SECRET RESTAURANT RETURNS....

Following the success of the Secret Restaurant last time round Secret Cinema have announced that once again they will be hosting a Secret Restaurant to coincide with the latest film screenings. This time they have teamed up with Brave New Ventures to create "the ultimate dining experience to compliment all recruits mission and experience"

As always the restaurant will be at a secret London location and this time they have peeps working from Noma, St John and Jardiniere - with that kind of experience you can be certain it will be pretty special. If you have a Secret Cinema ticket it will cost you £65 to dine, if you don't it will cost you £100 which includes a three course meal with wine and champers and Secret Cinema entrance.

1st June – 1st July 2012
www.secretrestaurant.org

REVIEW: THE FOLLY

We love some places because they're the perfect place for drinks after work, with a casual atmosphere and great cocktails. Others are ideal for romantic dates whilst some restaurants are great for lunches or light meals.

Very rarely can you find a place that ticks all these boxes, somewhere where the food is as good as the drinks and atmosphere and The Folly near Monument Station is one such place. Obviously being in the heart of the Square Mile, the mid-week after work crowd were out in force during our visit, with the crowd pretty evenly split between drinkers and diners and a menu divided between sharers and light meals and full-on main courses. Some venues that don't specialise in a particular area can suffer from being Jacks of all trades without mastering any so it's refreshing to find a well thought out menu with great flavours and even better service.

Our meal kicked off with the Borough market flatbread to share, a huge rectangle of light dough topped pizza-style with chorizo, piquillo peppers, rocket and sun blushed tomatoes all sourced from just across the river. A very pleasant surprise, we imagined the plate would be presented with the ingredients separated as a selection of different items, so to have them presented all atop the bread was a great start.

To follow, we ordered the crispy duck and noodle salad, presented in an ironic cardboard takeaway box. A huge portion, the duck was shredded and fried to perfection and served with crispy vegetables and noodles in a plum and sesame dressing. Even as a large portion, it was still a good option for a warm sunny evening. The other meal that we sampled was the lamb burger, a thick and juicy burger topped with feta and piquillo peppers. The cowboy fries on the side aren’t to be missed, drizzled with honey, chilli and garlic; part spicy, part sweet, all awesome.

And for the indecisive, there is only one option for dessert: the pudding shots. Three little tastes of the classics available on the dessert menu served in tiny individual glasses. The chocolate brownie and the creme brûlée were good, but the knickerbocker glory was a personal favourite. Whatever you're looking for and whatever mood you're in, The Folly will almost certainly have what you need.

www.thefollybar.co.uk
41 Gracechurch Street, EC3V 0BT

REVIEW: ANTICO

Antico is Bermondsey Street's newest Italian restaurant, housed in a former antiques market, it already has a quite a following. We recently visited on a Wednesday night and the place was jam packed! Downstairs there is a bar serving aperitifs and after dinner cocktails such as the Jammy Dodger and Italian Flip whilst upstairs it's all about the food, and the wine of course.

We started with the Burrata, Prosciutto Braciotto, Rocket & Fresh Chilli, a generous portion of uber creamy, soft cheese which literally melted in our mouths, with a slight chilli kick to help bring the flavour to life. Another starter of Aubergine Carpaccio, Balsamic Dressing, Olives, Parmesan & Chilli was just as pleasant and definitely a little better on the old waist line!

To follow we opted for the special Lamb dish; succulent pieces of lamb served with an Italian style ratatouille - the exact name of the dish escapes us, we blame this on the Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder Tortelloni which put simply kicked ass. The winning dish of the whole meal, the pasta was some of the freshest we've tasted, crammed full of juicy pork and drizzled in a light, creamy sauce - We honestly can't rate this dish enough!

To finish our feast we shared the Chocolate, Almond & Hazelnut Cake and the Homemade Dark Chocolate Gelato - no complaints here either. Our meal at Antico was superb throughout, we can't fault it, the service was efficient, the cocktails were well made and the food is something else. Check it out people before word gets well and truly out...

214 Bermondsey Street, SE1
http://www.antico-london.co.uk/

THE GASLIGHT GRILL OPENS...

The Gaslight Grill, billed as a modern Steakhouse meets Victorian Gin Den has opened its doors in Battersea. Located in the same building as the Lost Angel the menu will focus on the best of British, not only on the plate but also at the bar where fruits, barleys and hops will be sourced from crops in season.

Food highlights include a selection of different cuts of steaks, Hoxton stout and caramel marinated lamb chops and the Gaslight beef burger infused with duck. There is also a huge selection of sauces served with your meat from Nettle pesto and Powder Keg BBQ to Lingham's chilli and Havana Rum.

The drink menu is bang on trend with a strong focus on gin cocktails served in quirky glassware with a nod towards the speakeasy vibe - home infused gins? We like. Head down there and sample the goods before word gets out.

339 Battersea Park Road, SW11

www.gaslightgrill.co.uk

REVIEW: PICCOLINO

Piccolino is an Italian restaurant hidden away on the pretty Heddon Street which maybe just moments away from Oxford Street but actually feels like a million miles away. The restaurant recently jumped on the tapas trend and launched a sharing dishes menu. We visited the on a Tuesday evening when the sun was beating down and took full advantage of the outdoor dining space.

Everything about this place is Italian from the food and drinks to the waiters accents. We started with a Giglio cocktail and Peroni beer - we thought we'd best stick with the theme! Drinks are served with a complimentary bread basket and bowl of olives which makes it a great place to go for alfresco drinks even if you don't plan on eating dinner.

To start we chose a couple of dishes from the tapas menu, the King Prawn and Swordfish skewers marinated in oregano, chilli and lemon - not for the faint hearted these skewers are very herby! The Orkney Isles Scallops, cherry vine tomatoes and Tuscan bread salad which was a colourful, tangy salad topped with two juicy scallops.

For mains we tried the Roast whole Sea Bass with parsley, lemon, garlic and salt which was boneless, always a bonus and a good light option for those who aren't ravenous, we ordered a side of frites to go with it. The Roast cod, Calabrian spicy sausage, purple sprouting broccoli, chilli & garlic butter was our favourite dish, a huge chunk of meaty cod which straddled a generous helping of spicy sausage with a chilli kick which brought the dish to life.

By this point we were stuffed - did we mention the bread basket?! So we went for some chocolate ice-cream and an affogato, both we couldn't fault. We also had a quick peep in the bar downstairs (pic above) which is very swish and a great place to impress a date at half the price of other central restaurants which have similar furnishings. It may have been the sun, it may have been the booze or even those accents but we're already planning our next trip only this time for breakfast.

Piccolino, 21 Heddon Street,  W1B
www.piccolinorestaurants.co.uk

NEWS: SHRIMPY'S

Listen up people, the trendy swines at the East London institution Bistrotheque have announced their new Kings Cross joint Shrimpy's will open Thursday 24th May. Located overlooking the Regent’s Canal, Shrimpy’s will offer patrons a collection of dishes harvested from trips to the Americas, especially the Latin parts. Soft Shell Crab Burger, Sweetcorn Chowder, Lomo and Ceviche are just some of the dishes on offer.

Shrimpy’s will be housed in a disused petrol station, the exterior references the modernist gas stations of midcentury California, while the restaurant interior will feature new works by Donald Urquhart and Jonathan Trayte. Shrimpy’s kitchen is open daily from 11am to 10:30pm (11pm Fri & Sat) and if it is anything like it's older sibling you can expect great things!

The Kings Cross Filling Station, Goods Way, N1C
 www.shrimpys.co.uk

REVIEW: DISHOOM

Dishoom described by its owners as 'the original Bombay cafe' has been designed to offer diners authentic Indian cuisine in small sharing portions. The cafes of Bombay welcomed all; from rich business men on business lunch; to sweaty taxi drivers on a quick break and couples on that all important first date. Dishoom pays homage to this and looks to do the same...

The interiors are easy on the eye; black and white floors,  bentwood style chairs, pretty lanterns and walls lined with portraits of the owners and their families - my what big families they have!

We started the meal with a couple of cocktails; the Bollybellini made with rose, lychee and raspberry, which may not have been the chosen tipple of the Persian immigrants but it definitely got our sign of approval. And the Bombay Colada, an improved take in the pina made with pineapple, coconut milk, rum and numerous herbs and spices. Priced at around £6.50 a cocktail = bargain!

Because the food is served in small portions you have the perfect excuse to order more - we sampled Lamb Samosas, Lamb Boti Kabab, Grilled Masala Prawns and Lamb Biryani. We couldn't fault any of the dishes but our highlights were the Lamb Boti, generous chunks of tender lamb marinated in red chilli, garlic and ginger and the Grilled Masala Prawns, six meaty prawns grilled with lime, tomato and coriander to give a tasty zing which complemented the chargrilled flavour nicely.

Lamb Biryani was pretty hot and definitely not one of the faint hearted. Thankfully on the recommendation of the waitress we had ordered the raita (yogurt with fresh coriander and mint) which helped to cool things down a notch.

After a well needed breather we moved on to dessert choosing the Pineapple and Black Pepper Crumble served with ice cream and the Chocolate Fondant to share. The crumble stole the show and on all accounts was the dish of the day! Fresh pineapple with an almost granola like crumble cooked fresh that morning and fused with pepper to add an Indian kick.

For reliable Indian food in Central London with a bill which won't break the bank Dishoom really is a no brainer!

Dishoom, 12 Upper St Martins Lane, WC2H
http://www.dishoom.com/

REVIEW: BILL'S

Bill's story beings 10 years ago when Bill a humble greengrocer from Sussex decided to transform his little greengrocers store into a cafe which not only sold goods for people to eat inside but to take home too. Bill had created a place where people could enjoy a hearty breakfast or a good lunch, grab some supper or even just somewhere people could meet friends for a coffee and cake. Sounds like a good children's story book doesn't it? Little Bill in his dungarees dishing out homemade biccies to the kids...

Like any good story book Bill's vision has been quite the success opening a number of cafes around the South East with the most recent tucked away on White Lion street in Angel. From outside the place looks great, the pavement is lined with white tables and chairs, decorated with flower pots you could almost think you were out in the country. And it doesn't stop inside the shelves are lined with rows and rows of jams, chutneys, chocolates, biscuits and fresh juices giving the feeling that you have just walked in to a farm shop.

The staff are uber friendly but not in a fake forced way, so much so we'd actually say that these guys are just plain nice. On first look of the menu the dishes seemed pretty hefty, possibly the types that should be avoided if u want to pass on the afternoon food coma. We chose the Maronites chicken skewers and the halloumi and hummus. The chicken skewers were chargrilled and came on a bed of lemon and coriander Cous Cous accompanied with pitta and tatziki. All good however the menu did state that the Cous Cous came with sultanas and ours were definitely missing in action. The halloumi comes grilled in a brioche bun with hummus, rocket, roasted peppers, sweet chilli and yogurt. Served on a wooden board along with skin on chips, which be warned will break the most health conscious.

For a healthy breakfast, lunch or dinner Bill's is worth a shot especially given the lack of other breakfast options in the area.

White Lion Street, N1
www.bills-website.co.uk

REVIEW: TGI FRIDAY'S

You think you know what you're getting with TGI Fridays. A long established brand that most people have visited at least once, a majority have a preconceived idea about the venue. However, their new range of burgers promises to be something special - their head chef has recently returned from a year and half journey around the world to discover what makes the perfect burger - or so the press release reads and so we decided we'd put them to the test...

The new menu contains some pretty interesting choices, as well as the classic selection they have made some exciting additions to the menu. The French Canadian burger is a chicken breast topped with sweet maple syrup, crispy bacon and melted Brie, while the Inferno burger is a beef patty topped with fiery jalapeños, piquant chilli jam and incendiary habanero sauce, tempered with creamy mozzarella. The Texan Wild Boar burger isn't just a cleverly marketed pork burger, it genuinely is wild boar from Texas with caramelised apple wedges and Dijon mayo.

However, the star of the show is the Black and Blue burger, a blackened Aberdeen Angus burger accompanied with crispy bacon and crumbly blue cheese and rich blue cheese dressing. The beef is thick and cooked perfectly medium, slightly pink in the middle and sprinkled with Cajun spices. The only problem we had with the burger was trying to make ourselves look sexy - take it from us there is no way to look sexy with cheese dripping down your face, so give up trying to look good and just focus on the burger!

So did the burgers match up to their hype? Unequivocally, yes. These are some pretty special burgers with great flavours and inventive ingredients. The portions are huge and the value is good. TGI's is more than just for teenage birthday parties, these are burgers for grown-ups!

Various locations
www.tgifridays.com

GOD SAVE THE CLAM

Looking for something to do during the Jubilee weekend? Then look no further people because this will be one of the best events taking place and what's more there isn't a corgi in sight! God Save The Clam is a joint "clam bake" between Pitt Cue and Rock Lobsta which is a method of cooking where seafood is baked over hot stones covered in seaweed  - apparently it's all the rage in New England.

The clam bake will take place on a rooftop overlooking London Fields and you'll find a huge selection of seafood, beach huts, sun decks and an ice-cream bar (don't worry there will also be a bar selling booze!). Tickets coast £39.50 but include a cocktail or beer, starter, main and desert.

If you don't want to go all out then you can float in without a ticket and check out the Snack Shack Bar serving Lobster Corn Dogs, Po Boy Sandwiches and Lobster Popcorn. Seafood and eat it people!

Thurs 31st May - Sun 3rd June (various sittings)
274 Richmond Road, E8
http://godsavetheclam.co.uk/

PIZZA EAST GOES NORTH

First Pizza East went West and now they have announced plans to go North all the way to Kentish Town. Yes the small London Pizza chain which started in Shoreditch have taken over the old Grand Union and will open a brand spanking new pizza joint on August 1st! With the recent opening on the Camden Brewery it looks like it's all going down in Kentish Town...

We hear the joint will have two floors with a bar downstairs and restaurant upstairs - will it have the Shoreditch trendies though? Only time will tell!

53 Highgate Road, NW5
www.pizzaeast.com

REVIEW: CHIPOTLE

When we say Burrito you will probably think, quick and tasty Mexican food right? But Chipotle would say it’s not just a Burrito it’s a foil wrapped, hand crafted, local farm supporting, food culture changing cylinder of deliciousness - some mouthful huh? Just like their Big Bad Burritos!

Chipotle prides themselves on serving ‘food with integrity’ and the Mexican fast food chain recently opened a bigger, better, shiner joint on Wardour Street which offers a good selection of dine-in seats. Service is efficient and like most other Burrito joints you choose your meal, meat, fillings and toppings, moving down the "human conveyor belt" for each stage.

We ordered the Barbacoa Burrito which is slowly braised shredded Beef which has been marinated in a spice mix for 8 hours, as you can imagine it's pretty tender! We added some Brown Rice to the mix - full marks on offering Brown rice, beans, sour cream, cheese, salsa and guacamole. There is no denying it these are heavyweight burritos and even though they were crammed with filling you could still taste the meat throughout, a flavour which can get lost in the mix sometimes.

If Burritos aren't your thing then there are bowls, nachos, tacos and salads to choose from. Definitely in our Top 3 Burritos in town.

Chipotle, 181-183 Wardour Street, Soho, WC2H
 www.chipotle.com 

PRET A DINER

Lets get one thing straight Pret A Diner is not a pop-up restaurant it is a dining experience or so it says on the website. The dining experience has been set up to prove that Italians Do It Better with Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli creating a menu to showcase the best of Italian cuisine complimented by drinks and entertainment set to knock your socks off!

The event is to be held at 50 St James street and will be the last ever event hosted at this beautiful Grade II listed building before it closes for a face-lift. Drinks come from the team behind 69 Colebrooke Row, so there is little doubt the cocktails too will be pretty special!

Book online but be quick this will sell out. We're off to the opening tonight - stay tuned tomorrow to find out if Italians really do, do it better!

9th May - 30th June
50 St James's Street, Mayfair, SW1A
www.pretadiner.com

REVIEW: FIRE AND STONE...

A few nights ago we popped along to Fire and Stone, the pizzeria at Old Spitalfields Market. Now avid readers may recall Friday 13th August 2010 and say hold the god damn phone a minute, this has been reviewed here before on this very blog. Correctamondo! But two years on we were keen to see how they'd progressed and check out the new pizzas recently to the menu...

Fire and Stone gets a bit of an unfair rep, but we’ll give them their due - they serve quirky pizzas which no-one else does (Bar M&S who have gone wild and created a Full English Pizza for the Jubilee) in a clean, bright environment decked out in colourful trimmings and lighting. The open kitchen with crates of fresh ingredients on show for all to see a lovely sight too and hopefully outlines the fact that the fresh vegetables used on the pizzas.

The pizzas are based upon cities around the world, but you won’t find any Hawaiians here! If you want roast potatoes on your pizza try the New York, if you want spiced ground lamb and mint dip try the Marrakesh, for pulled pork ribs it’s all about the Hong Kong or if you want to play it safe, like we did the Florence is a good option with olives, ham and pesto.

The garlic mayonnaise dip and the Asian salad are worth a shot too. And for those who want to extend the 'pizza goes wild' theme there is also a Bannoffe Pizza on the dessert menu – well it certainly gets people talking!

Lunch deals are priced at £6.95 or pizzas around a £9.95.

Fire & Stone 4 Horner Square, Old Spitalfields Market
www.fireandstone.com

EDIBLE CINEMA...

Food and cinema go hand in hand, and we don't mean dustbin-sized buckets of popcorn and enough sugary soft drinks to keep you awake for a week. We're thinking Audrey Hepburn nibbling a croissant outside Tiffany's; Micky Rourke and Kim Basinger's sexy snacking in 9 1/2 Weeks and, errr, that apple pie in American Pie.

Guillermo Del Toro's fairy tale masterpiece 'Pan's Labyrinth' might not be the first film that springs to mind when it comes to gastro-cinema though. However, this will be the first film shown at The Electric Cinema's new series of foodie films, Edible Cinema. For those unfamiliar with the film, it tells the tale of a young Spanish girl during World War II who is forced to live with her sadistic stepfather, a captain in the fascist army. To escape her hellish experiences, she creates a magical fantasy world that leads her on a journey of exploration and realisation.

What makes this showing of the film unique is that on entering the auditorium, patrons are handed a series of numbered packages containing assorted foodstuffs. At designated points throughout the film, placards will be held up indicating which package to open and consume. Details of the contents are a mystery, but we hear that pine-scented popcorn will be served while the characters are in the Spanish woodland, and the organisers have developed a carbonated red grape, although we'd be concerned that this could wake the hairless, eyeless monster...

Bombay Sapphire have also developed a special cocktail exclusively for the event that will be served on the night which will help heighten the sensory experience along with the food. Pan's Labyrinth kicks off the series of films on May 13th, with further titles to be announced. Tickets are available now and cost £22.50 each.

Electric Cinema, 191 Portobello Road, W11
www.electriccinema.co.uk

REVIEW: SHEEKEY'S SPEAKEASIES

J Sheekey is one London restaurant that everyone should try, it has quite the reputation and belongs to the Caprice group who also own Le Caprice where we recently enjoyed a long lunch. Following the success of last year's Sheekey's Speakeasies which combine dinner with music, comedy and cabaret the restaurant have launched another jam packed set of events for 2012.

Last week we went along to see what was in store for diners and sample a selection of dishes. Located in the J Sheekey Oyster Bar the Speakeasies offer a set menu which changes seasonally and includes a Ketel Vodka cocktail on arrival. There are no desserts on offer, it's all about savoury here. We started with fresh West Mersea Pearl Oysters followed by a Stone Bass Ceviche which was zesty and punchy. 

Razor Clams with chorizo and Padron peppers were full of flavour and the different textures and flavours really complimented each other. However for us the winning dish was definitely the Shrimp and Scallop burger, a mini juicy burger combining two of our favourite seafoods.

But it's not all about the food there is also the entertainment which is served in three parts and had the whole room chuckling. The performers change every week but the acts are handpicked by Hardeep Singh Kohli so you can be sure they'll all raise an eyebrow or two!

There are four shows each month including a Sunday brunch show. Priced at £35 for dinner, entertainment and a cocktails. For dinner with a difference this is where it's at...

33-34 St. Martin's Court, WC2N
www.jsheekeyoysterbar.co.uk

MEATMARKET OPENS...

It was always going to happen and to be fair it's no bad thing, the uber popular Meat Liquor has spawned a younger sibling, the MEAT Market which opens tomorrow in Covent Garden. We have to say we're pretty pleased as it add another non-touristy rip off restaurant to the hunting ground that is Covent Garden.

Like its sister MEAT Market will serve up bad ass burgers, onion rings and fries but what we're really looking forward to trying is The Ripper - a hot dog wrapped in bacon, deep fried and covered in crispy onions - wham, bam, thank you mam!

There will also be shakes, ice-cream, fried desserts and a take-away counter. Counting the calories? Then avoid this place like the plague!

Opens Friday 4th May
Jubilee Market Hall, Tavistock Street, WC2E
www.themeatmarket.co.uk

REVIEW: TOSSED

More than once a week we'll have too much to drink on a school night and consume some kind of big, dirty fry up the next day only to feel a pang of guilt afterwards - especially if it's a Maccy D's breakfast meal. Which is why when we heard about Tossed's new healthy breakfast range which features sausage and egg muffins and croissants we thought we'd check it out.

The new menu only launched in April and it's already going down a storm. The Egg and Sausage Muffin is served in a brown muffin (full marks) and is as tasty as any Muffins you might find on the high street only it's served with less guilt. There is also a trimmed bacon and egg option or an egg, Italian cheese and roasted tomato muffin. The wholemeal croissants are light, fluffy and have more of a savoury taste than the usual french delicacies.

We also tried a smuesli which is a smoothie containing two of your five a day and topped with muesli - genius! But don't worry just because it's healthy doesn't mean they charge high prices, the muffins are under two quid and the croissants just 95p - bargain!

8 London locations
www.tosseduk.com