Not to beat about the Bush

The Old Bull and Bush

Location: Golders Green, London

Rating: One star

Golders Green: I've never been there before and I'm not sure I'll be returning if The Old Bull and Bush is the best they've got to offer.

This may seem a little harsh, and I'm sure the people of Golders Green are lovely, but The Old Bull and Bush is to gastro pubs what Wayne Rooney is to football - an utter disgrace.

Based on a recommendation from a colleague(!), last night a friend and I hopped on the bus and headed out of Kentish Town full of high expectations of a cracking dinner.

On arrival, however, we were a little underwhelmed. The place is huge, but unless your taste in decoration leans toward the blandness of magnolia, coupled with painfully boring furniture and a few dismal pencil drawings, then it's hardly inspiring.

But, we thought, the service and food will surely be an improvement. We thought wrong.

A wall of grunts and frowns greeted us at the bar - expressions we couldn't avoid after being stuck in a four-deep queue, thanks to the speed of the staff equally that of a sloth.

Then, after finally finding a table outside, we had a quick scout round the surrounding tables to gauge what the food was like. Not Good.

Sloppy pasta, poorly presented racks of lamb and worse of all....a burnt fillet of beef wellington.

With a sense of disappointment already settling deep into the pits of our stomachs, we then had a look at the menu. And this place isn't cheap. For the beef wellington as it stands, with no sides, is a hefty £25.

With this on our minds we opted for sharing two stonebaked pizzas - which can never be that bad. Right?

Think again.

Soggy, doughy bases covered in bland, flavourless toppings left us both feeling a little queasy. The pizzas were definitely the cheapest option on the menu, as the Margherita (pomodoro, mozzarella, oregano, basil) was only £7.45 and the Alla Funghi Bianco (mozzarella, mushrooms, spinach, raisins, truffle oil) was very reasonable at £9.95. But still, this food was grim. I'd expect better from Camden's all-night burger bars, which rely on their customers being so drunk that their taste buds have stopped functioning.

So by all means form your on opinion about The Old Bull and Bush, but I'd happily put money down that you won't be gnawing at the bone to make a repeat visit.

www.thebullandbush.co.uk

P.S. You'll need patience if you visit their painfully slow website and beware the photos of smiling staff - they must have been models.

To the stars

Pied à Terre
Rating: Five stars

Nestled among Charlotte Street's bustling eateries, the seemingly discreet Pied à Terre is home to some of the Capital's most spectacular cuisine.

In March, to celebrate my birthday, my boyfriend took me on a surprise visit to the two Michelin star restaurant. And we weren't disappointed.

From the haughtily proud host and waiting staff to the enthusiastic assistance of the talented sommelier, Pied à Terre smacks of a restaurant that exceeds the norm. The impecable service was also extended to our taste buds, as Aussie chef Shane Osborn proceeded to wow them with every mouthful.

After sipping delicious champagne cocktails and enjoying intricately designed canapes that made us drool on their arrival, we then tucked into our starters. At £60 a head for a starter and a main, Pied à Terre isn't cheap, but the quality of food ensures it's still good value.

My starter of poached skate with a truffle and parmesan crust, suckling pig belly, braised leek, creamed chanterelles, cider and shallot jus proved that simple isn't always best. My boyfriend's starter of roasted quail breasts and confit leg with a salad of beetroot, cornichons, lancashire bomb cheese and pinenuts also exceeded expectations.

We put our trust in the sommelier's expertise and for each course asked him to provide the perfect wine. A decision we didn't regret. As we smoothly transgressed between New World and Old World wines, each glass had one thing in common; they perfectly complemented our choice of dishes.

For our main dish I ordered roasted breast of black leg chicken, creamed shiitake mushrooms, butternut squash, ventreche and black truffle, while my boyfriend opted for poached monkfish with salt baked Jerusalem artichokes, trompette de la mort, sea purslane, truffle and lemongrass jus gras. The quality of food, both in terms of taste and presentation (all of our dishes looked like pieces of art) continued to impress and remained faultless.

We finished our dinner with coffee, which comes with a tower of petits four - each one a beautiful crafted, sugary mouthful.

A top night, with top food and drink - I seriously recommend a visit to this gem of a restaurant. Enjoy!