Ducksoup, Soho

At a bloggers lunch a few weeks ago, the other foodies at the table discussed the newest, hottest eateries on the London streets. Ducksoup was mentioned- a cute and atmospheric restaurant in Soho, serving up good quality, interesting food.

Wandering round Soho with two friends the other night for a catch up dinner, we were amazed by the amount of restaurants and quirky cafes to choose from. Initially we were intent on trying Polpo or Polpetto, two restaurants I have been meaning to write about for ages, but with long waiting lists at both we moved on to try and satisfy our hunger elsewhere. Ducksoup appeared and remembering the foodies' advice, we went in crossing our fingers that a table for three might be available. They were extremely accommodating, and worked hard and fast to clear a suitable space for us.

Ducksoup is the brainwave of chef Julian Biggs, helped by Clare Lattin and Rory McCoy, who at times have all worked with Mark Hix. The food is stylish but understated - they don't need to make it obvious through showy cooking... Ducksoup is cool, thoughtful and completely unpretentious. The decoration, or lack of it, may suggest carelessness... but this artfully unbothered look mimics the hip eateries in New York.

Sitting round the bar directly behind the lively musicians playing that night, it was very loud and felt just like dining in a buzzing Parisian bistro. The wine list is scrawled across the wall and menus are individually written out each day for the constantly evolving list of dishes available. Bar snacks, small plates and larger main meals are featured, we chose to order smaller dishes to share tapas style. I was just disappointed to see no duck soup on the menu!

Our waitress was very efficient and informative and, though the restaurant was completely full, brought out all our food promptly. She discussed the wine list with expertise, and advised us what we might prefer. We ordered a bottle of the very individual house white that has a very cloudy appearance and has a taste a little akin to cider, it was surprisingly delicious.

Some of the food was exceptional: the whole grilled quail with burnt lemon and tahini yoghurt was wonderfully crisp and caramelised with tender meat and a contrasting salty yoghurt dip. We loved the quail so much we dismantled it and devoured it, not leaving a scrap of meat remaining. The roast shallots with ricotta were delicious and comforting and the Fleurette cheese with fresh crusty bread was to die for, very creamy soft cheese with a mild but distinctive flavour. My friends seemed to love the braised cuttlefish with chorizo, that arrived black as night in a white bowl.

I was disappointed with the artichokes that arrived very dry, rather bland and under-seasoned; but aside from this the food was unusual and delicious, prepared and presented with care and attention. We paid £65 for a filling meal with wine for three and left wholly satisfied with everything about the dining experience at Ducksoup.

Visit the Ducksoup website here.

Jose, Tapas and Sherry Bar, Bermondsey

On typing 'Jose, Bermonsey Street' into Google a long list of glowing reviews appeared, so to say expectations were high is an understatement. Having visited London Bridge the previous night I began to understand the area better and was excited to explore the foodie scene here.

I love corner shops and have always desired one myself, so the tiny detail of Jose being located on a Bermondsey Street corner delighted me. Everyone natters away in Spanish, the atmosphere is truly lovely and echoes the casual eating style of Spain and the Med. A tiny place, stools cover every inch of floor and there are always diners hovering eyeing up the tempting array of fresh fish and meat presented on the front counter.

Jose Pizarro is unlike the chef stereotype: he is gentle, friendly and relaxed, he cooks and tours around his restaurant chatting. He was a Chef Partner at the hugely popular Tapas Brindisa in London's Borough Market and in 2008 opened two tapas restaurants, in Soho and South Kensington, both to critical acclaim.

Lucky for me, Jose was in the kitchen when I visited on a Tuesday lunchtime and he took time out to talk about and explain the food to me, personally choosing a menu of his best dishes for me to try. The knowledgeable waitress then paired the plates with exemplary wine choices, including sherry to start and dessert wine to finish. It is a very genuine environment, with an authentic Spanish tapas bar feel, a simple concept which Jose Pizarro mentioned had always been his dream to create, and boy, has he succeeded.

While waiting for my friend, I was treated to some spiced broad beans, dangerously moreish and served in a cute jar. The food that followed was exceptional, absolutely delicious and made with care and devotion. Jose chose everything for us, explaining the dish's origin, the region of Spain it hails from and his personal take on the flavours and style of traditional tapas. We were treated first to finely sliced deep red Iberico ham, oily and rich in flavour it matched the accompanying dry wine perfectly.

Specials are written daily on the board featuring the freshest seasonal produce and unique recipes. We were treated to the delectable Scottish razor clams with chorizo, so fresh and beautifully presented that I couldn't help but try a tiny mouthful despite my serious fish dislike.

Then came juicy prawns with chilli and garlic followed by pork meatballs served in a sweet tomato sauce and a rich, spicy chorizo and lentils dish. The Iberico pork fillet was the finest meat with a smoky taste and a little kick of spice. For the heavier main dishes we tasted the Iberico pork cheeks with sweet potato mash, and intense and delicious beef fillet and onion cheese on toast.

The array of wines is impressive, the selection chosen for us was expert. The 2006 Cal Pla red worked well with the red meat dishes, while the light fruity white 2010 Castel de Bouza Albarino matched the delicate seafood. After an absolute feast, we gorged on the simple Chocolate mousse, smooth and airy, creamy but not too rich, and were made thankfully strong lattes.

Bermondsey Street is a hidden gem. A nearby antiques market is temptingly signposted and many nice pubs and shops surround the restaurant, among my favourite finds were a couture collar shop for your precious pets, and a best of British gift shop. Irritatingly the new White Cube Gallery round the corner was closed when I visited Jose, so I couldn't tick that off my blogging to do list just yet.

In a thriving city where lovely restaurants are plentiful, I am always on the look out for those rarer independent eateries that go above and beyond, Jose is one such restaurant... undeniably exceptional food, and unforgettable character, it is a memorable outing especially if you meet the great chef himself.

Visit the Jose website here for more information.

OXO Tower Restaurant

The OXO Tower Restaurant is located on the eighth floor of London’s famous tower, along with the less expensive brasserie. This rooftop venue is owned my Harvey Nichols and has all the style of the Knightsbridge shop. The relaxed attitude is noticeable immediately you are welcomed in, unusual for a restaurant of this calibre.

Not quite Michelin star standard food for Michelin star prices, but the beautiful view makes up for it - best to go on a clear evening and watch the sun set as you eat. We were lucky enough to see a spectacular red sky that reflected a romantic glow over the whole restaurant. With one of the most impressive wine lists around, you can drink anything from OXO's own-label Vin de Pays d'Oc at £18 to '82 Petrus at £4,200.

The staff were ridiculously attentive but not in a distracting way, although I was a little disconcerted at the start of the meal when there seemed to be more waiters than customers. I struggled a bit with the predominantly fishy menu but eventually the tempting descriptions led me to a few suitable options. I had the vegetarian starter, arancini, which are essentially fried risotto balls, these were little bundles of joy, although I found the accompanying greenery a bit plain and the truffle quite flavourless. For mains it was hard to choose, and as all around us couples were devouring delicious looking meat food envy made it hard to make a final decision. We went for lamb and duck, I had the lamb (well actually I had the duck too as it was too good not to steal several bites off my companion's plate). There were none of these silly ‘tiny’ portions for mains – I had lots of different things to try on my plate, including parmesan gnocci (amazing) and mango and carrot sauce (surprisingly delicious). It was so good I was almost too full for pudding, which I always find to be a very upsetting dilemma at the end of a meal. We shared the chocolate plate, which was rather large so better for two. It included a mini tower of earl grey chocolate mousse and a bizarre chocolate and mint sorbet.

A walk along the South Bank after dinner concluded the perfect evening.