Dubai’s about arts and culture now, don’t you know? April 25, 2022 THE WEEKEND: Dubai’s new 25hours Hotel One Central is a world away from the synthetic image Dubai struggles with – that of vapid shopping malls and manufactured strips of sand. The city is channelling funds into artistic centres, independent cinemas, galleries and museums and this hotel feels like a part of the nation’s drive for [...]
Fizz fiend? Try fantastic Franciacorta April 20, 2022 There is something endlessly beguiling about Italy, particularly for anyone who loves food and wine. When it comes to sparkling wine however, people jump straight to Prosecco’s fresh, fruity flavours, overlooking a relative newcomer to the wine scene: Franciacorta. Well, until recently, that is. Wine-waves were made at the Emmy Awards as Franciacorta, the Italian [...]
Ganymede wine list is a breath of fresh air April 19, 2022 Nestled in reassuringly expensive Belgravia is cosy corner restaurant Ganymede, with that kind of understated elegance that appeals to comfortably well-heeled patrons. Escaping the drizzle without, we headed indoors to be welcomed by the heady scent of perfumed candles and pleasantly smiling staff ushering us towards polished wooden tables and green leather booths. Hard pressed [...]
Wine tips from a real Michelin star at Trivet April 6, 2022 When I first meet Isa Bal, impressive winner of the Michelin Sommelier Award, he is smiling as he tells me a brick was thrown through his restaurant’s window last night. The would-be thief was knocked over by a car shortly afterwards and arrested. “I would not normally be happy about someone being hit by a [...]
Making bubbles under the sea: Is this the future of fizz? March 26, 2022 English wine has boldly gone somewhere it has never been before: under the sea. The idea of under-water aging has been trialled across the world since 2010, when some Veuve Clicquot dating from the early 1800s was found in a shipwreck, proclaimed delicious, and sold at a premium. However, Hampshire’s Exton Park is now the [...]
Last minute Mother’s Day idea: Try the Pan Pacific hotel March 25, 2022 Mother’s Day is on the horizon and with canny timing the Pan Pacific hotel has launched an afternoon tea centred around childhood memories in its elegant Orchard Lounge. Award-winning executive pastry chef Cherish Finden recalls her own Singaporean childhood during either a traditional English tea or a fully Asian affair, the latter of which I opted for. We [...]
The Pumproom at Rivet Distillery is a real treat March 10, 2022 Under an hour from London lies historic Chatham and nestled against the River Medway is the beautiful Rivet Distillery.A destination point in itself, guests can enjoy an hour’s tour of the distillery ahead of a tasting, trying their range of English spirits. Prioritising distillation over casks to create flavour, they make smooth grain whiskies, a [...]
Celebrating International Women’s Day – With Wine March 9, 2022 This week was International Women’s Day and it is fitting for me to celebrate this through wine. When drinking, women choose wine nearly twice as often as men but the industry itself is still largely a man’s game. Speaking to some women who have worked in wine for up to 40 years, it is clear [...]
Let them drink D’Yquem: A new dawn for the best known sweet wine March 8, 2022 When Chateau D’Yquem issues an invitation, it brooks no refusal. A bucket list wine if ever there was one, Chateau D’Yquem is world famous for their exquisite (and expensive) sweet wines. The launch of the 2019 vintage, hosted at the sumptuously trendy NoMad Hotel, heralds the dawn of a new age for the established wine [...]
Dining Diary: Whitcomb’s at The Londoner February 25, 2022 Typically associated with gaudy tourist traps, Leicester Square is now home to the bone-achingly cool The Londoner, a hotel which is saved from being intimidatingly chic by the excellence of its warmly welcoming staff. Attention to detail is the name of the game here from the witty selection of art to the Italian Murano glass [...]