All Hell Let Loose In World War 1 By Wendy Breckon

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Margaret Graham

THE UNTOLD STORY OF WILLIAM AND TOM so that we can give thanks to all those represented by the poppies planted in commemoration at the Tower before memory fades into the frenzy of Christmas.

Patriotic fever, uncertainty and a touch of sadness are in the air. The year is 1915. Our country is at war. This is the moving story of two men, both connected to my family.

The first, my great grandfather William Ralph Wootton, was born in 1877 in Ardwick Manchester. The other, born in Bedfordshire in 1884 many miles away, Thomas Henry Seamer, my husband’s grandfather.

Two young men leaving their families, not sure of their future, but that is where the similarity ends. One returned and sadly one did not.

The father of five sons, William Ralph, Lance Corporal Wootton (2748) of the 5/7^th Lancashire Fusiliers was killed on the 9^th August 1915 in Gallipoli. He met his bloody end a few weeks after joining up in the battle of Krithie Vineyard.

My poor great grandmother paid the price as he did, for the ‘Hell Let Loose’ campaign, (a term coined by one of the battalion survivors). Now the repercussions started. My grandfather, William Richard, the oldest son, had to go out to work to support the family. As well as losing his dad, his dreams of further education as he was such a bright lad, were scuppered. He never got over this and remained resentful.

Years later, he and his brothers were working in a mill in Lancashire when Winston Churchill visited. As they blamed him for their father’s death, due to the mishandling of the Gallipoli conflict, all five of then turned their backs on him and continued working, as Churchill walked down the aisles. Each of the Wootton brothers had their pay docked for not switching off their machines. Such feelings are understandable, as sadly they had all paid the price of growing up without their father.

In my hand, there is a faded brown leather wallet, a bullet, and a selection of torn letters. Their owner was my husband’s late grandfather, Private Tom Henry Seamer of the 1/8 Middlesex Battalion who fought at Ypres in France. One of these was from his little daughter Lizzie, saying ‘she looked like a toff in her new coat’ and ‘please come home soon daddy’.

The other one was from his employer who owned a flour mill in Hertford. The rich owner of the business, wrote from Falmouth on his honeymoon, to Tom in the trenches.

‘We are having a blissful time. The weather is beautiful. You wouldn’t have thought there was a war on here Seamer because all the men are away’.

One evening whilst on active service, Tom took out his prayer book to read a psalm and noticed that… a stray bullet had penetrated the wallet which he kept in his breast pocket.

This had ripped through his letters and photographs but miraculously, because of its full contents, his life had been saved.

Private Tom Henry Seamer did return to Hertford after the war to his wife and daughter, taking up his old job with the mill, driving a cart and his horse. Life in the trenches was rarely talked about to friends and family. Always at the back of his mind, he would have realised that he was a survivor, whilst too many of his friends were not. I suspect a great loneliness was his companion as he went through life.

This article is dedicated to the memory of Lance Corporal Wootton and Private Seamer and written by Wendy Breckon, (nee Wootton) x

An Award Winning Cheesy Evening With Nigel Haworth & Colston Bassett At Northcote

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Keeley Watts

It may be a bit of a trek into the countryside from the centre of Manchester but when asked to visit a Michelin starred restaurant you don’t say no. Nigel Haworth of Northcote had teamed up with Colston Bassett dairy to create a food and wine paired menu using Colston Bassett’s awarding winning stilton and Shropshire blue.

We were greeted with tapioca crackers dusted with the Shropshire blue as well as two types of risotto balls with the stilton. The crackers were my favourite; they were light and fluffy with the lightest cheese flavour.

The starter followed with onion caramel charred hangar steak, pickled artichokes and Colston Bassett stilton. Charred cabbage gave the dish a bitterness whilst the sweetness of the pickled artichokes balanced the dish. Paired with Ramos Pinto Adriano white reserva port to bring out the caramel notes of the steak I thought this worked superbly. Some weren’t keen on the charred cabbage finding it didn’t work with the dish but I liked the way it added something different to the dish as a whole.

The main was Goosnargh cornfed guinea fowl, a Colston Bassett Shropshire blue cheese crumb, damsons, girolles and a Colston Bassett Shropshire blue cheese mash. Despite the inclusion of the cheese into many elements of this dish it was not overpowering with the meat cooked medium rare and the damsons providing a delightful tartness against the richness of the meat. Our wine expert for the evening Craig Bancroft explained that he could have easily paired this dish with a white wine but settled on the Chanson Le Bourgogne pinot noir as the raspberry, cherry and red berry notes worked too well with the guinea fowl to leave it out. He was right to and, considering I’m not really a lover of red wine, this one was beautifully smooth and highlighted the damsons really nicely.

I wasn’t sure how Nigel would incorporate cheese into the dessert but the figs in port with stilton ice cream was incredible and easily my favourite dish of the night. The port had been reduced to a treacle toffee like consistency and when paired with the Ramos Pinto had a wonderfully fruity taste on the palate with enhanced the flavour of the figs.

Colston Bassett have won numerous awards for their cheeses with their stilton being a rich cream colour with blue veining throughout. A smooth and creamy cheese there is no acidic taste whatsoever, just a beautiful mellow taste that melts in the mouth. The Shropshire blue is a similar story with the blue veins spread throughout. This cheese has a creamy taste and is milder than the stilton with a delicate sweetness which I love.

Thanks to Northcote and Colston Bassett for putting the menu together and special thanks to Starlings Photography for the amazing photographs featured above.

You would think this exquisite meal was enough but no, petit fours followed with Turkish delight that melted in the mouth and mini eccles cakes that had a crispy pastry case finished off the event along with some Colston Bassett cheese to enjoy in their natural form.

Struggling To Get Pregnant? Losing Weight Will Help

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Frostie

One of the many reasons that women, and occasionally men, come to see me for weight loss advice is because they want to start a family, but are struggling. Did you know that obesity is a major cause of difficulty getting pregnant – and can increase the risk of miscarriage or problems during pregnancy and childbirth? In fact, there is a significantly greater risk of diabetes during pregnancy if you are overweight – and this can affect the future health of your child as well as you.

Research evidence shows that being overweight can contribute to period problems, hormonal imbalances, lack of ovulation, resistance to fertility treatment and therefore fertility problems particularly in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

There is a higher risk of miscarriage, higher risk of abnormalities of the baby as well as still birth in women who are overweight. The pregnant overweight mother is also at higher risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and difficult or complicated delivery of the baby by Caesarean or forceps.

Some women end up seeking help with IVF (in-vitro fertilization) or other forms of fertility treatment, but this isn’t usually funded unless women are below a BMI of 30 or under the age of 40 – which is why I get women coming to me for weight-loss surgery. They are desperate, the clock is ticking, and they can’t seem to lose weight on their own. It’s sad to see, and the stress of it all doesn’t help fertility in the slightest!

Interestingly it’s not all about the woman’s weight. In men, being obese can cause the following problems: reduced semen volume, a reduced sperm count and increased sperm DNA damage. Losing weight will improve these parameters.

So, if you are thinking of starting a family, it is a great incentive for both you and your partner to lose weight. But you have to make sure you do it in a way that is good for you. Fad dieting which will starve your body of essential nutrients which, for women, is just at the time when you and your unborn child need them most. In fact, some studies suggest that a mother’s diet, even BEFORE she actually gets pregnant, can affect the health of her child. So instead of crash dieting, treat your body with the care and respect it deserves – after all, you’ll be relying on your body to create a healthy new life within it. Fill it with the most nutritious food you can find, keep active to ensure you are as fit as you can be – and not only will you be rewarded with a slimmer healthier body but you will find it easier to get pregnant too.

By Dr Sally Norton – UK leading NHS weight loss surgeon & consultant

Shove a Stache in it: Very Cool Dummy | Parenting

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Frostie

You need all of the amusement you can get when a child won’t stop crying so we loved this moustache dummy.

The Chill Baby Moustache Dummy. Made from non-toxic silicone this is the perfect present for pregnant friends, babies and tough toddler.

Get your baby equipped with a hip and hilarious dummy for an awesome price of £7.95 from www.prezzybox.com.

Charity Chic in Downley, High Wycombe

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Margaret Graham

Iain Rennie Hospice at Home service, provided by Rennie Grove Hospice Care, offers essential palliative and end-of-life care based around patients and their families, both day and night.

I know several people whose relatives have been nursed by these exemplary nurses and carers, nursed at home which is the wonderful concept of this charity.

One of their main fundraising arms is the charity shop. The Iain Rennie Hospice shop in Downley High Wycombe is just one of many. Downley is a village with a fantastic sense of community and a great deal going on, and is perched on the top of a hill to the west of High Wycombe, with a five minute walk to the Chiltern woods one side, and a twenty minute walk into town on the other.

Mandy Dowling runs the shop with the help of invaluable volunteers and Mandy’s award winning window dressing is a lesson to us all.

Inside is an Aladdin’s cave of Charity Chic, all donated, so that Mandy is never sure what will be brought in, which is part of the fun of working in a charity shop.

I found amongst many other ‘buys’ a pair of shoes, New Look. £5.00. Just the thing for clubbing. Slightly out of my age range, but only slightly, I say, hopefully.

More appropriate perhaps is the Laura Ashley Jacket for £5.00.

I found two beautiful slender white vases for £2.00 each and photographed them beside a neat black bowl with white dots. Sophisticated with clean lines. Mandy and I put them on top of a glass fronted cabinet that had been sold to someone who is going to upcyle it, in a distressed style. It was only £20 and I can’t believe I missed it.

Candle holders are my ‘thing’. These are often brought into the shop but these I left for someone else. I have no more room, and Dick would leave home if they came through the door. These are new, and priced at £4.00 each.

Christmas is coming and the shop is festive, with most of the decorations and Christmas bric a brac for sale. I found these little ‘friends’.

Smiley Face is £1.00, the glamour-puss bear is £2.00 and the book, The First Snow of Winter by Graham Ralph is a snip at 50p. (lovely book. I read it while I was standing there)

Over the last few weeks, Mandy and her staff have been snaffling up cafetieres for the Words for the Wounded LitFest Day on 18^th April. Look at my haul thus far. Priced at £3.00 each.

And yes, there are those magical moments you hear about on Antiques Roadshow. Mandy tells me of a dusty old painting that came into the shop and which could have slipped through their hands. But a bit of a rub (much like the gennii’s lamp) and a name appeared – Victoria Crowe who Mandy googled. It sold on ebay for £500.

To make a donation to Rennie Grove Hospice Care: www.renniegrove.org/donate or to volunteer www.renniegrove.org/volunteer

For further information: www.renniegrove.org/standards

There are so many more Aladdin’s Caves out there, doing good whichever way you look. The customers get a fabulous deal, and hours of fun browsing, and the charity gain much needed money. Contact us with tales of your favourite charity shops/stalls and the buys that have brought you pleasure. Contact margaret@margaret-graham.com

The Readers & Writers Festival to be held in lovely Margaret River, Western Australia

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Margaret Graham

I found Margaret River when I was researching my bestselling novel Canopy of Silence for Heinemann some years ago now. I flew over from the UK and took the bus down from Perth, Western Australia to seek out descendants of the Group Settlers. I found Dinkie Sutton, who was the relative of the guy who ran the post office in my Somerset village, where I lived then. She introduced me to others.

I fell in love with the Sutton family and Margaret River. I think of it as my second home. It is a place of great beauty and initially, of great hardship for the settlers, who were enticed out by the British and West Australian governments after the 1 World War to create dairy farms.

The settlers were shown films of established dairy farms in New South Wales typical, it was said, of the farms they would go to.

The reality on the western side of Australia was different. South of Perth there were sandy tracts, and further down, near Margaret River, the soil was just not capable of producing grazing land sufficiently nutritious for dairy herds.

Before they reached that stage the settlers had to fell the huge trees, with a mattock and a saw, sometimes walking a couple of miles to collect water for their young families. It’s the stuff of heartbreak, but the Poms were a tough lot, just as are the Australians.

They endured, and latterly it was discovered that the Margaret River area is suitable for wine growing. It’s worth a visit just to tour the vineyards which produce the most superb wines. Trust me, I remember the hangovers. Even those were of a superior variety.

I have many tales to tell of the area and will dig out a few as we get more news from the region, because I’m delighted to tell you we have the first of many items from the region. Bring ‘em on, please.

* * *

The Margaret River Readers’ and Writers’ Festival 2015

SEASONS is the theme for the seventh annual Readers and Writers Festival to be held in the beautiful Margaret River wine region in Western Australia next year, so those of you in the UK have time to plan your trip. Those of you in Australia, get ready to clear your diaries and give yourself a real treat.

Festival director Helen Allan tells me the annual festival will be held over the May long weekend 29-31 2015 and the festival has already secured a huge line-up of famous authors to excite readers of all genres.

“We are focussing on the environment, nature and the seasons of our lives – the theme `Seasons’ encapsulates all of those things, and Autumn is such a beautiful time in Margaret River, we should celebrate that – when Keats wrote that Autumn was the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ it almost seems like he wrote it for our region.”

The festival committee had lined up around 20 authors and the festival will, once again, run over three days.

“From Tomorrow When The War Began author John Marsdon to science fiction author Isobelle Carmody, comedian and authors Sami Shah, Justin Heazelwood and Luke Ryan to romance authors Fiona Palmer, Michelle de Kretser and food/nature author Sophie Zalokar, we have something for everyone,” she said. As both a reader and writer I was already hooked.

“We will be letting more names out of the bag as the time draws nearer, we have had a huge amount of interest from authors wanting to take part in next year’s festival, given the outstanding growth and success of the festival last year.”

The festival, while small, is steadily growing and the organisers are keen to have a big-name international authors to headline their event.

“We don’t have a huge budget, but what we lack in funds we make up for in warmth and hospitality, our authors are treated like royalty and thoroughly spoiled when they come over.

“We had hoped to have some British writers participate in next year’s festival and had invited Stephen Fry and Michael Palin, but to no avail. Hopefully as our festival gains more of an international standing more English authors will come forward. Our wine region is an exciting and beautiful place to visit and what could be better than combining a look at our natural wonders with a celebration of literature?”

I can vouch for all of that, and what a wonderful time to be south of Perth, in the lovely Margaret River area. While you’re there, have a good look around. See the wonderful surf, and give it a go. My son-in-law promises himself the opportunity one day. Perhaps head out to see the Prevelly Chapel, a monument to the monks of Crete who helped save so many Australian Servicement in the 2^nd World War, at the expense of their own lives. Returning servicemen raised the money to raise the Chapel in tribute. It’s moving, but that’s an understatement. Go and see for yourselves, and make it in May so you can catch the Festival.

The Stockbridge Restaurant Review Edinburgh

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Melissa Volpi

As our taxi parks up in a residential street, the first thing I have to ask the driver is: “Where is The Stockbridge Restaurant?” But this is not a negative. The Stockbridge Restaurant, situated in the bohemian area of Stockbridge – in Edinburgh’s New Town – is hidden from view down a steep flight of town house steps, in the basement of a Georgian building.

We are the first guests to arrive at 7 pm on a Friday evening in November. Our waitress – an elegant young woman with a European accent – takes our coats and seats us at a table for two in a cosy corner of this room. There is a big table to our right that is set for a party of ten and six other tables positioned intimately in this space, which is more like a friend’s dining room than a restaurant.

There are black painted stonewalls decorated with mirrors; paintings by Scottish colourists; and purple patterned black out curtains along the street facing wall. The small bar, to the rear of this dining room, is made up of wooden shelves that are stacked with a variety of Scottish Gins to include Boe, Hendricks, The Botanist, Old Raj and Edinburgh Gin. But the most charming parts of this interior are the linen covered tables, with linen napkins and gold damask chairs, as well as the old fireplace filled with glowing candles and a cascade of white melted candle wax.

Chive and Chervil Pesto

To help us settle in, we are given a wine and drinks list, as well as a basket of toasted bread. The bread is cut into triangles and there are three varieties to choose from – white, brown and black olive bread. To show us that The Stockbridge Restaurant is a little more unusual than many Edinburgh dining establishments, we are given the traditional choice of toast topping (a small ceramic pot filled with butter) and an original offering. In a small ceramic pouring pot is a runny grass green liquid that we are told contains a homemade chive and chervil pesto.

My mum orders two large glasses of white wine for us – one glass of the Stoney Range Sauvignon Blanc from Sherwood Estate in New Zealand and one glass of the Santa Rosa Viognier from Argentina – while I pour this chive and chervil pesto over a triangle of black olive bread.

This combination reminds me of a lovely spring day and I quickly pour more pesto onto a second triangle of bread.

Set Menu or A La Carte Menu

Our waitress gives us a choice of two menus. There is a Set Menu available from Tuesday to Friday, which offers two courses for £20.95 or three courses for £24.95. Or, there is the A La Carte Menu available from 7 pm between Tuesday and Saturday. After having a quick scan over both menus, we decide on the A la Carte Menu – the more imaginative of the two.

There are five starters to choose from and all are priced at £7.95 except for the seared scallops with butternut squash puree, apple salsa, walnuts and Serrano ham, which is advertised at £12.45. There are two meat dishes, two fish dishes and one cheese dish to choose from.

The braised ox cheeks tempt me… but I decide to have an evening of game dishes instead – since we are now into November and the Scottish grouse, partridge, pheasant and hind season is in full swing. Jason Gallagher, Chef and Owner, sources all his game meat from Braehead Foods in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire (http://www.braeheadfoods.co.uk/).

I order the partridge breast and confit leg with leek puree, wild mushrooms and Madeira sauce to start and my mum picks the trio of cheese: goats cheese fondant with beetroot puree, blue cheese soufflé and cheddar cheese sausage.

The five maincourses on offer (two fish dishes and three game dishes) start at £20.95 and rise to £24.95 for the grouse and venison options. My mum orders the grilled halibut while I order the venison loin with venison pie.

The imagination that has gone into this selection of maincourses is superb, especially if you love game. But, if I had to highlight something, I would say that the maincourses might be off-putting to a vegetarian – especially as one of the two fish dishes is served with crispy pancetta. Not all vegetarians eat fish, so it would be good to offer a 100% vegetarian option on the A La Carte maincourse menu – similar to what the chef has already done with the starter menu.

Amuse Bouche

To our surprise, two small square dishes are placed in front of us containing an amuse bouche (The French term, ‘amuse bouche’ means a tiny portion of food served before the starter to stimulate the appetite).

The dish looks more Japanese than French though – probably due to the colour of the small square dish, which is black. But, it’s a cute idea.

Everything is in miniature. Sitting on top of a tiny rectangular sized piece of Parma ham is half a cherry tomato filled with tiny mozzarella cubes and sliced spring onions. This miniature wonder is finished off with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a sprig of parsley.

In two bites, it is gone. But it leaves a lovely fresh taste in my mouth and has done what it is meant to do – it has whetted my appetite.

Starters

My mum and I both smile as our starters are laid in front of us. This is not what we were expecting at all – but in the best of ways.

My partridge breast and confit leg rest on a bed of vibrant green, the leek puree, and are surrounded by an assortment of wild mushrooms oozing with Madeira sauce. A small bouquet of parsley adds the finishing touch to this dish.

Even though I am mesmerised by the presentation of my mums starter, I cannot wait to start my own and end up trying a few bites of partridge and mushroom before we both clink glasses and toast the beginning of our meal.

To say the partridge is tender would be an understatement – the meat breaks off the confit leg at the lightest touch and the pink breast is cooked to perfection. The whole starter works very well and I can’t help thinking that this would be an achievable dish to cook at home. It’s a simple and traditional pairing of ingredients, cooked and presented in a modern fine dining style.

But the winner for best presentation must go to my mum’s starter: the trio of cheeses. The three different cheese dishes are presented side by side on a rectangular white plate – and they are all in miniature.

A small cheddar cheese sausage, which looks like a potato croquette, sits in the centre of a red circle of chilli sauce to the left. The goat’s cheese fondant rests on a brush stroke of beetroot puree and has three homemade savoury wafers rising like candles from its centre. And, lastly, the blue cheese soufflé has a dab of blue cheese sauce on top. This artistic presentation is interwoven with basil leaves still attached to their stem.

Sorbet

Just to remind us that we are in a fine dining establishment, our waitress brings us two small square dishes, each containing one scoop of homemade passionfruit sorbet, to suck slowly before the maincourse. The amuse bouche and the sorbet have been a welcome surprise – and they have transformed our three course meal into a five course meal.

Maincourses

The sorbet has cleansed our palate in preparation for the maincourse. This time it is my choice that wins the best presentation award.

My mum’s grilled halibut sits on a bed of crispy pancetta and crushed potatoes that are surrounded by spinach, mushrooms and an Arran mustard sauce. The fried quail egg rests to the side of this piece of halibut and is decorated with parsley. It looks appetising and it tastes very good, but it melts into insignificance next to my venison loin with venison pie – this presentation and combination is the best I have seen anywhere, including some famous London restaurants.

I took the chefs advice and had the venison loin cooked medium rare and it looks perfect, resting in a fan shape on top of the parsnip puree and surrounded by braised red cabbage, roasted vegetables, balls of piped mash potato and just enough port sauce.

But the pièce de résistanceis the venison pie, which comes in a ramekin with two rustic savoury wafers rising out of the mashed potato topping like deer antlers. In short, it is absolutely delicious. Everything on the plate compliments each other, from the sweet flavours of the parsnips and red cabbage to the very rustic flavours of the meat and plain potato mash.

Desserts

Eager not to miss our train home, we deliberate on whether to have desserts – as they can take between 20 to 30 minutes to prepare. But, after being assured by the host and co-owner of The Stockbridge Restaurant, Jane Walker (wife of Jason Gallagher) that she will put in a special request with the kitchen to make sure that our desserts come as quickly as possible, we order the chocolate brulee with chocolate brownie and the banana tart tatin.

Jane has just arrived in the restaurant. The locals eat here late and it’s only now, at just after 8.30 pm, that the dining room has become lively and full.

“We are often here until after midnight,” Jane says. “A lot of our customers don’t start eating their maincourses until after 10 pm.”

Banana tart tatin and Chocolate brulee

This time, both of our desserts win the best presentation award. My mum’s banana tart tatin is presented in the centre of a square white plate. To the right is a small pouring pot of butterscotch sauce and to the left is a neat scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s a very minimalist looking dessert that has big chunks of banana in it. My mum assures me it tastes as good as it looks – and we are told that this dessert is the most popular.

My chocolate brulee is presented in a shot glass. There is one scoop of milk chocolate ice cream to the right of this brulee and a small, rectangular chunk of chocolate brownie to the left. The brownie is surrounded by two piped clusters of white chocolate mousse, which look like meringues. It is the first time that I have tasted chocolate brulee and it will not be my last. The combination of burnt sugar topping and creamy chocolate brulee is heavenly.

Coffee and Petit Fours

We finish our meal with an Americano and a cafe latte, served with homemade petit fours – two chunks of rocky road cake, two strips of chocolate chip biscotti and two after eight circles. It’s a nice final touch to this five course feast and, needles to say, the petit fours do not last as long as the coffee.

I don’t like to use the words perfect or amazing in my restaurant reviews because restaurants are like people – they are full of flaws if you look hard enough. But, I like to focus on the positives and not the negatives because I know how hard it is to make restaurants work – both my parents are restaurateurs.

So, to give credit where credit is due, I can honestly say that The Stockbridge Restaurant is as near to perfect as any restaurant can hope to be. The location is safe and interesting – and only a ten to fifteen minute walk from Edinburgh’s famous Princes street and Royal Mile. The architecture is beautiful and the dining room is intimate. The décor sets the scene for an evening of indulgence and relaxation and the staff are eager to please without being intrusive. The extensive list of Scottish Gins on offer is a nice touch. The chef has excellent presentation skills and the food is a work of art whilst also tasting homely. The local produce and seasonal dishes make you feel proud to be Scottish and the end of evening bill will not make you feel guilty or shocked.

I give The Stockbridge Restaurant 9 out of 10. And, if they added a 100% vegetarian course to the A La Carte maincourse menu and fixed the left hand toilet door in the Ladies, I would give it 10 out of 10. This restaurant is as good as it gets and is not to be missed on your next night out in Edinburgh. It’s a family run restaurant for locals and tourists alike.

Our bill:

1 x 250 ml glass of Viognier £7.75

1 x 250 ml glass of Sauvignon Blanc £9.30

1 x partridge starter £7.95

1 x trio of cheese starter £7.95

1 x venison loin with venison pie £24.95

1 x halibut £20.95

1 x chocolate crème brulee with chocolate brownie £6.95

1 x banana tart tatin £6.95

2 x coffee and petit fours £3.00 to £3.75 each

Total: £99.50 for a five-course meal for two including wine and coffees

Contact details:
54 St Stephen Street
EdinburghEH3 5AL

Phone: 0131 226 6766
Email: jane@thestockbridgerestaurant.co.uk

Website: http://www.thestockbridgerestaurant.co.uk/

Gaucho Sloane Restaurant Review

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

The Gaucho has a reputation that precedes it. Quite a few people were jealous that I was reviewing it, more so than any other restaurant I have reviewed. It was all apparent why when we arrived. To begin with, the decor is stunning. The chairs are comfortable: high-backed with a black and white animal print. The entire place is just stylish. The atmosphere is not stuffy and there are a few families here with (well-behaved) toddlers.

Our waiter, Ewan, is incredibly knowledgable. He knows everything about the food and the wine. His recommendations are also excellent.

Our meal is started off with some bread and Chimichurri sauce, a staple in Argentina. It is made from parsley, garlic, fresh pepper, olive oil, red pepper and red wine vinegar. The bread comes in a good variety: there is some corn bread and some cheesy bread to go with the ordinary bread. All tastes great and fresh.

For our starter I have the pan-fried scallops with watercress purée, smoked pancetta and confit red peppers and my colleague has the crab caustic with egg, lime and avocado. The scallops are perfectly cooked and the sauce is wonderful, the smoked pancetta on top really works too. The crab is delicious and unique. It is presented on top of mashed potato. The avocado is perfect and the hint of egg is unusual but works well. It is complex and creative. The potato is smooth and well seasoned. It holds everything together.

For my main I have to have a steak, the Gaucho is famous for them after all. I have the churrasco de lomo: spiral cut, marinated for 48 hours in garlic, parsley and olive oil. It is 400g of pure heaven. Even more impressive because I cannot have it medium rare as I am pregnant but the chef manages to make it taste amazing, even though it has to be well done. This is the best steak I have ever had in my life. High praise indeed as I have eaten a lot of steak. It is just perfect and you can tell that a lot of time and effort went into it. Our waiter, Edwan, brought out the steak in advance to show us. The cows are grass fed and roam around an area of Argentina three times the size of the UK. I have a garlic hollandaise sauce on the side which is simply divine. However, the steak is so marinated and delicious it could be eaten on its own.

My colleague has pork belly with pumpkin purée, glazed button onions and buttered cabbage. He says it is a triumph: perfectly cooked pork with sweet caramelised onions and cabbage. It has a fantastic, sweet, sticky sauce that is not heavy and is divine with the pork.

For our sided we have baked and grilled sweet potato, brushed with butter. It is perfect. We also have some perfectly cooked buttery curly kale.

To drink we have mocktails. I have a virgin mojito that tastes just like the real thing and my colleague has a fruit punch. Both are excellent. I could drink a virgin mojito everyday.

For dessert I have a chocolate and raspberry alfajores: milk chocolate and raspberry parfait cake with italian meringue and crushed raspberries and my colleague has dulce de leche cheesecake, a salted dulce de leche. Both desserts are delicious.

Gaucho also have an extensive and wonderful list of Argentinean wine. Make sure you have some. There is also the Bar Galante next door. It is a beautiful bar, very stylish and perfect for sipping a cocktail or two.

I can highly recommend Gaucho. It is right at the top of my list of the best restaurants in London. Just superb.

Gaucho – Sloane
89 Sloane Avenue
London
SW3 3DX
Phone: 0207.584.9901
Fax: 0207.584.0045

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