Tom Illic

Tom Illic is a restaurant literally around the corner from the flat. It is at the end of our road, and since we have lived in the flat for a month now we felt that it was definitely time to try it.

It seems to have won every award going, from Square Meal to Toptable, to a Michelin recommendation. It was a surprise dinner from the Boyfriend as part of my weekend of spoiling. We got there at 8pm on Saturday and it was packed. With a lively but not obnoxious crowd of all ages - there were elderly couples, big families celebrating birthdays, several tables of young couples and even a family of four with two kids under 10.

The atmosphere was fun. The service was swift, polite but unobtrusive. The menu looked a little pricey, but there was also a very reasonable set menu that looked just as good.

I started with chicken livers pan fried with caramalised red onion and artichoke. It was delicious. Flavoursome without being overpowering and the chicken livers were tender and rich and perfectly paired with caramalised red onion. The bread which came to the table meant that I could spread some of the chicken as a pate - and it went wonderfully with the nutty walnut brown bread.

We both had the sea bass with crushed new potatoes and broccoli. On the face of it this sounded a little dull (fish, mash and greens). But it was far from that in reality. Covered in a well seasoned and mildly spicy dressing the whole dish worked brilliantly. The broccoli was firm and not over cooked, the sea bass steamed to perfection, and the crushed new potatoes were well seasoned and a little crispy on the outside - just perfect.

The Boyfriend had pudding - pineapple tarte tatin with coconut ice cream. He loved it, though it was a little tangy for me (I don't really like pineapple so it was never going to a winner). Being nosy however, I had a good gander at the puddings around and would definitely have gone for the assiette of derserts - a mini portion of each.

Being full of antibiotics meant that alcohol was off the agenda, but the wine list was a good'un. I would have pushed either for a bottle of the Chablis, or, as we were celebrating a nice bottle of prosecco.

Southbank

As we all know, it has been the most glorious week. The skies have been clear and the sun bright. Granted, it has been a little chilly outside of direct beams of sunlight, but it has been the sort of weather which makes me smile to myself as I'm walking, which in turn means that people smile back (they think you're smiling at them, it gets a bit awkward if you don't actually know said people, but hey, it's sunny and so smiling is nice)

And yesterday I enjoyed the sun in the best possible way. I'd finished work, and was planning a rather mundane afternoon of walking home, waxing (bikini and eyebrows) and packing (for my HOLIDAY!!) and then an early night (starting work at the dreaded hour of 4am).

And then Mini rang. And was in Waterloo. And I was in Waterloo, and so it was too good a coincidence to pass by, and we had to meet. Now, if you do not know Waterloo, it is a maze. You only have to look at the vicinity to get lost. There are exits and entrances hidden away, there is the Eye and the bridges, National Theatre and Royal Festival Hall, the river and some grass...

I am smug in my uncanny knowledge of the area. Poor Mini was not. After 20mins I finally spotted her (she was wearing red, and I suddenly got a sense of being part of a real life, giant Where's Wally). I was on the balcony outside The Royal Festival Hall. She was down by the water. We finally managed to both be on the balcony, with chilled glasses of white wine, sunglasses and a direct view of the river and the sunset. Perfect.