Upstairs at The Oak, Notting Hill, London

The only reason that found me here was that I friend and I were meeting for drinks a few weeks ago. We catch the same bus but from different directions, so we agreed to meet at a specific bus stop. Due to the bad weather, my friend text me to say that he was to be found in the upstairs of a pub called the Oak.

I made my way up the narrow staircase to come into a room so elegant and stylish, certainly not a pub. Vintage leather armchairs paired with velvet sofas, make give it a luxurious feel.  Quite a young, trendy vibrant crowd which were there to enjoy pre-club drinks I would say. I arrived, a glass of wine awaiting me.

Of course, being me, no night is quite complete without some food. Due to the rain we settled on the bar food. The food menu consists of a selection of tapas dishes. We opted for the sauteed chorizo (£5.25), zucchini fritta (£5) and the selection of three cheeses (£11).

This is probably the best bar food I have ever had. The chorizo was perfect with a hint of lemon to compliment the spice. The zucchini was simply perfect, with a light batter and cooked so that it was crunchy enough to the bite yet melted in your mouth. And the cheeses were the best possible selection.

There is also a good selection of cocktails, priced at around £8, and wine. Highly recommended!

Upstairs at The Oak, 137 Westbourne Park Road, London W2 5QL, Tel: 020 7221 3355 www.theoaklondon.com