Monthly Archives: October 2011

The Met Bar at the Metropolitan Hotel

Posted by Bon Vivant

The Met bar has been re-launched with more tables, brand new windows and for the first time ever, an “open to all” policy.

The Met Bar ditched its members only entry requirement and now offers a versatile event space for up to 180 guests, pre and post dinner cocktails and bar nibbles.

Since it first opened in the 1990s, the Met Bar has set the trend for the ultimate night out in Mayfair with the likes of Kate Moss, Sadie Frost, Oasis, Boy George and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson sipping their drinks at the Met Bar.

Post Cool Britannia times the bar sold its entire interior on eBay and now welcomes guests with a brand new look.

The Met Bar’s new drinks menu offers an extensive wine list, vintage Champagne by the glass, signature and classic cocktails. Food is served from midday until late and guests can feast on dishes like potted shrimps, fennel and orange baby loaf, with a parsley and chilli salad, and ham hock and parsley terrine with a beetroot and pickled walnut salad.

Main courses include lemon poached monkfish, kedgeree cakes, fresh vegetable salad with a honey and mustard dressing and Dedham Dale beef and Stilton pie with sloe gin gravy.

The Met Bar adds to London’s wonderful cocktail bar scene in a city with of the best hotel bars in the world. Sign up to our blog at the link below to receive our news and reviews direct to your inbox.

In the meantime, read some of our best London content including our guide to the best speakeasy cocktail bars, the best boutique clothes shops in London or where to sample the city’s best coffee.

Anthony Quinn’s Artwork at Morton’s Club

Posted by Bon Vivant

An exhibition of art showcasing the work of Anthony Quinn will take place at Morton’s Club on Berkeley Square from 2 to 30 November 2011.

After more than 60 years of performing, Anthony Quinn will always be remembered as the consummate actor. His work as an artist is less well-known and this exhibition serves – for the first time in London – to highlight his extraordinary talent.

Whilst working on location in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, he had always sculpted small pieces of stone and wood. Over the years, Quinn’s work caught the eye of various gallery owners and was exhibited internationally in New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Mexico City. His work is now represented in both public and private collections throughout the world.

Open to the public, this exhibition will also have original works for sale and partial proceeds will benefit the Anthony Quinn Foundation Scholarship Fund. For details of the exhibition and to arrange a private tour, free of charge, those interested are asked to please contact Morton’s club on 020 7499 0363 or email info@mortonsclub.com

L.T.D at The Social: London Bar Guide

Posted by Vilma

by Vilma Darling.

Six spirits with six cocktails per spirit is the idea behind the experimental pop-up cocktail club L.T.D. @ the Social, where legendary bartender Dre Masso assures that the six spirits used are the best of the best.

“When it comes to drinking, how much choice do we really need…or want?” Asked Dre and his colleagues who work for such esteemed places as the Connaught, Savoy, Quo Vadis, Pinchitos and other ‘independent taste-masters’ who formed the Social Drinks Committee. They were tasked to select spirits that they considered “All-rounders” from each section, but also good value for money (under £20 wholesale price).

After blind tasting and careful comparisons the Committee chose the winners – Stolichnaya vodka, Beefeater London Dry gin, Havana Club 7 yr old rum, Jameson Irish whiskey, Ocho Blanco vintage tequila, Courvoisier VS Cognac. They say these brands are linked to heritage and authenticity, respected in their country of origin and have strong brand loyalty from bartenders.

L.T.D is in the upstairs bar of the Social. Its wooden walls are decorated with Dre’s photos of his famous bartender friends. The place is simple but cosy and is a great pre-gig cocktail place if you later plan to go downstairs for some music. Jarvis Cocker was said to be there when we were enjoying our drinks upstairs.

Dre’s team serves cocktails in regular flutes and glasses, but also in metal mugs (“Bumble Bee” – gin, raspberries, lemon juice and honey water), jars (“Fresca” – tequila, berry liqueur, lemon juice and agave syrup) and latte cups (“Espresso Martini” – vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and sugar).

Dre says most cocktails at the L.T.D @ The Social are based on classic recipes and are offered at an affordable price of £8.50 or £9.

I loved the “Armenian Plum” – brandy, apricot liqueur, apricot jam and lemon juice – while my friend enjoyed the “Sazerac” – whiskey, absinthe, sugar and Peychaud bitters.

Dre Masso knows what he is doing – he has been mixing drinks for 20 years in places like the Atlantic Bar & Grill, Ronnie Scott’s, Bungalow 8, Circus, Green & Red and Bali’s Potato Head Beach Club, to name a few.

The brands are not sponsoring this pop-up bar. Dre says they wanted to achieve the opposite effect and ‘cut through the brand-speak and get back to what bars should be founded, and judged, upon – the best drinks, served by the best in the business.’

The L.T.D @ The Social will be open till the end of this year and staffed by a rolling ‘rota’ of Dre’s cocktail legends.

Where? The Social, 5 Little Portland Street, London W1W 7JD

When? Until 31 December 2011

Taste of Tuscany at Amaranto

Posted by Bon Vivant

Amaranto in The Four Seasons Park Lane will be hosting a ‘Taste of Tuscany’ week from Monday 14th to Sunday 20th November, in collaboration with Rocca delle Macie wines from Tuscany. Chef Davide Degiovanni has created a special six-course menu at £95 (£155 with wine pairings) – click here for a copy of the menu.

Amaranto is the new restaurant, bar and lounge at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, which reopened in January 2011 after a 2½ year closure and £125m makeover. Situated on the ground floor of the hotel, with direct street access from Hamilton Place, Amaranto offers diners great flexibility and choice on what and where they can eat and drink. A series of elegant rooms – three lounge areas, a restaurant with adjacent conservatory, a bar, private dining room, and a garden terrace – interconnect and provide many dining options throughout the day.

Address: Four Seasons Hotel London, Hamilton Place, London W1J 7DR

Phone: 020 7319 5206

For further information, please contact your concierge.

Grape vs. Grain at the Draft House

Posted by Bon Vivant

On 29 November 2011, The Draft House Tower Bridge and Wine Chap will launch Extreme Grape vs. Grain – a series of events “pitting the wickedest wines against the bolshiest beers”.

Each session will focus on a different country highlighting the variety of quality wines and beers each has to offer, as well as a poetry (haiku or limerick) and arm-wrestling competition with drinkable prizes! The schedule is as follows:

29^th November 2011 – “California Über Alles” Extreme Thanksgiving Grape vs. Grain

24^th January 2012 – “Love in a Cool Climate” Extreme English Grape vs. Grain

28^th February 2012 – “Clash of the Titans” Extreme French Grape vs. Belgian Grain

27^th March 2012 – “Don’t Mention the War” Extreme German Grape vs. Grain

Executive Chef Richard Shucksmith will showcase a sharing menu of signature pub dishes from The Draft House. For further information, please contact your concierge.

Eyre Brothers Restaurant Shoreditch

Posted by Bon Vivant

Eyre Brothers, an Iberian Restaurant in Shoreditch, will celebrate its 10th anniversary on 1 November 2011.

David Eyre, the executive chef and founder of The Eagle pub in Farringdon, has created a special menu to celebrate, which will be available at Eyre Brothers for one month from 1 November. The 4 course menu will include some of David’s signature dishes from the last ten years, costing £38 per person or £60 with matching wines.

Menu highlights at Eyre Brothers will include salt cod brandada, roast pimentos de piquillo, cherry tomatoes, capers, black olives and a soft boiled egg; grilled Mozambique tiger prawns piri-piri, pilau rice, cucumber, coriander and sherry vinegar; grilled fillet of acorn-fed Ibérico pork, marinated with smoked paprika, thyme and garlic, potatoes, green peppers and white wine; Tarta de Santiago, and soft dark chocolate cake with clotted cream.

For further information, click here to visit their website or contact your concierge.

The Hampshire Hog Gastropub

Posted by Bon Vivant

After 17 years at The Engineer in Primrose Hill, which was in our list of the best gastropubs in London, Tamsin Olivier and Abigail Osborne have opened their new venture, The Hampshire Hog in West London on Monday 17th October 2011.

The Hampshire Hog specialises in seasonal, responsibly sourced food for breakfast, lunch or dinner, with beers, cocktails, boutique spirits and an eclectic selection of organic and bio-dynamic wines.

The family friendly pub provides 80 covers and has a great garden for sunny days.

The Hampshire Hog also has a ‘Pantry’ that is stocked daily with a range of fresh, natural and home-made food, artisan produce, coffee, tea and soft drinks to take home or to the office.

Address: The Hampshire Hog, 227 King Street, London W6

Sign up to our blog below as we visits some of the best restaurants in London. In the meantime read our reviews of Novikov London, The Hollywood Arms, Michael Nadra Primrose Hill or 34 Restaurant.

The Northall and Lobby Lounge at The Corinthia

Posted by Frances

Frances Cottrell visits The Northall at The Corinthia, London’s latest luxury grand hotel, for an indulgent dinner, swiftly followed by an impressive afternoon tea. It’s a tough life.

The Corinthia hotel launched in a year where over 1,000 5 star bedrooms were unleashed onto the scene, and the 294 room hotel has fought hard not to be lost in the crowd.

In a renovated Ministry of Defence building moments away from Downing Street, its positioning is ideal for luxury business. The hotel boasts Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar, The Northall (including a separate bar area), Bassoon bar and a Lobby Lounge.

The Northall celebrates ‘Fresh and Seasonal British Fare’, which although an over-used term, actually rings true on this menu. The 150-seater restaurant is grand with remnants of Art Deco and a touch of the Mad Men era.

High ceilings and vast windows onto the street give an airy and bright feel at The Northall, and as the evening sets-in the impressive lighting comes into its own, swathing the restaurant in a golden glow.

Always start in the separate Northall Bar and sit at the counter to enjoy the impact of the room. Drinks are not bad, if a little pricey, with a glass of champagne starting at £15.50.

Once you’re finished, you will be led through the serving area where bread, cheese and fruits make for an incredible display before you enter the dining room. An impressive and grand scene, again with the air of the 50s about it, it’s a decadent dining space at The Northall.

The a la carte menu is simple and pleasant, if a little unimaginative. A strong focus on ingredient sourcing and unfussy techniques shine through. I started with a Lobster cocktail with beetroot and avocado (£24) and my guest with six wild rock oysters (£21) served with a sense of celebration on grand silver ice platters.

Both were absolutely delicious, and the perfect quantities to face the substantial main courses.

Bone in rib steak for two was a gorgeous piece of meat cooked handsomely (£28 per person) only let down slightly by a selection of sides lacking in finesse (Creamed leeks, Chips, Buttered hispi cabbage etc at £3.50 each). Sauces were strong and a little too rich and came included in the steak price.

Desserts were pleasantly fresh with rose, elderflower and summer berries appearing on the menu on more than one occasion. The rose, raspberry and lychee Pavlova with crystallised rose petals was delicate, pretty, and perfect to share after the richness of the mains.

Also worth noting are the Damian Allsop chocolates available in place of a dessert. The hand-made chocolates are very well respected in the food world and an interesting addition to the menu.

The wine list is again a little pricey, but well balanced. The Northall’s Sommelier on hand throughout dinner was one of the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable you’ll find anywhere, and was the absolute highlight of the evening.

Afternoon Tea at The Corinthia

Afternoon tea should be decadent and luxurious, and that is what The Corinthia delivers. Served in the Lobby Lounge, the room teases the sweet tooth with glass-encased cakes on display like a pretty Victorian tea room.

Finger sandwiches arrive with fresh, fluffy bread and succulent fillings. These are swiftly followed by warm and light scones and a selection of the usual clotted cream and reserve accompaniments.

But the real reason to visit The Corinthia at afternoon tea is Claire Clarke, the consultant and in house cake maker extraordinaire. Clarke is one of the UK’s finest pastry chefs and her time at Napa’s French Laundry is evident in abundance as the most meticulous, imaginative and colourful cake creations arrived at our table.

Afternoon tea can, and often does, fall into the trap of the dull and inferior, but Clarke’s finesse lifts this menu into excellence. From the prettiest and daintiest of Violet Eclaires to the white chocolate brownie box, the cakes have a depth of flavour and staggering presentation.

The Corinthia Lobby Lounge is a light, airy and chic setting to enjoy an afternoon tea, and at £35 per head (with a glass of Laurent Perrier for £45) it is value for money and superior to a great number of its 5* contemporaries across the capital, without the month-long waiting list.

In the meantime, read some of our best London content including our guide to the best afternoon tea, the best boutique clothes shops in London or where to sample the city’s best coffee.

The UK Michelin Guide 2012

Posted by Bon Vivant

The 2012 Michelin guide to Great Britain and Ireland was announced last week, resulting in the usual flurry of commentary, nods of agreement and shouts of disdain. Whatever your thoughts on the Michelin guide, it remains one of the best and most accurate guides to dining, despite its heavy focus on French haute cuisine, and it’s the one that restaurateurs and chefs most revere.

There are 151 Michelin starred restaurants in the UK today, the highest number ever, which is a great recognition for the quality of restaurants in the country.

There are no changes at the 3 star level, meaning that Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Gordon Ramsay’s Royal Hospital Road, The Fat Duck and The Waterside Inn remain as the only 4 such establishments in the UK. There are two additions at the 2 star level, namely Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham and Great British Menu winner Tom Kerridge’s Hand & Flowers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, which has become the first two Michelin-starred pub in the country.

New 1 star restaurants in London include Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental; Jason Atherton’s Pollen Street Social; Hakkasan Mayfair; and North Road Restaurant in Clerkenwell.

London restaurant Pied à Terre has been demoted to 1 star following the departure of former head chef Shane Osborn earlier this year, while Tom Aikens has lost his star following the restaurant’s closure for a refurbishment.

Notable additions in the Bib Gourmand category (offering good food at moderate prices) include da Polpo, Opera Tavern, Trishna’s and Jose.

The full list can be downloaded here.

Seafood Workshop at Catch at Andaz

Posted by Bon Vivant

Andaz Liverpool Street is hosting a seafood workshop for the London Restaurant Festival on 15 October 2011 providing food lovers with advice on how to select fresh, quality produce and prepare a gourmet three-course meal.

Led by Martin Scholz, Head Chef of the hotel’s seafood restaurant Catch, the class will start at Old Billingsgate Market, where participants will be introduced to seafood suppliers, shown different varieties of fish and taught how to select seafood and shop sustainably.

After this early morning market experience the group will head to The Andaz Studio, an exclusive private event room featuring an open kitchen, where a breakfast will be served. Scholz will then demonstrate simple tips such as the art of cracking a crab as well as teaching the class how to create a three course seafood menu.

After preparing the menu, participants will relax and enjoy a formal sit down lunch with the hotel’s head sommelier pairing wines to the dishes created and offering advice on matching wine with seafood.

The course runs from 7.45am to 2.00pm and costs £70 per person. To book, contact London.restres@andaz.com or call +44 207 618 7200.

Our reporter, Beata Nicholson, went along last week and had a fantastic time – read her account below.

It’s not my dream scenario on a Saturday morning to wake up at 5am to go to a fish market somewhere on the other side of town, but I must say I didn’t regret it for a second as my early start was rewarded with amazing food (and wine) courtesy of Catch at the Andaz Hotel from Head Chef Martin Scholz. We started the day by heading to Billingsgate market where the chef showed us what to look for when buying fresh fish and what to avoid in terms of sustainability.

We leave Billingsgate without any catch as all the seafood is waiting back in the hotel. A few coffees and pastries later we start cooking in the beautiful private dining room with its big open kitchen. It’s a three course menu which Martin put together especially for this workshop and you can be as hands on as you wish, including chopping vegetables, cleaning the scallops and making the tapenade.

Martin talked us through the day’s menu, starting with a bouillabaisse, but making a much lighter version of this classic dish. Martin understands his city clientèle and his bouillabaisse is much more modern – fish stock with vegetables and spices (fennel, white pepper, mustard, fresh bay leaves and tons of herbs – tarragon, thyme and basil – apparently the latter is the secret ingredient) simmered and strained to the tastiest liquid imaginable poured on to other delights from the sea: sea kelp and samphire, garnished with pan fried prawns and scallops. The dish is beautiful, festive and impressive.

The main course is chorizo risotto with pan fried north east Atlantic cod topped with tapenade stuffed baby squid and fried shallots, which we also helped to prepare – stuffing the baby squid was definitely the best part! It was the most amazing combination of spicy chorizo, perfectly cooked risotto, still al dente and not gloopy like some risottos can be, on top of meaty, perfectly cooked fish. The tapenade was made from bitter Moroccan black olives and roast almonds, with the almonds providing the perfect crunch.

Everyone at the table was very impressed, and to make things even better, every course was accompanied by different wines selected by the sommelier Joris Beign, and we learn and choose which wines are better matches than others.

For dessert we have the chestnut crème brûlée – a great idea for a wintery dessert and Joris is particularly generous to us, as to accompany this we are offered one of the finest Sauternes in the world (Chateau d’Yquem Lur Saluces 1998).

Chef Martin Scholtz is very talented and humble, and these workshops are amazing value at £70 per person. I highly recommend booking a place on next Saturday’s course, but if you can’t make it on that day, you can always try Martin’s food at his restaurant Catch at the Andaz hotel near Liverpool street station.