Pie

I went to the gym, which seemed quite remarkable for a Saturday, but we'd been pottering about the house, and before we went out for the evening, I decided to try something healthy.

After I survived almost two and a half miles on the treadmill, I came home and swiftly changed before PY, and I headed to Soho to meet Phil and Wei in a place that I learned is often called "Grande Dame of Old Compton Street", but I know it as "Comptons of Soho". A table had been booked in the upstairs lounge area, although it was a bit squashed in a corner. We chatted over a couple of beers before we headed out for a swift walk to the Holborn Dining Room.

The menu at the Holborn Dining Room is more refined than last night's steak menu. The focus is on classic British and European-inspired dishes, but they are known for their signature pies featuring traditional fillings like chicken with chestnut mushroom or a braised beef steak with blue cheese). There was an Isle of Wight Tomato salad for starters that PY tried. I went for the pork version, but PY's version featuring blue cheese was, apparently, delicious.

For dessert, I skipped the sticky toffee pudding and caramelised apple tart and chose the British cheese selection. I often complain about how frugal some places are with cheese biscuits or bread. There was no problem here; the portions were very generous. Maybe for £21, they can afford to be.