Catching up

My dear friend Caro was in town this week from New York for one night only after flying the red-eye from JFK the previous evening. We had a few hours to catchup over drinks and dinner so where better to meet than the very sexy bar at the Nobu Berkeley, which conveniently was across the road from her hotel.

With an extensive sake and cocktail menu, it took some time to decide on drinks. I went with the lime and lychee martini, a fine balance of sharp and sweet. At £12 it wasn't cheap but the elegant surrounds and helpful waiting staff made it worthwhile. A great location to impress a date.

For dinner, we headed to the Mint Leaf, just off Haymarket. We shared two starters (grilled lamb and paneer with apricots), two mains (chicken tikka and sea bream) and dessert (coconut brulee, recommended by our waitress). The food was delicious - all the meats were tender and spicy without overwhelming the palate. Service was pleasant and very efficient. The only downside was the music which was overly loud for a pre-8pm booking. All in all, a great venue for a birthday party with a large group of friends in tow.