All posts filed under: Restaurants

Drink Shop & Do

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My dream is to open somewhere like Drink Shop & Do. Everything in this quaint cafe in Kings Cross is for sale – crafts, vintage tea sets, 1950’s dressers and unusual tables and chairs. Plus, they serve home made Cakes, Ice Cream, Speciality Teas and even Cocktails. They hold a range of events and are open to serve afternoon teas, lunch and the have a licence to serve cocktails at what they call ‘Cocktail o’clock’. The shop is in two parts – a sweet shop in the front as you walk in plus a range of designer crafts for sale – even wool and knitting needles if you wish to have an afternoon nit in the cafe up at the top. Then it’s up the stairs to the high ceilinged cafe. We sat on a large round glass table with mis matched vintage chairs – there were a few board games under the table to play if you wanted. There is a selection of food available from Sandwiches, Pork Pies and Quiche to home made …

Vinoteca, Marylebone

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A few weeks ago I was invited to check out the build of the new Vinoteca in Marylebone. The aim of the visit was for Vinoteca to show us their new bag in box wine concept. Now, while they know that this is by no means a new concept, they want to prove to us that you can get really good quality wine in the boxes. We were able to try all of the wines and they were all very good. My favourite was the White. They are sold by the bottle and are priced at around (I say around because I can’t remember the exact prices) £17 for a bottle at the table, £7 to take away and £6.50 for a refill. So when my dad asked me where I wanted to go for my Birthday/Christmas dinner, naturally I chose the new Vinoteca. They don’t take bookings so it is advisable to arrive relatively early. We arrived at 6.30pm and were shown straight to a table, which I think was the only free one. …

Kopapa

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The Providores is a great place to go on a lazy Sunday for a pot of tea and a read of the papers. I have never eaten in the restaurant but I’m told that the food is brilliant. Peter Gordon, fusian chef extraordinaire has just opened a brand new sister restaurant in Seven Dials called Kopapa. I went with a couple of friends on Monday evening for a few plates from the Tapas menu and a few glasses of wine. A couple of us arrived at 6.30 and had a glass of bubbly and a bowl of Edamame while we waited. My initial thought was that the Edamame was double the price it should have been, or at least the bowl should have been twice the size. At £4.80, the profit margin must be huge! When our friend arrived, we perused the menu and decided on 6 dishes. I have never been much of a fan of Tapas because I think it gives restaurants an excuse to charge £7 for 1/3 of what you’d get …

Le Café Anglais

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Le Café Anglais isn’t the first restaurant that springs to mind when I think of where to go for a Sunday roast, but our friend was visiting from Edinburgh with her Scottish boyfriend and my foodie friend suggested it. So 7 of us descended there on Sunday afternoon. I love the decor of the place, I’m a sucker for elegance and Le Café Anglais is oozing with it. The restaurant is very spacious due to the high ceilings and is also bright and airy due to the large windows, white walls and crisp white tablecloths. Rowley Leigh opened Le Café Anglais in 2007 and is well known for his modern British Cooking. It is situated in Whiteleys shopping center in West London, but don’t let that put you off. The restaurant has it’s own separate entrance on the ground floor and you’re then transported in a lift to the main room on the first floor. The menus were placed in front of us and the decision that I had made to have the roast before …

Coach and Horses, Farringdon

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A friend of mine was recently pronounced head chef of The Coach and Horses. Having never tasted his food before as he used to work outside of London, a big group of us decided to go down one Thursday evening and try it out. His name? Harry McKenzie. Remember that one. I have read some great reviews and fellow blogger Neil Davey (The Lambshank Redemption) hails it as his favourite pub in London. I can see why. The menu is not for the faint hearted (or the veggie). However, knowing that 2 of our group are vegan, Harry concocted an extra special 3 course meal consisting of Wild Herbs and Sea Vegetable Tempura to start, Celeriac, Candied Beetroot and Squash Lasagne with foraged Mushroom Risotto, Wild Chervil and Cobnuts for main and Chocolate Mousse, Apple Sorbet and Herb Crisps for pudding! The Coach and Horses homemade Scotch Egg has been the talk of the town for a while so I decided to order it as my starter. It is on the bar menu but I …