Quo Vadis, London W1, restaurant review She asked the waiter sweetly what kind of sadist would put a Jerusalem artichoke soup on the theatre menu; he wisely ignored her and she chose instead the beetroot and egg salad (£5.50), which sounds incredibly 1980s - one carrot short of a Russian salad - and tasted exquisite. Anyone can boil an egg, right? I'm not going to insult Lee by telling you what the egg was like. But the beetroot came as a mélange of very tasty, straight purple and a couple of giant shards of golden beetroot that had been smoked. Some lamb's lettuce strewn about was a nice canvas for some delicious mustardy mayo. It was wholesome, simple with a kink, and very appealing to all the relevant senses. I had salsify in a parmesan case (£3.50 - huh, I only just noticed how cheap that was), and this was also a classic with a twist. Or, at least, I see it as a fresh take on asparagus wrapped in parma ham. The salsify was poached and pale, had a delicate flavour and a satisfying bite. That bit was great. The parmesan I didn't go a bundle on; I dislike the fiddle of turning it into a kind of fancy cheese casement, and its very thinness seemed to deflate its flavour. O's rib of beef (£45) was big enough for two, or at a pinch three, the chips were lovely and crunchy - very Heston circa Hinds Head - and I'm going take a deep breath and try to describe the beef without having to leave my desk and forage for more meat. As I say, a huge rib, carved laterally and inch thick, each slice so perfect it almost glowed red, a thick seam of fat right through it that I can only call wondrous. A very fresh and peppery horseradish sauce and some quirky pickled walnuts made an unfussy fork of transporting tastiness. I had the Middle White pork (£16 - it's a breed not a cut, I know that, and yet I still always expect it to come from the middle), with some fat cannellini beans slathered in a punchy gremolata (a gorgeous accompaniment) and a nice green salad (£3.50). The pork was uncanny; it had all the juiciness of a slowly braised joint, and yet was daintily sliced and very firm-textured, in a way that you'd expect to result from a roast. I can't account for it; all I could do was humbly eat it. Fast. My pud was a walnut meringue cake (£5.50), perfect in every way. I believe the walnuts had been candied before they were introduced to the cake; everything was just-so and yet intense, with pillows of cream calling one's attention away from the sweetness and towards its general heavenliness. O had a bizarre concoction of burnt shortcake (£5.50 - and I do not think the burning was deliberate), sandwiching a very tangy goat's curd and a marmalade that complicated and embittered, but didn't really improve the experience. One false note, though - the rest was lovely. The Lavender House 39 The Street, Brundall, Norfolk (01603 712215) With a menu celebrating produce from Norfolk's fields and fens, this thatched restaurant transforms a simple beetroot salad with whipped goat's cheese and beetroot ice. Spiced apple cake comes with ice cream made from the local beer (£39.95 for three courses) The Marquis Alkham Valley Road, Alkham, Kent (01304 873410) Stop off at this revamped 200-year-old inn for a locally sourced lunch of crispy pig's trotter with piccalilli and foraged creeping charlie (an edible ivy). For pudding, try the rhubarb with sweetened goat's curd (£42.50 for three courses) Pipe & Glass Inn West End, South Dalton, East Yorkshire (01430 810246) Expect more top-notch British cooking at this award-winning pub, from potted meats and suet puddings to a lemon and thyme posset. The beef fillet comes with a bone-marrow fritter and pickled red-onion salad (£24.95)