Mary Taylor Simeti of the Financial Times visits Piccolo Napoli in Palermo. She says the restaurant's international acclaim is well-deserved and enjoys the specialities pasta alla Luciana with cuttlefish and the pasta con I ricci, made with sea urchin roe.
Mark Palmer of The Daily Telegraph revisits the River Café in London. Although there is no river view, he enjoys his lunch at this “superior caff”. At £95 per head, he judges the food “as fabulous as the prices.” The squid is “perfect” and the ravioli is “softer than snowflakes”. The chargrilled leg of lamb is “scrumptious” and the signature pudding chocolate Nemesis shows “excellence”. He awards it 8 out of 10.
Giles Coren of The Times visits Wild Honey in London’s George Street with AA Gill as a companion. Gill’s ultra-critical girlfriend claims that the wild rabbit and foie gras boudin blanc tastes “like poached penis” and “the cod is odd”, though Coren merely criticises a slightly fibrous bavette. A chastened Coren awards the restaurant 7.33 out of 10, and includes that Gill’s girlfriend is the real author of his restaurant reviews.
John Walsh of The Independent also visits Wild Honey, describing it as “quite clubby”. His roast chicken is “as tender as a baby’s cheek” but the sea bass, although “nicely and firmly cooked”, is overpowered by the salsa. He finds the puddings “sensational”, especially the wild honey ice-cream and the roast peach which is “a dream”.
Mathew Norman of The Guardian visits Baslow Hall in Derbyshire, a country house hotel, which is “ a pearl among swine”. The service is cheerful and chatty, the prices are attractive and the smoked salmon risotto is “as fine a risotto as I’ve had in years.” The main course of pork is “a triumph” and the Neapolitan terrine with chocolate sorbet is “fluffy” and “lethally chocolatey”. He awards it 9 out of 10.
Financial Times 4/8/07 page 5 (Life & Arts)
The Daily Telegraph 4/8/07 page W16 (Weekend)
The Times 4/8/07 page 58 (Magazine)
The Independent 4/8/07 page 39 (Magazine)
The Guardian 4/8/07 page 60 (Magazine)
