28.3.11

MAKE quiche

After Saturday night Sunday was panning out to be predictably unproductive, until a triple espresso! I got creative and decided to make quiche, freezing leftovers for future lunches. I went veggie on this one but as long as you have your pastry and cheesy egg mix you can add anything you want, ideal for re vamping the sad ends of veg in your fridge!



23.3.11

Pick Me Up

Pick Me Up for £7 general admission

Allow me this one chance to digress from the two "F" realms as I cannot reccomend this enough... Last weekend Lynsey and I ended up spending the majority of our Sunday at the Somerset House taking in the graphic art scenery of the second edition of Pick Me Up. With chances to buy, witness and take part in the whole process it was easy to get lost in the works of the super intricate collages of Seiko Kato or whimsical typography of Jessica Hische as we did. Don't want to overshare as you should go and catch it if you can - last chance is this Sunday!
With Anthony Burrill as this year's artist in residence he has left a table full of his frequently used icons, coloured paper and a photocopier as well as some helpers to let you get creative. Here was my outcome...


 I could not bear to write about some food, after a good few hours we headed for Tom's Deli and had a refreshing crayfish and watermelon salad and a pretty good brownie with what tasted like caramelised walnuts on top. Yumtown.

19.3.11

Brunswick House

The Brunswick House Cafe
30 Wandsworth Road, Vauxhall, London SW8 2LG
Dishes from £4.80 Cocktails £6.50

Friday night usually involves a late finish at the office and a convenient slink to Soho for a bite or THAT drink you've been dreaming of since midday! This end of week however called for a bit of a venture further afield to the slightly southern Vauxhall to Brunswick House.

Brothers, Jackson and Frank (of Frank's fame) couldn't have found a more perfect space for their permanent and expanding fixture. The eatery is nestled in amongst Lassco's vast array of antiques and miscallaneous decorative goods, the collection itself is enough of a reason to go. Although the food is also pretty spesh.
Having made a summertime visit for a brunch of exquisite sandwiches with wafer thin rare beef and muffaletta, it was clear to see that the flavours were bold, well researched and sincere. Then I only wished they would do proper sit down meals. Fast forward a couple of months, et voilà...dinner is now served Thursdays till Sundays. Serving plates for sharing and quality cocktails, faves were the anyas (oval shaped pots) bone marrow and gremolata, Old Spot shoulder with nduja (spreadable spicy sausage), fennel and crackling - the bracketted were all new to me but delicious!

 


One final tip, although the coffee is tasty get the Caña Coretto for a boozy alternative with a kick!



Brunswick House Cafe on Urbanspoon

14.3.11

Belter Birthday Bites

Day Dining:The Dorchester
Park Lane, W1K  1QA, (020) 7629 8888
thedorchester.com/afternoon-tea
Afternoon tea with champagne £46.50

The setting of The Promenade was fantasmically fancy with burnt vermillion walks, towering jasmine scented blooms and brocade velvet setees to sink into, but friendly service vanquished any stuffiness that may have been associated with such surroundings.

Being in celebratory mode my tea was accompanied with a glass of fizz. For the all important brew mum was swayed from her usual decaff black to the Paris blend which was as romantic as its name  with sweet nectar and caramel notes. Whilst my mouth revelled in the rapturous bonfire of my Lapsang Suchong. The finger sandwiches were refreshingly a mix of classic and experimental - cucumber on carraway and chicken on basil. To follow a little sweet taster of blood orange jelly with cardamom cream top whetted our tastebuds for the sweet joys to come.



The scones were small yet perfectly formed, jams were as they should be; fortified fruit jus and clotted cream was clotted and creamy. But the absolute show stealer was the picture perfect platter of tarts and cakes. Delights from a lemon iced choux sphere with a caramelised hazelnut hat, dark chocolate and pear centred chocolate shortbread and a crushed praline wafer base cheesecake laced with lemongrass and lime micro shavings.



Pre Dinner Drinks:Bob Bob Ricard
Upper James Street, W1, (020) 3145 1000
Cocktails: £8.50

 
I adore this place for its outlandish interiors, its like the Orient Express' little camp brother train. Ideal for a cocktail or few and a little nibble of Bobcorn, popcorn popped in coconut oil! There was some focus on Britishness with Pimms and cucumber featuring on quite a number of concoctions swizzled around with fresh berry juices, all went down very easily.


The Main Event: River Cafe
Thames Wharf, Rainville Road, London W6 9HA, (020) 7386 4200
rivercafe.co.uk
Could you define a great restaurant as a joint where you get ten times the flavour for your buck or a restaurant that is bejazzled with Michelen stars? Or is it a dining establishment that reasonates a passion for food and provenance? If it were the latter, River Cafe is definitive of this - as well as being rightly so decorated with accolades. Its no secret this place is legendary. From the founders to the quality of talent it continues to nurture, and lets not forget the food!

Our meal was faultless and delivered by staff who loved that you love the food. I was waiting to pick out some slight fault, but from the first dunk into the fruity glistening extra virgin olive oil, I knew that would be futile. Starters were absurdly good; anchovy dressed spinach, artichoke and raddichio salad, Cornish crab with sorrel and smoked roe shavings and an intense clam vongole. The mains only outdid the starters; whole Dover Sole baked with rosemary and pulses, deep fried atrichoke provided crunch to sweet chargrilled scallops with mint and chilli and slow cooked veal shin with saffron risotto and carmelised carrots.

There was just enough room for a couple of deserts for sharing; the infamous Chocolate Nemesis which is best described as a slab of the best (gooey) part of a chocalte brownie and smoked caramel ice cream. Topped off with a couple of dense espressos, perfecto!









9.3.11

8.3.11

AW11 Fashion Week Round Up

Fashion week may be coming to an end, but the lusting has only begun.
Here are my faves from AW11.


Designers L-R: Calvin Klein, Doo.Ri, Viktor & Rolf, Alex Wang, Rodarte, Calvin Klein, Cacharel, Acne
Gareth Pugh, MMM, Giambatista Valli, Hermes, Jill Stuart, Hremes, Celine, Yigal Azrouel


Designers L-R: Fendi, Celine, Topshop Unique, both Roksanda Illincic, Emanuel Ungaro, The Row



Designers L block to R block:
Preen, Chris Kane           Etro, Missoni
Hermes, Leowe               Veronique Leroy, Jil Sander


Designers L-R:Cushnie et Ochs, Gareth Pugh, Stella McCartney, C et Ochs, Acen, Etro
Felder Felder, Jill Stuart, 3.1 Philip Lim, Stuart, Sonia Rykiel, Balmain, Emanuel Ungaro


Designers L-R: Balmain, Commes des Garcons, Halston, Lanvin, Viktor & Rolf, Lanvin, Stella McCartney
All Pictures from style.com

3.3.11

Burgers by the Boy

Being a mega meat fan, my boyfriend, Andrew, was beside himself when he got a mincer for Christmas. One particular food stuff he holds close to his heart, is burgers. As the above demonstrates there are many a good burger out there. Although nothing beats a homemade one...