Sager & Wilde, Hackney

In an unassuming, rather random, corner of Hackney stands a cute little wine bar named Sager & Wilde.

Walking in, I was truly astounded at the beauty and general loveliness of the little place. Beautifully designed, it was incredibly romantic, with a dimly light bar, exposed brick and original features throughout. Shame I didn't go with the boyfriend!

The menu is very fairly priced and changes every day, a clever way to lure wine lovers in. You are allowed to taste anything you want to make sure you'll like the wine. Great for someone like me who is picky with wines.

We sat in a back corner, on a little raised wooden bar, surrounded by candles. It is first and foremost, a wine bar but excellent offerings of charcuterie, cheese and small plates are provided.

Most importantly, all the wine ordered was excellent. They will work so hard to find a wine that you really love. Don't be afraid to say no!

We felt peckish, so ended up ordering all three kinds of charcuterie on offer, coppa, salame piccante and finocchiona.

And once we had a taste of that, we couldn't stop so went ahead and also ordered n'duja on toast, air cured tuna with almonds and delicious boquerones in a rocket salad. 

The atmosphere is just perfect inside, quiet, calm and unassuming. The evening was wonderful and I can't wait to go back, this time with someone to experience some romance!

The Lockhart, This Time For Brunch.

And I thought it couldn't get much better than dinner at The Lockhart. I was so so wrong. Lockhart is fast becoming one of my favourite places to eat in London.

Warning. This post is delicious. And full of one of the best brunches I've ever had in London.

However, best to start with the bad so it's out of the way. A coffee is £4. I nearly choked. But that is London. Moving on.

Starting with the best fried chicken in London on a pecan waffle with maple syrup. There are not enough words for how good this was. It blew my mind.

Equally as interesting and delicious, though not as sweet, was smoked pork hash with a fried egg. I can't tell you what else the pork was mixed with, some kind of creamy sauce, but all I know is that it was delicious.

To finish, we went for 1235 doughnuts, made by head chef Brad McDonald himself, sold in Columbia Road market. These were a little disappointing, mostly due to the fact I've had St. John's Bakery doughnut - maybe the best in the world - and more recently Justin Gellately's - of Bread Ahead Bakery in Borough Market - Salted Honeycomb and hazelnut praline doughnuts, which are very very good indeed. 

Here the salted caramel doughnut filling didn't taste of much at all, and neither did the pastry itself. However the chocolate filling was very good. They are by no means perfect, which Brad McDonald has acknowledged by saying he wants to tweak them to find the perfect doughnut.

Still, by no means a bad doughnut. I'm just being very picky!

If you haven't been to The Lockhart yet then WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!!?!

GO GO GO GO NOW!!!!

Polpetto, Soho

Polpetto, sister of Polpo and child of Russell Norman, has re-opened, moving from Dean Street, to a bigger site on Berwick Street.

With rising star Florence Knight at the helm and banking on the already popular, tried and tested Venetian, no-reservations, small plates concept, this was always going to be a good. If you're looking for somewhere in Soho to eat, the Polpo/Polpetto group are always a safe bet.

Starting with a delicious blood orange and thyme alcoholic cocktail and some foccacia to keep us going, we waited for a table for around 35 mins after entering at 7.30 - not too bad. 

I'll admit, Polpo is never somewhere I'm going to be mind blown by the food, unlike say Chiltern Firehouse, the food here is too simple for that, but it is somewhere in Soho that you can go where you know you will have good food and always be pleased by the experience.

First to arrive was the creamy burrata with agretti and chilli. Really good creamy burrata.

Next up came the mussels with wild roasted garlic and canellinni beans. Good, if a little fiddly, having to pick out the beans from inside the sauce and I'm not sure mussels lend themselves that easily to the sharing concept, though the sauce was fantastic. 

The only serious disappointment was the soft poached egg and black truffle. I thought this was going to be so so good. Unfortunately, what came was a rather sad-looking poached egg. 

The black truffle flavour, usually my favourite, hardly came through. Perhaps some truffle oil should have been added for a fuller flavour, or simply a little bread to mop up the deliciously runny yolk. In my opinion this dish needs some work. It could be so so so good.

Then came my second favourite dish, the scallops with creamed and whole white broccoli with lardo. Really good.

And, they saved the best till last, the bacon chop with whitty pear butter and walnuts. The smell was incredible and that butter, more of a sweet jam, was deliciously sweet paired with smokey bacon.

We were stuffed at this point….but still managed to be tempted by the milk pudding with rhubarb and rose. Deliciously sweet flavours all mingled with the tart rhubarb and the texture of the milk pudding was perfect.

So an enjoyable evening was had, and a place in Soho I know I can always go and be satisfied, however not wowed.

Chiltern Firehouse, Marylebone

Andre Balazs, the billionaire hotelier, owner of the glamorous Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles and the Mercer in New York City among others,  has opened his first restaurant outside of the USA, in Marylebone, London at number 1 Chiltern Street.

The Chiltern Firehouse is no different, glamour exudes from every pore of one of the oldest converted fire stations in London. As you walk up to the gates you are greeted by male models in top and tails, then taken along to the restaurant where you are greeted by female supermodels in the most gorgeous clothes who then pass you along to your model waiters to go to your table. Everyone is beautiful. And so is the food.

Sitting at the best seat in the house, the bar by the open kitchen, we got to see Nuno Mendes do his best work in one of the most beautiful industrial kitchens I've ever seen! A marble work surface extends to the bar, with shiny brass fixtures and grand old fittings.

We started with crab doughnuts, delicious crab stuffed in between pastry buns.

Then to start we had a deliciously spicy DIY steak tartare, which we saw being put together right in front of us!! It came with smokey special Firehouse hot sauce, which added another level (and heat) to the dish.

Then we had tender grilled octopus, finished in a big green egg, with a gorgeous smokey taste, with aubergine and ceps.

Then on to the main, we had chargrilled iberico pork with roasted garlic and lemon and textures of I' not sure what but added a lovely depth to the dish.

And then, my absolute favourite, slow roasted short rib (served on the most beautiful wooden plate) with hazelnut puree and bone marrow. It came with a huge knife that wasn't necessary as it cut through it like butter. So smokey and beautifully tender, I was in heaven. Firm contender for dish of the year….

Then to finish we had a chocolate tart, one of the richest and best chocolate tarts I've ever had. The chocolate monster inside was thoroughly satisfied. It came with beautiful texture of thin biscuit and ice cream rolled in crisp hazelnut.

We also had a dish that was reminiscint of the panna cotta from Corner Room, Nuno Mendes' old haunt. It was frozen apple panna cotta, with a herb granita. Inside the hypnotic swirls were a hidden meringue centre and the whole thing was sat on apple pieces.

Stunning. A light and delicious dessert, that almost felt healthy.

Expensive, yes. But oh so worth it. Sadly, I don't see myself going back any time soon as I hear the only people who can get in are celebrities and those who have booked 3 months in advance. But if you can, get on that waiting list. It is SO worth it. Nuno Mendes did not disappoint!