24 January
MATTHEW FORT enjoys classy bistro cooking at Le Mazot at WHATLEY MANOR in Easton Grey, Wiltshire
I would express slight surprise that three of the seven first courses contained poultry liver in the form of a parfait, a ballotine and a terrine. I am as fond of chicken, duck and goose liver as the next man, but don't expect them to crop up in every dish. That having been said, my ballotine of duck and foie gras with a pur‚e of quince poached in vanilla was the real McCoy - full-on duck chunks bound in a substantial wodge of foie gras, with a quince weighing in as a delicately fruity foil. (Dinner for three - three courses and wine - £104.25)
25 January
AA GILL samples a traditional English hotel dining room at the GORING HOTEL in London SW1
Actually the Goring's food is far better than I thought it would be. Though the cheeseboard is pretty sad, the puddings are good. Three set courses for dinner costs £35. The room, though, makes you want to hang yourself from the curtains. Best of all was the staff. It was a United Nations of waiters; no country or accent repeated twice; all utterly charming. None of them was serving the food of their childhood, nor, I expect, of their choice. And it's because of them that we don't have to eat like this every day.
25 January
JAY RAYNER is impressed by the cooking, value and recycling at UNDERSHAW'S in Hindhead, Surrey
How is it done? Partly it's high volume. They can turn 100 covers on a good evening. Another answer lay on a plate before me: the logo of a dismal and now deceased American place called Babe Ruth's. Clearly, they bought up all the crockery cheap. I like the idea that Undershaw's is where crap restaurants get recycled. I can think of a bunch of other places whose crockery I would happily see turn up on the tables here. It would be going to a much better place.
(Lunch for two including wine and service, £32; dinner £48)
27 January
GUY DIMOND falls in love with the bar - and the gorgeous staff - at SALT in London W2
The good-looking bar staff never missed a trick. We were loath to leave the bar even though the young DJ could try expanding his collection beyond a few three-year-old chillout CDs. The first-floor restaurant follows the same pattern of appealing design, despite the necessity of open windows to provide ventilation on a cold January evening. Both male and female waiting staff were doe-eyed honeys, which made the disappointment of the dishes and the staff's "And how is everything?" all the more poignant. (Meal for two with wine and service, about £80)
24 January
BELINDA RICHARDSON on new gourmet food hall and caf‚-bar, the REAL EATING COMPANY in Hove, East Sussex.
The black pudding puts a big smile on my friend's face. It isn't so much the boudin itself, nor the accompanying grilled mushroom and poached egg with hollandaise (both of which he thinks is overdoing things), but the home-made piccalilli on the side that causes the stir. I have never seen anybody get so excited by this (frankly common) chutney - it's the grain in the mustard and the crunch of the cauliflower apparently wot did it. (Lunch for two, £35 excluding drinks and service)