Flute or a saucer?

Although most favour the flute, I challenge you to find a more chic way to sip your Champers than from a saucer.

Miss SMBW and I rewarded ourselves with a cheeky glass of fizz at Kettners before a light dinner , which included goats cheese and asparagus.

What better way to start the weekend.

Lebanese delights

Whilst shopping in town yesterday, DBFB and needed to make a refuel stop before braving Selfridges. We stumbled across Le Comptoir on Wigmore Street. A bright and cheerful canteen / delicatessen, the salads, tagines, wraps and delectable sweets in the counter drew me in straight away. Seated at the front of the restaurant you are surrounded by some of the foods to buy and the crafts from Marrakech (like an upmarket souk without the dust, heat and smells of the leather tanneries).

We ordered the mezze platter which came with hummous, baba ghanuj, tabouleh, moudardara (a salad of whild rice, lentils, cherry tomatoes and parsley) falafel and cheese samboussek (little cheesy parcels) which was yummy. All washed down with fresh mint tea.

DBFB at 31

Work took me away from home for DBFB's birthday and during election week. So on May Day bank holiday we went off to celebrate at The Almeida in Islington.

Champagne to start the evening off - if you like a gin and tonic as your aperitif, then try the French 75 (Tanqueray Gin, lemon juice, gomme syrup, Champagne). As asparagus season has kicked off, I had it to start, followed by the sea bream. DBFB went for a much heartier meal with the morels, brioche, poached egg and beurre blanc starter and the slow braised suckling pig as a main.

Putting my new found Burgundy knowledge to test I ordered this: Chassagne-Montrachet Cuvée L’Estimée, Grand Vin de Bourgogne, Jean Noël Gagnard 2008:



From the Cote de Beaune, this was a complex combo of dark cherries, vegetables and was slightly peaty. Not the best choice with asparagus and fish, but perfect for the mushrooms and pork.