Like a cow... Outstanding in it's field.

In a crowded and recently revived market for high end steak restaurants MASH is in my opinion the best of the lot. I'm aware that's a bold statement and if the competition would like to invite me back to their venues then that's very kind of them :) however when I'm taking my wallet out for some divine steak I'll be heading back here.

The venue itself is beautiful – very opulent and they have done a fantastic job of restoring the grand art deco style and the large subterranean dining room works very well despite it's imposing size. In-between the bar and the booths the large refrigerated “showcases” display some of the most divine looking cuts of beef and give you a taste of things to come.

We were dining in a group of twelve so decided to go for a mix of starters as so many looked so good, it would be nice to try a sample. I'm glad we did as although my the chilli lime squid was sublime, the charcuterie plates and duck terrine and foie gras gave my taste buds a smooth & rich treat. Onto the main course – Well the menu is 99% beef but what a choice! I eventually settled on the Danish 70 day air dried Long-Bone rib – (a bit of a mouthful and when it arrived I realized it was definitely going to be many more of them).

Seriously I've never had such a good steak anywhere – especially in London. Perfectly tender, perfectly cooked, perfect taste, perfect in every bite. So perfect it was almost disconcerting – Too good to be true, where would the let down be? Well it wasn't in the main meal – the accompanying mash with onion and bacon and Bearnaise sauce complemented it perfectly. The wines with the dinner didn't let me down either – a lovely fresh La Vierge “Jezebelle” Chardonnay with the starters and the in house “No Bull” Syrah for the main event. Then came the let down…

Well I let myself down really, the size of the main course had left me little room for dessert so I sat meekly disappointed with myself, while my companions tucked into a gorgeous looking Apple Crumble. I found middle ground however with a couple of delicious espresso martinis which revived me from the inevitable food coma I felt coming.

Although I love to try and find faults – With Mash I couldn't – well only unreasonable ones, the lack of roof top terrace, or complimentary Rolls Royce chauffeur shuttle service back home. The staff were excellent from the door all the way through, smart, courteous, professional yet just the right amount of banter with the guests.

Prices are high but deservedly so – Unless you are a farmer you always, (in this country anyway) will pay high for good beef, and the average spend per head for our party was around the £75 mark. If you want a good prime steak I urge you to try Mash. If you want a groovy venue then try Mash, If you want a more economic steak meal, then try Mash as they have something for most wallets. I intend to revisit as often as possible for both business and pleasure.

Babbo is without doubt one of the best Italian restaurants in London at the moment. The entire team always seem to go well above and beyond to ensure that you have a fantastic experience whether it's a quick lunch or a long lazy dinner. The restaurant has a nice chic but relaxed feel to it and the rustic inspired menu is fantastic with plenty of traditional dishes given the special treatment by chef Doug Santi.

I've dined there several times over the past few months and still find it difficult to choose as the menu has so many highlights. As many of the previous reviews point out on top of the great food and wine you are made to feel so welcome – something that often seems to slip in restaurants nowadays. Babbo is definitely one for a special occasion and ideal to treat yourself. Prices are on the higher side but to be honest everything is so perfect it's impossible to fault the bill.

If Babbo doesn't have a star come January then there is something deeply wrong with the Michelin Guide! If I could find a bookie I'd stake my house on it!

Hakkasan has been one of my all time favorites for many years so I was excited to see what was on offer when I was invited for the soft launch last week. Despite the concept being nearly a decade old as soon as we were greeted at the door that familiar warm feeling crept in along with the beautiful scent that regulars will recognize. True to form I had a fantastic experience – From the gorgeous and attentive supermodelesque waitresses to the familiar feel of the decor it was exactly like the original – perhaps it should be labeled “now with an extra 25%!”.

The food was a delicious as ever – the baby new Zealand lobster tails were awesome – huge portions that made me hope that if they were the babies that please don't let daddy lobster be looking for me. Peking duck stir fry elicited moans of pleasure from my dining companion and the Chilean sea bass with Chinese honey was divine. Dessert (chocolate soufflé) were some of the best I've had. As a regular at the original I was surprised how the whole occasion felt so new and refreshing. Prices are steep however and it is going to be a venue for a treat but I have no doubt that both Hakkasan Mayfair and Hanway Place are going to be packed to the rafters for the next decade as well.

Moti Mahal is a delightful restaurant for some interesting Indian cuisine. I'm glad to see that the design of the restaurant has expunged all traces of the previous owners venue. The menu holds great promise of a selection of rustic and traditional dishes from the grand Trunk Road and delivers perfectly – an example being the Sorpotel dish with intense and complex flavoured Wild Boar and the Sagar Rattan with it's fragrant flavours. Service is smooth and knowledgeable. Prices are on the steep side but reassuringly – these are some of the best Indian dishes you will taste in London. Chef Ani has done a great job in the kitchen and I look forward to visiting again soon.

I was lucky enough to be invited for one of the soft launches for Petrus prior to opening and am happy to say it certainly lived up to my expectations. The dining room has a lovely look to it with the fantastic wine cellar in the centre of the room as the centre piece. It's quite an intimate venue but thankfully tables are not too close together. The menu was good and varied and the deliciousness of the dishes made it very difficult to decide, but a couple of the dishes do certainly jump out at you such as the Lobster tail with Pork Belly – An odd but remarkably well worked dish. Wines as you expect are excellent – A bible like wine list does a great job of catering to all tastes (and pockets!) Service was generally good although some of the staff seemed a little nervous – I think once they get into their stride however their confidence can only increase and it would after all be unfair to mark them down for this pre-opening. All in all and excellent evening out and I'll be rushing back especially with how reasonable the prices are.

So here am I thinking the Swallow Street branch was glitzy… As pointed out it seems that the Gaucho chain seem to go out of their way to do bigger and better each time. I was over at the O2 a few weeks back and had the rather dangerous idea of going a few hours early on the off chance I could find a walk in table at one of the many venues – being a fan of the Gaucho and all things meaty I was very happy to find that they could squeeze me in – perhaps the thousands of rock fans already at the 02 had turned vegan in their senior years?

The Gaucho O2 is incredibly sexy and seems to be the biggest and best yet. Food as always is nice and straight forward – I'd like something light to start with (ok that's a lie – I ordered the Sausage Platter), and for main I'd like a huge steak nice and tender and I'd like it how the chef wants to cook it (it was the 300g Fillet by the way). You simply cant go wrong for a carnivorous treat.Vegetarians of the non-fish kind will always be a little disappointed but to be honest in the same way you don't go to SAF looking for a steak, you don't go to the Gaucho looking for veggie options. Prices for the mains are reassuringly high although starters are a lot more economical.

Service is efficient – Presumably the staff understand that most of the patrons are there prior to an event so look after you swiftly and efficiently without compromising the standards. All in all a very fulfilling meal and I left very satisfied and rather glad that I had booked seats and not the standing area for the concert later. If you are off to the O2 I'd start the night here.

It's been many many years since I last dined at the Criterion and yet again I'm wondering why. Centrally located, opulent and glitzy – The acoustics from the high ceiling create a wonderfully buzzy atmosphere. I love the old school outlook – starting with the charming staff and the luxurious decor.

The food highlights the best of British with many comforting and deliciously rich favourites. A starter of Foie gras torchon, tomato & onion relish, port reduction, brioche was very good – smooth and rich and gave little feeling of decadence, likewise the Native lobster & wild salmon ravioli, bisque was real treat and it was a bit of a struggle to keep room for the White & dark chocolate tart, praline mousse, kumquat compote for dessert (although I managed).

Personally I feel the new ownership will reignite interest – actually judging from the full lunch sitting I saw, it already has. The Criterion has so much to offer and is absolutely ideal for a pre or post theatre dinner. Prices are excellent considering the prime location and I'm a little surprised they are not higher considering all the polishing that must be done! After 134 years it's good to see an institution still going strong.

Looking at earlier reviews I was a little unsure as to what to expect on my recent trip to 1901. I'd been to it's earlier incarnation a few years ago so had a rough idea of what to expect. I did however find it a big improvement and certainly a lot better than reviews earlier in the year indicated. Granted it is a very large room and I can understand atmosphere may be affected but for a relaxing but formal lunch it suited me perfectly. I loved the British menu and was great to see so much regional produce in use. I'd opted for a starter of Home cured breast, pickled Scottish girolles, roasted plum and bittercress – The Duck was some of the most delicious I've ever had and mixed very well with the taste of the plum. My main came courtesy of the special of the day which happened to be one of my favourites – Leg of Lamb – wonderfully succulent. Dessert was Baked Apple sponge, lemon-caramel sauce and custard – so delicious and finished the meal off perfectly.

Wines were suggested by the glass from the sommelier who did an excellent job and impressed me by genuinely choosing what he thought would suit rather than what would suit his sales – Something you don't always seem to be able to count on. I'd definitely go back probably for a dinner as I'm curious as to how the atmosphere changes for the evening but in the meantime there is so many other choices in the Hotel I better make plenty of excuses to head to Liverpool Street.

I love the Crazy Bear Group – Really really love them, So for my wife's 30th Birthday decided to head up to Oxford to spend the weekend there. It's a shame I can't really write a review about the rooms (which are fab) but thankfully both the English and Thai restaurants give me plenty to write about. We had decided on the English restaurant for a light lunch which I'm happy to say turned into a bit of a heavy lunch. Starters of Oak Smoked Scottish Salmon and Oxfordshire Aberdeen Angus Steak Tartare were a wonderful way to start – both very fresh and tasty. Pork was the order of the day with my wife going for the Old Spot Pork sausage and mash while I went for the Old spot Pork Belly with apple salad and duck egg. Absolutely delicious and huge portions. Dessert was taken care of with strawberry summer trifle – supremely tasty and very refreshing. Service was smooth and subtle – there when you need them but otherwise unobtrusive.

Fast forward 8 hours and it was time for dinner in the Thai restaurant – a beautiful little relaxed lounge type area, very intimate and relaxing. A mixture of snack style starters got us going including duck spring rolls, prawn dumplings and some of the best ribs I've ever had – the meat very tender to the point of dropping off the bone. Mains were soon followed up with Duck breast in Tamarind sauce and the divine slow pot roasted Ox cheek – extremely soft and tender with the roasted garlic and spring onions giving it a lovely zing. Service was excellent especially considering the intimate space the waiters have to work inn.We practically ignored the wine list for both meals opting to go for champagne (Belle Époque 1998) which felt a little pricey but it was after all a special occasion, but the champagne and wine list can easily accommodate all tastes and budgets.

I think the venue as a whole is excellent and perfect for a weekend getaway or a bite if you are in the area, but I would suggest booking ahead rather than leaving it to chance. Another bonus being that if you like the food there, then you can pop over to the farm shop and pick up anything you may need – the only downside to this was having to face the cute little pigs in the farm fields, knowing that their brothers and sisters, although delicious are now in my belly and not so cute anymore.

Aqua as a whole venue is a place I've been eagerly anticipating all summer long, having come across some PR releases the concept and the design looked awesome and very similar to the Hong Kong branch. Well the wait is finally over and I took a trip to the Spanish restaurant Aqua Nueva as soon as the doors opened. From the warm greeting on the ground floor to the dining experience I have to say I'm very impressed – a lot of thought has obviously gone into the design and form of the kitchens and the result is a spectacular looking duo of restaurants. In contrast to the dark and sexy Aqua Kyoto the Spanish side is bright and airy and has a chic Mediterranean feel to it.

The food itself from Alberto Hernández is so good – presentation is excellent and taste is divine.Partridge with classic summer salad started me off well with beautiful light tastes and Iberian Pork Neck with peppercorn for main got a huge thumbs up from me also very tender and tasty – the portions large but no so much that I had no room left for the delicious chocolate dessert – very rich and smooth. Service was very friendly and smooth – perhaps a few opening night nerves but nothing to detract from the experience. Finishing off the evening with a couple of cocktails on the rooftop terrace enjoying the views over the west end seriously adds an extra level of enjoyment.

I'm planning on revisiting very soon to try Aqua Kyoto but Nueva will also be revisited very soon. I can see the restaurant being a huge hit in the coming months and I'm sure will be one of the hottest venues in town.

Well with a new chef at the helm of Apsley's a place which I've always enjoyed, I thought I should rush back to check it out. A summer of rumours regarding Heinz Becks arrival has kept me on my toes and I'm very happy to say I was not disappointed. Physically there seems to be no difference in the style or look of the restaurant, which in my opinion was great anyway – all that natural light and little bit of chic opulence. The menu has obviously had quite a big change so I decided to go for the a la carte instead of the menu del giorno ( I've read so many reviews with people dining from the set menu it should perhaps be renamed “Menu del Journo…” no?…ok I'll get my coat.)

Anyway for starter I chose the Sea bass “Connolo” with celery and melon – very tasty and light flavours from the celery and melon complimenting the sea bass very well. Next a mid course of pasta and we went for the Carbonara fagotelli – one of Mr Beck's signature dishes. It was without doubt superb, very light parcels filled with a light and fluffy carbonara sauce – it tasted exquisite. Onto the mains and I opted for Slow braised veal cheek on apple puree and salsify – perfectly tender and juicy. We finished off with a chocolate soufflé with ice cream – simple but perfectly executed. Presentation was very good almost to the point where you didn't want to spoil the dishes by tucking in.

Service as as previous was excellent – very professional and knowledgeable. All in all a very pleasant lunch, Mr Beck has obviously been brought in to put Apsley's on the map as a destination in the same category as Gordon Ramsay and Claridge's and Marcus Wareing at the Berkeley, going from my first impressions he's definitely on the right track and I'd be incredibly surprised if they are not picking up an award in January.

Just for comparison – I awarded Apsley's marks of 8/8/8/7/8 from my visit earlier in the year.

The Long Bar for me serves a purpose fairly well as somewhere to have a quick drink prior to dinner but as a destination seems to lack something – although something I can't quite put my finger on. It's buzzy and full of beautiful people (usually), great cocktails and good people watching, everything you need really so I'm at a loss as to why I don't really like it. Perhaps it feels to me as a watered down version of the Purple Bar at the Sanderson? Anyway I'll keep visiting as a springboard before moving on but if you are looking for somewhere to spend a longer time I'd recommend charming your way into the Purple Bar or heading elsewhere.

Baltic is one of those venues I go to rarely but when I do I always enjoy it. I guess for me the location keeps it off the radar until the rare times I'm in the area but I think this is a good thing as it keeps my visits fresh. Food is always good – very tasty and filling. I usually stick to the same dishes the haunch of venison or the Weiner Schnitzel – simple dishes but always well done. There always seems to be a good atmosphere when I go (usually late evening or after theatre) and there is always an interesting crowd. Excellent Vodka selections always top a trip off perfectly and combined with the food I always leave into the night feeling very warm and satisfied. The Sunday menu especially seems very comforting so I'm sure I'll be heading that way a little more with the cold winter on it's way.

I've had a little bit of a Crazy Bear Marathon recently having quite by accident eaten in the Beaconsfield and Whitfield Street restaurants in the same week although it's been a very long time since I eat there. It's good to see the decor is still the same – very extravagant and not at all subtle (in a good way) and it was fun to see the reactions of my guests who had not been previously. The food was as good as I remember it – the Shanghai Hot and Sour soup particularly brought a big smile to my face as did the braised pork smoked ribs. Mains were excellent, Wok fried Lobster with red chillies and coriander an expensive and decadent choice but so good although the sample of my guests red duck curry also hot the spot. Back to my old habit I've again forgotten the wine we had with dinner – I must remember to keep the receipts although I'm sure I'll need an Enigma machine to work out the abbreviations. Prices are good for what you get, obviously some dishes are very expensive and could throw you off budget but go with an open mind and wallet. Overall it's a great place – very in your face and the downstairs bar excellent for after dinner. Would be ideal for a date or just for some fun with friends.

Portal is one of those venues I've heard about but never had the chance to visit – being quite territorial it's not too often I get a chance to eat in the city however I'm glad I did with Portal. The main dining room is set in a beautiful conservatory giving plenty of natural light and is very relaxing. The menu is excellent and covers a great range of dishes – Including vegetarian and vegan and gluten free so something for everyone really. Starter of veal carpaccio with truffle oil, goat cheese ice cream sprinkled with purple shiso leaves was awesome and the following main of Confit suckling pig with sauté curly kale and ham, green apple mash and pepper sauce tender and very very tasty, always one to try a cheese board instead of the sweet option I was not disappointed with the selection and tastes. Service was smooth and slick and the vibe very relaxed – without table turns it's very easy to go here early evening and spend all night relaxing and enjoying fine food – how a dinner should be. Definitely one of my recent highlights.