Monthly Archives: April 2011

London Guide: da Polpo Restaurant

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Bon Vivant

Russell Norman and Richard Beatty, who opened Polpo in Beak Street in October 2009, have announced the opening of their fourth restaurant, da Polpo, scheduled to open in June 2011. da Polpo follows the success of Polpetto, which opened in August 2010, and the recent addition, Spuntino, which opened in March 2011.

The menu will feature a meatball section and an expanded pizzetta offering as well as a selection of favourite dishes from Polpo and Polpetto. The wine list will be exclusively Italian and will feature the own-label Polpo house wines from Friuli and the Polpo House Prosecco.

da Polpo will have 70 covers over two levels, including two dining bars. On the lower ground there will be an Aperol Bar, serving the signature Venetian Spritz as well as the full da Polpo menu. In addition to the usual tables of two and four, the restaurant will be able to accommodate groups of six and will have a feature table for ten.

da Polpo will open on 2 June 2011.

Address: 6 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7NW

Phone: 020 7836 8448

London Guide: Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Bon Vivant

Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar, a Mediterranean restaurant specialising in seafood, opens today in The Corinthia Hotel, located between Trafalgar Square and Embankment. The head chef, Massimo Riccioli, comes from the celebrated La Rosetta in Rome.

In addition to the 100-cover restaurant, Massimo features an oyster and crustacean bar and The Chef’s Table caters for up to 18 diners with its own dedicated kitchen.

Menu highlights include mixed seafood crudo; grilled octopus and avocado with a spicy Amalfi lemon oil; linguine “Carmelo-style” with seafood and fresh tomatoes; Beetroot gnocchi with tomatoes, aubergines and salted ricotta; and sea bass in lemon sauce, crispy red prawns and green beans.

For further information, visit the website at www.massimo-restaurant.co.uk or to make a reservation please contact your concierge.

Address: 16 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5BY

Phone: 020 7998 0555

London Guide: New Restaurants Update

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Bon Vivant

Here’s a quick update on the new restaurants that have recently opened or that will open in the next couple of weeks in London.

Marcus Wareing, who runs the Michelin starred Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, will open The Gilbert Scott at the St Pancras Renaissance hotel. The British brasserie, which will also feature a 52-seat bar in spectacular surroundings, opens on 5 May.

Jason Atherton, formerly of Gordon Ramsay’s Maze, will opened Pollen Street Social in Mayfair on 18 April, offering ‘fine dining with a twist’, which will also feature London’s first dessert bar.

The Corinthia hotel opens in Whitehall this weekend with a gorgeous David Collins designed restaurant, Massimo’s, which will be overseen by Italian chef Massimo Riccioli, who also runs the Michelin-starred La Rosetta in Rome.

Earlier this month, Bistro du Vin Clerkenwell opened next to Smithfield Market, the Hotel du Vin’s first foray into the London scene, with a planned expansion over the next year, with the next site already scheduled to open in Soho in June. You can combine a visit to Bistro du Vin with a cocktail at the new Zetter Townhouse hotel bar, pictured below.

One of the most celebrated British chefs, Fergus Henderson, has recently opened the St John Hotel in Leicester Square. Based on the same premise as his main restaurant, St John, in Clerkenwell, the new hotel continues with the ‘nose to tail’ ethos, using every part of the animal from nose to tail, but adding to it with the concept of ‘from table to bed’ as guests can check in to one of the ‘post-supper rooms’ above the restaurant.

For further information on any of these new openings or to make a reservation, contact your concierge.

Travel Guide: Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbana Spa

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Bon Vivant

Vilma Darling visits the Feversham Arms hotel, an idyllic rural retreat in Yorkshire.

If there’s such a thing as an ideal English countryside retreat, then the Feversham Arms hotel and Verbena spa in Helmsley, Yorkshire, is definitely very close to perfection. Or at least so it seemed to me when I was sitting in the wooden hot tub outdoors in the early days of this spring.

The trees hadn’t blossomed yet, so I was admiring the crows’ nests on the bare branches and the ancient church tower with the rooster wind vane while the birds screamed at their enemies and the dark clouds were threatening to burst with rain.

I didn’t mind the miserable weather one tiny bit, because the hotel and the spa had absolutely everything that I might have needed: a restaurant run by two formidable chefs, an amazing champagne menu, a boardroom, library and private dining facilities as well as a great film collection in every room. The Verbena spa offered a large range of beauty and health treatments, along with a heated swimming pool and hot tub outside in the courtyard. The hotel’s manager, Simon Rhatigan, informed me that guests were enjoying the outdoor facilities even last winter when the Yorkshire area suffered from heavy snow.

I enjoyed the Verbena spa to the full: my Elemis Taster Facial and scalp massage were very relaxing (and, I hope, beneficial) and I particularly loved the ‘welcome touch’ – a hot towel rub for my tired feet. The spa also features a steam room, sauna, aromatherapy room, salt inhalation room, ice cave, foot spas and a cosy relaxation area, where I saw some ladies happily sleeping.

Originally built as a coaching inn in the 19th century, the hotel later expanded and now features 33 individually designed bedrooms, 22 of which are suites. All bedrooms are fitted with Bang & Olufsen televisions with integral DVD and CD players, L’Occitane toiletries, Egyptian cotton bedding and a toy sheep with a “Do not disturb” name-tag.

The hotel features a professionally lit gallery area and lots of original prints and collected art, mostly from local artists and I was seriously considering buying the apparently very popular “Feversham Cow” charcoal sketch (£245.00) that I kept seeing everywhere in the hotel.

The manager informed me that the hotel is a popular place for wedding celebrations, birthdays and anniversaries, while others just like walking in the North York Moors National Park, exploring the coast or visiting Helmsley’s shops and galleries.

Feversham’s Food & Beverage director, Michelin-starred chef Chris Staines, was recruited from London’s Mandarin Oriental hotel where he had run the Foliage restaurant. He and head chef Simon Kelly (who worked with Michel Roux at the Waterside Inn) have improved the afternoon tea menu (£22.50 per person) and introduced a 5 course tasting menu (paired with wine) and a 3 course a la carte menu as standard. Both dining menus cost a decent £45 per person.

At the afternoon tea table, the ladies and I cleared the crab, crème fraiche & coriander sandwiches and were very impressed with the passion fruit mousse with coffee jelly and lemon posset. I’m a devout macaroon lover and even though the violet & lavender and blood orange & lemon macaroons were good, they didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

However, the food at dinner was exceptionally good, thanks to the ingenuity of both chefs. I had yellow fin tuna with hazelnuts, Iberico ham and balsamic reduction as a starter; wild sea bass with Jerusalem artichokes, chicory and Parmesan beignet for the main course; and we finished our meal with a huge plate of cheese each. The waitress rolled out the massive trolley with 18 different cheeses and gave a deep sigh when we asked to name them all. That was probably our mistake and a waste of time, because by the time she finished, I could only remember one name: “The Stinking Bishop”.

After a truly satisfying meal I retired to my beautiful spa suite to enjoy some of the great films in my room (Godfather, Casablanca, The English Patient and “Y tu mama tambien” to name a few). But then the Yorkshire Sheep Dip lavender bubble bath caught my attention and I lit the incense and the candle and ended up in the very comfortable bath with one of my favourite magazines, and placed the toy sheep with “Do not disturb me” tag outside my door.

Website: www.fevershamarmshotel.com

Address: Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa, Helmsley, North Yorkshire, YO62 5AG

Phone: +441439 770 766

For further information or to make a reservation, please contact your concierge.

Travel Guide: The Olde Bell

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Bon Vivant

The Olde Bell is a traditional coaching inn, dating back to 1135, less than an hour’s drive from Central London and 20 minutes from Heathrow airport. Designed by Ilse Crawford (who designed the Soho House Group’s properties among others), the modern design and technological touches blend seamlessly with the oak beams and uneven wooden floors.

The restaurant, with its locally sourced rustic food, and the bar, with its open fire, sit at the heart of the hotel, and there is a large garden at the back from which to enjoy the warm summer ahead. The Olde Bell makes an ideal weekend break for couples or a group of friends.

Bon Vivant’s members will receive a glass of champagne on arrival and a room upgrade, subject to availability. For further information click here, and mention ‘Bon Vivant’ when booking.

Travel Guide: The Elysian Hotel, Chicago

Posted on April 12, 2011 by Bon Vivant

Vilma Darling experiences fine living and fine dining at The Elysian Hotel in the Windy City.

The quality of service is the first thing that always strikes me when I arrive in the United States from Europe, and I was even fortunate enough to be treated well by the immigration officers on this visit. I’m not saying that travelling is less enjoyable in other countries, but there’s something special about the friendliness and helpfulness of staff on the other side of the pond. It almost has another dimension, not really possible or achievable in the good old continent.

I had the luxury to experience the height of this special treatment during my two-night stay at the 5-star Elysian Hotel in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighbourhood, which actually is – roll the drum – a tip-free hotel. Tipping is expected in most places in the States and my American friends often like to remind me that that’s how the service personnel make most of their money. But tipping graciously is something that we don’t know how to do properly in Europe (or we don’t do it at all), so in America I often find myself at a loss about how much and when to tip. I’m told that it’s necessary even when the service is not great. Imagine my relief when I found out that this hassle is non-existent at the Elysian and the hospitality there seemed genuine without tipping expectations.

Architect Lucien Lagrange designed the newly-built 60-storey and 188-room Elysian hotel, which opened in December 2009, and with Chanel, Dior and Art Deco inspired design, brought ultra-luxury and style to Chicago’s fine dining and even finer living scene.

Its heated courtyard is unusual for the States and more reminiscent of European hotels, but the sheer height of the building and spaciousness of the rooms (average accommodation is 890 square feet) reminds you that you are in North America, where size matters.

I absolutely loved the art pieces, specially commissioned for the hotel by interior designer Simeon Deary’s team. The beautiful foyer with huge chandelier and two striking sculptures that resemble Greek fauns is a perfect place for special occasions, and, indeed, there was a wedding photo-session in full swing when we first entered the hotel.

The platinum and champagne coloured suites and Chanel jewellery inspired lighting soothe the nerves after a day spent shopping in the very near Magnificent Mile strip of Michigan Avenue. You don’t even have to go that far for Marc Jacobs though – its boutique is on the ground floor of the hotel.

There’s a decent size balcony and fireplace in every room and the television that can be switched on in the mirror in the bathroom is best enjoyed while soaking in a tub. The Roman bathhouse-themed Spa & Health Club features sauna, steam rooms, Jacuzzi and offers a wide range of treatments from beauty and massages to a barber suite for men.

The gym has enough equipment to make you sweat out the previous day’s indulgences while the Pilates and Gyrotonics studio offers a few classes as well as private training. The beautiful mosaic tiled swimming pool is positioned slightly awkwardly – you have to cross the gym and the spa reception area – but it’s worth the effort.

You don’t need to leave the hotel if you want to treat yourself to an amazing dinner. My Chicagoan friend Elizabeth told me that the Balsan bistro does the best burger in town (she said she couldn’t even talk to her husband while eating it), and truly, the Wood Fired Burger with cheddar, rosemary, red onion and fries was definitely one of the most delicious burgers I’ve ever had ($15). Run by Chef Danny Grant, Balsan has strong ties with local producers and sources seasonal ingredients from 65 local farms for the ever-changing menu.

The RIA restaurant next door, also run by Chef Grant, is more of a sophisticated and formal dining experience. It was awarded two stars by the 2011 Michelin Guide and the prices are steeper than at Balsan. However, every Sunday night you can experience the best of both restaurants for a bargain price of $29 per person when RIA is closed and Balsan does a special set menu. We had Winter Lettuce (endive & walnuts), Tuna Crudo with blood orange and scallions, Suckling Pig with pearl onion and baby carrot, Lobster and Scallop with fennel and citrus butter, with Caramel Profiteroles in chocolate sauce ending our great fine dining treat.

The Elysian is definitely worth its name – in Greek mythology the paradise for souls of heroic and virtuous nature was called the Elysian Fields. The Elysian Hotel also offers 52 private residences for people who wish to stay there permanently. They must not only be of heroic, but also of a wealthy nature, as most of the residences are worth more than $1 million.

For further information, visit their website or contact your concierge to make a booking.

London Guide: Taste of London Festival

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Bon Vivant

From 16 to 19 June, the Taste of London festival is returning to Regent’s Park. With 40 top London restaurants and some of the world’s most acclaimed chefs, 2011 also sees the launch of the new Secret Garden.

Described as a mix of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and an exclusive members’ club, the Secret Garden is a gourmet oasis hidden behind a maze and filled with exquisite food and exclusive wines. Access to the Secret Garden includes a complimentary glass of Laurent-Perrier Rosé champagne and canapés on arrival, access to a private bar and private enclosure, Q&A sessions with the chefs, Taste recipe book, Tatler magazine and the 2011 Tatler Restaurant Guide plus £20 of Crowns to spend.

To book your Secret Garden tickets for the Saturday and Sunday sessions for £95, saving £30 on the cost on the door, click here or call the ticket hotline on 0871 230 7132. Booking and transaction fees apply.

Travel Guide: 10 Boutique Getaways from London

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Bon Vivant

The boutique hotel experts Mr & Mrs Smith pick out their favourite easy escapes, bringing you 10 weekend breaks just two hours out of London.

Lime Wood, Hampshire

Just past Southampton, this regal New Forest manor was first a mediaeval hunting lodge back in the 13th century, and reclaimed for royalty by the Duke of Clarence in the 1740s. Since then, it has had another extravagant makeover, giving this stately pile a pristine air of perfection, with primly landscaped grounds, devotedly designed interiors and two tantalising restaurants to prove it.

There’s also the Herb House spa, spread across three floors, with assorted treatment rooms, a mud house, sauna, steam house, indoor pool, outdoor pool, sun deck with herb garden and a bar serving food and juices straight from the garden.

Rates: Double rooms from £295, including tax at 20 per cent, but not breakfast (around £10 for Continental; £15 for full English).

Coworth Park, Berkshire

Luxurious country manors within easy access of London don’t come more glamorous than Coworth Park near Ascot. This 17th-century mansion and polo estate has been treated to an eco-friendly modern makeover that’s given it three restaurants, a mood of quietly confident grandeur, and an architecturally wowsome eco-savvy spa: it’s a half-buried sweep of glass and timber with a herb-garden rooftop.

The wide-ranging therapies incorporate products from Aromatherapy Associates, Kerstin Florian, Dr Alkaitis and Carol Joy London. Be sure to book your weekend treatment in advance.

Rates: Double rooms from £215, excluding tax at 20 per cent and breakfast (£25 each).

Varsity Hotel & Spa, Cambridge

Be in the heart of Cambridge within an hour and a half’s drive out of London, and pick this academically gifted riverside retreat as your abode. The Varsity Hotel may have rooms named after colleges, artworks based on famous alumni and donnish decanters of brandy to hand, but there’s nothing studenty about it.

It has a spotless health club and Aveda spa attached (in a Conran-designed building next door), as well as the best views in the city from its seventh-floor rooftop. Restless gym bunnies can partake in the yoga, pilates and boxercise classes held in the beamed gym and, in summer, on the hotel’s roof.

Rates: Double rooms from £129, including tax at 20 per cent and full English breakfast.

Lucknam Park, Wiltshire

Sitting comfortably in rolling Wiltshire countryside, this is a hotel that has it all: award-winning spa, Michelin-starred restaurant, 500-acre estate and even an equestrian centre, home to 35 glossy-flanked horses. Lucky for the fillies and stallions (and guests) – their Chippenham stomping ground is peaceful and private, with gorgeous gardens.

Tennis courts, croquet lawn, football pitch and a home cinema are further feathers in this handsome hotel’s hat. Noticed some split ends and no time for a cut during the week? Sharpen up here with a trim in the spa’s hair salon. And, if you fancy a swim, there are four pools to pick from: an indoor heated one, indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy pools and an outdoor saltwater plunge pool.

Rates: Double rooms from £195, including tax at 20 per cent, but not breakfast (from £20).

The Gallivant, East Sussex

A nautically dressed vision in blues, whites and wave-washed woods, The Gallivant is down by the dunes of classic and coastal Camber Sands, near Rye and its dainty tea rooms. This glorious golden stretch with knee-high grass and sandy bumps has been entertaining holidaymakers since they were forced to wear modesty-preserving, high-neck, low-ankle bathing costumes.

Rooms are small and simple, with extra touches making them special, such as the jars of treats, trays of teapots, cups and saucers, and top-dog beds. The bountiful bay’s daily catch of oysters, mussels and more can all be sampled straight from the net in the sea-inspired bistro, where there’s recycled driftwood for furniture and shells for artworks.

Rates: Double rooms from £65, including tax at 20 per cent. Rates include a two-course (Continental and English) breakfast.

The Royal Oak, West Sussex

The crackling fires, cosy cottages, chalkboard menus and scenic setting are our favourite bits of this gorgeous gastropub near Chichester. This is a very British take on comfort – exposed red brick walls, low wooden-beamed ceilings and beds topped with soft wool throws. Thanks to friendly staff, the hotel is warm in more ways than one – expect to relax, newspaper and glass in hand, ensconced in one of the nut-brown leather chairs. The only interruptions will be a gentle enquiry as to whether it’s top-up time, and the enticing aromas (corn-fed chicken, Sussex sirloin, pan-roasted partridge, apple, almond and toffee) wafting from the kitchen.

It’s easy to lose entire weekends here doing not very much at all, but if you want to get out and about, the little village of East Lavant is green and scenic, perfect for a post-roast ramble, and Sussex has enough historic houses, rambling estates and cake-crammed tea rooms to fill a guidebook.

Rates: Double rooms from £85, including tax at 20 per cent. Rates include breakfast (full English and seasonal specialities).

The Reading Rooms, Kent

Come over all Victorian and take a seaside break to Margate, swapping city for shore in less than two hours. 18th-century Margate was a fashionable place to be, and the Reading Rooms rekindles this romance with preserved Georgian features, antiques and its blustery, beachy setting.

Even the boutique B&B’s name is a nod to the town’s heyday, when visitors flocked to the spas, tearooms and libraries. Each of the bedrooms is regal, and so big they span an entire floor. The town is perfect for shopping too, since it’s packed with cute vintage shops full of fabulous finds.

Rates: Double rooms from £135, including tax at 20 per cent and breakfast.

Stoke Park, Berkshire

This imposing stately mansion was designed by ‘Mad’ King George III’s architect, and, if it weren’t for the Union Jack flying, it’d look like a mini White House. As well as a golf course where James Bond and Goldfinger enjoyed a round, no less, Stoke Park has its own incredible spa, separate from the mansion, with an inviting indoor pool looking over the gardens.

The Dining Room serves Modern British cuisine courtesy of chef Chris Wheeler, and the best Sunday lunch in the area. Look out for Dorset crab, local lamb and whole arrays of chocolatey, pudding-shaped treats. The Orangery serves breakfast all day, so there’s no need to book that wake-up call.

Rates: Double rooms from £245, including tax at 20 per cent. Rates exclude breakfast (£22).

Church Street Townhouse, Stratford-upon-Avon

This buzzy, bijou bolthole in Stratford’s historic heart puts a modern spin on the boutique inn. The lovingly restored grade II-listed townhouse features boudoir-chic bedrooms, all-day bistro dining, fantastic staff, a cosy bar and a loyal local clientele. It’s variously graced by ladies who lunch, early evening tipplers and post-performance actors, depending on the time of day.

Imagine an abridged Soho House for Stratford, complete with super king-size beds, pewter-topped bar and flatscreen TVs, of course, and that should set the scene. An antique-dealing family elder was even drafted in to source the coffee pots and modishly mismatched silver candlesticks dressing the dining room. While in town, be sure to catch a performance at the newly reopened Royal Shakespeare Theatre, in honour of Stratford’s most famous son.

Rates: Double rooms from £90, including tax at 20 per cent and breakfast.

The Montpellier Chapter, Cotswolds

Combine town and country with a trip to Cheltenham, snug in the golden and green Cotswolds, and a stay at this slick, contemporary take on the ‘bedrooms plus wine bar and bistro’ formula. All mod cons have been rolled into one smart heritage-renovation package, including a well-stocked lounge/library, spa, moody bar and Modern British restaurant.

The epic multimillion-pound renovation stripped down and spruced up this grade II-listed villa, involving more creative names than a Wallpaper* masthead. Elsewhere, Aromatherapy Associates’ spa treatments, gorgeous gastro-style grub and attentive touches from SmartCellar app wine lists to locally sourced spirits mean the Montpellier Chapter will most certainly live up to your expectations.

Rates Double rooms from £125, including tax at 20 per cent, but not breakfast (£9.50 for a full English).

For further information or to make a reservation, please contact your concierge.