Acorn House

I was working in Kings Cross today, just 5 minutes from Robert's office. When it became clear I was going to finish early he had the brain-wave of us meeting for a late lunch at Acorn House. I've heard good things about this place, it's a charity, "a trust committed to the training of young adults in the eco friendly restaurant trade" and it turned out to be absolutely unique in a number of ways. It has an amazing ethical stance: they reuse (wormery on the roof for all leftovers), they recycle, they purify their own water, they never use air-freight, they buy seasonal produce from independant suppliers, they have a strict fish purchasing policy, the list goes on and on...

Anyway, it's positioned in a stange part of town, in the ugly old NUJ building (Robert, of course, says he likes it) on a street corner in the middle of the one way system. Once inside, the place itself is contemporary (if a little bland) and the atmosphere very friendly. My seat vibrated every few minutes when a double decker went past.

The monthly seasonal menu is very exciting and so well set out that you can choose to mix and match exactly as you want. The service is properly passionate - our waitress knew everything from the restuarant's coffee policy to where each cheese came from. Anyway, the food was outstanding. I had Nettle and potato risotto with garlic pangrittata and a glass of scrumpy. Rob had the Duck confit with potato al forno and we shared some salads, including spring beetroots and carrots and toasted fennel seeds. It was superb.

"Have the apple pie," our waitrose told me, I'd never normally choose it for lunch but I took her advice. I'm so glad I did. When I'd tasted the first mouthful: crispy, salty, buttery pastry stuffed with cinnamon and vanilla'd apple and a huge dollop of good clotted cream, I was taken aback at just how brilliant it was. Robert had a wedge of fine farmhouse Cheddar with slices of apple and walnut bread. He ate every single bit of his then ploughed into mine.

Total bill: £52.80. And they do take out too. We very nearly found the The Best Restaurant In London today.