Restaurant review: M by Martin Williams on Threadneedle Walk January 27, 2015 It’s a brave man who first ate an oyster, they say, but it’s a braver man who opens a restaurant in the Square Mile. The normal laws of gastronomic physics don’t apply here. The food scene moves slowly, governed by ritual, force of habit and sheer bloody-mindedness. The trends and fads of Shoreditch and Mayfair [...]
Mix it up: Don’t let your cocktail go out stark naked January 27, 2015 @philip_salter Just as clothes might maketh the man, garnishes maketh the cocktail. Once upon a time, the fashion was for mixed drinks stuffed with cocktail umbrellas and enough fruit to hit your five a day. These days, cocktail garnishes have been toned down, but there are notable exceptions. The tiki trend, inspired by the drinks [...]
World’s End Market head chef Bubker Belkhit offers a spiced treat January 20, 2015 Bubker Belkhit, head chef at the World’s End Market, on his signature tuna tartare dish with cumin mayo. In Morocco, where I’m from, they eat aubergine salad on its own. I thought it would go well with the tuna tartare, but I needed something to make the flavours really come out so I made a [...]
Mix it up: London’s king of cocktails Tony Conigliaro opens up new Bar Termini in Soho and it’s something special January 20, 2015 I’ve never been shy of writing about the bars and cocktails of Tony Conigliaro. After all, one innovative drink to come out of his laboratory (yes, he has a laboratory) is worth a thousand uninspiring cocktail lists. Tony has just opened a small bar in Soho. While his famed Islington bar 69 Colebrooke Row is [...]
Burns Night 2015: How to celebrate the Scottish poet’s birthday in London January 20, 2015 Traditional haggis at Plateau Plateau Saturday night is Burns Night at Plateau, Canary Wharf. The five course set menu starts with smoked salmon, blinis and baby watercress followed by cock-a-leekie soup, before the traditional haggis is brought in, served with a shot of 15-year-old Glenfiddich. The night will be finished off with cranachan and a [...]
Struggling through Dry January? Load up on coffee instead January 13, 2015 Pact coffee delivery service Broaden your coffee horizons with this delivery service that will supply you with weekly or fortnightly bags of precious beans. You’ll also get tasting notes so you can learn as you drink. There’s no contract and if you use the code “onepound” you’ll get your first delivery for £1. Well worth [...]
Mix it up: London must follow New York and become a true 24-hour city January 13, 2015 If you want to predict London's next cocktail trend, just look over the pond and see what’s going on in New York. Our bars may be their equal, but the bartenders of the Meatpacking district, Chelsea, the Villages and increasingly Brooklyn have a huge influence on how your next drink will be mixed. From the [...]
Who does the best New year detox lunch? From Leon’s super-healthy vegan quinoa pot to Pod’s “joyless” chicken box January 6, 2015 It’s January again, and your favourite City eateries are flogging super-healthy lunches. We tried them all so you don’t have to… Vital Ingredient Immunity Booster Vital Ingredient Immunity Booster £6.25 Chicken, beetroot, sweetcorn, pomegranate, spinach. Carrot and apple dressing HEALTHINESS: ★★★★☆ TASTINESS: ★☆☆☆☆ Dishes like these give detoxing a bad name. Weird [...]
Drink to your health January 6, 2015 KENSINGTON PLACE Four healthy cocktails are debuting in Kensington, including the Beetroot Blast (non-alcoholic), January Martini and a Light Mary. WRIGHT BROTHERS The Soho branch has created two mocktails to keep you firmly on the wagon known as the Immune Booster (lemon juice, fresh ginger and chilli) and the Mind Cleanser (apple juice, celery and [...]
Tom’s Kitchen in St Katharine Docks has great food, but who’s it for? December 16, 2014 Food: ★★★★☆Value: ★★★☆☆Atmosphere: ★★☆☆☆ 1 Commodity Quay, St Katharine Docks, E1W 1AZW; Tel: 020 3011 5433 Cost for two with wine: £150 I’m not sure what I think about Tom’s Kitchen, which is a problem because someone’s paying me to tell you about it. There are four in the chain now – five if [...]