Had a stupendous birthday celebration! On Monday night Stu took me as a surprise to see Les Miserables, and it was just like unexpectedly seeing an old but much loved friend who you haven't seen in the longest time. It transported me back to the young impressionable girl I was who was first enchanted by the production all those years ago in Perth. I still knew all the songs and surrended myself to the spectacle and delight of the show. I've been humming and outright singing snippets ever since! Although, I have to say, the Marius I saw all those years ago was waaaaay better ;)

Stu then surprised me the next day with lunch at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen, which was just a fabulous experience. Although, it is the first time I have ever sent a meal back to the kitchen! I (bravely I might add) ordered chargrilled rabbit as my main. After two incredible starters of onion soup (delicate, hint of sweetness, incredibly moreish) and a type of mozarella where they stop the cheese-making process halfway, add cream, then continue to set it (just, well, orgasmic. Beyond any accuarate description. I could tell you it was gooshy and white with a thin soft crust encasing a sumptuous, oozy splendour of milkily creamy softness that melts in your mouth in absolute deliciousness but you still couldn't imagine what it was like!), well, after starters like this we were expecting equally stunning mains!

Stu's main hit the spot, the most tender, beautifully presented, delicious Welsh lamb with peppers, whilst my rabbit was, well...I couldn't cut it it was that tough. I did try hard. I even asked for a steak knife with which I managed to shear off a few thin slivers so I could at least taste the damn thing. And it was good. Until I finally manged to hack deep into the flesh and found it completely raw. Not rare, but literally uncooked, raw flesh. I suspect the trainee chef forgot which bunny he put on the chargrill when, and I simply got the wrong one. Some poor other unsuspecting luncher must have received a seriously charred little hopper!

The waitress was lovely and could see that I wasn't making it up, and asked if I wanted another. I politely declined, and ordered what turned out to be a showstopper - the Sicilian fish stew. Now this was the quality I was expecting. Clams, mussels, cockels, salmon, red mullet and a langoustine (an eensy weensy crayfish-type creature) placed on a tomato/chilli thick stew, served with toasted sourdough lavishly dripping in freshly made aoli. I had to stop myself from licking the plate. I wouldn't have changed a thing about it. Oh, and our sommelier was Matt Skinner, a semi-famous Aussie (over here anyways) who knows his wines. We had a chat about Pinot Noir and I recommended a certain Frogmore Creek which he hadn't heard of - he has now! Dessert was delicious too, and was washed it all down with two espressos. All in all, a fabulous birthday lunch!