Hidden Gem:IF YOU HAVE ever wondered why so many people boarding the Dublin flight from Heathrow are carefully carrying boxes from Patisserie Valerie, it's because they're doing what many tourists do: ransacking the London cafes of their exquisite delicacies.
Patisserie Valerie has been an institution for decades; the original shop opened in 1926, and in times past was known for its "bohemian" clientele - that is, drunks and hookers.
Since the gentrification of the area the Soho shop has attracted a more eclectic bunch, not least those who stream in from theatres on Shaftesbury Avenue for some atmospheric late-night nosh.
The food isn't amazing - omelettes, pasta, salads - although the brioche French toast with maple syrup (£4.95/€6.25) can be very good.
As the sit-down food is unremarkable, it's best to use Patisserie Valerie as a hit-and-run takeaway service.
What you require is artfully arranged in display cases in the front window: wickedly indulgent French desserts that will have you swooning with delight even if you don't normally have a sweet tooth.
Whatever you do, make sure to throw in a few macaroons. They're so good that someone I know once bought 20 to bring home with her.
The staff could do with a refresher course at charm school (then again, it is French), but they do wrap your takeaway purchases in natty little ribboned boxes.
The company has mushroomed in recent years, and it now has almost a dozen branches around London.
The original and best is still at 44 Old Compton Street. It's open until 11pm from Wednesday to Saturday and until 8pm on other days.
00-44-20-74373466, www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk
Do you know of a hidden gem? E-mail us at go@irish-times.ie