She's the woman who's lent her name to a particularly gravelly kind of tone most of us only achieve in the first throes of a cold ("Oh, you've gone all Mariella!"). She tackles reader problems on a weekly basis in The Observer and, as we all know, is a good mate of George Clooney's. But Mariella Frostrup is also someone who knows a fair bit about restaurants, having written an irregular series of interviews for the Observer called 'Lunch with Mariella' in which she interviewed everyone from Alistair Campbell to Stella McCartney over a meal in a restaurant of their choice.
We bumped into the broadcaster and writer a few weeks ago and asked her to tell us where, given the choice, she'd choose to eat out in London.
Lima
31 Rathbone Place, London W1T 1JH
"A new one I've just discovered that I really love is called Lima - which is Peruvian. Not only is the food extraordinarily delicious, but they serve these cocktails called Pisco Sours, which have been a favourite of mine since I visited Peru with my friend Penny Smith and got completely hammered on them."
The Ivy
1-5 West Street, London WC2H 9NQ
"The Ivy for the old-fashioned glamour that it used to have. I'm not sure it still embodies that. But what I like about the menu there is there's always something you fancy - it's got such a strange mixed up menu. You can have a chicken curry if you fancy or sashimi."
Cafe Anglais
8 Porchester Gardens, London W2 4DB
"Cafe Anglais is one which is literally across the street from where I live, so it's extremely convenient. But also I think Rowley is one of the great, slightly under-celebrated British cooks. I love the food there - it's a real treat."
Find out more about Cafe Anglais
More people give us their Hot Dinners picks:
Jamie Oliver: "We had the most fantastic meal there..."
Top food writer Claudie Roden: "I just love the way they cook and because they also do some of the meats and some of the cuts that aren't popular and that I love."
Observer food critic Jay Rayner: "I sneak off to this small, unassuming place."
Paparazzi Richard Young: "The food is impeccable and you are always guaranteed a good crowd."
Author/Editor Saska Graville: ""Maybe I'm biased, but it really does do London's best roast chicken."
Nightclub owner and Royal pal Guy Pelly: ""The food and frozen margaritas are great. I also love how you can sit outside if it is nice weather."
