Aficionado: Tuesday Tasting Menu @ Duke Bistro

I dined at Duke Bistro once before in late February. My memory of the event is a little shady - I'd had champagne at a friend's house and a few beers with the sexy blonde girls who I used to work two doors down from; before meeting work colleagues, dashing to the Duke for a quick drink, and then running off again to another party.

I remember lounging in the dark and sipping on a Penicillin, my senses awash with the warmth of smoky scotch and honey. Complimentary dishes arrived at our table, thanks to the magnetic pulling power of the very charming EggBert - ex-partner in crime to Mitch The Pasta Master from Sepia days. There was something with prawn and a bizarre seaweed I'd never seen before, slivers of cured ham of some description, a smoky soup with clams and fregola perhaps? Details are wishy washy at best. It was damn good though, and I've been dying to return ever since.

What a serendipitous moment to find an old friend slaving over the hot coals of my desires. Textural delights, meat mastery, edible flowers and housemade butter for crying out loud! This is love - the real thing, but beware. Kate Moss was here. This Duke is addictive.