All it needed was the smell of a French cigarette

Chez Chantal, 220 West End Lane, West Hampstead, London NW6 1UU This was a find, a really good French cafe in north London. The coffee was excellent, as were the wonderful French pastries on display. My baguette (freshly baked on the premises) was filled with pate de compagne and cornichons and transported me back to […]

Nice decor, shame about the service

Route 303 American diner, on the A303 near Honiton, Devon In a previous lifetime, Route 303 used to be a pretty good roadside caff, a welcome breakfast stop on the way to Cornwall. Now it’s an American diner. Great decor; an old Harley takes pride of place in the centre of the restaurant, rock posters […]

Eurovision Eurosnacks

If you’re going to be inviting your mates round for a Eurovision Song Contest party, why not theme it with the appropriate snacks? Here are some recipe ideas for Eurosnacks from the BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/eurovision_party_ideas

Lamb cutlets with almond and mint tabbouleh

This kind of dish always feels clean to me; a fresh salad with the tang of almonds, mint and garlic, and the sweetness of lamb. It’s really easy to make, from start to finish, about 20 minutes. Serves 2 100g (3½oz) bulgar wheat 50g (1¾oz) almonds, roughly chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed Small bunch fresh […]

Sausages in red wine

A hearty dish that goes well with a pile of mash. Use good quality pork sausages, herby, spicy ones made by a butcher if you can get them. Serves 4 450g (1lb) pork sausages 225g (8oz) streak bacon, diced 225g (8oz) small shallots Olive oil 1 heaped tsp plain flour 275ml (10 fl oz) red […]