But if you're going to rebel against the botanical cuisine craze and indulge in some guiltier pleasures (it's still tipping it down outside after all), you might as well make sure they're gourmet ones so that you get serious satisfaction, rather than a dose of food poisoning.

Chiswick might not be the hippest part of town but now that Eco pizzerias have opened a new branch there we might be tempted to stop off for delectably crispy-based porcini and truffle oil pizza which is also topped with the finest fontina and fior di latte mozzarella.

The burger at New York-style brasserie Village East takes some beating (chain restos step aside) with its lethal combination of a West Cork minced beef pattie topped with caramelised onion marmalade and foie gras, and the macaroni cheese I had at the Regent recently was close to perfection.