Porte Noire Kings Cross London

It's not entirely surprising to spot a dog in a London restaurant these days, but it's rare to see one looking so much at home as Cooper, who sits with diners in @portenoirekx. This wine/bar bistro is the project of @idriselba and the restaurateur @monsieurfarber, to whom the 7-year-old Labradoodle belongs. Cooper can be found in the dining room most nights. On the rare occasion when a diner has a problem with dogs, he's happy to hang out in the fine-wine room. I attended a Champagne dinner last night, which is a bit ridiculous as I've stuck with Dry January and I missed out on what I know to be excellent @portenoirebrands wines. Rather to my surprise, the food was so good, I didn't particularly care. We enjoyed a menu of Truffle and mushroom arancini, truffle mayo; Devonshire hand-dived scallop, Bresaola crisps; mushroom parfait, shiitake, grilled sourdough; stuffed calamari, sun-dried tomato tahini; miso black cod. celeriac, confit carrot, sauce Meuniere; Hereford beef short ribs, BBQ glaze, with chickpea chips; and a dessert selection of burnt matcha cheesecake/ chocolate cremeux, Calabrian olive oil, Maldon sea salt. I feel that Brazilian-born chef @eduardobordereau deserves at least a Michelin Bib Gourmand. Indeed, his dishes were better than I have eaten in some Michelin-starred restaurants. The venue was originally conceived principally as a wine bar, but there has been so much interest in the food, a separate dining room will open this year. Thank you to Cooper for inviting me. #rvinesdines Less