The best things we ate and drank in May

The Morrison Room (Maynooth, Ireland) - Tempura short rib

Adam Nevin, previously Head Chef at The Grill at the Dorchester, has opened his restaurant at Carton House in Maynooth (about 30 mins from Dublin) to great acclaim. A recent visit (look out for a Test Drive soon) showcased a excellent dinner, one of the best examples of fine dining we've had in quite some time - and in a spectacular location too. Top of a highly accomplished menu was this element of the beef course - a deep-fried, extremely crispy tempura short rib. Easily one of the very best things we've eaten anywhere, either in Ireland or the UK, this month., 

34 (Mayfair) - Ravioli primavera

Part of the new spring menu from Executive Chef, Tim Hughes, and Head Chef, John Edwards this is a mass of tiny ravioli served as a single sheet and stuffed with buffalo ricotta, wild garlic & Amalfi lemon. 

Lamb chops (Soho) - The Devonshire

This is the third time we've eaten at The Devonshire since it opened (excluding many visits to the pub downstairs) and it remains as excellent as ever. Busy even on a Monday evening, the lamb chops are still among the very best we've had in town of late, although we'd also like to give a quick shout out for an excellent crab salad that's currently on the menu. 

Roka (Fitzrovia) - Wagyu tempura

A return visit to Roka, which is celebrating its 20th birthday this year, reminded us exactly why this restaurant has not only been in business for two decades but still packing them in every day of the week. Asparagus yaki is always good, but this wagyu tempura won us over completely.

Forza Wine (Peckham) - Frozen daiquiri and cauliflower fritti

A burst of summer sunshine had us heading up to the rooftop at Forza Wine in Peckham for peak views over London and some excellent frozen cocktails. Best of the bunch was a frozen grape daiquiri, perfectly paired with a plate of fried cauliflower and some punchy aioli.

OMA (Borough Market) - Lobster Thermidor borek

With the duo of OMA and Agora, David Carter has another massive hit on his hands. We were left incredibly impressed with this pair of Greek restaurants which brings something genuinely new (with a great vibe) to the market. There's much to choose from on either of the menus, but whatever you do, don't miss the borek. It's been crab before, but this lobster version, spilling over with thermidor sauce, is fantastic. 

The Prince Regent (Paddington) - Pollock with Jersey Royals

A lunchtime cruise along the Regent’s Canal on The Prince Regent was a real treat, not least for this perfect fish dish of pollock served on a bed of Jersey royals and wilted spring greens with a memorably good smoked butter hollandaise sauce.

All’onda (Fitzrovia) - Risotto Milanese

When a restaurant sets out its stall as specialising in risotto, you’ve got to hope they do it well. Happily, the saffron and bone marrow risotto, topped with pieces of compressed veal and drizzled with parsley sauce

Cloth (Smithfield) - Lincolnshire Poacher croquettes

Sometimes a restaurant surprises you when a menu doesn't really do justice to what's going to arrive at your table. That was the case with these cheesy croquettes at Cloth in Smithfield. Perfectly formed and served with a piquant walnut ketchup, they heralded a great meal ahead. 

Cafe Britaly (Peckham) - Porchetta

Most mentions of this British Italian fusion cafe in Peckham has been about their fried egg-topped carbonara, but there's a lot more to look forward to from a visit to Cafe Britaly not least if it gives you an option to try this impeccable porchetta. Even better, on Sundays, they serve this up as a full-blown roast with potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. 

Julie's (Holland Park) - Duck liver schnitzel

The arrival of a new owner and chef has given a new lease of life to this much-loved Holland Park institution. We had problems working out what to order because pretty much everything on the menu here sounded good. But we definitely made the right choice with this dish of duck liver schnitzel, served on shallot marmalade and topped with a teeny fried quail's egg.

Frank's (St James) - Comté gougères and vesper martini

With so many members' clubs St James can be a hard part of London to find a decent watering hole. The good news is that the bar downstairs at Maison Francois is always a good bet. A pre-theatre drink and snack here included a plate of their always-on gougères which were every bit as good as we remembered.

The Cocochine (Mayfair) - Slow-roasted Rowler Farm lamb, onion, peas, lamb jus

Newly opened on Bruton Place just off Berkeley Square, The Cocochine is serving up a very enticing a la carte menu at lunchtime. One of the dishes we most enjoyed by chef Larry Jayasekara (ex-Petrus) and his team was this superb lamb cutlet. The lamb itself comes from the restaurant's co-owner financier Ian Wace's Northamptonshire Rowler Estate. 

Trio au Chocolat (Mayfair) - The Connaught Pattiserie

At the Connaught, Nicolas Rouzaud (teaming up with food and travel writer Milly Kenny Ryder) has created the Trio au Chocolat - a very fancy version of a pain au chocolate that features white, dark and gianduja (milk + hazelnut) chocolate. It's very, very good, and pretty well priced at £4, so if you're in the area and in need of a snack, it's well worth popping in here.