Last month, Himself had yet another birthday! Well better than the alternative is what I say! #2 daughter the willowy brunette asked, if it were a significant birthday, my reply was you are only ?  ( thats a secret, but you may guess!) So yes! But of course you only have a first birthday once, or twenty first, or even a hundredth birthday just once!

Having had the first of his birthday dinners , in Northern France, this time it was with kids and spouses in London. Having been completely underwhelmed by our Michelin star experience, I decided to try a different track, but booked equally a long time ahead.

Back in the Spring, well Valentines day to be precise, himself discovered a small restaurant in Marylebone, London called Roganic. And although this restaurant is fairly new, it started out life as a Pop up, and four years it was re-incarnated into a full blown proper restaurant. It is the brain child of Simon Rogan and his first restaurants are in the village of Carmel in the Lake District, L’Enclume, plus a farm, plus a shop, plus Aulis, his development kitchen. Now in London there is Roganic, and another Aulis, and likewise in Hong Kong. As of this October there is another restaurant , again in the Lake District, Lake windermere, called  Henrock. ( my only fear is that he will run out of steam and some will close ( as in the case of Jean Christophe Novelli or of a lesser chef, Jamie Oliver).

So back to Roganic, Marylebone, on the back of our February visit, I researched Aulis and found that it was in Soho and held just 8 people. it is possible to book just for one, or as I did I booked the whole 8, and I booked it in March just to be sure.

It is very much an experience, two chefs create in front of you and they are very creative, and such nice young men to boot. I had informed them ahead of time that my daughter in law, the lovely Helen was pregnant and as such was not drinking alcohol, nor eating un- pasteurised milk or cheese and no shell fish.

Upon arriving, down a tiny street , in Soho, we actually wondered if we had come to the correct place. In fact it reminded me of an old song  Green Door. Whats that secret you are hiding behind the green Door?, Well it wasn’t a green door, I think it was black, could be wrong, but the street, or more of an alleyway is very non-descript and the kitchen has white out windows, next door to a tanning salon. Willowy Blond and husband arrived first and did begin to wonder. But all was well.

The chefs were a delight, and had taken on board my requirements, and so when we had bubbles, Helen also had bubbles but the non alcoholic kind, likewise with white wine, and likewise with red wine. To be honest with you, the menu gives Nothing away, so be prepared to sit back, watch, eat and enjoy.See if you can follow the menu and match them up with the dishes served.