This is how I picture every week should end – Cocktails and nibbles!  TGIF, she sighs taking another slurp of the Breakfast Martini.

This week I have picked award winning Park Terrace at The Royal Garden Hotel – http://www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk/Restaurants-Bars/Park-Terrace It’s ideally situated in the heart of Kensington with views over Hyde Park.

I’ll be honest, this wasn’t an obvious choice initially, but I’d heard so many great things about the food, I needed to see for myself what all the fuss was about.

As I walk in I can hear the pianist playing, which is pleasant on the ears, especially after a day at the office listening to KISS.  I’m waiting for the boy to arrive and checking out the cocktail menu, ahh so many to choose from, thank goodness the bar staff are only too happy to make recommendations.

He arrives,  not before a quick peck on the lips are we ordering more breakfast martini’s. We devour two, oh okay four bowls of nuts and olives, and then it’s time….. “Can I show you to your table?”

There was so much choice and tonight I wanted to be a little more adventurous, I love food, but always tend to play it safe and stick with what I know, vegetarian starter, steak main and chocolate dessert.

So here is what we went for……..

I opted for the Free-range chicken and chorizo pressed terrine  with Puy lentil & vinaigrette, not something I would usually order, and now definitely something I would order again! So much flavour in this little dish!

Steve went for the sesame seared tuna loin with a bloody Mary sorbet, I’m not a fish lover, but was pleasantly surprised when going in for a bite, at how well the combination of the sorbet, sesame seeds and tuna just worked, a well thought out dish, that did leave me wanting more.

So still on the adventure trail I ordered Glazed Blythburgh pork belly with Macaroni gratin, quince jelly and golden sultana jus. I’m not sure I’ve ever had pork belly, but I will say this, I would definitely have it again, it just fell apart in my mouth. What I love about this dish is the element of fine dining and then that little bowl of Macaroni gratin, bringing a level of comfort to it.

Someone had to order steak, and Steve did just that with the Grilled West Country “Black Label” sirloin steak accompanied by Duck fat chips, field mushroom, broccoli tops,  and choron sauce, I will admit I was jealous staring across the table at his plate, and the picture doesn’t do it justice, it was superb. That said I absolutely made the right choice with the pork belly!

By this point we were so full, we had to leave some time before ordering dessert. As you know I would always usually go chocolate, but not today, especially after the dishes that went before, I wanted something, refreshing.

Refreshing is exactly what I got with the Strawberry yoghurt sorbet, Sweet and sour strawberries and lemon sablé. A dark chocolate twirl snuck it’s way on to my plate (yes!), snapping pieces off and scooping up the sorbet, this is heaven on a plate. The small doughnut on the side smelt divine, as I cut in I was presented with a whole strawberry, which had gone a little gooey from the heat, ah I love this dessert! Steve finished it off for me, but not before tucking in to his Toffee chocolate tart and Beurre noisette ice cream!

As if we hadn’t eaten enough, we finished off with coffee and petit fours from award winning pastry chef Tracy Crawley!

There was a cheese course to follow, but we had eaten so much I was literally about to burst, the waiter kindly offered to box this for us, it would’ve been rude to say no.

Time for a “TAXI” to take me home so I can lay on the sofa, feet up, and enjoy that warm, fuzzy, over eaten feeling!

The staff were 5 star, outstanding service and food, the whole experience was such value for money, you too can enjoy this full package for around £100 for two people!