Wayfare Tavern, San Francisco

When we arrived in San Francisco, not-so-fresh off the plane, we arrived at the hotel only to find out our room wasn't ready. We left our bags and decided to go wandering, despite being dressed in day-old clothes and needing to brush our teeth. We walked straight down town into the financial district, and stumbled upon Wayfare Tavern by accident. We were so glad we did.

When we asked the waitress at the door what kind of food they served, she looked confused, and said "American?" like she wasn't sure. . . I let out a little laugh. I wasn't quite sure what American food was, but it looked great and the atmosphere had a healthy, active lunchtime buzz, so we took a seat out the front in the sunshine and prepared ourselves to be pleased.

We weren't looking for much food, so we ordered a salad and a bowl of chips, and two glasses of napa wine. Welcome to San Fansisco! I was suitably getting into the swing of things here.

The salad was a nice cos lettuce and ripe avocado with a light dressing. It was simple and unpretentious. The chips turned out to be poutine, with gravy, curds, and pulled pork. I'm one of those vegetarians who rarely feels the magnetic attraction of meat. People talk about the smell of bacon, and I enjoy the thought, but it doesn't sway me to eat it. I sometimes think about a nice tuna steak or a rotisserie chicken, and then I think again. It doesn't do it for me anymore after all these years, but . . . this pulled pork certainly looked good. I pushed it to the side, and had a private thought about why I was veggie, and then happily went about eating the chips.

Although we'd only had a salad and some chips, we decided to move on to desert. Why not celebrate being in the California sun? So we ordered a peach pie with vanila ice cream, and susequently fell in love with the most wholesome country style pie I have ever met. The chunks of peach were meaty (dare I say it?) and the pastry was chunky and satisfying. Now I know what American food is! Not fast food and sugar, but good, wholesome feasting.

The waitress was attentive and had great suggestions for us. You can tell when someone is really listening to you, and it was an easy experience. Although we sat outside, we could see the interior had a woods and greens and florals style pub atmosphere, with beautiful big windows at the front and an internal staircase. The bathrooms were charming, down in the basemet of this amazing building. It's not a huge place, and when I tried to come back a second time during the week I found it packed to the rims with bankers and headhunters. I didn't get a seat on that occasion so it must be a pretty popular place. I would try again!

Add: 558 Sacramento St, San Francisco
PH: 415 772 9060
Web: http://wayfaretavern.com/

Laris, Hong Kong

I had heard of Laris while living in Shanghai, but never had the chance to go myself. I knew the dining concept was Australian, and I'd heard good things from friends who had been. So when I heard Laris had opened a restaurant in Hong Kong, I was eager to visit.

After doing a little research I found out that the group owns almost half the restaurants in Central! I've probably eaten in Mr Laris' places many times and just not known it. Anyway, to eat the the restaurant that has his title was a treat.
I've now been twice, and both times I've had a great experience. Sitting on the 2nd floor, you're able to look up and down Wyndham St and enjoy the happenings from a quiet perch. Try to get a seat by the window if you can - the panorama is really charming. It's a great way to see Hong Kong - close enough to street level to feel it, yet quiet enough that you're allowed to see it through new eyes. The narrow curve of Wyndham as it turns into Hollywood, the suits going home from work and jeans coming into the bars, and the old buildings holding on precariously to the side of the hill. It really feels like Hong Kong here.

The service at Laris is very smooth. Although there are a few pillars in the dining room that make for some inconvenient little spaces, the wait staff are able to navigate through the tables easily, and offer every care. It's a small space, and it feels like an intimate dining experience here. A great place for a date.

Our food was exceptional. The menu is laid out by Bird / Fish / Meat / Vegetarian which makes it very easy to navigate. The menus have a lot of white space and a beautiful font, giving a classic and simple feel. I had the forest mushrooms with olive oil powder, truffle, carrot & mascarpone. They came in a beautiful boat shaped bowl, and were delicious. My husband had a cauliflower soup which was light and rich. We then both had the jerusalem artichoke risotto with shaved parmesan and sage butter for our mains. It was filling but elegant, with nice, juicy chucks of artichoke, and again it was presented beautifully.

A friend had reccommended the sticky date pudding for desert and it didn't dissapoint. I really like this place. There aren't enough veggie options for me to come on a weekly basis, but for a treat and a suitably impressive vegetarian experience, I can happily reccommend Laris.

Add: 2/F, 77 Wyndham St, Central, Hong Kong
PH: +852 2530 1600
Web: http://www.diningconcepts.com/laris/

Lily & Bloom, Hong Kong

We weren't planning on a Friday night out, but when work finished, and work drink obligations had been satisfied, the moment grabbed us and we felt like eating something nice. Lately I've been feeling a bit uninspired in Hong Kong, but Lily & Bloom came to mind, and we decided to give it another go. We called up and got 2 seats at the bar.

As soon as you arrive in the cocktail bar level that is Lily, you're immediately immersed in the mood and style of place. It's all wood, wrought iron, leather and candel light. The interior staircase leads you up to Bloom, the restaurant area of the venue. It's centered around a long bar, where bar tenders get into the shake, shake rhythm that buzzes through the whole space.

Our server was impecable, and so relaxed yet attentive. She guided us through the specials, which rolled back and forth above the bar on an iron frame. We chose the heirloom tomato starter from the specials (which I love, but I'm starting to see a bit too often) and a small tart off the usual menu. I also took up the offer of 3 Pinot Noir tasting glasses which were beautifully served up. Each glass had a different coloured spot on the base, and the bottles were lined up behind them - one from New Zealand, one from Bordeaux and the final one from Australia. So nice.

As our main, we had raviolli with candied olives and rocket. Usually it has proscuito and beef broth, but the waitress spoke with the chef and they were happy to do it in a tomato broth instead. The waitress was concerned it might be a bit dry as a result, and in the end she was right, but it was still nice and fresh and we greatly appreciated the gesture. The fresh rocket on top was bighty, and the portion size was just right.

We had space for desert, and I'm glad we did. It was creative, and again the waitresses suggestion was spot on. Although by this time in the evening the restaurant was getting busy, and the courses were taking longer to arrive. We didn't mind. The space of Bloom gives plenty of interesting things to look at - including beautifully hung wine glasses as a feature in the center of the dining room. The glasses are actually in use - it's a great working show.

However my favourite part of the decoration is the bathrooms, which hosts a space for powdering, and a beautiful waterfountain as centerpiece. It's dark, and candel lit, and you shouldn't be surprised to meet someone of the opposite gender in there. It's a lovely space, and just adds to the romance of the whole restaurant.

Despite being at the center of LKF, Lily&Bloom feels like an oasis. It's been a staple in Hong Kong for several years already, and I trust it will be serving to a world class standard for many more.

Add: 33 Wyndham Street | 6th Floor, LKF Tower, Hong Kong, China
PH: 852-28106166
Web: http://www.lily-bloom.com/

Kea's Private Kitchen, Hong Kong

A couple of months back I booked a table at Kea's after reading about her Private Kitchen on a review. I was so excited to go, but then Kea called me a few days before our reservation date to say her baby was sick and she needed to cancel. We were bummed out and booked another place, but took the first chance we had to come back to Kea's. So with some great friends from Australia in tow, we eventually headed off to Kea's Kitchen for real.

Kea has a beautiful, custom designed 3 storey boat floating in the Aberdeen marina. From the open air top deck you can sit in style, and look out over the flashy lights of the kitsch Jumbo Floating Chinese Restaurant while rowers training for the dragon boat festival swoosh by. To see the colours at sunset over the water is a truly unique Hong Kong experience.

But even getting out to Kea's boat is an interesting Hong Kong adventure in iteself. When you arrive at the marina club, call Kea and she'll arrange a sampan to come pick you up for a couple of coins. It's a fun way to get between the pier and the boat, and Chocolate, the patron dog of the sampan gives plenty of licks and laughs to make the experience all the more unique.

The boat is Kea's private residence, which she shares with her husband and 3 young kids. It's an immaculate, modern motor boat, with clean white curves as chome accents, and beautiful wooden boards. It feels so special to be on this boat, which is at the same time private and hidden, yet inviting and special. Kea is able to open up her home so genuinely, that you don't feel you're intruding, even though there will be no more than a dozen or so guests on board at any time.

We elected to have the Thai style set, which is her specialty, despite having trained in European techniques as well. The flavours were so fresh and raw, with peppercorns and bighty herbs popping right out of the plate. It had a healthy does of chilli, and beautiful knife work. Kea explained that she goes to the market each day to source the best produce, and it certainly shows.

After several full-flavoured courses of curries and vegetable parcels, we finished off with a mango and sweet rice, which was the perfect ending to an elegant meal. The simplicity shone through, and the ingredients had central stage. This is Thai like I have never seen it before - with so many Pad Thai, Thai Me Up, Right Thai, and Thairiffics out there, it's easy to assume Thai food consists of greasy noddles only. But if you've tasted the fresh lemongrass and clear broths within Thailand itself, you can imagine there's so much more to this punchy cuisine, and Kea certainly does it justice.

At the end of the meal, Kea brought up her baby daughter to meet us on the roof - a beautiful little cherub girl who was so well behaved, and ideally suited to the private kitchen business! Kea also offered us a shot each of a locally made passionfruit vodka, demonstrating that she's a true part of the local grass roots hospitality scene in Hong Kong, supporting other small purveyors. We made a point of visiting their shop the next night.

We had such a fantastic night, and were sorry to get back on the sampan to go back to land and the real world. Kea offers something truly special. The food itself is something, the boat setting is something else, but Kea's hospitality brings it all together into a very unique and totally enjoyable fine dining experience. Hong Kong style!

Add: Catch a Sampan from the Aberdeen boat club, Hong Kong, Island South
PH: +852 6077 5964
Web: http://keaskitchen.com/

The China Club, Singapore

Having tried The China Club in Hong Kong, I was interested to see what the modern high-rise version in Singapore had to offer! We were invited along for an INSEAD dinner with a big group, all intent on speaking about that days lecture topics - plenty of Freud, transference, and acid trips to discuss. The conversation was whole hearted and we had the makings of a really fun night.

The decore is very similar between the two restaurants in Hong Kong and Singapore, with lots of dark woods alcoves, and Chinoisery.

The meal was served chinese degustation style, with more than 7 courses, and all creatively presented. Being that many of my INSEAD colleagues are either from India, or of Muslim faith and not eating pork, there are quite a few non meat eaters among us. It's really nice not to be such a novelty in this company! We could all veggie enjoy the creations together.

The food at The China Club was ever-changing and very tasty, with a variety of soups and braised vegetables. The presentation was bright but had some nice quirks and modern plating. We sat at big round banquet tables, and the whole space was filled with noise a clatter, almost as if our laughter was bouncing off the highly laquered furniture. This is a great way to eat Chinese!

I can fully reccommend the Singapore cousin of The China Club. It has all the charm of it's Hong Kong counterpart, and the food is just as creative and beautifully presented. In every seat you feel like you're among friends in a private dining room, and the waitstaff move like ghosts around the party, making every comfort, with a little more tea here and a swift plate change there. Great hosts, and a classic Chinese setting.

Add: 168 Robinson Rd  Singapore 068912
PH: +65 6820 2388
Web: http://www.chinaclub.com.sg/

Big Four Restaurant, The Huntington Hotel, San Francisco, USA

We booked our reservation at Big Four on Open Table (I really love that site!) as we were staying just down the road in Nob Hill and had walked past a few times. For our last night in San Fran we thought we'd splash out on a nice dinner. We'd enjoyed the 'American' food so much over the past week, and wanted to go out on a high. All the reviews said Big Four is a San Francisco classic, so I made our booking for 2 veggies, got a nice new dress on, and enjoyed the walk over past the Fairmont and the beautiful cathedral.

Sometimes I think you just 'know' as soon as you get to a new place whether it's going to be good or not. In this case, I had the gut instinct we were in for an average event, based on the dismissive way we were greeted and seated. But remembering how lucky I am to eat in places like this, I decided to have a great night. The heavy woods, leather seats, and dim lighting makes for a old-world feel, and the pictures on every wall remind you of the history of San Francisco. It's a cosy space with many nooks set up for private tables, and the live piano player is a nice touch (that is, until he starts chastizing the waitresses, and you notice how much he's drinking.... Anyway! Back to being grateful!)

We ordered a salad and soup to start, and a pasta and risotto for mains, along with some champagne to celebrate a great, sunny trip to a beautiful new city. We'd walked the hills, sipped the Irish Coffee, drank Napa wines, and listened to the bell of the trams outside our hotel window. We had felt strangely at home in the huge expansive China town, and chatted with people in the post office trying to send baby formula back to Beijing. We'd also found some of the best coffee roasters in the city - I always measure a city by how good the coffee is and San Francisco stacked up with the likes of Blue Bottle and Four Barrel. I could happily live there with the sunshine and the sea mist.

The food arrived - sorry to say the soup might have come from a can, and the salad, while presented in a pretty symetrical pattern, wasn't very tasteful. Well, we moved ahead. My risotto was very nice, with a lemon zest that really stood out. Unfortunatley, the spaghetti was truly bland. It's a shame to say that Big Four is all vegetarian sausage sizzle and no pop.

I don't expect a restaurant to make a special event for us. It's great to see places like Big Four who already have meat free options on the menu as part of their regular offering. It's just a shame to see such lack of imagination and flavour. Why bother?

The wait staff were stiff, and seemed to be full of inside jokes amongst them. There was no genuine warmth or care paid, and the head of the restaurant seemed dismissive and full of self-import. It was truly a strange experience see the management of the floor hit the mark by so far. They seemed so preoccupied with the pomp and importance of their restaurant, that they forgot to look their patrons in the eye to offer any vague expression of warmth or interest.

Oh well, it all goes to show - the packaging isn't everything, although it's very pretty in this case! But if it's what's inside that counts, then Big Four gets my big thumbs down. It feels terrible to write reviews like this, but I guess it balances the rest out - they can't all be good!

Add: 1075 California Street San Francisco, CA 94108. Cross Street: Taylor
PH: (415) 771-114
Web: http://www.big4restaurant.com/

Gold, Hong Kong

Gold, despite all the fuss and fanfair, was very average on the food front. We were hosted for a work dinner, with around 50 people, and the venue suited beautifully. With an outdoor terrace and smooth chocoloate interiors, it was a great place for a function.

However, in short, I can only say that the vegetarian menu prepared was simple, but resoundingly un-special. An heirloom tomato salad was fresh and uncomplicated, and a pesto pasta was fine, but a baked mushroom was desheviled and unseasoned. I'm rarely so harsh, really!

The desert was served with smoke - all show and little flavour. We had a great evening none the less. Perhaps Gold is better for regular a la carte dining and not functions.

Add:Level 2 LKF Tower 33 Wyndham Street | Lan Kwai Fong, Central, Hong Kong,

PH: 852-28699986

Web: http://gold.panomatics.com/

Eco Gourmet Cafe, Singapore

If you've seen any of my previous posts, you'll know that I go back and forth to Singapore fairly often. I was never too impressed by the food, which I found to be pretty generic and expensive (especially wine!) but now when I go I find at least one new great place each time. In a country known for it's Malay/Indian/Chinese food courts (which are rich in their own right, depending on what you're after), I'm coming to understand that there's also a wealth of international restaurants on offer too. Each visit gives me another reason to be wowed!

Eco Gormet Cafe has the feel of an outdoor, spa style restaurant. The dining room is open air, looking out into a curtain of leaves, and all you can hear is the sound of bubbling water in the fountains out front. You can't help but immediately feel like you should be relaxing as soon as you arrive. You're handed a drink in the lounge area, and then move through to the airy dining hall. It's a great space and I can imagine having a party here - plenty of room for mingling, and it feels so secluded. I really like their style, which has a south east asian feel, but they have chosen the location so well that it feels unique.

Eco touts itself as an Asian Fusion / European (French/Italian) restaurant. To me, that means a bit of everything. I started out with a bowl of soup which was nice and simple, and then moved on to a lettuce parcel, which might have been a mistake. In my small opinion, lettuce shouldn't be served hot. I know this is a personal thing, and I'm not sure where I picked it up from. Perhaps as a salad eater, I have cold lettuce engrained in my expectations. Anyway, this lettuce was hot and a bit soggy. Fine - we moved on again. I was starving by this stage.

The 3rd course was a vegeatble lasagne. It was plated nicely, but had a lot of zucchini and became watery and bland. Overall I felt a bit let down. The atmosphere was so promising, and yet the food really didn't live up. The veggie food didn't anyway. I think my colleagues eating steak and fish were having a fine time. The waiters hovering around us were insecure and hesitant, which didn't set us at ease at all. The bar staff seemed great, so I think they were just training up some new waiters.

I remember desert was something bizzare, with a strange unexpected taste. I wish I could remember it. I don't. It would have been worth writing up, but not for the right reasons I suppose. Agh... more bad things to say. What am I thinking doing so much complaining! I guess it just goes to show so many great places put their best foot forward with meat, and alcohol, and then put little effrort into the rest! Well... I am the rest.

So, not my favourite place in Singapore, but they get my points of decore and for supporting Earth Hour!

Add: 30 Labrador Villa Road  Singapore 119189
PH: +65 6270 1868 
Web: https://www.facebook.com/ECO.Gourmet.Cafe

Chef Studio By Eddy, Hong Kong

I did a google search for 'Best Private Kitchen in Hong Kong' - one of my favourites Kea's Kitchen came up. Right next to it was Chef's Studio. All the reviews said 'it's a little hard to find' but also 'they make vegetarian on request!'. So I called and made a reservation for 4 - could not wait.

The warnings about finding this place were warranted, and it's not helped by all the construction happening around the Aberdeen MTR. We thought we had found the right street number, and we must have been looking lost like many more hungry souls that had gone before us, because across the parking lot a security guard yelled to us "Yes, YES!". He was holding up a piece of laminated paper for us, and pointing at the lifts. As we got closer we saw Chef Eddy's logo in the guards hand. Seems this little private kitchen has a routine!  

You go up the industrial lift, land on a plain looking landing, and then enter Chef Eddy's Studio. You're transported into a different space all-together. The kitchen shines with bright, clean stainless steel. The room is cosy with candles and wooden tables and plenty of framed pictures. It feels like a restaurant, but has the touch of a home as well. Chef Eddy greeted us warmly and took us through the menu verbally - I didn't know the cost or even the style of food before walking in, but it very quickly became apparent that we would be eating French style!

First on the veggie menu was a 62 degree egg with truffles. My husband looked at me - we don't eat soft egg - but I'd heard about this trend and I was feeling brazen, so we tucked in. To my surprise it was creamy and almost cooked. Almost like custard. Husband wasn't keen, and I'm not sure I'd order it repeatedly, but it was very nice and I can see the delicacy of the cooking method. For those who like their eggs googie, you'll certainly appreciate how well this was done.

Next was an onion soup. It was nice and chunky, with a broth base, and very tasty. Funnily enough, it was served with a tea spoon, and in a tea cup - intentionally artistic or just random? We couldn't eat the soup with the teaspoon so it became a cup-a-soup!

We then had a baked mozzarella salad before a mushroom steak was served. I can't recall what was baked on top of the mushroom, but it was salty and delicious. By this time I felt like I'd had several beautiful dishes, but the mushroom took the 'cake'.

For desert there was creme brule with mango on top. I found it beautiful, and just the right size after a several course meal. My French friends were looking quizzically at each other: "what's missing?" they seemed to be asking each other. Their conclusion was that it needed more vanilla. However to my not-French tongue it was wonderful.

The waiters were smooth and the food was delivered in an ideal succession. We took our own wine and the staff were incredibly obliging and friendly, without getting in the way. Chef Eddy made ongoing appearances - this place is clearly his pride! We had a wonderful night - with much of the conversation centered around how the best restaurants in Hong Kong are all private kitchens! Usually we don't eat French because it's not the most veggie-friendly, however I think we have found our place!

Add: 5B Kwai Bo Industrial Building, 40 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong
Phone: +852 3104 4664
Web: www.facebook.com/chefstudiohk

Herbivores, Hong Kong

What a nice little space and lovely menu. It's not exactly fine dining, but it is more than your usual veggie joint. We had the mandatory Buddhist monk, sure, but there was not a dreadlock or lentil patty in sight.

Herbivores seems to be new on the Hong Kong scene. It's a gun-barrel eatery in soho, only serving organic wine by the bottle and non-alcoholic beer. It's so small that 1 waitress was manning the fort solo when we went by - cosie yes, but they're optimistic and inventive with the menu.

We started with an avocado dip which was creamy, and I could have eaten the whole serving to myself. It was small, and reminded me that gluttony is a sin. We also had some deep fried cheese which was suitably delicious.

For mains, I had the Mushroom steaks and my husband had the cauliflower. They come beautifully presented on custom plates, and you can tell they're served with care. Several of the items on the menu have an astrix, indicating that they take 20 minutes to cook, which gives the mean a genuine sense of freshness and bespoke. Husband mentioned that this could easily become a new favourite

It's nice to see a veggie place that doesn't shy away from fat. Usually veggie means healthy, which is very nice and suits my daily eating, but every now and then a vegetarian just craves fat and salt like the next person. So it's refreshing to see that Herbivores is aiming for and exclusively veggie restaurant, while shaking the low-fat health-kick association. We like to have some fun too you know!

If it gets too popular and I can't get one of the limited seats, I think I'll find fault with this place. For now, it's creative and exclusive for people with flat grinding teeth - love it.

Add: 35 Staunton St., Central, Hong Kong
Ph: 2613-2909
Web: http://www.the-herbivores.com/

Criterion Restaurant, London, England

We have a winner!

After a dud night at Quaglino's, we had time for one more quick work dinner before I caught my car to the airport. I had a really narrow window, but I'd heard so much about the amazing interior design of The Criterion. It sounded like a London-must. I only had an hour there, and it was well spent!

The Criterion is right on Piccadilly Circus, originally opened in 1874. It has gold-gilded ceilings and reflections everywhere. It's so vibrant and romantic - my idea of heaven.

We enjoyed wine, starters, and then I started twitching for my main, watching the clock and fantasizing about missing my flight with a great excuse of being 'stuck' in this plush, golden wonderland. Our waiters were fantastic, and shortly my main was in front of me. It was a tri-colour cauliflower dish on a long rectangular plate. The purples, whites and light greens of the cauliflower were so imaginative and subtle - I truly felt like I was getting the fine dining experience, vegetable style. It was delicious, by most of all it was delicate yet vibrant all at once. So happy!

As soon as I finished my cauliflower rainbow, I took a moment to drink in the surroundings again, and then had to jump up and run back to my hotel to catch the car. I literally meant run - I switched shoes and bolted. But the extra 5 minutes in the beautiful Criterion was worth it!

Add: 224 Piccadilly, London W1J 9HP, England

Ph: 020 79300488

Web: http://www.criterionrestaurant.com/

Quaglino's, London, England

The task of organising dinner for work colleagues is more daunting than I gave it credit for. Especially when you're not in your home city. You don't want to appear as Mother Hen, don't want to blow the budget but also want to impress, and need to make sure it's convenient to office, hotel and etc. All these thoughts went flashing through my mind when I was tasked with the agenda for a recent project implementation meeting - I quickly decided that it would take more thinking than a quick work dinner warranted. Delegation turns out to be a wonderful thing! So Quaglino's was chosen, meeting all the corporate requirements and a 'favourite' of the Partners. From the outset it looked great.

We had a drink in the bar area, having to cram into the unreserved area, and then moved down the cascading staircase to the long dining room, punctuated with tall orchards running down the center. We took our table and quickly started scanning the wine and dinner menu. As usual, it didn't take me long to fall back into my old favourites of a New Zealand Pinot Noir, a salad, a mushroom risotto and a chocolate tart. They sounded more interesting than that, with reduced balsamic and a truffle thrown in, but they were comfortably the only vegetarian options on the menu from memory, or perhaps just the ones that caught my eye.

When the artichoke salad came out, I called the waitress over and discreetly mentioned that I thought they'd forgotten the artichokes. She pointed out that the potato chip type things on the top of the salad were actually the prized artichokes. Oops. It seemed like a bowl of rocket with 2 waxy potatoes hiding at the bottom, and said chips on top. I hate rocket, so I officially had 2 small potatoes and some chips for starter.

When my main came out, I remembered the lunch time displays in Asia - the ones that are cooked, put in the bowl, and then sprayed with some kind of plastic to make them freeze in time. Not the nicest compliment I know - sorry Quaglino's. I think my dinner had been waiting to be sent to me for a little long. And the mysterious truffles that I thought I'd spied on the menu where nowhere to be tasted. 

The highlight of the evening was the scenery. Jimmy Hendrix photographs are projected on to the walls around the restaurant, giving a clean cut eatery a funky edge. And the beautiful flower arrangements were a real stand-out.

My chocolate desert came, and it really popped out on the stage of it's plate. The dark chocolate wedge and the bright orange of the mandarin were so distinct against the white plate. I couldn't wait to dive in - my fork want down and then - ouch - an abrupt stop against the crust. Without alerting my colleagues, I tried a little harder to crack through the base layer. But no luck. I'm ashamed to say that I ended up eating the mandarins and chocolate filling and sent the butt-naked crust back to the kitchen.

My colleagues must have thought I am such a picky, ungrateful eater! I sent a bowl of rocket, a half eaten bowl of risotto, sans truffles, and a tart base back to where they came from. I was so hungry!

Quaglino's was a huge let down. Service was fine, and bathrooms were nice. In general, the food, which is what we were mainly there for, was a big disappointment. It's so rare for me to say that!

Add: 16 Bury St, St James's, London SW1Y 6AJ
Ph: 020 7930 6767
Web: http://www.qauaglinos.co.uk/http://www.qauaglinos.co.uk/

Nopi, London, England

A few  months back I heard about this new cook book called Jerusalem.  Not long later I saw a snippet of a documentary about Yotam Ottolenghi walking around the streets of Jerusalem, eating street food from his youth. So the movement had been randomly floating in my spectrum for some time before I found myself cruising past Nopi in London, one of the groups restaurants.

We were on the hunt for a great breakfast. After something nice at the Riding House Cafe, and again something enjoyable at The Wolseley, I was left yearning for a really big blow-my-socks-off veggie breakkie on Darby St in Newcastle. The breakfasts I've had in London are generally 'fine', but feel small and unimaginative. And definitely there is a spot to be filled in the good coffee department. So I was so happy when we eventually happened across Nopi by accident (although the OK-ish coffee was not the distinguishing feature for me)!

Nopi is inconspicuous from the outside - with a big glass window and a simple entrance. However I find most of the placed in this neighborhood are pretty missable from the outside - I think it's a symptom of the weather, where open fronts for outdoor eating seem to be a non-reality. On the inside, it's all white and brass, with birchwood tableware and linen napkins. It feels cool and simple - I think I was expecting a middle eastern themed cave. But Nopi was all clean and lightness. The ladies bathroom in particular epitomizes this feeling with angled mirrors in every direction and soothing cream stone tones. The light is so all-encompassing that there is an "out" sign on the floor to orient you once you're finished!

The breakfast menu was intersting - thank goodness! It's short, but each meal is distinct and several need some explaining. There are cheeses I wasn't sure of, and cooking methods that we needed to pull out google on. It made this experience all the more unique. I started with a rice porridge for the table to share, and then beans and egg on toast for my 'main' breakfast dish. More than half of the menu listings turned out to be veggie too!

I got to taste a little of each of my friends meals - each had some combination of egg, tomato, beans, cheese, and beautiful fresh bread. I had my first-ever mouthful of welsh gritts too, which I was initially sure was some kind of meat, but turns out to be mustard and cheese on toast - unless someone can tell me differently!

My beans were beautiful - al dente and completely filling. For once in London I didn't leave the table feeling ready for lunch already.

I was so pleased with breakfast that I bought the autographed Jerusalem book and now I'm salivating over all the things I can cook! My friends went back for breakfast again the next weekend. I'm still smiling from ear to ear - Ottolenghi has given me a new faith in London breakfasts. And although I was full and satisfied upon leaving, we did see the procession of salad platters rising up from the basement kitchen to be displayed at the front of the dining room (in good view from the front window for passers-by to spy). More inspiration to get cooking from my book!

Add: 21-22 Warwick Street, London W1B 5NE
Ph: +44 (0)20 7494 9584
Web: http://www.nopi-restaurant.com/

Sketch, The Gallery, London, England

Sketch, the Gallery, was one of the most memorable dining experiences I had in London. Everywhere you look there is some detail or charm to be taken in. It seems each chair, table, plate, and glass is different, as if it had all come from a well-positioned St Vincent de Paul shop, bequeathed with treasures from surrounding mansions.

Sketch has lots of gimmicks to keep you enthralled as you settle in to your table. There are lasers tracing geometric patterns on the walls, there are cocktails in tea cups, and there are of course the ladies toilets housed inside huge eggs, where you listen to some kind of frogs singing in the rainforest from inside your own personal egg. . . It's like my version of Lamb's Wonderland.

I went to Sketch with two friends, and it was hard to focus on the menu with so much atmospheric buzz! My mind went something like this:  

"OK. . . salmon, nope. . . oh laser. . .  right, lamb, nope. . . oh look at that vase. . . come on, focus. . . chicken, nope - oh I feel so low in my chair compared to everyone else. I guess because it's one-of-a-kind. Alright - noodles with miso. Read, read, read, no meat - done. Hmmm. . . I want a drink from that spaceship sunken bar I saw under the toilet platform. . . Hang on, do I really want a drink from the room under the egg toilets? Ooooo Lasers. . . I think they're moving in a different pattern now"

Honestly, the surroundings never really melt into the background here. With so many exciting colours dashing here and there around us, it took some time before we zeroed in on our own company. The waitress had to come back several times to check in on us before we were finally ready to order - I think at Sketch, where design seems to be the headlining act, it's probably not unusual for the waitstaff to have to zero you in on the meal!

I had some kind of Japanese inspired noodle dish, where the soup element was poured on at the table in front of me.  (Here's exactly what it was: Udon: an infusion of burned onions and marjoram, tofu, Judas ear mushrooms and girolles). I kept hearing that the chefs at Sketch were French inspired and following the infusion trend. . .  I definitely noticed the snails and Camembert on the menu! There was also a veggie risotto and ravioli on offer, and generally I think 3 options is a good run! There's a lot of variety, however I chose to steer clear of the Italian vegetable items as they're pretty easy to find on any menu.

My noodle dinner was very nice. Strangely to me, it didn't feel like fine dining. I think living in Asia, noodles to me are associated with a quick lunch at the local food hall, so although the flavours were nice, it didn't have an aura of 'spesh'. I liked the shape of the plate and the presentation.

The waitstaff were fine - nothing in particular to mention.

The headline is the theme. I think you could come to Sketch over and over, and still find something fun to occupy yourself. We had nice wine and lots of stimulation. And with enough veggie options to keep a few of us happy, I could certainly come again to see what I find!

Address: 9 conduit street, london w1s 2xg
Ph: +44 (0) 20 7659 4500
Web: http://www.sketch.uk.com/venue_Gallery_Martin_Creed.php

The Cinnamon Club, London, England

I've been very lucky to visit London a few times for work recently. My best friend lives there, giving me a perfect opportunity to see her! I saw Buckingham palace, the South Bank center, walked along the river to the tower of London, and saw the crown jewels. We visited Fortnum & Mason's and bought the mandatory jubilee edition tea box! Tick, tick, tick - I even bought the tea towel to prove it.

We had several nice breakfasts and high tea's - I could happily get used to the variety of eateries that London has to offer. If it wasn't for the weather and the ridiculously inconvenient railway system (try moving from said best friends house to company hotel with a suitcase, when you need to transition from the overground to the underground, up and down several flights of stairs - haven't the people in London heard of escalators? Hong Kong is oh-so-convenient in comparison!).... anyway, if not for the gloomy weather and the trains, I could see the charm of living there.  

So by the time I went to the Cinnamon Club, I was in work mode and enjoying the company of some great colleagues from the US and Belgium. We started with drinks in the underground of the club - it's cool, with classic drinks and a bit of a club vibe. I can't say I was blown over by the bar - it's nice and everything is in place, however we spent a long time waiting there while our booked table was being readied for us. The last patrons who were renting our dinner table before us weren't ready to move on! Our hostess got progressively more gruff as the wait wore on. . .

Finally we found ourselves in the restaurant - it's bright, with whites and woods, and a beautiful mezzanine level. It feels traditional, with crisp white tablecloths and high ceilings. The main dining hall bustles, and the chatter of patrons almost has a beer hall / bistro feel. Not your typical Indian restaurant decorations!


The service continued to be clumsy from that point. Waiters were formal and generally poised, but they were undermined by the double-ups in their offering. Wine was ordered and offered again. Mains placed in the wrong spaces. They were literally bumping into each other - halting in a stop-start dance of best intentions. Sorry - no cigar.

The food was nice. However at this point in time I can't recall what I ate... I remember that like the decore, the food wasn't your usual Indian curry. There were enough veggie options, and spices galore. I recall we had some desert too - something tooth-ache sweet!

I had a nice time at the Cinnamon Club - it's my first ever fine dining Indian experience, and it was very nice. It wasn't so overt and exaggerated as the usual Indian meal, and you can always count on Indian for tasty Vegetarian food! However the service undermined the whole deal for me. 

Address:The Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU
PH: 020 7222 2555
Web: http://www.cinnamonclub.com/