Had a lovely evening with my Finnish hosts at C Restuarant in Tampere. The restaurant is a collaboration between chef Ilkka Isotalo (below) and ex-sommelier Christina Suominen, and the emphasis is very…
Drakes Tabanco: five course Sherry pairing menu
I love sherry. I also love Drakes Tabanco‘s food. The two together? Well, sherry isn’t always my first thought when food is concerned. So it was great to try Drakes’…
Taberna do Mercado, Old Spitafields, London
Yesterday’s lunch was at the much talked about Taberna do Mercado, in Old Spitafields Market, a short walk from Liverpool Street Station. This is Nuno Mendes’ relatively new venture, so…
A great lunch at Social Wine and Tapas, with Savart and Pignan
Charles Spence, the noted red-trousered Professor of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University wrote one of my favourite books of late, titled The Perfect Meal. I think I had a lunch…
The Petainer ‘wine on tap’ system for restaurants
Is wine on tap the future for the on-trade? At the London wine fair I had a chance to check out the Petainer Keg wine delivery system, which was being…
In Toronto, one night only
I was staying overnight in Toronto before flying home early morning. So I hooked up with Nicholas Pearce (above), a wine agent and negociant, for an evening. We started off in…
Lunch with Dirk Niepoort, including the Poeirinho Baga and a Madeira from 1795
Dirk Niepoort is in town, so yesterday we arranged to have lunch at Kitchen W8. It’s been a while since I caught up with Mr Niepoort, who is one of…
Lunch at Grain Store
Lovely lunch at my current favourite restaurant, Grain Store, today. The redevelopment at Kings Cross along the Regent’s Canal – where Grain Store is located – is looking good, and…
Lunch at St John with Dujac, Niero, Barthod and Bereche
Lunch at St John today. A special time with Francis Percival, Dan Keeling and Jeremy Seysses. The company, the wines, the food: all were on sparkling form. I haven’t been…