This year has brought some very good meals (Pied a Terre, Chez Bruce, Hibiscus), some average ones (Tom Aikens, Arbutus) and some damn right terrible (Umu). In the ‘very good’ column I can add Galvin at Windows and Bistro de Luxe, so I was very interested in seeing what the brothers had managed to do with their new venture. Would it be a restaurant too far or a City winner?
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.
Christmas shopping at Del’Aziz
With Christmas approaching, and thoughts turning to sugar plums and spice cakes, cinnamon and candy peel this might be a good time to visit Del’Aziz
Damian Allsop’s 2009 Christmas chocolate collection
Damian Allsop Chocolates, the avant-garde artisan chocolatiers specialising in water-based chocolates and chocolate creations is a number of Christmas chocolate collections for the festive season, including an exclusive collection featuring distinctive Amano chocolates.
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.
The Nation’s Favourite Dinner Party Host Revealed
If you would like to be in with a chance of winning one of four packs to help you host the perfect dinner party, go to our competitions page and enter our After Eight competition.
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.
Laya’lina, Knightsbridge
Laya’Lina is not budget-friendly by any means… I balk at the £5.95 price tag of a portion of chips, as not even Gordon Ramsay charges that much for fried potatoes! The presence of chicken curry and coconut prawn soup on the menu baffle me greatly, I may not be Lebanese, but I think it’s safe to say that neither are these dishes.
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