Blog

This week I try Haozhan, revisit Zafferano and the Fish Shop on St John Street, and am reminded just how bad service can get at the new Hammersmith Keralan restaurant Shilpa.

I visit Angelus, compare Michelin starred Benares with Madhu’s in Southall, and enjoy the new menu at Zafferano.

I revisit Hawksmoor, and return to old favourites Zafferano and Haandi. Also, my 2007 culinary highs and lows.

I venture to Alan Yau’s new venture, Sake No Hana, and mix with the celebs. I return to Madhus in Southall, and to Tarantella in Chiswick.

This week I try Rowley Leigh’s new Cafe Anglais, revisit Odettes, find a pizzeria with a difference in Giusto, and savour a remarkable special at the Brilliant. The Michelin 2008 Spain guide comes out with little change, but by contrast the new Michelin Tokyo Guide lands with a thump.

I try Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester on its opening night. I find Semplice to be an impressive Italian restaurant, and have very enjoyable meals at Yauatcha and Haandi. Michelin Germany 2008 comes out, and arrives with a bang.

This week I sample the newly opened Hibiscus, and revisit Gilgamesh, La Trompette, La Trenta, High Road Brasserie and the Brackenbury.

This week a revamp works wonders for Le Vacherin, I have another excellent curry at Haandi and try two Italians: my old favourite Zafferano and new kid on the block La Trenta.

Lisbon has some great seafood but most places I sampled seemed unable to cook it very well. Tamarind is pleasant but pricey, and Foliage delivers a solid one star meal. Chefs seem to be queueing up to open in London in the autumn.

My foray to Norfolk is a culinary let-down, but a really promising restaurant opens in London at last. Diwana Bhel Poori and Zafferano continue to excel in their very different ways.

A good value Italian discovery in Trenta this week, along with excellent meals at Trompette and Rasa Samudra. I also forgive Racine for the dismal experience I had there when it opened, and find it has settled down just fine. Sadly Boys in Chiswick is a classic: "nice decor, shame about the food" experience.

I revisit Madhu's and have a malai chicken tikka that dreams are made of. My monthly visit to Zafferano is as good as ever, but Matsuri disappoints. My TV appearance firms up.

I revisit Umu, the controversial Japanese restaurant. Another excellent meal at Zafferano, but a poor burger experience at Ground. Tangawizi in Richmond continues to impress me. Also, a new site feature, some food quizzes.

An Italian week: Theo Randall v Zafferano. At the lower end, Chiswick gains an authentic pizzeria. One more terrible hotel meal makes me wonder what they get up to in hotel kitchens, but Royal China's dim sum almost makes up for it. Finally, is Whole Foods over-priced and over here?

Sonnys continues its return to form. Two different Spanish experiences this week with Barrafina and Moro, while Kiasu is that rarity in London - a Malaysian restaurant. Canteen underwhelms but Zafferano makes up for it.

Another busy week, with meals at the Fat Duck, Pied a Terre, Gavroche and Locanda Locatelli. After all that French and Italian food I needed a curry at Haandi.

Chez Bruce purrs along. Smiths of Smithfield wisely sticks to serving top class meat without too many distractions. Sadly chef Mark Jankels is no longer at the stoves of the Notting Hill Brasserie, and it shows. The Waterside Inn shows a few imperfections, though both the view and the bill are spectacular.

Ex chefs at Zafferano cooking at Manicomio produce a pleasant meal, and then Zafferano itself shows how Italian cooking should be done. Tangawizi produces another excellent meal; I don't usually get excited about lentils, but the dhal here is fabulous.

Two good bistro meals at Tom's Kitchen and High Road Brasserie, and from the sublime to the ridiculous of Italian food: Zafferano v Vino Rosso in Chiswick

A generally good meal at Maze, despite dangling wine glasses.

Pearl turns out to be very good value for such a smart place, and the Good Curry Awards has some odd choices.

Tom's Kitchen is a great success, and Zafferano continues to deliver top Italian cooking.

Deya produces a fine meal, while the British Curry Awards is bewildering despite the glamour. Zafferano excels itself.

Pied a Terre produces a very fine meal. Yauatcha and Zafferano also show why they have Michelin stars.

Cocoon is like an Austin Powers set, but the food is surprisingly good. Zafferano produces a fine wild sea bass dish.

Noisette is pleasant but expensive, and Bjorn van der Horst shows the dining room his extensive English vocabulary. Galvins Bistro is fine, but I cannot really see what the fuss is about. Excellent Indian cooking at Rasa Maricham and the Brilliant in Southall, and the usual at Zafferano.

The Brilliant and Deya show the traditional and modern faces of Indian cooking, and both succeed very well. Zafferano is as good as ever in its newly expanded setting.