The Decision Tree

Do you sometimes find the choice of restaurants in London a little overwhelming? I do! With all the options it's often easier to just go to the same old place that you're familiar with...

Well, the team at Squaremeal.co.uk have come up with "decision tree" to help you find the perfect restaurant. It might just come in handy for this Valentine's Day?

It's Competition Time!

We've teamed up with the talented team at L'atelier des Chefs to bring you a great competition this month. W're giving away a pair of vouchers to one of their fantastic cookery classes in London.

If the idea of rustling up a romantic dinner for your other half this Valentine's Day fills you with dread, then might we suggest a trip to the lovely folk at L'atelier des Chefs?

Their cooking classes are designed to fit into the lives of busy Londoners, helping you to master some key cooking skills, or to learn how to deliver a delicious meal all within a time frame that suits you. If you've literally only got a lunch hour then one of their 30 minute classes would be perfect. But, if your boss is a little more relaxed then we'd recommend the 60 minute classes which take place at various times throughout the day, Monday to Saturday. Lasting just one hour, these classes are designed to inspire you with dishes that are easy to replicate at home, expanding your recipe repertoire as you pick up new culinary skills. All of which means… impressing your date/husband/wife/long-suffering mealtime companion!

This Valentine's Day we've got a pair of gift cards to give away to a lucky winner, allowing you and your date the opportunity to improve your culinary skills together!

Head over to our website for the full details… it's easy peasy to enter, all you'll have to do is tell us who you'd love to cook a romantic meal for!

p.s. the winner will be announced on Valentine's Day but the vouchers are valid for a year.

What makes a great dinner date?

New Year's Resolution 1: Dinner out at least once a month.

Well we're over half way through January now, so it's clearly time for me to get booking if I'm not to break this one in the very first month. But it's got me thinking, how do you make a dinner date, well, great?

I've always found it quite hard to pinpoint exactly what it is about a restaurant that makes it work for dates. It sort of either has it or it hasn't, doesn't it? Think of your absolutely favourite dating spots, and I bet they're all totally different from each other. It's something about the 'vibe' that needs to be just right, and I've been trying to work out exactly how that's done...

1) Lighting & Decor: It's amazing how many restaurants look really quite terrible in the daylight, particularly some of the more 'industrial' themed spots. Given the right lighting however, almost any decoration can be given 'the vibe'. Warm, intelligent lighting, clever division of space (little alcoves work brilliantly for creating that dating atmosphere) and space between you and your neighbours are all pretty key. It's got to feel cosy and inviting yet still sleek and chic. Hard to do.

2) Food: Clearly this is pretty important. It's got to be good or really, what's the point? The very best date restaurants in my book are ones where the cuisine on offer enables an element of sharing, like tapas for instance. We love Wahaca for this kind of thing, or El Pirata DeTapas.

3) Drink: Cocktails. Cocktails are always a winner if you ask me. Pre or post-dinner, they add a sparkle of excitement to even the most boring of dates. Yes, a good cocktail menu is a must.

4) Hip factor: The old fashioned, smart, 'white table cloth' type of restaurant just doesn't tick the boxes for dates in my opinion, unless they really are particularly good, and even then I'd never choose one for a first or early days date. What you want is the kind of place that you walk into and feel instantly cooler for doing so. Ideally you want somewhere a little dressy, a little trendy and a little seductive. We love Eight Over Eight in Chelsea for this sort of atmosphere.

5) Service: Yes, we all want to be treated like a favoured local wherever we go. Some places pull this off brilliantly and the results really can be dramatic. It gives you that warm feeling of being wanted and valuable, just the sort of sentiment you need to conjure up on a date.

6) Loos: Nice loos are weirdly high up my list of importance when it comes to restaurants. Nice loos and flattering mirrors. Or is that just me…?!

Miss Mary x

Clos Maggiore

With a magical garden dining room in the heart of Covent Garden, is this London's most romantic restaurant?

I arrived at Clos Maggiore with high expectations. I'd heard it described as London's most romantic restaurant many, many times! First things first, I was surprised at it's amazingly central location. Over the years I've spent a lot of time in Covent Garden but I'd never even noticed the restaurant. That's a good sign in my opinion - discreet. Upon entering you're immediately struck by the charming service and cosy interior. If you're coming on a date make sure you ask to be seated in the garden room at the rear of the restaurant. The front is still attractive, but it's the fairy lit garden room which all the fuss is about.

With a clever use of mirrors and twinkling lights you feel as though you've entered a never-ending, enchanted garden. The setting really is unique and provides the perfect backdrop to any special occasion, all year round. In the summer you'll love the fully retractable glass roof and in the winter the reflections of the crackling open fire, the candles and the starlight makes for a truly magical experience.

The atmosphere is warm and inviting with tables squashed in (in a good way, although I did have to squeeze in to get to my seat!) and comfortable upholstered armchairs encouraging you to linger over your meal. There is a wonderful buzzy feel, so often missing in "smart" restaurants. 

Dinner starts with rustic breadsticks and delicious homemade dips. You know you're in for a good night when the taste of truffle hits your lips before you've even ordered your food!

Following a refreshing gazpacho amuse bouche we chose hand picked Devon crab and marjoram remoulade (with avocado, grapefruit, green apple and smoked anchovies mayonnaise - what an intense combination of flavours!), and Sicilian aubergine and fig caponata with provencal goat’s cheese, parmesan sablé and lavender honey as our starters. They were both beautifully presented, exquisitely fragranced and offering a riot of colour on our plates.

For his main course my date chose the slow cooked fillet of Cornish cod ‘Rougaille’ with vermicelli, shellfish and Iberico chorizo sauce, whilst I opted for hand rolled papardella with seasonal wild mushrooms and Reggiano parmesan. I could smell the wonderful truffle before my pasta even arrived at the table, and when it did arrive it looked, and tasted, fantastic! It was incredibly rich but then that's French food for you, and asking for a dish containing mushrooms, truffle, cream and cheese is not going to leave you feeling fresh and light. It came as something of a shock to a recent participant of the Clean and Lean diet ! Thank goodness for the fantastic sommelier and his excellent choice of a German Chardonnay which cut straight through the woody richness of the mushrooms and truffle. It really was the perfect accompaniment to my food, and it's worth mentioning that he had over 2000 bins to choose from - no mean feat!

Despite being full we valiantly pressed on and chose our deserts. My date opting for Eaton Mess (which turned out to be an inspired DIY affair) while I chose simple vanilla ice cream, unable to eat anything more elaborate. Expecting two scoops of ice cream in a tall stemmed glass I was pleasantly surprised to find that the attention to detail, evident throughout the whole evening, did not cease even when faced with the simplest of desert order. My homemade vanilla ice-cream came on a bed of meringue which was lined with a base layer of chocolate sauce, undetectable until you had your first mouthful. It was delicious and I loved the fact that so much attention had been given to such a humble order!

After dessert we were served delicious petit fours with our coffee. This proved another point I'd heard about Clos Maggiore - that it is incredibly good value, considering the quality of the food, the level of service and all the delicious extras, not to mention the romantic setting.

Having been wined and dined in the magical garden room I have to agree that Clos Maggiore certainly is one of London's most romantic restaurants, and with it's fantastic location it would be a perfect companion to a date at the Royal Opera House. Valentine's Day next year? I think you'll find it's already booked…

Top tip: check the timings carefully when you book as they may need your table back for the post theatre crowd.

www.closmaggiore.com

33 King Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8JD

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7379 9696

Fax: +44 (0)20 7379 6322

Email: enquiries@closmaggiore.com

Dinner at Harrison's

Last month one of our lovely writers, Sally from Sally Serves It Up, popped over to Harrison's in Balham to sample its culinary delights... here's what she had to say about it:

"Harrison's is definitely considered one of the cooler haunts of Balham. The celebrity connection (it's co-owned by Sam Harrison - of Sam's Brasserie fame, and fish guru Rick Stein) means that you absolutely have to try it once. Perfect for first dates and old fashioned date nights alike, it provides the ideal balance of sleek date setting (note perfect dim lighting) with a more relaxing location than hectic central London. 

Start the evening off with a bang by ordering some of the Colchester Rock Oysters. There are show-stoppingly good. Alternatively, there's also a sharing board - perfect to have with your date. The crunchy fish and chips (boy) and smoked chicken salad (girl) tasted how they should but it was the well chosen and affordable wine list that was impressive – go for the South African De Wetshof Estate Chardonnay, it was fantastic. For pudding, share the Chocolate Marquise with hazelnut ice cream - indulgently good and worth every calorie..."

Click here for Sally's full review of Harrison's and, if you like the cut of her jib, then click here to go to her brilliant blog, Sally Serves It Up, which is full of fantastic recipes that are easy and inspirational all at the same time!

Thanks Sal,

Miss Mary xxx

Sam's September Competition!

Autumn has definitely arrived so we thought we'd keep your spirits up by offering you the chance to win a meal for two at the wonderful Sam's Brasserie in Chiswick.

Always a firm favourite here at the Great Date Guide (partly because 5 first dates at Sam's have lead to engagements!) we were excited to hear that Sam and his team were re-vamping the bar... and what better way to celebrate the re-launch than with a competition?!?

Take a look below at the designs for the new bar area and click here for your chance to enter the competition.

The competition ends on the 30th September 2011... Good luck!

Miss Mary x

Romantic Restaurants...

Toptable have just published a list of the most romantic restaurants in the UK, according to a selection of respected food bloggers, and luckily for us 12 out of the 15 restaurants listed are in London! 

This got the team at the Great Date Guide thinking... which are our favourite romantic restaurants in London, and what about you? Where would you go for the ultimate romantic evening? We'd love to know! Please scribble a comment at the bottom of this post or drop us a line on Facebook or on Twitter.

For me, romance isn't about splashing the cash (although I'll never say no to being wined and dined!) it is about cosy, candlelit atmosphere and good food.  This being the case I'll start the ball rolling with  Andrew Edmunds which always comes pretty high on my list of romantic restaurants. This charming, tiny, restaurant has all the right ingredients for romance: small, intimate tables dimly lit by candles are the setting for delicious, daily changing, French food and equally delicious French wine.  The friendly service and handwritten menu only serve to add to the relaxed ambience. This really is the perfect place for an intimate, unpretentious date. Perfect for cold dark winter evenings and post-work rendezvous!

Another favourite, especially for a long, languid summers lunch, is the newly Michelin starred Petersham Nurseries. The location has always been perfection: an assortment of beautifully laid rustic tables nestled amongst fragrant climbing plants within an old glass conservatory, on the banks of the Thames. But now the perfection of the food has also been recognised. The down side of this is that booking a table here will be even harder than before! But persevere because it is well worth it. As one reviewer put it, Petersham is like "the River Cafe and an English Country Garden rolled into one" and I for one couldn't think of a more romantic place to while a way a romantic afternoon...

Where do you think is the most romantic restaurant in London? Everyone has a different idea of a romantic meal so we'd love to know what you think!

Miss Mary xxx

Image copyright David Loftus

The Bad Date Blog

Some more words of wisdom from our unlucky in love Bad Date Blogger, who made the fatal mistake of mixing burning hot oil with a third date...

So you’ve hopefully read my last blog and arrived at your date safely and in one piece but what now? The age-old question of what to do on a first date is a good one and should be thought through carefully… very carefully! Many a potential relationship has stalled due to over-ambitious or over-complicated dates so just watch it when coming up with a plan.

BAD DATE BLOG PART 2 - ACTIVITY AND ENTERTAINMENT

A fine example of this is my infamous Pancake Day date that seemed like such a good idea on paper and just went from bad to worse. It was a third date I think and the man in question wanted to cook me dinner. Excellent, I thought, there’s nothing more attractive than a bloke who can cook. I then realised that he’d suggested Shrove Tuesday so I said ‘Great, you cook dinner, I’ll do pancakes for dessert!’

It started rather well; I arrived at his flat and was pleasantly surprised to see it was a relatively girl-friendly zone. You never know what to expect when venturing into the man’s domain for the first time but his place was really nice, no beer can sculptures in the corner or Hollyoaks calendars on the walls – phew!

Wine was swiftly provided (the easiest way to make me feel at home) and he set to work in the kitchen. It all smelt delicious until a plate of suspiciously pink chicken was presented on the table in front of me. Right – what to do? Should I tuck in and hope for the best, or point it out and probably offend the chef? Is food poisoning ever sexy…? Too late to decide; he quickly spotted the problem and whisked my plate away, suggesting we move straight onto pancakes.

A lucky escape and it meant moving straight onto the fun part of the date – I mean how could anyone not love a bit of batter action? So the eggs were in the bowl, the oil was heating in the pan and a flipping challenge was quickly thrown out there by my date. Not being one to back down I limbered up and went for the full 360 degree flip. It might have been a slightly over-zealous attempt as I shot red-hot oil straight into my date’s eye who started screaming and holding his face in agony! ‘I’m blind! I’m blind!’

He quickly calmed down, as it must have occurred to him that his girlish screams were probably not attracting the lady, and suddenly manned up. But the damage had been done and any chance for romance got smaller and smaller as his eye got redder and redder!

It seemed a tactical retreat was the only answer so I made my excuses and left him to his eye bath. Funnily enough there wasn’t a fourth date – apparently some men just don’t like it when their dates maim them - what is the world coming to?

Written by our lovely, anonymous, bad date blogger!