"What does the brain matter compared with the heart?"
Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway
There's something about London that is slightly magical; it's full of literary references and so you can always escape to your favourite novel.
That's exactly what Roisin and I did last week when we escaped to the gorgeous new Dalloway Terrance at The Bloomsbury Hotel.
After a long day at college we were very much looking forward to an evening of luxury, catching up and some excellent food. I love the Doyle Collection hotels; they're so beautiful and really do feel like a home from home right in the heart of London.
Each Doyle Collection hotel has close links with its surroundings which is why the Dalloway Terrace has its name, as not only did Mrs Dalloway live in Bloomsbury, but Virginia Woolf did, too.
We started with a Mrs Dalloway cocktail: a delicious blend of champagne, brandy and sugar that made a lovely start to our evening.
As soon as we arrived I knew I had found a gem of a restaurant in London; it's a stunning setting where you can hide away and just enjoy a meal with friends or even a casual date night. I loved all the lights, the candles - and especially the blankets as it was a cold evening!
Roisin, craving a little of her Irish homeland started with Guinness bread with Dorset crab. A light, fresh dish that was perfectly executed and just the right size for a light starter. A perfect boiled egg sealed the deal; there was one very happy Irish girl on the other side of the table!
True to form I couldn't resist having the seared tuna. Delicious fish that was perfectly seasoned and entirely moreish.
The menu was all so appealing that choosing dishes wasn't easy at all, but I'm so glad I opted for the tuna. Though I would have liked a little more salad, I must say.
Again, main courses were not an easy decision - we had to ask our waiter to come back at least twice as we couldn't decide! Eventually, Roisin opted for the fresh fish and chips which was truly stunning. Light, non-greasy and crisp batter covered flaky, light fish and was served with a generous portion of fries. Comfort food at it's best!
Continuing my fish theme of the evening (and my life) I opted for the tiger prawns served with a chilli aioli that I honestly couldn't get enough of. Move over ketchup, my chips have a better dip now! A generous portion of fish for me, though if I had been eating with Andy I think he would have wanted at least a couple of side dishes.
Making my mother proud I ordered a side salad. This is what I really loved about the Dalloway Terrace: everything here was simple and yet done so well. This rocket and parmesan salad was made with the best ingredients and a very healthy amount of parmesan, which my inner cheese lover adored.
Somehow we still had room for dessert and on recommendation of our waiter we opted for the chocolate pecan slice with raspberries and salted caramel ice cream.
I was in heaven. I adore pecans, chocolate and salted caramel so was fairly sure this was going to be a winner but boy was this incredible.
Entirely moreish and it was a very clean plate when we were finished!
Finally, we opted for a deliciously oozy chocolate fondant to finish what had been a wonderful meal.
A perfect ooze and a delicious, dark chocolate cake-y outer.
Ideal.
A dreamy dinner in a different age in Bloomsbury. I have to say I'll be going back for cocktails and tapas with the girls in the summer; it's one of my favourite outdoor settings in London.
Our meal was complimentary.
