I had planned to go to Manzies Eel Pie Shop on Tower Bridge Road, but the hottest Saturday this year put me off. Instead I siesta°d at home after 11.00 am breakfast at La Palma, the Italian caf’ at 75 Union Street (£3.30 for two poached egg on toast and fried tomatoes and a cup of tea). There°s a choice of crusty toast and normal toast, which is ordinary sliced bread. This is a good place for a quick lunch of pasta (£4 a plate) or meat and two veg. and it is also good to know if you eat early as it opens 5.30 am and shuts about 4 pm (1 pm on Saturdays).

If I had not had a late breakfast then I might have had the Saturday summer lunch offer at Livebait at 45 The Cut (£7.50 including a drink). So all I can report is the opening of On Stage (formerly Pandora°s Box) at 65 The Cut. This is a Greek Caf’ which Helen and I have been to a couple of times since it opened.

The food is simple: so far, we have sampled lamb and rice, and vegetarian moussaka, and the wine lovely and smooth, full bodied and very drinkable. They open the front in the sun so you can eat al fresco. I will report further in future.

Robert Holden