Chinatown Favorites

Everybody should know by now how much I love food. And Fashion. It's probably a cultural thing. Spaniards make a big deal about having a meal, it is such an event. Having lunch (brunch, or dinner) means enjoying yourself, chillaxing and having a good time with your friends and relatives. I guess it's not only about food, but what it represents.

Having that in mind, I thought it was about time I mixed both things in a blog post. After all, Fashion & Food are very trendy at the moment. And the filthier the food, the better. For that reason, the lucky winner is Chinatown.

There's something about this neighborhood that reminds me of the good times traveling in Hong Kong and Shanghai. The absolute chaos, the noise, the smell, the ducks displayed at the entrance of the restaurants. That constant vibe that makes you feel the City never sleeps. I LOVE knowing that even if it is 3am in the morning I can turn up in Leicester Sq and indulge a glorious Peking Duck, or dumplings! MMM.

Some have said to me Chinatown is not the same anymore. It used to be the place to go during the video-club boom but it has lost its appeal over the years. And I could agree to some extend, but not entirely. For those who love the Chinese culture and cuisine, Chinatown remains unchanged. Regardless of the smell, the dirtiness and the lesser offers, londoners and tourists still drag themselves to this neighborhood because there's nothing like it anywhere else in the City. Its uniqueness has been maintained.

More over, if you fancy an affordable day out in the City, there's plenty around the area. It is also near Soho, which is always a plus, and there's so many food offerings you will not know where to start. For that, here are my tips:

(1) Café TPT is one of the cheapest eats in the area. I feel for the tourists (and not so tourists) who end up stuck in Prêt à manger or similar chains, paying overpriced meals for not knowing where to go in the area. This is the perfect place for comfort food and great service. Full of local people, which is always a good sign. Budget: 7£-12£ per person

(2) Four Seasons is THE place to go if you fancy peking duck. Never tried anything that good (outside China) before. Budget: 16£-20£ per person

(3) Dumplins Legend is SUPERB if dumplings is what you are after (hence the name of the place). From Limited edition to the old time classics, you'll find every type of dumpling here. Including Xiao Long Bao! Budget: 11£-15£ per person

(4) New World recalls the perfect sunday brunch: Dim Sum. The guys at New World do things properly and you'll be able to experience dim sum as the locals do in China. There are plenty of trolleys going round the tableS showing fresh cooked dishes. You just pick your favourites and indulge a treat! Budget: 12£-17£ per person

(5) Chinatown Bakery for desserts and the infamous Taiyaki. This is more of a japanese-style bakery, where the famous fish-shaped waffle (Taiyaki) comes from. For 2£ you get 4 fresh cream taiyaki, but there's plenty more on offer. From coconut cream buns to any other pastries you can think of.

But in any case, as I said before not all is about food. It doesn't matter where you are or who you are with, fashion is always there. Fashion in the form of art, architecture, food presentation, and of course, clothing.

My outfits vary a lot. One day I can wear as many colours as I can, and do a lot of mixing up (which is fun!) and another be very simplistic. But as George Clinton once said, "Style is whatever you want to do, if you can do it with confidence".

For this occasion, I pumped myself in some ankle boots, an oversize dress and a black blazer to make my outfit more of a statement. Any outfit looks much better with a blazer. And since I was in Chinatown, I've gone for an easy hair-do with some statement earrings.

TCB x

Kitty and Friends

Tombo x Sanrio

Tombo Fitzrovia has become Europe’s first ever Sanrio café in the centre of London. Can you believe it? Hello Kitty and Friends, at your doorstep

The small Japanese café that started almost 20 years ago in South Kensington now has at least 3 more restaurants across the city, serving yummy Japanese ingredients in a modern and accessible way.

WHAT? You can get a bit of everything really, from noodles to donburi, sushi or poke bowls. Green tea drinks and desserts are overflowing so if you are a matcha fanatic this is your dream come true.

WHY? If you love Japanese food and culture and all things Kawaii then you have to visit Tombo. Not only their food is quality, but also they go the extra mile with the presentation of their menus. Customer service could be better (clearly a lot to learn from the Japanese here) but overall quality price is pretty good.

From the Sanrio Menu we loved the Hello Kitty Garden Poke, the customized Matcha Latte and of course the Matcha Doriyaki. Sweet Green Tea overload, my friend!

WHEN? Anytime between 11:30 and 9:30pm, except Sundays when they close at 5pm.

WHERE? We like the original spot in SouthKen, however Fitzrovia is the one advertising it Tombo x Sanrio café. If you like Kitty, then head to 4 Windmill St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2HZ

Average price for lunch per person (including dessert, no booze): £15

Itadakimasu~~~~

TCB xx

Sketch and Mad Hatter Meetings

Breakfast at Sketch

#SpanishGalsDoItBetter

It’s 8 o’clock on a Monday Morning, and Patricia and I have decided to kick start our week with a banging breakfast at one of London’s Iconic venues: Sketch.

It is rather unusual for us to wake up this early (we are Spanish, after all) but business calls and we like to confuse people, so why not breaking the routine and go for a fantastic banquet?

Sketch has always been one of my favorite spots in Central London. Tucked away off crazy Regent Street, this gems is to me where fashion meets art and meets food. And here I’ll tell you why.

Views from The Parlour for Breakfast

For starters, the decor is super. It’s like you are visiting an art-gallery inside of several restaurants, bars and a hip egg-shaped toilets.

Sketch consists of the Lecture Room & Library, the Gallery, the Glade, the Parlour, and the East Bar. Personally, I find it very difficult to choose a favorite room. Each one of them has a very different style and that style makes it shine on its own. I love the pink life at The Gallery and the fresh cones with tea are a killer, but then again the Glade and its whimsical yet dark forest style and food are also damn good.

The East Bar is more intimate and dark, probably great for a date and the parlour works fabulously if you want to catch up with friends while offloading yourself from shopping.

Each single detail at each one of the rooms has been thought after, from the waiter outfits down to the cutlery.

Now the food. The food is another level.

At the Lecture Room you can enjoy a Michelin-rated menu (still yet to try) whereas at the Parlour you can enjoy a casual breakfast and all-day menu. The Gallery and the Glade offer high-tea and lunch, respectively.

For the occasion, we dine at The parlour. Tea, coffees and juice were running through the table as we frantically discussed our weekend and the wide selection of eggs (hello tempura scotch egg, I’m looking at you) certainly made our day. Not to mention the pancakes, YUM.

We’ve also had the chance to go for tea at The Gallery (read our review here) and we could not recommend it enought. It will leave you wanting to come back for more tea and scones, the latter are fresh and to die for.

Jewelry from Thomas Sabo Paradise Collection; China from David Shirgley

Finally, the toilets. It’s funny to think that somebody would go to a restaurant just to check out the toilets. But believe it or not, this is what happens. And understandably so. I’ve never encountered such thing, and you should see it with your own eyes. Unisex egg-shaped toilets (with a forest soundtrack whilst you go do your thing, in case you need help), with fish-eye mirrors and bonker lighting. It’s like I’m in Alice in Wonderland all over again. How wonderful.

TCB xx

WHAT WE WORE:

Laura wore:
Uterque Pink Feather Top
Tommy Hilfiger Houndstooth Skirt
J’adior Slingbacks
Delpozo Pink Bag
Thomas Sabo Paradise Collection

Patricia wore:
Zara AW19 Total Look
Thomas Sabo Paradise Collection

Bancone, Pasta's Paradise

Pasta Pasta Pasta

Bancone, the italian that will save you every time

Affordable drinks and home-made pasta in the heart of the West End. Shall I say more?

Bancone is a little gem, really. As the peeps at The Guardian described it: casually orgasmic and deeply affordable, the Italian restaurant succeeds in all marks. Drinks are cheap (a glass of vino for a fiver? I’m SOLD), food is excellent.

WHAT will you get? Pasta, pasta, pasta. If you want pizza, this is not your place. Pasta? As much as you like. The restaurant certainly specializes on delivering the best fresh pasta but also has incredible antipasti. If you ask us, you should definitely try the panelle with smoke duck breast, lardo & whipped anchovies and the cime di rapa (turnip tops) with garlic and chilli. Mouth is watering just reminiscing of it! As for the mains, their Beef shin ‘ossobuco’ ravioli with saffron butter is rich but incredible, and their octopus and nduja with olives is also superb.

Another thing that we really appreciated here was the service. Very attentive peeps; most servers where italian and so were the chefs, which is always a plus.

WHERE is it ? Right next to St Martin In The Fields, by Trafalgar square. More precisely, 39 William IV St, London WC2N 4DD

WHEN is it open? Great news. For once a restaurant in London serves up until 11pm! You can get there closer to the time and still manage to get all the yummy food in the menu. BOOM.

Certainly the perfect spot for pre and post-theatre food. And get this: you can book.

TCB xx

Bella Lina, Pasta At Its Best

Lina Stores

Iconic Italian Deli in Soho opens its own restaurant in the city, with outdoor seats in the heart of the city

Italians have conquered another hood in the city, Soho. OK, not quite literally, but the opening of Lina Stores in Soho has definitely had an impact on my latest restaurant visits. 

The iconic delicatessen store on Brewer St has opened its own pasta and cicceti restaurant on Greek St, and its results are superb.

WHAT/ WHY SHOULD YOU GO? Because it feels truly feels like being in Italy. The restaurant decor is very hip and out of a Wes Anderson movie, and the handmade pasta is to die for.

As the Mediterraneans we are, we like ordering all of the things on the menu and share it between us. That way you get to try most things! For starters, we had the nduja con ricotta and some arancinis; and as soon as we tried these, we knew we were in for a treat. It was very difficult to choose only one pasta dish, so we went for three: the pumpkin, the ragu and the mushroom based. All three SHAMAZING. Obviously, we finished with some cannolis, cause you can’t leave without having one.

WHERE EXACTLY IS IT? 51 Greek St, Soho, London W1D 4EH

WHEN SHOULD YOU GO? Any day of the week except Sundays, from 12-2.30pm for lunch and from 5 til 11pm for dinner

Average price per person (including a bottle of wine, and tipping): £35

Hungry yet? Me too.

TCB xx

Hakuna Matata, Ikoyi

Happy FRIYAY foodie monsters!

Eventhough I've been back at work for a while, there's a different feel to it this week. Everybody is back at school, and I feel I have to do my homework too. 

Having a look back at where I've been for the past few months, I realized that I forgot an amazing hot spot that got me savoring my tongue for days. I am talking about IKOYI.

It is interesting to see how sometimes amazing spots go unnoticed, and I feel Ikoyi must be one of those. Despite being in the hot dinners scene for a good while, I feel it hasn't got the rave reviews/ attention it deserves. UNTIL NOW. Their service and incredible food has got them a Michelin star! The only African restaurant with a Michelin Star in London. YIKES.

We went there a few weeks ago to celebrate one of my besties birthday, and decided to treat ourselves (as we always do, ha) to a set menu. 

WHAT? Chef Chan has worked in pretty awesome restaurants in the past such as Noma and Dinner by Heston and you can see how his cooking delivers on this. At Ikoyi you’ll find elegant small plates that reminiscence of West African cuisine, all in fine-dining style. Our personal favourite was the crunchy plantain dusted in Scotch bonnet powder but the chargrilled octopus leg with spicy ndolé was also supeeeerb.

Little update: this restaurant has now a Michelin star!

WHERE? 1 St James's Market, St. James's, London SW1Y 4AH

WHEN? Anytime for lunch (3-5pm) or dinner (5.30-11pm), except for Sundays when it's closed.

They keep on changing the menu (a plus to come back) so I wouldn’t miss on the opportunity of checking this restaurant out!

Stay tuned for more

TCB xx

At Luca Italians Do It Better

WHAT? Yes, you've heard it right. Italians do it better. Or rather british, really? Because Luca, it's a mixture of both. British produce and italian menu, BRITALIAN.

WHERE? Farringdon/ Clerkenwell area, more specifically: 88 St John St, Clerkenwell, London EC1M 4EH

WHEN? Anytime (except Sundays) between noon and 10,30pm. 

WHY? If you like home made italian classics with a british touch, this is certainly your place. The venue is the second restaurant of founders of The Clove's Club, kind of an institution in the foodie London scene. 

Many had high expectations, but to be honest, I was just happy to try a new restaurant, specially cause one of my friends was at the kitchen!

The venue itself is very cutting-edge, a modern restaurant with a vintage touch. Apparently, they are also setting up a courtyard for the summer, which I am really excited about. 

As for the food: certainly mouth-watering. We kick-started with some bubbles while waiting for our starters, which included the infamous parmesan fries, scallops with smashed wasabi peas and octopus. YUM!? We also shared our mains as we were to excited to try as many dishes as possible. Fresh pasta is always a winner and therefore my favourite main was probably the vegetarian lasagna, along with the steak tartare. Dessert followed with a delicious tiramisu paired with an amaretto on the rocks.

All in all a 'must try' if you are around the area, certainly.

10 Greek St for Soho Food Lovers

Hello Foodie Monsters, How You've Been? 2017 has started strong and I've been to few places you definitely need to know. But all in good time. So far, my favourite discovery this year has to be 10 Greek St.

Why? Because it combines all the things I like: great customer service, a counter bar (where you can chat with the chef & cooks), and generous-size dishes. All delicious, needless to say.

Where is it? It’s on 10 Greek St, as the name says. Ha!

What do you get there? Well, that’s up to you. It is all Mediterranean food with a British touch, I would say. Good thing is, they have a daily menu and its all seasonal, which makes all dishes very fresh and ridiculously yum. 

Teaser - Our Menu for 2 people:
For starters we had padron peppers, fried squid and burrata. 
Mains included sea bream, runner beans, peperonata & brown shrimp and a pasta dish with the freshest asparagus, egg and parmesan (SERIOUSLY DELISH)
And of course, TCB wouldn’t leave without at least trying one of their deserts. This time we tried their chocolate cake with salted caramel icecream. I am not a big fan of chocolate puddings but this one was to die for.

The bill turned up to be veery decent, around £30-£40 with a couple of wine glasses - More than reasonable for everything that we got, if you ask me.

All in all, a 10/10 restaurant in the heart of Soho. Don’t miss out!

Happy Meal Babies, 

TCB xx

King Balthazar

Ever wondered where to go for a good quick bite around soho? Cause I certainly have. 

You all know this is probably one of my favourite neighbourhood and therefore I hang out a lot around the area. That leaves me always questioning myself about where should I go for a sweet treat where I am not going to be ripped off. BINGO! Balthazar. 

I've heard their brunch menu is off the charts, though I haven't got my hands around it just yet. I have been at their café-boulangerie, however, and that was REALLY good.  

French patisserie with an english touch and at very decent prices AND by Covent Garden Market. I mean, what else could you ask for? 

TCB xx

Let's Be Barbarians

Let's Be Barbarians. If that's what it takes to indulge into these treats, you can count me IN.

I can honestly say that this is THE best restaurant I've been since I moved to London two years ago. Discovered by luck while passing Neals Yard Place with a dearest friend, we first saw The Barbary due to its loud music pimping us in.

The set up of this place is fantastic: a cozy little restaurant with only 24 seats for the lucky guests who will make it that day for either lunch or dinner.

There are no proper tables but a dining area set deli-style (eating by the counter), which I particularly love. The idea here is to share, and to share everything, even who you sit with! Some may not like the idea but I think that interacting with the amazing cooking team while they prepare your Middle-Eastern (with Mediterranean and/or North African twist) delicacies is great.

Every little dish we tried was an explosion of flavors, but if I had to choose my dream meal here, I'd say the following:  Arayes, a pita bread sandwich with minced lamb and lots of spices, and the Jerusalem bagel with some dips as a starter. If you are a veggie lover, then definitely try the aubergine and the cauliflower Jaffa as some of your mains; and if you are a meat lover, you REALLY need to try Pata Negra. You'll die of pleasure. 

As usual, we were last finishing our meal, but thanks to that we got to talk to the friendly peeps working there, even Chef Navob, owner this terrific place, was there for the first opening weeks. He totally got us into trying desert even though we were quite full, but man oh man was he right to force us...

The hash cake is meant to be the star of the menu but I particularly liked the Knafeh better, a cheese pastry soaked in sweet, sugar-based syrup. NOM.

In any case, I think I made myself pretty clear here, but if you haven't got why you should try this place out yet, I'll summarize it for you: BEST Food (though minimal selection of drinks, for those who need them), BEST ambiance, BEST music, and of course, BEST service!

My motto is to never repeat restaurants, and I've been here twice in the last month.

What is it this place called again? The Barbary, Palomar's little sister.

Where is it? 16 Neal's Yard Place, WC2H 9DP

When should you go? Tuesday to Sundays from 12,30 to 3,30pm and from 5 til 10pm. You may be put off by the long cue, and even more so since you can't have a drink until you are by the bar counter. But, my friend, don't despair! If you hate q's just try to make it for lunch or have an early dinner or rather quite a late one.

YES, YES, YES. I am hooked to this place, but so will you once you try it.

TCB x

P.S.: As I was very into my food, I kinda forgot to take many pictures (oops!). The gallery you see here today is a mixture of my own pics and some taken from my google research. Thank you to those who remember to take such fantastic shots!

Pink lovers go to Sketch

Hey there, careless readers! I'M BACK! Valentine’s Day is coming and I thought a new post was required. Whether you have a lover or not, I think of Valentines as a day to celebrate LOVE. Love for your friends, for your family, and for those who you care about. And what is best than celebrating it in style? My choice for you this time is Sketch, in Mayfair. I’ve been here many times and let me tell you, I never get tired of the place.

Decorated by the interior designer India Mahdavi, the multi-disciplinary hip restaurant (or shall I say art gallery?) is the A-list favourite London spots . The space is divided in three big rooms (not to forget its infamous egg-shaped toilets): The Gallery, The Lecture Room & Library and the Parlour. And all of them with a very peculiar style.

It’s hard to choose a favourite room but I guess if I have to I’d say The Gallery is probably the most different and coquette of all. Its classic, simple and almost bourgeois design is sugar-coated in a pastel Ladurée-esque pink which invites a deliberately playful contrast with the witty art works created by David Shrigley, which are displayed all over the room. And I am sure those  who have already been have stared at more than one of his drawings and wondered: what the hell was he thinking?. Mahdavi herself said Andre Balazs described the Pink Gallery as very Beverly Hills, a bit of Beverly Hills in Mayfair. And I find that description very aproppiate.

In The Gallery you’ll be delighted with sweets. Whether you just want to have a glass of prosecco and some desserts or you prefer to induge yourself into some serious afternoon tea, this is the place.

The Parlour works as a patisserie during the day and it turns into a bar after 6pm. A bit dark to my taste, but the oval structure and the darkness of the room gives a very intimate atmosphere, perfect for such an eventful day!

As for the Lecture Room & Library, I guess there are no other words to describe it than MAJOR. Preppy and classy reigns in this room, where an incredible set of menus are served for lunch and dinner time.

So there you go. Boom, plan made for you. Now you just need to make sure you call them asap or you stand no chance on getting a table.

Oh and I forgot! In case you were wondering whether you would have to spend your month’s paycheck in here or not. Do not worry, you won’t! There are options for all sorts of budgets. From a 10 pound Tea & Scones Light afternoon tea, to the full range for 40 pounds (and more or less about the same for Lunch Set Menu), you'll be able to enjoy an amazing experience that it is Sketch.

Enjoy it, my lovers,

TCB x

P.S: Some of the pictures have been taken by moi and some of them are courtesy of Sketch Website.

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Tea Delights with The Mad Hatter

Maybe it is because I am not a tea expert (I love coffee, what can I say), but when I think of a country with good tea traditions England certainly comes to my mind. As you all know, I’ve been living in London for quite a while and I wanted to make sure I am experiencing all the english traditions.

But then a lot of questions pop into my mind: where should I go? what should I expect? how much should I pay?

Thank God there’s a majestic website to assist you through the whole process and help you out finding the best offers and spots for afternoon tea in the City. It is quite an expensive tradition, so it is always good to have some guidance.

You would be quite surprised to know that afternoon tea is THE thing in terms of deluxe experiences. And because of that, you will need to book your package in advance (up to 3 months!) to have a spot at the best places (usually hotels) serving afternoon tea.

I’ve heard about a lot of hotels where you could have amazing afternoon tea. However, my three personal picks go for the Mad Hatters Tea at the Sanderson Hotel, the Prêt-à-PorTea at The Berkeley Hotel and Afternoon tea at The Ritz. Of course there are many other places where you could enjoy this high-end tea experience, but I’d say this three are a classic. Having that in mind, I’d like to tell you about my experience at the Sanderson Hotel.

It is funny because when you are spending about 30 to 50 pounds on such a delightful and exciting experience, you would think you are going to a very fancy/ good looking place, but that was not the first impression I got when I stood outside the hotel.

However, that changed as soon as I went in. The Hotel has been redecorated into a very modern style, with clear chairs haging from the ceiling to lips sofas (very comfy, I must say) where you could chile while waiting for your table. The hotel also counts with an amazing bar and a lovely terrace, where we had our afternoon tea.

Another thing that surprised me is that it is called “afternoon tea”, but you could actually go from 10am in the morning until 7pm in the evening. Which pretty much means you can do it whenever. However, considering you are about to indulge some serious amount of food, I think the best timing to do it is between 12pm and 4pm.

The experience at the Sanderson hotel was quite unique. As soon as you enter the terrace it feels you are on a fairy tale. This particular afternoon tea is inspired in Alice in Wonderland, so everything was themed to make you feel as if you are one of the Mad Hatter’s party guests.

The menus are hidden in antique books of Alice in Wonderland and the tea selection comes in little bottles for you to smell and decide which tea you are goning to have.

All the cutlery and plates are themed and your napkins come with riddles to entertain you while you are waiting for your food.

Oh, and the food. As I said, I’m not an expert on tea delights but I think the food trays are the cutest thing. Piled in different tiers, you’ll get a wide range of savory and sweet delights that will make you feel you are in food heaven.

All sorts of sandwiches, little cakes, lots of scones…that is what you should always expect to get out of your tea experience. However, there is always much more stuff.

Once you’ve managed to eat it all, you can end your stay sipping your tea and digesting the food that you’ve just eaten. Or you could ask for a food refill for those of you that ae still hungry ;)

In conclusion, I think it is a fantastic idea to embark yourself in such an experience with you girlfriends. I say girlfriends because I can hardly think of any guy who would be up for paying such an amount of money for feeling like a princess while drinking tea and eating cucumber sandwiches, as my boyfriend would say.

But it is not only the great tea and extraordinary food that you are after when going for afternoon tea. It is the idea of self indulgence, of treating yourself, of dressing up and having a good time with your friends while in an amazing hotspot in the City.

TCB xx

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Wearing light pink topshop dress by Jones+Jones, &Other Stories Spiral ring, and Louis Vuitton Speedy bag while at the Sanderson Hotel Mad Hatters Afternoon tea

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The food tray included: carrot meringue and mushroom shaped marshmallows on the 1st tier, victoria sponge cake and mango cheesecake on the 2nd tier and passion fruit and coconut creme "Drink Me" potions, Green Tea chocolate cups, and a selection of savoury and sweet scones on the 3rd and last tier.

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The savoury treats included a selection of the following finger sandwiches: Smoked Cumbrian Ham with whole grain mustard on sun-dried tomato bread, Cucumber and Chive Cream Cheese on Spinach Bread, Cold Smoked Salmon and Lemon Butter on Dark Rye Bread, Egg Mayonnaise With water cress and smoked sea salt on lemon bread and a mini quiche.

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