The Regent, Balham, London

We had a really good evening at The Regent, it felt like an old-fashioned pub (in a good way), but with interesting food, and a broad range of drinks on offer, it has a contemporary feel that makes for a good experience. At a time when pubs are reported as facing tough times, places like this deserve support and it certainly has ours.

2009 – A good year for Beaujolais

I have never been a real fan of Beaujolais, my experience has mainly been the race each November to get and drink your first glass of that year’s vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau as soon after its release as possible. So having been invited to ‘Fabuleux Beaujolais 2009’ in Paris, how fortunate that I accepted, my eyes were opened to the great diversity of the produce from this part of France.

The Duke of York, St Johns Wood

Nobody likes to dine alone, but there’s such a warm and friendly atmosphere in The Duke of York that it isn’t an issue. The staff are talkative and friendly without being overbearing. You can genuinely tell that they will go out of their way to make sure you have the best time possible. A really charming venue with a strong talent for cooking

The Bull Hotel Restaurant and The Stable, Bridport, Dorset

The Bull a double fronted Hotel on East Street gives the impression that it is a fairly modest establishment. However, apart from the nineteen guest rooms, there are two bars, a dining room and a rather impressive ballroom. There is also The Stable, which has its own bar, where cider is the focus, together with some interesting and tasty pizzas and pies.

The Art of Pho Julian Hanshaw

Pho – as you cosmopolitan lot might know – is a beefy, noodly, minty broth – much loved in Vietnam and in the screechy badlands of London’s Dalston. The Art of Pho, as fewer of you might know, is a surreal, original and quirky graphic novel inspired by Vietnam’s food, set in Ho Chi Minh City.

The Grill Room at Wentworth Club

The Grill Room is a decadent culinary haven and definitely has what it takes to hold its own at this infamous golf club. Prices are not as extreme as you might expect for a club with this level of reputation; value for money is very much high on the agenda here and they certainly deliver on it.