Restaurants
SW1A 2TS
London
2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square
Vista Bar at The Trafalgar hotel
In the flurry of Christmas festivities, Vista (the roof top bar at The Trafalgar hotel) has conjured up its own Five Gold Rings menu. The 23 carat gold menu offers up two light bites, which come in the shape of smoked salmon with caper berries (flecked with gold) at £18, and a chocolate & gold pudding (£14).
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This place is a little find, snuggling in between the jewellery and clothes shops that fill up Neal Street. If you shop in and around Seven Dials on a regular basis, the chances are that you may already know about Food for Thought, but if you don’t, it’s a wonderful place to add to your memory bank when you stomach starts growling.
Before you set foot in this vegetarian restaurant, you’ll probably have to tackle some kind of queue, but we’re not talking M25 tailbacks here – more a reassuring sign that the place has a good reputation.
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SE1 2AP
London
2 More London Riverside
A five minute walk from London Bridge tube, this Gaucho restaurant gives its location away with a stunning view of Tower Bridge. Arriving for our evening meal, we got a little caught up in the view of this landmark bridge with its gleaming stonework and pale blue steel glinting against the city lights.
Having peeked at pictures on Gaucho's website, I had wondered if the cow hide covering the walls would be a little too WAG, but the restaurant was full of understated style when we set foot inside.
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W1B 5NF
London
Soho
20 Warwick Street
It was a chilly Saturday afternoon as myself and Ollie (my partner in crime on this adventure), entered the Sanctum Soho Hotel to a very warm welcome. This cheerful and stylish London boutique hotel, is based in the heart of the West End on Warwick Street, and has recently launched a temping Gentlemen's Afternoon Tea.
Now before anyone jumps to the presumed conclusion of gallons of sugary tea, the WI and cake stands littered with french fancies and buttered crumpets, this is all together a very different approach.
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NW1 8AH
London
Chalk Farm Road
Camden View, Camden Stables Market
Stepping off an escalator into Gilgamesh, it’s hard not to marvel at this cavernous space, hidden from the street below by heavy curtains. With low, red-tinged lighting and intricately carved wooden panelling that decorates the long bar and most of the back wall, it’s clear no expense has been spared in creating an Aladdin’s cave, where the treasure happens to be the cocktails and food.
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I like to compare a good Mexican meal in London, to the Wizard who lives in Oz: probably a fantasy, but perhaps hidden away in some secret room, playing cards, sipping margaritas, and whittling away las horas.
Yes, Mexican food is a tricky, secretive thing in this town, and it’s no surprise that most Mexican restaurants (save the American-tourist hub Texas Embassy, which is actually Tex-Mex, and terribly overpriced, but whatever) succumb to the staunchly Indian-loving British palate, and close before they make a dent in the mainstream.
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W1K 7TN
London
Park Lane
It’s an interesting quirk of fate that the traditionally British institute that is afternoon tea, came about due to boredom. And due to Anna Russell. (No, not the 1950s’/ 60s’ ‘Crown Princess of Musical Parody). To give her her proper title, I’m referring to Anna Russell, born Lady Anna Maria Stanhope, 7th Duchess of Bedford and Lady-of-the-Bedchamber to Queen Victoria (1841-1847). When at her summer residence, Woburn Abbey, the Duchess would become ‘very melancholy between lunch and supper’ – the first recorded case of a sugar low, perhaps.
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Haiku has had a fair bit of press from critics over recent months with mixed reviews, but despite the moans of an uninspiring location, too much choice on the menu and a raised eyebrow or two at the prices, no-one’s really gone all out and moaned about the food. Why? Well, probably because it’s wonderfully good, probably because each mouthful was better than the last and definitely because despite the varied and admittedly enormous menu, the dishes are beautifully crafted with a serious amount of care given to the flavours that characterise each area of this pan-Asian selection.
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SW12 9EX
London
15-19 Bedford Hill
The thing that Harrison's has heaps of, is buzz. We visited on a mid-week evening to find the restaurant clamouring with diners, and not a shred of tumbleweed in sight. If you head this way on a first date, those awkward silences will be mopped up by the sound of waiters rushing around, the hum of good-natured chatter, and the chinking of a good few cocktail glasses.
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