Casa Negra- Shoreditch, London

54-56 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3QR
http://www.casanegra.co.uk/

The creators of La Bodega Negra- the popular peep-show entrance Mexican in Soho- have recently opened Casa Negra, a sister restaurant in Shoreditch. On the Thursday we visited...the bar, dining room and kitchen table (for drop ins) were all packed. We tucked into a large bowl of guacamole with chips,  fire-roasted sweet potato, spicy fried chicken with cabbage & carrot slaw and even spicier pork tacos. The design fuses different themes to form an eclectic mix. Charcoal walls, chandeliers, patterned carpet, vintage mirrors & framed pictures clash with colourful stripey seating and a illuminated, shack-style bar. Margaritas come on the rocks or frozen in a range of flavours and there's a basement club if you want to carry on the night.

Restaurant Story- London Bridge

201 Tooley Street, SE1 2UE
http://www.restaurantstory.co.uk/

My visit to Restaurant Story can only be described as an exciting journey of flavour and creativity. I can't begin to list all the ingredient combinations we tried but it's safe to say each plate displayed culinary skill and innovation of the highest order. Much to our delight we were brought many more small dishes than the six courses indicated on the set menu.

Special mention goes to the 'Bread and Dripping'....a tasty substance that actually drips from a lit candle which you then dip homemade bread into. A particular favourite was heritage potato, asparagus and barley grass that came in a black coal sauce- who knew coal could be so delicious!?

Of the complimentary tasters we were brought at the beginning- peas in a pod with truffle butter or the edible flowers stand out. The 'Storeo'- biscuits made from squid ink with a fish roe filling were surprisingly good. We enjoyed a lovely bottle of Viognier, also available from the bar is ‘The Kernel’- a Bermondsey produced pale ale.

The restaurant name is born from the theme of ‘sharing stories’. Customers experience a journey through food and in turn are encouraged to leave a book that will remain there to ‘evoke the inspiration in others that we hope our food evokes in you’. Bookings are taken for the following month and fill up quickly- no last minute reservations allowed!

Hawksmoor- Piccadilly, London

5a Air Street, W1J 0AD
http://thehawksmoor.com/

Boasting the title 'Best Steak Restaurant' in London and with locations in Spitalfields, Moorgate, Piccadilly and Covent Garden...Hawsksmoor is one for your foodie bucket list.

The impressive starter selection is varied but fresh fish and shellfish make a big impact; dishes such as lobster cocktail, roast scallops with white port & garlic, Hawksmoor smoked salmon  or shrimps on toast all feature.

Your quality rib-eye, T-bone, fillet, sirloin or D-Rump (the list goes on...) has optional sides like macaroni cheese, roasted field mushrooms, buttered greens or 'beef dripping' fries. The usual peppercorn and béarnaise sauces are there to choose but more unusually, stilton hollandaise or bone marrow gravy are on the menu.

The desserts are delicious, the warm sticky toffee pudding with rich clotted cream being the most spectacular.

Inside in reminiscent of an established New York steak house...the green leather seating, mahogany wall panels, geometric window designs and table lamps evoke that mood.

On Mondays you can save by paying a £5 corkage fee and  bringing your own bottle of wine.