Lifestyle

  • What to Drink with your Indian dinner
    Thursday, 18th March 2010
    LAURENT MIQUEL CAZAL VIEL ROSÉ VIELLES VIGNES 2008 £6.99 at Majestic This delicate rosé has red fruit flavours with a round, mellow structure and superb freshness on the finish, which makes it the perfect rosé for mild to medium heat and tomato-based curries such as a shrimp dopiaza. PLÈNITUDE, MADIRAN 2005, £16.99 at Adnams, City Beverage Company, Portland Wine Company, Adnams, Taurus Wines If you like your wine to fight fire with fire, match the inky richness of wild berries and cooked plums in this full-bodied red from the south of France. It will provide a superb and intriguing match for... [Read more]

  • Currying flavour with fine wines
    Thursday, 18th March 2010
    The noble grape makes a better accompaniment to Asian food than lager, says Zoe Strimpel
    FOR a nation that loves its booze as much as its Indian food, we have a strangely limited approach when it comes to alcoholic accompaniments for Asian cuisine. It’s not because we only like cheap... [Read more]
  • Cracking eggs for Easter
    Thursday, 11th March 2010
    Timothy Barber discovers which choccies are worth the festive calories
    Timothy Barber
    FLORAL EGG, COCOMAYA The chic Mayfair chocolate shop has come up with a rather eccentric egg, with a glittery surface decorated with a chocolate medallion embossed with the face of a Roman emperor... [Read more]
  • The good times are rolling again
    Thursday, 18th February 2010
    Post-crunch, new restaurants are flinging open their doors. Don’t miss out
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    IT’S been a rough couple of years for restaurants, many of whom – beginning life bright-eyed and bushy-tailed – were stopped in their tracks by the credit crunch. High-gloss French restaurant... [Read more]

  • How London fell for American cuisine
    Thursday, 28th January 2010
    We can’t get enough of its big, bold flavours and generous pieces of meat. No wonder
    Zoe Strimpel
    FIVE years ago, McDonalds was the best-known export of US cuisine in London. Yes, there have been other venues dedicated to that fine nation’s culinary tradition, such as Joe Allen and the Chicago... [Read more]
  • It’s not Burns’ night without the right dram
    Thursday, 21st January 2010
    Get the most out of Monday’s dinner with the right whisky for each course
    Timothy Barber
    MONDAY night will see Scots everywhere donning kilts, eating offal and downing an awful lot of whisky for Burns’ Night Supper, the annual celebration of the Bard of Ayreshire, Robert Burns. Haggis –... [Read more]
  • Ten places to toast the Bard on Monday
    Thursday, 21st January 2010
    GALVIN AT WINDOWS Basking in the glory of its newly-awarded Michelin star, the Galvin brothers’ stunning restaurant at the top of the Park Lane Hilton is offering a special Burns’ Night cocktail, the... [Read more]
  • It’s time to hunker down in a cosy pub
    Thursday, 14th January 2010
    When snow is falling and the wind is cold, a pint and a log fire are the only solutions
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    THE JERUSALEM TAVERN, CLERKENWELL Yes it’s a classic and an obvious choice, but there’s still no finer place to hunker down and enjoy a few pints of beer. And what beer it is. This Farringdon pub... [Read more]
  • London’s healthiest menus
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    You can honour all your diet resolutions even when eating out, and feel satisfied too
    Zoe Strimpel
    RICH meaty food is de rigueur these days, but if you’re trying to start the new year on a good nutritional footing, you can still eat out with gusto and enjoyment. We’re not talking a few sprouts... [Read more]
  • Eat your way out of winter blues
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    January is about nourishment, not deprivation
    Zoe Strimpel
    IF you’re one of those repentant souls trying to stick to a punishing detox regime of lemon water and cabbage throughout January, think again. Experts say that spring is the time to stick to salads... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    THE AVENUE REOPENS The mighty D&D London, owners of Coq D’Argent, Pont de la Tour and Skylon, are relaunching St James’s stalwart The Avenue with a new chef, ex-Launceston Place cook Mikko Kataja... [Read more]
  • Eat your way out of winter blues
    Thursday, 7th January 2010
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    IF YOU’RE one of those repentant souls trying to stick to a punishing detox regime of lemon water and cabbage throughout January, think again. Experts say that spring is the time to stick to salads... [Read more]
  • Keep your eyes on the pies
    Thursday, 3rd December 2009
    When it comes to Christmas mince pies, it's vital to get the right one
    Zoe Strimpel
    CHRISTMAS without mince pies would be like a British summer without rain – simply not possible. We love our mince pies – at least before a month of over-eating them makes us a stone... [Read more]
  • OUT OF OFFICE
    Thursday, 3rd December 2009
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    GALLIANO TREE AT CLARIDGE’SIn a glamorous grab for attention, Claridge’s has unveiled an extraordinary Christmas tree designed by John Galliano, Dior’s chief designer. An... [Read more]
  • ...AND WINES TO MATCH
    Thursday, 3rd December 2009
    AS SUGGESTED BY TOM HARROW OF WINE CONSULTANCY WINE CHAP (WWW.WINECHAP.COM)
    CROFT’S PARTICULAR A rich Amontillado-style cream sherry like this one works well for your more traditional pie – and traditional pie eater. It’s an unusually pale sherry, which... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 26th November 2009
    PERFECT THOSE CARVING SKILLS Roast turkey may be a central part of the Christmas experience, but it can be ruined by bad carving. Just in time, Sloane Square’s historic department store, Peter... [Read more]
  • Both black and white beers will bring out the best in oysters
    Thursday, 26th November 2009
    For a great food and beer experience, look beyond traditional stouts
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    LONDON’S connection with oysters goes back as far as the city itself. The eating of oysters in London began in Roman times, when the British product was shipped as far as Rome. They continued... [Read more]
  • Hot chocolates for that seasonal glow
    Thursday, 19th November 2009
    A steaming cup of cocoa is a cold weather pleasure Timothy Barber hunts out London's best
    Timothy Barber
    IF, like me, you’re impervious to the charms of caffeine drinks, or else – also like me – you’re powerless to resist the lure of cocoa, the idea of the perfect hot chocolate... [Read more]
  • Best City spots for a winter warmer
    Thursday, 19th November 2009
    The Square Mile is the place to grab a traditional glass of mulled wine
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    When there’s a nip in the air, there’s nothing quite like getting your mitts around a nice, hot glass of mulled wine. In these days of online shopping and alternative Queen’s... [Read more]
  • The best places to splash the cash with discretion
    Thursday, 12th November 2009
    Private dining is ideal for work and play
    Zoe Strimpel
    MARCUS Wareing recently told City A.M. that ever since the start of the financial crisis, the phones have been ringing off the hook of his restaurant at the Berkeley Hotel with enquiries about the... [Read more]
  • Japanese whisky, the spirit of Christmas
    Thursday, 12th November 2009
    If you are looking for a gift for a tippler, this could be it
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    IF JAPANESE whisky sounds like a joke – something akin to the Jamaican bobsleigh team, or Indian wine – then you clearly don’t know very much about spirits. At last year’s... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 12th November 2009
    MAJOR FOODIE SAVINGS WITH VIEW CARDInvest in a View card from the folks behind viewlondon.co.uk and reap some serious savings (up to 50 per cent) off meals at 500 of the city’s restaurants and... [Read more]
  • THE MOMENT HAS ARRIVED
    Thursday, 5th November 2009
    THE LONG LAUNCH...
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANTIN 14 days time we open Galvin La Chapelle and Galvin Cafe de Luxe. Wednesday 18 November will... [Read more]
  • Pork of the town
    Thursday, 5th November 2009
    Making your own sausages requires close contact with pig intestines, but the results are worth it
    Zoe Strimpel
    I LOVE a good sausage – who doesn’t, really? So, in honour of British Sausage Week (a noble Week if ever there was one), I decided to pay tribute to the nation’s favourite pork... [Read more]
  • WHERE TO GO FOR A TOP SAUSAGE
    Thursday, 5th November 2009
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    HG WALTERPremium butchers supplying Hibiscus, Arbutus and top schools in London. Their sausage maker has been making the same traditional recipe for 30 years using free-range Surrey pigs for juicy,... [Read more]
  • THE LONG LAUNCH...
    Thursday, 29th October 2009
    TIME FOR THE FINAL PUSH
    JEFF GALVIN WE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANTWHEN talking about opening a restaurant, my brother Chris and I like to use car analogies. We... [Read more]
  • 20-hour shifts are the recipe for success
    Thursday, 29th October 2009
    Meeting Marcus Wareing is a lesson in passionate perfectionism
    Zoe Strimpel
    IT’S 9AM and Marcus Wareing looks very tired. We’re in the kitchen at his self-named Mayfair restaurant, the best in London, according to Harden’s Guide. It is unusual for a chef of... [Read more]
  • LET THEM EAT CAKE
    Thursday, 22nd October 2009
    We've become a nation of (cup)cake lovers, as a new batch of chic, vintage-style bakeries attests
    Zoe Strimpel
    THE diet police seem to be losing. For nothing, these days, is chicer than a fresh baked goodie. The cupcake has taken us by storm, and the allure of the soft-baked cookie, or moist piece of cake... [Read more]
  • NEARLY THERE NOW
    Thursday, 22nd October 2009
    THE LONG LAUNCH...
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANT WE are now counting down the weeks until we open and tensions are running high. The site is a... [Read more]
  • FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
    Thursday, 15th October 2009
    MALBEC AND CHOCOLATE AT GAUCHOThe Argentine steak house chain have stumbled upon something rather tasty. The predominant Argentine grape Malbec, which ranges from the delicate to the deep and fruity... [Read more]
  • Du pain, du vin, du Cornish Yarg
    Thursday, 15th October 2009
    British cheese is firmly ruling our shops, hearts and finest cheeseboards, says Zoe Strimpel. For very good reason, too
    Zoe Strimpel
    IT’S a historic moment. British cheeses are outselling French fromages at a rate of two to one as shoppers choose the homegrown beauties now available by the hundred. The figures are not, to be... [Read more]
  • HOORAY FOR THE BAR(S)
    Thursday, 15th October 2009
    THE LONG LAUNCH...
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANT AS we all know, a great bar is the heart of a great restaurant. Not being people who like to... [Read more]
  • Take yourself out for a lovely dinner alone
    Thursday, 8th October 2009
    Solo dining can be a joy, and London is full of great places for it, writes Zoe Strimpel
    Zoe Strimpel
    IT’S not just about where you eat, but who you eat with. Nothing says quiet confidence like dining alone. Indeed, Suzanne Pirret, the pin-up chef, wrote a whole book called The Pleasure’s... [Read more]
  • THE LONG LAUNCH...
    Thursday, 8th October 2009
    PASSING THE KIDS' TEST
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANT THIS week my two boys Daniel and William and my brother Chris’s children, Jessica, George... [Read more]
  • THE LONG LAUNCH...
    Thursday, 1st October 2009
    THE WELCOME SPICE OF HISTORY
    JEFF GALVINWE FOLLOW THE GALVIN BROTHERS AS THEY COUNT DOWN TO THE OPENING OF THEIR NEW CITY RESTAURANT ONE of the best things about opening this restaurant is its history. Last week I bumped into... [Read more]
  • Shuck and awe
    Thursday, 1st October 2009
    With oyster season now in full swing, Zoe Strimpel chooses seven great places to get your fix of the little beauties
    Zoe Strimpel
    ROTUNDA90 York Way, N1 9AG, tel: 020 7014 2840As part of London’s Oyster Festival, there will be oyster masterclasses through October, plus a menu that includes oyster tempura and onuga caviar... [Read more]
  • Enjoy the beautiful game this autumn
    Thursday, 17th September 2009
    Make the most of what's on offer as the shooting season progresses
    Timothy Barber
    NOW that we’re a month into the season, things really start to get exciting for those who love their meat to be hearty, hunted wild and peppered with the odd shotgun pellet. For the first month... [Read more]
  • A QUEST FOR FINE WINES
    Thursday, 17th September 2009
    THE LONG LAUNCH...
    JEFF GALVINWe follow the Galvin brothers as they count down to the opening of their new City restaurant SOME parts of opening a restaurant are arduous, but others are pure fun. One of the most... [Read more]
  • The Galvins' new City restaurant will be the ultimate family affair
    Thursday, 10th September 2009
    The spectacular new venue from the star chefs is more than just a business
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    IT’S not about the money,” says Chris Galvin, as he sips a cappuccino outside the site of his new restaurant next to the glass buildings that stand around the revamped Spitalfields market... [Read more]
  • A butcher can help you eat better and cheaper, too
    Thursday, 3rd September 2009
    A man who really knows his flesh helps Timothy Barber go beyond mundane meat
    Timothy Barber
    THEscene at Fulham butcher HG Walter would once have been a familiar one, with the smartly-aproned staff behind its counter, some serving, some wielding fearsome knives at a giant chopping board,... [Read more]
  • WINE GLASSES: THE SHAPES YOU NEED TO KNOW
    Thursday, 20th August 2009
    The BordeauxThis large, tapered glass is intended for big strong wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It provides plenty of surface area for the wine to aerate, and the big aromas to swirl,... [Read more]
  • Use the right shaped glass to make wine sing
    Thursday, 20th August 2009
    You'll appreciate your drink more if it's in the correct receptacle
    Zoe Strimpel
    IF you’re anything like the vast majority of people, you probably don’t give a huge amount of thought to your wine glasses. As long as they look the part – big for red, smaller for... [Read more]
  • Nice ice baby
    Thursday, 13th August 2009
    London has become a capital city for ice cream with a twist
    Zoe Strimpel
    ICE cream never used to be a gourmet dinner’s crowning glory. Yet London has become a capital for the stuff – from street vendors to high gastronomy. Take Michel Roux at Michelin-starred... [Read more]
  • The breakfast club
    Thursday, 6th August 2009
    These days, the first meal of the day is the most important for business people
    ZOE STRIMPEL
    BREAKFAST has been creeping in to business culture for years. But let’s be honest – a couple years ago the preferred way of discussing important work matters was over beef bourguignon, a... [Read more]
  • No more BEER FEAR
    Thursday, 30th July 2009
    Zoe Strimpel thought beer was for hooligans and fat blokes. Then she discovered it can be just as delicious as wine, and more fun
    Zoe Strimpel
    I’M sucking a cocktail of coconut and banana beer through two straws, grasping the coconut shell in which it is served with glee. This tastes like a combination of Malibu, suntan lotion and... [Read more]
  • In a bubbly mood
    Thursday, 23rd July 2009
    Credit crunch gloom is lifting in the City as bankers have been enjoying their bonuses again. Corks are popping
    Zoe Strimpel
    BAB – short for “bonuses are back” – has replaced “doh” as the word on the City’s streets, following revelations that bankers raked in end-of-year payouts... [Read more]
  • WHERE TO DRINK CHAMPAGNE IN THE CITY
    Thursday, 23rd July 2009
    VERTIGOTower 42, EC2NShowy and high glam, this is a devoted champagne bar with the best views in town – perched right at the top of Tower 42 (pictured right). There is a fantastic choice of... [Read more]
  • It's summer time and the boozing is easy ... and delicious
    Thursday, 9th July 2009
    Nothing beats the perfect drink. So why do we settle for less? Zoe Strimpel talks to the woman shaking things up
    Zoe Strimpel
    WHEN was the last time you really felt you were drinking a perfect drink? The right glass, the right temperature, the right mixture, composition, a veritable wash of refreshment and taste? Chances... [Read more]
  • ROSE WHAT TO DRINK THIS SUMMER
    Thursday, 2nd July 2009
    Langlois Cremant de Loire Rose Brut (£12.99, Oddbins)This fizz is flying off the shelves – and justifiably so. It’s one of the best in France, being made by Bollinger, with... [Read more]
  • La Vie en Rose
    Thursday, 2nd July 2009
    They're often seen as poor relations, but pink wines are more popular than ever. So are they any good?
    Zoe Strimpel
    SOMETHING is up with rose wine. Its image as the cheap and cheerful, distinctly low-brow summer tipple is evaporating like water on a hot summer’s day. It’s gone from being the sort of... [Read more]
  • Frugal food hits the top table
    Thursday, 25th June 2009
    As the recession bites, inventive chefs are digging ever deeper into our forgotten culinary heritage
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    A RESTAURATEUR who grew up in the South of France once told me that the reason that French cuisine is superior to English simply because the produce is better. In the Mediterranean world, he led me... [Read more]
  • RECIPES ADDING VALUE TO DULL INGREDIENTS
    Thursday, 25th June 2009
    ONIONS by Jeremy Lee, Blueprint Cafewww.blueprintcafe.co.ukWe get these lovely pink onions from Lincolnshire, and we fry them for as long as possible – we are talking about 30 to 40 minutes... [Read more]
  • TOP CHEFS' BARBECUE RECIPES
    Thursday, 18th June 2009
    <!--StartFragment--> The perfect burger, by Sam and Eddie Hart, owners of Quo Vadis and FinoOnly use good quality beef with a high fat content, as this ensures the burgers will remain juicy when... [Read more]
  • Grills allowed: perfecting the art of the BBQ
    Thursday, 18th June 2009
    It's summer, so strap on your comedy apron and get cooking
    Timothy Barber
    <!--StartFragment--> THERE are times when it seems a barbecue is less a way of cooking than a ritual in which we give thanks for a sunny afternoon. Men solemnly pull on the uniform of the barbecue... [Read more]
  • Green & shoots more
    Thursday, 11th June 2009
    Chefs are taking their summer salads seriously.So can you
    Zoe Strimpel
    THE British salad is the last part of our home-grown cuisine to reach the level of the rest. We’ve got pies, roasts, pork bellies and mash down pat. Our heritage puddings have come back new and... [Read more]
  • English wine comes of age
    Wednesday, 3rd June 2009
    Domestic plonk is no longer a joke, and some is stunning
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    KETTNER’S in Soho is one of the best-known wine bars in London, with a champagne list of over 100. So it was intriguing to hear that, for one week only, it was having an English Wine Festival.... [Read more]
  • Hop & glory
    Thursday, 28th May 2009
    This summer, quench your thirst with some unusual beers
    Jeremy Hazlehurst
    MOST people, when they think of a thirst-quenching beer for summer, probably go no further than lager. Now, there is nothing wrong with a good lager, the problem is simply that there are plenty of... [Read more]
  • WHERE TO DRINK
    Thursday, 28th May 2009
    BEER GARDENS
    NORTH:The Albion, nestling just off Upper Street, will make you forget you are in London. A massive, green beer garden and great food (it has won awards for its Sunday lunch) are topped off with a... [Read more]
  • Some daisies in your soup, sir? Yes, please
    Tuesday, 19th May 2009
    Zoe Strimpel
    <!--StartFragment--> ANYONE for cheese-stuffed tulips, salad with rose petals or violet creme brulee? If it sounds odd or just plain wrong to eat flowers rather than just ogling them from a... [Read more]
  • The places in town not to be seen
    Thursday, 14th May 2009
    <!--StartFragment--> The Mercer34 Threadneedle Street, EC2R 8AYDiscreet Seats: The counter at the bar-end of the room: only backs are visible and it would be almost impossible to hear what someone... [Read more]
  • The places in town not to be seen
    Thursday, 14th May 2009
    ARE you happy in your job? Of course you are. You are hardworking and – most importantly – loyal. But imagine if somebody did come along and try to headhunt you. You would be stupid not... [Read more]