Fish and Chips, now 150 years old is, depending on where you live in the UK, good bad or downright terrible. The dish that helped batter Hitler – it was never rationed and special trains were laid on to ensure the whole country got their portions every day – has in too many places descended to be a sad shadow of its former sel

Avalon grew on me as the night progressed, but a couple of things still spoiled my evening. A packed guest list meant that the venue was too full and made moving around almost impossible. Then there’s the lighting, which baffled me. If your main clientele are the colourful array that Avalon will presumably attract then covering everyone in red lighting, which not only dulls outfits but also conceals the luxurious décor, seems a wrong decision.

If anything marks the start of summer in London then it is the opening of The Summerhouse on the banks of Little Venice in Maida Vale. Especially when you are greeted on arrival with a fruity pimms cocktail called the Maida Mojhito and the sun is setting over the capital.

Since its opening last November, Chinese Cricket Club, set within Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blackfriars, London has, we understand, attained some popularity for its menu of Sichuan specialties with a modern twist. The masterclasses provide a good opportunity to get an insight into Chinese cuisine and if you are so inclined, like me, to participate as well as to ask questions.

I must admit that I have actually always quite liked Sophie Dahl. Call it a ‘fat girl’s prerogative’ but since she was discovered by Isabella Blow whilst embroiled in screaming row with her Mother on the streets of Chelsea, I felt she did a lot to represent the curvier women of the nation.

Coquine opened its doors to a battery of invited guests earlier this week. This new cocktail lounge/restaurant launched on a river of champagne, which merged into several tributaries of interesting cocktails. It is clear that a lot of thought and effort has gone into creating the space and its aura of respectable decadence, why not go there and enjoy a cocktail or two while you take it in?

For the uninitiated, this festival, now in its third year, seeks to replicate a similar event that takes place in the Rioja region of Spain each year, where locals and visitors walk from one restaurant/tapas bar to another purchasing one dish and a glass of Rioja wine to complement it, at each. This sounds like a great thing to do on a summer’s afternoon and evening. One for the Diary I think.

This little sister bar to Camino in The Regent Quarter, just off Pentonville Road, is unique. A tiny bar, just across Regent Quarter’s Varnisher’s Yard central Courtyard from Camino, it has big character. It is quite simply, unique, attractive and fun, and I was very taken with it.

The Discover the Origin campaign has hit London. The purpose of the campaign is to promote five European products: Parma ham (PDO), Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (PDO), Burgundy wines (AOC), Port and Douro Valley wines (DOC). These protective markings have a dual purpose, to protect the regional producers against imitations and to enable you, the consumer to be sure you are getting exactly what you are looking for.

Vivid yellow RouteMaster bus? Check. Eight-foot inflatable beer bottle? Check. Lycra-clad Amazon on stilts? Check. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the fifth anniversary celebrations at Mestizo, a very popular Mexican restaurant in Hampstead Road.