Vinoteca

I had high hopes for Vinoteca. Its near to my new place of work and I had hoped this would be my "Dear God, I need a drink and some fattening food" place.  Sadly, I don't think this is it. It wasn't that it was bad, it wasn't by any stretch of the imagination, it was just very familiar.

Coq D'argent

Finally Britain is warming up and so, The Boyfriend and I are determined to make the most of this weather by eating and drinking outside as much as possible. Sadly, London is a city that makes this a pretty difficult challenge. My list for outdoor restaurants is a small one; 
The Chelsea farmers Market - is the obvious place for sunny weekends, if you can be bothered to queue, but gets cold and quiet at night. The Boundary - again if you can face the queue, is a good option but really slows down past nine pm. 

Androuet - When is a fondue not a fondue?

For those who don’t know, Androuet is a Parisian cheese shop/restaurant that has been brought over to Spitalfields market. The place itself is tiny, just accommodating 12 people snuggly. Given their space shortage, they have done a lot to make the place feel lively. I was really excited to try Androuet. I was so excited I spent the day preparing. I managed to survive 10 waking hours on smoothies, olives and dried fruit. By the time I rolled up to Androuet, I was ready and willing to eat the whole shop. We ordered a fondue for two to share, wanting to get straight on to the good stuff - although I was tempted by the truffle grilled cheese (if I worked in the vicinity I think that I would be here every day and at least 50lbs heavier).

Baranis - I'll take you to the South of France

Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge, describes Pétanque as "a form of boules where the goal is, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground, to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet (literally "piglet") or jack."

Sounds fun, right? It conjures up images of the South of France, wine, sunshine, beaches... ahh. Oh wait, it’s February. Its cold. It’s London. But fear not, if you think a taste of the South of France is what you need in these depressing months, Baranis will help you out.

Roka Canary Wharf - Third Time's A Charm

I've had bad experiences every time I've been to Roka. Nothing to do with the food, mind. Just for some reason every time I go it immediately triggers a crisis at The Boyfriend's work. The first time we went he was 2 hours late for dinner, which meant that I actually ate alone. The second time, I had to sit and watch him talk on, not one, but two conference calls at the same time, (a phone at each ear) throughout our lunch. Surprisingly, each time I stil enjoyed myself because the food is so good I don't think I would even have been capable of talking. I'm pretty sure anything could happen in the restaurant around me and I would still be a supremely happy bunny. Which is why I will jump at any chance to go. My only real problem with Roka, (bar the Bank world collapsing every time I go) is that its too popular for its own good. It takes at least a week to get a table, and inside they've tried to squeeze too many people in, which also has consequences on the service, which suffers as a result.

Cigalon - Perfect.

I had a good feeling about Cigalon before I went. Maybe it was because it had been getting perfect reviews. Maybe because the restaurant looked gorgeous. Maybe it was because it was within walking distance of my home. Maybe it was just meant to be.

Barbecoa - Iwouldntgoa

I booked Barbecoa at least a month before I went. I dont know if that is because its incredibly popular, I really doubt it given recent reviews, or if Opentable itself was trying to warn me. Oh, if only I had listened. The only good thing about Barbecoa was its location on top of New Change and therefore an excuse for me to hit the shops, without technically breaking my "I will not shop in January" resolution.

Comptior Gascon – Food, Food, Everywhere but Not a Bite to Eat.

Comptior Gascon is part of The Gascon family: a trio of restaurants all around Smithfields with Club Gascon (the daddy of them all with one Michelin star), Cellar Gascon, the relaxing Wine Bar, and Comptoir Gascon the low key bistro.

28-50 - Perfection

28-50. The latitude between which grapes can grow. I guess that really tells you all about the type of restaurant this place is however, despite the primary focus being on the wine the food is actually very good.