Restaurants often lay claim to being the oldest something or other. Bizarre – as I increasingly slip into that category I’m not going to shout about it. This fortnight, I’ve been to London’s oldest Hungarian, the earliest French, and now, Zia Teresa, the first to plant its boot shape into the city’s culinary foundations.
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
Dark Chocolate’Moelleux’ Cake
I confess I don’t have much of a sweet tooth and would always choose savoury over sweet, however a honking great slab (notice I say ‘slab’ and not a girly ‘slice’) of devilishly good chocolate cake can always change my mind. Dark chocolate Moelleux cake is similar to a chocolate fondant cake, with a melting middle, but slightly less liquid than your average fondant, as well using only a little flour.
Irish Cheese sweeps the board
To Mark Hix’s new restaurant in Soho where in the big basement a tasting of Irish Cheese is taking place. Now I am second only to Wallace in my love of the stuff, although Wallace’s Wensleydale is not my favourite by any means. Ireland certainly has the grass for the cows and goats required, but can it cut the cheese? Let’s find out.
On top of the f******g world!
Gordon Ramsay launches his new book Gordon Ramsay’s World Kitchen (The F Word) high up above London in Centrepoint. Sabrina Ghayour is whisked up in a lift to be encouraged to catch a glimpse of the England’s Greatest Living Chef and to join the crowd of beautiful people in worship at his altar.
Cook Express. Over 700 quick recipes
The one thing you can always guarantee with books from Dorling Kindersley is that they won’t get lost on your shelf. Gosh they are big. These monster books don’t go in for arty photography or long essays on sustainability. They are business-like tomes, designed to do what it says on the tin and Cook Express is no different with over 700 quick recipes to drum up after work and to entertain.
Market Trader – Denise Tang is chic in Camden
Denise Tang,the creative powerhouse behind Market, Camden’s restaurant du jour, has single handedly transformed the way that diners think about the borough. Before Tang and her cohorts opened up in 2007 Camden’s culinary scene was divided between its vast array of inexpensive fodder and the theatrical extravagance of Gilgamesh. Thomas Henry trades words with her.
Sardo
One thing I will say to the detriment of this undoubtedly enchanting restaurant is that if they ever want anyone to order pudding they might want to consider cutting the main courses in half. A couple of bottles of the excellent Cannonau Riserva were the only other things we managed past our lips that night.
GBK Clink Street
For those of you who are familiar with GBK, Clink Street is the chain’s 50th outlet and rather different from the norm for a few reasons, the most striking of which is that it offers full restaurant service, rather than ordering and paying at a counter, which is how it works everywhere else.
Shabu Shabu, a swish way to eat at Wholefoods market
We were invited to the press evening for the launch of this Japanese food outlet at Whole Foods Market in Kensington, on the first floor of the old Barkers building. Whether alone, which in this environment would feel perfectly natural, or in a group, it is a novel and interesting way to eat.