January 2012
2 posts
Wolfgang's steakhouse knows how to cut the mustard
Having spent several decades in the gastronomic wilderness, steakhouses are currently enjoying a spectacular renaissance. The Berni and Beefeater Inns of old have been cast aside in favour of a new breed that are altogether more sophisticated, contemporary and unapologetically glamorous.
In London the leading proponent of this revival has been the burgeoning Hawksmoor empire, with its...
Breaking News: Moonlighter Steps Out Of The...
Woop-de-woop! So I’ve been a bit quiet of late but that’s because I’ve been waiting to announce the following: the lovely @Bonvivant has published my review of Cut at 45 Park Lane on his blog. And, may I say, what a fine blog it is too. You should all follow him forthwith for the latest on what’s hot and happening in hospitality.
As you know, I’ve done a bit of...
December 2011
1 post
Half-Board milestone: first review published and... →
So I’ve been doing a spot of moonlighting to help out a friend and my ghostwritten review of Benares has been published on the esteemed www.superyachts.com. Plus it was picked up on Twitter by @benaresofficial themselves. I feel quite proud, even though I’ll be the first to admit it’s not my best work plus I’m not really allowed to take any credit. But a cheeky mention...
August 2011
2 posts
2 tags
L'Anima - more Sheraton than Sawdays when it comes...
I went to L’Anima for dinner about a month or so ago and, having fallen somewhat behind with my blog admin, have been meaning to write about the experience ever since, only to discover I’ve been pipped to the post by @CriticalCouple who have written a rather good review of it on their blog already.
I actually enjoyed the food rather more than they did (photos below)- perhaps the...
July 2011
3 posts
3 tags
What's Balmain got to do with the price of fish?
E, who works in ‘apparel’ and therefore knows about such things, recently explained that although the cost price of their tee shirts is probably 5 Euros, Balmain can’t really sell them for anything less than about 300 when they retail alongside jackets in excess of 1000 Euros. ”It would undermine the brand” he said, managing to sound both apologetic and slightly...
3 tags
Lux Dining? Don't forget your toothbrush...
The small, predominantly residential island of Lilla Essingen, to the west of Stockholm city centre, is not perhaps the most obvious choice of location for a Michelin starred restaurant. It seemed a much more likely destination for an NCT coffee morning or perhaps a boating club than a temple of Nordic gastronomy. But then, housed in the former Electrolux canteen (itself now a listed building)...
June 2011
8 posts
House-warming tradition - part 1
Apparently, it’s customary for Germans to give home-made bread and rock salt as a house-warming gift. This fine specimen of a loaf was just given to my friend James by Teutonic friends of his; certainly a step up from a jar of Nescafe Gold Blend. Wouldn’t it be nice if hotel rooms smelt of freshly baked bread when you arrived? Perhaps bread bins are the new mini-bars?
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The hospitality industry - do not disturb?
It’s not hard to see why traditional hoteliers are getting increasingly nervous about Airbnb; it’s A. N. Other example of the internet disrupting existing business models and, in this case, seemingly circumventing the strict rules and regulations that govern the hotel industry.
But it’s also hard to have much sympathy for a sector that’s been so complacent about better...
2 tags
The pitfalls of a half-baked concept
Disclaimer: The food at ONE08 Marylebone Lane (http://www.108marylebonelane.com) is good. Although simple and increasingly unoriginal, it was a solid execution of scallops with mango and lime salsa for starters. My crab linguine main was rich, meaty and garnished with perfectly cooked prawns and asparagus spears. So good, in fact, that I completely forgot my own rule of photographing...
1 tag
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If Teacups Could Talk...
I was recently at a meeting hosted by our [Swedish, highly aesthetically attuned] client in his stunning home, and he served tea in these delightful teacups made by his wife. Aside from introducing me to the finest kardemummabullar ever, I found my mind wandering to to the faint grey teaspoon lines on the ceramic glaze and the tales teacups might tell, if they could talk…
“This...
2 tags
2 tags
Vajazzled at Viajante
Photo by Ewan-M
Duck heart and tongues with celeriac and pine is not a dish for the faint-hearted. It might work for the red-blooded though because it turns out that a bisected duck’s heart looks much like a vulva. I know this because I was recently served the aforementioned dish as part of a six course tasting menu at Viajante. Course number three in fact – right on the threshold between...