Elena's (L'Etoile)

Elena's
30 Charlotte Street, London W1
020 7636 7189

Elena's is a Charlotte Street institution. The kind of place that, in my case, I go to with my boyfriend's parents, or perhaps my parents, when they are feeling in an old-school mood. Apparently, it used once to be a rather high-class brothel. Elena herself - well, let me just celebrate a true legend of the London restuarant scene who, despite old age and infirmity, wears her scarlet lipstick with panache and has a face from the silver screen, as she makes the rounds of her clientele.

It certainly is old-school - signed b&w photos of many establishment celebrities on the wall, and classical, mostly French cooking in the kitchen. The 'best table' is to the left of the door as you enter, in the window but somewhat secluded from the rest of the room by a glass screen, and on the side that doesn't get a draft from the door when it opens. When I went last week, I was not at my usual super-hungry pitch due to ill-advised mid-afternoon snacks from the cake shop below my office, and was a little daunted by the rather rich-looking menu. But I forgot one of the central precepts of classic French cooking, especially in establishments favoured by celebrities: the portion sizes are made for those trying to keep slim while still eating three courses, so I needn't have worried (or ordered the extremely light, salad-based first course rather than the richer one that I was really tempted by)

The quality of the food is good. My starter of a chicory salad with asparagus, chorizo, croutons and poached egg was true to its description, the poached egg immaculate. My main course - slow-cooked lamb 'confit' - was equally so - not going to win the stars for innovation, but perfectly executed, extremely well-presented, tasty stuff. My creme brulee was also classic - none of the twists (raspberries, weird shaped dishes) that you might get elsewhere, but absolutely as creme brulees have probably been made for the last century. It does feel like a step back in time, right down to the waiters with their heavy French accents.

Prices are not cheap but about average for a decent West End meal - mains around £12 upwards, starters £7 upwards. Not breaking the bank, as some online reviewers have claimed. The wine list is solid if not spectacular. The clientele is generally not of the younger generation, so I wouldn't recommend it for a twenty-something birthday party or something, unless you have a particular kind of frineds.. But if you want to have a diner a deux in a grown-up way, or take your parents out, or an old-school client, Elena's definitely makes the grade. It has the shimmer of glamour without any of the in-your-face design, yabbering media darlings or vaguely intimidating menu that come with so many other upmarket West End joints.

River Cafe revisited

Yesterday we were having an office 'away day', borrowing a meeting room next door to the River Cafe, so of course we were compelled to go there at the end for a drink and - oh, go on then, a nibble.

What is so astonishing about the RC is how the quality of absolutely everything is so incredible. Even the smallest thing - a piece of toasted bread drizzled with olive oil - becomes almost orgasmic due to the sheer quality of the ingredients and the care in handling them. We only stayed for two proseccos-and-blood-orange-juice drinks and a couple of starters to share, but in each I was struck again by how much other chefs have to learn from the standards that are set here. Nothing falls down, and for those who balk at the prices (which aren't that high - you can easily eat worse and pay much, much more) or say that 'I could make that at home' - well, actually, just go there and eat and you will see why you can't.

We had squid with fresh chilli, cavolo nero and new season's olive oil - exactly one of those dishes that you see on the menu everywhere and that you think you can make at home. But to get the squid both smoked and crispy from the flame, and meltingly tender, without the slightest resistance, is an incredible skill of timing. Even in the passage from grill to plate to table, most squid will have gone from perfect to slightly tough. The cavolo nero was also perfect, slick with oil without being greasy, full of dark and wintry flavour.

Our other starter was a ball of mozzarella the size of my fist, broken open, drizzled with oil and accompanied by a wild mushroom bruschetta and some swiss chard, gently sweated. Again, the quality of the ingredients shines through and the combination was superb. Anyone who thinks £12 is too much for such a quantity of perfect mozzarella - the hint of a rind on the outside, fresh, smooth, chewy but utterly un-rubbery within - has got to be kidding; and that's without the other ingredients.

We all wished we could stay for dinner properly - but it's testament to quality when you are in dreamland all the way home on the tube, rolling your tongue round your mouth for the last few shreds of taste, unable to think of anything else. Even today, writing about it, I can still feel the texture of the mozzarella in my mouth. Go eat there, people.

Meals of 2005

Happy 2006! and good eating to all of you.

I also promise to blog more here! and to finally at some point make time to do a bit of a redesign and get away from this bland Blogger template.

My best (and unblogged!) restaurant meals of 2005 were:

Roast grouse at the River Cafe for my birthday in October. Always, always, so good.

Late-ish supper at St John Bread and Wine this December, with a group in gaudy fetish-wear at the next table while we were in filthy jeans and t-shirts having run out from repainting my flat, alongside the Miyake-clad of the Hoxton art scene. Epitomising, to me, what is so fantastic about the spirit of this restaurant - it caters for all of us equally. I'm really lucky to have it as my neighbourhood joint.

And many, many fantastic American diner meals all over the country. Special thanks to Waffle House for a great year.