Perfect Saturday July 30, 2015 BRUNCH TIME THE ELK IN THE WOODS The best brunch in Camden is quite an accolade given the number of pubs in the area selling quality nosh, but that’s what people say about the Elk in the Woods, a foodie boozer with extra character. Go for the Elk sausage skillet for an unusual take on [...]
Lessons in wine: Why you should know your terroir July 29, 2015 If the clothes make the man, does the soil make the wine? This posit is often made by winemakers, wine lovers and wine snobs alike, all utilising the term “terroir”. But what does terroir mean and does it truly make a difference to wine? In the broadest terms, terroir describes the unique characteristics of a [...]
Restaurant review: Is £38 the dearest burger in London? Sackville’s serves up x-rated food porn July 29, 2015 This week I ate a burger that cost £38. It was at new truffle-themed restaurant Sackville’s in Mayfair, and while it wasn’t the most expensive burger I’ve ever eaten – that dubious honour goes to Miami’s Bâoli which charged me $95 (£60) – it’s the most expensive I’ve had in this great city of ours. [...]
Car review: Will the Mercedes-Benz GLC overtake its rivals? July 27, 2015 Mercedes-Benz finally has a new, smaller 4×4 to take on the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. But is it worth the wait? Readers of a certain age may read the acronym GLC and be forcibly reminded of the Ken Livingstone-headed Greater London Council. Thankfully, initials are all the Mercedes GLC has in common with [...]
Not convinced? July 27, 2015 CHECK OUT THESE ALTERNATIVES… AUDI Q5 2.0 TDI 190 S TRONIC SE PRICE: £34,280 0-62MPH: 8.4 secs TOP SPEED: 130mph CO2 G/KM: 152g/km MPG COMBINED: 48.7mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN Four Stars PERFORMANCE Three Stars PRACTICALITY Four Stars VALUE FOR MONEY Two Stars BMW X3 20D SE AUTO PRICE: £35,305 0-62MPH: 8.1 secs TOP SPEED: 130mph CO2 G/KM: 136g/km [...]
Too early to plan your winter ski holiday? Snow way! Guarantee the white stuff with a cross-country expedition to Norway July 26, 2015 I was here because of snow. Or rather, lack of it. Good snow was hard to score in the Alps last year, and when you’re looking for a reliable source of the white stuff, Norway can hook you up. In season, you can even ski on the outskirts of the capital. Where I was headed, [...]
48 hours in… Kenmare, Ireland July 26, 2015 WHERE TO STAY With its breathtaking views of Kenmare Bay, Sheen Falls Lodge effortlessly mixes quiet charm with modern luxury. The rooms are comfort personified with high ceilings and antique furnishings. Visit sheenfallslodge.ie WHERE TO GO Kenmare is home to some of the best walking trails in Ireland. You can easily spend a day larking across the [...]
Picnic in the park with a butler: An indulgent alternative to afternoon tea July 24, 2015 A summery lunchtime alternative The butler is a British institution both ridiculed and revered in equal measure. A complex figure, sitcoms have parodied the butler, but he is also powerful, and his omnipresence has been portrayed in period dramas and twee murder mysteries for decades. It is no wonder, then, that butler services prove a [...]
Film review: No knock-out blow for Southpaw July 23, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★☆☆☆ There’s an exchange that takes place in every boxing movie ever, in which the trainer takes his hot-headed young buck aside, points to his fist and says, “it’s not about this” and then taps his temple and says,“it’s about this.” The message: mind over muscle. Thought over fight. Well, what [...]
Film review: Maggie is a nuanced entry to the zombie canon July 23, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★★★☆ There are no one-liners or knowing winks in this Arnold Schwarzenegger zombie movie; it’s a bleakly plodding, quietly affecting drama that’s not so much interested in moments of terror, but what happens when they subside. On the face of it, the premise is familiar: a “necroambulist” virus that turns people into [...]