Saturday Brunchin’ at Gaucho

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The Electro Brunch Menu is back with a bang and Gaucho have ensured all your brunchin’ needs are met. Every Saturday across nine of their sites, customers can treat themselves to a two hour session of unlimited Gaucho food and drink, yes, that means two whole hours of Gaucho steak on tap. If that’s not all, the menu has something for everyone and not just the steak lovers. May we tempt you with smashed Avocado on toast… we thought that might get your attention. That’s still not even the best part, the updated menu comes with the introduction of french toast with dulce de lece and Gaucho Benedict with salt beef to name but a few and we simply had to see for ourselves.

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Having brunched here at the launch of Electro Brunch, Gaucho seems to have build itself quite the reputation with the brunch crowd. From humble reservation numbers when launching, Gaucho revellers have truly spread the word with almost every session fully booked full of anticipating diners soaking up the luxury and ambience of the enigmatic Gaucho. I have to admit, I haven’t stopped raving about this place since they launched Electro Brunch and even convinced a few to cancel their reservations elsewhere in favour of Gaucho… needless to say they are solid converts to the unique brunch style Gaucho have to offer and we believe you will be too. What we love the most about Electro Brunch is that aside from their excellent flowing drinks menu, a must at any bottomless brunch, the real star of the show is the food and quality of food. I have to say, so many brunch deals seem to overlook this when they are offering a menu of flowing drinks however, Gaucho are leading the way with an outstanding food menu to match. They deliver on every dish in the same way you would expect to get your meal when ordering off the à la carte and with a focus on the food, the kitchen have made sure you get to try each and every dish by making their portions just the right size for you to make your way through everything.

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Once you are seated, within minutes your host will be at your every call for the next couple of hours anticipating your every need so that you’re never without a plate of tasty goodness or an empty glass. The service is everything. Food is made to order, fresh and in abundance. Of course, it wouldn’t be Gaucho without their incredible steak and if you like it, order it again. No need to worry about diets in Gaucho, there is enough protein going around to supplement Arnie and if you order smartly there doesn’t have to be a carb in sight. However, we recommend you experience absolutely everything you possibly can. The menu is completely varied and each dish complements the next.

Gaucho Benedict with Salt Beef

Gaucho Benedict with Salt Beef

To give you an idea of what is on offer, drinks include; unlimited Aperol Spritz, Gaucho Bloody Mary’s, Domaine de Chandon, Pilsener Lager and a selection of fresh juice from the juice bar. The food on offer; French Toast, Beans on Toast with Chorizo, Fried Provoleta, Steak and Eggs, Gaucho Benedict, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine, Eggs Royale to name but a few… we suggest you take a look for yourself. This entire deal comes in at under £50 per head and if you have a large appetite, this will not be a wasted trip! The updated menu have few more sweet additions with a selection of medialuna or mini croissants with peanut butter dulce de lece, french toast and of course, their famous banana pancakes just in case you want to balance out any of the savoury but our real showstopper was the Gaucho Benedict with salt beef. A Saturday well spent, we guarantee you will not be disappointed with your Electro Brunch rezzies. This is not just your average boozy brunch, if you are a real foodie, this is the place to be.

Reservations Here

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Cheers.

Discover The Fine Cider Company

Olivers Fine Cider

Olivers Fine Cider

It’s no surprise that the UK are the biggest consumers of cider in the whole World. We wanted to help you by whittling your search down in finding the best The UK have to offer. Introducing, The Fine Cider Company’s Fine Cider. Felix Nash the founder, together with his team set out to find the finest ciders in all the land and making the art of drinking our ‘native wine’ a refined experience by introducing new ways to drink it as well as pairing them with fine foods. The ciders are picked by Felix and are chosen based on exceptional quality and flavour profile. He wanted to make sure the ciders and perry which were picked matched well with fine foods to rival the competitive wine market. In the process Felix developed a close relationship with the cider produces and chose the finest of products from them. The very best bottles have been supplied to some of the city’s most prestigious restaurants including The Clove Club, Lyle’s and Fera at Claridges, as well as them selling through whole-sale on The Fine Cider Company website. So cider afficionados make sure to try some ciders which are a cut above the rest and find out more;

www.thefinecider.company

Delicious Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Inspiration

Cinco De Mayo continues to serve it’s purpose to celebrate the victory of The Mexicans and what better way to celebrate than with the best of Mexican culture, good food and good booze. Mexican food is known for being hearty, flavoursome and rich so why not try a recipe which will impress everyone;

We have a delicious Vegan recipe for you to try tonight alongside a mouth-watering Vegan cocktail to see in Cinco De Mayo! Olé

Coronation Cauliflower Tacos;

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For the cauliflower;

1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
100g vegan mayonnaise
40g dried apricots – chopped
1 tablespoon of chopped coriander
1 teaspoon of chopped mint
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice – or to taste
Good pinch of Malden salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 medium sized cauliflower (must be ultra fresh)

For the garnish:
2 tablespoons of toasted almonds or sunflower seeds
Edamame Beans

For the Slaw
Ingredients:
¼ white cabbage
¼ red cabbage
1 carrot
100g vegan Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
Good pinch of Malden salt
Fresh cracked black pepper

Add Tacos

Now for the Cocktail:

Vegan Martini
MAKES 1 LITRE

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300ml Tanqueray Gin
40ml Ginger juice
12ml Salt Water
120ml Agave
80ml Lime
80ml Lemon
400ml Green juice

Shake it up and serve.

¡ARRIBA!

Review: Forty Years on at Chichester Festival Theatre

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Photos: Johan Persson

Taking up his post as Artistic Director new Head Boy Daniel Evans opens his first Chichester Season with Alan Bennett’s early play, which is set in 1968 at Albion House, a fading public school.

Some fifty local schoolboys join the cast and are outstanding, opening the production with a roof-raising rendition of Praise My Soul the King of Heaven.

The occasion is the end of term show, which also marks the retirement of the elderly headmaster. Under the directorial auspices of his reformist successor, the offering of a history revue includes some sketches that get the old duffer decidedly hot and bothered – to be overtly risqué is definitely tsk-tsk territory.

There are some joyous moments. Danny Lee Wynter’s naughty portrayal of an elderly aristocrat à la Dame Maggie as Downton’s Lady Violet is delicious, while an ace tap-dance solo is worthy of the Strictly! final. A stage invasion of lusty-voiced rugger buggers is also a gas, which for all the headmaster’s puritanical tendencies is deemed perfectly acceptable once it is revealed that the opposition has been roundly trounced.

Alan Cox as incoming headmaster Franklin, Jenny Galloway as Matron and Lucy Briers as Miss Nisbitt give accomplished performances, while the music and singing is superb, thanks to the excellence and exuberance of a terrific ‘school orchestra.’

Some of the historical inspirations do not resonate, leaving these skits teetering on the brink of tedium. But there are plenty of jolly spoofs to compensate, as well as flashes of poignancy bringing a balancing shade.

)inCFT'sproductionofFORTYYEARSON.PhotoJohanPersson_04653You can almost smell overcooked cabbage thanks to Lez Brotherston’s impressive school hall set, which comes complete with an almighty oak organ, rising from and towering over the stage.

At eighty years on himself, and having suffered a heart attack only last year, it is perhaps unsurprising that Richard Wilson is not yet tight on his lines. Reading from a script for the most part, when he struggles to find his place on the page it causes the audience collective anxiety. It’s a shame, but there is still much to enjoy here.

www.cft.org.uk Box office: 01243 781312

Vicky Edwards

Obicà Celebrate New Creative Chef, Alessandro Borghese

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Obicà, the restaurant who are advocates for sharing and of course mozzarella, have recently appointed kick-ass chef Alessandro Borghese as their new creative chef. He is certain to firmly cement the reputation of Obicà on the map by developing a creative and delicious new mozzarella bar menu with small plates to mix and match with friends, family and colleagues.

Obica - Zeppole - Credit Tim Atkins

If Borghese himself is an evocation of what he is serving up to you be prepared for a dazzling array of spectacular little feasts. Alongside their unique array of Campania Mozzarella we recommend trying the Supplì Al Telefono, Mozzarelline and Zeppole, we guarantee this luxurious Italian Doughnut will keep you coming back to Obicà for more. As well as this Obicà also serve up an assortment of Pizza’s, Pasta and Salad for you too with quality ingredients and a focus on freshness Obicà literally means ‘Right Before your Eyes’. For a very modern and vibrant new dining experience do check our Borghese new menu at an Obicà near you.

http://obica.com

Eating Disorders – Missing the Signs

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If you’ve been reading my previous articles I know what some of you are thinking. She’s a bit dim isn’t she? How could she not know her daughter had an eating disorder?

That’s what I thought too. How could I have not known? Mother’s should know everything; they are meant to care for and protect their child against all comers.

What a shock it was. I was ashamed. I was a bad mother. Yes, I should have known.

Of course, I knew there was something wrong, I just never dreamed that it was an eating disorder. She wasn’t the type, was she? She loved her food. How wrong I was to dismiss it. It cost us precious time.

The thing is, most people are under the impression that eating disorders are anorexia. End of. Unless they are skeletal they can’t possibly have a problem. Big mistake.

My daughter was hiding things well. If someone wants to keep a secret they will go to great lengths not to be discovered. And my daughter was 19. She went to work, she could drive, she was an adult. She’d been ill for a couple of years – not all the time, some times were worse than others but I knew something was wrong. I went with her to the doctors, got referred to consultants and none of them could find anything wrong. No one mentioned her mental health, no one mentioned eating disorders. They were looking at the physical – as was I.

I took her to numerous alternative practitioners, had a nutritionist come to the house. Again, not one mention of eating disorders. Did they guess and not tell me? I doubt it.

She had always been feisty and strong willed – which can work for you or against you. It was the latter on this occasion. You need huge willpower not to eat. You need lots of determination. A steely core.

She was a stroppy teenager – who isn’t. I had been a stroppy teenager – I’m quite sure my mother still bears the scars from the lacerations of my sharp tongue. My daughter didn’t do anything I hadn’t done, only she did it to extremes.

I knew something was wrong and I was right.

And it would be well to remember this: if you think something is wrong it usually is – so persevere, get help. Don’t dismiss your instincts – they are the most powerful thing you possess.

 

Tracy Baines has written a book about how her daughter’s eating disorder impacted on her family. The book It’s Not about the Food is part memoir part self-help guide. It contains resources she found helpful and quotes from many other parents she either interviewed or who responded to her questionnaire.

www.b-eat.co.uk

www.tracybaines.co.uk

Last Minute Ideas to Celebrate Romance

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner we thought you might appreciate our romantically themed idea’s list without the added Teddy Bears, chocolates or Champagne.

Novel Beauty-Clever Skincare and Cosmetics

This week, we had the pleasure of meeting the talented founder behind Novel Beauty. The idea behind Novel Beauty was to create skincare products for Men & Women which ‘reads you’. Nneka, the brains behind Novel Beauty explains she wanted to create a product which responded to each person individually and the way Novel Beauty have achieved this is by using active natural ingredients that respond to your body as an individual. In keeping with their brand message of letting their products read you, the luxurious, all-natural range are encased in a luxurious refillable book which are designed to fit in to anyones home proudly and elegantly.

With both gifts for Men and Women, Nneka herself recommends the romantically themed Poor Man’s Rose bath and body set;

Poor Man's Rose Bath & Body Set

This collection includes Stream of Consciousness, a raw sugar scrub which polishes and conditions the skin and Platonic Dialogue, a daylight cream with the vitamins of Aloe Vera, seaweed, sesame, apricot and the romantic geranium rose oil.

Novel Beauty is available through www.novelskincare.co.uk and through notonthehighstreet.com

The Bellavita Valentine’s Day Hamper

Because we all know the way to a loved one’s stomach is through food. Italian food heroes Bellavita are encouraging us to spend Valentine’s day the Italian way with a Valentine’s selection which is designed to bring a touch of Italian romance to your evening. Bellavita have designed their hamper with the idea of taking the stress out of creating a romantic meal for two. The ingredients, which are sourced from independent Italian producers are enough to prepare a three-course meal for two with a recipe card included. Ok so it wouldn’t really be a Valentine’s meal without the addition of bubble and chocolates but at £39 for the entire hamper, we think that we’ll skip the reservations and rustle up our own Italian feast courtesy of Bellavita.

Valentine's Hamper

The hampers can be purchased both online and in store:
Bellavita Shop, 11C Dock Street, London E1 8JN
www.bellavitashop.co.uk

Pamper yourself at Duck and Dry

If you’re planning on a night of romance, a night with your best friends or simply a night of beloved ‘me time’, Duck and Dry are here to make sure that whatever you do, you will leave feeling damn good. After successfully opening their first salon in Chelsea, Duck and Dry have opened their new flagship in London’s Oxford Circus and will be on hand to offer you a choice of 8 signature blow dries and 8 up-dos in their stylish and energetic salons. This unique and buzzy space is designed with YOU in mind and will not only leave you with luscious locks but also pampered and party prepped. Get your hair-styled in a styling pod, enjoy a drink at their Prosecco bar and for groups, you can even enjoy getting ready together at a group styling table. There is a fitted DJ station and the eclectic and vibrant decor all designed to make you feel good. So, whether you’re celebrating the day of romance or simply just celebrating being so fabulous, Duck and Dry are on hand with their superstar stylists…

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…for one day only, February 14th, make up brand Lin & Lo will be offering complimentary express make-up services with all blow dries at the new West End branch.

To learn more visit; Duck and Dry

And to book an appointment visit; https://www.duckanddry.com/booking

La Maison Rémy Martin returns to Soho with a Stellar Line-Up

Last Summer we had the pleasure of spending the evening with some of Britain’s finest Olympians in the luxurious surroundings of the Rumpus Room, courtesy of La Maison Rémy Martin. This month, the members-only club will be opening their doors once again with a jam-packed, spectacularly curated list of talent designed to inspire, entertain and dazzle you in true Rémy style.

Launch of La Maison Rémy Martin pop-up private members' club at La Maison Rémy Martin, London, Britain on 2 Nov 2015.

La Maison Rémy Martin are set on being the hosts with the most once more, boasting one of The World’s finest Cognac from Fine Champagne, they are set on expanding their brand through their members club with a programme of events and workshops designed to offer their customer a little more of the savoir faire approach they enjoy so much. La Maison Rémy Martin, was borne out of the brands ethos to honour craftsmanship and embrace the luxury of time. With that being said, members are being treated to a line-up of special events, talks and workshops that are being led by some of London’s most talented craftsmen.

Set over two floors of their new Wardour Street home, members can expect to be transported into the iconic world of Rémy Martin. The space will be split into the Boutique, which for the first time will also be open to the public, and The Gallery, where members can enjoy their evenings workshops alongside light-bites paired with Rémy expressions and expertly crafted
Rémy cocktails.

After taking a sneak peek of the new programme, we’re excited to share with you our top masterclass picks…

Michelin Star Chef; Jun Tanaka

Master Chocolatier; Paul A Young

Sports commentator – Tom Gaymor
F1 Driver- Max Chilton

Cellar Master for Rémy himself; Baptiste Loiseau

…to name but a few

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The evenings are every bit evocative of the luxury and ‘suaveness’ that Rémy Martin possess and they are keen to share it with whoever appreciates good craft. So, to learn more and to apply to be a member of La Maison Rémy Martin please visit;

lamaison.remymartin.com.

La Maison Rémy Martin will be open Thursday 16th February to Saturday 4th March 2017 excluding Sundays.

La Maison Rémy Martin
147 Wardour Street, London,
W1F 8WD


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@RemyMartinUK
#LaMaisonRemyMartin #LMRM