The best things we ate and drank in April

Roe (Canary Wharf) - Caramelised banana parfait, peanut, toasted vanilla

The Fallow team have clearly come up with another winner in Roe, their huge restaurant in Canary Wharf. We'll have a Test Drive up soon, but, in the meantime, this is the dish to beat. The banana parfait looks so much like a banana it's uncanny, even when you cut through it. A truly fantastic dessert that they say took almost a year to perfect. 

Sourdough Sophia (Islington) - Cereal milk cookie

There's a lot to love about this new Islington bakery, particularly the filled bow croissants which look so very pretty. But the one thing that's had us making repeat visits is this amazing cereal milk cookie, hands down the best cookie we've had in years. 

The Connaught (Mayfair) - Connaught Martini

At a party to celebrate their gorgeous new book, there was really only one drink we couldn't leave without trying - the Connaught Martini. Made with Tanqueray N10 gin, dry vermouth and drops of the bar’s own homemade bitters, it’s a legendary London cocktail for a good reason and easily one of the very best martinis in town.

Thirty7 (Covent Garden) - Cheddar beignets with brown crab mayo

These perfect snacks kicked off a great dinner at the new Covent Garden restaurant from The Oystermen. The light-as-a-feather beignets were dredged through an umami-rich brown crab mayo - make these the first things you order if you go.

Lita (Marylebone) - Fuentes Bluefin tuna, corno peppers, coriander, capers

Caught using sustainable techniques in the Mediterranean, the Fuentes bluefin tuna in this crudo dish came with a dressing of corno peppers, coriander and capers. If we hadn’t needed to try more dishes on the menu for our Test Drive we would definitely have ordered a second dish of this.

Trivet (Bermondsey) - Chicken with a vinegar sauce

A dish to challenge the assumption that ordering the chicken is the safe or even boring option on a menu. This Devon White chicken breast at Trivet is poached and roasted before being served with a perfect sauce and a mash so smooth it’s almost criminal.

89 Social (Finsbury Park) - TBC

Something of a hidden gem on Stroud Green Road, this North London wine bar serves up great Italian food. The wine list is a real draw, featuring top-drawer Bordeaux and Barolo with a list exclusively imported by owner Lorenzo. Portions are generous and these arancini, topped with fried sage, were amazing.

TT (Shoreditch) - Hickory smoked ribs

The restaurant on the rooftops of TT (FKA TT Liquor) has become permanent and chef Sam Lone is in charge of a menu that revolves around wood-fired cooking. The pinnacle of that on our visit were these immaculately smoked ribs, perfect to eat under the retractable roof back when it was actually (briefly) warm in London. 

Niju (Mayfair) - Tomato tartare

With chef Endo Kazutoshi presiding over the menu here it’s not all that surprising to find exquisite dishes like the tomato tartare we tried at Niju. It’s made with heritage tomatoes dressed with tomato ponzu and accompanied by a tomato and shiso sorbet which is then finished with a shiso oil.

Unlock (Hackney Wick) - The Unlock

This new pizzeria is doing things a little differently. While you can order something on the more traditional side of things, the real gems are in their "artisan" list, where employ more unusual ingredients. This excellent pizza featured mozzarella, truffle paste, deep-fried mushrooms, prosciutto crudo and parsley.