choice, but not for romance

The Hurlingham is one of our local pubs, a mere 5 minute stroll from the flat, and yet for some reason it's somewhere we never go. I think having another pub just 5 doors down from the flat doesn't help but I've always been intrigued by the Hurlingham because it offers a different great deal each week night, from quiz nights with discounted beers, to half price wine night to half price burger night (the Hurlingham Burger has got quite the reputation in Fulham!)

The other reason I'll always have a bit of a soft spot for the Hurlingham Pub and Kitchen is that it was the scene of my first date with the boy, so it only seemed fitting that when he was down from the frozen North we return to the place where it all began for some half price burger action.

The Hurlingham is a fairly mainstream pub, but with some really cool, quirky little touches. Think models dressed as divers hanging off the wall, really random artifacts dotted around the bar and fun little vintage posters hung up around the place. All mixed with the standard big screens showing Sky Sports, a fairly typical dining area and a really cute little garden area at the back. Helpfully, a lot of this little area is covered and there's one lovely little nook where you almost feel as if you're in your own little pagoda.... almost!

Anyway this being January, there was no way in hell we were going to eat outside, constantly interrupted by the fairly constant stream of girls heading out for a gossip and a fag. In a fit of organisation (not so random, I'm a compulsive planner) I'd gone in a few days earlier to reserve a table by the fire. And unfortunately, this was the first instance on which the pub fell down. We walked into the pub bang on the dot of 8:30 only to find that some of the other guests had patently ignored the 'reserved' sign and occupied our table. The sign was still there for all to see, but the pub had taken and delivered their order without thinking to ask them to move. By 8:30 the pub was pretty full (burger night always gets big groups of rugby lads in) and so the only table left was one of those horrid high surfaces with bar stools, clearly designed for watching sport, downing some beers and generally anything but dining.

Determined to enjoy our evening, we sat down and got the drinks in. Given this was a Tuesday, it had to be the burger, right?! The whole evening had been dedicated to it. So we were pretty disappointed that on Burger night of all nights, the pub informed us that they couldn't provide us with those home-cut chips I'd been looking forward to all day. The waitress was very sweet and apologetic, and we were offered either mashed potato or extra salad as an alternative, but it was a disappointment none the less.

I personally enjoyed my burger, there was just the right amount of bacon and cheese on top, but the boy is a bit more fussy than I am and was disappointed to receive a well-done burger having requested his meat medium-rare.

All in all we had a pleasant evening, nothing more really. The staff at the Hurlingham are great, but there were a few disappointments on the night itself. This is a real shame, as it's a great place to get the beers in and watch the sport, and always seems to do a roaring food trade on Sunday. Yet, I don't think I'd go back to dine again. The local competition (the Sands End and The Ship) is just a cut above, although also charge much dearer prices.

Date with the Ex Boyfriend- The Ship, Wandsworth on a Tuesday night.

The reason I state the day is because this pub has many personas, depending on the day and time. I will do a separate review for a Sunday night as it is a completely different experience.

Dinner: We ate- Steak for me (£20), burger for him (£15ish)

Drank: Yummy Sauvignon Blanc for me (3 x large glasses, not sensible but I had had a long day at work), corona beer for him

The food was good, it is expensive for pub grub, but the meat was good quality, cooked to request and served with a good portion of salad, tomatoes, mushrooms and chips- Very filling. The Ex said his burger was good, although not one of the best he has had apparently.

The restaurant room at the back of the pub is quiet and intimate (there is a massive roaring fire in the middle of the room so take layers and pre book a table not next to the fire to avoid a sweaty betty situation).

It is a good pub for a first date as is not too busy and has cosy corners for privacy, but then after dinner you can move into the main bar area for more of a buzz. The crowd was a bit random and eclectic which made a refreshing change from the horary henries....I would go again, but after pay day.

The Ship
41 Jews Row, Wandsworth
London. SW18 1TB

T: 020 8870 9667
E: ship@youngs.co.uk

Girls' Dinner @ Del'Aziz Fulham Broadway

My friend chose this location for a school girlfriend reunion because she once went there on a date and was impressed with the belly dancer. 

We were 6 girls who were best friends at school and now spread across the globe (Italy, Berlin, various travels along the way) so rarely get together as a group. One common factor still remains 7 years on, a love of white wine and so we were set for some Moroccan food, belly dancing and good times.

Decor: Semi-Authentic

Service: A bit computer says no (we ordered the set menu and when we couldn’t face pudding we asked to have a drink instead- at which point we faced a true Little Britain response).

Food: Filling, fun, flavoursome - we each had a variety of options from the set menu (quite reasonable at 3 courses for £19.50). Big portions so bring your appetite and some Extra gum as it is quite garlicky.

Overall Impression: Perfect for this type of event - the relaxed atmosphere lends itself perfectly to a group - we were noisy, up and down from the table for fag breaks, taking pictures, telling rude stories, none of which seemed to faze any of the staff or other diners.

They belly dancer wasn't there- this was disappointing.