Bertorelli - Restaurant

Nice surroundings with doors opening on to a mini-terrace located on Frith Street. Service was fine - nothing to note, just fine.

I ordered a pizza with proscuitto, which was a complete disappointment. The dough was too salty, the sauce tasted like a acidic, cheap tin tomato type and the proscuitto just thrown on top. Given the tourist location of Bertorelli, I should really be surprised...

Santoré - Restaurant

A brief lunch with my fiancé at Santoré on a glorious summer's day - fabulous! The service was efficient and nice, the food (mushroom pizza) was divine and the wine was perfectly chilled. An inexpensive place for lunch or dinner with a nice selection of food.

One thing - there seems to almost been too much on the menu. It took me forever to choose but as my fiancé says, that may have something to do with me being a woman!

Shore Club Miami - Hotel

Asking somebody who loves hotels to choose a favourite is like asking Carrie Bradshaw to choose her favourite pair of shoes! Miami doesn’t even make it into my top 10 destinations but I must say that the Shore Club is one of the most amazing hotels I’ve ever stayed in. Overlooking South Beach with a roof top pool, my 4-week diet ahead of my trip was well worth it!

I spent 5 days visiting Miami and stayed in an Ocean View King size room, which was good size and for someone who lives in London, the view was worth it. There are quite a few restaurants at the hotel but once I tried the sushi at Blue Sea, I was blown away and didn’t bother with the rest. I highly recommend trying the scallop roll for a taste of heaven. The Skybar deserves a special mention because it so freaking glamorous and serves the most amazing martinis (just don’t go swimming afterwards!).

My advice is not to take Miami too seriously – it’s very glitzy, superficial and fun. A bit like an episode of CSI and I rather expected Horatio Caine to show up at any given moment!

Blue bar

Chic decor, excessively priced drinks, good service and highly unsuitable for the weekend due to the size. Pretty cool, though definitely not a regular spot.

Jimmy Choo - shopping

I miss the Draycott Avenue branch – it was intimate, friendly and they knew me there... ah, the good ol' days! I actually like this branch though. They are so professional and smiley (even the door men smile!). The thing I love about JC shoes is that they are always consistent – no matter what the style is, a size 37 always fits (unlike other brands).

Call up, ask them to send you something/put a pair on hold and it’ll be done with no issues. Again, you’re paying for the fabulous shoes/bag AND the service. Worth every penny!

Mildred's - restaurant

I was so hyped to go to Mildred's (despite the ridiculous no-booking rule) and after the first time I raved about it to anybody who would listen! Went a second time and found it mediocre. Third and final time was just plain bad. When the food is all smell and no taste, something is wrong. I'm in no hurry to get back. This was all in the space of 6-8 weeks, so absolutely no consistency.

On the upside, staff members are really friendly, enthusiastic and clearly know the menu inside out. Plus everything is labelled clearly for those who may be vegan, coeliac, lactose-intolerant and so on.

Jo Malone - Perfumery

So proud of this British brand. The packaging is so glamorous, luxurious and the staff at this store are multi-lingual and very helpful.

Milos - Restaurant

I ate octopus for the first time at this restaurant at the insistence of my Greek dinner companion and since then, I haven’t looked back. This Greek/Seafood restaurant in the middle of Manhattan is so light, fresh and everything tastes so good. Yes, the decor is rather uninspiring but let’s just focus on what is probably some of the freshest fish in New York. I recall my companion speaking with the staff in Greek and feeling as though we were all friends. A little authenticity never hurt anyone!

Other than the octopus, I recommend the scallops. The best thing about the restaurant has to be the huge fish counter which spans the length of the restaurant. Go choose the catch of the day and have the chef prepare it to your liking. Fresh produce at it’s best!

Shochu lounge - Bar

This is one of my favourite bars in London – the cocktails are terrific, chilled atmosphere and great decor. Staff are really helpful, unpretentious and friendly. An excellent place to start before moving upstairs (to Roka) for a lovely dinner.

Ping Pong - restaurant

We fancied having dinner somewhere within walking distance, so decided to give Ping Pong (Westbourne Grove) a try. We arrived sans reservation, asked for a table for two and the so-called waiter casually gestured to a couple of available tables. Not impressed, but fine. We sat down next to these two Californian women talking at the top of their voices for a reason that still escapes me. As we discussed the menu, it became apparent that due to the volume of the people beside us, any type of conversation was going to be difficult.

As the ladies called the waiter over, he rather rudely put up his hand in a 'just wait' fashion. Rude. 2 minutes later, I politely asked if he'd mind moving us to another table. Apparently there were none. (a. It was a Monday night, and b. I have eyes and can see numerous spare tables...) "We’ll order drinks and then wait for another table, if that’s alright", I said. Can you believe that the waiter dismissively moved his hand in a I-really-don’t-want-to-be-here fashion, rolled his eyes and then stood with his hand on hip waiting for our drink order. At that point, I asked my boyfriend if he minded eating elsewhere, we popped our coats on and off we went. We had lovely cocktails at Westbourne House (my espresso martini was divine) and then headed to Mulberry Street resto – the NYC-style upmarket pizzeria with the best service.

I will N-E-V-E-R so much as look at a Ping Pong menu again and will be sure to share my negative experience with anybody who’ll listen! Plus, they have cheap, wooden, disposable chopsticks = bad for the environment and not what I expect from a restaurant.

Roka - Restaurant

So, having been back to Roka twice in the space of a week, I must confess that it is now officially my favourite restaurant in London and am full of suggestions:

- The rose petal martini is smooth, pretty and oh so chic.
- The king crab
- The tuna sashimi
- The fois gras with ume (Japanese plum) = heaven on a plate.

The service rocks and the atmosphere is energetic, fun and without pretense. Can't wait to go back!

14/10/08

Sitting around the counter, watching the chefs prepare the most delicious food - heavenly. Sashimi was really good. Helpful service and, despite being quite busy, you never feel rushed. I like it a lot, though not terribly keen on the miso there.

Long Bar

Now, I’m not advocating drinking in the afternoon, but if you happen to find yourself sat at the Long Bar at 15:30 on a Wednesday afternoon after a little shopping, you’ll have a great time. The service is flirty, attentive and spot on and the martinis are exquisite. If you have the misfortune of being there 17:00-22:00 Mon-Sat, you’ll probably find it full of hookers, excessively loud media types and the optimum of pretension. Suddenly Wednesday afternoon isn’t looking so shabby!

A male friend referred to the Long Bar as being the tackiest place ever. A female friend thinks it’s the best thing since sliced bread! Over to you...

Carluccio's - Restaurant/Groceries

Great for a quick bite when out shopping. Fast, easy service, with a menu and price that attracts all types and ages. The freshly prepared pappardelle con funghi is a favourite of mine. Can be very chaotic on a Saturday afternoon. Don't say I didn't warn you!

The Wolseley - Restaurant

I really cannot think of a better way to spend a Saturday morning than catching up with a friend over breakfast – a lazy start to my weekend. If you happen to have said breakfast at The Wolseley, all the better. We started with individual pots of jasmine and mint tea followed by omelettes with gruyere, toasted brioche and juice.

The food was fresh and well prepared, the staff super friendly and the atmosphere comfortable. It’s also a good place to stop off for some soup/a quick bite if you want quality without excessive prices. The only fault was that my carrot and ginger juice wasn’t freshly made - it was nice but had obviously been prepared earlier that morning and refrigerated. A minor detail but I noticed...

Axis - restaurant

Really, really like it - intimate, gorgeous surroundings and great service.

Oxo Tower - Restaurant

If you're happy to pay for a truly wonderful view, make a reservation now... but to be honest, you will probably be left disappointed. I wouldn't describe the food as inedible, just bland and excessively overpriced. The staff were okay (no complaints) but nothing really stands out about this place except for the view.

Versailles - Culture

Best to visit during the warmer months when you can aimlessly wander through the surrounding gardens, which are, in my opinion, the main attraction.

Tamarai - Restaurant

Excellent food*, mediocre service and the worst ever placemats known to man!

The strange thing is that this place completely changes into a noisy club/bar on Friday and Saturday nights, so talking during dinner becomes near impossible. A good place to go to for a late night drink.

*Sweet Chilli Lotus and Crispy Red Mullet are to die for!