Monthly Archives: May 2012

Polpo Smithfield, Clerkenwell

Posted by Bon Vivant

Polpo Smithfield opened near Smithfield Market in 2012 seating 70 in the main dining room with space for 20 on the terrace outside.

Polpo Smithfield is the latest restaurant from Russell Norman, whose first restaurant Polpo will now be renamed Polpo Soho, with the Covent Garden sister restaurant, da Polpo, becoming Polpo Covent Garden.

Libby Greenfield is in charge of the kitchen, who has previously worked at Zucca and Russell Norman’s other acclaimed restaurant Polpetto. Polpo Smithfield has the same core menu as the original Polpo along with daily specials and a new express lunch menu. Polpo Smithfield also has a basement Negroni bar.

While reservations can be made for lunch, dinner will operate a no booking policy – if you like your restaurants without a booking policy, read our guide to the best no reservation restaurants in London, which features Polpo Smithfield.

Address: 2-3 Cowcross Street, London, EC1M 6DR

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Launceston Place Restaurant Review

Posted by Frances

One of The D&D Group’s finest restaurants, Launceston Place has often been recommended to me, so I was excited to dine there recently on a sunny spring afternoon.

The area is as genteel as you’d hope from the South Kensington address, and the cobbled street that leads you to Launceston Place is absolutely picturesque.

At Launceston Place, the knowledgeable French staff almost outnumbered the diners, and despite a few glitches, remained attentive throughout the 7 course bonanza.

The béchamel-laced amuse bouches were warming but almost overpoweringly cheesy. Our starters of scallops and quail were beautifully presented, and each offered an impeccable combination of textures, flavours and depth.

The quail ballottine stuffed with a smoked sausage and sage mousse served on cauliflower cream and juicy, plum raisins was a winning, complex combination, and one I’d not even come close to seeing on other menus in the capital.

The scallop served with pork belly was a classic salty juxtaposition against the juicy, fresh seafood and was executed with real skill.

Mains of the lemon sole and pork belly were pretty formal but you might expect that from a restaurant of this calibre. The pork belly came with a dressing of pork popcorn (pictured above) which was fun and showed a glimmer of playfulness in an otherwise very formal menu.

The sole was served with samphire and Cardigan bay prawns, which were bursting with flavour and unctuous accompanying notes.

A cheese course presented a unanimously French selection from La Fromagerie, but being presented with just crackers didn’t do them justice – some chutneys or fruits would have lifted the plate.

Passion fruit soufflé was a long time coming, but worth every second as the warm, oozing centre was intensely sweet. The sharpness of the fruit really cut through though, to add a real depth to the dessert.

The dining room at Launceston Place is modern and incredibly classy with nooks and crannies and mirror-lined walls creating a depth and mystique. The diners were just what you’d expect, and it was impossible not to enjoy a spot of West London eavesdropping and handbag admiring.

Launceston Place offers an incredibly well-executed menu in an undoubtedly beautiful upmarket town-house setting.

The presentation, dishes and setting is up there with some of the best I’ve had in London, and I would happily revisit for any number of occasions.

For further information, please visit the Launceston Place website. Bon Vivant’s members will receive a complimentary glass of champagne when dining in the restaurant, so contact London’s premier concierge service about becoming a member.

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Read some of our other restaurant reviews including Coya, 34 Restaurant and Portal.

Vinoteca Soho Restaurant

Posted by Bon Vivant

Vinoteca opened its original wine shop and restaurant in Farringdon in 2005, adding a Marylebone site in 2010 and now Vinoteca Soho site on Beak Street from 14 May.

Vinoteca Soho is inspired by the wine bars of Spain and Italy, offering modern British and European seasonal food alongside a wine shop selling nearly 300 wines, which you can also enjoy at each restaurant.

Reservations: 020 3544 7411

Address: Vinoteca Soho, 53-55 Beak Street, London, W1HF 9SH

New chefs have been also announced at the Farringdon and Marylebone sites, offering a chance to visit all three to make your way through the wine bin.

Sign up to our blog below as we visits some of the best restaurants in London. In the meantime read our reviews of Brasserie Chavot, Banca Restaurant or Launceston Place.

The Tramshed by Mark Hix

Posted by Bon Vivant

There seems to be no stopping Mark Hix at the moment, with his latest venture opening this week at the Tramshed building in Shoreditch.

The Tramshed is a 150-seat restaurant focusing on steak and chicken, with the option of either a whole chicken or a 200g sirloin steak as mains, with a changing selection of starters.

As with other Hix restaurants, there will be commissioned artwork from Damien Hirst featuring a cow and a cockerel taking centre stage. For reservations please visit The Tramshed website or call 020 7749 0478

Address: The Tramshed, 32 Rivington Street, London EC2A 3LX

London Guide: Notting Hill

Posted by Bon Vivant

Sue Hillman starts a series of posts about London’s best neighbourhoods with a guide to Notting Hill’s restaurants, bars and attractions in West London.

London is an amazing city which is both vast and small at the same time. Our capital is one of the largest cities in the world but is made up of small neighbourhoods which have a wonderfully local feel when you visit them.

One of the most famous is Notting Hill, where the film was shot and the shoppers’ paradise of Portobello Market is found on a Saturday.

Another claim to fame is the annual Notting Hill Carnival, one of the largest street parties in the world, with crazy costumes, booming sound systems and a host of stalls selling Caribbean food.

Notting Hill is wonderful for strolling around, admiring the beautiful white stucco buildings, the colourful rows of houses and the garden squares that you’d love to step in to but sadly most are private, reserved for the lucky residents who have their own key.

You can visit the film locations such as the bookshop and the blue door or browse the enticing selection of designer shops, as well as some very tempting chocolate shops! The crowds descend on Saturdays and there is a real buzz about the place, but if you prefer a calmer feel, then do come another day and have some roads to yourself.

Another reason to love Notting Hill is the incredible choice of great bars and restaurants. On my list of favourite places you would find Montgomery Place with its jazzy feel (which features on our guide to London’s best cocktail bars).

My favourite Notting Hill restaurants include The Commander with its clubby feel and occasional live music, and the eccentric Beach Blanket Babylon (pictured below), which is a visual delight with top cocktails.

My favourite Notting Hill restaurants are Electric Brasserie on a Saturday afternoon when it’s buzzing with market visitors, serving a great brunch range as well as its wonderful seafood platter.

The Ledbury is my choice when I’m in need of Michelin Star cuisine and El Pirata de Tapas for top Spanish bites.

On a sunny day there are many places sit out to enjoy a coffee, a bite to eat or a glass of wine but one of the best is the Tabernacle‘s courtyard. There are so many good bars and restaurants the list could go on so you’ll just have to visit and chose one yourself!

For an insider’s guide to London’s neighbourhoods, join Bon Vivant’s concierge service.

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Read some of our best London content including our guide to London’s Michelin starred restaurants, the best hotel restaurants or where to have the best brunch in London.

Hotel Du Vin Cheltenham

Posted by Frances

By Frances Cottrell

As Spa towns go, Cheltenham is by far my favourite, with the Montpellier area the epitome of all that’s gorgeous about the town. Just two hours from the centre of London, it was a perfect and very welcome mini break.

On Parabola Road, a stone’s throw away from Cheltenham Ladies College, the 100 year old building housing Hotel Du Vin is a fine example of Regency architecture in this leafy stretch of town.

The Hotel has 49 rooms, a bistro, spa treatment rooms, a terrace for alfresco dining and a big, handsome lounge bar, peppered with modern touches like the wine-glass chandelier. The interior is rich with dark colours, texture and heavy upholstery.

There are 17 double rooms, 12 superior rooms and a collection of suites to choose from and each has custom made, plush beds, stylish, comfortable furniture and contemporary design around the rooms’ many existing architectural features.

We stayed in a deluxe suite, which was a seriously impressive room. A separate lounge room in the style of a study was a nice touch, but the bedroom really delivered the wow-factor. A ‘drench’ shower set in a huge, slate-tiled wet room overlooked the generous freestanding bath. This in turn was set next to an enormous fireplace, and overlooked the rest of the bedroom including a beautifully carved, king-sized four poster bed.

Impressive floor to ceiling windows were dressed with fine-looking curtains, and a separate bureau with arm chairs, a coffee table and a tempting array of glossy mags made the suite almost impossible to leave.

Hotel du Vins make for a great overnight stay for those looking for comfort and a touch of luxury, and the complementing restaurants (the Bistro du Vin sister business) are befitting for such a venue. Warm and inviting, the menu is classic and French-styled and the wine list, as you’d hope, very strong.

Food was uncomplicated but good and highlights included a creamy, buttery Tartiflette. Local sourcing is very important, and the produce certainly hinted at an attention to detail. We opted for steaks for our mains, and a good selection of breeds and cuts were available, and very well executed.

The staff were impressively friendly, and despite being a tad lacking in knowledge, they more than made up for it in enthusiasm and generosity. They really added a touch of fun to the occasion.

The hotel offers a good-looking private dining room which I was assured made for a great working environment and was often booked by corporate groups. Touches like The Sinners’ Enclosure (a private dining room decorated with comic illustrations inspired by the race course) give the hotel some personality and individuality.

Perfectly positioned in a beautiful town, it is well worth a visit. For further information, visit the Hotel du Vin Cheltenham website.

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Gourmet French Takeaway From Housebites

Posted by Bon Vivant

Housebites, a new takeaway delivery service where an expert chef in your area cooks up your meal from scratch, in his or her own kitchen, and hand delivers it, launches ‘Gourmet French Takeaway’ today, 18 May 2012, in association with French mustard brand ‘Maille’.

Acclaimed chef Bruno Loubet has designed a special menu using a range of Maille ingredient with the aim of bringing Michelin-starred French dishes to your door. Each order will come in specially designed packaging with a free sample of Maille’s classic Dijon or Wholegrain mustard.

For further information and to make a booking, visit www.housebites.com

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The Lion NYC in London

Posted by Bon Vivant

John DeLucie from celebrated New York restaurant The Lion will be popping-up at The Brompton Club from now until early July, giving Londoners a chance to try his acclaimed cooking.

DeLucie is one of the original chefs from the Waverly Inn in New York, therefore this is an excellent chance to try one of New York’s finest chefs in an exclusive private members’ club in South Kensington that is opening its doors to the public for a limited time only.

With signature dishes of Mac and Cheese with Truffles and The Lion Burger Special Blend (pork belly, Provolone, smoked Cheddar, caramelized onion and tomato), this is one pop-up to get your claws into.

For reservation enquiries, please call 020 7268 5906

Nobu Unplugged at Nobu Berkeley Street

Posted by Bon Vivant

Nobu Berkeley Street has announced the second date in its series of ‘Nobu Unplugged’ musical events, a series of monthly performances showcasing emerging music talent.

On Sunday 27th May 2012, it will host live performances from Natalie Duncan and Ryan Keen. Natalie is a fresh, new soul singer making waves in London whilst Ryan is bringing his soothing indie-guitar riffs from Dorset to critical acclaim.

Tickets are £45 per person, which includes entrance and a Nobu Bento Box including salmon sashimi salad with a matsuhisa dressing and rock shrimp tempura with ponzu.

For further details please click here.

Pret a Diner – Italians Do It Better

Posted by Bon Vivant

*This is an event listing and not a review of the event*

The ‘Pret a Diner’ dining concept returns to London until 30 June with the latest concept, ‘Italians Do It Better’, which involves a series of dinners from acclaimed chef Giorgio Locatelli.

The Pret a Diner event takes place at 50 St James’s Street before it closes for a full revamp, where there will also be cocktails from maestro mixologist Tony Conigliaro from 69 Colebrooke Row (our pick for one of the best cocktail bars in London) and an exhibition of contemporary Italian artists by the Gazelli art house.

For further information or to book your table at Pret a Diner, please click here.