Tag Archives: beer

Forge & Co … and It’s Fabulous Speyside Beef and Ox Heart Burger

Posted on 2014-08-27 by tikichris

A friend (hey Peter!) and I dropped by the Forge & Co canteen in Shoreditch last night to give its new Speyside Beef and Ox Heart Burger a try … and were pleased to have done so. Cooked in a Josper Grill and served on a demi brioche, it proved a mightily meaty meal well worth recommending. Plenty of topping and condiment options were available, but I reckon it needed none such was it so full of flavour. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged beer, burger review, E1, E1 6HU, east london, Food, Forge & Co, LDP, London, London blog, London Daily Photo, london photographer, meantime, meantime pale ale, Ox Heart, Ox Heart Burger, Photography, photography blog, restaurant review, review, shoreditch, shoreditch high street, Speyside Beef, Speyside Beef and Ox Heart Burger, street photography, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | 1 Comment

Jacob’s #SnackHappy Savoury Ice Cream Parlour

Posted on 2014-08-21 by tikichris

Jacob’s #SnackHappy Savoury Ice Cream Parlour, the UK’s first savoury ice cream parlour, opened tonight in Soho as short run pop-up offering free ice cream in exchange for folks sharing the #SnackHappy hashtag on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Food, Freebies, London, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged #SnackHappy, Bateman Street, beer, Food, free, free ice cream, freebies, ice cream, Jacob's, Jacob's #SnackHappy Savoury Ice Cream Parlour, London, London blog, pop-up, Savoury Ice Cream, Shopping, snack happy, soho, W1, W1D 3AQ, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | 2 Comments

Good Stuff – Speyside Delights!

Posted on 2014-08-13 by tikichris

Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – in this case all yummy findings from my recent trip to Scotland’s Speyside that I thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, Pubs, Restaurants, Scotland, Shopping, Travel | Tagged beer, blue cheese, Cairngorm Brewery, cheese, CRAFT BEER, Food, good stuff, hefeweizen, Highland Tiger Project and, moray, REAL ALE, scotland, scottish beer, scottish cheese, Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Plan., speyside, Strafton Blue Cheese, Travel, travel blog, Wildcat Ale, Windswept Brewing Co, Windswept Weizen | Leave a comment

I Survived the Suicide Wings Challenge at The Back Room Bar, Hyde Park Corner

Posted on 2014-08-06 by tikichris

I laughed. I cried. I lost my voice a few times. But in the end I succeeded and met The Back Room Bar’s Suicide Wings Challenge. In all honesty I was about 30 seconds behind the 15 minute time limit but that was really more because I was chatting and just having fun than not being up to the task. I did let a girl beat me though and that kinda burned – but not nearly as much as my mouth did after eating ten majorly hot wings! Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Freebies, London, Restaurants | Tagged bar, beer, chicken wings, Drink, Food, freebies, green park, hard rock cafe, hot wings, hyde park corner, London, London blog, mayfair, old park lane, park lane, piccadilly, restaurants, review, suicide wings, suicide wings challenge, W1, W1K 1QZ, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | 2 Comments

Good Stuff

Posted on 2014-07-30 by tikichris

Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Pieminister – Brew Dog Pies British … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, London, Pizza, Pubs, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged beer, brewdog, cheese, crisps, Drink, Food, good stuff, London, London blog, olive oil, organica pizza, patatas fritas, pie, PIEMINISTER, pizza, potato chips, Riverside Lifestyle, swedish cheese, Västerbottensost, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | 2 Comments

Lovely Sunday Lunch at The Latchmere, SW11

Posted on 2014-07-25 by tikichris

Following a major reno, The Latchmere pub on Battersea Park Road has recently reopened under the guiding hand of the Renaissance Pubs group to offer a comfortable and attractive venue (think: Victorian minus any twee fittings) for all those pubby things we like to do as Londoners. Kemey and I paid visit a couple of weekends ago for one of our most favourite of pubby activities – Sunday lunch! – and were more than pleased with our experience. Here are some of the highlights. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Pubs, Restaurants | Tagged battersea, Battersea Park Road, beer, Food, London, London blog, lunch, pub, pub review, pubs, renaissance pubs, restaurant review, review, roast, south london, SUNDAY LUNCH, SUNDAY ROAST, SW11, SW11 3BW, the latchmere, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

7 Sound Suggestions for Listening to Live Music in Louisiana (OneTravel)

Posted on 2014-07-22 by tikichris

The state of Louisiana is home to a rich musical tradition. Blues, funk, jazz, zydeco, rock ‘n’ roll, country – it’s all-American music and every style has its roots in this corner of the world. Headed down to Dixie for a taste of live music but in a jam as to where you should go? Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Louisiana, Music, OneTravel, Travel | Tagged Apple Barrel, BARS, beer, Blue Moon Salon, Blue Moon Salon and Guesthouse, blues, cajun, COUNTRY MUSIC, creole, Drink, Fred's Lounge, french quarter, frenchman street, funk, jazz, lafayette, live music, louisiana, mamou, Maple Leaf Bar, music, new orleans, nola, OneTravel, Preservation Hall, Rock 'n' Roll, Snug Harbor, Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, The Spotted Cat, Travel, zydeco | Leave a comment

Good Stuff – Imbibe Live Edition

Posted on 2014-07-06 by tikichris

Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you … and in this case mostly to sip all from my meander round this year’s Imbibe Live – the “innovative and interactive annual exhibition for anyone who sources, buys or serves drinks in the licensed on-trade.” Enjoy. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Coffee, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, London, Shopping | Tagged 1936 Biere, beer, cocktails, coconut water, coffee, cold brewed coffee, cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan R-EVOLUTION Molecular Mixology Kit, cream chargers, Drink, Food, good stuff, imbibe, imbibe 2014, imbibe live, imbibe magazine, lager, London, London blog, molecular mixology, nutsu nuts, nutsunuts, swiss beer, Taste Nirvana, Volcano Coffee Works, wasabi, wasabi nuts, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Wandering Round Walthamstow, Northeast London (OneTravel)

Posted on 2014-04-23 by tikichris

At the northern end of the London Underground’s Victoria Line lies the quaint and quirky Walthamstow. Wedged between the ancient Epping Forest (yeah, a real forest in London), the River Lea and some of East London’s more ‘authentic’ (read edgy) … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beer, Design, Drink, Food, London, OneTravel, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged #E17Safari, Bacon Jam, beer, brewery, Drink, E17, east london, Eat17, Food, God's Own Junkyard, jellied eels, L Manze, L Manze Eel, Lloyd Park, London, London blog, manze, neon, OneTravel, Orford Road, pie and mash, pie and mash shop, Ravenswood Industrial Estate, street market, take a moment to check out L Manze Eel, Travel, travel blog, Vestry House, Waltham Forest Town Hall, WALTHAMSTOW, Walthamstow High Street, Walthamstow Market, Walthamstow Village, Wathamstow, Wild Card Brewery, WILLIAM MORRIS, WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Portugal Please: Porto

Posted on 2014-04-15 by tikichris

My Portugal Please tour commenced in the compact and cosy city of Porto, which proved to be an excellent gateway to the Douro Valley and a fine place to visit in and of itself. If you’re looking for somewhere to visit for a city break, Porto is only a two hour flight away from London with plenty to see and do and eat and drink and browse and buy. Here are some highlight from my all too brief time there. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Hotels, Portugal, Portugal Please, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel, Wine | Tagged 1969 Single Harvest Tawny, beer, cheese, discover the origin, douro, douro valley, douro wines, Food, Gaia, Graham's Port, Graham’s, Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny, hotel, Hotel Teatro, Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto, IVDP, Mercearia das Flores, o porto, port, port cellar, porto, portugal, Portugal Please, portuguese, portuguese cuisine, PORTUGUESE FOOD, portuguese wine, restaurant, restaurants, road trip, Shopping, sovina, sovina beer, Sovina Cerveja Artesanal, tawny port, trael, Travel, travel blog, Vila Novo de Gaia, vinum, Vinum at Graham’s, wine, wine cellar, wine maker, winery | 4 Comments

Good Stuff

Posted on 2014-04-13 by tikichris

Good Stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some fine things to see, sip or savour – all of which I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy. Dodo Chilli Dipping Sauce I recently got … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, Hotels, London, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged beer, burgers, carnaby, carnaby street, chelsea, chilli sauce, Dodo Chilli, Dodo Chilli Dipping Sauce, Drink, E17, east london, Food, Generator Hostels, generator london, good stuff, hostels, hot sauce, hotels, JAPAN CENTRE, king's road, KINGLY COURT, Kirin Frozen, L Manze, L Manze Eel, London, London blog, manze, manze's pie and mash shop, mauritian, Mauritius Foods, pie and mash, pie and mash shop, ramen, ramen bar, shoryu, shoryu ramen, TOMMI'S, TOMMI'S BURGER JOINT, Travel, travel blog, WALTHAMSTOW, Walthamstow High Street, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

25% Off Food and Drink at Punch Tavern, Fleet Street EC4

Posted on 2014-04-10 by tikichris

Yep, that’s right. There’s no typo in the title you just read. I have teamed up with Fleet Street’s historic Punch Tavern to offer you folks a sizeable discount on some properly yummy pub grub. How do you get a quarter of your food and drink bill sliced away? Just tell ’em tikichris sent ya! Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Discounts and Special Offers, Drink, Food, London, Pubs, Restaurants | Tagged 25% discount, 25% discount punch tavern, 25% off, 25% off bill, bar, beer, british cuisine, british food, city of london, city pub, CRAFT BEER, discount, discounts and special offers, Drink, EC4, EC4Y 1DE, FLEET STREET, Food, get 25% off your meal, London, London blog, pie, pie and mash, pies, pub, pub grub, punch tavern, restaurant, restaurants, special offer, SUNDAY LUNCH, SUNDAY ROAST, tavern, tikichris special, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Proper Pies and Great Pub Grub at Punch Tavern, Fleet Street

Posted on 2014-03-12 by tikichris

In addition to the great food and drink, Punch Tavern has a singular air about it and is a lovely spot to find yourself. There’s gorgeous natural light streaming in from a glass ceiling in the main bar area, a working fireplace, and original features from 1897 such as marble bar, dark oak panelling, and a series of original Punch and Judy themed paintings. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Pubs, Restaurants | Tagged America Pale Ale, bar, beer, british cuisine, british food, british pie week, city of london, CRAFT BEER, Drink, EC4, EC4Y 1DE, FLEET STREET, Food, London, London blog, pale ale, pie, pie and mash, pies, pub, pub grub, pub review, punch tavern, restaurant review, restaurants, Shipyard Brewing Co, Shipyard Brewing Co America Pale Ale, Shipyard Brewing Compant America Pale Ale, Shipyard Brewing Company, tavern, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | 2 Comments

Ramen Fun at Shoryu Soho, Denman Street

Posted on 2014-03-06 by tikichris

So it’s been about a month since I visited Shoryu Soho ramen bar. But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how much fun I had dining there. Besides, judging from the queue out-the-door I observed when I passed by the Soho outlet last night, I guess the restaurant hasn’t been in need of any positive press. Nevertheless, here’s mine up-thumbed input about the place. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged beer, denmen street, Drink, Food, JAPANESE CUISINE, japanese food, kirin, Kirin Frozen, miso, piccadilly circus, ramen, ramen bar, restaurant, restaurant review, restaurants, shoryu, shoryu ramen, shoryu soho, soho, soup, tonkotsu, W1, W1D 7HA, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Craft Beer Rising Review by @cathiasays

Posted on 2014-03-03 by tikichris

A couple of Sundays ago (while I was still bumbling round in America), London blogger Cathia Randrianarivo kindly subbed for me accepting to attend on my behalf a beer-ific event I was unable to make. As Cathia puts it, “I … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Music, Pubs, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged ale, Batemans Bohemian Brews, beer, beer blog, beer festival, Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA, breweries, brick lane, burger bear, Camden Town Brewery, Cathia Randrianarivo, Contributed Article, CRAFT BEER, craft beer rising, dj, double hop monster, Drink, Duvel, east london, fishdog, Food, green king, greene king, Hells Yeah!, hix's, Jingle Jungle, London, London blog, mr scruff, old dairy, old truman brewery, pub grub, REAL ALE, st edmunds, street food, Truman’s London Keeper, west brewery, Yardbird, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Dixie Detours: Sweet Shoals Music

Posted on 2014-03-03 by tikichris

Before our visit to the Muscle Shoals area of Alabama, I never would have imagined the music of Aretha Franklin could resonate even more with me than it already did. Goosebumps on top of goosebumps – how’s that gonna happen? But there I was standing in Studio A of Fame Studios in humble little Florence, Alabama where the mighty diva recorded such classics as Do Right Woman, Do Right Man, and something clicked in a deep and soulful sort of way. In the few days since Kemey and I checked out the Shoals, listening to Aretha’s songs has been coupled with an even deeper and more satisfying feeling than before. Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Beer, Design, Dixie Detours, Drink, Food, Hotels, Music, Restaurants, road trip, Travel | Tagged 20th century design, Alabama, Alabama Music Hall of Fame, ARCHITECTURE, aretha franklin, back forty, back forty beer, back forty beer company, bar, beer, birthplace of helen keller, Bob Seger, catfish, Cher, colbert county, CRAFT BEER, Deep South, design, Dixie Detours, do right woman do right man, Drink, Duane Allman, Etta James, fame studios, florence, florence alabama, frank lloyd wright, garden gate cafe, hank williams, helen keller, hotel, ivy green, kodachrome, live music, Lynyrd Skynyrd, marriott, marriott shoals, Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa, mid century modern, Muscle Shoals, muscle shoals rhythm section, muscle shoals sound studio, music, naked pig, naked pig pale ale, north alabama, northwest alabama, OH! Bryan's Family Steakhouse, Oh!Bryan's, Otis Redding, pale ale, paul simon, Percy Sledge, recording studio, restaurants, road trip, Rock 'n' Roll, rolling stones, rosenbaum house, sheffield alabama, shoals, soul music, spa, steakhouse, sticky fingers, still crazy after all these years, sun ra, Swampers, swampers bar, Swampers Bar & Grill, tennessee river, the Osmonds, the shoals, TOM JONES, Travel, travel blog, tuscumbia, tuscumbia county, Wilson Picket | 5 Comments

Dixie Detours: New Orleans School of Cooking

Posted on 2014-02-27 by tikichris

Wow. Our afternoon visit to the New Orleans School of Cooking on St Louis Street in the French Quarter was a lot of fun – and well worth its own write up among all the entries in my Dixie Detours miniseries. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Dixie Detours, Drink, Food, Louisiana, Recipes, road trip, Shopping, Travel | Tagged 18 Ashwin Street, abita, abita amber, beer, big easy, cajun food, chowder, cooking, creole, Dixie Detours, étouffée, Food, french quarter, louisiana, Nawlins, new orleans, New Orleans School of Cooking, nola, pralines, recipes, road trip, Shopping, Travel, travel blog | 1 Comment

Dixie Detours: NOLA!

Posted on 2014-02-27 by tikichris

New Orleans is a sultry dream. I can’t imagine anywhere else in America that’s even half as beguiling or idiosyncratic. Probably the most dynamic city in the US, it is without doubt the most spontaneous and freewheeling. When I think about other destinations across the planet that offer experiences comparable to what I’ve happened upon in NOLA, I find myself coming up with a list of my absolute favourites places. Put simply, NOLA rocks (it shucks, jives, slides, saunters, shimmies and rolls too). Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beer, Coffee, Dixie Detours, Drink, Food, Hotels, Louisiana, Restaurants, road trip, Travel | Tagged abita, abita beer, abita turbodog, Adolfo's, Art, BARS, beer, big easy, Carousel Bar and Lounge, cocktails, crab meat cheesecake, creole, dixie beer, Dixie Detours, Domilise's Po-Boy & Bar, folk art, Food, french quarter, frenchmen street, garden district, gumbo, hotel, Hotel Monteleone, La Boulangerie, louisiana, Maison Dupuy, Maison Dupuy Hotel, mardi gras, merry-go-round-bar, Nawlins, new orleans, nola, palace cafe, po-boys, restaurants, road trip, sandwiches, sazerac, simon, Toulouse Street, Travel, travel blog, turbodog, uptown new orleans | 2 Comments

Dixie Detours: Overnight Luxury in Mobile, Alabama

Posted on 2014-02-26 by tikichris

The rather underrated and often overlooked Gulf Coast town of Mobile proved to be an excellent choice and our time there an all too short and actually quite luxurious stay. Continue reading →

Posted in Alabama, Beer, Dixie Detours, Drink, Food, Hotels, Restaurants, road trip, Travel | Tagged Alabama, battle house, battle house hotel, Battle House Renaissance, Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel and Spa, beer, Conecuh sausage, CRAFT BEER, Dixie Detours, downtown mobile, Drink, Food, fried oysters, Good People Brewing Company, Good People Brewing Company Pale Ale, gulf coast, gulf of mexico, Historic Hotels of America, hotels, LODA, lower dauphine street, mardi gras, mardi gras in mobile, marriott, mobile, mobile alabama, mobile mardi gras, pale ale, restaurants, road trip, southern alabama, Travel, travel blog, Trellis Room, Wintzell's, Wintzell's Oyster House | 2 Comments

Dixie Detours: Athens, Georgia

Posted on 2014-02-23 by tikichris

First stop on my Dixie Detours road trip was the quintessential college town of Athens, Georgia – the city which I had called home for most of the 90s during a rather scenic, circuitous and often hazy experience as an undergrad anthropology major at the University of Georgia. Much of the reason for my meandering approach to higher education and indeed life in general during my 20s was due to spending loads of time mingling with the musical set of this amazing little city famed for hosting more than its fair share of influential musicians and bands (REM, B52s, Vic Chestnut, Neutral Milk Hotel, Of Montreal, etc ad nauseam). Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Dixie Detours, Drink, Food, Georgia, Music, Restaurants, road trip, Travel | Tagged athens, Athens GA, BARS, beer, Blue Stockings, DINER, Dixie Detours, downtown athens, Drink, Food, georgia, greasy spoon, Holly Sweat, little kings, little kings shuffle club, live music, music, restaurants, road trip, the grit, Travel, travel blog, UGA, university of georgia, vegetarian restaurant, waffle house | 2 Comments

Craft Beer Rising Returns to London (OneTravel)

Posted on 2014-01-25 by tikichris

The Craft Beer Rising festival will return to London the last weekend of February with the noble aim to “bring good, flavorsome, creative beers to the masses and to “help inform drinkers of the beers available and support the brewers … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, OneTravel, Shopping, Travel | Tagged Adnams, Anspach and Hobday, artisan beer, Bateman’s, Bath Ales, beer, beer blog, Beer Cat Barcelona, Beerd, Bellerose, Brains Craft, brewery, brick lane, Bristol Beer Factory, By The Horns, Celt Experience, CRAFT BEER, Craft Beer Festival, craft beer rising, Curious Brew, Dominion, Drink, Duvel, east london, Elgoods, Food, Fordham, Franciscan Well, Freedom, Harbour, Harry Bromptons, Harviestoun, Hiver, Kings, lager, Late Knights, Left Coast Distribution, London, London blog, London Velvet, meantime, old truman brewery, OneTravel, Oro di Milano, REAL ALE, Rebel Brewing Company, Redwell, sharp's, Shopping, St Austell, Stevens Point, Stewarts, The Brew House, Thistly Cross Cider, Thornbridge, Travel, travel blog, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Augustus Harris, Venetian Style Bàcaro in the Heart of London’s Theatreland

Posted on 2014-01-22 by tikichris

An uncomplicated menu of pronounced northern Italy flavour; an equally concise and decidedly Italian list of wine and drinks; a stylish wood and copper bar that’s as cosy as it is elegant – there’s a lot to love about Augustus … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Restaurants | Tagged aperol spritz, Augustus Harris, bàcari, bàcaro, bar, bar snacks, beer, Birra Menabrea, Catherine Street, cicheti, cocktails, covent garden, crostini, italian bar, italian cuisine, italian food, italian restaurant, italian tapas, London, London blog, new restaurant review, restaurant, restaurant review, spuntini, tapas, theatreland, venentian, WC2, WC2B 5JT, west end, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Super Bowl Sunday in London (OneTravel)

Posted on 2014-01-08 by tikichris

Excited about that upcoming trip to London but bummed because you think you’ll have to miss the big game on TV? Nonsense. The NFL is becoming more and more popular in the UK. Besides, if there’s a reason to drink … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, OneTravel, Restaurants, Sports, Travel | Tagged american football, BARS, BBQ, beer, Bodean's, football, honky tonk, honky tonk clapham, jetlag bar, London blog, nfl, OneTravel, restaurants, rileys sports bar, rileys sports bar haymarket, sports, sports bars, super bowl, super bowl 2014, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, watching the super bowl in london, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

10 Reasons to Eat and Drink at London’s Seven Dials (CheapOair)

Posted on 2014-01-07 by tikichris

Seven Dials is a small but popular area of Central London near Covent Garden where seven streets converge at one junction. The area is conveniently located near a number of Tube stations including Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Holborn which … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, CheapOair, Chocolate, Coffee, Drink, Food, London, Pubs, Restaurants, Shopping, Travel | Tagged ape & bird, BARS, beer, belgo, belgo centraal, CAFES, cheapoair, cheese, chocolate, cocktails, coffee, covent garden, Drink, Flesh & Buns, Food, Freud Bar, Hotel Chocolat, Hotel Chocolat – Roast + Conch, Kopaka, Kopaka Cafe and Restaurant, London, London blog, MON PLAISIR, monmouth coffee, neal's yard, Neal's Yard Dairy, pub, pubs, restaurants, Roast + Conch, rossopomodoro, seven dials, Shopping, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, WC2, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Ergon, Greek Deli + Cuisine in Marylebone

Posted on 2014-01-06 by tikichris

Ergon is a newly opened Greek deli and restaurant in Marylebone. Its menu features dishes designed by Dimitris Skarmoutsos, Greece’s best know celebrity chef. The shop sells products only from independent Greek producers. And, in the face of the the gargantuan econonomic meltdown, this startup business managed to expand across Greece and actually make a profit. Now with its Picton Place shop launched just before the new year, Ergon aims to bring an authentic taste of Greece to London. The reasons to visit are many. But if you need just one reason go, make a take home jar of the cod roe spread. That stuff is gorgeous. Continue reading →

Posted in Drink, Food, London, Restaurants, Shopping | Tagged beer, bond street, cafe, CRAFT BEER, deli, Drink, Food, greek cuisine, greek deli, greek food, greek restaurant, London, London blog, marylebone, new restaurant, new restaurant review, Picton Place, restaurant, restaurant review, restaurants, review, Shopping, W1, W1U 1BP, zomato, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Win a Degustabox Surprise Box of Foodie Goodies

Posted on 2013-12-26 by tikichris

Here’s your chance to win a Degustabox surprise delivery for free. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Competition, Drink, Food, Freebies, Shopping | Tagged beer, competition, contest, degustabox, degustabox uk, Drink, Food, food delivery, free, freebies, retweet to win, surprise, twitter competition, WIN | 11 Comments

Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: a-MuSe-ing and Bubbly Trento

Posted on 2013-12-08 by tikichris

After an all too short sojourn in Friuli (God, I hope I make it back there before too long), I hit the autostrada heading west to the region of Trentino for an overnight stay to see what sort of wonders its scenic city of Trento had to offer. With a newly opened museum designed by a star architect; a distinctive sparkling wine with a rich tradition behind it; and an exquisite regional gastronomy that’s big on flavour, locally sourced ingredients and seasonality – the answer I soon discovered was A LOT! Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Design, Drink, Food, Italy, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, Wine | Tagged al vo', alpine, alps, antica birreria pedavena, beer, bellaveder, Blanc de Noirs, Bollicine su Trento, brewery, bubbles in Trento, cantine ferrari, Castello del Buonconsiglio, chef alfio ghezzi, design, dolomites, Drink, ferrari, ferrari spumante, ferrari wine, Food, hotel, Hotel America, Hotel America Trento, hotels, Italy, lager, Lager Chiara, locanda margon, mach, methius, methodo classico, michelin star, microbrewery, MuSe, MuSe Science Museum, museum, northern italy, Palazzo Roccabruna, Perlé Nero Pinot Noir, pizza, pizzeria, renzo piano, restaurants, science museum, Shopping, sparkling wine, spumante, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, tavern, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, Trentino, Trento, trentodoc, wine, wine festival, Италия, イタリア, 意大利 | 3 Comments

Italian Alps: Best Beer on the Mountain?

Posted on 2013-12-07 by tikichris

So if you’ve been following my blog at all over the past week or so, you’ve no doubt noticed the posts about my recent Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway tour of northern Italy. An alternate title for this … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Italy, Travel | Tagged alpines, apres ski, beer, best beer on the mountain, Drink, inghams, Italy, ski, ski bars, skiing, Италия, イタリア, 意大利 | Leave a comment

Doing Northern Italy’s Dolomite Loop (OneTravel)

Posted on 2013-12-04 by tikichris

This post is being written with a rear view perspective of a fantastic week I recently spent traveling across northern Italy. To be sure, I intend to blog plenty about my trip and thought I’d start out sharing a suggestion … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Italy, OneTravel, Travel | Tagged alps, artisanal beer, bar varmost, beer, CRAFT BEER, Do the Dolomite Loop, dolomites, Drink, Foglie d'Erba, Food, Forni di Sopra, Friuli, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Gino Perissutti, ham, Italy, northern italy, Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti Friulane, proscuitto, restaurants, San Daniele, San Daniele di Friuli, sauris, Travel, Udine, Италия, イタリア, 意大利 | Leave a comment

Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Speck-tacular Views and Smoky Brews in Sauris

Posted on 2013-12-04 by tikichris

Day two of my foodie odyssey had me saying goodbye to the Dolomite gateway town of Forni di Sopra and heading even higher (and deeper) into the Alps to the tiny Germanic enclave of Sauris for a taste of the local delicacies and to take in the sweeping views – all of which elicited some form of audible and involuntary whoa or wow from an overwhelmed me. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel | Tagged artisanal beer, bacon, beer, CRAFT BEER, Drink, Food, ham, hotels, Italy, northern italy, proscuitto, restaurants, sauris, Shopping, speck, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, Италия, イタリア, 意大利 | 2 Comments

Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway: Forni di Sopra and the Dolomite Loop

Posted on 2013-12-03 by tikichris

Situated within the Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti Friulane, Forni serves as excellent base for outdoor adventure with plenty of nearby (and even in-town) opportunities for skiing, climbing and hiking. And as I discovered, It’s a fantastic place to have a drink as well. Here, the stereotypical Italian bella figura yields to a rugged and independent spirit. In Forni, I came across men with beards of mythic proportions and drank some of the finest craft beers I’d ever tasted. Aside from the snowy Alpine surroundings and the absolute quietude of the night, the scene was enough to have me wonder if I was back home in Hackney. Had I stumbled upon a secret hipster heaven? Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, Hotels, Italy, Restaurants, road trip, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel | Tagged al gris, Albergo Taranda, alps, artisanal beer, bar varmost, beer, birreria, bombardino, Coton Hotel., CRAFT BEER, Do the Dolomite Loop, dolomites, Drink, Foglie d'Erba, Food, Forni di Sopra, Friuli, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Gino Perissutti, hotel, hotels, Italy, northern italy, Parco Naturale delle Dolomiti Friulane, restaurants, Shopping, Tasty Tales from the Italian Ham Highway, Travel, travel blog, travel blogger, Италия, イタリア, 意大利 | 4 Comments

Good Stuff

Posted on 2013-12-02 by tikichris

Good stuff and lots of it! Here’s the low down on some yummy treats I’ve recently come across and thought were worth sharing with you. Enjoy! Copas Turkeys 2013 saw the third Thanksgiving in as many years with a Copas … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Christmas, Drink, Food, Good Stuff, London, Shopping | Tagged apricots, beer, bootlegger, christmas, copas, copas turkeys, crazy jack organic soft apricots, Drink, Food, good stuff, London, Meantime Brewing, Meantime London Smoked Porter, pâté, Pâté in a Jar, spelt, Stress-Free Christmas Day masterclass, The Patchwork Traditional Food Company, turkeys | Leave a comment

How to Make Merry Like Robin Hood in Nottingham and Sherwood Forest (CheapOair)

Posted on 2013-11-23 by tikichris

I’m writing this post from the back end of a fantastic day trip to Nottinghamshire. Only about a 140 miles or so from Central London, Nottingham and its environs are an ideal destination to add to any England touring itinerary. History … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, CheapOair, Drink, England, Pubs, Travel | Tagged beer, Drink, nottingham, nottingham castle, Nottinghamshire, pubs, robin hood, sherwood forest, Travel, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem | Leave a comment

Heavy Metal Bowling vs Bompas & Parr’s Metal BBQ

Posted on 2013-10-24 by tikichris

Aw man, I’m going to be out of town and thus unable to attend this event but look: Heavy Metal Bowling – your chance to “finger holes, caress balls” while “crushing pins” to a soundtrack featuring Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard, Elder, The Sword, Slayer, Sleep, Metallica. Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Drink, Food, London, Music, Sports | Tagged BARBECUE, BBQ, beer, bowling, Drink, finsbury park, Food, heavy metal, London, London blog, metal, music, N4, N4 2DF, sports, Stroud Green Road, Upstairs at Rowans Ten Pin Bowl, Лондон, ロンドン, 伦敦 | Leave a comment

Shake Shack Brat Burger and More: Shacktoberfest

Posted on 2013-10-07 by tikichris

It’s October. Need an excuse to stuff your face? How about the limited time only Shacktoberfest menu at Covent Garden’s Shake Shack? You can even take home your very own Shake Shack beer stein for your gourmand efforts. Here’s my take on the Shake’s autumnal offering. Continue reading →