I did panic at first when I walked in and it appeared that nothing had changed in 14 years, but perhaps this is exactly why they are still open, doing great trade and serving locals as they were years ago. Sometimes change isn’t such a good thing, as the old adage goes ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” and El Pirata most definitely ain’t broke.

Never let anyone convince you to take to the road on a bank holiday weekend; you’re asking for trouble if you live in a city like London, urban or suburban, it really makes no difference these days. Unless, of course, there’s a damn fine meal at the end of it; then, it’s worth the 15 miles = 1.5 hour schlep.

four o nine has its own discrete entrance accessed via an entry phone controlled door to the side of The Clapham North pub, inLandor Road. This slight quirkiness somehow lends the restaurant an air of exclusivity, giving you the feeling that you are entering a private dining club.

Despite Alloro’s illustrious peers in the A-Z group – Aubergine, Ken Lo’s Memories of China, L’Oranger and Zafferano – it never before blipped my belly’s radar. However, beyond a mild title glints a tesoro nascosto….

Already critics have been raving about Bar Boulud, although that’s probably all part of the backlash against the kind of food that Blumenthal has so far championed. Now people, who a year ago would have sneered at you loftily for liking a burger, are actually saying they prefer nothing better than meat in a bun.

Sake No Hana feels comfortable, intimate and not remotely pretentious like some of the other well known celeb-laden Japanese eateries (mentioning no names…) in the vicinity. So if you want great food, attentive service in an un-fussy environment than Sake No Hana is for you. But if WAG culture, drunk D-list celebrities and rude staff and generic service is what your after then head to Berkeley Street for your Sushi

In terms of value for money, if you go for one of the home dishes at My Dining Room you are onto a winner and the al la carte is fairly priced. The food was very good; the idea of sharing plates a quirky addition that make it worth seeking out. This style of eating is especially suited to occasions when you want to encourage group interaction; birthdays, reunions, mandatory work outings; anytime when you might be stuck for conversation or need to build camaraderie.

The steaks, we’re told, are cooked at 650C on a purpose installed broiler. I am never sure what a broiler is, it isn’t a boiler obviously, it must be some kind of super grill. The insanely high temperature is supposed to sear the outside in seconds, like holding the steak under the Space Shuttle during take off, while the inside stays good and tender.

This is a chance for us all to see a famous interior and eat in a dining room boasting Murano glass chandeliers, a decorative Georgian ceiling and an internal marble colonnade which leads onto terraces, with views over Hyde Park.

The prospect of dinner as a resident at a five star hotel restaurant is an occasion to anticipate. Unquestionably there is a danger of letting the plush surroundings cloud your judgement. However, if you are able to resist being influenced by the grandeur and keep your eye on the ball, then every so often you deduce that perhaps the hotel is not fully committed to fine dining.