Anokha, Indian Restaurant, Acton

To find a decent restaurant in Acton is quite a revelation. As soon as Pizza Express hits the chavvy acton highstreet I'm sure things will start looking up... But currently we have very few places to experience fine dining. A rare occasion of my whole family being reunited called for a special celebration, which came in the form of a trip down the new local Indian restaurant, Anokha.

Anokha strives to offer guests authentic Indian cuisine and it certainly seems to deliver as the place was completely full on this Friday night. As fireworks were blazing entertaining passers by outside we were having our own drama inside Anokha where the particularly excitable fire alarm was ringing loudly every few minutes in the kitchen, initial growing pains. In a small airtight restaurant I would usually find this kind of imperfection infuriating however the sweet natured waiters made the whole exxperience so lovely you couldn't help but smile and laugh at the noise!

After crisp poppadums our main courses arrived, not so promptly, but I guess we were a large table of six. The curries were delicious with soft and subtle flavours, exceptionally fresh ingredients, and impressive attention to detail. I ordered the particularly showy Chicken Shashlik Bhuna: diced marinated chicken cooked with herbs, tomatoes, onions and green peppers in a rich sauce and served on a sizzler! It was fragrant and filling and wonderfully unique served on the hot portable stove, quite a show piece. The rest of the table was filled with interesting selections from the menu, a creamy and sweet Chicken Korma, Tandoori Chicken, Tikka Biryani and an assortment of vegetable dishes. Miraculously we managed to clear the table. For six the meal cost £70, incredibly reasonable considering the quality and taste.

I give Acton a hard time but hopefully the arrival of Anokha marks the start of a revamp of Churchill road, a part of Acton that has a lot of potential.

Visit the Anokha website here.

Tsuru, Sushi Restaurant, Mansion House

I'm not generally a big fan of sushi but at Tsuru there is nothing not to like. Three friends are on a mission to offer fresh Japanese food with sustainability and authenticity very much in mind. Now three Tsuru restaurants are open in London, I went to try out the Mansion House branch.

It is a petite venue with a lovely seating area outside for warmer months and tidy casual furnishing inside. We sat at a nice light window table for an early supper, despite being half empty the place had a nice relaxed atmosphere, perfect for a Friday night girlie catch up. To start, we ordered a few dishes to graze on: the vegetable gyoza, free-range chicken kara-age and a bowl of edamame with chilli. Our verdict on these was very positive, delicious gyoza arrived piping hot, perfectly crispy outside with succulent steamed vegetables inside. I was a little disappointed the edamame were served cold as I much prefer them hot, however the real treat for me was the chicken kara-age, chicken goujon-like but with a much more exciting crackling crunchy batter and a vibrant garlic ginger flavour, very moreish.

Next a selection of the sushi was delivered, fresh and beautifully presented. I don’t eat fish so had to rely solely on my friend’s opinion (she is a sushi fanatic so is trustworthy on the subject!) She was particularly impressed with the yellow fin crisp roll: 8 pieces of salmon, asparagus and tempura crisps uramaki topped with tuna sashimi and flash seared with garlic oil. It wasn’t on our original must-have list, but our waiter recommended it, and it was obvious why. It came plated up like a work of art, gorgeous colours carefully composed, apparently it was very tasty too. The salmon and avocado is my friend's favourite - she felt the nori (the black seaweed paper used in the sushi) was a little thick and tough, aside from that it seemed to be a hit.

For my main, I tried the Chicken Katsu which was described to me as 'the best in London'. It was scrumptious - a fruity slightly spicy curry sauce with crispy breadcrumbed chicken breast and a lovely accompaniment of crunchy salad. I inevitably compared this dish to the Wagamama version and in the Katsu competition I have to admit that Tsuru wins, the sauce is much healthier and richer tasting and the meat used at Tsuru is all free range.

For dessert, we shared the chocolate brownie with vanilla ice-cream. The cake arrived steaming and was lovely with the vanilla ice-cream. To accompany the sweet pudding we drank soothing Jasmine tea. It is served in lovely ceramic teapots and is made from handrolled pearls of jasmine leaves, it is comforting and cleanses the palate.

For all those sushi mad girls out there, Tsuru is a must try restaurant. Very reasonably priced and deliciously fresh and healthy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more branches on London's streets soon.

VISIT THE TSURU WEBSITE HERE.

Saigon Saigon, Vietnamese restaurant, Hammersmith

Saigon Saigon is one of a cluster of restaurants located on King Street in Hammersmith; it aims to serve authentic Vietnamese cuisine. I went along for a catch up with a few school friends and arrived first so spent a while being nosey and looking round the restaurant. I would describe Saigon Saigon as a high end take-away joint, with reasonable prices, genuinely good food, and reliable service, the interior is warm and welcoming.

The menu is never-ending, with many of the options seeming almost identical. After a few rounds of spicy prawn crackers we chose a few starters to share. I insisted on chargrilled marinated chicken satay, succulent meat squashed onto sticks and covered in a deliciously sweet peanut marinade. The others were keen on the fishy choices and chose the spicy farci crab shell filled with crab meat, vermicelli threads and backfeather fish meat... surprisingly filling, the prospect of mains became a little daunting.

The next course came in steaming bowls. I chose chicken curry with sweet potatoes, basil, chilli and coriander. This dish was a cross between a Thai and Indian curry, the aromatic flavours of Thai with the thickness and creamy texture of Indian. I loved the curry sauce, very fresh and zingy flavours made it very moreish but there was far too much chicken and not enough vegetables, and I ended up leaving a sad pile of untouched meat in my bowl. Around the table my friends tried the rice vermicelli topped with stir fried beef with chilli & lemongrass and the king prawn curry with aubergine, okra, diced potatoes, green peppers & sweet basil. The portions seemed average, but along with accompanying steamed fragrant rice we all found it difficult to finish.

I am a little ignorant of Vietnamese food so feel it is unfair for me to judge the authenticity of Saigon Saigon, but from my lovely experience here I would say it is definitely worth a try if you live nearby.

Saigon Saigon, 313-317 King Street, Hammersmith, W6 9NH. Visit the website here.

Charlotte's Bistro, Chiswick

Chiswick is one of my favourite places in the world, I grew up there and have spent many, many weekends enjoying all its amenities: Fouberts ice-cream parlour, the various parks, friendly restaurants and boutique shops... it will always feel like home. So when the opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance to review Charlotte’s Bistro on Turnham Green in Chiswick.

With large windows opening onto the street, the restaurant was blissfully cool and breezy when we visited on an unusually hot September evening last week. Even on a school night, this gorgeous bistro was full with jovial groups laughing and enjoying the experience. We were well looked after by attentive waiters throughout the meal, who were happy to answer all our silly questions about what onglet, gurnard and salsify are.

First we were treated to special cocktails to sip on while naughtily tucking into the fresh bread and butter. I tried the adventurous Fennel & Bergamot Martini, an autumnal mix of flavours, while my friend chose the delicious Caribbean breakfast. My martini felt very grown up and sophisticated - a delicate aromatic combination of fennel infused Smirnoff Black vodka, homemade fennel & bergamot purée, orange blossom water and lemon juice – shaken, strained & served straight up.

The menu at Charlotte’s Bistro is diverse and inspiring, using sustainable and interesting seasonal ingredients, for example the Cornish Gurnard used as an alternative to endangered varieties. After much consideration, we decided on our starters: Honey Roasted Pumpkin & Carrot Veloute with almond and coconut for me, and Marinated Violet Artichokes with leek hearts, Trompette emulsion and Berkswell cheese for my guest. Both were beautifully presented, my soup came steaming, a gorgeous orange colour with delicate sweet foam on top. A comforting dish that would make a perfect light winter lunch.

For mains, we decided on the Slow Pork Belly with Pomme Puree, port wine salsify and oyster vinaigrette and the Roasted Hake with Moroccan spices, chorizo, green olives and salt baked potatoes. For an added touch of greenery we ordered the English rocket and Watercress Salad. I wasn’t quite prepared for how rich pork belly is, and though the flavour was scrumptious, I couldn’t manage the very fatty parts. The Pomme Puree was as good as I’d imagined, a more luxurious type of mashed potato, it accompanied the meat wonderfully, as did the sweet and salty port wine salsify. The Hake looked wonderful too, with juicy chunks of chorizo and fresh perfectly cooked fish working well together.

After strong recommendation from our waiter, we ordered the Nougat Praline Parfait with Pistachio Crumble, Brandy Soaked warm Chocolate Madeleine to share for pudding. It was as spectacular as promised, presented precariously on a white plate, three different textured sweet treats, the parfait was particularly yummy. We were both also brought palate cleansing fresh mint tea, my favourite drink to start and finish the day!

Charlotte’s Bistro is a special restaurant with character and a lovely atmosphere - and with a constantly changing menu, it is definitely a place to visit again and again.

Visit the website for Charlotte’s Bistro here.

La Reve at Cafe de Paris, with The Tootsie Rollers

My night at La Reve was spectacular - an evening of delicious food and even more delicious acts. This saucy celebration of cabaret and burlesque is presented every Friday at Cafe de Paris in London; I was invited to attend on 26th August, for a special array of performers including the Tootsie Rollers – vintage girl band extraordinaire.

Cafe de Paris has a lavish interior, decorated to replicate the great, doomed Titantic’s ballroom. I have visited this venue several times and on each trip the circular hall is transformed to suit the event. We were welcomed inside, led downstairs and shown to a place on one of the smartly set tables in the main club area. Our choice of wine and water was promptly brought to our table, before choosing from the three course set menu.

Already the lights were dimmed and glittery jittery girls flickered amongst the tables, all dressed up for the occasion. In a demure but well cut checked shift dress, I was one of the less adventurously attired ladies though I had nipped into Shu Uemura at lunchtime for a glam fake eyelash fix, so at least I sported a little bit of glamour... I was glad to notice my colourfully outrageous lashes turning a few heads.

From the varied selection of dishes I chose the Goats Cheese, Roast Pepper Roulade with garlic toast and beetroot vinaigrette, then the Roast Free Range Chicken Breast with lyonnaise potatoes, baby vegetables and Dijon mustard sauce for main. My companion ordered Boneless Tamworth Pork Rib with truffle mash, sweet potato confetti, and Magret Duck Breast with steamed bok choi, confit duck spring roll and hoisin jus to follow. Considering the vast room of hungry mouths all ordering at the same time, I was hugely impressed with the efficient and no fuss service. Meanwhile Laura London, an eccentric magician came round to stun us with her unique tricks.

The food was delivered quickly, piping hot and wonderfully presented. I devoured my starter: a sensational combination of flavours and textures, light and yummy. The chicken was rather an unnecessarily large portion and I noticed several girls leaving some untouched on their plates. I loved the peppery mustard sauce and the vegetables were a welcome healthy accompaniment. For dessert we shared the Braeburn Apple & Cinnamon Tarte with caramel and vanilla ice cream and the luxurious Chocolate Bavarois, Grand Marnier & orange coulis and caramelised almonds. Both were delicious and fresh tasting, neither too sweet nor too rich.

Our vivacious hostess Ivy Paige trotted down the spiral stairs and the show began, a line up of the most fabulous acts from around the world: acrobats, fire-eaters, transvestite comedians, dancers, singers, and everything in between - it was a feast for the senses, a mini Moulin Rouge. A few of my favourites were the Bees Knees, the finest flapper girls, Pippa the Ripper, a hula-hooping sensation, and Roxy Velvet, a magnificent showgirl. I absolutely adored the Tootsie Rollers, the star attraction of the night after a feature in Stylist magazine. Six of them dressed in cute matching suits, they were a bubbly bunch, introducing the enthusiastic crowd to some of their harmonious vintage tunes. I wished I was up there with them, it all looked so fun... why aren’t there more of these retro bands? They are a hoot!

After two hours of fun and a couple of Lychee Martinis, we dragged ourselves away from the excitement and stepped out onto the rowdy Leicester Square streets - I had to blink, as it felt like the night had all been a thrilling dream...

Visit La Reve website and book here.

Pop up Pizza Masterclasses in London with Birra Moretti

We have all heard about the riotous success of pop-up clothes shops, pop-up cafes etc, but now something to satisfy your stomach... Italian beer brand Birra Moretti are inviting Londoners to their pop-up gourmet pizza masterclasses. Starting from today, Wednesday 27th until Friday 29th, three workshops will be held in London venues: Wednesday – Exchange Square, Thursday – Soho Square and Friday– Canary Wharf, running from 11am-4pm each day.

Top Italian chef Giancarlo Caldesi will be running the show, teaching guests to make their very own authentic pizza in just 10 minutes using Birra Moretti beer as the special secret ingredient. The rest of your lunch break can then be spent enjoying your culinary masterpiece and relaxing with a complimentary beer. The idea is to give busy, hard working Londoners a well earned lunch break while sharing the essence of the envious Italian lifestyle, “il dolce far niente” – “the sweetness of doing nothing”.

All of the pop-up gourmet masterclasses are free, and will be available to guests on a first come first serve basis, Caldesi will be hosting 10 masterclasses at each venue.

For more info see facebook.com

Bistro du Vin restaurant, Soho

After attending the new Bistro du Vin restaurant opening in Soho, I was invited for supper last week to try out the menu. We went along on a Sunday evening to find the restaurant surprisingly empty, then again so is most of Soho at the end of the weekend. I was unable to see the design at the busy opening, but can now confirm the decor is elegant and refined, a bright and airy layout that I’m sure will entice people in either just for a drink at the plush bar or for a relaxed meal in the main restaurant.

This is the second Bistro du Vin restaurant, after the success of the first in Clerkenwell. The menu is one of British classics, with a focus on high quality meat and fish. The restaurant boasts a collaboration with ‘La Cave a Fromage’ a wonderful cheese supplier who works hard to find the very best French and British cheeses. So with that in mind, it would have been a sin not to try out the display of fine cheeses! For a starter we shared a selection of the artisan cheeses and finely chosen charcuterie. Our friendly waitress sweetly asked which flavours I preferred before bringing us a well rounded assortment of their current seasonal stock.

The cheese and charcuterie arrived beautifully displayed on two rustic wooden boards, along with a variety of fresh breads. All the cheeses were good, some were sublime... I remember thinking that cheese would be my luxury for a desert island, if the cheese I could take was this good. The finest salami and hams came amongst a bed of salad and figs, my favourite was the flavoursome Iberico ham, matured for 30 months.

As the name suggests Bistro du Vin has an enviable expertise in wine, and an awesome hand picked array is on display in the central glass room. A lovely sommelier came over to our table and suggested a white that would complement our starter, Stadt Krems Gruner Veltliner (Lossterrassen, Kremstal, Austria 2010). It was one of the most drinkable, light and refreshing white wines I have ever tasted.

After sampling the Donald Russell sourced beef on offer at the opening party, I was keen to choose a dish from the grill section of the menu. From the choice of cuts, I decided on Sirloin - priced at £24, my steak was lean and tasty, a wonderful cut of meat with a delicious chargrilled taste from the Josper Grill. To accompany I had a rich creamy peppercorn sauce and a portion of crispy pomme frites. We ordered a tomato and onion salad to share; I was delighted when it arrived to see the tomatoes were multicoloured, a group of bright orange, red, green and yellows. My friend chose the BdV Burger with bacon, gruyere cheese and grilled mushrooms on the side. A perfectly cooked stack of burger components, served with frites.

Before dessert, I asked to try a summer cocktail of the expert bartender's choice. The waiter delivered to me the sweetest peach-flavoured creation, a drink made specially to suit my request. For dessert, with our aromatic fresh mint tea we ordered the Belgian waffle, fresh strawberries and Valrhona chocolate sauce. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the waffle had just been homemade by the pastry chef in the kitchen; it was crispy and scrumptious with the darkest bitter hot chocolate sauce and sweet red fruit.

Soho is home to a wealth of tempting restaurants, but at Bistro you will find a little pinch of extra sophistication.

Visit website here to book and find out more.

St John Restaurant, Smithfields

St John Restaurant has won over the hearts and appetites of many. Two good family friends recently told me it was “definitely their favourite restaurant in London”, but is this a daring eatery only for the super keen meat munchers, those diners able to bear squeamishness inducing dishes? I went along last week for dinner to investigate for myself the truth behind St John and its reputation.

Located opposite the wonderful Smithfields market (the oldest wholesale meat market in the UK), it is immediately apparent how and why St John became this carnivore canteen, a concept that has defined the restaurant’s purpose ever since opening. The building itself is a former smokehouse, a large white property that has been impressively transformed since its abandonment in 1967. Painted all white with bare tables scattered about, I was struck at once by the clinical layout. Though plain, the decor encourages a relaxed atmosphere that is far more welcoming than most high end restaurants.

After a brief drink at the bar we went through to the dining room, an expansive hall that reminded me of my school with a slightly unpleasant smell of steaming broth flavouring the air. A kind lady hung my jacket on one of the torturous hooks that line the wall... I wondered about the poor carcasses that would have previously hung there.

Freshly baked bread was delivered with our menus. It soon became apparent, that although St John is not suitable for vegetarians, it certainly offers a range of dishes that venture far beyond offal and innards... a fact that many seem unaware of. Knowing my own meat threshold, I decided to have a main and dessert. The mains arrived steaming, Braised Duck Leg, Turnips & Bacon for me and Rabbit Saddle, Carrots & Aioli for him. Both were presented primitively on the plate, no fancy decorating or unnecessary fuss, the rabbit looked quite funny plonked next to a whole carrot! The duck was cooked perfectly, rich and soft, falling easily off the bone. The accompanying turnips were pretty tasteless and a little under seasoned for me. I preferred the rabbit, an absolutely delicious hunk of meat, full of flavour.

For me it is the bakery that is the most enticing attraction at St John. An adorable addition to the dining room that sits next to the bar. After peering in on our arrival, I was very excited about how these baked treats may be included in the puddings. We had Poached Peaches & Toasted Brioche, and Apricot Crumble & Vanilla Ice-Cream. Both were a success, wholesome simple puddings, made with the freshest of fruit. To take home I asked for half a dozen homemade madeleines, they came with the bill in a brown paper bag, the smell so sweet and appetizing that other heads turned as they arrived. Oh and they tasted absolutely heavenly too, providing us with a perfect little breakfast the following day.

It was great fun being at St John and having a nice meal without worrying whether I was wearing the “right” outfit, or talking too loud. There is a laid back vibe and no stuffiness and this definitely affects the dining experience. However the meal for two still cost £60 (for two courses with a drink each) and with such brilliantly fresh ingredients I expected more... the highlight of a Michelin star restaurant shouldn’t be the little cakes at the end, should it?

Visit St John website here.