Category Archives: Food

Pup Idol Dog Show at Hampstead Heath Pub, London (CheapOair)

Great news! One of north London’s best loved and most picturesquely placed pubs is going to the dogs. Continue reading

Posted in Celebrities, CheapOair, Drink, Food, London, Pubs, Restaurants, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#Herbfest at the Southbank Centre

Herbfest is a new “botanical experience” for summer 2013 at Southbank. It’s part of the greater Festival of Neighbourhood running until 8 September and provides London folk a riparian reason to learn about herbs, eat food prepared with fresh herbs and simply relax in a leafy green urban oasis. Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Good Stuff

Check out thank-you-for-playing.com. It’s a lot of fun. Here’s a quick little list of good stuff I’ve recently come across and thought was worth sharing with you. Enjoy! Acer Iconia A1: Got ahold of one of these sturdy little tablets recently. At … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Good Stuff, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lunch at Assiette Anglaise, Liverpool Road, N7

I had a fantastic lunch last week at Assiette Anglaise, a relatively new restaurant for Highbury and a welcome one indeed! It’s is a fine little neighbourhood brasserie which locals should be proud to call their own. Everybody else? This all day eatery’s only a short stroll away from Highbury and Islington Station (and is just about as close to Holloway Road and Caledonian Road stations too). The delighful meal I had was certainly worth the time I spent on public transport to get there. Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bourbon Tasting Flights and a Steak of the Month at JW Steakhouse, Park Lane

JW Steakhouse at the Marriott’s Grosvenor House hotel has recently introduced a couple of brilliant new reasons to pay this fine dining establishment a visit post-haste: a series of four bourbon tasting flights and a Steak of the Month. Both these offers represent deliciously good news to be sure! However, what is perhaps even more deserving of me shouting about you making speedy beeline to enjoy is the simple fact that, as I discover during my dinner last night, everything else about this American style Steakhouse is fantastic too. Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, Hotels, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll – Mariachi Style

Doritos’ boys in green go rockabilly inside their very own jukebox and add a little Mexican fun to the 1981 Joan Jett classic – Sponsored

Posted in Food, Music, Video | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Samphire Picking in the River Dart Estuary (Great British Chefs)

It’s low down dirty work gathering samphire. But that doesn’t mean it’s bad, just that you’ve got to get in the mud and squat, stoop, bend or crawl to pluck the tasty little stems from the earth. A trusty pair of Wellies are obligatory and, as I recently discovered, wearing kneepads would be a smart idea as well. Up until last week, picking samphire meant pointing to a container inside a deli counter and saying something along the lines of “May I please have 100 grams, please?”. Now, after accepting an invitation to Devon by Riverford Organic Farms to harvest wild samphire in the River Dart Estuary, I have a new appreciation for what goes into bringing this crisp and salty coastal treat to my London plate. Continue reading

Posted in England, Food, Great British Chefs, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mozzarella and the City: Where to Get the Good Stuff in London (OneTravel)

Mozzarella di Buffalo (buffalo milk mozzarella) has become something of a celebrated cheese in London lately with new mozzarella bars opening and fine dining establishments featuring it prominently on their menus. A good number of quality delis, pizzerias and restaurants around town now carry the proper white stuff. Here’s a look at a few of the best. Continue reading

Posted in Food, London, OneTravel, Restaurants, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Curry for Change Menu for Charity at Cinnamon Kitchen (CDCLifestyle)

A new promotion for a good cause is on now and running throughout June at Cinnamon Kitchen near Liverpool Street station. The offer – three courses and a cocktail for only £29 – sees a donation of £5 going to the Find Your Feet charity as part of its current Curry for Change campaign. Continue reading

Posted in CDCLifestyle, Discounts and Special Offers, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Recipe: Blueberry Beef Picadillo

Sometimes I get a crazy idea for a recipe in my head and just have to give it a try. Occasionally it turns out to be pretty good. Such is the case with this recipe for blueberry beef picadillo. A picadillo is a meat hash. Blueberry hash? Yeah, it’s a bit weird. But think of the berries as acidic and sweet flavouring along the same lines as tomatoes for a meat sauce or cranberries to be served with roast turkey and maybe then my idea won’t seem quite as bizarre. Continue reading

Posted in Food, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sunday Lunch: Paradise by Way of Kensal Green

I don’t want to give away too much about the fantastic dining room of Paradise by Way of Kensal Green. If you’ve never been, it’s worth a bit of uncertainly for the wonderful surprise of seeing the interiors for the first time. And, of course, if you have been then you know what I’m talking about. Nice place for a drink, eh? But have you tried the Sunday lunch? It’s full-on (and filling!) and as lovely as you might expect to enjoy in such a pleasant setting. Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Pubs, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bar Snacks at the Old Queen’s Head, Essex Road

You’re kinda spoilt for choice if you’re looking for a place to drink on Essex Road. A handful of quality boozers (some great places to eat too!) are clustered close to where Essex Road meets Upper Street with a few more commendable establishments presenting themselves up the road nearer De Beauvoir Town. Among the best of Essex Road’s pubs is the Old Queen’s Head. Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Pubs, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Intercontinental Resort Tahiti (OneTravel)

Despite its lagoon side setting spread across 23 verdant and attractively landscaped acres, this four star resort is but a few minutes’ drive from Faa’a International Airport and only a couple or so minutes further from the relative bustle of downtown Pape’ete. Coming from pretty much anywhere except possibly sailing from another nearby island, odds are you’ll pass through Faa’a, making the Intercontinental a smart and hassle free option. Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, OneTravel, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Reasons to Love an Old Favourite: Gourmet Burger Kitchen at the N1 Centre, Angel

Remember when Gourmet Burger Kitchen was virtually the only place in London where you could go for a halfway decent burger? I guess such a time really wasn’t all that long ago but it seems like ancient history given all the choice we have for burgers now. I reckon GBK deserves much of the credit (or should I say blame?) for creating the conditions that led to the burger mania that’s swept London these past couple of years. And now that a number from the recent onslaught of burger joints seem to have eclipsed GBK in popularity and success, is the beefy trendsetter still worth taking a bite out of? Yeah, I’d say so. Continue reading

Posted in Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Top 5 Summer Sweets

Summer’s here (kind of) with its long daylight hours bringing with it all kinds of new opportunities to enjoy tasty treats. BBQs, picnics, sporting events … you name it! Here’s a list of my five favourite sweets for cooling down, chilling out and making the most of the season … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Restaurant Review: The Potato Merchant, Exmouth Market

The Potato Merchant, London’s first restaurant and grocer specialising in potatoes, has recently opened at Exmouth Market. I had a nice dinner there recently and thought the restaurant would be worth keeping in mind for locals looking for a thoughtful take on the UK’s favourite starchy staple. Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

New Bento Express Menu at Buddha-Bar London (CDCLifestyle)

Buddha-Bar’s new bento features a tasty selection of light Pan Asian starters and mains from which to create your own meal for £27. The bento includes a bowl of miso soup, a side of wakame salad and a choice of steamed rice or Buddha-Bar noodles. Quality of the food is high. Portion sizes are ample with the bento prettily presented. Service is efficient and cordial. If you know Buddha-Bar then you’re aware that the setting is extremely attractive and rather plush, whether you’re there for drinks or a quick meal. Continue reading

Posted in CDCLifestyle, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Grand Old Brighton: Dining in Style at GB1 (Blue Tomato)

Newly opened at the recently refurbished Grand Brighton hotel, GB1 Seafood Restaurant & Bar serves up a treat for lovers of expertly prepared fruits of the sea. Making ye olde cheeky jaunt down to Brighton all the more enticing, GB1′s menu of local, fresh and sustainably sourced fish and seafood presented in a fabulous setting sure does beckon foodies from far and wide. I’m certainly hankering to get back down there for more great seaside grub. Continue reading

Posted in Blue Tomato, Food, Hotels, Restaurants, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

GNH Bar (Blue Tomato)

I have long felt that a significant number of the best cocktail bars in London are hidden away in some of this city’s finer hotels. There’s the Coburg Bar at the Connaught, the Mirror Bar at the Landmark, the American … Continue reading

Posted in Blue Tomato, Drink, Food, Hotels, London, Restaurants, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Carpo: Great Greek Snacks at Piccadilly Circus

Carpo, an emporium and cafe offering a simple selection of “nuts, chocolate and coffee” (there’s dried fruit and a few other products as well) has recently opened near Piccadilly Circus. So what? So … fantastically flavoursome pistachios, delectable honey with a hint of thyme, exquisitely juicy candied mandarins, figs covered in chocolate that are worth dropping whatever you’re doing at this very moment to rush over for a taste of and a whole lot more – that’s what. Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Upscale Bento at Buddha-Bar London

Mention the lavish Buddha-Bar in Knightsbridge to anyone and thoughts of a glamorous night out sipping exotic cocktails with a soundtrack of signature lounge and chill-out tunes wafting through a beautiful people filled lounge probably spring to mind. But what about a “Buddha Bento” express menu for a no fuss lunch or a pre-theatre dinner with a promise to having you in and out within 40 minutes? Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Few Top Tips for Tahiti (OneTravel)

Io rana! I’m just back from spending a week and a half in French Polynesia. Tahiti and her islands are gorgeous – and definitely live up to all the hype! That said – and no matter where you’re coming from – this South Pacific archipelago isn’t somewhere you simply hop over to for the weekend. To make the most out of your time in paradise, here are a few top tips so you won’t have to hit the ground running but instead can assuredly stroll along in leisurely style to the beach. Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Hotels, OneTravel, Shopping, Travel, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

4 Unique Eats in Mexico City’s Centro Histórico (CheapOair)

There’s no shortage of great places to eat in Mexico City, but deciding on where to grab a bite can seem like a daunting task at times – you’re spoiled for choice (well, as long as you like Mexican), and it’s not always so clear what your best options are. Here’s a list of four unique eateries in the city’s Centro Histórico near the city’s famed Zócalo plaza. Continue reading

Posted in CheapOair, Drink, Food, Mexico, Restaurants, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Five Great Jazz and Blues Bars in London (CheapOair)

There’s no need to get the blues in a jazzy town like London. If you’re looking to experience a great night of live blues or jazz then you’re in the right place. London is home to an amazing bar and club scene, and as a fan of rock ‘n’ roll can attest, the Brits have always had an affection and a knack for finding the best in American music. Here are five fantastic venues in central London where you can listen to live blues and jazz from the local up ‘n’ comers to the crème de la crème of international headlining acts. Continue reading

Posted in CheapOair, Drink, Food, London, Music, Restaurants, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sneak Peek at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013

It’s time again for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary. Got tix? Here’s a sneak peek from the VIP and press day of what you can expect. Continue reading

Posted in Art, Celebrities, Design, Food, London, Photography, Shopping | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mozzarella Month at Sartoria, Savile Row

The masterclass – conducted by Head Chef Lukas Pfaff and his mozzarella supplier, Andrea Livi of Bianca la Bufala – was a delicious opportunity to sample fresh and top of the line mozzarella di buffala along with a range of similar southern Italian cheeses such as smoky scamorza, proper pizza topper fiordilatte, and gorgeously creamy burrata. Continue reading

Posted in Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Coronation Afternoon Tea at Fortnum and Mason (CheapOair)

In March 2012, her Majesty the Queen opened the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon in honor of her 60 years as Monarch since her ascension to the throne in February 1952. This year sees the continuation of the celebrations, to mark the 60th anniversary since her coronation at Westminster Abbey in June 1953. Continue reading

Posted in CheapOair, Drink, Food, London, Shopping, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Taste of London Celebrates 10th Anniversary (OneTravel)

The perennially popular Taste of London restaurant festival marks its tenth anniversary this summer with its biggest and best line up to date. Read my complete post at the OneTravel blog.

Posted in Drink, Food, London, OneTravel, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Foodie Fun at England’s Seaside in Sussex (CheapOair)

Located along the coast in Southeastern England, Sussex offers the best of British surf and turf for gourmet travelers visiting the UK and all within easy reach of London and its two main airports – Heathrow and Gatwick. Indeed Gatwick is located halfway between London and Sussex seaside communities of Brighton and Hove. Here’s a selection of upcoming food and drink events around in Brighton and Hove and surrounding Sussex countryside. Happy eating! Continue reading

Posted in Beer, CheapOair, Drink, England, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Street Markets, Travel, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Colombian Chef Harry Sasson “Pops Up” at the Intercontinental London Park Lane (CheapOair)

InterContinental London Park Lane is to host its very own pop-up version of chef Harry Sasson’s pioneering Bogotá restaurant, Club Colombia. Known as one of South America’s most celebrated Chefs, Harry and his team will take over the iconic London hotel’s Cookbook Cafe from 17th to the 25th of May to recreate his modern and refined approach to Colombian cuisine for a British audience. Continue reading

Posted in CheapOair, Food, Hotels, London, Restaurants, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tapas Recipe: Apple Crumble Crema Catalana by Jose Pizarro

A few weeks back I had the pleasure sampling the results of chef Jose Pizarro and Codorníu cava teaming up to create a series of “Great British Tapas”. You can read about that experience in my write up for Blue Tomato. I really enjoyed … Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, Great British Tapas Project, London, Recipes, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tapas Recipe: Beef and Pimentón Yorkshire Mini Puds by Jose Pizarro

A few weeks back I had the pleasure sampling the results of chef Jose Pizarro and Codorníu cava teaming up to create a series of “Great British Tapas”. You can read about that experience in my write up for Blue Tomato. I really enjoyed tasting … Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, Great British Tapas Project, London, Recipes, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tapas Recipe: Fish and Chips Tostados by Jose Pizarro

A few weeks back I had the pleasure sampling the results of chef Jose Pizarro and Codorníu cava teaming up to create a series of “Great British Tapas”. You can read about that experience in my write up for Blue Tomato. I really enjoyed tasting … Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, Great British Tapas Project, London, Recipes, Restaurants, Uncategorized, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tapas Recipe: Shepherd’s Pie Croquetas by Jose Pizarro

A few weeks back I had the pleasure sampling the results of chef Jose Pizarro and Codorníu cava teaming up to create a series of “Great British Tapas”. You can read about that experience in my write up for Blue Tomato. I really enjoyed tasting … Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, Great British Tapas Project, London, Recipes, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tapas Recipe: Full English Sourdoughs by Jose Pizarro

A few weeks back I had the pleasure sampling the results of chef Jose Pizarro and Codorníu cava teaming up to create a series of “Great British Tapas”. You can read about that experience in my write up for Blue Tomato. I really enjoyed tasting … Continue reading

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Recipes, Restaurants, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment