Tag Archives: review

The Whitworth Reopens: It’s a Happy Valentine’s Day for Manchester’s Art Lovers

Posted on 2015-02-13 by tikichris

Following a £15 million development that doubled its size and created new spaces for celebrating art and “embracing the park it calls home,” The Whitworth in Manchester will reopen its doors to the public on February the 14th. After checking out the gallery’s new digs and all the ace art on view there earlier this week at a press preview, I reckon Mancunian art lovers should prepare for a very happy Valentine’s weekend! Continue reading →

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Big Night Out at Balans, Westfield London

Posted on 2015-02-12 by tikichris

Balans is on a mission to revamp its eateries with its Westfield London outlet being the first to receive a spruce up. An invitation to drop by for a look and meal at its updated “Soho Society” digs resulted in a tasty night out for Kemey and me – made all the more pleasant by outstandingly prompt service. Continue reading →

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Gourmet Burger Kitchen Presents the St Morish

Posted on 2015-02-12 by tikichris

Off piste with your current burger options? Gourmet Burger Kitchen has recently introduced a new ski season inspired limited edition cheeseburger which might prove to be the summit of your winter noshing. For Alpine delights in mountainous bites, go for the St Morish next time you’re craving a burger. Continue reading →

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Gordon Ramsay’s Heddon Street Kitchen, Mayfair

Posted on 2015-02-10 by Leila Dukes

One of the places that has been on my radar for several months is Heddon Street Kitchen, the latest in Gordon Ramsay’s international portfolio. Mr “Big Sweary” has a dozen or so restaurants in London and this newest offering promises informal Modern European food in Heddon Street, a pedestrianised section of Mayfair which is being dubbed “Regent Street’s Food Quarter”. Continue reading →

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New Afternoon Tea at the Intercontinental London Park Lane? It’s a Guiltless Pleasure.

Posted on 2015-02-03 by tikichris

Yes, the folks at the Park Lane Intercontinental have done it again: wowed my senses in one of London’s most elegantly comfortable public settings … and with gracious and polite service to boot! This new vegetarian (without ever stating so) afternoon tea was a delight and yet another point to be added to a now rather lengthy set of reasons to recommend the hotel as an ideal destination for making the most of your time in the West End. Continue reading →

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Fem Graff Group Show at Lollipop Gallery

Posted on 2015-01-24 by Madison Salters

Fem Graff at Commercial Street’s Lollipop Gallery, has one mission: to bring the best of London’s female street artists indoors for a transformative experience. The collection of work sits right on the cutting edge, with stimulating, colourful imagery that contests traditional ideas of art and pushes boundaries, all the while bringing the best of East London’s graffiti culture indoors. Continue reading →

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Addison Lee and the #MillionPoundGiveaway

Posted on 2015-01-19 by tikichris

Addison Lee, has announced a £1 million fare giveaway – its biggest ever price drop – offering London commuters £10 off up to 100,000 journeys from 20 January until 16 February 2015. To celebrate the new year, “Europe’s largest minicab … Continue reading →

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Den Udon: Time for Japanese Food Lovers in London to Rejoice?

Posted on 2015-01-17 by Madison Salters

Den Udon’s hip new venue just opened its doors to business, with a clean layout and alternating menus that convert it from a casual luncheon spot to a cosy place for conversation over dinner and drinks. The trendy, minimalist vibe and welcoming staff make you feel right at home, and hearty menu options offer an array of traditional Japanese food with a bit of a twist. Fair portion sizes, a long list of sharable appetizers, and communal tables make Den and especially appealing alternative if you’re dining with a large group. Continue reading →

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Mark Jenkins | Moment of Impact | Lazarides Rathbone

Posted on 2015-01-16 by tikichris

Moment of Impact at Lazarides Rathbone is (to the best of my knowledge) the first solo show in London by DC-based artist Mark Jenkins in a quite a few years. Although his trademark life-sized sculptures and three-dimensional canvases actually lose a bit of their impact in a gallery setting as opposed to on the street for the unsuspecting public to encounter, the show is nonetheless a winner and well worth checking out. Continue reading →

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Healthy and Quick Italian-Japanese Fusion at Beiriso in Holborn

Posted on 2015-01-15 by tikichris

Recently opened Italian-Japanese fusion eatery, Beiriso, brings a tasty assortment of lunchtime and on-the-hoof dining options to the hectic streets of Holborn that’s bound to woo passers-by with affordable prices and a mostly health-conscious selection of food and drink. Continue reading →

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The World’s End Market: Fresh and Flavoursome Finesse on the King’s Road

Posted on 2015-01-11 by tikichris

I expected a very good – potentially even great – dining experience when I accepted an offer to review newly opened The World’s End Market. I didn’t expect to be wowed though. However, some of the dishes that Kemey and I tried on our Monday night visit did just that and delighted my unsuspecting palate. I was deeply impressed and can easily recommend this King’s Road eatery for anyone seeking quality meal simply prepared with locally or ethically sourced ingredients. Continue reading →

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The MacRib: Mega Meaty Americana at Joe’s Southern Kitchen

Posted on 2015-01-10 by tikichris

Up until last weekend, I would have filed Joe’s Southern Kitchen under that category of Central London restaurants that I’ve walked by innumerable times but never actually ventured inside. Heck, I can even remember when the place was called Navajo Joe’s. But when an offer came round to sample this Covent Garden stalwart’s new (and blatant “homage” to you-know-who’s limited offer you-know-what) MacRib sandwich, I reckoned it was time to give the place a go. I’m glad I did. Continue reading →

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Restaurant Review: The Cavendish, Marylebone

Posted on 2014-12-22 by tikichris

Newly opened The Cavendish sets a dual tone for a night out. The downstairs bar (which was absolutely jam packed the Tuesday evening I was there) offers casual drinks with upscale air while a more subdued if rather swish upstairs dining room promises a more formal experience (though still quite far from stuffy). Whether it be a quick drink, bar snacks with cocktails, or a full-on feast – The Cavendish is a worthwhile venue to keep in mind next time you’re seeking a suitable place to enjoy food and drink in Marylebone. Continue reading →

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Upscale Japanese Served with Knightsbridge Panache at Nozomi

Posted on 2014-12-18 by tikichris

From my wisely suggested and promptly served Japanese Old Fashioned to my palate cleansing spread of homemade sorbets (ooh the pineapple!) – and all the tasty moments in between – there were so many highlights worth reporting from my luxuriant Saturday night out at Nozomi in Knightsbridge. Continue reading →

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Review: The Curiosity Cabaret at The Old Operating Theatre, London Bridge

Posted on 2014-12-17 by tikichris

Science inspires art in The Curiosity Cabaret, a new limited run production of first ever cabarets in the style of a history of medicine lecture. Founded by medical doctor and circus owner Dr Clive Selwyn, the shows “fuse science and … Continue reading →

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Riverford at the Duke of Cambridge, Britain’s Only 100% Organic Pub

Posted on 2014-12-12 by tikichris

The Duke of Cambridge – Britain’s first and only certified organic pub – has teamed up with Riverford (aka the organic veg box folks from Devon) to “champion seasonal produce” and offer Londoners an ethical and healthier option for quality pub grub. I dropped by the Duke earlier this week for a low key Monday lunch – and very much enjoyed the experience. Continue reading →

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Sunday Brunch at The Jones Family Project, Shoreditch

Posted on 2014-11-11 by tikichris

The Jones Family Project is an “ever-evolving restaurant, bar and social space in the heart of Shoreditch.” Keen to keep up with all the Joneses and their foodie doings (there’s actually no one behind this venue named Jones funnily enough), I dropped by this past weekend for a taste of the restaurant’s recently added Sunday roast menu and left satisfied and hoping the Sunday offering is one new evolution that will last. Continue reading →

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Elegant Japanese Dining at Kouzu, Belgravia

Posted on 2014-11-10 by tikichris

Japanese fine dining restaurant, Kouzu, opened with a hush of a soft launch (although apparently the Prince of Monaco had already caught wind and paid a visit) last week. Via an invitation extended by the restaurant, Kemey and I dropped by Saturday for what turned out to be a most elegant meal. Continue reading →

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Addison Lee Updates Its App for an Even Smoother Ride

Posted on 2014-11-10 by tikichris

Addison Lee has updated its free and popular app (over 850,000 downloads and counting) with live fleet mapping, multi-account bookings and more features. I had been rather content with the app as-is to be honest, but when the opportunity arose to review the updated version I was keen to give it a spin and was not disappointed. Continue reading →

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A Night Out at The Hippodrome

Posted on 2014-11-08 by tikichris

I’ve walked by The Hippodrome Casino at Leicester Square a zillion times. Not a gambling man, I never thought there was much inside the large scale and lavish venue for me. However, taking up an invitation to give Hippodrome’s food, booze and entertainment a try, I discovered there’s more to this Central London landmark than gambling. Continue reading →

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Bite Me Pizza, Westbourne Grove

Posted on 2014-10-31 by tikichris

An invitation to try out a new Notting Hill pizzeria proved a more than satisfying reason for me to mosey more westerly than usual for one of my all time favourite foods – pizza! Bite Me? With pleasure Continue reading →

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Commune at Goodhood: Open-Faced Situationist Sandwiches?

Posted on 2014-10-26 by tikichris

Originally a small indie label fashion and lifestyle boutique on Coronet Street just off Hoxton Square, Goodhood recently crossed Old Street to reopen in a considerable bigger retail space on Curtain Road. Downstairs at Goodhood and just a few weeks old is Commune, a partnership between Chef Brett Redman (Elliot’s Café Borough Market) and Goodhood co-founders Jo Sindle and Kyle Stewart with an aim to serve “clean, healthy and really tasty food, juice and coffee with a focus on good quality and good value.” Continue reading →

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Far Rockaway Bar and Restaurant in Shoreditch

Posted on 2014-10-24 by tikichris

A couple of weeks back, a buddy and I hit Curtain Street’s Far Rockaway for a gab session over couple of beers and a pizza. The Shoreditch venue offers broad appeal if in a rather ‘dude-ly’ fashion. Continue reading →

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New Restaurant Review: United Ramen, Upper Street

Posted on 2014-10-12 by tikichris

Ramen, ramen, ramen, ramen! Talk about a soup du jour! Londoners are slurping up this Japanese dish at a decidedly trendy rate. Newest noodles on the scene are those on offer at United Ramen, where I had a right tasty meal last week. Continue reading →

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Steve McQueen at Thomas Dane Gallery: Ashes

Posted on 2014-10-12 by tikichris

Two new works by Steve McQueen go on view soon at Thomas Dane Gallery in St James’s. One is an immersive projection with sound entitled Ashes which was shot on Super8 film in Granada with much of the footage dating from 2002 and taken by cinematographer Robbie Müller with recently recorded soundtrack about the sad fate of the subject in the film. The other work is Broken Column, a sculptural installation which “acts as a pendant to Ashes.” Continue reading →

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Marvin Gaye Chetwynd at Studio Voltaire: Hermitos Children 2 

Posted on 2014-10-11 by tikichris

Hermitos Children 2 is the largest film commission to date by Glasgow based artist Marvin Gaye Chetwynd (known as Spartacus Chetwynd a couple years back when she was a Turner Prize nominee) and is on view now at Studio Voltaire. The film is part of an ongoing series of “experimental television crime drama” following telepathic detective Joan Shipman as “she uncovers and solves sex crimes” and is screened within a large scale gallery installation incorporating a number of props and interiors. Continue reading →

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5 Scan-tastic Reasons to Visit Sweden’s Koster Islands (OneTravel)

Posted on 2014-10-10 by tikichris

About a month back I had the pleasure of visiting the Koster Islands, Sweden’s most westerly populated (if only sparsely) islands. Just south of the Norwegian coast, it’s a rugged and beautiful part of the world and a great place … Continue reading →

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Theatre Review: Proud Haddock’s Julius Caesar

Posted on 2014-10-04 by tikichris

A few nights ago, I got to catch newbie production company Proud Haddock’s first ever show, a sold out performance of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar at Saatchi Gallery (the only time a play has ever been staged there). That was a one off. However, from early November the play will have a couple of weeks’ run at Chelsea Theatre about a mile or so farther down King’s Road. If the Chelsea Theatre run goes anything like the Saatchi Gallery premiere, audiences are in for a treat. Continue reading →

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Lizzie Fitch/Ryan Trecartin: Priority Innfield at Zabludowicz Collection

Posted on 2014-09-29 by tikichris

The evening after I checked out the preview of Lizzie Fitch and Ryan Trecartin’s Priority Innfield – a series of sculptural theatres where four interconnected films “that touch upon our changing relationship to the camera and its influence on conceptions of history, evolution and selfhood” are continually screened – I tried to explain the experience of watching the films and negotiating the fabricated space between them to my girlfriend. Despite my enthusiastic attempt, I’m pretty sure I failed. Continue reading →

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Lobster Safari in the Koster Islands, West Sweden

Posted on 2014-09-24 by tikichris

The Koster Islands are situated off Sweden’s western mainland just south of Norway. It’s a beautiful part of the world – a rugged and ‘out there’ archipelago where wilderness and cultivation blend in such a way as to suggest that humans and nature actually can get along. Summer’s the main time folks visit this tranquil area, but I was there at the onset of autumn for the start of the lobster season. Lured by the prospect of catching (and eating!) the regionally renowned “black gold of the sea” lobsters for myself from one of the cleanest of nutritionally rich fjords in Scandinavia, I tagged along on a Lobster Safari “activity and dining experience” offered by the lovely little Hotel Koster on the island of Sydkoster. Continue reading →

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Review: Pont Street Restaurant at Belgraves Hotel

Posted on 2014-09-20 by tikichris

Before making my rez for Friday night din-din at the Belgraves hotel’s Pont Street restaurant, I skimmed the web for a few reviews. Ouch! I’m not sure whether what I read was egregiously unfair or if Pont St subsequently got its act together, but my experience was way better than those perused online. Continue reading →

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The Victoria, Mile End: Everything under (and on) One Roof!

Posted on 2014-09-15 by tikichris

Recently renovated and reopened under new ownership, The Victoria brings a taste of farm-to-table dining and hopeful community spirit to Mile End. I had lunch here about a week and a half ago and really enjoyed it. Here’s quick look at a few of this pub’s many highlights. Continue reading →

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Toro Gordo: Stylish Tapas for Hammersmith

Posted on 2014-09-05 by tikichris

Spanish bar and restaurant Toro Gordo brings piquant panache to West London. I had a fantastic time tasting my way through its menu of contemporary and stylishly presented tapas and reckon if you’re in the area you could do a lot worse. Indeed, for drinky drinks and scrumptious nibbles with a convivial vibe that’s just a short stroll away from Hammersmith Tube (not to mention Ravenscourt Park) you’d be hard pressed to find a better venue. No bull! Continue reading →

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The Bonneville: Fantastic French Dining in Clapton, E5

Posted on 2014-09-04 by tikichris

So nice I’m going twice! A recent visit to Clapton’s newly opened French eatery, The Bonneville, resulted in such a lovely experience for Kemey and me that we’re heading back ASAP for a repeat – this time with another couple in tow to whom we’ve raved about the place. Continue reading →

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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 →

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