We’ve got a new vice. It’s this: self-catering stays attached to National Trust properties. Okay, not as exciting as you were hoping. But so far it’s been great, staying in a historic building, in what have been huge and well-equipped apartments or cottages, and with free access to roam around the grounds (when no-one else …
Tacos are definitely the fine dining cliche from the last 2 or 3 years. It’s the strangest thing, but I’d swear that three quarters of the tasting menus I’ve eaten lately have included some form of taco. There’s no real point I’m heading for here, I can’t really mock the trend or fall in love …
We dropped into Manteca for a pre-theatre bite and it turned out pretty perfect; good food and brisk service, we told them we only had just under an hour and they looked after us. Manteca is another modern no-fuss Britalian restaurant along the lines of Padella or Bancone. Yes, I’m coining a new word! This …
It’s great when you come away from a meal inspired. In this case I’m both inspired and armed because chef Charlie Tayler has taught me how to make herb flavoured oils! Take equal parts of herb and oil, then whiz them in a blender. Whiz them long enough that the blender heats up, gets really …
I love how London is strung together, an endless brightly lit web of streets full of places to shop and eat, and how you can walk in a few yards from one socio-economic area to another. You can be strolling past name-brand boutiques and identikit chain shops along the edge of Spitalfields Market… then drift …