This is the premise on which The London Restaurant Festival has designed its Gourmet Odysseys.
The idea is simple: three different courses, three different restaurants, one afternoon. The foodie road trips allow you to experience some of the tastiest food and most inviting dining rooms the capital’s restaurants have to offer.
On Saturday we took The Masters tour. Benares, Boulestin and Wild Honey had designed one-off dishes specially for the event, Laurent-Perrier Champagne was on tap and a golden Routemaster transported us from stop to stop.

First up, Benares in Berkeley Square. The restaurant is known for modern Indian food with British influences. The starter was a home smoked Magret duck breast with quince, chickpeas and spring onions. It was the best thing we tasted all day.

The bus then took us to Boulestin’s elegant dining room for the main course. The classic French cooking is inspired by the influential cookbooks of the world’s first TV chef, X. Marcel Boulestin. Wild pigeon served with ceps, lardons and kale was a sophisticated take on a traditional roast.

For pudding we rolled up to Wild Honey for a dark chocolate ‘Aero bar’, dulce de leche ice cream, pears and amaranth popcorn. Top marks for taste and presentation.

Intrigued? There are still tickets available for the Tapas Tour on Saturday 19 which gives you a dish in Fernandez & Wells, Copita, Barrica, El Pirata, El Pirata Detapas and Ametsa with Arzak for £50. Alternatively, you can pick up a Graze passport (£15 or two for £25) which offers you a complimentary drink when you visit each of the 10 or 12 participating restaurants for a small plate.

The London Restaurant Festival continues until October 21. For details of participating restaurants see londonrestaurantfestival.com

Benares - 12a Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square W1J 6BS, 020 7629 8886, benaresrestaurant.com

Boulestin - 5 St James's Street, London SW1A 1EF, 020 7930 2030 boulestin.com

Wild Honey - 12 St George Street, London SW1S 2FB, 020 7758 9160 wildhoneyrestaurant.co.uk

Five of the best: London Restaurant Festival events