New restaurant openings in 2011

Enough with 2010 already, what’s in store for 2011? We predict that the craze for burgers will finally die down and the next logical contender will step up – yes the Doner kebab. The ‘elephant’s leg’ in your local takeaway will be elevated to iconic status by the bloggerati and Twitter will be buzzing with people swapping tips on the best places get your fix.

Tricolore Takeaway

Douglas Blyde was recently whisked to a Loire so frozen that Charolais cattle couldn’t break ice to quench their thirst. Back in an equally frozen Blighty, his task, from Monnières to Mosnes is to summarise summery wines sipped in foot numbing cellars…

Zing for a free supper at Zizzis

After the success of the December Sessions at St Giles, Zizzi is carrying the musical evenings into January and like before, diners can sing for their supper. Diners at Zizzi’s newest London restaurant who get up and sing in front of the restaurant audience will get their supper for free, and raise money for youth charity The Prince’s Trust in the process.

Look no further than the Hoxton Hotel for a stress-free Christmas

It can all get very cozy and almost personal when you stay at a hotel for a few days over Christmas. Particularly a hotel with a damned good bar and restaurant. So it was for me and the husband this year at the Hoxton Hotel in Shoreditch. This place is definitely worth considering for a relaxing Christmas or other special occasion.

Time for tea infused cocktails at 108 Marylebone Lane

Start the New Year 2011 with a Tea-infused Cocktail at 108 Marylebone Lane Restaurant & Bar, located in the heart of Marylebone Village. Aromatic teas have been blended with a variety of liqueurs and spirits to create the perfect pick-me-up cocktails, available throughout January 2011, priced at £9.75 each.

Undercover Curry – Dave Loyden. Indian cooking explained and made easy, with user friendly cooking instructions.

The idea behind the book is to enable home cooks to recreate the flavours and dishes that they would get from their local restaurants and takeaways. Overall, this is a thoroughly researched, informative and – most importantly – useful book for anybody with an interest in curry and the desire to re-create the flavours from their favourite restaurant in their own home.