The best vodka: 8 bottles that prove Russia’s finest is a class act June 6, 2016 Vodka is the simplest of all spirits – its name is taken from the Slavic for “little water” – but as connoisseurs of Danish furniture can attest, getting more from less is an art of its own. It may not require months or years of ageing, but it’s a singularly unforgiving spirit, with no juniper [...]
Our columnist Mark Hix accepts a challenge from an old friend to catch a wild salmon in the weirs of Ireland May 24, 2016 Two or three times a year I’ll visit Ireland, mainly to see my good friend Peter Hannan who supplies my restaurants exclusively with Glenarm estate beef. My stay often includes a little bit of fishing, a lot of very good eating and experimenting with Peter’s new beef, lamb and pork products. But last time I [...]
Chelsea Flower show making you peckish? Craft London and Rotorino chef Stevie Parle tells you what flowers you can eat May 24, 2016 Chelsea Flower Show left you peckish? Chef/owner of Craft London Stevie Parle gives us tips on using flowers in cooking Most things that grow as a fruit or vegetable have a flower you can eat, such as peas, broad beans, apples, cherries and courgettes. But don’t just use flowers for food, they’re great as garnishes in [...]
Eastway Brasserie review: A slick and Manhattan-styled diner serving classic dishes May 24, 2016 This slick and moody Manhattan-style brasserie is tucked inside the illustrious Great Eastern Hotel by Liverpool Street Station. The glossy walnut and polished marble decor suggests Mad Men cool, but Eastway Brasserie turns out to be a more casual lunchtime spot, a charcuterie and grill serving burgers, sandwiches and steaks to hungry commuters. Here's the [...]
Mark Hix on how to forage for wild ramsons, Britain’s most underrated herb May 17, 2016 Wild garlic, or ramsons as the common variety is known, is one of the most abundant and tasty herbs growing in the British countryside. It’s a shame more people don’t forage for it and use it in their cooking. There are two main varieties that grow in the UK: three-cornered and hedgerow garlic. The latter [...]
Roka review: A Japanese robatayaki restaurant serving up grilled meat and seafood, sashimi and sushi May 17, 2016 Roka is a Japanese robatayaki restaurant – basically BBQ, but with a lighter touch – serving up grilled meat and seafood, sashimi and sushi. WHERE? 4 Park Pavilion, E14 5FW. On the first and second floors of Park Pavilion, that shiny enclave off the South Colonnade. Floor One is the main restaurant and wine/sake tasting area while [...]
Eight of London’s best rooftop bars and summer terraces in London to drink cocktails, eat BBQ and get sunburned, from Chelsea to The City to Canary Wharf May 11, 2016 The weekend's mini-heatwave may already seem like a distant memory, but fear not – we're due plenty more long, hot afternoons that are good for nothing but sitting on a terrace sipping pink cocktails and sweating. But where can one achieve such a glorious thing? Well, let us tell you – here's a round-up of some [...]
New Holland Park restaurant Six Portland Road serves black-pudding to die for May 10, 2016 Remember Neil Webb? He was a roving midfielder who played for Manchester United and England, but in my mind he’ll always be synonymous with the generation of footballers who retired just before the unfathomable riches of the Premier League rolled in. Unlike today’s players, these guys had to carve out new careers in their mid-30s, [...]
This egg is only in season for the next six weeks – get it while you can May 10, 2016 The first time I saw gulls’ eggs on a menu was during my my first job in London at the Ninety Park Lane restaurant in Grosvenor House. I was still a bit of a green lad from Dorset and I remember saying “I thought I’d escaped these flying terrorists when I left the seaside”. We [...]
Mark Hix on the classic Negroni: A bitter pill to cure your ills May 3, 2016 Although I’m rather partial to hardcore cocktails, I arrived to the Negroni party late – about ten years ago – because the medicinal flavour didn’t really do it for me. Then, like with so many things, the Groucho changed my life: now it’s my cocktail of choice. My bar staff even put one in my [...]