There are a few elements here which will get the foodie purists hot under the collar and also a lack of really authentic Thai dishes on the menu – no som tam, no larb gai etc. But when the food is enjoyable, the atmosphere buzzy, the prices reasonable (you could easily eat well for £25 a head), and the service pleasant, I’m not going to be one of them.
Gillray’s Steakhouse and Bar in the London Marriot Hotel County Hall
Located inside the London Marriot Hotel County Hall in Westminster, Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar serves up generously sized portions and is ideal for those who like a bit of luxury when it comes to steak.
Caramelised Apple, Brandy and Almond Portuguese Tart
Walk into any trendy gourmet bakery and it’s clear that Portuguese tarts are very much en-vogue these days. Generally the custard is flavoured with vanilla and perhaps a little orange zest. This recipe adds a sophisticated twist on the classic by using another Portuguese favourite: almond custard. Apples, gooey caramel and brandy seal the deal… and why on earth not.
New Covent Garden tour with Celia Brooks Brown
It takes more than a hearty interest in food, and decades of greedy eating out, to pull together an insightful and expansive tour that opens doors and minds to new experiences and, importantly, to parts of the London foodie scene that you have walked past repeatedly and snootily ignored – as Joanna Biddolph discovered on Celia Brooks Brown’s new Covent Garden gastrotour.
Summer ales with sparkle
John Oates tries an array of brand-new summer ales which are the product of collaboration between Nicholson’s – the nationwide chain of which the Walrus and Carpenter is a member – and eight UK breweries. The resulting ales, all light and fresh for summer drinking, are available only in Nicholson’s. They proved to be well worth seeking out.
Suda Thai goes mangotastic
June is the month to head down to Suda, the Thai cafe and restaurant in Covent Garden, for some delicious mango dishes. Until the 30th of June, Suda has a special mango menu to celebrate mango season in Thailand.
New premium wines arrive from New Zealand
Invivo, a premium New Zealand winery, launched its range of wines in London this week. The company was founded in 2007 by Tim Lightbourne and Rob Cameron who look after the marketing and winemaking respectively.
Summer menu arrives at Corrigan’s Mayfair with BYOB option
hef Richard Corrigan has created a Summer of Elegance menu based around seasonal ingredients such as Cornish mackerel, Formby asparagus and English strawberries. The menu, available daily at the bar only, is available until the 15th of July and is priced at £25 for three dishes or £55 for nine.
Star chefs in da house.Spaghetti House holds a great relaunch party
Look there’s Francesco Mazzei, Giancarlo Caldesi and even, rather surreally,Ken Hom, what are they doing in a Spaghetti House of all places? The answer is that this is a party for ‘the’ Spaghetti House, the original in Goodge Street and founded 55 years ago by Simone Lavarini and Lorenzo Fraquelli, immigrants from Italy who missed their food and were shocked by spaghetti in tins and on toast.
Vinoteca restaurant Soho
53-55 Beak Street W1F 9SH vinoteca.co.uk When you get to my age, you really dislike […]