There has been an explosion of hotel openings in London over recent times, but one of the tops additions to the capital has to be Nobu Hotel Portman Square. This 254-room property makes you feel like a movie star from the moment you step in, with a friendly doorman greeting you, a lofty lobby area, soft lighting and a calming palette of magnolias intermixed with natural woods. I checked in on a Thursday afternoon alongside a couple of well-dressed chaps from Italy. My room had been upgraded to a suite on the 9th floor and a friendly staff member helped me up with my bags. He informed me th...
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Think abundant foliage, charismatic waiters with a twinkle in their eye and of course, winning tiramisu, and you’ve got Gloria in one. This seductively cosy Italian joint in the heart of Shoreditch, owned by the France-based Italian Big Mamma restaurant group, has accrued a band of loyal followers and it’s easy to see why. The 70’s Capri-style trattoria is run by an 85-strong team from Italy. I popped into the restaurant on a Friday night and there was a bustling atmosphere, with diners in full swing and a golden light casting a magic glow. We took a pew in one of the central booth-style...
Read more →'People can't get enough of them. One group of men came for lunch and they kept on ordering them one after another!' I was at The Ned - the wining and dining emporium which is a must-visit for residents and visitors alike to London for its stunning interiors - and I'd landed at Zobler's Deli & Diner. The 'them' our waiter was referring to, was one of the New York-inspired eatery's most popular dishes; spiced ox cheek donuts. Swept up by his enthusiasm, we put the savoury donuts on our order list. Also to start, we opted for the blistered padron peppers with a spicy dip. For mai...
Read more →San Francisco's Latino Mission District has been described as being 'Brooklyn on steroids' with its bustling hipster scene. On a brief stop in the Golden City recently I was steered towards the hip neighbourhood to delve into its restaurant and bar scene. It was a Tuesday night and I walked from San Francisco's more manicured city centre with its high rises and sharp looking store fronts to the ramshackle warmth of the Mission District. Think electric shops, twinkling lights and a motley bunch of characters from all walks of life. LASZLO Reaching 2526 Mission St I came across Laszlo, a ...
Read more →Beautiful books, snaffable cocktails and fine fodder aren’t a common combination but if you head down to Maison Assouline you’ll find all three luring you into a dreamy haze. The unassuming bookstore is located on Piccadilly and if you haven’t been in, I highly encourage you to. The store-cum-bar is housed within an old bank - designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1922 - and it boasts an array of period features, from dark wood panelled walls to sky-high ceilings and intricate cornicing work. The place is stacked with the dreamiest of books from Maison Assouline with subject categories to suite ...
Read more →Decked out with dolls-house like furnishings - think lengths of velvet and soft pinks and greens - Millie's at The Ned promises to charm. I checked out the British brasserie on a Tuesday night after a perfectly poured martini over at the Library Bar (a must-visit for champagne and martini-lovers). One thing that immediately struck me about Millie's was how much space there was. Nowadays so many London restaurants ram as many tables as they can into a venue leaving you almost playing footsie with your neighbour. However, at Millie's the tables were well spaced, which added to the sense of i...
Read more →Martinis are my go to. So when I heard there was a new bar in town specialising in them, I had to go and check it out. The Library Bar, which is tucked away in a quiet corner of The Ned, boasts salubrious interiors, with inviting velvet chairs and low lighting. This spot simply does martinis, champagne and a concise selection of delicious nibbles. Settling into a nook in the corner, one of the smartly-dressed waiters whipped over with a menu and brought me a welcome drink. Not being a fan of champagne, I stuck firmly to my favourite and went with a house special vodka martini featuring a ...
Read more →I wouldn't have put vegan meals and comfort food in the same box but my latest dining experience has flipped that preconception on its head. The Perception at W London has launched its latest dining series (running until the end of June) with British chef, Ravinder Bhogal, making her debut. The culinary whizz has crafted a vegan menu in homage to her niece who became a vegan two years ago forcing her to think and cook in an original way – to design delicious dishes that were satisfying, creative and nourishing, but were incidentally vegan too. The result is a hearty spread of plant-based fo...
Read more →London’s Leicester Square is somewhere I generally avoid but on stepping into the W London hotel, the craziness of tourists-galore soon dissipated. I felt as though I was rocketing into space as I took the black leather-padded elevator and stepped into an equally as spangly reception. Check in was friendly and efficient and despite the overly hip interiors, I felt at ease. I was testing a new service at the hotel, courtesy of Girl Meets Dress, where you can hire an outfit of your choice and get it delivered to your room. After navigating a set of very dark corridors, with just a low glow t...
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