Fodder

This is a meme seen at Greavsie's. He was tagged by the girl who dates, who evidently frequents classy joints like Locanda Locatelli. I tend to frequent 'Best Roman Cafe' and am a connoisseur of greasy spoons, but have occasionally been to posher places:

New Piccadilly -
This is a glorious and beautiful cafe tucked away just off Shaftesbury Avenue. The fittings have not changed since the fifties, you get white-jacketed waiters serving your spaghetti bolognaise or egg and chips, the proprietor is totally charming and the till is one of those old-fashioned ones - go there quick before the rent increases close it down & it's turned into a Starbucks.

Busaba Eathai
A Thai place on Wardour Street. It gets busy on the weekend, sometimes there's a line outside but it moves quickly. The prices would probably make our Tim in Bangkok laugh, but they do a lovely green curry.

Ottolenghi
This is on Upper Street, and is too Islington for words. The staff seem like they were hired for looks and snootiness - the food looks almost too pretty to eat (check out the meringues they have piled up in the window) but the food, mama mia! Especially for veges like me, (yes yes I know) even a simple salad is a taste explosion...

Mangal
Beautiful Turkish food in Stoke Newington. Cheap but lovely. We saw Gilbert and George in here. (I also saw them in Pellici's in Bethnal Green High Road - they really are always together, it's not just an act.)

Kulu Kulu
Conveyor belt sushi place on Brewer Street, not as neon-lit and tacky as Yo Sushi - sushi aficionados probably would turn their noses up but I thought it was fabulous - it gets dangerously addictive because you want to try EVERYTHING coming past you on the conveyor belt - ooh look, we haven't had that one yet - and the bill can mount up fast.

New River Cafe - no no no, not that one - this one is a very nice, low-key cafe just opposite Clissold Park which has got absolutely lovely staff and is a respite from the very Stokey cafes in Church Street (it also had a very gorgeous waiter last time we went - now he works in the cafe in Clissold Park - but this has not influenced my choice at all.)

Posh places which I have been to by some random fluke-

The Ivy - it was for a book launch, (not my book - I gatecrashed) in an upstairs room.

Joe Allen's - Joe Allen is not that posh but apparently famous luvvies of the stage and screen like to hang out there. I went there for a work do shortly after joining and did not endear myself to my new American bosses by nipping out for cigarettes.

Woz - Antony Worrall Thompson is not that posh either but still a proper chef to give him his due. Again, we went for a book launch. The publishers had hired a routemaster and driven everyone around London in it, plying them with champagne all the while. Trouble was when we finally got there, and Antony Worrall Thompson opened the door with a welcoming smile only to see 120 of the book industry's finest troup off the bus and stampede past him to head for the toilets, just as if his lovely Holland Park restaurant was some motorway service station pit stop. His expression was indescribable.

Momo - not your actual Momos, it was the concession in Selfridges, but still good food, and sexy waiters. Hmm, a theme is developing here.

The Savoy - it was faaaaaabulous. And part of a package deal with Beauty and the Beast which someone twisted my arm to go to. The Savoy, and Derek Griffiths as a singing candlestick, all in one day. That was a day to remember.

Leave your recommendations in the box, do.