HOT: The Double Club, 7 Torrens Street Islington EC1V 1NQ

I love the tagline for the Double Club, a temporary bar, restaurant and disco designed by Carston Holler; 'where the Congo meets the West, and the West meets the Congo'. Not only that, but as the brightest new thing on the temporary pop-up venue firmanent, it felt like the United Nations. The crowd ranged from blond highlighted Sloanes, glamorous towering Africans a la Grace Jones, awkward buttoned-down white men jigging awkwardly from foot to foot, trendy malnutritioned art-students, and then us - Asian lawyers + Anglo-Saxon lawyers.

Everything in The Double Club is....double. The decor is part Congolese (giraffe print stone walls, African tiling) and part Western (original Andy Warhols on the wall). The menu has Congolese dishes on one side, Western dishes on the other. We tried everything on the Congolese menu and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't something I'd be rushing to try again. Let's just say everything was stew and spinach and it cost 26 pounds. The disco normally switches between the happy lingawa to Western techno, although on Saturday night they had a live Congolese act which got the whole crowd bouncing and waving their arms in happy abandonment.

HOT: Bureau Club, 13 Kingly Court Soho W1B 5PW

It's natural that a glamour-girl like CC would choose to celebrate her 25th birthday in the glamourous members-only club Bureau . You go through a set of unmarked gates, alleys and doors (so no riff-raff will accidentally stumble across it) to enter a dark cavern of low tables and creamy leather banquettes. We were the only table there on a Monday night, so service was extremely friendly and attentive - although it makes me wonder how they make their money.

NOT: Westbourne House, 65 Westbourne Grove, Bayswater W2 4UJ

I can't really give an accurate opinion on this bar as I was outside for most of the night, but I've been ordered to give this establishment a NOT by my friends who tried to get a served on a Saturday night for the following reasons: too crowded; a braying drunken clientele who all got served before them; snooty bar staff; and Jenny was denied entry for no apparent reason and had to prove that Brendan was really her boyfriend and she was really going inside to help him carry drinks.

HOT: Trailer Happiness, 177 Portobello Road Notting Hill

This kitsch tiki bar was the location of a group catchup for Bec, who was dropping into London, enroute to Italy, as part of her 2 month hiatus before shackling down to her corporate job in NYC. The rare London sunshine was still shining when I arrived, so there were drinkers spilling out on the pavement and lolling on the low leather benches facing the street. As the weather turned cooler, we descended into the dim, carpeted interior which was reminiscent of the alleyway bars of Melbourne and which seem to be rare in London. A nice relaxed vibe, well-mixed drinks (I'm told) and comfy leather couches make this a great local bar.

HOT: Green & Red, 51 Bethnal Green Road, Shoreditch E1 6LA

Caroline had been raving about Green & Red since forever, so I thought it'd be a good place to catch up with all my East End buddies (who incidentally all live on the same street!). On a Sunday night it was buzzy with the young and hip imbibing jugs of Mama's Margaritas and digging into the great food. Our group shared antojitos (tapas) of octopus ceviche, chorizo with potato, broad bean salad and meatballs, which were executed in varying quality. I think the kitchen shined much more with the mains; my pork belly and ribs, served with refried beans, fresh steaming tortillas, cabbage and a hit of chilli sauce, was wholesame, tasty and filling. Then to cap it off - long cinnamon-dusted churros with dark chocolate dipping sauce - which convinced even a stuffed-to-the-gills Yalin to have dessert.

HOT: Smithfield Bar and Grill, 2-3 West Smithfields EC1A 9JX

Not to be confused with the more famous Smiths of Smithfields. I don't know why more people don't know about this fabulous bar and restaurant, which serves 2 for 1 cocktails most days from 5-7pm, and 2 for 1 food when you book through toptable. Our group of seven dined in the sunken private dining room, furnished with a creamy leather banquette and our own glittering chandelier. The food was delicious all around, from mussels to garlic prawns to suckling pig to lobster. If the toptable offer continues, I will definitely be back for a Barbican pre-movie meal.

Update 16 July 2008: On a weeknight the glamorous bar turns into a raucous after-work venue with loud live music making for an unpleasant dining experience. Annoyingly, we turned up at 9pm and were told that our orders could not be taken for 30 minutes because of a large group - even though the dining room was only half full. And here I was thinking that a restaurant kitchen should be able to cope with full capacity. The food was a disappointment too - compared to our previous meal, the lobster was overcooked and the mussels starter was small.

HOT: Milk and Honey, 61 Poland Street Soho W1F 7NU

This unmarked bar was the site of our first inaugural MEL 2003 Articled Clerks reunion. We had to hold it in London, as most of us have defected to Old Blighty for better work, better pay and of course, the magnificent weather. The bar itself? I hate the elitism of members-only bars, but when you have a group of people trying to get together for drinks, it can be a handy option. It was dark, busy, the booths were great for a group and the service was friendly and prompt. But not as full of beautiful people as I was expecting, and certainly not somewhere so cool I'd be dying to get in again.

HOT: High Road Brasserie, 162 Chiswick High Road W4 1PR

The brasserie for the plebs who aren't able to get into the members area of High Road House. I loved the colourful floor tiles and the bathrooms, and the food was well-executed British - lemon sole, chips, pear crumble - but not particularly spectacular. So, the major reason it was a HOT? It was paid for courtesy of the company credit card!

HOT: Babylon at Kensington Roof Gardens 99 Kensington High Street

When you haven't felt the warm of sunshine for a long time, it feels like there's an imperative to eat outdoors; hence my second visit to Babylon in a month. The food and service were just as good as last time, with the added thrill of a Real Magician entertaining us in between courses with tricky card tricks and slights of hand.

HOT: Bethnal Green Working Man's Club, Bethnal Green

I'd been wanting to visit this venue ever since I read about this tatty working man's club that hosts all manner of bizarre acts. We spent the night watching the fancy-dress crowd, dancing to the DJ's wildly verring music tastes - but the highlight of the evening was some fat, hairy blokes in obscenely small crop tops and underpants energetically performing a saucy aerobics routine. Fun was had by all and Huy was still picking glitter off this bald head the next morning.

HOT: Babylon at Kensington Roof Gardens 99 Kensington High Street

A HOT place for a lazy weekend lunch and for the first time in 2008, accompanied by (moderately) HOT weather. I love the Roof Gardens for providing an oasis of green calm above the hecticness of Kensington High Street, and the gardens are even home to two carrotty flamingos. The two course lunch on the verandah was delicious and good value for £16.50 - we shared our starter and dessert and still felt very full as we strolled around the Spanish and Tudor English gardens. Watch out for the unusual basins in the toilets!

HOT: Sketch Parlour, 9 Conduit Street, Soho

Huy had been trying to wrangle afternoon tea at Sketch for a long time and I finally had some spare time in my diary :) Sketch is a fantastically theatrical complex of restaurants and afternoon tea is held in the grandly opulent Parlour with big glass bubble lamps, low tables and bijou couches. The high tea is very nice (especially the fruit scones) although I think for the price (£18.50) you get more cake at Liberty. And make sure you visit the famous bathrooms, fitted out with all-white futuristic egg-pod toilets which play farmyards noises.

NOT: Idlewild, 55 Shirland Road, Maida Vale

I wanted to like Idlewild for its beautiful interior of delicate white and gold wallpaper, crystal chandeliers and dark wood but the food was so disappointing. My ale-battered plaice was awfully soggy (compared even with a dodgy fish and chippery in a rural English town) and I suspect that the chips came out of a packet. Annette's steak looked a bit non-descript and they didn't ask her how she wanted it cooked. One main course course, tap water and service came to £18 a head, so I won't be coming back except for drinks.

NOT: Carbon, Old Quebec Street, Marble Arch

Rating this bar was difficult - on the one hand, I hate stupid dress codes (no Timberlands, no trainers, no headgear, casual/glam, Shoreditch style?) and the rigmarole involved in getting on a guest list. On the other hand, the wood and leather interior had a relaxed feel to it, the bar staff were friendly and apparently Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child fame was having a party there. But on the whole, getting kicked off a reserved table (minimum spend £500) and then making people pay £15 for the privilege of entry makes this bar NOT.

HOT: The Lonsdale, 48 Lonsdale Road, Notting Hill

It seems that fashionable Notting Hill-ites go to The Lonsdale to look cool and drink cocktails (Sienna Miller had her store opening party there), which means they are missing out on some of the best food I've had in London. Absolutely to die for: perfectly cooked fennel risotto, seared king scallops and pea puree and an amazing combination of pine nuts and thyme in a pink champagne rhubarb crumble - for only £20 a head. And to top it off, the service was attentive, smiling and friendly. Perfect 10.

HOT: Yauatcha, 17 Broadwick Street Soho

I'd been wanting to try this glamorous yum cha joint ever since Huy showed me its window display of dainty desserts in my first week of London. It didn't disappoint - fragrant tea and beautifully made little morsels served by waitresses who all looked like Singapore Airlines hostesses. A bit more expensive than your usual yum cha scrum (hence very few Asians inside), but nice for a special lunch occasion.

HOT: Tate Modern Restaurant Tate Modern, Southbank

One of my favourite spots in London - the Level 7 restaurant has wall to ceiling glass which provides the most incredible panoramic view of London from Charing Cross to the Gherkin. Lots of people must propose up here because it appears the only champagne they sell is Billecart. The hot chocolate and mulled wine are recommended as well.

HOT: Corney & Barrow Wine Bar, 10 Paternoster Square

An excuse really to catch up with my usual friends while enjoying Mallesons' free hospitality. This wine bar was dimly muted a la Melbourne, the mulled wine flowed freely, the canapes were delicious and in the goodie bag - this year's edition of Mallesons Report. Aw, I felt right back at home again.

NOT: All Star Lanes, Whiteleys, Bayswater

The site of Kel's birthday drinks was only a rainy, freezing 15 minute walk away from the comfort of my house, but frankly if it hadn't been for a special occasion I wouldn't have gone. It was fine as far as the genre goes: American style bar (selling Coors beer), bowling alley and diner (serving thin grey steak sandwiches) - but if you don't drink, can't bowl and can't bear bad food, then there's not much appealing about it. We retreated to the ever-reliable Kiasu Restaurant instead.

HOT: Ping Pong, Soho and various locations

Going inside made me want to eat again (dim sum) but we just popped in for a drink as no other bars were open. Big high stools and a sleek black curved marble bar serving what I'm told are reasonably priced cocktails - I had a yummy mocktail.