Iberica La Terraza | Restaurant Review

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

When Samuel Johnson made his often quoted remark about those who tire of London being tired of life he could have been talking about the restaurants in London. There is every nationality and cuisines in this great city. All of the different boroughs, offer unique and different experiences.

Iberica La Terraza has its own unique experience. A Spanish Tapas bar on a terrace in Cabot Square, in the heart of Canary Wharf. It is near a fountain and is just so beautiful. You almost feel like you are on holiday.

The menu has a great selection of food. Both hot and cold. If you are not in the mood for tapas you can have breakfast, or a salad. The menu offers something for everyone. Here is what we had. Which was a lot.

Half & Half, a selection of cured meat and cheeses: chorizo de pueblo, cecina de leon, Spanish cheese taster,

This was an amazing selection of meat and cheese. Very generous portions. Delicious. Some of the meat was even cured with Rosemary.

Smoked Cod with Roasted Red Peppers Salad.

This salty and smoky salad tasted great. Quite different.

Aubergine, Honey and Pinenuts.

I loved this dish. The aubergine was perfectly cooked with honey and pinenuts on top. The texture and taste was just perfect.

Meatballs with chilindron sauce.

These meatballs are ‘like grandma used to make’. Family food in Spain. The meatballs are pork and beef, with tomatoe, garlic and a hint of chilli. Great, honest food.

Baby squid sandwich.

Delicious for those who love seafood. Also a very generous portion. The bread was great too. The squid was fried and delicious.

Topside veal with roasted vegetable puree.

This was perfectly cooked with a yummy puree.

Tapas

Snow Crab Meat with mayonnaise and trout roe.

Baby Squid with Alioli.

Ensaladilla with tuna, egg, green olives and Piquillo.

Creamed cheese, sun blushed tomatoes, rocket and basil.

Green Asparagus, smoked salmon, quails egg and avruga.

The tapas were AMAZING. Just really good. It is hard to choose a favourite so I won’t. I loved them all. Definitely try a few.

Dessert.

Cream Catalana.

Double cream, cinnamon, vanilla and lemon.

Great puffy dessert. A bit like foam but with more consistency. Is light and tastes amazing.

La Tarta de la abuela. Chocolate, vanilla and biscuit.

Good chocolate tart. The crunch biscuit on top was a great touch. I, of course, also loved the chocolate. The entire mix of this dessert works well together.

To Drink

La Terraza Cocktail

Gin, cranberries and lime.

All of the cocktails are made in house and a lot of thought is put into them.

Agua de Valencia

Cava, vodka, gin and orange juice.

Another classic. The oranges are imported from Valencia to make the cocktail perfect. No shortcuts are taken. The original 1950s recipe was also sourced by Pedro Carvalho. You can taste the attention to detail and love that goes into the cocktails.

Sangria Cava

This amazing drink was packed with delicious juicy fresh fruit and was very refreshing. You could really taste all the different fruit flavours (Orange, strawberry, blackberry and mint) as they marinated into the cool cava. A truly special drink. The only way I can describe is that it was like sipping the sun. I can really do with another one of these right now!

Sangria White

Ditto. Both Sangria drinks were tasty and perfectly suited the mood. They also came in great jug glasses.

Berry Cavarinha

Blackberries, raspberries, lime sugar, chambord, cava.

La Terraza Cocktail

I loved this cocktail. What a great combination.

We were impressed by Iberica La Terraza. The food was great as was the atmosphere and the cocktails. Prices range from low to high so you can go and have some cocktails and food no matter what your budget is. In fact, the only problem I have with Iberica La terraza is the smoking. There were a few people smoking around us and as a non-smoker I don’t want to breathe in other peoples smoke. Only a few people were smoking though so I do recommend that you head down to Canary Wharf for an excellent Spanish experience. If the weather is ropey then don’t worry, the restaurant has heaters, blankets and a big umbrella.

Cabot Square London Borough of Tower Hamlets, E14 4QQ. Nearest Tube: Canary Wharf.

020 7636 8650

Toulouse in Instagram Pictures Part 1 | Travel

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

I am fresh from a trip to Toulouse, I explored the wonderful city in the South of France, visiting hotels, restaurants, markets and tourist spots. All for my wonderful readers, It was hard, but someone had to do it. We are going to be doing a series of travel guides on the area but here is the first of Toulouse in Instagram Pictures. Our Toulouse Travel Guide is here.

Train to Birmingham Airport. Here is the shuttle to the airport.

No 1 Traveller Lounge at Birmingham Airport. A truly VIP experience.

BMI Regional plane to Toulouse Blagnac Airport. We flew business class and were looked after by the amazing Michael Love.

G & T time. When in the sky….

We stayed at the Citiz Hotel. A very stylish four star hotel. I loved my room.

Dinner at J’GO Toulouse. The best pork and chips I have ever had in my life.

While we were having dinner a brass band started up outside and played ‘Funky Town’.

It was Special National Music Day. The day that all of France get together and party. It was a lot of fun.

My hotel room is top left. Needless to say there was no point in getting an early night. So we partied.

The next day we went to the Cite de l’espace. An amazing space museum and theme park. I saw rock from mars and the moon, saw astronauts suits. I also experienced walking on the moon thanks to the Moon Runner. I also spent some time in a Space Capsule and saw a great temporary Mars exhibition, With David Leach-Davies of 69 Magazine.

Part 2 is here.

Part 3 is here.

Have you ever been to Toulouse? Make recommendations below.

About No.1 Traveller – fast facts

· No.1 Traveller specialises in premium hospitality and provides a complete ‘driveway to runway’ service – smart Chauffeur-driven airport transfers, express train tickets, airport parking, airport meet-and-greet and airport lounges (No.1 Traveller’s own collection, plus associate lounges abroad)

· It works with airlines, businesses and individuals to offer a convenient and comfortable service to take the stress out of going to and through airports – the smart traveller’s choice

· No.1 Traveller can be booked by anyone at www.No1Traveller.com or passengers can make their way to the reception of the airport lounge on the day

Airport lounge: Birmingham

· Opened October 2012; the first of No.1 Traveller’s lounges outside London

· Accessible to all passengers travelling through the airport

· Open daily from 0430hrs – 2030hrs; facilities include a range of seating areas across two levels, fully-tended bar, bistro area serving complimentary hot and cold dishes, complimentary newspapers, magazines and internet access

· Entry £27.50 per adult at reception, for up to three hours access (children £17.50 each), £22.50 if booked in advance (children £15)

BMI regional operates over 450 flights a week throughout the UK and Europe with one way prices starting from £59. bmi regional flies from Aberdeen, Antwerp, Bristol, Bremen, Billund, Birmingham, Bristol, Brussels, Copenhagen, Glasgow, Gothenburg, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Esbjerg, Frankfurt, Hannover, Hamburg, Lyon, Milan, Munich, Norwich, Manchester, Toulouse and Zurich. All flights include complimentary food & drink on-board, free 20kg hold baggage allowance and 30 minute check-in. bmi regional is the world’s most punctual airline having recently been crowned the title for the 8^th consecutive year. For more information, visit www.bmiregional.com.

Blackhouse Grill on the Market Restaurant Review

Posted on June 24, 2013 by James Yardley

The Blackhouse Grill on the market restaurant is located right next to Smithfields market. As we enter the restaurant we are taken to the back and around a corner to a beautifully designed room hidden from the street. It feels exclusive and relaxed. A long way from the hustle and bustle of the London streets we have just left. Grill on the Market’s menu focuses on seafood and steaks.

The atmosphere was great, very calm and relaxed. The staff immediately put us at ease. They were very friendly and knowledgeable. The seats were really comfortable. This would be a perfect place to go with some friends and the Blackhouse actively encourages this with its unlimited Prosecco deal every Saturday if you go with friends. Full details below. Your Prosecco is unlimited for two hours as long as you bring two friends. This great deal seems to be working, despite it being lunch time in the middle of the week there are plenty of people in the restaurant. Everyone seem to be aged between 20 and 30. This seems to be a very trendy place hidden slightly away from the masses which makes it feel exclusive.

We start off with the Blackhouse sharing platter which gives us a chance to taste a lot of dishes in one. The platter includes honey, rosemary and lemon chicken skewer, fish cakes, duck spring roll and calamari.

It looked amazing and all the elements were absolutely delicious. Often when you order a big platter like this the food is rushed and average. This was certainly not the case here. The rosemary and lemon chicken was succulent and beautifully flavoured. The deep fried calamari was crunchy and tasty. I particularly liked the beautuiful duck spring rolls. The sauces which accompanied the dish were also particularly good. They were sweet chilli, honey mustard and sour cream. All were filled with flavour and went beautifully with the different assortments. A great starter it tasted as good as it looks and lived up to the Blackhouse ‘honest proper food’ mantra.

For our mains we had the sesame crusted tuna from the seafood menu and from their special premium beef menu we had a fillet of English Longhorn.

My sesame crusted tuna was a beautiful piece of fish perfectly cooked and superbly presented. Tuna is often overcooked but not here the fish was perfect and shone.

photo (82)

The soy sauce and sweet pickled vegetables were the perfect accompaniment. A really beautiful lunch. The sirloin steak was equally good if not better. The English Longhorn steak was really special. Perfectly cooked as you can see, it came with a superb peppercorn sauce and was probably the best steak I’ve ever had. The chunky chips were also excellent. To drink we were treated to unlimited Prosecco for two hours. The Prosecco was crisp and wonderful and it was great to have your glass constantly refilled. The whole meal was relaxed easy and fun.

photo (83)

Our puddings didn’t disappoint either. My trifle was again beautifully presented (as all our food was) and was delicious.

Trifles are not easy to get right, sometimes I find restaurants make them too heavy. But this was an excellent trifle. The portion size was perfect and the cream and jelly were light and delicious. I really enjoyed it and the creme brulee was also delicious

The Blackhouse grill claims to offer solid, honest and simple proper food. It delivers 100% on this promise. The food was first class as were the service and atmosphere. We will definitely be going back to take advantage of that free Prosecco!

http://blackhouse.uk.com/restaurant/london-smithfield/

The Grill on the Market
2-3 West Smithfield, City of London, EC1A 9JX
T: 020 7246 0900
Twitter: @GotmSmithfield

Put some sparkle into your Saturdays with unlimited bubbly when brunching at the recently opened steak and seafood restaurant and bar, The Grill on the Market in Smithfield.Starting this Saturday (2nd February) from noon – 6pm,

diners can indulge in deliciously restorative brunch dishes such as eggs ‘any way you like them’ – poached,

scrambled, fried or Royale with smoked salmon; a classic BLT; steak, egg and chips; and maple glaze gammon

with home cut chips and sweet pineapple as well as a the ‘full works’ cooked breakfast, all washed down with unlimited fizz.

Simply take along two or more friends, order anything off the brunch menu to be treated to unlimited Prosecco

for the duration of your meal (maximum of two hours). With brunch dishes starting at just £9, the Grill on the

Market’s bubbly brunch represents excellent value for money.

Booking is essential, please visit www.blackhouse.uk.com/bubblybrunch to put some sparkle into your Saturdays and kick start the weekend in style.

2-3 West Smithfield, City of London, EC1A 9JX

T: 020 7246 0900

Twitter: @GotmSmithfield

Spice Market at the W Hotel Restaurant Review.

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

Spice Market is located in the fashionable and trendy W Hotel. One of the places to be seen in London. This is not the only Spice Market, there are now 4 of them located everywhere from Dubai to New York.

The food is South East Asian and is very good. They have a menu with variety which left me needing quite a while to choose what I wanted. It all looked so good and had some great twists. Eventually we ordered and our starters came with poppadums and chutney. Here is what we had.

Crab Dumblings

Sugar Snap Peas, Aromatic Spices

This starter was tasty. Great dumplings with a choice of three great sauces to dip into.

Crunchy Squid Salad photo (73) Ginger, Papaya and Cashew.

I loved this starter. It was a very generous portion and all of the flavors worked well together. The squid was fried and the combination of the ginger and papaya went brilliantly with the crunchiness of the cashew nuts. A delicious starter that is just a bit different. Was spicy but not too much. This was also the only time I have had rocket on a plate and it has added to the dish rather than just being a plate filler. Was well marinated.

Red Curried Duck
Pineapple Sambal

This curried duck was amazing, The best dish of the evening. It was served in a beautiful pot. The sauce was creamy and tasty the duck was well cooked and the little cubes of pineapple burst in your mouth giving you a delightful shot of sweetness. Both our mains came with little bowls of perfectly cooked rice.

Tempura Salt and Pepper Soft Shell Crab.
Thai Basil and Lime Sauce.

I liked this main but it was a bit similar to my starter and I would have liked some variety. This was completely my fault of course. The crab was well cooked and the sauce was tasty.

Ovaltine Kulfi

Caramelised banana, Spiced Mike Chocolate Sauce

This was like a deconstructed Banoffee pie. The waiter said it was rich and it was. It was very heavy. It tasted amazing though. If you love rich chocolate or banoffee pie. The caramlised bananas were perfect and the chocolate tasted amazing.

Thai Jewels

Fruits with Crushed Coconut Ice.

This is Spice Market’s specialty. It is a wonderfully refreshing dessert. Exotic fruit on top of crushed coconut ice. Heavenly. A delicious and visually spectactular dessert.

Cocktails

We went through quite a lot of their cocktails just because they are so well made. They all have a twist on a classic, or are just purely original.

Ginger Margarita
Sauza ‘Hornitos’ Reposado Tequila, Ginger, Lime, Ginger Salt

This take on a Margarita is yummy. Will leave you wanting more.

Passion Whiskey Sour
Bulleit Bourbon, Passion Fruit, Ginger Ale

This is strong but amazing.

Thai Smash
Belvedere Vodka, Grapefruit, Thai Basil

Refreshing and different. Tasted great.

Lychee Raspberry Bellini
Bristol ‘Jeio’ Prosecco, Lychee, Raspberry

Sweet and delicious.

Kumquat Mojito
Bacardi Light Rum, Kumquat, Mint

Exotic and wonderful.

The Spice Market is a good place to eat in London. Our waiter was amazing (they all were) giving us recommendations on food and telling us about the dish, the decor is trendy and fresh and our banquet seats were super comfortable. The manager was also very helpful answering my questions.

I give the Spice Market full marks on food, style and service. Oh, and their cocktails which are to die for.

The Big Easy Restaurant Review

Posted on May 5, 2013 by James Yardley

The Big Easy is a popular American style crabshack on the King’s Road. We went at lunch time and it was still busy. The decor is fun and relaxed. You immediately get the feeling of a great American atmosphere.

Fresh Atlantic Crab Claws

‘Colossal Organic Shrimp Cocktail’

Passion Fruit Margarita

Lobster fresh from Maine

We started with some Margaritas. I have a strawberry one, it was refreshing and delicious, the perfect way to start a meal. We also have a passion fruit Margarita. It comes in a large jar with a handle. Not something I’ve seen before but it means you get even more Margarita which can only be a good thing.

For starters we have the organic shrimp and crab claws. My shrimp were huge! Apparently they come from Nigeria. It’s immediately clear that the restaurant goes to a lot of effort to source the very best ingredients. The prawns are big, juicy and succulent and go very well with the spicy sauce they come with.

The crab came with a honey mustard sauce. Again the quality of the fresh meat was delicious.For mains we went for a 2lb lobster and a half lobster and fillet steak combo

Monster claws from my 2lb Lobster

You know you’re in a proper crabshack when they give you a bib

2lb Lobster

Wow this is where the meal got really special. My lobster was juicy and succulent and simply delicious. American lobster is just so much better than European varieties in my opinion and it really showed in this delicious feast. The claw meat was particularly special.

The lobster are flown in weekly from Maine, the lobster capital of the world. They are kept alive until they’re ready to cook to ensure there incredibly fresh.

Our Lobster was 2lb but if you really want one and can afford it they go all the way up to 6lb! However if you go up to that size it probably won’t be quite as tender as the smaller lobsters. Personally I think 2lb is about the perfect size I certainly wouldn’t have been able to manage much more.

The creamy, buttery, opulent lemon sauce was the perfect accompaniment to the Lobster. The chips were chunky and tasty. The salad was disappointing but it didn’t matter a jot.

The fillet steak was a good portion cooked exactly as we asked (medium rare). The meat was excellent. The other half lobster was also just as good as the 2lb one.

For pudding we share a chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream. It was chocolaty, crumbly and not too rich. We also had a Pirates of the Caribbean milkshake which was excellent and certainly tasted ‘piratey’ with its coconut cream and mint flavor It was the perfect way to finish a great meal.

This was a great restaurant and a wonderful experience. We will certainly be returning to sample the grande sundae (which we were advised against having because of its size). The restaurant is friendly, fun and has a great American atmosphere.

Pirates of the Caribbean Milkshake

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Everything down to the ‘restroom’ signs are authentic.

The whole focus is on great ingredients and this restaurant certainly had that. The cocktails were also superb.

The ‘Big Easy’ was good value and one thing I really liked is you can really spend as much money as you want to. A 2lb lobster with chips, salad and sauce with a margarita is just £19.99. Not bad considering this is on the King’s Road. But it you want you can get a 6lb lobster for £60. Also look out for their events such as all you can eat BBQ’s on Monday nights.

Although we went at lunch I’m told the restaurant can get very busy in the evening so you should definitely book in advance. Also look out for the new three hundred seater restaurant coming to Covent Garden in October.

Wabi London | Restaurant Review

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

I love Asian food. So reviewing Japanese restaurant Wabi was a highlight of my week.

Wabi is a tranquil, stylish and classy restaurant that feels like it is a million miles away from the hubbub and stress of London. It is two minutes walk from Holborn station. I really love the relaxing and elegant decor. The waiter has worked at other Japanese restaurants in London and says that the chef at Wabi is better and more original. They are trying to do something different and create an experience. So far they are achieving it. Now for the food and drinks.

We arrived and have a cocktail each. I have the Mexico Sixty Six (Passion Fruit, Cabrito Reposado Tequilla, Vanilla, Black Pepper infused Shochu) and my colleague has the Sugarplum (Honey, Akashi-tai Umeshu, Thienot Brut Champagne) The cocktails are delicious and look amazing. Wabi would be a great place to come and have cocktails with friends or even business associates. The Mexico Sixty Six has the Japanese version of cola in it and packs a peppery punch. It is tasty and different and the ingredients work well together. The Sugarplum is soft and subtle in an ice cold glass. Tasty and refreshing. We then go on to the 10 course tasting meal.

Otsumami/Snacks

Fire roasted edamame, smoky scratchings & sweet and sour nasu

We start with these wonderfully fire roasted edamame. I love edamame anyway but these are extra delicious and come with pork scratchings and a great sweet and sour nasu. A really great sauce.

We had Weegmullen 2009 Riesling Mandelring at the start of our meal. An interesting German white wine which you might think was sweet but isn’t. It was brave of the waiter to recommend this as it makes you think first and then you like it. It was an excellent choice that went well with the meal.

Crunchy Temaki Cone

Toro, Wasabi Cream and Charcoal Onions

These are amazing. The waiter tells us to take a cone with some sauce and then dip it in the volcanic salt. Yum. A great mixture of taste and texture.

Seabass Sashimi

Served with home-made yuzu koji

The seabass was perfect. I have had a lot of seabass in restaurants and this is high in quality and wonderful. It was exciting to tr y the homemade Koji. Koji, if I’m not mistaken, is fermented cooked rice and or soya beans. Koji is at the heart of Japanese cuisine and is used to make soya sauce, miso and sake. Hear it added a nice kick to the seabass and chef should be rightly proud of his/her creation. It was an original and new experience.

Yellowtail Sashimi

Smokey Nasu and Yuzu Bubbles

This is one of Wabi’s most popular dishes. I can see why. It is just so different. For one, it’s fizzy on top, which is the Yuzu bubbles. This is definitely something to try. It tastes great and so is the texture. That along with the bubbles on top make it a wonderful dish. This dish shows that Wabi are original and are always trying to excel. I am impressed by their bravery and originality.

‘Lobster and Chips’

Kombu/butter poached Lobster with Uni, Vegetable Chips and Yuzu-Truffle-Egg Dip

Lobster and Chips. Just really good food. The lobster was amazing, great quality and as for the chips, who doesn’t love chips? These ones are just beautifully cooked and crispy. I could eat this every day. You only get a few chips but it is enough and also comes with Roe. The Roe does that satisfying thing of popping in your mouth.

Warm Loch Duart Salmon

With Lemon Miso, Green Chilli Salsa and Burnt Cedar

This salmon was perfect. It was soft and tender. It came away beautifully when you put your fork in. The salmon comes with mushrooms and a sauce which both contribute to the dish. Yummy. Asian food at it’s best.

Aged Rib-Eye Ishi-Yaki

Black Beer Marinated Beef, served sizzling with Japanese BBQ Sauce
(£15 supp for Wagyu)

This beef was the best I have ever tasted in my life. It is tender and soft. It is the Australian version of Kobe beef. The cows have a better life than some humans and are massaged with beer. It was sizzling and came with a excellent sauce. Just beautiful. The sauce is sticky and salty.

We went on to a beautiful and rich Pinot Noir for the beef.

Todays Sushi: Tuna with Garlic and Green Pepper, Salmon with Celery and Scallops.

This was a real treat. The tune was perfect, great quality, and the scallops and salmon were also of the highest order. They were all already marinated so did not need to come with any sauce. A real triumph of cooking. (or not cooking?)

Calpico Sorbet with Slow Gin Jelly

This was so wonderfully different. The sorbet was great and the slow gin was a great touch. Wonderful.

Green Tiramisu with Cocoa Nib Ice Cream

This highly original tiramisu was a great way to end the meal. It was refreshing delicious. It looked great too.

We then had some green tea which was also tasted great.

Wabi are a great restaurant. The food is amazing, the drinks are great and the service is excellent. This along with the sophisticated and calming decor makes Wabi a great place to eat in London. Frost loves.

The tasting menu is £75. Price range is reasonable, medium to high depending on what you order.

Wabi London
36-38 Kingsway
Holborn
London
WC2B 6EY
Phone: 0207.400.5400

Nearest Tube: Holborn.

The Anthologist | Restaurant Review

Posted on April 19, 2013 by James Yardley

The Anthologist is set on Gresham Street in the heart of the city of London. First impressions were great. Both the restaurant and bar were packed. One immediately gets the impression this a fun and trendy place. The atmosphere was buzzing. We were warmly greeted and led to a two seater table on a raised ledge with a window seat and our own sectioned area. We had a great view of the rest of the restaurant.

The tables are candlelit and our chairs were very comfortable. There is great attention to detail and no expense has been spared on the decor. The kitchen is open and visible. In fact you can sit on a counter right next to and looking into the kitchen. Everything is high tech. Chefs have monitors to view orders and some staff seem to be connected by Bluetooth head sets.

Raspberry Daiquiri and Porn Star cocktails

We start with some cocktails. A raspberry daiquiris and a ‘Porn Star’ made from passion fruit. Both were delicious. The raspberry daiquiris was wonderfully sweet which cut through the alcohol. The ‘porn star’ was amazing and both our favourite cocktail of the night. It had a wonderful smooth velvety texture. It came with a shot of champagne that you can down or mix into the drink. I chose the first option.

The service was first class. Our waiters were knowledgeable, friendly and very happy to make suggestions. Everything seemed extremely well organised and ran like clock work despite the packed restaurant. A waiter was always around when we wanted one and the cocktails and food arrived in excellent time. The monitors and Bluetooth gadgets were working.

The menu is large and there is a big selection. I started with tempura squid served on a bed of crunchy bean sprouts and peppers and firecracker sauce. The firecracker sauce was the real star here. Made with tomato, onion, ginger and hint of chilli it goes very extremely with the squid. I enjoyed the sauce so much I mopped up what was left with

Tempura Squid

some delicious Foccacia bread we’d been given earlier.

Our next drinks were a Skinny Mango Mojito. Which is only 115 calories. This mix of rum, mango, lime juice and nectar is a great take on a classic: just sumptuous. We also had a Princess Sparkle. Blackberries, elderflower, peach bitters, vanilla sugar and prosecco. To be honest the cocktails are out of this world. Just really good and definitely some of the best I have ever had. So if you don’t want to have a meal then at least check out the cocktails at The Anthologist.

Our other starter was excellent, old spot pork sausages with roast apples and prunes. A great classic combination. The acidity of the apple works perfectly against the delicious meatiness of the sausages and the sweet earthy prunes adds another dimension in terms of texture and flavor. It’s a dish which you can’t help but smile at and be very happy to eat.

Seabass

For our main dishes we tried out two of the specials. The first was the pan fried Sea bass fillet with cracked wheat, marinated artichoke heart, olives, butternut squash, baby spinach and lush pesto which was recommended by the waiter and I could see why. For me this was the highlight of the evening. The whole dish had a Mediterranean/Moroccan feel.The fish was beautifully soft with crispy skin and was beautifully presented on black slate. The wheat was perfectly cooked. The olives were wonderful and full of tremendous flavor. The pesto sauce was delicious and when combined with the fish, earthy squash and spinach and wheat together the result was heavenly. One of the best Sea basses I have ever had without a doubt. Simply superb.

King Scallop Flambe!

Next was the Flambe – seared King Scallops with wild rocket, crispy chick peas, grilled courgette, cognac, shallots and butter. This was prepared at our table which is always exciting and fun to watch. It was another stunning dish. The buttery sauce was a delight and it tasted amazing against the beautiful Scallops. They melt in your mouth. The thinly grilled courgettes and crispy chick peas were great accompaniments.

For dessert we have the mini pudding shots. They are amazing. You get three shots (although shots is a poor description because they’re were actually a lot bigger than that) of chocolate brownie, white chocolate & raspberry, Crème brûlée and salted caramel and roasted plum Knickerbocker glory. It was all good. It is even hard to choose a favourite. Although at the time I was most in the mood for the chocolate brownie. The Crème brûlée makes that satisfying cracking sound when you put your spoon in. Delicious.

Knickerbocker glory

We also ordered another knickerbocker glory. It looked amazing, was soft and very tasty. Despite being stuffed already it was easy to eat because it was light and not too rich, a perfect finish to the meal. It was delicious but personally I’m not a fan of the salted caramel craze.

The Anthologist is a great restaurant with a menu that has everything you could possibly want to eat in one place. From Asian food to steaks from a butchers in Mayfair. The cocktails are amazing, the scene is buzzing and the service is top notch. The food was truly excellent and the specials were particularly exciting. The chefs clearly have tremendous talent. I doubt you’ll find better food anywhere else in the city. The prices are also very reasonable for this part of London.

The atmosphere is amazing but it is loud and it won’t be for everyone’s taste. This probably isn’t the best restaurant for families but it is the perfect place to go after work. I would highly recommend you book in advance because there weren’t many empty seats for the whole night.

Highly recommended. We had a ball.

Address: 58 Gresham St, City of London, EC2V 7BB

Phone: 0845 468 0101

Nearest tube: Bank

What To Look For In A Hotel

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

Hotels can be a home away from home or simply just a place to stay the night. While people have different preferences there are a few things you should look for in a hotel. Here is our list.

Location

Arguably one of the most important things about the hotel you choose is the location. It is worth paying more for a hotel that is close to what you want to see or where you will be working.

Other things to look out for is a hotel which has good transport links. If you rent a car this may not matter, but if you don’t you will be stuck in the middle of nowhere.

If you go somewhere like New York you will want a good view of the city. If you can afford it, paying more for this would broaden the experience. The Hotel Tirler in Italy has beautiful views. Definitely worth a visit.

What’s included

You will have to check what is included in the price of the room. Some will have toiletries and some will even include breakfast in the price. Few things in life are more annoying than turning up to a hotel, exhausted only to find out that the hotel does not have any shower gel and you cannot even clean the day off.

Reputation

Reputation is a thing that precedes all else. If a hotel is slammed online I would stay clear. Of course it is hard to please everyone and even the best hotels have a few people who have complaints. So research and then make an informed judgement.

Reviews and the star system.

The internet is a wonderful thing. Before you could get a gauge about a hotel on how many stars it had. This is still quite reliable, but read reviews online too. I have stayed in four star hotels and wondered how the hell they managed to get their rating.

Bed

What is more important than the bed? Not much. You are in a hotel to sleep right? And if not…ahem, you probably still want a good bed.

Extras

Some hotels have gyms, restaurants, libraries, tea rooms, bars, spas, saunas. The list goes on. If you are a gym bunny you probably want one in the hotel you are staying in. You may also want to check whether any of this is inclusive. The Ampersand Hotel in London has a lot of extras, including a gym, a business centre and a beautiful, quaint tea room.

What do you look for in a hotel? What hotels do you recommend? Let us know and we will include them.

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Category Archives: Restaurant & Hotel Reviews