"There are two kinds of respite in attritional heat. One is the kind that sees you collapse through the doors of Argos, arms outstretched, completely ready to spend three figures on a fan that looks like it will one day become sentient. The other is to go to British restaurant Quo Vadis. The Soho stalwart not only has wonderfully officious air conditioning, but it also makes a martini so crispy and so robust that your senses may just forget to register the temperature. The eel sandwich is excellent too." - jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak