Culinary delights

January is usually a rough month to get through but I've survived the cold and wet, the post-holiday blues and the longest pay month of the year. No doubt helped by several excellent eating experiences that are worthy of sharing.

Cecconi's - an italian joint behind the Royal Academy that serves an excellent dish of pasta at the bustling bar

The Orange - a new gastropub in Pimlico that is light, airy and does a good roast

Hix - a new Soho restuarant I went to with David. Cool place but unfortunately I can't remember what I ate - I had a pretty bad cold at the time and was struggling - I think it was partridge...

Tom Ilic - my flatmate's birthday dinner was at this Battersea resto (I had salad of cornish crab to start, a trio of lamb with gratin dauphinois and spiced aubergine, polished off with banana tart tatin and rum & raisin icecream)

L'Autre Pied - excellent, nicely designed, michelin-starred restaurant in Marylebone. I had the Pan fried Line Caught Sea Bass, Cauliflower Purée, Sea Purslane, Kaffi Lime and Lemongrass Cream for my main meal and Caramelised Banana, Gingerbread and Pistachio Financier, Quince Ice Cream for dessert. Really really good.

Green Onions Secret Supper Club - Pauline bagged us seats at this psuedo-restaurant in Hackney. It was a fabulous experience to have a stranger cook for you in their house in a room with 20 odd other people. The hosts were lovely and cooked up a pretty good feast: Onion soup with bone marrow toast, braised ox cheek with mash & carrots, pear tart with chantilly cream. Oh and a whisky sour on arrival.





On the subject of drinks it would be remiss of me not to mention Mark's Bar downstairs at Hix restaurant in Soho. Brilliant place - great cocktails and the atmosphere and styling is spot on.

If this is what January is like, bring on the rest of the year!