Wasn't entirely sure what to expect from The Belvedere; somewhat of an old-school Marco Pierre-White restaurant, it tends to be somewhere that I have always avoided, despite living nearby. Saturday lunches are Jazz Piano-filled and although at first I was filled with dread, it was actually a pleasant accompaniment to the meal. The dining room is filled with groups of slightly older patrons and families and the service is very area-appropriate; formal and curteous without being overly stuffy.

The menu isn't terribly exciting and the sight of ‘Caesar Salad a la Belvedere’ send shivvers down my spine. Luckily my starter of Foie Gras was excellent and my main course of swordfish with salsa verde and oven roast potatoes was outstanding. The swordfish was charred to perfection, meaty yet tender and the potatoes, crisp and buttery. I didn't manage dessert, but I was incredibly impressed with the food and a 3-course meal for £24.50 is excellent value in stylish surrounds, reminiscent of the days of Art Deco and Chinoiserie.

Hakkasan has long been a favourite haunt of mine. I have personally never had a bad experience there to date, although sympathise with many over being hurried through your meal to ensure you don't exceed the alotted 2 hours. As long as service is swift and food arrives on time from the kitchen, 2 hours is ample with Chinese/Asian cuisine (unless of course you want to have a long meal) The only time you really suffer, is when you are in a group of more than 4 people.

The food is still phenomenal. Crispy duck salad flecked with ruby pomegranate seeds, crunchy coated salt and pepper baby squid with garlic, my favourite seafood dim sum basket and faultlessly cooked spare ribs in a rich, sweet sauce are all a great way to open the meal. For mains, the black pepper beef in Merlot is a firm favourite, along with the sweet and sour pork with pomegranate, tea smoked chicken, seabass and of course, the utterly fabulous Singapore noodles, which remain the best in town. Beware though as the main courses can be astronomically priced and sometimes I prefer to eat lots more of the starters than the mains, which not only bode well for group-sharing, but also work out to be far more pocket-friendly.

Desserts are safe and somewhat less interesting than the previous courses. Nothing particularly stands out with any wow-factor. The chocolate fondant is always a good bet and sometimes they do banana and chocolate donuts, which are delicious. I guess the thing with Asian and Oriental restaurants are that dessert is never the main focus of the meal and therefore less tempting.

The restaurant is still a great evening out in the West End; but once upon a time, you would dance all night in the old ‘Ling-Ling’ lounge, which has now been culled to make space for more diners. Lets see whether the new Hakkasan (due to open next month) can capture some of the old magic and sparkle that once made Hakkasan so great.

I visited Theo Randall a while ago… We arrived in a group of 8 for a late lunch after a meeting, starving and looking forward to dinner we first had to sit by the bar waiting for our table, despite arriving 15 minutes after the booking time. It took another 20 minutes to be seated and once at the table, getting menus took another 15 minutes. Being that my group were largely clients, I discreetly called the waitress over and explained that service has been a tad lacking and that I would appreciate it if they would do their utmost to look after us and be efficient. We waited again to place our orders but once the starters came out, they were lovely. Main courses looked lovely, although my dish arrived as something completely different to what I had ordered and so although the Chef (Theo Randall himself) sent his apologies from the kitchen, I had to rush through my main as by the time it had arrived, most of my guests had already finished their main. I wasn't able to stay for dessert but my clients and colleagues did and they seemed to enjoy the meal overall. I would say that although the food clearly isn't bad, service is sloppy and often neglectful. Nobody likes having to pull someone up on service at the beginning of a meal, but when you are with clients, sometimes that is what you have to do to prevent a molehill from turning into a mountain.

In all the years that I have lived in the neighbourhood, I have never been to Bombay Brasserie, but always wanted to. Finally had dinner there and my only disappointment was that I didn't eat there sooner. The dining room is vast with the opulence of a 5 star hotel ball room. Decadent, enormous chandeliers twinkle on the ceiling of the dimly lit room which is packed (oddly) with Texan business man. A few gallon-hats short of a scene from ‘Dallas’ with J.R. types chowing down on exotic looking dishes, definitely a world away from Texas. In one corner, a famous Hollywood actor tucks into a discreet meal as he hides behind his handle-bar moustache whilst fellow diner ogle him.

The food is unique and the combinations are brave. Boldly spiced seared scallops with more than an inferno of chilli spice and turmeric, which surprisingly worked very well although was incredibly spicy. Tandoori Halibut on a bed of spicy prawns, crispy coated Tandoori chicken with curry leaves and dainty little potato cakes with a yogurt and sweet tamarind sauce, were all superb. The spicing was a little more subtle than the fiery scallop dish but every bit as enjoyable. More dishes came our way with a perfectly cooked chicken biryani, golden with saffron and turmeric spice, studded with tender chunks of flavoursome chicken. A pickled chicken tikka dishes with a tomato sauce and pickled baby red onions was beyond superb, a really great flavour sensation with the vinegar from the pickled onions really complimenting the spice layering of the dishes.

Desserts are always my least favourite part of the meal in an Indian restaurant. Modern Indian desserts don't cut it for me and this was no exception. A trio of minature desserts including a creme brulee (of sorts) with some kind of spiced cake slices layered into it, reminded me of a bread and butter pudding and was rather enjoyable but the orange scented sticky pancake was not my cup of chai and the chocolate shell filled with some type of creamy, sweet curd with cardamoms did little for me also. But I am a savoury girl anyway and after so many starters and mains, I was perfectly happy with the meal and will definitely be coming back to try the famous weekend buffet lunch (which I'm told you have to book weeks in advance) Great restaurant overall, surpassed my expectations.

Having been to E&O many times over the years, what always strikes me as somewhat odd is that very little on the menu ever seems to change. The thing about E&O is that it isn't really a destination restaurant; you don't cross town for it because the food or service is amazing. It's a trendy neighbourhood joint (that used to be trendier) and has now found an even keel, serving trustafarians and tourists and shoppers alike.

The menu is pan-Asian encompassing dishes from all over the far east with a dim sum and sushi section as well as a small selection of sushi, salads, bbq dishes and curries. Yes, the menu is essentially designed with size 0 locals and ‘Yummy-Mummy’ types in mind, which is ok I guess and dishes are good, but they aren't outstanding. Combinations are interesting yet some items like the dim sum, can be sloppy lacking the usual delicate preparation that you get at most Chinese restaurants. To be honest, if it is dim sum you are after, you're better off heading over to Royal China at Queensway. But if it's a general mish-mash of basically good (sort-of) Oriental dishes you are after, then you could do a lot worse than E&O.

The bar is also a key feature at E&O, drawing in crowds both day and night. In fact the dining room itself has little character and can often be a tad soul-less at times. However, if you are in the area, don't be detered from stopping by, especially with a group of friends as E&O can be a great place to meet, eat and drink all under one roof in a very trendy part of town. Beware though, what tends to be trendy never comes cheap and if they don't get you on the food, they sure as hell will on the drinks!

Having wanted to eat here since it opened a few months ago, I finally managed to sneak an extended lunch hour and meet a friend for a couple of glasses of vino and some good food. The menu is incredibly simple, which I adore and the wine list is really excellent serving wine measures starting from 75ml upwards, enabling you to try many different wines with your meal.

My friend opted for special lunch set menu of 2 courses at £15.50 which produced fantastic value starting with a salad of yellow and red beetroot, generously scattered with goat's cheese and crushed pistachios; followed by a main course of pan-fried mackerel accompanied by artichokes and a caper dressing. I was genuinely impressed with the quality and value of the food on the set menu.

My own choices did not cost that much more with a wonderful duck rillette to start, delicate in flavour with succulent shreds of confit'd duck and a selection of pickles with huge hunks of bread. Heavenly. My main course was even more sublime, pigs cheek with belly pork, a side of crackling, quince, cale and swede that looked like spaghetti. A wonderful, sweet jus topped the dish off and made the experience absolutely perfect. I will most definitely be going back, preferably in the evening when I can really enjoy the wine list fully!

I loved Bodeans when it first came to town. The BBQ was always excellent, with some of the best ribs I have EVER had in this country. Over the years, I have seen a decline in the quality and ingredient use which is terribly disappointing and there was one occasion where I ordered a delivery of food from my local Bodeans and it was absolutely awful. On this occasion, 4 of us headed to the Soho branch and despite not taking bookings, the manager was incredibly accommodating of a back injury I had and reserved a nice booth for us to ensure we had a table on arrival. The basement dining room is incredibly dark and a little dingy, with bizarre tartan carpetting and wooden panels. TV screens show American football, baseball and whatever US sporting events that were taking place.

I ordered a half rack of baby back ribs and a half portion of spare ribs. To my disappointment, the spare ribs were a little dry and not as gloriously meaty and fatty as they once were. The baby back ribs were still very good and next time I dine here, that is what I would stick to ordering. My friends chose a selection of side dishes included pulled pork, cornbread muffins and creamed corn. The creamed corn, although tasty and homemade, lacked any kind of seasoning but the cornbread muffins were light and sweet and really very good. I didn't try the pulled pork but my 3 fellow diners were cooing over how delicious it was so I can't imagine it was anything less than superb.

Bodeans may not be what it used to but it is still a great place to head to for some fun and a few beers. Also great for kids too as they use proper ingredients in their cooking rather than the vile processed hideousness of places like TGI's and other dodgy American-themed chains.

The Ritz, with all its pomp and glamour and elaborately ornate interiors… not always my first choice for a nice comfortable dinner. From the moment you walk in you are pampered and made to feel incredibly welcome; not at all the snooty service that some people fear in establishments such as this. We had dinner in a private room on this occasion, the menu having been pre-selected for us. 4 exquisite courses commenced with Cornish Crab Salad with Ginger Jelly, Lovage and Celery Vichysoisse followed by Filet of Sole with Morels, Leeks and Jura Wine Sauce. The crab salad was sweet and meaty in a delicate cream sauce and the Filet of Sole was beyond delicious, it was an absolute sensation with a perfectly cooked piece of sole in a silky smooth reduction of wine with leeks, dotted with Morel mushrooms. Heaven.

A delicious Lemon sorbet dowsed in Champagne cleansed the palate beautifully making way for an enormous Roast Rack of Veal Forestiere with Madeira and Truffle Jus and an abundance of seasonal turned vegetables equating to one of the most mouth-watering dishes I have ever had in my life. The cutlet or Venison was perfectly cooked and nicely rare in the centre and the sauce was an absolute revelation of meaty flavours combined with Madeira wine and Truffles. I'm not sure how any course could possibly follow this standard of cooking and on this occasion, I was right. The final course was a Raspberry Souffle with a Verbena ice cream, which in my opinion was quite dissapointing. The souffle was overly sweet and not to my taste at all and the Verbena ice cream was a bizarre flavour that did not best accompany the main component of the dessert. However this aside, service was impeccable with staff appearing out of nowhere anytime you even thought that you may need something. The interiors were beautiful and the whole experience was thoroughly enjoyable and on this occasion, I was invited as a guest and escaped the bill which would probably exceed £150.00 just for the food, not including any wine. How very lucky I was.

It is disappointing how these once great restaurants have now seemed to go so very downhill. Its a real shame as I used to go for Saturday lunch every week and the staff were always so bubbly and friendly, with an abundance of Italian staff who really made the brand feel authentic. I rarely go there these days, the food is nowhere near as nice as it used to be and the staff can be abrupt and inflexible. Even the counter staff at the deli aren't as friendly or knowledgable as they used to be. The food never looks fresh, the point blank refuse to slice certain salamis for you (ridiculous!) and a request to order Arancini from the kitchen after 2pm was met with the kind of expression reserved for someone who had made some kind of obscene or absurd request. Disappointing all round and the prices just seem to get higher and higher. I would much rather get my deli meats and Italian dishes elsewhere. What a terrible shame.

If you can stand the noise from the screaming kids and the head-thumping volume of music, then it's a great place to grab a burger… I have decided that a pair of ear plugs for my next visit will alleviate most of my problem. The chocolate milkshake is really good, perfectly thick and really creamy and delicious and I always have to have one before my meal. I go for the classic burger with bacon which is the perfect size for a hungry gal like me. My only gripe about the burger is that I hate buns that are dusted with flour! They give me the shivvers as I bite into them… That's obviously personal taste, but luckily peeling the flour-crusted top off the bun is very easy, so everyones happy! The Byron burger is another alternative and comes with a cheese and a thousand island sauce, kind of like a big mac, I guess. I would recommend sharing a portion of fries as it can become too much.

I have never, to date, managed to make it to dessert, so I couldn't comment… But overall Byron is the best burger on the high street, beating the likes of Gourmet Burger Kitchen and all the other contenders hands down.

After years of avoiding Mango Tree like the plague, I finally succumbed and went there for dinner and I stand corrected! Mango Tree turned out to be surprisingly good! The room is huge and despite our 6pm arrival, it was more than 75% occupied within 20 minutes! The banquette seating is, quite possibly, the most comfortable seats I have ever sat in at any restaurant!

The menu is quite daunting with page after page of Thai dishes, which if you do not know your way around Thai cuisine can be difficult to choose from. I, however, had no problem whizzing through the pages ordering a selection of yummy dishes. The 50% discount is also incredibly helpful, although it does get frustrating when the menu seems to have so many dishes that are exempt from the discount; in fact it is down right cheeky really. But there is still plenty to choose from and we decided to order lots of appetizer dishes to maximise the chance to taste more. Glass noodles with prawns and minced chicken were delicious with a zesty and spicy dressing, Thai beef salad was seared to perfection and fiery to boot. Assorted skewers of satay, grilled pork and classic papaya salad were also fantastic.

I didnt order dessert but my friend ordered a couple of rum and cokes and commented that they were nice and strong, which is rare these days, so at least you get what you pay for! Within an hour, the restaurant is heaving and the noise level escalates to an all time high, not helped by a trio of shrill chavs who clearly had one glass of vino too many and would laugh like hyenas causing the whole restaurant to stare furiously at them as they carried on oblivious to the disturbance they caused. But apart from that, I am pretty impressed and will definitely be going back.

What a lovely place to eat on a Sunday, if you can handle the fact that it is packed with hungover locals, families and friends catching up over long lunches. The decor is really nice (I'm a girl, I will also critique that stuff) and I like the ecclectic combinations of lighting, upholstery and furniture, it makes for a lovely environment for a meal especially a late Sunday lunch.

A pint of prawns with homemade mayonnaise and a fat wedge of lemon does the trick for me as a starter and for the mains it had to be a full on Sunday roast with thick slices of perfectly cooked sirloin of beef, with the desired tint of red in the centre, huge, crispy roast potatoes and the biggest Yorkshire pud I have ever seen, which of course, suits me down to the ground. I'm all over my main like a fat kid on a cupcake!

Needless to say I didn't manage pudding this time round, but with my belly so full of yummy things, who cares?? Despite living in West London, I would definitely come back here again on a Sunday; the vibe is great, the food is really good and I like the neighbourhood too!

What's not to love about a deli and gourmet food shop that has a restaurant attached to it? Especially when it's actually very good. Although it must be said that lunches have a tad more ambience as the deli/shop is actually open for business, whereas in the evening you have to use the rear entrance on a whole other street as the shopfront is closed. Plus the fact that you would struggle to see any sign of life in the evening in that neighbourhood, it can be a bit ho-hum. However the restaurant is equally busy both day and night and the ambience is great. Service, although friendly, can be quite slow at times especially if they are busy.

The menu has a great selection of foods to suit all moods and palates. Modern European would be the best way to describe the food I guess, although I don't really go in for that kind of cliche. My favourite starter has to be the Macaroni cheese with (or without) bacon, it is delicious and the perfect comfort food, but terrine of foie gras, French onion soup and whole artichoke with hazlenut vinaigrette are also great choices.

Main courses are great with a juicy ribeye steak with sauce ‘Cafe de Paris’ or the quivveringly raw Steak tartare, which is equally delicious. But you really must try the ‘Aspen Fries’ as they are a thing of beauty. Crispy fries doused in truffle oil and enough parmesan cheese to reform a mini-wheel, makes these chips beyond special. In fact, I could quite happily eat them on their own, although best served with a nice hunk of meat.

Desserts are pretty interesting with Mars bar cheesecake (not for the faint hearted) as well as sticky toffee pudding and a great cheese plate. I am surprised that they offer 50% off the menu here, when the food is as good as it is. Although perhaps without the 50% discount the bill could end up being quite expensive, so long live the discount!

Only in Texas do you get meat of this size served up to you, flame-grilled to meaty perfection. Goodman's City branch opened this week and I couldn't resist the chance for a full-on meat fest. The staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming, lets hope that it stay this way because ‘Browns’ next door have never bothered being friendly OR welcoming!

We sat at a plush brown leather-covered booth, the kind that has that pleasing ‘new-leather’ smell, underneath a black board list of today's available beef cuts. 700-900g Porterhouse steaks along with enormous T-Bones, Ribeyes and Sirloins… Enough to satisfy even the most insatiable carnivores among you! Starters aren't really the main appeal for me here, although very nice, let's face it Calamari and Caesar Salad only pale in comparison to the main attraction… an enormous hunk of charred beef. We shared a 700g Porterhouse which was more than enough meat to keep us very happy indeed. A side of truffled chips (which I still felt lacked the desired ‘truffle’ as I just couldn't taste it) and possibly THE best Bearnaise sauce I have ever had in my life, whipped within an inch of it's life giving it a feather light almost moussey-quality that was sheer perfection. My only gripe was that they despite seeing Truffled Macaroni Cheese on their web-menu, they didn't have it on the restaurant menu. I was absolutely gutted, but have been reassured that they will shortly be adding it to the menu after being inundated with requests for it. Fabulous.

Desserts are pretty straight forward, Creme Brulee, Hot Fudge Sundae, Cheesecake and a good selection of cheeses. The prices aren't cheap, but what else would you expect when the quality of meat is this good? At any rate, this is the City we are talking about… Economising is soooo 2009. City boys are back in full swing and this is only the beginning. For the rest of us non-high flyers, Goodman offers great value on top quality meat and if the City could nominate a dish that best-represent the Square Mile, it would most likely be ‘Steak and Chips’ which for Goodman, can only be a good thing.

At last! After a distinct lack of decent Italian restaurants, L'Anima (The Italian word for Soul) arrived like a breath of fresh air and Chef Francesco Mazzei wowed City folk with his trademark rustic, home-style cooking.
The restaurant itself is one big space, minimalistic with decor largely consisting of white walls and glass and an open kitchen where geeks like me can watch the Chefs as they toil over hot stoves creating food for your pleasure.

If you are looking for fancy food, then L'Anima is not for you. The cooking here is simple, vibrant and bursting with Italian flavours. Starters are particularly good with octopus, cannellini beans and ricotta, one of Mazzei's signature dishes as well as scallops with spicy N'duja sausage and of course wonderful burrata cheese with it rich creamy consistency. But it is the Sicilian rabbit stew, which is not to be missed and the Pork belly with N'Cantarata sauce is also a favourite. Mazzei once made me a special pasta dish of tagliolini with toasted hazlenuts, butter, parmesan and oodles of shaved white truffle which was so ridiculously good that I was rendered speechless. The man is a legend and along with his natural Italian charm, he is also very easy on the eyes which doesn't hurt one bit. But fear not Gentlemen, the food is really the main draw here, it is pretty unbeatable and though some say it can be a tad expensive, when you use the quality of ingredients that is used here, every single penny is absolutely justified.

Can't wait to go back after they re-open!