London restaurants

I'm going to London for the first time in early
December. I have a week to eat.

Since the restaurant prices are higher than NYC's, I'll
only be doing one or two fancy places. Are River Cafe
and Clarke's still up to snuff?

How about some casual, or ethnic? Vegetarian, Indian,
Vietnamese, Thai...anything special?

Thanks!
Janet

I am in a process to change my place of living and
looking for any job in London.
If you have any ideas please contact me as soon as
possible.

You may consider VIJAY'S in Kilburn (off Kilburn High
Road, near the Kilburn tube stop). They make superb
Northern and Southern Indian dishes. Locals like Brian
Eno even eat there.

Thanks for your tip Allan. Unfortunately we didn't get
up to Kilburn to try Vijay's. Two discoveries we did
make:

Livebait:
a newish seafood restaurant. The chef cooks some wild
combos--his sea bass poached in bay leaf scented broth,
served over spaghetti in a creamy sauce thickened with
a middle eastern condiment called something like
houndami?, with fresh herbs (basil,etc.) was excellent.
Livebait now has 2 locations. We ate at the newer one
in Covent Garden on Wellington St.

high tea at Claridge (some fancy hotel off New Bond
St):
This splurge for L17.50 (for one person) was
surprizingly well worth it. I went more for the
experience of trying coddled cream, a real English
scone, etc. First came 2 (super tender) hot puff paste
savories, an assortment of 5 cold sandwiches (smoked
salmon, egg, etc.) each about 4 bites big; then the
dessert "rack" with 2 raisin scones (with bowls of
coddled cream & strawberry perserves...a perfect
pairing!), a so-so munchkin sugar donut with a berry
filling, and one of the best creme brulees I've eaten.
The teas were fabulous, and everything except the donut
was delicious.

Janet

need a restaurant near Paddington Station to eat a
quick but nice meal with my daughter before catching a
train back home

Any suggestions welcome

sorry - missed the last letter off my e-mail address

[e-mail]