Restaurant News November 2009
Tossed Xmas Salad - stuff the turkey!
‘You don’t make friends with salad, Lisa!’ Homer Simpson once famously pointed out to his daughter, but it seems for once that the Sage of Springfield may have been wrong. Tossed has not only made friends with its salads, it’s made itself into a major market force.In one corner of the Baker Street store is an Astroturf field with picnic tables to eat at. By 1pm queues are forming and the place is getting rammed, meanwhile over in our part of the field I am peering in at my Xmas salad.
Learn the art of sushi and help support Help a London Child with Chino Latino
Chino Latino is feeling festive and you can join the award-winning restaurant’s Christmas themed sushi masterclass in support of Help a London Child on Saturday 5 December.
Designer Betty Jackson is on the menu at Pizza Express this Christmas
This Christmas, Pizza Express is bringing a new collaboration to the high street. A first for a restaurant, the pizzeria has teamed up with UK fashion designer Betty Jackson to support the charity ‘Dress for Success’ which helps disadvantaged women get back into work.
Stop, Look and Listen - Traffic Cocktail Bar pulls into Kensington
Traffic is a new contemporary bar in Kensington and Chelsea. Set in the recently launched Crowne Plaza Kensington hotel, Traffic will have imaginative cocktails, together with a selection of wines and beers. The bar offers an interesting destination.
Kitchen Italia opens on Earlham Street, Covent Garden
The new, stylish Kitchen Italia opens its doors to the heart of Covent Garden on Tuesday 8 December 2009, promising fresh, innovative, exciting Italian food.
Award-winning Whites restaurant gets a new head Chef
The award-winning Whites Bar & Kitchen at the White Horse in Steyning has recently announced the appointment of their new Head Chef, Stuart Dove. With a menu and wine list full of locally sourced produce if you are conscious about food miles and carbon footprints, maybe you should try Whites.
Sargeant manoeuvres himself away from Ramsay
Close students of Saturday Kitchen and other daytime delights will have become used to the sight of Mark Sargeant, Ramsay’s right hand man, cooking for the TV audience. As one of Gordy’s team for 13 years he first came to our notice in the original Hell’s Kitchen,where he could be often seen quietly helping the contestants get over their roughing up by Ramsay and steering their dishes back on course
Kill Chill. YO! Sushi new dishes fight the winter cold
At £4.50 a bowl the hot soups are hot, filling and good value but both need a bit more spicing up – basically if my nose aint running, they aint working. The prawn croquettes are great and the mushrooms are ok, but could be better with some work.
Allens of Mayfair – butchery classes for 2010
The Butchery Classes for Beginners, which Allens pioneered in 2007 have become hugely popular since they launched and they are now taking bookings for their 3rd season, starting in January 2010. Indeed, we went on one and found it fantastic.
New fish! Kitchen in East Sheen offers Londoners the perfect catch
At the new fish! Kitchen, Tony Allan will continue to adhere to his founding fish! principles - freshness, sustainability and good value for money. Fish and Chips has never tasted so good. Allan offers his customers top quality fish cooked in a multitude of different ways, from the classic Fish and Chips, to unique twists on traditional fish dishes loved throughout the UK.
Free Chinese Tea lessons
Until 4 December 2009, Royal China Club will be holding free afternoon Chinese Tea appreciation lessons with the renowned Hong Kong Tea Master, Shek Kwai Sim. With 20 years of experience, Shek Kwai Sim is a master of presenting the Chinese tea culture and the nutrients that each tea provides.
Chocolate and Beer... Discover the possibilities
On Tuesday 24th November, the White Horse Pub in Parson's green will be hosting a seven course beer and chocolate influenced tasting inconjunction with the Beer Academy. Guests will have the opportunity to discover some fantastic savoury and sweet chocolate creations alongside nine brilliant beer matches
Celebrate Thanksgiving this year with Live American Jazz at Babylon
For those American cousins who can’t make it home for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year, Babylon Restaurant at The Roof Gardens in Kensington could be the next best thing.
National Curry Week 2009, starts on 22nd November
National Curry Week 2009 is set to start. Running from 22nd to 28th November, throughout Britain, it has the dual aims of promoting the cuisine and culture and raising money for the less advantaged around the world.
Sweet Things launches chocoholics’ alternative Christmas Pudding
This Christmas, Natalie Allen’s Sweet Things Cakery in Primrose Hill's quirky range of festive cakes include a Giant Chocolate Christmas Pudding Cupcake – shaped and decorated like a traditional Christmas pudding, it is in fact a chocolate cupcake made with the finest Belgian chocolate filling and butter icing
Trishna. Birthday menu is a gift for gourmets
One year old Trishna clearly intends to stick around to draw its pension and with the standards so high, and with no signs of slipping, there’s no reason why it shouldn't. Join the celebration and fight for that booking.
Bee Happy - The Lancaster Hotel has its own hives
If you were to breakfast at the Lancaster London Hotel, a little bit of honey is all that you might expect to be allowed to pour onto your porridge, not because the chef fears for your digestion, but because at the moment there is very little precious honey available. For the honey served here is being produced from the bee colonies housed in hives on the roof of the hotel.
Homelessness charity StreetSmart Launch 2009 campaign
This year, during November and December diners visiting restaurants across 18 cities throughout the UK, will once again be asked to donate just £1 to their bill to go towards helping the homeless in the UK.
Prism Launches as a Brasserie with a New Head Chef and a New Menu
This November, Prism, situated in the former bank of New York on Leadenhall Street, launches a brand new brasserie style menu created by the new Head Chef Daniel Sherlock. The restaurant also has a new relaxed 1920s look.
Taste Japanese Whisky
Tsuru, a Japanese restaurant behind the Tate Modern is to host a tasting of Japanese whisky on Tuesday 24th November. Jen Dickson, an expert in Japanese whisky will guide guests through a range of whiskies from world-renowned producers Nikka and Suntory.
Sharing Menu to be Enjoyed Thai-gether
To ensure couples only get the best and avoid a row, Mango Tree, the fine dining Thai restaurant in Belgravia, is offering a deliciously generous ‘sharing menu’ available from the 9th until 22nd November.
Bingham Hotel win two Visit London awards
The Bingham hotel, restaurant and bar, on the banks of the River Thames in Richmond, took gold in the ‘Best Gastronomic Experience’ and ‘Best Small Hotel/B&B of the year’ categories at the BT Visit London Awards, announced on 5th November.
Dom Pérignon Tasting Menu launches at Apsleys
At a remarkable £950.00 per person, the menu must be booked 48 hours in advance for parties of 4 or 8 persons only. So, if the price tag is within your budget, or you and your friends just fancy spoiling yourself on the run up to the festive season, why not go for it!
Koffmann 'pop-up' restaurant to be extended
Legendry French chef Pierre Koffmann's pop-up restaurant 'Pierre Koffmann Restaurant on the Roof at Selfridges' caused a great deal of excitement in the capital when it was open in October so Selfridges plan to extend the restaurant for the third and final time, until 27th November this year.
