Review – A London Journal

Resto 1 Balconies Restaurant, Covent Garden

Indifference versus the cockmonster. Oh, and lots of wine.

Restaurant 6 My Old Dutch, Holborn

The last time I was in My Old Dutch Denis Bergkamp was playing for Arsenal and I could climb a flight of stairs at a tube station two at a time. MOD, I'm glad to say, has aged better than I have in the intervening years.

Restaurant 7 Pie & Ale, Manchester

'Who on earth would have a Chicken Tikka Masala pie?!'

Restaurant 5 Timmy Green, Victoria

Timm-eh! Turns out to be high quality and excellent service. Recommended.

Restaurant 4 The Garden of India, York

A main of murgh sag, billed as medium hot, lacked any heat at all and was an utter disappointment.

Restaurant 3 Le Frank, Paris

Don't go by the reviews on G**gle but do bear this in mind if you want to dine at Le Frank: They've got a cornered market. The nearest place to eat well (other than the jardin d'acclimatation next door) is 20-25 minutes away on the hoof, or a bus/taxi ride.This means you'll pay more than you want for less of what you want. That aside the food and service were excellent and the room very pleasant. It's up to you whether you want to hang on till later or just take the pain in the pocket and have a nice light lunch.

Restaurant 2 Le Bouquet de Wagram, Paris

‘This is a sad song for Brexit’ was Staples’s sole comment on the events of that night. No Treasure but Hope seemed a fitting anthem for a disillusioned but steadfast Europhile

Restaurant 1 The Swan, Bankside

At Bankside for the Wanamaker production of Swive it was an improbable first time at the Swan for us for the first resto of 2020. We were nearly the first arrivals, save for a couple by the window. So it was a bit of a surprise to be seated at a table right next to…