Tucked away opposite the Old Truman Brewery in London E1 is Sheba Brick Lane.

On arriving in Brick Lane we were greeted by touts for a host of Indian restaurants all claiming to offer the best meal on the busy East End street. Sheba, however, needs no touts – it has a steady stream of customers literally queuing for the chance to eat at the well-loved establishment.
 
Founded in 1973, this family-run restaurant excels in delivering delicious, hearty Indian cuisine at a reasonable price. We arrived at 7pm to a full restaurant. Many diners seemed to be regular customers judging by their familiar rapport with the waiters, which we took to be a good sign. The bustling, buzzy atmosphere gave a sense of theatricality to the whole experience.
 
The extensive menu was rather overwhelming, with specialties from award-winning chef Gulab Miah, Sheba house specials, a huge selection of seafood as well as all the curry house classics. We eventually decided on kebab ke karishma (grilled meats) followed by the lamb lucklow (lamb shank) and special tandoori korai king prawn.

The main dishes were particularly outstanding. We’ll return to Sheba for the lamb lucknow alone, with its rich gravy of cardamon, tomato and saffron. In fact, the food was so good and portions so generous that we were compelled to take home what we couldn’t finish.
 
Our evening was rounded off perfectly with a stroll back to Liverpool Street station through the charming Spitalfields Market, happy in the knowledge that we would be able to enjoy our Sheba leftovers for lunch the next day.

Sheba is open seven days a week and booking is recommended at the weekend.

If you like a room with a view and taking several hours over your lunch, then Altitude 360 is definitely worth a visit. The Westminster-based events venue is now open to the public on Sundays, serving up brunch with a 360-degree panoramic view across London.

High up on the 29th floor of the Millbank Tower, we played the most amazing game of eye spy while we dined; The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, The London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, St Paul’s Cathedral and Wembley Stadium were among the sights on view. Even though the weather was overcast, the views were still fabulous.

I was impressed with the food which was a posh buffet with delicious salads, oysters , fish, a carvery and an incredible selection of sweet treats for dessert. I felt like I was in Las Vegas!

The ambient music and minimal design made me feel unusually relaxed. There were even newspapers and magazines in the lounge area to read while enjoying a complimentary Bellini. I don’t know who would want to read the papers with such dizzying, distracting views though!

Altitude 360 is open for brunch on Sundays between 12:30 and 4pm. £65 per person.

Indian royalty and other high society were treated to an amazing party as the V&A was transformed into an Indian palace to celebrate the opening of Maharaja: The Splendour of India’s Royal Courts.

The exhibition explores the world of the maharajas, with more than 250 fabulous objects including jewellery, thrones, costumes, jewel-encrusted weapons, a Rolls Royce, photographs and paintings.

Many of these exhibits are on loan from royal collections in India – hence the fabulous invitees.

The galleries were crowded with guests, but what I did manage to see of the exhibition was very impressive.

I was particularly interested in the influence of European society on the modern maharajas, and how they are expected to marry Western lifestyle with traditional duties and customs.

For the costume and jewellery alone, this stunning exhibition is worth a visit.

Book Majaraja tickets now