Karine Jackson, Hairdressers, Covent Garden

Karine Jackson's salon is based just moments away from chaotic Leicester Square, and is a refuge for busy Londoners for a few hours of pampering. This independent salon has been awarded numerous awards and prides itself on giving a professional but personable service to all clients.

It was busy inside when I visited, I was soon seated and brought a cup of tea by a smiling assistant. I was booked in to have my hair coloured with Arash and blow dried by Emma, both whom I met at the start of my appointment. After discussing, in depth, the different options for my hair, we decided to go for blonde…which alarmingly meant a whole head of bleach. I was completely unaware about the process this entails, and would warn anyone that a brown to blonde whole head colour change is a massive job and a lot of strain on your hair.

My hair was coated in thick white bleach, that looked rather ominous, but I was reassured that it was all ammonia free. All the hair dyes used at KJ are from the range of Organic Colour Systems, impressively healthy colouring products. I was alerted to the fact that my scalp might itch or sting and this is normal for a first time bleacher. It worried me slightly that at this hair salon the stylists frequently conferred in the corner of the room, while glancing over at me. When the stinging and itching became unbearable the bleach was promptly washed off.

I don’t think it had gone quite to plan, and Arash had moved onto his next client, so I was left worrying in my chair, with only a cup of tea to console me. Another stylist eventually came over and reapplied bleach to the darker parts of my hair, and I was left for 30 minutes to stew in bleach. The second lot was washed off and then a toner applied, a colour Arash decided would work best. This then remained on my hair for a further thirty minutes… by this point I had been at the salon for nearly four hours! A final hair wash downstairs (with luxurious smelling products) and it was finally time for my blow dry.

Unfortunately no one seemed available to dry my hair, both Arash and Emma were with other clients and I was left feeling a bit sorry for myself in the corner. Another stylist came over and offered to ‘rough dry’, so I had to accept that.

Karine Jackson is a lovely salon, but I just felt a bit in the way on this busy December afternoon, perhaps I came at the wrong time to experience the true nature of the place. I left the salon a fully fledged blonde, ready to find out if blondes really do have more fun.

Visit the Karine Jackson website here.

SUDA, Thai Restaurant, Covent Garden

Suda restaurant arrived in London five months ago, located in the romantically lit St Martin’s Courtyard in Covent Garden. The eatery is casual and comfortable and perfect for a light lunch in between shopping stints. Turning down Slingsby Place I was amazed by this sparkling oasis, lovely independent shops and flower stalls make it a gorgeous area to hang out.

Inside the staff are unassuming and sweet, offering help with the menu when I struggled to choose a Thai inspired cocktail. My dad chose the aromatic Lemongrass Bellini – fresh lemongrass with Thai ginger, a lemon twist, charged with prosecco and I had an eccentric but very pretty Thai Sunrise, a martini cocktail made with Gold tequila shaken with Cointreau, passion fruit puree, lime, sugar and finished with a drop of grenadine. Not a mix of flavours I would usually choose but the drink was surprisingly well balanced.

We decided on a selection of starters to share… an unbelievably yummy portion of chicken satay sticks, perfectly marinated and cooked served with a spicy peanutty sauce. Salty sweet potato crisps & tom yum flavoured rice crackers arrived presented in two glasses. A bowl of light crispy calamari looked so fresh and delectable that even I, a serial non-fish eater tried it, and though I found the texture a little rubbery, can’t deny that they tasted good. The signature SUDA fresh rice wrap with braised duck and Thai herbs was an interesting cold dish that I found surprisingly enjoyable. The only starter we didn’t approve of was the Thai eggplant salad with grilled scallops and chilli, it was an odd combination of ingredients, not very easy on the palate.

The fragrant mains created a wonderfully colourful table, Green Chicken Curry for me, and Red Roast Duck Curry for my dad, and a large bowl of Prawn Pad Thai to share. The curries were delicious with ample ginger and flavoursome vegetables, though still quite spicy considering we asked for milder versions of the menu options. The meat was thinly sliced, beautifully cooked and seasoned appropriately. The Pad Thai noodles were sweet and comforting, the ideal dish for a winter’s lunch.

To satisfy our sugary urges we tried a couple of the Thai desserts, notorious for being odd. Tropical fruit sorbets were a nice palate cleanser though a little boring, the banana fritters were much more exciting, arriving on the plate still hot and served with a dollop of creamy vanilla glace.

Suda offers fresh and tasty Thai food, inspired by a balance of the key five flavours – sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy. We had a lovely meal that reminded me, once again why Thai food is my favourite cuisine.

Visit the Suda website here.

The Real Greek, restaurant, Covent Garden

Surprisingly while gallivanting round town I have never come across The Real Greek before; it has recently expanded with seven branches in London. The restaurant was founded in 1999 by celebrity chef, Theodore Kyriakou and his team. The initial restaurant in Hoxton won the title "Best New London Restaurant," following this success establishments opened across London, we visited the buzzing Covent Garden branch.

The Real Greek aims to provide regional and home-style Greek cooking, and can proudly boast being the first restaurant to offer a calorie check on each dish. We were overwhelmed by the menu which lists numerous options and variants of familiar Greek classics as well as some lesser known delicacies. I realised, appalled, that I have never been to a Greek restaurant in London before, despite really enjoying the local food when I visited Crete many years ago. The style of eating is similar to Spanish tapas, with several small plates to be shared between the table, it is a sociable and relaxed way to eat, and more importantly you get to try everything! I immediately noticed similarities between this Greek food and Lebanese cuisine, both genres focus on vegetables and lean meat, making it a very healthy and nourishing style of food.

We were treated with exceptional care and attention by the lovely manager, Kostas; he felt the need to check up on us rather too often, though I know it was done with good intentions. The dishes were thoroughly explained to us, and he highlighted his favourites. After our delicious nibbles of Mediterranean Kalamata olives and Greek Flatbread with Olive Oil and Dukka (a spicy mix of ground, dry roasted nuts and seeds), we chose a few of the cold meze dishes as a starter course. With a generous portion of crudites to dip, we relished homemade, deliciously spiced coarse hummus and the more adventurous Htipiti, a feta dip with roasted red peppers and red onions. The Htipiti was our definite favourite, an amazing blend of salty and sweet cheese and vegetables, it was delicious with the light warm bread.

I feel ashamed to list the many, many different hot dishes we tried for mains. Somehow, through no fault of our own, most of the menu made it onto our table, and the surrounding diners must have been astounded by the extensive array of food. Kostas kindly mentioned that our silhouettes didn’t suggest we were greedy, which made us chuckle and feel a little better! Plates of food are presented on clever contraptions that hold three or five dishes at once. The salads arrived first, simple Cos Salad with shredded leaves tossed in a fruity sultana dressing and an ultra fresh Greek Salad, which surprisingly comes in at 681 calories, even for a small portion!

Halloumi has always been a hit with me, and the Real Greek’s version was the best I have tried, not too salty and grilled to crispy perfection - it was very moreish and lovely paired with the meat dishes. The Yiaourtlou: homemade lamb patties grilled and topped with yoghurt, tomato relish, onions and sprinkled with paprika was a beautiful stack of yumminess and tasted as good as it looked: tender,sweet and spicy with a cold dash of sour from the yoghurt. We also had succulent chicken skewers that were perhaps a little overcooked, and Bifteki – beef patties with spring onion and minted yoghurt, the meat had a lovely flavour but was a little dry. Tiropitakia – filo pastry parcels with creamy leek and feta filling, were a comforting and contrasting dish and the grilled octopus was a welcome break for my friend from the epic meat fest!

Desserts were thankfully light and refreshing, a wonderfully citrusy lemon cake that had a hint of almond and a selection of palate-cleansing sorbets: passion fruit and raspberry were on the menu when we went. We finished with a tiny glass of strong dessert wine, warm and earthy.

The Real Greek offers an exciting range of authentic and modern Greek food, with a keen emphasis on healthy eating. I really appreciated the calorie count and was amazed to discover how wrong I was about various food types and the fat content. Despite being made aware, I think we more than cancelled out our calorie awareness considering the quantity we ate! I left feeling satisfied and appreciating the benefits of this flavoursome Mediterranean diet.

Visit The Real Greek website to book here.

Laduree, Covent Garden

Laduree is the perfect place for a spot of tea. I visited the quaint Covent Garden branch a few days ago to gossip with a friend. It is a fairytale cafe with matching tea sets and a pretty pale green theme, an Alice in Wonderland destination. The waiters are, of course all French... and trot around delivering delicious snacks to the 'ladies that lunch'.

The menu is very tempting with every cake you could desire but also the option to have a full meal if you so wish. As Laduree is famous for its macaroons, we decided this was the treat for us. We tried raspberry, pistachio, rose and salted caramel. My favourite was the airy pale pink rose flavour filled with fluffy white sweet cream icing. The salted caramel was an amazing combination too and melted in the mouth. Like most things from Paris, the Laduree macaroons are petite, stylish and exceptionally delicious.

There is an extensive tea list to choose from, and after much debate we decided on one portion of rose tea and one of almond. Both were flavoursome and sweet (there is no need for milk) and they complement the macaroons perfectly. Laduree has everything you need to feel like a Parisian princess for the day, and is the perfect pick me up between shifts of Covent Garden shopping!

Visit Laduree in Covent Garden, in Harrods or on Burlington Arcade. See the website here.

Mon Plaisir Restaurant, Covent Garden

Mon Plaisir is apparently the oldest French restaurant in London, and from its quaint, authentic interior I can believe it. Located on Monmouth Road, a cobbled street in Covent Garden, you could almost be in Paris.

It is a treasure trove of trinkets inside; through a little archway, we were seated in the main area of the restaurant, red checked tablecloths cover the tables and pretty little pictures decorate the walls.

Both the daily lunch menu and the a la carte were on offer, and we chose to mix and match. I chose the very seasonal Veloute de Potiron et Huile de Noisettes (Pumpkin Veloute with Hazelnut oil) to start: it was absolutely delicious, creamy and velvety, sweet and filling and served in a lovely little tureen. My dad chose the Salade de Canard sauvage aux Mangues (wild duck and mango salad) which was served with a little too much raw onion for our taste, running the risk of distracting from the smoky duck aroma and flavours.

For mains my Perdreau roti en croute (roast partridge in a pastry crust) was a typically French dish, and though it had lovely flavour and was beautifully prepared, I found it too heavy for a lunchtime meal, perhaps a poor choice on my part. The bird was served with a confit of cabbage and a very delicious rich and creamy Celeriac gratin. The Limande grillee sauce béarnaise ou poelee avec un beurre meuniere et pommes ratte (Lemon Sole served grilled with potatoes) was gratefully received and polished off by my dad, who admitted it was one of his very favourite childhood dishes. The large impressive fish lay regally on the plate, wonderfully cooked, even with his high standards, he seemed very satisfied with the Mon Plaisir version of this famous, familiar dish.

For desserts it was the tarte du jour that won our vote, a caramelised apple slice made with soft fruit and custard and encased in crumbly pastry, just as it should be. The chocolate mousse was nice too, not too rich and very airy though it wasn’t special enough and perhaps needed an extra dollop of cream. We finished the meal with wonderfully strong coffees.

I felt almost surprised to walk out into Covent Garden, London after our lovely long lunch in Mon Plaisir. The place, food and character is all so reminiscent of France, a country that I am so fond of, it is like a second home to me. But if nothing else it was a lovely déjà vu... and luckily with a trip to Paris just round the corner I don’t have long to wait for the real thing.

Visit the Mon Plaisir website to book here.

Loch Fyne restaurant, Covent Garden

Halloween in London: but instead of dressing up in my scariest attire and donning white face paint I decided to do the opposite and go for a lovely girly and civilised meal at Loch Fyne in Covent Garden, a branch of the famously fishy restaurant chain.

Slotted between theatreland's stage doors, Loch Fyne is ideally placed for tourists and hungry audience members. In fact the diners seemed to just be pure and simple fish-lovers come to enjoy a relaxed meal. I went along to review with a friend who actually previously worked at another branch of Loch Fyne, so she could offer valuable insights and wisdom about the brand.

Walking in, the restaurant seemed a little disorganised and the waiter who greeted us seemed unsure about my request for our booked table. On cue the temporary manager for the week arrived and was very friendly, he found us a table and apologised for the confusion.

We were offered bread and olives and ordered a delicious bottle of chilled white wine to complement the fish. For starters, we tried the mushroom and camembert bake and the Loch Fyne Kinglas fillet of salmon. The salmon was served sashimi style and was almost glowing with a healthy freshness, presented simply like sushi, served with wasabi and soy sauce. The mushroom tartlet was creamy and comforting with a lovely kick from the cheese, and deliciously buttery pastry. It felt like an enlarged canape, perfect as a mouthful but this portion was a little too big and rich and we couldn't quite finish it.

For main courses, we chose the Monkfish and Prawn Thai green curry and the 21 day aged British rib-eye steak with garlic mushrooms, king prawns and peppercorn sauce. I think it is sometimes worth trying a dish outside the speciality of the restaurant and it was interesting to discover, that the steak meat was, perhaps predictably, not as high quality as the fish despite the price tag. The Thai curry was fragrant and thick, but seemed to use very little coconut milk, instead compensating with fresh herbs and lemongrass. The strong seasoning worked well with the lightly flavoured monkfish and, served with prawn crackers and steamed rice, it was a success. We also tried a side order of Samphire (a strange seaside plant) which had been recommended to me, though I found the unusual taste not particularly pleasant!

After a short digesting interval, pudding was served - creamy creme brulee for my friend (I was a little envious, as this was definitely the best dessert) and the mini trio for me: chocolate mousse, cheesecake with berries and wonderfully warm pear crumble. The desserts were appropriately light and complemented the main menu.

I had a lovely time at Loch Fyne though there is definitely room for improvement. They impress with their fresh high quality fish and seafood, but to be a truly excellent restaurant everything else must be of that standard too.

Visit the Loch Fyne website here.

The Sleeping Beauty, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

It took a minute to remind ourselves of the story of Sleeping Beauty, without getting confused and preoccupied by Snow White and Cinderella. Turns out Sleeping Beauty is the one who if she pricks her finger is destined to die, thanks to a mean wicked fairy who places a curse on her at birth. Luckily a kind fairy partially reverses this enchantment so Sleeping Beauty will only fall asleep for one hundred years. The inevitable happens and the princess falls into a deep sleep for a century until awoken by a prince who breaks the spell, then they all live happily ever after.

Once I’d recapped all that, I was free to enjoy the dancing on the Royal Opera House stage, which was, as usual, quite spectacular. Unfortunately we were once again slumming it in the slips... as previously in the interval I skipped down a few floors to take up empty stalls seated but on this night the stewards were having none of it. It seems to me that the posher the theatre the ruder the stewards are, it is a rule that certainly applies to the Royal Opera House and Royal Albert Hall. We were unkindly escorted back upstairs, the power hungry manager didn’t believe I even had tickets!

As is often the case in ballet, the narrative is loose and to a certain extent unimportant. The beautiful score by Tchaikovsky tells the story as much as any indications on stage and it is the dancing and awe-inspiring skill that the crowd come to see. Marianela Nunez is radiant as the pretty in pink Princess Aurora, she lights up the whole auditorium with her glowing smile and dances with an elegant ease. Nunez is amazingly light footed and yet possesses a strength that shows confidence and maturity.

I am not in a position to judge ballet technique and yet all the fairies, particularly the Lilac Fairy, Claire Calvert and Helen Crawford as the Fairy of the Woodland Glade really stand out as exceptional, perfectionist dancers, completely faultless throughout. Marius Petipa’s choreography is dynamic, especially the ensemble work and he takes extra care with the final poses making full use of the stage.

I was disappointed with the set, rather lacklustre and flimsy it doesn’t evoke the magical fairytale world I was hoping for, luckily the dancing makes up for it. It was a real shame about the stewards, as their officiousness threatened to ruin our night and at somewhere like the Royal Opera House I would expect more from the staff.

The Sleeping Beauty continues until 21 December, book here.

Food for Thought, Vegetarian Restaurant in Covent Garden

Located in the heart of Covent Garden, Food for Thought first opened its doors to the hungry masses in July 1974. Ideally situated for a quick bite or pre-theatre dining and only minutes from Covent Garden tube, they offer simple nourishing bowls of vegetarian food, freshly and lovingly prepared. Menus change daily according to seasonal produce, and everything is priced very reasonably.

The little cafe is full of charm and personality, a quirky diner that has become a firm favourite for Londoners and tourists. My parents apparently often visited as students, and still enjoy eating there. I was taken aback by the immensely friendly service and lovely atmosphere, it is like a special little canteen, everyone packed in and having a good time. We had a good chat with one of the chefs, who furthered my enthusiasm for the place. I was reminded of New York where speciality eateries are plentiful and diverse.

After debating about the veggie lasagne or stirfry, the fruit crumble or salads (everything looked wonderful), we decided on the delicious homemade soup, a fragrant carrot and coriander, seasoned with a kick of spice. To accompany a heavy but delicious cheese scone, perfect for soup dunking or eating alone. As a busy blogger, I am always looking for unique little restaurants serving fresh and delicious food - a welcome change from the usual PRET sandwich. Food for Thought has character as well as a healthy appetising menu to satisfy any stomach.

Visit the website here, and pop in next time you’re in Covent Garden.

Jude Law in Anna Christie, Donmar Warehouse

The Donmar’s production of Anna Christie is an almighty whoosh of emotion and power. Eugene O’Neill’s 1921 drama depicts a misty seaport where a fallen woman returns home to her father after fifteen years apart. Father and lover fight for her affections until her secret past life of prostitution is revealed, causing both to back away with equal measures of disgust and hatred. After a torturous few days where both seem intent on destroying her, she is forgiven and the situation is resolved. In fact at the conclusion little seemed changed from the opening scenes, but an important dilemma is left lingering, proposing Anna Christie as ‘the right kind of prostitute’.

I was overwhelmed by the imaginative staging and wonderful set - it is incredibly evocative, and the mock rainstorm is realistic enough to make you shiver in your seat. Visually it is a real treat, the stage evolves simply but miraculously from a musty bar to a wayward ship, helped by brilliantly moody lighting design from Howard Harrison.

There is no denying Jude Law is a great actor, and having never seen him on stage before I was eager to see his portrayal of Mat Burke, the muscular shipwrecked Irish broker. He is certainly not playing his usual suave role - here he uses a very different kind of charm to woo the ladies. Law quite literally throws himself into the part, rampaging across the stage and exerting huge amounts of energy; he manages to conjure up a deeply nuanced character that will convince any critic of his abilities.

Stunning performances are seen elsewhere too, I recognised the expressive face of Jenny Galloway immediately, having recently seen her in Cause Celebre and was delighted to watch her witty interpretation of Marthy Owen. David Hayman is sensational as Chris Christopherson, the sentimental father desperate to win his daughter back having abandoned her. But the real star of the show is Ruth Wilson, with her gritty depiction of Anna. She manages to be both vulnerable and tough and is startlingly striking in her cropped blond wig - she commands the stage, certainly an actress to watch for the future.

It is the wobbling accents that break the magic from time to time, and I had to suppress a giggle occasionally. Jude Law is the main culprit staggering between a heavy Irish accent and what sounds like a quirky Jamaican droll. Ruth Wilson seems to falter momentarily too with her tricky accent but David Hayman, though at times incomprehensible, manages to speak with impressive consistency throughout in his Swedish – English accent.

Anna Christie continues until 8 October at the Donmar Warehouse... beg, borrow or steal a ticket because they are all sold out.

Macbeth at The Royal Opera House

Visits to the Royal Opera House and the ENO in one day is impressive, even for me! When I was offered a ticket to the final Macbeth rehearsal at ROH I had to accept. Going along to Covent Garden at 11am felt a little strange, especially seeing the audience turning up in casual weekend attire, a far cry from the usual ball gowns and pearls.

Once in the auditorium, the rehearsal announcement came loud and clear through the speakers: "this is a working rehearsal, there may be stops, and some singers may mark their part". Of course they have to say this but in fact the performance ran through, faultless and perfected, even the final bows were neat and tidy. To my knowledge the singers were singing full voice, they certainly didn't appear to be holding back. In fact quite the opposite, they were powerful and resonant, some of the best vocal bravado I've heard here for a while.

In my final year at university I was lucky enough to study 'Verdi and Shakespeare,' a course that focused on his three Shakespearean operas. Macbeth was the first, written in 1847 and revised in 1865. This was a period of great productivity in Verdi's life; even so the great composer recognised its worth, "Macbeth I prize above all my other operas".

The curtain lifts to reveal a swarm of menacing witches, they are dressed in striking red and black costumes that look very Japanese inspired. The chorus is gigantic, they spit out the first number, a sinister mass. I immediately noticed Anthony Ward’s bold set, a strong structure that traps the singers very effectively on stage. The soloists in this cast are exceptional, Simon Keenlyside’s clear baritone voice brings warmth to the role of Macbeth, and Liudmyla Monastyrska sings the highly virtuosic part of Lady Macbeth with confidence and true musicianship. Brilliant alone on stage, she fills the theatre with her big voice, but also works extremely well with Keenlyside, a perfectly possessed duo.

The orchestra of the Royal Opera House are masterful as ever, conducted by the strong handed Antonio Pappano, who I think brings a unique flair to this extraordinary score. Pappano is particularly sensitive to the more intense moments of the opera, for instance Lady Macbeth’s sleepwalking scene that is very intimate and moving.

I was fully engaged throughout despite the long running time of three hours. Every aspect of Phyllida Lloyd’s production is brilliantly realised to produce a stunning five star rendition of this wonderfully dark masterpiece.

Macbeth continues until Saturday 18th June, book here.

Opera Tavern Restaurant

Tapas is a tricky style of cooking to get right. I rarely feel satisfied by it, too greasy, or bland, and little variation. However I must congratulate ‘Opera Tavern’ for cracking the problem with their supreme menu of delightful dishes. The restaurant is located in Covent Garden amongst the theatres, and opened in January, only a few months ago. They already have a keen following and are fully booked most nights. Get there early to snatch one of the first-come-first-served bar places, which is how I managed to eat here a few nights ago.

The mini Iberico pork and fois gras burger seems to be the most enticing treat on the menu - I’ve read reviews that only talk about this signature dish! It is absolutely sensational, arranged in a little toasted bun with sweet onions, a lettuce leaf and a touch of creamy aioli... I devoured it within seconds. It is always best to have too little, and be left wanting more - Opera Tavern’s mini burgers left me wanting so much more I had to order another after finishing the main course.

Other divine dishes include: chargrilled chicken with chorizo, curly kale and Jerusalem artichokes... a delicious mix of fresh ingredients, stacked in sizzling red chorizo jus. Spring green vegetables with ricotta gnocchi, wild garlic pesto and pinenuts is a healthy accompaniment that is packed full of flavour and contrasting textures. We also enjoyed the fried young artichokes with poached egg and a smoked garlic and shallot vinaigrette. Each plate is small, and costs about £5/6 so you can have as few or many as you want. Be warned, you WILL get serious food envy as you watch other choices being delivered to adjacent diners.

I was quite full after our selection of savouries, but too tempted by the dessert menu to resist so my companion and I shared the pannacotta with Clementine sorbet and blood orange granita. It was without doubt the best dessert I have ever tasted (I have tasted a LOT of desserts). Beautifully presented in a glass with curly, icing sugar dusted biscuits to accompany. The silky homemade pannacotta is flavoured lightly with vanilla pod and is creamy without feeling to heavy and rich. On top sits a delicate ball of melting pale orange sorbet, sweet with a touch of citrus, shards of brighter red granita sparkling through, a unique and exceptional combination.

When we left at 7.30 the sun was still shining bright, so we strolled back to the car and reminisced about the perfect evening. I absolutely loved everything about Opera Tavern, I think it might just become my new pre-theatre hang out.

Visit website and book here.

The Icecreamists

I first heard about ‘The Icecreamists’ on a hen weekend when all the girls were chatting furiously scandalised by the ‘breast milk’ ice-cream. Apparently it was the latest gossip, and I knew nothing of it. I was soon brought up to speed, a new off the wall ice-cream parlour in Covent Garden selling unusual and bizarre flavours. Labelled ‘baby gaga’ (for which the similarly named singer is suing, by the way), this extreme variety of ice-cream is actually made from real human breast milk.

Located down a side street in Covent Garden, I popped along there one lunchbreak to experience the revolution myself. Annoyingly the flavour in question had run out, the plastic uniformed girl assured me more would be coming in next week. Then she told me her opinions on the matter: “it is nice, and quite sweet, you’d never guess it is breast milk”. I am intrigued, though admittedly a little relieved that there wasn’t any for me to try. Instead I tasted ‘Priscilla Cream of the Dessert’, appropriate I thought as it is my favourite musical, and luxuriously made with white chocolate, baileys and horlicks it sounded appealing. It was delicious especially with the pretty crunchy decorations that are sprinkled generously on the top. I was also tempted by ‘the sex bomb’ which I read is made from fior di latte, citrus and natural stimulant (!) and ‘cold sweat’ which is a combination of chilli, ginger and lemongrass, so all the essential ingredients of a Thai curry then?

The venue is tiny and feels a bit like a burlesque club, decked out in black and bright pink. A sultry place, with relaxed vintage music purring gently through the speakers and girls perching on stools ready to assist. Cocktails and coffees are available to accompany your dessert. Ice-creams are served, one ball in a cone for £3.95 or two balls in a tub for £5.90, so not cheap, but the trendiest snacks never are. If you are feeling really hungry there is also the gluttonous option of a knickerbocker glory, my favourite childhood pudding, costing a whopping £12.95. Despite only opening a month ago there is already a keen following and gothic merchandise is available, a particularly glitzy brooch caught my eye.

Matt O’Connor, the man behind the operation, is not your ordinary ice-cream maker. He says he would like to serve ice-cream to the Israelis and the Palestinians as a peace initiative! And with his wacky flavours like breast milk he has become the newest anarchic Willy Wonka. You can tell he is a man with a sense of humour from the decor of the parlour, fabulously camp slogans like ‘God save the Cream’ and ‘Miss Whip Lash’ adorn the walls, and he even has a quote from Voltaire: “ Ice Cream is exquisite, what a pity it is not illegal". Well I don’t think you need to worry about that one Monsieur V, O’Connor seems to have almost succeeded in making it illegal – he recently won the battle to serve his breast milk ice-cream when Westminster Council tried to have it taken off the menu.

Whether you love or hate his ideas, everyone is screaming about the Icecreamists, so go on ... ‘lick your addiction’.

The Icecreamists is located at 15 Maiden Lane, WC2. Nearest station: Covent Garden.

Detroit Cocktail bar in Covent Garden

Going out in Central London doesn’t have to be insanely pricey. Last weekend I was invited to 'Detroit' for a friend’s birthday celebration. Tucked away just behind Seven Dials in the heart of Covent Garden, this is a convenient bar in which to meet.

Detroit has real character and flare, with a stylish and comfortable interior, plenty of seating, and even some individual booths for those wanting a more exclusive private area. There are far too many pretentious London venues, but luckily this is not one of those. It was a Saturday evening and there was a real buzz but even though the place was busy the atmosphere was relaxed and easy going.

The cocktails are what make this London bar so supreme, a delicate mix of flavours and aromas make Detroit’s drinks original and delicious. The bartenders are expert at what they do, and are seriously clued up as to which spirit works with which. They will help decide on a drink that suits your preferences but for this tailor-made service you will have to wait. While it’s relatively easy to order a couple of beers, the cocktail crew are constantly busy juggling bottles, mixing and tasting - so getting noticed can be rather tricky. Once I had their attention I was able to order a pear and cardamom martini, loving pear I thought this one was worth a try. It was so good, really fresh tasting with just the mildest hint of spice, lucky as I was beginning to worry it would taste more like a curry with cardamom as an ingredient!

We had a great night at Detroit and with cocktails priced at a reasonable £6.95, it’s worth going just to try a few out.

Robuchon Restaurant in London

Joel Robuchon: chef extraordinaire, and world renowned restaurateur.

In 1989 Robuchon was named "Chef of the Century" by the guide Gault Millau and with top quality restaurants all over the world he is delighting customers on every continent. For my birthday lunch I visited his London restaurant to taste the genius creations myself. It was recommended to me by my expert foodie grandparents, so I had high expectations.

Robuchon sits deliciously next to the Ivy in Covent Garden; dark and smart, it is a discreet venue. Walking inside it feels like a members club - relaxed and welcoming. There are two options for seating: L’Atelier (bar-like stools surrounding the open plan kitchen, for more casual dining) or La Cuisine on the first floor where the seating arrangement is more traditional and formal. Intrigued by the Atelier idea I opted for a table there, after being assured that the menus in both areas are the same. It was definitely the right choice: intimate seats surround the kitchen, it was lots of fun seeing how everything was assembled.

There are several menus to choose from, of which the Menu du Jour is the best value. Available from 12:00 – 15:00 and 17:30 – 18:30, and at just £22 for two courses or £27 for three courses, this offer is too good to be true. Each course has three options; starter and main each have a fish, meat, and vegetarian dish. Here’s what we chose:

STARTER:

Sweet corn soup with popcorn

Classic beef tartare topped with fried quail’s egg

MAIN:

Roasted Gloucestershire old spot pork served with thin French fries

Grilled Scottish salmon with fennel and lemongrass sauce

DESSERT:

Almond biscuit with blood orange jelly, milk chocolate ice cream

Selection of traditional tarts

Instead of wine we ordered two mixed juices (or virgin cocktails) from the drinks menu. These were fresh and carefully concocted with fresh fruits, priced at £6 each. I had a sweet lychee and blackberry that was refreshing and delicious. A decorative red bread basket was brought to us with a generous selection of loaves, though I did have to ask for butter. My steaming soup arrived promptly, a beautiful buttercup yellow colour, with a meticulously stacked garnish of popcorn and apple strips. Quite possibly the best soup I have ever tasted, jointly with my auntie’s butternut squash recipe. The flavours and textures of the components were expertly matched - an impressive first course. I didn’t hear much from my satisfied companion so I’m assuming he enjoyed his beef too.

My main was exquisitely presented, a juicy strip of pork on a delicate long plate, with the crispiest, yummiest tiny little french fries; they were more like couture crisps. The salmon looked amazing placed on a bed of leeks with a mysterious surrounding moat of fennel and lemongrass foam. Our waiter wasn’t quite as attentive as I would have liked but was friendly and informative about the food.

Our desserts were very typically French, and reminded me of lazy afternoons in cute cafes in the South of France. Out of the two, I preferred the selection of tarts - petite slices of six different cakes (coffee, lemon, chocolate etc), it looked lovely and had great variety, though none were as good as my grandmothers incredible apple tart. My dessert was good, but not quite as scrumptious as I was hoping it would be. A nice mix of flavours, the almond and orange cake was moist and light, but I didn’t much like the chocolate ice cream that accompanied, it was bland and uninteresting.

For our coffees we were taken upstairs to the comfy bar area. It was nice to see this lounge space, though I didn’t find it nearly as lively and exciting as the Atelier downstairs. Sadly no petit fours or complimentary sweets were brought with our after lunch drinks which I found massively disappointing, as I adore culinary surprises!

Overall though this was a very special meal for my special day. Robuchon has received two Michelin stars for this restaurant and I doubt there is a more reasonable set menu around for such luxurious food. A perfect option for an affordable but memorable Valentines meal. I will definitely be returning very soon.