Metro Garden Restaurant

"Within stumbling distance of Clapham Common tube, Metro’s entrance is modest and unassuming, giving no hint of the paradise hidden through its doors. Do not be fooled – I urge you to wander in and let the welcoming staff escort you to the garden delight out back. Forget a picnic blanket on the Common, Metro is the clear winner for al fresco dining in SW4.

Small tables with crisp white table-clothes are dotted around the beautiful garden with ambient music and twinkling lights to help set the mood. The garden itself is gorgeous but Metro are no fools when it comes to the Great British summer and are prepared for all-weather dining. There’s a covered section giving a lovely outdoors/indoors feel and my date and I were glad to be seated under shelter when rain set in during our visit (despite extensive checking of the weather forecast of course!).

The rain could not dampen our enjoyment however and it was a delight to be looked after by Fran and her team for the afternoon.  The staff cannot do enough for you and kept our glasses full and advised us knowledgeably when we struggled to choose from the menu. A small but perfectly formed wine list made it easy to pick a bottle and the Pinot Grigio went down a little too easily (the second bottle even more so!).

Our food came promptly and piping hot and was simply delicious. My date opted for the roast beef (it felt rude not to on a Sunday afternoon) and was most impressed by the laden plate when it arrived. There were delicious cuts of meat with all the trimmings, and so plentiful was the food he even didn’t seem to mind when I stole a mouthful or two which is always a sign of generous portions..."

Click here to read the rest of this review and to see how our Bad Date Blogger (this time enjoying a Good Date!) enjoyed the rest of her date at Metro Garden Restaurant.

Bank Holiday Romance

So, the first Bank Holiday of the year. The weather has been fantastic over the last few days and summer's on its way, so Miss Mary thought she would plan a romantic little trip to the New Forest - she and Other Half will be staying in the adults only (ooh err) section of Toms Field Campsite in Hampshire.

The BBQ has arrived from Amazon, the sunglasses have been returned by the friend whose sunny garden they were left in, the sun cream's been dug out from the back of the bathroom cupboard, the weather forecast has been checked… hang on… what… change of plan? No way! Miss Mary's a true Brit and there's nothing we Brits love more than a little bit of friendly competition from the weather!

Other Half is not so excited about putting the sun cream back in the cupboard and swapping his flip-flops for a pair of wellies, but hey-ho it will still be a great weekend!

If you're not convinced that camping makes a great date you'd be wrong. Miss Mary isn't exactly suggesting it for a first date (that would definitely be a bad idea) but it's a great thing for couples to do. At the risk of sounding like a therapist, it gets you out of London, away from your laptop and (although I hate the phrase) it allows you to spend "quality time" together.

Having said that, it might be worth asking Miss Mary on Tuesday what the definition of "quality time" is, as she and Other Half will be coming to terms with the fallout over the tent-assembly-in-the-rain/dark situation!

If you think you've got a better idea for a great date this Bank Holiday weekend (some would argue that wouldn't be very difficult) then let us know. Post a comment below, on the website, on the facebook page, or email us.

Whatever your plans are this weekend - enjoy!

sunny afternoon in Ham...

I love London but I'm a country girl at heart so there's nothing I like more than getting out of the city. But, when the weekend is so precious I don't want to spend half of it in the car! So what's the answer? Ham! Not the kind that goes in a sandwich but the kind that sits between Richmond and Teddington on the mighty River Thames.

There are two ways of doing this. Either park your car in the National Trust car park at Ham House or hire a boat from Richmond and row up stream. I've never done the boat option but it's on my list! Anyway, organise your day as you wish but this is how we did it… We walked to Ham village green, which is a picture perfect English scene. I don't think I've ever been there when there hasn't been a game of village cricket going on! Then we walked into Richmond Park (always a GDG favourite), turned left by the Ham Gate duck pond and eventually popped out at the Petersham Gate. We then bravely walked passed one of my favourite spots - Petersham Nurseries, where the tea shop is located in a converted garden shed and the restaurant in an old glasshouse. It is a quirky and beautiful spot but it gets busy (hence why we gave it a miss on such a sunny day) so if you want to go to the restaurant you really have to book.

Head a little further down the river bank and you get to Ham House. It's worth a whiz around the gardens (and house if you like that sort of thing) but most import is the tea shop! It's located in the old Orangery Kitchen Garden and is an idyllic spot, away from the chaos of the river on a sunny day. Laze around the gardens at Ham for as long as you want or take a stroll along the river bank - there is always something going on. If you want to venture further afield you can always hop on the £1 ferry outside Ham House that takes you over to the other side of the river…

It is so easy to walk from place to place along this stretch of the river that you can happily while away a romantic summers day. This is a perfect date for those wanting to bask in the glory of their existing romance, but equally good for those early days when you want to get out of London but aren't quite ready for a mini break!