Table Talk: Where Guy Farrant eats..
I used to be head of food at M&S, and business dinners have always helped me to keep up with emerging restaurants. I'd often choose ones that were 'on trend', so that I could see what the latest restaurant fashions were, and use those to point out what the opportunities were for our new ranges. So restaurants have been a source of inspiration for many years.
One of my 'of choice' restaurants is Le Caprice, near Piccadilly, London. I find it a nice environment, and there are always a number of dishes on the menu that take my fancy. It has a nice blend - it's not too formal or overbearing, and it's where I tend to go when I'm eating on business in the capital.
Le Caprice has been around for donkey's years, and is a sister restaurant to The Ivy. I'm not adept at describing ambience and things, but it's a little like its famous sibling - I suppose you'd describe it as a modern take on a traditional restaurant. Of course, it's also quite popular, so you do need to book it a reasonable time in advance.
It has everything from light, simple food like a well-done fish and chips and a tasty Caesar salad, to duck confit and a good calf's liver. In other words, a lot of classic dishes, but done just right.
