One of my favourite London secrets is Carousel, a wine bar nestled away on Charlotte Street which upstairs is its own thing, but downstairs acts as the host for weekly guest chef residencies from across the world. It’s a favourite of Milly’s and mine, and an ideal fallback for when we can’t think of anywhere else we’d like to go when catching up. This time: Andy and Tiff from The Catbird Seat, a 20-course tasting menu gaff in Nashville, TN, presenting a cut-down version of their menu with a mere 7 courses. It’s phenomenal from the off, with a selection of snacks including a walnut cookie (that looks like a walnut!) filled with chicken liver paté and a blackcurrent jam that from the first bite tells you what you’re getting tonight: in good ol’ US of A fashion, this meal is going to be in your face. There is no room for subtlety here, you are getting big, bold, punchy flavours. But what saves this from getting tired is that there is variety in just how each course is punching you. The smokiness of the bacalaito, the wonderfully dense salt cod fritters; the citrus of the blood orange granita topping the oysters; the hot sauce cutting through the foie gras and cheese tart; the umami of the pork loin balanced by the richness of the whey sauce and roe; the creaminess but lightness of the Pimms and rhubarb sorbet. The treat of Carousel is that it’s all being plated in front of you at a giant kitchen island, and that Andy and Tiff are coming around and having a chat with you. They are genuinely interested in how you are finding it and happy to talk about what’s going on behind the scenes. Throw in a wine pairing for me and some soft drinks for a recuperating Milly, and this is the ideal backdrop for a good old catch up - and hopefully for many more in the future.