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

Clicking with Evelyn's Table

Evelyn's table

Indulge mode is ON.

If there is something I've realized over the past year of wining and dining in London is that the best seats in town are not at a proper table but where the chefs and cooks are. Forget chatting to your friends or your partner, food is no longer the only thing you care about, but also the vibe of the venue and its entertainment. 

Evelyn's certainly checks all boxes. But let's recapitulate. THE BLUE POSTS. 

That old pub in Soho? Yes, you are right, but only slightly. That 'old pub' is no longer so, but rather three floors of drinking and dining adventures. How is that possible? Well, the amazing peeps from Palomar (love you, guys!) decided to take this bad boy and give it a renewal. And damn, they've done great.

The renovated Blue Post Pub is on the ground floor, with tons of new quirky beers for you to discover; The Mulwray, on the first floor is a cool AF wine and cocktail bar; and then you've got Evelyn's Table on the basement, seating only 11 lucky guests! Serving italian food and fresh fish. All by the counter with the cooks, of course.

Why should you go there? I mean, if the words Palomar, Fresh Fish, Italian and Limited Access do not sell it to you, I do not know what will. But if you need more info let me tell you. Excellent mix of flavours, delicious menu of wine and super attentive staff.

When should you go? Anytime from now, really! They are open everyday except Sunday, from 5.30 til 11pm

Where is it exactly? 28 Rupert St, W1D 6DJ

Enjoy fellas, 

TCB xx

Adventures with Scully

Sorry guys, I am not talking about Dana Scully and a new sequel of the X-files, but rather about Chef Scully, former head chef at Ottolenghi's NOPI. YUM, THOUGH?

Scully Restaurant is the chef's first solo adventure, and let me tell you it is a good one; from the moment we you sit at the counter (envisioning everything you are about to indulge into), til you leave rolling yourself home. Because, believe me, you will. 

This has been by far my favorite culinary experience in 2018. Why? Let me tell you. 

For starters, the chef's mum is of Chinese and Indian descent, and his father’s Irish and Balinese. Not to mention his six years heading NOPI...I mean, you can imagine his dishes were anything but boring. And oh, oh, don't I love to be surprised...

Think of mix and match dishes, bold blend of ingredients, spices, great wine pairing, excellent customer service and the best and funniest cooks, not only catering each dish to extreme detail but also keeping you entertained while at it! If I were you, I would ditch the boring dining table and sit by the counter, that's where all the fun is at. 

What can you get? Our favourites definitely included the Puff Beef Tendons with Oyster Mayo (mouth watering just thinking about it) and the arepa as a starters, the octopus ragu (O-M-G) and the spiced goat shoulder as mains. Not to mention all their desserts...

When to go? Anytime for lunch (12-2,30pm) and dinner (5,30-10,30pm). We went for late dinner and it was a pretty spectacular show, tequilas included.

Where is it? Conveniently located in St James, right below Picadilly Circus. A little bit hidden in a little corner, more precisely in 4, St James Market. Nevertheless, the venue is lush and chic, matching it's food and ambiance. 

Expect to spend some dollah in here. Worth every penny, though. Yep, that good. 

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.

IMG_1982

RW182983_942long

Screen-Shot-2014-06-25-at-20.27.31

sketch-conduit-street-mayfair-london-afternoon-tea-restaurant-bar-gallery-david-shrigley-teapot-milk-jug

sketch-conduit-street-mayfair-london-afternoon-tea-restaurant-bar-gallery-david-shrigley-satire

IMG_8732

IMG_8752

IMG_8742

IMG_8792

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

-----------------

Image

Image

Image

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

Image

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.

Image

IMG_8400

Image

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.

Image