An exclusive tasting of the new Penfold’s collection October 7, 2021 Today Penfold’s launches its new 2021 Collection. I was invited to 67 Pall Mall to taste it with the charismatic Peter Gago, the brand’s Chief Winemaker, via zoom. But before I get to the tasting notes, a spot of history. Penfolds began in 1844 when Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold planted the fledgling vines, which [...]
Working Lunch: The Game Bird is perfect for a languorous meal October 7, 2021 We sampled the menu of The Game Bird and enjoyed a calming lunch suitable for a long business catchup What is it? It’s a gem of a restaurant hidden within The Stafford Hotel. Reached via a narrow alleyway just off the park, it can be quite easy to miss. The decor is eclectic, with nods [...]
Scotland may be famous for whisky but its gin is on the rise October 6, 2021 When you think of Scottish spirits, there really isn’t any competition. The ‘water of life’ is an international brand, and even fierce competition from Japan to the East and the US to the West have not shaken Scotland’s place as the one true home of whisky. But there is another spirits industry quietly gaining international [...]
Fizz is the fun we need: Your guide to sparkling wine October 6, 2021 After a year and a half of lockdown there is an undeniable thrill in leaving the living room. As we head into town to gossip once more by the water cooler, we deserve more of a celebration than an oat-milk latte clutched on the commute. Times like these call for sparkling wine, the true beverage [...]
Why aqvavit is moving from Scandinavia into your drinks cabinet September 28, 2021 Once believed capable of curing any illness known to man, aqvavit has gone from a drink rarely seen outside of its native Scandinavia to the connoisseur’s choice of spirit for London Cocktail Month. Danny Walker and Liam Hirt are a pair of British distillers who saw the potential in aqvavit. Working between their Psychopomp Distillery, based [...]
Top chef Richard Corrigan on his great love of native oysters September 23, 2021 Native oysters would definitely be on the menu for my last meal. When I was growing up in the west of Ireland, we’d often have a plate of native oysters, with some soda bread and butter. The flavour is so distinctive it immediately takes me back to those days, so it’s something very special to [...]
Working Lunch: LPM is an excellent Mayfair dining destination September 23, 2021 We sampled the Niçoise delights of Mayfair’s LPM Restaurant and Bar and found an excellent, ingredient-led kitchen that’s perfect for entertaining clients. What is it? Formerly known as La Petite Maison, the recently rebranded LPM is the hip new iteration of the lauded restaurant that opened its doors in 2007. Serving traditional Niçoise dishes, it’s [...]
Tudor-inspired gin Six Wives is gin fit for a king September 15, 2021 Six Wives is a small-batch, hand-crafted gin inspired by traditional botanicals. It is the brainchild of Simon Marjoram, a marketing director, who had the idea while walking his two Schnauzers down the towpath towards Hampton Court. Its bottle is a nod to the fate of Henry’s spouses – divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. And [...]
Booze like Bond at this immersive dining experience September 14, 2021 Monte Carlo, the French Riviera, New Orleans, the Caribbean: these are the places we associate with James Bond. Portobello Road, not so much. But this stands to change, for over the next few weeks the bohemian enclave of Notting Hill will be aswarm with Sunspel polo shirts, Persol eyewear, Goodyear-welted Crockett and Jones Norwich boots, [...]
Why there has never been a better time to be a young chef September 13, 2021 I spent a lot of time in our City restaurants last week and it finally felt like finally the City was coming back to life. Coq d’Argent, 14 Hills and Madison were all packed. It was warm and sunny and the recovery from Covid in central London seemed to be getting into gear. But behind [...]