If you’re looking for somewhere to make the most of the recent good weather in London, try Docklands-based gastro pub The Gun.

From today, The Gun is firing up its charcoal barbecue and offering al fresco dining on its gorgeous terrace, A Grehla, for the summer.

Having recently returned from a trip to Portugal and knowing The Gun’s strong reputation for its food (and Best Gastro pub award from a few years back) I was eager to sample its Portuguese menu and see if it really could serve up a taste of the Algarve.

The Portuguese salt cod croquettes (baccalau) were as tasty as any I’d had in Portugal. We also tried spicy chicken piri piri, lamb espetada (kebab) and delicious Valencian paella (not so Portuguese!) which was cooked in a giant paella pan.

If you’ve ever had a beer in Portugal, it was probably Super Bock or Sagres. If you developed a taste for either, you’ll be happy know that both brands are served at The Gun.

I didn’t try any desserts but if you have a sweet tooth you can’t go wrong with a Pastel de Nata (Portuguese custard tart) or if you’d prefer a savoury option, The Gun serves a selection of Portuguese and Spanish cheeses to round off the meal.

You won’t be looking out onto a beach, but A Grehla does offer nice views across the Thames and of The O2.

Definitely worth a visit on a sunny summer’s evening.

A Grehla at The Gun. From 12 May until mid- September 2011 (or longer if the weather stays good!)

Taking place at Vicky Park’s lakeside Pavilion Café, this Friday night supper club is a chance for the owners to showcase a finer side of their dining before Elliot’s restaurant opens in Borough Market in October.

We were treated to glasses of bubbly and canapés, while overlooking the picturesque lakeside setting complete with water fountain and fluffy ducklings, before being shown to our seats at communal tables.

Each week chef Isaac McHale will create a different five-course menu using seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients. Fruit and vegetables are bought from Chegworth Valley Farm in Kent, rare breed meats come from The Ginger Pig butchers up the road, and herbs are grown right on the pavilion’s porch. A different wine to match each dish is chosen by local wine store Bottle Apostle.

We started with a vibrant plate of asparagus with mussels in tarragon sauce and orange edible flowers. Cornish mackerel with Celtic mustard and dill-pickled cucumbers came next, followed by a main course of shoulder of Old Spot pork with broccoli and spring onions.

Then, interestingly, not one but two desserts. The first, which our waitress confirmed was more of an amuse-bouche, was an inventive goat’s milk foam with blackberry jam and Belgian speculoos (sweet-spiced biscuits).

Lastly, we finished with English strawberries with sour cream and elderflower and a deliciously creamy flat white from Square Mile, and given a jar of homemade cherry jam to take home.

The whole event felt fabulously local, community spirited and unique and I now can’t wait to visit Elliot’s restaurant when it opens in Autumn.

Elliot’s In The Park dinners are on Friday nights only and booking up fast but if you want to bag one of the few remaining seats call the Pavilion Café on +44 (0)20 8980 0030 between 8am and 5pm.

This week’s photo is by just.being and shows the swans enjoying the riverside at Kingston upon Thames.

The Met Office are predicting a sunny weekend so go out and photograph London and share your pictures with us in the Visit London Flickr pool.