And once inside there were more cool ideas:

The wine list was presented on an iPad so out of stocks instantly disappear.  And if you are interested in a particular wine you can read about the grower, the grapes, the vintages, the tasting notes before you commit…  The only problem was the branding: AA wine list.   Surely Alcoholics Anonymous would have had something to say about that?   

And how do you make water more profitable? Make it more appetising.  We ordered what was billed as cucumber water and what arrived was a tall glass jug of chilled water, complete with an entire cucumber and all its goodness sliced lengthways.  It tasted divine.  And if you’d prefer an alternative, how about water with oranges and Thai ginger, or lemons and limes? 

Simple, tiny, clever touches.

It seems that we’re not the only ones to be impressed.  Matthew Norman’s review in The Daily Telegraph was very complimentary:

“The food was consistently good, and with more rigorous attention  to detail would be outstanding. The menu is split between sushi, tapasy   dishes so beloved of restaurateurs for their profit margins, and main   courses. We went for four small plates and two mains, and enjoyed every one.”

Although unfortunately he didn’t like the iPad wine list much…. 

Our coffee championship will be kicking off at London Coffee Festival to celebrate the second anniversary of Lavazza being the ‘Official Coffee of the Wimbledon Championships’. The first 20 Lavazza coffee fans to take us up on the offer will get a whole host of Lavazza goodies including a limited-edition, specially designed Wimbledon A Modo Mio coffee machine to act as their doubles partner throughout the challenge and beyond. 

Using their coffee knowhow and culinary passion we’re challenging them to recreate a different Lavazza recipe every day (or as many as they can manage), from cappuccinos and lattes to coffee cakes and macarons.  Pitted against fellow coffee-loving bloggers, they’ll need to start serving those aces so they progress into the quarter and semi-finals; showcase their creative prowess and stylistic nature if they want to reach the grand final and win tickets to Wimbledon and a trip to Italy.  

If you’re a blogger and game for the challenge let us know as soon as possible and we’ll send you more details!

Fed up of the washout weather? Add a touch of summer to your Sunday morning (fingers crossed the rain stays away for all those marathon runners!) and get yourself a brightly coloured Lavazza A Modo Mio Extra coffee machine. Compact and easy-to-use – and available in nine happy hues – these trendy capsule machines, with a built-in steam arm, promise the perfect espresso, cappuccino or latte come rain or shine; brighten up any dismal day with an authentic Italian experience at home.

Bright yellow Lavazza Premium A Modo Mio Extra, RRP £125, www.lavazzamodomio.co.uk.

The full range of Lavazza A Modo Mio machines are available at www.lavazzamodomio.co.uk, and other selected department stores such as John Lewis and Selfridges.