Soseki

Guided through Old street towards the City by my GPS and a desire for some quality sushi - led me through many a dark alley to Bury Street. ...Burrrryyyy Street - location of a Japanese establishment called Soseki. Bury Street is an absolutely useless address because all you got to know about Soseki's location is that it's opposite the Gherkin. And if you don't know where the Gherkin is you don't deserve to eat anyway.

Likes of Wasabi, Itsu and Yo Sushi and other mediocre establishments have really spoiled the raw fish experience for me. They made me see Japanese cuisine as something bland and boring, often containing too much rice in proportion to the fish. Soseki gave me a second chance. It was the best sushi I have yet to try. The fish really did feel fresh - something you cannot describe but know when you try it. There was obscenely more fish than rice and my salmon main was a SALMON MAIN!. Maybe they use extra fresh ingredients, maybe their chefs have special flavour enhancing saliva that they secretly inject into the food. I don't know to what the food owes its exquisite flavour. All I know is that Soseki is the kind of place I want to eat at every day.

Not to mention that they made a real effort with design, that there's a surreal view on to the Gherkin and that the prices are high but worth paying.

BARNET OR BARNé

You would usually go to Barnet to house hunt for a suburban repose family home or streak a few footballers that have chosen the leafy mansionesque area as their natural habitat. What I'm saying really is that culinary delights would not spring on top of your to do list.

When a friend recommended Savoro as a deemed food establishment I accepted his invitation with a mild sense of wonder. Savoro is a hotel restaurant just of the local high street. The design unsurprisingly was hardcore hotel classic chic - white starched table cloths and unimaginative lighting. I wouldn't usually overlook these intricate details had not the food been so amazing and well priced and the staff so friendly.

Asparagus taken as a side with some dill sauce merited a mention on all its own. The liver was well flavoured the puree exciting and the duck melted off the bone. I would call the overall tone of menu as British Mediterranean fusion - there were lots of grills and fish to chose from. A glass of white rounded of the dinner nicely and left me stuffed and desperately seeking a couch to repose on and not think. I would definitely recommend this place for a celebration or a party or any sort of get together - its informal enough in that way and lets a lot of people share some good food.