Even after you leave the mainland and cross the bridge to Skye, The Three Chimneys is still over an hour's drive in a broadly North West direction, Skye is a bigger place than you might think. Accordingly, it is unlikely that you will ever just be 'passing by' or visit the restaurant on a whim unless you already live on Skye. On our previous trips to Scotland, we had been unable to fit a visit to The Three Chimneys into our schedule but the strength of their reputation and the high praise afforded to Chef Michael Smith personally from other great chefs we know and respect meant that we have been aching to go there for some time and we pretty much planned our recent Scottish adventure around our stay there.

With a two night stay in their on site accommodation (The House Over-By) and consecutive dinners booked in the restaurant, we really hope we are going to like it or things could get a little awkward for everyone. Expectation too can be the enemy of experience and we had been looking forward to our Skye holiday for some time. Fortunately, there was no need to worry, The Three Chimneys is absolutely fantastic, the food, everything you could ever wish for on a plate, and all the people there so lovely that when it was time to leave, even though it had been just two days, we felt that we were saying goodbye to old and dear friends. 

Dining options at The Three Chimneys centre on two menus, an a la carte and a tasting menu (Taste of Skye), both of which can be enjoyed in the cosy front restaurant, while the tasting menu can also be taken at the Kitchen Table, which here, is exactly that, a table in the kitchen with space for up to six people. But this is more than just a chefs table experience peering into the kitchen form a favourable vantage point, for all guests at the kitchen table are invited to get up from the table between courses and be a part of the kitchen, stand at the pass if you like, talk to the staff and generally be involved. On our part, after a few queries of 'really?' and 'sure you don't mind?' to Michael, it was clear that it is a genuine invitation to join the kitchen family and we soon lost all inhibitions to wander freely around the kitchen at will. And to be clear on this point, this is their normal practice and not simply an invitation extended to us as bloggers. Without doubt it is one of the friendliest and most welcoming kitchens we have ever stepped in. 

The menu they offer is heaven and includes everything you would hope to find when going north of the border: oysters, crab, lobster, prawn, scallop, lamb, venison. As the menu name suggests, Taste of Skye, this is a very local affair so that oysters are from just over the way, the crab from Loch Bracadale on Skye, the lobster from Loch Dunvegan on Skye... you get the idea. A splash of Talisker also finds its way onto the menu just in case the penny has still not already dropped.

We love the Scottish larder and this is a beautiful Scottish affair. Chef Michael clearly has a deep affinity with the local area and that translates into a massive respect for the ingredients. There are nods to heritage so the meal starts with tiny bowl of Scotch broth that is hearty and comforting and leaves you wanting more (which we fabulously got the next day for lunch). Colbost Skink comes with Stornoway black pudding (Marag Dubh) and a drizzle of Talisker, perfect for a Hebridian February night (was raining cats and dogs outside).

Other big flavours come for example with the lamb rib where Talisker again lends smokiness to the deep and sticky BBQ sauce, but Michael also displays much lighter touches where required. The early seafood dishes such as the crab, lobster and scallop are all well judged affairs, nicely enhanced with the additions on the plate but never gilded, so the point of the dish is never lost and the principal ingredients shine; it's Scottish seafood heaven. 

The other special mention must go to The Three Chimneys famous marmalade, an allowable exception to their local ethos. The marmalade pudding has been on the menu for 30 years and is unlikely to ever come off and it is absolutely fabulous, while serving it with Drambuie custard then moves it on a step further to pudding nirvana. On the tasting menu it is sightly transformed into an orange marmalade souffle, but really, don't go all the way to Skye and leave without having eaten this pud.

This was a glorious meal, fun to eat but serious in execution, and a beautiful celebration of local ingredients. If Robbie Burns is Scotland's national poet, Michael Smith must surely be a candidate for their national chef (and he is @kiltkuisine on Twitter after all). For us, spending a night at the Kitchen Table, enjoying this food, being a nuisance in the kitchen yet still being so warmly embraced there, not only was a it a highlight of the holiday, it was as much fun as we can remember having in a restaurant since starting the blog. It made us happy then and it makes us happy now simply remembering. 

The Three Chimneys is 633 miles from our house but is without doubt worth every mile of the journey. We are already plotting our return.

Roy Brett is one of Scotland's finest chefs, proprietor of Ondine Restaurant in Edinburgh (which won the AA's Restaurant of the Year award for Scotland 2013/14) and an absolutely top notch fella to boot. Recently, he has also taken on the position of consultant chef at Loch Fyne, and given our love of the Scottish larder, we jumped at the opportunity to spend a few days with Roy and the folks at Loch Fyne to learn more about what they are up to. Given that Loch Fyne is famous for both its smoked salmon and oysters, we arrive hungry.

Day 1

Our first stop is the Restaurant & Oyster Bar which remains located on the original site overlooking the loch. Inside however has enjoyed a recent refurb and the menu of course is overseen by Roy Brett. A dozen oysters that have traveled no more than a mile to our plate give us a Loch Fyne welcome and they truly are fabulous. Loch Fyne has exceptionally pure water and the oysters deliver intense salty freshness that is as good as it gets. Roy is in the kitchen today and the food keeps on coming. Smoked salmon is clearly a must and that too is of the highest quality. Four amazing scallops with venison sausage are delivered while Roy's hot seafood platter that is one of many triumphs at his Edinburgh restaurant is also delivered to the table here and leaves us delighted, but by the end, beaten. Indeed, it wasn't till day three that we could even approach dessert, for me a Glengoyne Whisky Tart that has also made its way from the Ondine menu. 

To balance out our lunch, a bracing walk along River Fyne in the afternoon with Virginia Sumison, head of marketing and events at Loch Fyne and niece of founder John (Johnny) Noble filled us in on the wonderful history of her family and the origins of Loch Fyne as an oyster business. Johnny sadly passed away in 2002 but was surely the type of person all of us wish we could know. In the obituary published in The Guardian it states:

He ate in his own restaurant several days a week... anonymous to the coach parties that surrounded him... he had a gentle manner but a loud whisper, which got him into difficulty. Once, in his restaurant, a woman luncher overheard him discussing another, obnoxious luncher with a member of his staff, and asked that he be removed. Noble left obediently with the words "fair enough"'

But as the article also observes early on:

His largest achievement was the prosperity and optimism he brought his own small community in Argyllshire.

The result is that in Cairndow where Loch Fyne's operations are based, there are more jobs than there are people such that Loch Fyne is as much a community as it is a business and that was demonstrated by the warmth and pride of the many people we met during our time there.

As if we weren't already lucky enough to be at Loch Fyne, we must say a huge thank you to the Sumison family who let us stay at their remarkable family home, Ardkinglas, a house that is simply breathtaking as it first comes in to view as you proceed up the driveway. See the pictures below to view just how fabulous this house is and for anyone visiting the area, it is possible to have a private tour of the house, a wedding, or even stay there as we did (details available on the Ardkinglas website.)

Day 2

Sunshine. Blue skies and a walk down to the loch before breakfast. It's little wonder we love Scotland so much.

Later that morning we visit the oyster farm and Andre talks us through the process. Despite our years of food blogging our oyster knowledge (beyond eating them) is somewhat (embarrassingly) sparse and we're amazed to learn that oysters are bred initially in hatcheries (not on site) after which it can take up to three years for an oyster to grow to the size that is served in a restaurant. We're amazed too at the number of oysters packed off each day by Loch Fyne, and that each and every oyster is checked (for being alive) by tapping the shell (dead ones have a hollow ring) and that this is done by just two people, Andre and his colleague Alistair. What's more, despite Loch Fyne having pure enough water to serve oysters without purification, that's done anyway but with Loch Fyne water so that the essence is never lost. It goes without saying that despite the volume of oysters shipped, Loch Fyne Oysters is a sustainable business.

Andre was amazing and yet another perfect ambassador for the Loch Fyne community and of course, put us in the mood for another dozen oysters at the Restaurant and Oyster bar where some crab also seemed like a good idea.

Three men and a boat. And us. 

Sea legs for the afternoon as we board a RIB and head out to Loch Fyne's IMTA site to see first hand the very latest developments in sustainable aquaculture. IMTA stands for Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture and the ever useful Wiki describes it thus:

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) provides the by-products, including waste, from one aquatic species as inputs (fertilizers, food) for another. Farmers combine fed aquaculture (e.g., fish, shrimp) with inorganic extractive (e.g.,seaweed) and organic extractive (e.g., shellfish) aquaculture to create balanced systems for environment remediation (biomitigation), economic stability (improved output, lower cost, product diversification and risk reduction) and social acceptability (better management practices)

Put another way, Loch Fyne has salmon farms and that leads to a concentration of certain factors in the water surrounding these farms. Can this be balanced out by the encouragement of other native species around the farms for improved environmental practices and enhanced sustainability? Yes is the current best thinking on the topic and therefore alongside the salmon farms marine biologist David Attwood is overseeing the cultivation of seaweed, mussels, oysters, scallops and even sea urchins providing a win-win for the business and the environment. 

We got so see the tiniest baby Queen Scallops alongside the bigger versions. It was really something to see David and Iain bring up some sea urchins from the loch also, though perhaps the highlight was to pull up the oysters and shuck them while still wet out the water. A bottle of Chablis had even found its way on board to be enjoyed alongside the oysters, but this was a highly educational trip and our thanks to David, Iain and Richard for spending time with us to explain what is very much a leading edge research project.

Day 3

Can't be lucky forever and it's raining again on Day 3 but Ardkinglas looks lovely in all weathers. Fortunately our activities are mostly indoors today.

If you visit the Deli at Loch Fyne and look through a window behind the counter, you might see a machine delivering perfect sides of salmon. This is the smokehouse where all of Loch Fyne's famous salmon is smoked. Donning our shoe covers, white coats and hair nets, Production Manager Raymond MacAffer walked us through the process of one of Scotland's most famous food products. Again, to see, smell and later taste the finished product (which we of course eagerly did many times during our stay) allows for a much greater appreciation of food that is all too easy to take for granted. 

With so much going on, we didn't even have time to visit Fyne Ales for the brewery tour (next time!) before it was time to move on, but we left Loch Fyne not only with a deep appreciation of the food they produce and how they produce it, but of the people behind all of this and how Loch Fyne Oysters has brought people together as a community, colleagues and friends. To be welcomed into that family for the duration of our stay was very special. 

Our thanks then to all those mentioned above as well as Campbell and Bruce with whom we enjoyed a very pleasant dinner, learning more about Loch Fyne from the top down view, as well as Martin, Richard, Alastair and Moyra in the restaurant and deli who looked after us so well every day and kept those oysters coming. And three years from hatchery to plate: never again will we take oysters for granted.


Disclosure: we were guests of Loch Fyne

We don't believe in heaven but if we did, we think it might look a lot like Le Manoir. Indeed, if there is a forever after, the elegance, comfort and sheer pleasure of every minute at the Le Manoir makes it a contender for the role for what better ways are there than to spend a day, or an eternity, in the lap of Raymond Blanc’s flagship enterprise. It must be said however that this is not about the food, or rather, not just about the food, because it is not through the lens of food that Le Manoir should be considered, instead, this is the hotel that sets the highest standards across the board to deliver an exceptional customer experience with food being just a single facet.

Heading off the A40 from Oxford, Le Manoir is easy to find. And while the ever busy M40 express route to London gushes exhaust fumes only a mile or so down the road, Le Manoir itself basks in the best of Oxfordshire’s countryside with the noise outside the manor house predominantly blackbirds nesting in the treetops throughout the grounds of the estate. On entering the main car park entrance (there is another reception/valet parking entrance 20 yards further down the road), we were both struck by a more expansive Le Manoir than we had imagined ahead of arrival, and an equally expansive car park, pretty much full despite being the low season of a fading January.

Before you can even survey potential parking spaces however, Le Manoir staff are on hand to look after you, your parking needs and your bags marking the start of when it's time for you to let go and let Le Manoir take the strain. It's about 100 yards from the car park to the reception, your first taste of Le Manoir grounds and your first sighting of the grand old house, but by the time you open the front door to the manor, they're already expecting you and great you by name.

In fact, everybody seems to greet you by name, respectfully surname of course but it is a feature of the service that as you pass through Le Manoir, from reception to bar to restaurant, the staff are entirely aware of you, your name, your room and your preferences regardless of whether you've seen that particular staff member before or it is the first time. It's impressive, almost scary as some kind of collective hive intelligence instantly transmits the knowledge of one staff member to every other so that you feel the institution itself knows you, and is always looking for ways to help you. It is without doubt the most impressive level of service we've ever received in the UK hotel space and leaves you in awe on every level at how well considered, from the guests perspective, Le Manoir is run.

The accommodation meanwhile seeks to deliver on a par with the service and it does. We've opted for a suite that we learn is part of the old stables, separate to the main house: it’s beautiful, offering double height windows that afford an oh so relaxing view onto a majestic chestnut tree in the central courtyard outside. At one end of the room, a rustic wooden table for in room dining and at the other, a real fire place holds court, something we'll get full use of this time of year, a compensation for not seeing the magnificent gardens in full bloom. The room seems to have everything else too, from the old (wooden beams and exposed stonework) to the new (no less than three flat screen TVs including one at the end of the bath tub) to the pampering (four varieties of soap in the bathroom, a giant candle and matches by the bath and a sumptuous walk in wardrobe to name just a few). Meanwhile, on arrival, the room already offers a fruit platter, a bottle of Madeira and complimentary water. 

Nothing seems too much trouble for the staff and when we’re delivered to our room, our guide impresses upon us that if there's anything that’s wrong or anything that we need we should let them know straight away for a complaint at check out time gives them no opportunity to put it right. And they mean it. Staff at Le Manoir look after you 110% but it feels sincere. In the direction that recent trends have started to move in the UK, staff at Le Manoir take pride in service and in their jobs and our sense was that staff here seek lifelong and rewarding careers in the service industry; it’s very refreshing. And as a small aside, it was also nice to see at Le Manoir that Brits too are now embracing the service community and doing a fine job, we encountered an unusually high number working there during our stay including an English sommelier during our dinner.

After walking the lovely grounds in the fading light of the day and enjoying down time in our room with champagne and a log fire, dinner approached. Before sitting down however, we were invited to tour the wine cellar and kitchens. If you love wine, the cellar was wonderful to see holding something like 900 labels though the real superstars of the wine list like a 1875 Mouton they reportedly have lives in safer places elsewhere. The kitchen meanwhile is vast with the prep area alone being the size of the kitchen at somewhere like The Ledbury. Even here in the kitchen ahead of dinner service, everyone bids you hello, everybody’s nice. We're also amazed at how calm the kitchen is, no shouting, swearing or running, rather, this kitchen exudes professionalism and discipline, it's hard not to be impressed.

After the kitchen tour, we're taken to the lounge for a glass of champagne and canapés and a chance to peruse the menu and pick one of the three options on offer: Decouverte (the tasting menu), Les Classiques (a five course menu of classic Manoir dishes), or a la Carte.

The dining room itself is larger than we'd expected, holding up to 100 covers at maximum capacity; tonight it is still impressively busy for a Monday in January but is still nevertheless cruising at a somewhat lower altitude. As an extension from the original manor house, the dining room is also more modern in its feel combing English, French and Asian influences. Service obeys all the formal norms but equally manages to be relaxed and friendly, a place where the focus is on the customer rather than the restaurant’s own solipsistic grandeur.

We start with a salad of pot caught Cornish wild crab, mango and Oscietra caviar. As the start of a tasting menu it's a small portion but perfect in delivering beautiful fresh crab with an enriching mango that sets you up wonderfully for the rest of the meal. Confit of Landais duck liver with rhubarb compote and sour dough toast follows. It's hard to tell what the confit has added to the usual ballontine but it is nice, well seasoned and again in the right quantities.

It's the turn of mackerel next: wild, hand-line caught Cornish mackerel, glazed with honey and soy with pickled mouli and Braeburn apple. This is an outstanding piece of mackerel and just to look at it on the plate, it radiates freshness. Perhaps it's the glaze but there's a sheen to the skin that makes it look though it's minutes out the sea but it doesn't end there as it carries a taste to match, not suffering from an overly fishiness that mackerel can often be prone to. It’s the best dish so far and will remain one of the highlights of the meal.

Slow cooked organic suckling pig belly, seared hand dived Scottish scallop and black pudding are next. This is probably the dish that worked least well for us. While this dish is we understand a Manoir classic (and we’d see the same combination later in the week at Adam Simmonds), here, the Black pudding, pork belly and scallop on the same plate didn’t come together for us. The flavours were there and bringing together everything on the fork was nice enough with crunch and fat from the belly and depth and warmth from the black pudding but it always struggled to be more than the sum of the parts.

Returning to the sea for the next course, we were presented with pan fried wild Cornish line-caught sea bass fillet, seared with creel-caught Scottish langoustine, smoked mashed potatoes and star anis jus. Apparently the smoked mash was Wylie Dufresne's idea from a chef get together some years back and this dish has, in one form or another, featured in Le Manoir’s back catalogue for quite some time we're told. This was another excellent plate with the langoustine tale reminiscent of that served at Noma, the best of ingredients treated with respect. The sea bass too was excellent, cooked of course to perfection. The star anis added an Asian inflection and the dish came together wonderfully.

The final savoury was roasted loin of venison, aigre-doux sauce with bitter chocolate, braised chestnuts, celery heart and truffled chicory. Venison seems ubiquitous on top end menus currently and more often than not over the past year it has been mostly over cooked though Le Manoir would make no such error and it arrived at the table beautifully cooked and deeply flavoured. As such, it delivered a main course that was certainly good in its own right, better than that delivered by many lesser kitchens but on a par with, rather than surpassing, key rivals. 

Exotic fruit raviole with kaffir lime leaf and coconut jus has the job of clearing the palate and if perhaps somewhat sweet, it does offer nevertheless luscious refreshment before a serving of seasonal pear Almondine, caramel croustillant, ginger sauce and its own sorbet. A very well balanced dessert, light, with the pear and sorbet refreshing, but the pastry tasty and rich; excellent.

Finally, it was a Macae 62% chocolate marquise with Tonda hazelnut and lemon butterscotch sauce. This is a dessert for the wicked and I totally loved it. We have accused some desserts such as the famous Louis XV at Gauthier as offering a great chocolate taste but one that is too repetitive with each spoon. Here, there are diverse tastes and textures (ranging from crunchy caramelised hazelnuts to super smooth ice cream) that allow for a more complex and satisfying dessert. Top marks here, loved it as I’m sure all chocophiles would.

As a meal, our dinner delivered at the level of our expectations, great food, superbly executed combined with first class service. But with foie gras, scallops, sea bass and venison on the menu, despite the inclusion of the odd twist, it was all on quite safe territory. Le Manoir though we’re sure has a strong sense of its customer base, their likes and preferences and the proposition therefore is most likely tailored towards consistent satisfaction, something that as noted was at the heart of our own expectations.

That night's dinner was not the only opportunity of course to sample Le Manoir’s cooking and we enjoyed both breakfast and dinner the following night in our room. The highlight of breakfast was smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, decadently topped with caviar. Both the quality of the salmon and superbly cooked eggs made this a breakfast treat and tasted pristine despite the journey time across the courtyard from the kitchen to our room. Similarly, an order of Beef Bourguignon delivered a slightly non tradition dish (no bacon, shallots, mushrooms, instead cauli, celery and broccoli) but it was absolutely superb with an amazing densely dark beef over which an equally dark sauce was poured which combined  was probably the best of its kind we’ve tasted. 

Before we departed, the hotel kindly let us view other available suites in case we’d like something different for a future visit. All suites at Le Manoir are themed and very different to each other including French, Italian and Oriental designs; all were lovely. Pictures are shown below. 

It’s easy to go on about Le Manoir because there are so many things they do well, little things and big things alike. Every detail is important to them and the sum of those efforts is truly remarkable and becomes in its totality so much more than merely the sum of the parts, providing a unique experience to guests. However, had we visited Le Manoir only to eat in the restaurant, leaving when the meal was finished, we would be impressed with the food for sure but would depart believing that this was a restaurant that sits comfortably with its two star peers but not beyond them. Visit Le Manoir though for the total experience of staying at the hotel and enjoying the full depth of their offering and Le Manoir is in our experience without peers, it really is that good.

Many who go to Le Manoir will do so for a special occasion, dipping deep into savings to do so, for let’s be fair, it doesn’t come cheap. But making you feel special is very much what Le Manoir excels at and when the time came to check out and for us to say goodbyes, despite it being only a few days, it felt like we were leaving old friends. If you have a list of ‘things to do before you die’, the addition of staying at Le Manoir to the list is a must, for that way, you’re guaranteed to get a glimpse of heaven before you do. 

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Unexpected finds can often provide as much (or more) pleasure than life’s big set pieces. The discovery that Wilton’s Music Hall, the oldest surviving grand Music Hall in the world is on our doorstep (and that it has a liquor licence) has today given us great joy.

This place is just amazing and steeped in history as you might expect. The music hall was built in the back yard of five terrace houses that date from 1720. A pub from 1828 (Prince of Denmark), The Music Hall itself dates from 1859 when top acts from Covent Garden would run across town to perform on John Wilton’s stage in a hall that would hold up to 1,500 people. It wasn’t a music hall for long and variously became a Mission, a safe house for East Enders protesting against Mosley and Fascism at the 1936 Battle of Cable Street and a shelter during World War II for those made homeless by the Blitz bombing. Saved from demolition in the 1960s by Sir John Betjemen, the hall once again sees live entertainment performed in a truly original setting.

The Music Hall itself feels alive with the history and totally original only missing perhaps the original ‘sun burner’ chandelier of 300 gas gets and 27,000 cut crystals that has now gone but which must have been a sight in its day. On stage meanwhile, George Leybourne known as Champagne Charlie performed, dressed in top hat and tails, gloves, cane and scarf waving a bottle of vintage Moet & Chandon, swigging from the bottle as he sang. Here too it is reputed that the first ever can-can was performed in London.  Roll forward and Hollywood’s in town as the Music Hall plays host to Robert Downey Jr’s Charlie Chaplin and Woody Allen’s Cassandra’s Dream.

Don’t expect though to find the place pristine – it reminded me of Cuba’s Havana: beautiful decay. Sadly this has been a much neglected building but in part, here lies the charm. The layers of history are seen in the peeling paint work and the original but historically neglected ornamentation. If most theatres invite you to ‘think when we talk of horses that you see them’, Wilton’s, through its being, turns this on its head and invites you to think of the performers and the crowds; here the story is the Hall, everything else is secondary.

The staff are friendly and the bar cosy. The cider was cloudy and cold (yum), they have a bottle of Macallan 10yr on the shelf and there are complimentary nibbles of ham and soft cheese spread on sliced baguette. There’s a jug of water and cups on the bar too which is an unusual and nice touch. Meanwhile, no two pieces of furniture in the bar match. These are some of the many reasons to love the place. On our first visit, we signed up to become ‘friends of Wilton’s’ for this is a beautiful place and should be enjoyed by not just us but generations to come.

While in 2007 the building was placed on the World Monuments Fund ‘100 most endangered sites’, things are improving and the Hall is slowly on the way to recovery as the Wilton’s Music Hall Trust move towards their fund raising target and the necessary repairs to restore this gem to a more enduring condition. Two things then that each of us needs to do: first, go there, it’s good for the soul and really has a wow factor for this is truly a hidden gem. Second, spend some money, have a drink and know that the ‘margin’ is keeping the place alive; perhaps even take in one of their shows, concerts or other events (they have live music in the bar every Monday).

In the world of the generic, this is truly a one off and a complete find. We’re delighted to call ourselves Wilton’s Music Hall’s newest friends. We hope to see you there.

The bar is open Mon-Fri, 5-11pm. A lunchtime service will also be available during August on Thurs/Fri, 12-3pm.

Find out more at www.wiltons.org.uk/

Just round the corner we were greeted by general pandemonium as we discovered that James Morrison was shortly to perform Man in the Mirror live as part of a US broadcast for CBS to mark the anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death. Before the performance, James was signing autographs and posing for photographs with fans and it was really nice to see a celebrity with a genuine smile on his face. James seemed to want that ‘no fan be left behind’ and did his best to accommodate each fan's request with real enthusiasm. A black cab driver the other day told us that he’d recently had Will Young in the back of his cab who was somewhat drunk and had a real potty mouth; it’s hard now to listen to ‘Leave Right Now’ without thinking that he’s not as sweet as he appears and in fact rather worse. James though, despite his lyrical angst in his recordings was, in real life, what we all hope a celebrity might be – a decent bloke who’s enjoying his talent and his moment. We’ve enjoyed James’ music for a few years now and further warmed to him today. James, if you or your agent are reading this, you’re welcome for dinner round ours anytime.

Crossing Tower Bridge we see the adjacent grass area of Potters Fields (where David Blaine sat in a perspex box for 44 days without food) fenced off and as we compete to strain our eyes to read what’s on the boarding, I suggest it says 'tapas'. This of course might well be my tummy rather than my mind making a Freudian slip via my eyes, but as we get nearer, it is indeed Tapas Fantasticas, which is billed as ‘A celebration of Rioja wine, Spanish food and lifestyle’. Okay, it’s hot and to be honest, we’ve not been out of bed that long so tucking into a meaty spicy Rioja is not yet top of our wishlist but we still have to look inside. Early on, we’re thinking that an ice cold Sangria would at least get the ball rolling though sadly it wasn’t to be found. Even so, a refreshing bottle of water and a walk around stalls plentiful in hams, chorizo and Rioja (red, white and rosé) start to get the juices flowing. A sampling wine glass (being tokens for 4 x25ml samplings of any wines exhibited for just £2) starts us off and we’re happy to try, and delightfully surprised by, the white Riojas available. Normally we’re white Burgundy types, so we were pleasantly surprised by the crisp fruit flavours the white Riojas offer and have to acknowledge the value they offer versus our normal early evening summer tipple (the one after the G&T but before the red).

Foodwise, we start off with Spanish meatballs (tasty) which in turn fortifies us to move on to the red Rioja (in this case the Faustino) for which we then seek out some Iberico ham nicely cut in front of us and Croquetas de Jamon which were moist and flavourful with a white creamy sauce supporting the ham in a crispy fried breadcrumb coating. To add to the atmosphere, live Spanish music is also on offer. Sitting on the grass in the shadow of Tower Bridge and under the looming London Council building, given how well supported the event is even at three in the afternoon, we wonder if anyone still works in London these days (apart from those serving food). Meanwhile, Olly Smith was making an appearance at the event and Mrs CC was inclined to give him a bit of her mind for the disappointment that is Iron Chef UK that exhibits ‘all of the cheese but none of the substance’ of its US and Japanese forerunners. Fortunately for all involved, he passed without incident.

The last of our tasting tokens goes on a premium CVNE (Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana) Imperial Gran Reserva 1998, for in an equal measure tasting, you might as well go for the good stuff. Thereafter, we decide to cool ourselves down with a Don Jacobo rosé which was refreshingly dry but fruity (we bought a bottle for home and a full glass rather than a mere tasting measure) and then finally tried the ‘Arroz Al Horno’ (baked rice, ribs, chorizo, meatballs and beans) which looked good but was sadly dry with little flavour. Worth trying at £3 but in the end, left behind with our empty wine glasses in the bins.

Our last stop was to be St Katharine Docks to stock up on goat curry and try the Italian BBQ, perhaps now at 3:45 there would be shorter queues than at the earlier lunchtime. L'horreur! everyone is packing up to go home despite the market being advertised as running till 4pm. Oh well, next time. Heading home, left-over Alaskan King Crab beckons followed by Miso Cod washed down with a Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 2004 followed by a customary bottle of Bordeaux for the night (tonight being a Lynch Bages 2000 as we feel like drinking something special to reward ourselves for surviving another week).

So, we never made Borough market but we did have a nice time trying; now, where’s that corkscrew...

The Eastern boundary of ‘The Square Mile’ of the City is generally considered to stop on Bishopsgate. City workers hoping to escape a lifetime of Pret a Manger lunchtimes will often venture a little further East to Spitalfields for the various eateries that are now contained therein (see earlier post on The Luxe) but head out even a little further East (but not all the way to Brick Lane just yet) and you hit a revelation of grass root inner city renewal that surprised even us despite being resident locals and City habitués. Here street food meets street art in the most unexpected of ways. It made our day to walk the area and showcases the idea that East London is way more than the cliché of Brick Lane curries and Commercial Road kebab houses. For City workers, next time the boss is away, take a long lunch and explore!

From Spitalfields/Commercial Street, head into Hanbury Street; the second left turn then opens up into a carpark like area that shares the space between art and food in equal measure. We loved the idea of the Rootmaster bus (a double decker bus converted into a takeaway and eat in restaurant) that sits on the Western edge and describes itself as:

London's first vegan Bustaurant  founded in 2006. Our aim at the Rootmaster Bustaurant is to promote healthy living and respect for the environment. We want to show our customers that it is possible to enjoy and have fun with food and wine while living in harmony with the planet

Maybe not our style of food (it doesn’t moo) but we still love the idea that people are doing this. To the right of the bus at skyline level is a car with what looks like a winged bomb crushing it – it’s hard to describe but check out the pictures below – it’s funky. The whole thing is different and interesting and should be welcomed to London’s diversity, especially on the edge of the City where old school still rules. The co-sharing of contrasts is after all what makes London a truly great City.

Opposite the Root-master are Middle Eastern and Asian food stands, and while situated against a looming industrial backdrop, it nevertheless enjoys equally looming wall size art that points to rebirth from dereliction. Following the lane down and round, we come across a cafe surrounded huge pots of grass: do we juice it or smoke it? I think the answer is just enjoy. The contrast of the heavily urban, almost factory environment, transformed by ‘urban grass’ makes us smile at the vibrant revitalisation of City living that could so easily have taken a more ruinous route  – the whole area, hand in hand with the two dimensional art, retains the air of real life street theatre, the canvas of ordinary lives making the best of what's to hand, laced with hope and constantly reborn.

At the end of the walkway, you do eventually reach Brick Lane. To the South is indeed the curry houses we all know, but heading north toward Shoreditch is arguably the more interesting route. Looming above us in the short distance is the Truman chimney of the former Truman Brewery – clearly, our kind of place. With the ‘Brewhouse in Brick Lane’ dating back to 1666 and the eponymous Joseph Truman becoming manager in 1697, remarkably but now forgotten, employing over 1,000 people, this was London’s largest brewery and the second biggest in Britain. Taken over by Grand Metroplitan in 1971, it was eventually closed in 1988 and has since been redeveloped to what is now The Old Truman Brewery. Backers describe the venue as ‘East London's revolutionary arts and media quarter, [a] home to a hive of creative businesses as well as exclusively independent shops, galleries, markets, bars and restaurants’. We approve; and of course like the idea of living in a brewery.

Continuing up Brick Lane we bought Rye Bread and a salt beef sandwich from the 24/7 Beigel Bake, and then, as if to make the final point that Brick Lane really isn’t about just curry, you arrive at Fika, Swedish Bar & Grille. Here you can try for a starter Reindeer salami (at the very reasonable price of £4) as well as of course pickled herring. For the main, no self respecting Swedish restaurant would be without meatballs (Köttbullar) or reindeer sausage. Why not wash it down with a Lapin Kulta beer?

A few more minutes and you reach Bethnall Green Road affording excellent views of the City towers including the new Heron Tower as it races skyward to challenge the Gherkin for skyline prominence. Better still, you’re close to Club Row where Les Trois Garcons serves incredible French food amongst stuffed and tiarred bull terriers (it’s weird but it works). Sadly though, the associated Lounge Lover Bar, home to further camp glamour, is not open in the afternoon so in search of a thirst quencher, we almost double back on ourselves via Shoreditch High Street and head south to The Light Restaurant and Bar, sitting outside with more crazy artwork and a moment of tranquility before the bar becomes sardine full as offices turn out at the end of the day. With such variety of shops, a remarkable density of art galleries, and food for every taste, it’s clear to us that to pigeon hole East London or more specifically, Brick Lane, is for those only who have not been there. While lunch at The Luxe was disappointing, a walk across the road and up Brick Lane has certainly removed my prejudice against the area and afforded a wonderful afternoon at no cost; what could be better?

This week Mr & Mrs CC got up at the crack of crack, donned our wellies, and went shopping at Billingsgate fishmarket for a weekend's worth of food. This is where the industry shops for fish and with trays of everything fresh off the boat, as the old expression goes, if it were any fresher you'd have to slap it. Most people know of Billingsgate but here's a quick and dirty recap for those who don't.

First, let's wind the clock back: market rights in the City of London were based on a charter granted by Edward III in 1327, with rival markets to those in London being prohibited from setting up within 6.6 miles of the City (the distance a person could be expected to walk to a market, sell his produce and return in a day). While the original Billingsgate market traded corn, coal, iron, wine, salt, pottery and fish, sometime in the mid sixteenth century it became exclusively a fish market. The first purpose built market was constructed on Lower Thames Street where the building still stands (though is currently used for parties, conferences and the like) but in 1982, the market itself moved to Canary Wharf onto a dedicated 13 acre site. Pictures old and new are shown below (indeed, if you are on Lower Thames Street, look out for the fishy weathervanes on top of the building and other fish motifs that adorn the building). 

With so much tradition, you'd expect Billingsgate to be a lively affair; it is. Peter Ackroyd in his brilliant book 'London: The Biography' described the market as having 'an atmosphere of reeking fish, with fish-scales underfoot and a shallow lake of mud all round'. Traditionally, the lifting work was undertaken by 'wives' of Billingsgate carrying baskets of fish on their head. According to Ackroyd these women, 'called 'fish fags' smoked small pipes of tobacco, took snuff, drank gin, and were known for their colourful language. Thus became the phrase to shriek like a fishwife'. Indeed, an 18th century dictionary defined a Billingsgate as 'a scolding impudent slut'. The wives have been replaced by porters but the language remains colourful and there's a buzz at 5am in the morning that is out of sync with a City where alarm clocks have yet to sound, even for the City's financial traders.

On that note, some market stalls are packing up to leave by 7am (the market itself shuts at 8:30am) and the best of the fish clearly sell first so it's worth getting there early.  Also, while the floors  have built in drainage, it can be pretty ruinous for shoes or trousers that drag along the floor (unless you like the permanent smell of fish attached to your clothing) so appropriate footwear is advisable. Parking is free and plentiful and off you go. Oh, final tip, watch your back, there's loads of pallets and crates being constantly moved and not every porter is that concerned whether you're in the way or not (like London bus drivers really). Stay aware.

Just looking round the stalls is a real treat with most of our time spent by me asking Mrs CC 'what's that fish? what about that one? and what's that there?' The smooth hound fish seemed in plentiful supply (can you spot it in the picture above) and was a new one to both of us. It's a member of the shark family though smallish in size (at least the ones here were). According to sea-fishing.org, it's delicious when cut into 3 inch chunks and oven baked for 30 mins. Today at least, we weren't to find out. Other spectacles include the eel shelves where live eels are scooped out on demand but the whole place has a wow factor to it as you look at the mountain trays of clams, lobster, crab and shrimp. Every type of fish too, ones you know, ones you don't. Salmon, turbot, halibut (pictured below right) whatever; if it lived in water and is edible, it's here waiting to go on your dinner plate.

The stalls are all competing with each other so it's worth checking the whole of the market for what you want and buying it where you find it most attractive either on price or quality. We picked up a fantastic 1.7kg wild sea bass (around £11 per kg) that was so fresh its eyes were shining. Four crabs (about £10 for the four) and a kilo of supersize Indian Ocean shrimp. You'll probably have to buy greater quantities than you'd normally buy because while they do sell to retail customers, it's a wholesale market more than shop but here the good news is that the price is sufficiently cheap (no middle man mark up) that buying more still costs you less.

As a market, the fish is sold 'as seen' and it's just come off the boat so they won't be scaling it for you and you'll have to gut it and prepare it yourself. The crabs and lobster too are of course still kicking (or rather pinching) so get the lobster pot ready. Let them fall asleep in the freezer first before dispatch (according to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall) but when you come to eat them, oh so fresh. 

So it was up at 5:15, the market for 6. An hour there, after which a cat-nap followed. Just a few hours on, crab cakes and poached egg for lunch, wild sea bass on a bed of greens for dinner and later that weekend, with the sea bass bones and prawn heads having contributed to a fish stock, we had prawn and crab risotto with asparagus. All washed down with a nice white burgundy. No brainer that it beats going to Tesco, but it also beats your local fishmonger (who probably bought his fish there any way) or indeed Borough Market for fish though as noted, you wont get advice or help with prep at Billingsgate.

A cracking morning out though. Billingsgate is open Tuesday - Saturday, 5am to 8:30am.