London: Tourist at Home

The benefit of being an English tourist in England is that you can put your head down and power round the tube like you live there (London, not the tube that is) and grumble at other tourists without feeling hypocritical. The other strange thing is that we were a rare breed, amongst the French, Indian, African, Polish, Russian and many other nationalities - not lest the several million Australians that populate London we felt like tourists in our own capital city. Surrounded by the chatter of every language but English we felt like we could be anywhere in the world, and felt sorry for those tourists seeking an 'English' experience because in London, you're not going to get it.

Aside from these strange elements we had a cracking weekend, and in oder to bring you the best review of London we felt inclined to dine at the best restaurants and drink in the most luxurious bars. Such a hardship.


First up was a little pre-theatre experience right next to the Lyceum Theatre (for the superb Lion King) called Indigo, part of the One Aldwych Hotel. With two courses priced at £16.75 and the most efficient service this well oiled machine is perfect pre-theatre. We had beautifully cooked sea bream of steamed vegetables followed by the most beautiful desert of basil creme brulee, sounds strange tastes like heaven.


Saturday we headed over to Scott's of Mayfair (part of the Le Caprice and Ivy family) for a late lunch/early dinner event. Apart from a little haphazard service - due to the switch over of staff from lunch to dinner, we had en excellent meal. Starting with a dozen Maldon Rocks oysters we went on to try the days special of Turbot in Bernaise sauce (between two), Fillet of Gurnard and John Dory with a clam and saffron broth and Atlantic halibut with smoked salmon cabbage and chive butter sauce - all of which were excellent, especially the turbot which was to die for.
We polished off our extravagant lunch with a honeycomb ice cream with hot chocolate sauce which set very pleasingly on top to create a chocolate shell - desert heaven. Finally we were presented with a plate of macaroons with a happy birthday message for me on - very sweet of them! The macaroons made me jealous, I must try harder with mine. Damn it.


Our third meal was Sunday lunch at the world famous Ivy restaurant in Covent Garden. Celebrity spotting aside the meal was beautiful, and the service to the highest standard, with an air of old fashioned fine dining. My started of Gorgonzola dressed spinach salad with pine nuts shocked my taste-buds in the best possible way - I have never had such an exciting salad experience, well who has? Then onto the main course, I indulged myself with a skate wing, amid biological explanations from Moo about how they're not really skate, regardless it was beautifully cooked, topped with tiny shrimp and caper butter. The finish the weekend of excess we had to go for the signature desert of Baked Alaska. The waiter appeared with the unbaked Alaska then processed to light the jug of brandy infused berries and pour over the meringue, while it cooked he sliced the pieces and topped with the flaming sauce to ensure hot meringue with ice cream inside. The fruit was so boozy my mouth was numb, which was calmed by the sweet Italian meringue and cold ice cream. Imaginative, spectacular and so so tasty.