Murano, Mayfair

You leave home and it's hot and sunny. Half an hour later, you find yourself sopping wet in a singlet top and sandals with no brolly. The English summer claims another victim. But not quite... Because when the doorway into which you duck to escape the sudden inconvenient downpour on a Saturday afternoon happens to belong to Angela Hartnett's Murano, it's only natural that you keep walking all the way in. The £30 lunch menu and spare table at the side of the room seemed beacons of fate.

The room is elegant, if a little hotel foyer-like, but the energetic chatter from the floor cuts through the boring formality that might otherwise set in. Posited in the moneyed up heart of Mayfair, you get the feeling that most of the crowd live in a trendy little mews somewhere not far off Park Lane.

It's seriously hard to choose from the Italian menu where everything sounds appetising, although quite a few dishes didn't live up to expectations - my fresh tagliatelle with Ligurian sausage and tomato tasted watery and monotone, and my porcetta carpaccio, though pretty, didn't move the earth for me.

TPG's entree serving of risotto with brown onion, parmesan and truffle oil was better, nay perfect, and he immediately positioned it above my favourite truffle risotto at Gauthier Soho. Tender steak bavette with sweet corn salsa was lovely, if not a patch on the flavoursome steaks of Goodman and Hawksmoor.

Dessert was where our meal really hit its straps with a dreamy custard tart and a cold chocolate fondant worth writing home about - the latter accompanied by an addictive sour cream ice cream, thick, oozy salted caramel sauce and heavenly little crispy chocolate bits lining the plate.

The wine list is expensive, but we had a lovely glass each for £6.50 and £8.50 respectively - this is not somewhere you need be afraid of the "cheapies" on the list. You also get lots of lovely amuses and freebies along the way - although none so perfect as the little bowl of cherries at the end.

A good value way to try a Michelin star restaurant, but not one I'll be hurrying back to for repeat visits.

Murano, 20 Queen Street, Mayfair, London W1J 5PP (Tel: 020 7495 1127)

Royal Wedding Sapphire Afternoon Tea: Podium, The London Hilton on Park Lane

Despite the fact that Kate and Wills are totally stealing our wedding limelight this year, I have to admit I'm a liiii-iitttle bit excited about the Royal Wedding. I won't be out on the streets waving a Union Jack (over to you, Sarah) but I will be *dying* to immerse myself in the endless highlight shows and Grazia's fashion analysis. The outfits, the jewels, the drama, the romance - aaaah....

So it was with a skip in my step that I eagerly accepted an invitation to dine with my fabulous friend, Rachel, at the somewhat-gimmicky-but-that's-why-we-love-it Limited Edition Royal Wedding Sapphire Afternoon Tea at Podium restaurant at the London Hilton on Park Lane.

Yes, you heard me right. Inspired by the sapphire engagement rock, the tea includes daintily decorated blue cakes and even a Blue Curacao and berry based "Loveberry" cocktail on arrival (and perhaps even a second one if you happen to spill yours in a moment of enthusiasm - ahem).

Since my last sampling of Podium's afternoon tea, they have been accepted into the Tea Guild in recognition of their high standard. The setting may not be glamorama, but the food and service are sparkling.

We started with a glass of champagne and delicate open sandwiches - the egg and cress and the cucumber with cream cheese and chives being my favourites among the selection, along with Foreman's smoked salmon and horseradish, honey roast ham and Pommery mustard, and prawn mayo with baby gem lettuce. I prefer proper closed sandwiches, but points for originality and they're good.

A Harney & Sons loose leaf black tea and peppermint blend has been specially created to match the afternoon tea and provided the perfect transition from cocktails to cake.

We high-fived ourselves in agreement when given the choice to ditch the fruit scones (dried fruit - way to ruin a good scone), opting for a selection of scrumptious freshly baked plain scones with clotted cream and blueberry jam, and chocolate chip scones with a delicious chocolate praline spread.

Moist blueberry jam cupcakes with K and W iced decorations and chocolate cupcakes with bouquet icing contained a lovely oozy buttermilk goo on the inside, while the top layer of gorgeous miniature fancies was spread out across an EDIBLE white chocolate plate. My favourites were the sweet, white chocolate hearts with tart passionfruit ooziness on the inside and the cheesecake and coconut parcel. Also included were a dainty shortbread wedding cake with gold leaf, biscuit tuile with blueberries and rich green tea truffles in white and milk chocolate.

Unlike the royal wedding, the tea at Podium is indulgent but not extravagant, fun but not pompous. Available from 26 April - 1 May 2011, the Sapphire Afternoon Tea is fairly priced at £32 per person including the cocktail on arrival (or £40 with a glass of champagne). At this price point, it's getting up there with Claridges without the art deco splendour to match - but it does have a cocktail, cakes and fancies that you don't get at Claridges and the like (the standard afternoon tea at Podium is only £25.50 per person). Perhaps to make a fairer comparison, special/seasonal afternoon teas at Claridges cost £50. And, crucially, it's only a short stroll from a commemorative lap of Buckingham Palace.

Podium at the London Hilton on Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1K 1BE (Tel: 020 7208 4022)

Le Boudin Blanc, Mayfair

Dover sole meuniere

I've always wanted to eat in that cute little pocket of Mayfair that is Shepherds Market. There's a hubbub of pubs and bistros and arty looking boutiques, and it's perfectly positioned near the Curzon Mayfair for a drink or a bite before a movie. It's one of those places I often walk past on my way to somewhere else, thinking "I must come back here" and then I promptly forget all about it.

And then the lovely R popped the question to my amazing friend A, A said "yes", and there was serious champagne to be drunk. They chose Le Boudin Blanc, a favourite little restaurant of theirs in the heart of Shepherds Market, which promised to provide a touch of Paris in London - with ex-Le Gavroche head chef, Nicolas Laridan, at the stove to boot. Yes please.

Le Boudin Blanc is all very cosy and romantic inside. The downstairs room is probably the most atmospheric, but there are 2 rooms upstairs, looking down onto the surrounding laneways, with wooden tables, candlelight and stone floors. It's warm and wintry and quaint. The place has character. And its nice to be spoken to in French for a bit - even if you don't know what it means, it sounds good and you can pretend you are Audrey Tatou.

They see the way to my heart early on - I agree to switch tables before my friends have arrived and am rewarded with a bubbly kir royale. Magnifique.

From a classic selection of starters like moules marinieres, escargots and duck egg with Morteau sausage, I choose the excellent salmon tartar (£8.50) with lemon oil, dill, white radish and a mustard mayonnaise - it's silky and GORGEOUS. TPG's fish soup (£6.10) is cheesy and lusciously rich - another hit. Perhaps owing to the enthusiastic consumption of champagne up to this point, I can't remember what the other starters were, but I do recall the general sentiment of approval and that the boys were talking about Star Wars. Or Return of the Jedi. Or one of those other crap movies that all boys like.

A big, fleshy Dover sole meuniere (£20.50) is swimming in butter, although beautifully moist, and it's the most filling thing I've eaten in a while. The 10 oz rib eye steaks (£19.50) are big and juicy, although TPG's looks like its more fat than meat, which loses points, but the flavour and execution is otherwise good.

So full are we, that TPG and I share (share!) the scrummy tart tatin with vanilla ice cream - a little sloppy, but by now, so are we.

If you don't have the time or the budget to whisk your beloved off to Paris for the weekend, take him/her for a candlit meal at Le Boudin Blanc. It's rustic and informal, but with just the right amount of French finesse and champagne to make you feel like you're sitting in a bistro in the Marais watching the sun set over the corner patisserie.

Expect to pay about £35-£40 per head for 3 courses, plus wine and service.

Le Boudin Blanc, 5 Trebeck Street, Shepherds Market, Mayfair, London, W1J 7LT (Tel: 020 7499 3292)

Tempo, Mayfair

Pappardelle with wild boar, chestnuts & parmesan

A skilled Japanese chef in an Italian neighbourhood restaurant in Mayfair? My interest was sufficiently piqued.

Yoshi Yamada has trained in L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Japan and Michelin starred restaurants in various parts of Italy. He now brings his deft hand to this appetizing Italian fare at Tempo on Curzon Street.

The decor, like the clientele, is smart and stylish - turquoise velvet chairs are neatly positioned, adding a splash of vibrant colour to light floorboards, taupe walls and long, rectangular windows looking onto the well-heeled streets. Upstairs is a stunning bar area which is well worth a visit in its own right - along with other diners, my companion - The London Foodie - and I sojourned for a cocktail there after dinner. The Rococo wall, high ceilings, luxurious velvet sofas and opulent fit out make this a fabulous spot for a secluded late night drink.

The menu features an alluring selection of cicchetti (Venetian small plates, ranging from £2.25 - £3.75), carpaccio (£8.75-£9.75),  antipasti (£6.50 - £12.75), pasta and risotto (£9.00 - £11.00, or £20.50 for the tagliatelle with Tuscan white truffles), pesce and carni (£15 - £19.75) and dolci (£5.50 - £7.00). Much appeals and it's hard to choose...


 

Selection of cichetti: arancini di funghi selvatici, bruschetta di peperoni; crostino di gamberetti; crostini di lenticchie and brushetta di peperoni

We start with a selection of the cichetti, and we go for everything they've got. The golden arancini di funghi selvatici (fried risotto balls with wild mushrooms and mozzarella) are lovely and crispy on the outside, but I find the flavour sadly bland. Everything else is good - bruschetta di peperoni, with shiny red slivers of sweet roasted peppers atop a creamy burrata pugliese; crunchy crostino with plump shrimp, glistening cavolo nero and just the right hit of garlic; crostini with Umbrian lentils and salty, creamy pancetta; and bruschetta with layers of fatty, spicy Calabrian pork sausage. While I think the rest of the menu is fairly priced, particularly for this neighbourhood, the cichetti seem steep in comparison, notwithstanding the quality of the ingredients - £3.50 for one arancini, and up to £3.50 for a single crostini. 

A highlight is the insalata di polpo (reasonably priced at £3.75), a thick, crisp tentacle of seared octopus with thin slices of tart Granny Smith apple, flat leaf parsley and bright jewels of pomegranate.

Insalata di polpo

Fritto di calamari and bianchetti - squid & whitebait

Deep fried squid and whitebait (£8) are well seasoned, crisp and hot, with just a light, non-greasy smattering of batter.

Manzo - Scottish beef, hazelnuts and parmesan

The swordfish or salmon carpaccios might have been good choices given the Japanese chef at the helm, but instead our Scottish beef carpaccio (£8.75) did not disappoint. Pink slithers of flavoursome beef were littered with smashed hazelnuts, peppery rocket and the bite of shaved parmesan cheese.

Tagliolini with fresh Cornish crab, dill and lime

My generous twirl of taglioni with fresh, sweet Cornish crab, dill and lime has an elegant balance of delicate flavours and is certainly enjoyable - even if I would have preferred more of a toothsome bite to the pasta (£10.75).

But for a robust, wintery dish, it's hard to go past The London Foodie's meaty mound of pappardelle with chunky wild boar ragu, chestnuts and parmesan (£8.25). A gorgeous dish.

Fish stew

 

Pork belly with olive oil mash

My fish stew is a delectable, soupy bowl of white fish, prawns and clams in a light tomato sauce (£17.50). The London Foodie enjoys his attractive looking, fatty pork belly with smooth olive oil mash (£18.00).

Dark chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream

Lemon tart

Which brings us to dolci. My chocolate fondant is a glorious, gooey, chocolately delight. The lemon tart which comes recommended by our waitress, oozes a fresh, lemony zing with a crunchy, creme brulee-like caramalised top, and an excellent pastry base.

Cocktails in the beautiful upstairs bar

Tempo has some hot competition among the ranks of Italian restaurants which have taken London by storm in the last year or so. However, I believe it can stand its ground firmly among them. It's a restaurant of both style and substance, and well worth adding to your culinary to do list.

Tempo, 54 Curzon Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 8PG (Tel: 020 7629 2742)

Greedy Diva was a guest of Tempo.

Hibiscus, Mayfair

Wild mushroom veloute with sweet coconut custard

American Express and Toptable have recently launched a new website, Top Treats. If you have an Amex card, you can use it to book restaurants on-line throughout the UK and earn Amex and Toptable rewards, as well as enter monthly prize draws. In conjunction with the new site, Amex offered to treat me to dinner at a restaurant of my choice, so I thought for a good, long two and a half seconds, then chose Hibiscus.

Hibiscus has been on my wish list for a while. Chef-patron Claude Bosi has trained under some of France's most renowned chefs and has an excellent reputation for producing classical French cuisine with a dash of modern flair. His restaurant has 2 Michelin stars, and I think it lives up to them on both the food and the service front.

Not wishing to miss a trick, we opted for the 8 course tasting menu. This is not one for control freaks - you advise of any allergies, but then each dish is in the chef's hands and you don't know what you're getting until it arrives. This also requires an element of trust in your sommelier for the wine selection - and the list is so pricey that it can really raise the anticipated cost of your meal.

After some excellent bread and cheesy gougeres, our amuse set the scene for what was to come - a wild mushroom veloute in an eggshell, resting atop a sweet coconut custard was a delicate, surprising mix of flavours which shouldn't work, but somehow did - just.

Langoustine with passionfruit, wattleseed and sea herbs

A terrific tartare of Scottish langoustine was sweet and fresh. It was surrounded by tiny dots of tart passionfruit with wattleseed and sea herbs adding colour and zing.

Scallop with pork pie sauce - the new surf 'n turf

Half of a truly humungous roasted hand dived scallop followed. Its crunchy top was encrusted with hazlenuts, apple puree, herbs and butter. Perfectly cooked, nothing less than the fabulous, punchy pork pie sauce (yes, PORK PIE SAUCE) accompanying it would have distracted me from the scallop itself. A sharp, thick pink grapefruit with wood sorrel worked well to cut through the porky sauce. Scallop and pork pie - who would have thought? Is this the new surf 'n turf?

Earlier in the week, we ate one of the most memorable (and expensive) meals of our lives at Per Se in New York (review to follow) and these first two dishes were up there with those we loved at Per Se.

Hen's egg raviolo with smoked potato and Autumn truffle

A raviolo of hen's egg yolk and smoked potato with chopped autumn truffle was a fraction disappointing. The egg yolk oozed magnificently, but the autumnal truffles lacked the oomph and earthy pungency that they needed to add depth to this dish and the hard, gritty texture of the tiny, chopped pieces didn't work as nicely as it might for that melt in the mouth feel.

Cornish skate with brown butter, Jerusalem artichoke and sweetcorn

A Cornish skate wing was cooked in brown butter with Jerusalem artichoke, vanilla puree, sweetcorn and butter foam milk. The addition of the corn was fantastic, complementing the perfectly cooked skate. TPG was less convinced, but I'd be happy to see a more liberal use of such sweet, plump, juicy corn on menus everywhere.

Foie gras, sea buckthorn gel, quince and Szechuan pepper compote

Roast "Adour" Foie Gras was immensely rich and bloody, accompanied nicely by a gooey sea buckthorn gel and a quince and Szechuan pepper compote.

Clun Valley hare

A saddle of Clun Valley hare with Cevennes onion and coffee, truffle sauce and pommes souffle was another rich and memorable dish, and by the time we reached the selection of 3 British and French cheeses from Paxton and Whitfield and Bernard Antony we were starting to struggle under the weight of the volume and richness of the meal so far.

Apple puree, sweet celeriac, chestnut cream

The sweet courses were the biggest let down for us - no horror stories, but no fireworks either. As a pre-dessert, the apple puree, sweet celeriac and chestnut cream was simply refreshing but not particularly memorable. We were licking our lips at the sight of a large millefeuille type pastry number which was delivered to another table, so we were slightly disappointed when a decidedly more staid looking tart landed in its place (and mildly confused that it erroneously bore a "Happy Birthday" candle for me - sending a momentary look of "Oh my God, I've forgotten her birthday" across TPG's face, for which I will always be grateful to them).

Every table seemed to be given a different dessert. Ours was a fine cream tart of Jerusalem artichoke, toasted oat ice cream, and salted caramel sauce. Yes, a vegetable based dessert. This will not be everyone's cup of tea - it was not TPG's, although he's a man with a sweet tooth that adds honey to sugar. The sweet pastry itself was gorgeous - faultless, in fact - and on this we agreed. The artichoke tart, toasted oat ice cream and salted caramel sauce were only very mildly sweetened - the flavours were subtle and earthy, so while some will no doubt be in raptures over the originality and cleverness of this dish, for me it was just nice (but no millefeuille) and for TP-sugar-rush-G it was devastating.

I wasn't completely sold on the decor either - low ceilings, wood panelling and warm amber tones still left me feeling the room was a tad too stiff and corporate for my tastes. Or perhaps I just miss windows.

Service was attentive and friendly - hard to fault until the very end when TPG's wine glass was whisked away with that treasured last sip left, and also when we struggled for what seemed like an age to catch attention to finalise our bill.

All in all, a memorable experience and interesting, original food that is generally excellent.

The 8 course tasting menu costs £95 per head and is available on Friday and Saturday nights (or 4 courses are £75 and 6 courses are £85). Various other a la carte and set price lunch/dinner menus are also available.

Hibiscus, 29 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 2PA. Telephone: 020 7629 2999

Greedy Diva was a guest of Amex.

A Chocolately Afternoon Tea at Podium Restaurant, The London Hilton on Park Lane

When the alarm goes off on Monday morning, it will be Chocolate Week.

Yes, Chocolate Week. This week was British Egg Week, and that was fun (who doesn't like a nutritious omelette)? But in the end, Egg Week is the sensible Birkenstock of Weeks compared to the frivolous, fancy and blatantly indulgent Manolo of Weeks that is Chocolate Week. Chocolate Week has got to be one of the best excuses to make like Augustus Gloop  that was ever invented.

My trusty "if-it-involves-chocolate-and-champagne-you-know-my-number" friend, the inimitable Ms P, was surprisingly quick to put up her hand to help me mark the occasion.  We were invited down to Podium Restaurant at the London Hilton on the Park for a preview of 2 special afternoon tea packages: The White Chocolate Afternoon Tea (available during Chocolate Week, from 11-17 October 2010) and the Halloween Afternoon Tea (available from 18-31 October 2010). We also cast our eye over the regular Confessions of a Chocoholic Afternoon Tea.

The decor at the Podium Restaurant is not as glamourous and swanky as you might experience (and pay for) at The Ritz or Claridges. And the melodious live piano tunes that accompany your meal are actually emanating from an organ rather than the grand piano that your ear anticipates. But the setting is relaxed and contemporary, the quality and service are excellent.  And, as you nibble daintily on your chocolate chips scones with Devonshire clotted cream, it's easy to visualise a grand piano at all times.

Savoury starters include open sandwiches - egg and cress, Foreman's smoked salmon with horseradish, honey roast ham and Pommery mustard, prawn mayonnaise and baby gem lettuce and cucumber with cream cheese and chives. Each is lovely, but not earth shattering, and perhaps the ham sandwich is a bit of a plain Jane. But we are not here for ham.

Our triple decker tiered stands of pure, chocolately indulgence then arrive. Normally, it's one between two, but we're not taking any chances and we road test two between us.

The White Chocolate arrangement is stunning - so much so, that another table comes over to take a photo. Our eyes are immediately drawn to the gorgeous white chocolate tea pot on the top deck. It is surrounded by lychee, raspberry, rosewater mousse and sugared diamonds, white chocolate millefeuille with griottine cherries, a cone of marshmallow and white chocolate ganache, pineapple crumble with white chocolate jelly and a vanilla and white chocolate macaroon. It's all girly, dainty and delicious.

That's just the top shelf.

Underneath, we have 4 cupcakes - chocolate and banana, and milk chocolate and raspberry. And finally, a selection of scones - plain, fruit and chocolate chip, served with clotted cream, strawberry jam and praline chocolate. (The upcoming menu also advertises a white chocolate and raspberry scone.)

The Halloween Afternoon Tea has more of a childish appearance, but loses nothing in taste. The cupcakes are dark chocolate and orange, and gooey toffee - the flavours are quite mild and hard to detect, other than in the icing, which is probably a good thing to avoid the experience becoming too sickly sweet.  The top shelf fancies are "miniature toffee apples" (which are actually glaced cherries), an almond paste pumpkin, a dark chocolate witch hat, a white chocolate and raspberry dome and a blood orange chocolate bat.

All the chocolatey bits are made in-house with Valrhona chocolate (70% cocoa), and - this is possibly the best bit - the top shelf of each stand is presented on a large, edible chocolate plate. If you can't get through it all (we couldn't and we're seasoned veterans), you are even presented with quite a glamourous "doggy bag" to take home the leftovers.

Oh, yes the tea. All teas are from the Harney & Sons - we tried the Hilton Afternoon Tea blend which is designed to accompany the chocolate afternoon teas (full flavoured and smokey) and, my favourite, the elegant Imperial Earl Grey. I loved the timers which also allowed us to known when to pour for mild, medium or strong tea.

The Podium Restaurant's Chocolate Week Afternoon Tea (available 11-17 October 2010) and Halloween Afternoon Tea (available 18-31 October 2010) cost £25  - great value for a gorgeously indulgent way to while away a wintery afternoon. The restaurant also offers its standard "Confessions of a Chocaholic" afternoon tea at all times for £22.50 (or £29.50 with a glass of champagne). All afternoon teas are available daily from 2pm-6pm.

Podium Restaurant, London Hilton on Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, London, W1K 1BE (Tel: 020 7208 4022

Greedy Diva was a guest of Podium Restaurant.

Goodman: All hail, the great Goodman burger, London

"Should we go for a burger at Goodman?". Despite my better instincts, this was apparently not a rhetorical question.

I almost did not bother to answer, thinking the affirmation so obvious that I could just turn up. In any case, my tardiness in reporting back on the Goodman burger has more to do with a hectic schedule, cleverly belying my utter raving enthusiasm for what was a sensational evening.

Goodman is essentially a steak house. Not of the tawdry, checkered table cloth and grey chewy steak variety you see around Leicester Square - often frequented only by hapless tourists and dodgy stag doos - but a real, classy, clubby New York style steak house (but still with no frills like, say, tablecloths) widely reputed to serve some of the best bits of grilled beef in London.

I'm salivating just at the thought of it.

However, my visit to Goodman was of a different kind. I had teamed up with some other like minded bloggers and we had one thought in mind (some might even suggest we had but a single thought between us [how cruel]). Our mission: to devour the Goodman burger.

A good burger in London is a thing of rare beauty. Hawksmoor's is lovely (more on that in an upcoming rave) and Byron's is also good. But my absolute favourites are both in New York - at Little Owl and Shake Shack respectively. What would Goodman have to offer?

A bloody good burger, so it turns out.

Look at this baby. The hefty 1/2 pound beef patty is thick, dense, rich and smokey. The finely minced patty is nestled nicely in a glistening bun along with the essentials - pickles, tomato, onion and lettuce - I added cheddar. There are optional extras like egg (a la the Aussie burger), fried onion and mushrooms (but why detract from the glory of the top notch beef?), and we shared a side of Bearnaise. The thick cut fries (which some bemoan, but I adore) come as a package deal with the burger for £12.

For a price comparison, Byron's (very good) 6oz cheeseburger with fries will set you back £10. This makes Goodman's rather upmarket and sizeable burger, in a classy steak house setting, something of a good deal. (I know some will not see the value in paying 12 quid for a burger and fries, but they're probably unlikely to read my blog too often.)

We also shared some delicious creamed spinach with Gruyere, lest our heart rates might be taking it too easy.

I am not going to launch into a rating comparison with the Hawksmoor burger, since they are the apples and oranges of the burger world - and to do so would burden me with something of a Sophie's Choice type dilemma. Hawksmoor's burger is a looser and gloopier, unabashedly UK burger, including marrow in the mix. Goodman's half pound patty is extremely dense, finely ground and more uniform. It's more like a thick set version of a traditional US style patty. I loved it, and ate it all (naturally), but not without a subtle popping of the top button. If you can bring yourself to visit Goodman and not have a steak, you're going to be happy with your burger.

But the end product is not the only reason I fell head over heels in love with this place. The intense passion for their product, detailed back to front knowledge of it, and dedication to serving their customers the highest quality was the clincher that really won my heart.

Although we were not invited to dine, and booked without blogger ID disclosure, the Goodman crew caught wind that we were coming. Under the hospitable eye of manager David Strauss, they prepared for us a starter of beef carpaccio (creamy, melt in the mouth) and a couple of surprise In-N-Out (West Coast USA burger chain) style burgers to divvy up between us (knowing the current moans about the need for someone to adopt and perfect a basic US style greasy burger in London). What absolute champions. This one was layered with 2 thinner patties and oozing slices of melted "plastic" cheese (not Kraft, but along those lines). It was also delicious and was sided up with oodles of thin fries smothered in fried onions and thousand island style sauce. Yeah baby.

Although potentially heart stopping, it was of course still of the Goodman quality and had less of the grease factor of the greasy US chain burger (which you may or may not view as an ideal thing).

A fascinating tour of the kitchens with chef extraordinaire, John Cadieux, revealed the Josper charcoal grills at work, where gigantic, thick steaks were being grilled to perfection at the coal face. Inside the Goodman dry aging room, enormous sides of prime beef lined the shelves, some aged and decayed to the extreme. Walking into it was something of a "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" moment and I was feeling more like Augustus Gloop by the minute. There's both USDA beef, and Scottish grass fed varieties. I would love to back for the steak as soon as possible. John's knowledge of and passion for his subject is as infectious as it is fascinating.

We finished off with a completely-unnecessary-but-thank-God-we-did-it New York cheese cake (gorgeous, with crispy biscuit base) and the scrumptious chocolate chunky fudge sundae which I kept digging into just until reaching the point of physical explosion.

Our wines were also delectable, particularly the Simi (a Californian Cabernet Sauvignon) expertly selected by Denise (The Wine Sleuth).

The Goodman crowd was largely blokes, with the occassional gorging female among them - there's a fair amount of testosterone about. Our table, being equally weighted with women, was clearly at odds with the rest of the room.

Women of London, step up to the plate with your male brethren and get your iron fix. I can confidently recommend Goodman as a superb place to do it. And get that chocolate sundae while you're at it.

Goodman, 26 Maddox Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 1QH (Ph: 020 7499 3776)