It was noon when we walked through the patio doors of La Dame de Pic – and 4.30pm when we come out, half delirious with gastronomic bliss. We’re one of the last lunch room guests to leave, but our marathon of a multi-course meal – one staff member happily tells us – is not uncommon. […]
When I stepped into the new Bedrock Origin, I didn’t expect to eat dry-aged fish. Isn’t seafood better when it’s fresh? Not always, said the experts. Having the catch of the week or last month might seem counterintuitive, but dry-aged fish can improve its flavor and texture. The age-old method removes moisture, including residual blood […]
Through the misted-up window we can see other guests already seated and enjoy the hospitality of the Alexandria Drive restaurant specializing in traditional Sicilian and Sardinian dishes. Booking is essential, as the venue is compact to say the least – but much like the classic Fiat 500 pictured on the main wall – the design […]
I recently went to the Long Bar at Guildford’s Harbor Hotel and enjoyed the most wonderful meal of my life. After strolling past the restaurant formerly known as The pier Many times, I had always wanted to try their mouthwatering menu. So I was delighted when an invitation landed in my mailbox for their post-Covid […]
gEstablishing a pub properly is a difficult thing. Getting a pub and subsequent dining room is even more difficult. Trying to be a gastropub (thrill), is an almost impossible task. This involves balancing potential drinkers with serious diners and possibly disappointing both. Above all, a pub should be a destination for an impromptu, relaxed beer. […]
Terrasse de la Mère Germaine @ LA MÈRE GERMAINE When I learned at the start of a long, rainy Parisian winter that one of the most brilliant young restaurateurs in France, Antoine Pétrus (previously sommelier at Clarence and butler at Taillevent in Paris) had taken over the management of this historic establishment in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, I […]
Illume, the new Japanese fusion lounge at JW Marriott Bonnet Creek, is an ambiance. By the time you step out of the elevator on the ninth floor, you might be wondering if you’ve gone in the wrong direction and ended up at the spa instead. Dim lighting, soft music, staff speaking in low voices, are […]
Cadence Buffalo Mushroom Sandwich. Photo: DeSean McClinton-Holland T These are tough times for bulky, beefy non-vegans like me. Phrases like “herbal” have been on the lips of breathless restaurateurs for years, of course. Lately, however, and especially in the weird new era of COVID, advancements in this ever-expanding genre – a haven, in the old […]
What was supposed to be the smaller, more casual little sister of Merivale’s larger dining room, inadvertently stole the show when they opened in tandem in early 2020. With Will’s Cocktail Bar, Una Más shares the same entrance and the same amenities as Mimi (including Sydney’s most glamorous bathrooms). But where Mimi’s reflects the successful […]
Chakana, 140 Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham B13 8HT (0121 448 9880). Appetizers £ 8-£ 10, main courses £ 14-£ 22, desserts £ 8, wines from £ 24 Something strange is happening. It’s a very good kind of weird, but weird all the same. It’s as if my brain, the reflecting and processing part of me, […]