Last week I finally managed to pay a visit to one of this year’s most exciting London restaurant openings at The Quality Chop House at the top of the Farringdon Road near Exmouth Market. I am very familiar with its heavily-listed Victorian exterior and interior as it was a regular haunt of mine in the 1990s under the ownership of former patron Charles Fontaine. The window outside still advertises it as being a ‘Progressive Working Class Caterer’ but the clientele who pack out the original straight-backed pews and narrow benches within is more white collar than blue these days. In fact, they are more ‘linen jacket and Birkenstocks’ than white collar but the atmosphere is unstuffy and the service is relaxed but very well informed.

The fact that the re-opening of The Quality Chop House was deemed a hit by critics from the get go, with Giles Coren imploring in the Times ‘Hear me now do not make the mistake of dying before you have eaten here.’ is not altogether a surprise given the pedigree of the new owners. Josie Stead cut her teeth at Heston Blumenthal’s acclaimed ‘Dinner’ and her business partner Will Lander is the son of the FT’s restaurant reviewer Nicholas Lander and wine critic Jancis Robinson. The cuisine is probably best described as ‘Modern British Minimalist’ with the emphasis being on impeccably-sourced, seasonal ingredients being simply and deftly treated and attractively and enthusiastically served on vintage crockery. Whilst choice is limited everything is zingingly fresh and beautifully presented. Both blackboards and the wine list encourage you to check with staff for any recent arrivals or hidden gems. Unsurprisingly the wine list is a beauty. Not overly long or brutally short it has plenty of carefully-chosen, interesting selections with some chatty observations and very keen prices.

Almost inevitably ones expectations are too high when visiting a nascent establishment that has just been universally lauded by the scribes of the fourth estate. Not so on the occasion of my inaugural visit with three wine trade chums who, like me, spend more time than is reasonable browsing and sluicing in the Metropolis. We all agreed that the food was impeccable and the service charming beyond the call of duty. We kicked-off with some delicious charcuterie expertly-sliced to be almost translucent. This was followed by a large sharing plate of fat Wye Valley asparagus, the first ergo best thus far, of this (late) season alongside a wonderfully light Hollandaise. We also shared a main course of roast (hopefully goat) kids’ leg served on a bed of salty monksbeard (me neither but not unlike a shaggy samphire) with little bowls of new potatoes and raw spring vegetables. Continuing a theme we shared an unimpeachable plate of four excellent British cheeses of which I can only recall my favourite, local Montgomery cheddar although all were good. In long-standing wine trade tradition we sampled our own wares (German Riesling, white Saint Joseph and a venerable 1995 Right Bank claret) but on this occasion the BYO option was slightly superfluous given the quality of the in-house cellar.

I can’t wait to go back soon and often. Mr Coren’s advice being bang on the button.

One of the constant delights of London living is that no matter how long you have lived there you are always discovering ‘new’ places to visit and things to do in areas that you thought you already knew inside out. I had such an occasion last Saturday when I was looking for a suitable restaurant to go to for a pre-Shard visit luncheon with the Girlfriend and family.

As the Shard straddles London Bridge Station, Borough market was the obvious choice of dining location with its great range of restaurants and cafés – many of which I am already well acquainted with. However, wanting to try something different I did the usual online search routine and settled on The Banana Store http://www.bananastore.co.uk. It’s entrance is on Winchester Walk (which I have used many times traversing from the market to Bankside/Tate Modern etc) and yet I never noticed it until now.

Located in a late 19th Century Market building, you descend from the street into a small and welcoming basement restaurant that used to be used to store bananas as they came off the docks. The staff are very friendly and the menu extremely tempting. They proudly source the majority of their ingredients from the market and there is obvious pride in the freshness of their produce. Accordingly, the menu changes on a daily basis.

On our visit we pretty much tucked into and enjoyed every starter on offer but I was declared ‘the winner’ with my choice of Crispy Pork Rillete with spiced apple sauce. As well as great fresh ingredients, the Banana Store chef cooks meat to perfection, from steak to duck there was not one complaint from our table. My Cod with Squid ‘bolognaise’ positively glistened on the plate and was delicious on the palate. Indeed the only downside to our meal was that our indulgence of multiple starter sharing meant that there was not quite enough room to fit in dessert so I cannot offer an insight into their quality but I would be surprised if they were of any less standard than the starters and mains. The wine list offered some nice selections at reasonable prices and we had a very enjoyable Sancerre. There are no Yapp references as yet but the year is young…

All in all we had a great lunch and it put us in good stead as we transferred from our subterranean setting to 800 feet above ground level, surveying the sprawl of London from The Shard’s viewing platform on the 72nd floor: http://www.theviewfromtheshard.com.

Being a Londoner, I have watched with interest as this impressive building rose slowly above the London skyline over the past 3 years and I was first in the queue when tickets were put on sale for visiting the public viewing platforms. At £25 a go (for adults) it is not the cheapest of London attractions, but it is certainly worthwhile in my view. There is sensible management of entry ‘timeslots’ which regulates the flow of people so you are not left feeling too crowded when you are up there. This leaves plenty of space for viewing (or attempting to) your house, workplace, neighbour’s illegal extension… instead of having to put up with the back of Art and Trudy Funkweiser of Milwaukee’s heads as is often the case with London’s more crowded attractions. There are several digital telescopes on all sides, offering real time, night view and clear day view (should you be unfortunate with the weather on your visit) and you can stay for as little or long as you like. We were there for about an hour before the younger element of our group started getting restless.

With reports of many weekends already sold out this year I am sure that this will become as much of a London must see as the London Eye in time so grab a ticket while you can.

It is hard to believe that 5 years have already elapsed since Le Café Anglais first opened, in the Whitley’s building in Bayswater, bringing some welcome Parisian brasserie bravado and cool art deco influences to the metropolitan dining scene. Uncompromising chef-patron and FT food writer Rowley Leigh is a keen oenophile, as well as a creative cook, but although culturally-rich he is time-poor so it is extraordinarily hard to lure him away from his W2 stomping ground to attend wine tastings elsewhere. It is far better for the ‘mountain to come to Mohammad’ and to cajole him into sampling a few wines in his own restaurant; preferably over a languorous lunch.

Thus it was Friday last that I found myself once again in the company of this gastronomically-gifted polymath as he discoursed on topics as diverse as how to make a sauce Amercaine, the prospects of Paris Saint-Germain vs. Marseilles at the Parc des Princes this Sunday, the later works of Marc Chagall and where to dine in Barcelona. Anyone who witnessed his virtuoso performance on University Challenge – the Professionals will recall that Rowley would be an asset on any pub quiz team; if you could possibly persuade him to spare you his time.

I am sure that someone gave me a menu to look at as I gathered up the bottles we were to sample but it seems invidious to order from a menu one’s host has devised so, as ever, I let Rowley order on my behalf. Happily he is aware of my predilection (bordering on addiction) for pike boudin, which is a notoriously difficult dish to make, but a marvellous foil for white Northern Rhône wines, so he indulged me there.

Pike Boudin

We kicked-off our tasting with an unusual, white Vin de Pays from the Ardèche, made from a blend of Grenache and Sauvignon, that worked pretty well as a zesty palate-primer, and followed it up with an elegant Jacquère from the Savoie and a whistle-clean Menetou Salon from the ever-reliable Domaine Jean Tieller. All 3 wines accompanied the pike without embarrassment but it was Alain Graillot’s inimitable white Crozes-Hermitage that really lifted it onto a more hedonistic level.

We were then served a gorgeous game terrine (containing 2 teal, 3 pheasant and a woodcock) that went wonderfully with a juicy, old-vine Beaujolais Villages served at cellar temperature. That, in turn, was followed by Fredrik Filliatreau’s 2011 Saumur Champigny and a blameless 2009 Bordeaux Superieur from Château d’Abzac as we segued on to a rack of lamb braised with lentils and carrots.

A trio of bold, chest-thumping, southern reds, from the Minervois, Pic Saint-Loup and Bandol respectively, were paired with Mrs Kirkham’s sublime Lancashire cheese and Jamie Montgomery’s equally meretricious mature Cheddar. We then had a soupçon of Pascal Labasse’s Jurançon mœlleux as a decadent digestif and a token espresso to put a cap on proceedings.

As I’ve said before: ‘It’s tough work but someone has to do it’. I left the Café Anglais, as always, with a deep sense of contentment. Not least for having counted 6 bold ticks on le patron’s tasting sheet. I’ve a feeling it won’t be long before I’m back from more of that pike boudin that really is an excuse to visit number 8 Porchester Gardens in its’ own right!

‘Stay-up’ seems to be this year’s ‘Pop-up’ as restaurants that began as guests, have turned into squatters. I had heard good things about ‘Upstairs at The Ten Bells’ which opened last November intended as a three month stay, but whose success meant that they have taken up residence.

A group of guys, aka ‘The Young Turks’, who made their names in pop-ups and dining clubs, as well as stints at The Ledbury and St John, have created a jolly atmosphere, backed by good-value, well-sourced food (£39 for 4 courses) and a short, interesting wine list – 40 wines, sourced from half a dozen suppliers. The chestnut and truffle soup was my stand-out dish, partnered with a glass of rich, white Anjou.

Upstairs at The Ten Bells – Menu de Nuit

This part of town, Commercial Road, still has an edge, even if skinny jeans and facial hair are slowly giving way to suits and side-partings. I was dining with an old mate who is training to be a counsellor, so he gets to test his latest theories, I get free therapy and we split the bill. Everyone’s a winner.

If you go, as I would urge you to do, you can get a cheap thrill by asking the downstairs barman (which is a separate establishment), how to find the restaurant. If Heston did a guest turn here it could be ‘Dinner upstairs at the Ten Bells’ which would save a lot of texting re times, how to find it, etc.

It’s obviously going well as this team is about to open a second restaurant in Shoreditch Town Hall called The Clove Club and Jamie Oliver was dining at the next table. Bish, bash, bosh.

Shoreditch chic

Being in the wine trade one is lucky enough to be able to taste and evaluate wines on a regular basis, and whilst on a recent holiday in the Padstow area, I was enthused enough to book a table at a restaurant that had been mentioned in glowing terms from several of our customers and trade contacts alike – Paul Ainsworth at No. 6 in Padstow, Cornwall. I booked online, where you can select your eating time in half-hour increments and mentioned that one of my party was a vegetarian. Within minutes, I received an e-mail confirming my reservation, noting that we had a vegetarian dining on the evening, and sending through a list of over 25 different flavours and seasonal vegetables. The customer is then invited to choose 5 of these for a starter and 5 for a main course – the chef will then create the dishes from your favourite ingredients. Impressive!

After a glass of the excellent Camel Valley Sparkling rose at Bin 2 (Padstow shop/wine bar) we made our way to Number 6, located just off the picturesque harbourside. We were given a friendly welcome and shown to our table. The restaurant is a converted town house and is made up of four separate downstairs rooms with large adjoining doorways, giving a feeling of intimacy whilst still enjoying the “buzz” of the whole restaurant. Decor is modern, small black and white tiled floor, adding to the clean, square lines with tasteful seafaring themed carvings adorning the recesses, with a main bar area the focal point. Subdued lighting – a perfect ambiance. “Rooms” would seat between 8 – 20 covers and there is a further upstairs room for larger parties.

Warm, mini bread-shaped rolls were served with Cornish butter and salmon paste as an amuse-bouche. There a decent selection of wines by the glass to account for most customers’ tastes and several more by the bottle. I chose a white Burgundy and my partner a red Bordeaux, but if you are unsure, do ask the charismatic restaurant manager Alex, and he will happily recommend a glass and share his wealth of knowledge and experience.

My starter was Cornish duck with soft herb pasta ragu, fettle (ewes milk cheese – I had to ask!) and smoked almonds. The duck was full of incredibly concentrated flavours and complemented by the delicacy of the pasta and the smoky bite of the almonds. Pinot Noir would be the apposite wine match, but my white Macon Prisse was excellent – appley with balanced oak influence and enough weight and freshness to stand up to the variety of tastes on offer.

I’m in Padstow with fresh fish on the doorstep, so of course, I choose the pork for my main meal! Three of the six main dish selections were Piscean in nature (Salmon and Lobster, Cornish Salt Cod and Thornback Ray) but the interesting combination of the Cornish Saddle back pork, turnips, crackling, scallops and cider apple intrigued me. I asked Alex to select a glass for the meal and he returned with a Sauvignon from Touraine and probably detected my “that’s interesting” reaction. He explained the reasoning behind his choice thoroughly, and he was proved quite correct. The pork was cooked to perfection, again concentrated flavours, but with the crackling, scallops and apple providing a lively and fresh combination. This vivacity was ideally matched by the wine choice – the Sauvignon was light, fruity, vibrant and zingy and enhanced the flavours perfectly. Alex later mentioned that not only do all the restaurant staff know and taste all the meals, they have regular meetings with the chef who explains why certain ingredients go so well with each other and where they come from. Simple really, but it ensures that they have knowledgeable staff who are up-to-date with the ever-changing seasonal menu.

The dessert option was another flavour explosion of richness – chocolate “cake” with pistachio, caramac and dark chocolate sorbet, perfectly accompanied by a very unusual, delicately sparkling, demi-sec wine which was made with Canadian ice-wine. A new experience for me, and proved very refreshing.

The evening and meal was certainly one of the best I’ve had. The food was superb, and the service casually attentive (if that isn’t an oxymoron). The relaxed, cozy, atmosphere is due to the friendliness of the staff, but also backed up by excellent organization, giving a seamless transition from kitchen to customer.

A thoroughly enjoyable experience, and certainly one I’d recommend. I dined on September 25th 2012 and two days later the restaurant was awarded their first Michelin star! Great news for Paul Ainsworth and his team, and deserved recognition for all their hard work. After my experience there, I’m not surprised.

(This article by Meirion Williams first appeared in Country Calling).

Forget the Men’s 100m Final, the toughest ticket to get your mitts on is a lunch table at Oliver Dabbous’ eponymous Noho restaurant – currently taking bookings for some point in mid-2013. Mr Dabbous’ cv reads like a Who’s Who of great European restaurants – Noma, Fat Duck, Le Manoir, Texture – and this is borne out in the simple, imaginative and accomplished cooking.

I had jammed a late invitation from wine writer and winegang member Jane Parkinson, who had presciently booked a table before the accolades had started flying. We were joined by wine writer turned wine merchant, Amelia Pinsent, whose husband Matthew Jukes had double booked himself for a session of Beach Volleyball at Horseguard’s Parade, hence my call up. I know which I’d have chosen!

We were all steered towards the tasting menu, which at £54 rates as pretty good value for such things. We chose our own wines from a short list, a refreshing Muscat Alsace followed by a mid-weight organic Brouilly 2010, kicked back and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Highlights were an impeccable pea and mint puree with granita, a wonderful tranche of pork with acorn and almond praline (peanut butter to you and me) and the coddled egg with wild mushrooms that sat on a nest of straw. I joked with the relaxed GM Graham whether we should eat the straw, only to find out that one customer had done so!

The downstairs bar, staffed by savvy and friendly bar tenders, is well worth checking out and accessible even if you can’t blag a table in the restaurant!