meemalee

Back in June, I told you all that the lovely Mat Follas (MasterChef winner 2009) was allowing me to take over his restaurant in Dorset. That time is finally approaching - this Friday, with the help of Mat and his brilliant crew, I will be cooking a Burmese feast for 40 diners at the Wild Garlic . The menu is a secret, but one of the ingredients I will be using is pictured above. Mr Follas and me You can read more about my forthcoming Burmese night on Foodies South West .

Sometimes when you go somewhere, there's something you always have to try. If you're in Italy, you need to go for pizza. If you're in Hong Kong, you need to check out the dimsum. If you're in Japan, you need to track down some sushi. And if you're in the US, you really ought to have a burger. I'd heard folk rave about In-N-Out before, and been impressed by Harold and Kumar 's quest for White Castle , but as I was based in Evanston, the place I was interested in was a small, independent joint called Edzo's Burger Shop . Open every day except Monday from 10.30 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, Edzo's is a quirky treasure. Whilst it's true that the bottomless soda machine comes as standard, there's also a range of unusual soft drinks such as bottles of guava and tamarind pop. And the four dollar milkshakes come in a range of enticing flavours, with specials for a dollar more - the day we visit, the specials are Spicy Mexican Chocolate and

Odd place, Manchester. Almost as odd as Woking .

I don't like trendy restaurants. You won't see me at the launch for the latest hip and happening place unless it's an accident; for example I once walked off the streets into the Wolseley when it first opened. I probably couldn't get a reservation now, but for what it's worth I rather liked it. But when I'm abroad, I often find myself homing in on places that are "cool", because those are the places that come onto my radar - certainly whenever I ask for a recommendation, nine times out of ten someone will suggest a fashionable hotspot. However, it's thanks to some local friends personally taking us that the husband and I find ourselves going to Girl and the Goat which has just that week graced the cover of Time Out Chicago. I have to admit I feel a certain frisson at being on the cutting edge for once, but this thrill is clouded rather by the concern that a certain Nathan Barley -esque Chicago-dweller who I have no desire to bump into might also

It's my first trip to the States. I've just quit my job. I'm waaay too over-excited, but I catch my breath long enough to ask where's good to eat in the Windy City. L2O is suggested to me by gourmet traveller and, without hesitation, I book. The husband and I are revelling at the view from the top of the Hancock Tower - he waves his hand loftily in the direction of L2O and said "It's just over there - it'll take us 20 minutes to get there, 25 minutes max". 45 minutes later, we're hot and bothered and seem to have overshot L2O as it's nowhere to be found. Turns out it's hidden inside the Belden Stratford hotel behind a nondescript door which is shut tight. The restaurant website is not clear about this, but then it's an arse to navigate and the background muzak meant I did not spend long perusing. A family in front of us tug on the door handle and peer inside curiously, and then, seemingly startled, scurry off to leave us to walk in