The Anglesea Arms, Gastropub, Hammersmith

The Anglesea Arms is a lovely gastropub in Hammersmith with a lively atmosphere and inventive menu. The restaurant has a glowing reputation… and is often graced with the presence of local celebs, like comedienne Miranda Hart! I've visited several times now and from my experience the food here varies enormously though I have always enjoyed it. Last weekend we visited for lunch for a rare family meal out, it felt like a real treat. The pub was buzzing with weekend jollity and the service was impeccable, with friendly, efficient staff.

We chose an assortment of dishes, and I managed to try pretty much everything on the table. Much to my brother’s annoyance his dish required more than one taste! I was tempted by the Imam Bayeldi – an aubergine based type of ratatouille, but was put off on hearing that it is served cold, and opted instead for the leek and cheddar tart with green salad. It was delicious - a warm comforting slice of cheesy quiche with soft crumbling pastry complemented by the crunchy salad. I would never choose cauliflower soup, in my opinion thick white liquid is not very appetising; however my mum felt like it and sadly found it too salty (but to be honest her tolerance for salt is staggeringly low). The waiter immediately brought her another dish and didn’t charge for the replacement - a fresh buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto and red watercress salad. My brother’s Middlewhite Pork Belly with Potato Gratin, Greens and mustard was divine, a lovely piece of meat – with layers of crispy crackling, a small proportion of flavoursome fat and delicious, perfectly cooked pork. The potatoes were all caramelised and creamy and I thought the buttery kale was the ideal choice of vegetable to accompany the rich meat.

Puddings were a sight to behold, a glorious array of oozing sugary treats. We chose a few to share, originally we agreed on two but overwhelmed by indecision we gave in and ordered a greedy three! Very generous portions of Salted caramel & Chocolate Truffle, Frangipane Tart with Poached Pears and Ricotta Doughnuts with Butterscotch Sauce arrived for us to fight over. I liked the Frangipane Tart best: a soft, almondy cake that arrived hot served with contrasting vanilla ice cream. The only odd thing was the excess of chocolate sauce that covered the pears, it was just one flavour too many. The doughnuts were eccentric and interesting, very sweet but delicious nonetheless and the caramel and chocolate truffle was too salty bitter for me, but went down well with the rest of the table!

We had a lovely meal: hearty food, delicious cider and faultless service, an all round perfect pub lunch.

The meal cost £70 for a decent meal for four including drinks and service.

Kerbisher & Malt, fish and chip shop, Hammersmith

Kerbisher and Malt is a modern, upmarket British fish and chip shop. You can take out, but the clean stylish interior may encourage you to eat in. Cool photos hang on the white tiled walls, and trendy wooden benches and tables provide casual seating. Located in W6, a few minutes walk from Hammersmith station, I was delighted to be visiting a café so close to home.

The food is simple and classic, a selection of fish varieties that promises to be the best and freshest available. I was disappointed they didn’t have plaice when I went along, but as all the fish bought in is fresh off the boat, it obviously means the menu will vary, and so it should in a good fish eatery. Impressed by the inclusion of sustainable fish on the menu, I chose the Coley. The batter was crisp and light, and inside the soft melting white fish was perfectly cooked, and super fresh.

The best bit was perhaps the deliciously vinegary pickled onion rings. I find this accompaniment can often be too sloppy and greasy but these were perfect, the onion was cooked but still a little crunchy, as I like it, with a pleasant kick from the pickling and a generous coating of batter. Oh, and the twice-cooked chips were amazing, I couldn’t help finishing off my large portion, a far cry from the usual soggy and heavy chips in most takeaway places.

It was lovely to see some regular customers come in while I was eating… each ordering their favourites from the menu, bulging chip butties or bowls of crispy calamari with chilli sauce. We also tried the Kerbisher side salad, an interesting mix, sprinkled with pomegranate, this gave a little necessary greenery to the meal!

We didn’t have pudding (I ate too many chips) but Jude’s ice-cream is on offer. I overheard the waitress listing the flavours and there are more than enough to satisfy all tastes.

Kerbisher and Malt is old fashioned and stylish, with reasonable pricing, comfortable seating and seriously decent grub. Surely the best fish and chip shop in West London?

Visit the website here for more information.

Megan's cafe and restaurant, King's Road

Megan's is the type of place where the Made in Chelsea cast hang out: a humble, picturesque little cafe-restaurant-deli where Fulham's upper west side enjoy amicable champagne brunches and light lunches.

Despite being located on the upmarket King's Road with elite customers, the place has a down to earth and friendly atmosphere, and prices are very reasonable. Visitors are kept content with yummy home cooked food and delicious fresh juices. Out back is a magical courtyard to use on warmer days.

I went along for a late breakfast with my best friend last weekend. We found Megan’s to be the perfect place to munch and gossip. Every table was occupied by a gaggle of excited girls, the adjacent lot were sipping fizzy and celebrating an engagement.

After an extra busy morning, the staff were very apologetic explaining that all the hot food had gone, so sadly no bacon butties and toasted crumpets for us. We settled for warmed almond croissants and candied lemon cake, with creamy cappuccinos and freshly pressed apple and orange juice. Everything was delicious, I just wish we’d had the chance to sample more of the menu; I guess that’s an excuse for going back.

Next to the till home-made jams, flavoured oils, pickles and sauces are prettily stacked for diners to buy on their way out. The white peach and saternes jam and chilli and thyme infused olive oil looked particularly appetizing.

As we left the waitresses were frantically getting ready for the next bookings. Megan’s doesn’t need to advertise, they pride themselves on being the best kept secret café in South West London.

Visit Megan's website here.

Roti Chai, Indian Restaurant, Marylebone

Roti Chai (literally ‘bread and tea’) is a cool new Indian snacking eatery conveniently located on the outskirts of Marylebone between Bond Street and Marble Arch, an area that has recently seen the arrival of a few new hip restaurants. Inside it is a simple layout, a kind of minimalist canteen, downstairs a dining room, and upstairs (where we ate) a relaxed ‘street kitchen’ designed for quick easy eating.

My expert eater, chef friend chose our meal, an assortment of exciting sounding dishes from the eclectic menu. The Bhel Puri arrived first, a Bombay speciality of puffed rice mix with tangy tamarind sauce… to me it tasted like a sort of exotic mix of rice crispies and chutney… a slightly odd combination but nonetheless quite fun to crackle in your mouth! Our waitress advised us to try the Chicken lollipops, which have apparently become a firm favourite with regular customers. These were yummy, very moreish spiced chicken wings, cooked to perfection with a crispy batter, successfully managing to avoid being too greasy.

The Hakka Chilli Paneer was a highlight for me, a fiery Indo-Chinese speciality from Kolkata that arrived warm and delicious, a mix of paneer cheese and vegetables, the only issue was its spiciness, and I found I really needed the cooling side portion of minty yoghurt. A generous basket of roti bread was fresh and warm, a much nicer accompaniment than rice.

If you are not opting for cocktails or Indian beer, it is worth having the masala chai to drink, the restaurant’s authentic take on the sweet Indian tea spiced with cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. A warm, sugary and comforting drink that smells and tastes like Christmas.

The desserts all sounded a little esoteric, I made an executive decision for us to try the Kulfi Indian ice-cream lollipops, mango for my friend, pistachio for me. These grown-up mini milks were surprisingly nice, a sweet icy conclusion to the hot and spicy meal.

Unfortunately the staff were a tad clueless on our visit, obtaining a glass of tap water was rather too difficult. More importantly though the food at Roti Chai is fresh and vibrant, a tasty and inexpensive choice for busy diners.

To really impress, I feel they could perhaps be a little more innovative with the menu… it felt a little too similar to restaurants like Dishoom and Delhi Grill. In London’s restaurant scene you need to be daring and adventurous to stand out from the crowd.

Visit the website here.

Pizarro, Bermondsey Street

I have already experienced Jose Pizarro's culinary expertise at his lovely little tapas bar ‘Jose’ on Bermondsey Street . A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to return to his magical world of Spanish food to try his newest venture, ‘Pizarro’, just down the road from his first restaurant. It is named not after him, but after his grandfather who had a bar called Pizarro in Talaván, Jose dedicates the restaurant to his memory.

With this sit-down establishment, the chef intends to offer the same style of authentic, delicious Spanish food but in a more formal setting. Much like ‘Jose’ the cuisine still encourages sharing but with larger more substantial dishes to share. Long communal tables, and picturesque window spaces seat forty, it is rustic yet a stylish place to dine.

Jose adores sherries and cavas, the wine list is made up of only the best, carefully sourced and selected. I had a glass of delicious crisp white wine which complemented the meal perfectly.

The menu is short and sweet as it should be, a variety of Spanish recipes using the freshest seasonal ingredients. As ever Jose's dishes are composed perfectly, without too much bread or carbohydrate; his food is substantial and hearty without being too filling. We were first given bite-size pieces of hard cauliflower dressed in simple but delicious olive oil and crunchy sea salt.

To start we ordered a few of the smaller tapas sized portions. A plate of Jamon Iberico Manuel Maldonado, the most special and extravagant Spanish meat you could ever hope to try; Quail which was absolutely divine, a lovely little bird cooked so it was crispy on the outside and soft and fleshy inside. It was served with Romesco, a classic Spanish sauce, a sort of thick orange paste with a vibrant flavour, made from roasted red peppers, almonds, garlic and tomatoes. I wasn’t as keen on the Duck livers with capers and fino (the driest and palest traditional variety of sherry); although the flavour was rich and sensual I found the meat too slippery, and visually the dish wasn’t very attractive.

Iberico pork cheeks with olive oil mash was the most luxurious dish: the meat was rich and melted in the mouth from lengthy cooking in heavenly wine and juices. Paired with magically unique mash, it was irresistible. The lamb with lentils and radicchio was my favourite though, intensely flavoured meat still slightly pink in the middle with a caramelised crispy edge, the addition of fresh chicory-like radicchio and lentils made it the perfect dish.

The desserts are inventive and creative, we chose the pear sorbet with cava and the chocolate toast with hazelnut ice cream. The glass of floating sorbet in fizzy liquid looked like a quizzical experiment, it was refreshing, if a little bizarre, a sweet soup with fun straws poking out the top. It would be a lovely light summer pudding. The crunchy and smooth, sweet and salty chocolate ensemble was a treat: soft dark chocolate mousse served on toast, a dollop of ice-cream with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of rock salt, it was an interesting mix of tastes and textures.

When I asked the modest chef what was next he replied, "nothing, I have all I ever imagined and wanted", now he deserves some time just to stand back and enjoy his two exceptional restaurants. Jose Pizarro brings better Spanish food to London than any other, he should be very proud.

Restaurant: Mon-Fri 12 – 3 for lunch, 6 – 11 for dinner. Sat 12-11. Sun 12-10.

Bar open all day.

Pizarro


194 Bermondsey Street


London

SE1 3TQ

No reservations, except for the private room. Visit the Jose Pizarro 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.

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.

Three5 World Tapas, Restaurant, South Kensington

Three5 World Tapas is based in MyHotel Chelsea, a restaurant for overnight guests but also open to the public wishing to dine. Firstly I must mention the name is, in my opinion, dreadful... It is impossible to remember or understand. After investigation, I am guessing that is corresponds to the street number of the hotel, which is 35.

The restaurant space is small and cosy and has an informal vibe. We started with cocktails - I had the refreshing watermelon martini, my friend chose the classic mojito. Food is split into: ‘smaller bites’, ‘larger bites’ and ‘the classics’. We ordered an assortment of smaller and larger bites acting as starter and main. Our waitress recommended a total of about ten plates; we took her advice, and a banquet arrived. I was relieved to see other tables tackling similar quantities of food… for once I didn’t look like the greediest diner!

The food was comforting though the majority was quite oily and heavy. We picked at the various canape-like dishes. My favourite was the zucchini frittata: thin and crispy courgette slivers coated in light salty batter - devilishly delicious. The bruschetta was good, with a thick slice of creamy mozzarella and flavoursome basil. Arancini were a bit of a let down, served with fragrant saffron sauce, these rice balls were tasteless with an unpleasant gritty texture.

For second course we were brought a selection of larger sharing plates, slightly more substantial dishes less easy to eat with your fingers. The house salad was beautifully presented - a mass of fresh peppery rocket with yummy sun dried tomatoes, soft parmesan and a splash of sweet balsamic vinegar… I appreciated having some greenery in contrast to the rich meat choices. Melanzane a la Parmigiana was disappointing especially as this Italian aubergine and tomato recipe is usually a winner with me. It was again too heavy with too much bread, ruining the other flavours and making it soggy. Fish cakes and celeriac salad went down well with my guest, fresh well seasoned fish, soft inside with a crispy outside. The herb marinated lamb cutlets were a little tough and arrived on an unnecessary lump of mashed potato.

Puddings however exceeded all expectations, dense creme brulee cheesecake and light and divine lemon posset with passion fruit thick whipped cream. Both were delicious, but the citrusy posset really was a lovely combination of flavours and textures. Chatting away, with our fresh mint teas, it was nice to pick at these desserts at our leisure, no rush, no pressure.

Three5 offers world cuisine inspired tapas: a fusion of flavours in small portions ideal for sharing. The food isn’t spectacular but for a relaxed, affordable meal Three5 is a pleasant place to dine.

Visit THREE5 WORLD TAPAS website here.