I went to The Ivy in St John’s Wood to mark the start of its summer of cricket – and as always it was an absolute pleasure.

The Ivy is one of St John’s Wood’s hotspots – perfect any day of the week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

And while the cricket season is in full play, The Ivy is just a walk away from Lord’s Cricket Ground to provide that much-needed before or after bite to eat.

It even has a picturesque terrace for al fresco dining during the summer months.

The Ivy has launched a themed desert, the LBW, crafted to perfectly encapsulate the spirit of cricket.

Ham & High:

It features blackberries, honeycomb, and popping candy, balanced with a delectable blackberry sauce, and equally as importantly it looks an absolute treat.

I went for dinner on a Saturday evening with my mum, and although dining al fresco was an option, it was a little too chilly so we chose to sit inside.

And I don't think I'll ever get bored of the gorgeous, classic Ivy interior.

We had a couple of cocktails and delved into the divine menu to decide what to eat.

It now has an Asia section too – replicating some of that of The Ivy Asia branches.

For starter my mum had some smoked salmon – she asked for this plain and got a really big portion of fresh fish.

Ham & High:

I had the tuna sashimi with ponzo dressing, fennel, sesame and coriander.

To say we were at an Ivy Brasserie, not the Ivy Asia, would have surprised anyone as the dish was absolutely delicious, and I really enjoyed deviating from the usual menu.

It was a good size, had a mix of flavours and I liked having something light and cool on a summer's evening.

For main course I had the tossed Asian salad which was a warm salad with beansprouts, pak choi, watermelon, broccoli, cashew nuts, sesame and coriander with hoisin sauce.

This is a vegan option on the menu, and although I’m not vegan, I really fancied something a bit different to my ‘norm’ of fish and chips at The Ivy.

Ham & High:

The flavours complemented each other and it looked colourful, aesthetic and healthy.

My mum had white fish which she said was melt in the mouth and cooked to perfection.

We had some sides of chips and green veg, and felt like we'd eaten real summer food.

The dessert, as mentioned previously, was one of the best parts of the meal and I just loved the cricket theme.

It was decadent, fun, tasty and fresh and is perfect for anyone who wants to get in that summery, sporty mood at The Ivy.