Semplice

As the name suggests, Semplice is about (meticulous) simplicity. A generous starter of fat pappardelle was glossily spun with racing green baby spinach and earthy, springy chicken livers. Such an unequivocally peasant Italian effort ironically came from head chef Marco Torri’s Japanese sous chef. Despite their lobster plates, it warranted envious looks from my à la carte friends.

L’Avant Port

’16 Euros to cross a bloody bridge?’ I shouted incredulously at the mec manning the toll booth as he gazed back impassively. No doubt the sight of a middle-aged Englishman having an apoplexy over the entrance fee to the Île de Ré was becoming rather familiar to him. He shrugged Gallicly. It wasn’t his fault that this time last year 16 Euros was equivalent to about £10 while now it was almost exactly £16.

Bellevue looks good in Wandsworth

Bellevue Rendezvous is a new French restaurant on the site of local favourite Mini Mundus, at 218 Trinity Road, Wandsworth Common, SW17 (near the junction with Bellevue Road). The restaurant, owned and run by Pablo Gallego (in the kitchen) and his partner Stephanie Gandon (running front of house),

Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food: Recipes from The F Word

Throughout this book there are decent pictures that don’t make you feel inadequate by being over styled, and if you’re a fan of Gordon’s beefy features he appears in quite a few of them, often wearing the same shirt. Which suggests either they shot it all in one day, or that his wife has finally left him and taken the Zanussi instruction manual with her.

Loin of Pork Cooked in Milk

Loin of pork cooked in milk, created by Arthur Potts Dawson. ‘This is a recipe I cooked for years when I worked at the River Cafe. Delicious served with spinach for a healthy, wholesome meal