Honest Burgers Restaurant Review

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

My first thought of Honest Burgers’ new restaurant in King’s Cross? How much it feels like being on a boat – all thanks to the shape of the building and the big windows. It’s cosy, with brilliant views for people-watching. Inside, it is stylish – stripped back, but not bare. The place is packed with a variety of people, girlfriends catching up, couples, and, of course, people just wanting a good burger. It is busy, buzzing and feels like the place to be.

The staff are helpful and passionate about the place. Always a good sign. We order a rose, the Plumpton Estate Rose, England, and a Hawaiian ale, the Kona Big Wave Golden Ale. The rose comes in a normal glass, which I thought was a great touch. Even better; the beer comes in a mini tankard. It’s pretty cool. The rose is a wonderful colour with perfect balance. The ale comes in an ice-cold glass and is clean, light and refreshing with a great flavour. Later, my coke comes in the can with a straw. It is all these little touches that make Honest Burgers great, and I haven’t even gotten to the food yet….<

I order a Tribute and my colleague orders a chicken burger. The chicken is free-range and comes with lettuce, tomato and mustard mayonnaise. The chicken is succulent and fresh, the mustard mayo is delicious and not too overpowering. My colleague described the bun as ‘crispy tasty’ and declared the burger ‘amazing’.

The Tribute is Ginger Pig Dry Aged Beef, cooked medium-rare (pink in the middle – one of the reasons it tastes so damn good) with bacon, American cheese, burger sauce, French’s mustard, pickles, onion and lettuce. Phew. It is, quite simply, the best burger I have ever had in my life. Fresh ingredients, great ingredients. Everything really works and I haven’t even gotten to the chips yet.

Each burger comes with a huge serving of house chips. A serving of what are, frankly, the best chips EVER. I am told a lot of effort was put into making sure that the burgers and the chips were equally as good, and they really have managed to pull it off. The chips are perfectly cooked and dusted with rosemary salt. They are full of flavour, well seasoned and a beautiful, crispy texture. Just writing this makes me dream of them.

Honest Burgers is expanding all the time, with the King’s Cross branch opening as recently as December 12th. I really hope they continue to grow, because frankly, everyone needs an Honest Burgers near them. They really don’t compare to any other burger restaurant I have ever been to. The best burgers and the best chips in town, along with a good selection of drinks.

I will definitely be back.

Honest was started by foodie entrepreneurs, Dorian Waite and Tom Barton,fresh out of uni in 2011 and has grown from an outside catering company to five incredibly successful restaurants in just two years. Honest isn’t simply a fad or a knee-jerk reaction to a consumer trend either, Honest champions the use of great British produce and stands by its name – everything from the food to the decor is completely stripped back and honest. The only thing to go into the burgers is beef, salt and pepper. That’s it.

With Honest’s Kings Cross restaurant situated just seconds away from the huge catchment area of Kings Cross station, and their largest site to date, it’s clear they have big plans.

Having just secured a £1 million investment from Santander, Honest are looking to expand throughout 2014 and into 2015. Currently London-based, Honest hopes to move past the M25, south into Brighton, or north to Manchester or Leeds.

The Honest website can be found here www.honestburgers.co.uk.

HONEST BURGERS KINGS CROSS

251 PENTONVILLE ROAD,
LONDON N1 9NG
+44 (0)20 3302 3452

The Adamson Restaurant Review

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Melissa Volpi

The first thing that strikes you on walking towards The Adamson are the words ‘Post Office’ carved into the stone structure of the building, above the entrance door. (It used to be the main post office in St Andrews from 1907 until 2012) The second thing is the fairy lights that can be seen through each south-facing window.

The inside is different from what I expect – but in a good way. The tables, chairs, ceiling lights and artwork are contemporary and have that trendy city vibe going on. The wooden floor, brick work walls and natural foliage add a rustic element, which I like.

Lindsey Kirk, the house manager, is the first person to greet us. She guides us through the small bar at the restaurants entrance and seats us at a table near the open kitchen. Our waitress, Adrienne, offers to hang up our coats in the cloakroom before handing us the menu.

I take a quick glance and know immediately what I’m ordering – Pittenweem crab with lime and chilli butter on toasted sourdough bread to start, then char-grilled fillet steak with peppercorn sauce and skinny fries for main course. Pittenweem is a coastal village near St Andrews that is famous for fish and it’s nice to see their crab on the menu. My mum opts for the crispy calamari with pomegranate, satsuma and watercress, followed by Atlantic sole with kale, pine nuts and root vegetables.

Some of the dishes are pricey – The Adamson sell chateaubriand for two, with hand cut chips, roasted garlic mash, green beans, and peppercorn & béarnaise sauce for £59.95 – but it is evident that they are trying to cater for all budgets, as one of their signature dishes is The Adamson burger with bacon, gruyère cheese, skinny fries & house ketchup for £11.50.

Starter

Sipping my virgin mojito and looking around the dining room, I spot snazzy looking deer antlers with a crystal-embellished skull on the wall.

“That’s Austin,” says Mike Lewis, the General Manager here at The Adamson, as he passes our table. “He was handmade by a friend of my wife’s.”

Mum and I say a toast and tuck into our starters – under the watchful, sparkly eye of Austin. My crab is just right, temperature wise – not too cold – and the lime and chilli butter adds a delightful Mexican kick. My mum, who is not normally a fan of whole calamari, has finished her starter within seconds.

“It’s melt in the mouth,” she says.

The only downside to this feast is the techno pop style background music – which really does not go with the surroundings.

Main course

I’ve been eating fillet steaks with peppercorn sauce since I was 5 years old – and it’s safe to say that the combination not only brings back childhood memories, but would also be on my ‘last supper’ list. That pairing of lightly pink meat with ladles of cream based peppercorn sauce is heavenly – in my opinion. So I am a little sad to see a gravy based peppercorn sauce arrive on my plate. That aside, the presentation is spot on and the steak is cooked just the way I ordered it – medium rare.

Three cherry tomatoes on the vine rest on top of my chargrilled meat and a mound of vibrant green rocket sits alongside it. The peppercorn sauce sits behind this meat and salad centrepiece in a small steel ladle. I’ve never seen this sauce presentation method before, but I like it – a lot. The idea may look minimalist, but as I start drenching the steak with sauce, there is more than enough to go around – even for a sauce lover like me. The skinny fries are served separately in small metal buckets and a choice of sauce options is available.

My mum’s Atlantic sole is browned nicely on top, creating a crispy coating that reminds me of pork crackling. But what is most innovative about this presentation is how the chef has served the lemon. He has covered half a lemon in muslin cloth and positioned it on the plate like a wedding favour – a brilliant idea that stops your fingers getting wet when seasoning the sole.

“How are the main courses,” asks Mike.

“Delicious,” we reply.

Dessert

We are handed a narrow piece of card with a selection of six desserts and a choice of dessert wines on one side and a coffee list on the other. The dessert is always my favourite part of the meal – and I always make sure and leave room for it. But, this list is not exciting me. There is The Adamson sundae, apple trifle, sticky toffee pudding and a selection of ice cream and sorbet. It’s a ‘what you’d expect’ list of desserts, rather than the original – and innovative – starters and main courses that we have just enjoyed. I’m about to order a cappuccino as dessert when Adrienne walks over.

“We have a very special dessert available tonight. It’s haggis spiced brûlée with oat crumble and rhubarb,” she says with a smile.

Now, that’s more like it! I immediately order the haggis spiced brûlée and persuade my mum to try the apple trifle with vanilla custard and nut crumble – as it sounds the most interesting. She is not a fan of nuts and hesitates for a moment, but Adrienne comes to the rescue – again.

“The nut crumble is made with pistachios and sprinkled on top of the cream,” she tells us. “ But we can easily leave that out for you.”

Haggis spiced brûlée

Nothing can prepare you for the look or taste of this special dessert. It is beautifully presented on the white plate and the colours instantly draw your eye – it’s a picture of pink elegance and I feel guilty about tucking in.

The brûlée looks like dulce de leche and is surrounded by small clusters of oat crumble. A quenelle of rhubarb sorbet rests neatly on top and a few thick drops of rhubarb compote, and rhubarb strands itself, decorate the sides. I give my mum a little smile before tasting my first spoonful…

I’m used to haggis, neeps and tatties, but this is something else. The unique flavour of haggis really comes through – it couldn’t be anything else – but the strong notes of perfume in the aftertaste make it seem like you’re eating a soft version of Turkish delight. I love it.

A coffee for the road

We finish off this three-course meal with a coffee each – my mum orders a black Americano and I a cappuccino.

Taking a bite of the complimentary ginger shortbread that is served with the coffee, we both feel completely and utterly satisfied – not disgustingly full. Normally after a three-course meal, I feel like I’m carrying twins in my belly! Thankfully, that is not the case now.

The portions were just right, with each course filling a hole but still leaving you a little hungry for more. And I think the same could be said of The Adamson itself. It’s a restaurant and bar that excites the senses of taste and sight and makes you want to come back for more.

Our meal for two:

Virgin mojito x 2 @ £3.50 each (£7.00 in total)
Tanqueray gin £3.35
Slimline tonic, 200ml, £1.50
San Pellegrino, small, £1.95
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Fox by John Belsham, 250ml glass £10.50
Pittenweem crab with crème fraiche and lime and chilli butter on toasted sourdough £9.50
Crispy Calamari with pomegranate, Satsuma and watercress £6.95
220g Fillet steak with skinny fries and peppercorn sauce £26.95
Atlantic sole with kale, pine nuts and root veg £15.50
Side of skinny fries £2.95
Haggis spiced brûlée with oat crumble and rhubarb £5.00
Apple trifle with vanilla custard and nut crumble £6.50
Cappuccino £2.75
Americano £2.25

Total: £102.55 + tip (works out at around £50.00 per head for three courses plus drinks)

Best bits about The Adamson

ORIGINAL RECIPES USING LOCAL AND SEASONAL PRODUCE

WARM, INVITING DINING ROOM THAT’S BOTH RUSTIC AND CONTEMPORARY

AUSTIN – DEER ANTLER AND SKULL WALL DECORATION

COCKTAILS

PLEASANT AND ATTENTIVE WAITERS

SPECIALS BOARD

Worst bits about The Adamson

SMALL BAR

BACKGROUND MUSIC

DESSERT MENU

CAN BE A BIT PRICEY

Contact details:

The Adamson,  127 South Street,  St Andrews,  Fife,  KY16 9UH
Telephone number: 01334 479 191
Email: info@theadamson.com
Website: http://www.theadamson.com/

The Refinery | Restaurant Review

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

The Refinery is a good-looking restaurant in Southwark. It has a great vibe, lots of buzz and a sophisticated decor. We reviewed it on a Saturday and it was absolutely heaving.

Upon being handed the menu thinks get difficult, there is just so much to choose from. The menu is good and varied, something to suit every taste; from salads, to steaks to burgers. We notice on the special menu that there is some salmon and sea bass, the waitress (who is lovely and helpful) informs us that the fish is fresh, they get it from the market in the morning. I also spot a Negroni on the specials menu and immediately order it. Negroni’s are more bitter than my usual taste but I have a soft spot for them.

After much umming and ahing we finally decide on what to eat thanks to the waitress. We have prawn lollipops and a Mediterranean flatbread sharing platter to start. As you can see, presentation is impressive. The prawn lollipops in particular look great. The lollipops are amazing, perfect prawns in perfect batter. They come with an amazing sauce which also has just enough kick.

The Mediterranean flatbread is pitta bread, roast vegetables; peppers, aubergine and courgette- all great, two dips, both stunning. The homemade hummus has ruined me. I just don’t want to eat the supermarket stuff anymore. The baby ganoush is also superb.

We ordered some Strawberry Lemonade. It was delicious and fresh.

For our main we have the Pan-Fried Salmon which comes with stir-fried vegetables and teriyaki sauce, and the Cote De Boeuf Steak. All the steaks come with onion rings, chips, roast tomato and flat mushroom. To say it is a generous portion would be a vast understatement. I am so full after eating it that I have a coke float for dessert. More of which later.

The steak is amazing, well cooked and tender. I ordered it with a great peppercorn sauce. The tomato is roasted, I love roast tomato and the chips and mushroom are just as good. The onion rings are not greasy and are fried well. This was a very good choice; excellent meal.

The Pan-Fried Salmon is delicious; tender with stir-cooked vegetables and a wonderful teriyaki sauce. A great, Asian-influenced, meal. The fish is very fresh and the meal works beautifully.

A Porn Star Martini: great cocktail that comes with a prosecco chaser.

A Prince Charming. Another great cocktail. This one was fun and sweet.

A classic Negroni. The cocktails at the Refinery are of a very high standard, and they don’t skimp on the alcohol.

The brownie is very good. Warm and wonderfully chocolatey. It comes with ice-cream.

The Lemonade, the strawberry comes on the side. It is fun watching it become red.

For dessert I had a coke float as I was so full. This is a coke float with a difference: it has rum and sherry in it. They don’t skimp on their alcohol at the Refinery. There is no watering down of cocktails. The coke float is amazing and different. Very imaginative.

The Refinery is a brilliant restaurant. Definitely go and have a meal there. You won’t regret it.

How To Make Steak And Ale Pie

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

The first thing you need to know about making steak and ale pie is that it takes a long time. I mean hours. I underestimated this the first time I cooked and ended up eating at midnight. The second thing is; if you get it right it is the best pie in the world. My notoriously fussy fiancee loves it, calling it the best pie he has ever tasted. High praise indeed. Here is how you can make someone happy through their stomach.

You will need:

400g braising steak, cut into small, chunky pieces

3 tbsp plain flour

salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

300ml brown ale. I use London Pride.

3 garlic cloves

3 onions

4 carrots

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

A handful of fresh thyme sprigs

300ml beef stock

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar ( I used red wine vinegar the first time, shown in the picture, balsamic vinegar is much better. Use sparingly)

500g mushrooms

A knob of butter

For the pastry: Buy it from the supermarket. Life is too short. You will need two packs of shortcrust or puff pastry.

To start; chop the onions, garlic, carrots and mushrooms. This will make it easier as you go along. Make sure you cut the beef into bite-size chunks, using a separate chopping board.

Add some olive oil to a pan, add the onions and garlic and cook on a medium heat until golden-brown, then add the beef. Cook the beef until brown and no pink bits are left. Then add the ale, the thyme, bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.

Add the beef stock and then the carrots and mushrooms. Stir and then leave to cook for 90 minutes.

Get a casserole dish and cover the shortcrust pastry (you can also use puff pastry) with it, leaving some for the top. Take the filling and pour into the casserole dish. Put the rest of the shortcrust pastry on top. Cover the top.

Put in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas 6 or until golden brown. Take out of the oven and leave to cool for a little while. Enjoy!

Burn’s Night At Seven Park Place By William Drabble Review

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Situated in the luxurious St James Hotel and Club, Seven Park Place is a Michelin-starred venue with all the class you would expect. I joined a fun and varied group of women for a Burn’s Night Preview; a six-course meal with matching wine that finishes with a glass of Highland Park 18-year-old whiskey. This is what we had:

(Sorry about the pictures. They were taken on my Blackberry so I could be discreet)

Uig Lodge smoked haddock soup with whiskey

Seared hand-dived Scottish scallops with garlic puree and parsley oil

The wine we had with these courses: Solo Quinta, Cramele Recas, Romania, 2012

I have never had soup with whiskey before but what a clever idea. This soup is just stunning, with perfectly cooked smoked haddock. I love scallops and these seared scallops with garlic puree and parsley oil were perfect on every level.

Poached Scottish langoustine with buttered cabbage, foie gras sauce and truffle

Ravioli of haggis with confit of turnip, whiskey and thyme jus

The wine served with this course: Riesling Trocken Qba, Sybille Kuntz, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany 2010

The poached langoustine was just superb, one of my fellow diners called it a ‘posh prawn cocktail’. It just tastes like some sort of heaven. The ravioli of haggis is a stunning invention from William Drabble. It is such a smart idea and it tastes amazing, as does the sauce which sounds like a weird combination but really works.

Saddle of Scottish highland venison with beetroot

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon Royale, Koyle Estate, Colchagua Valley, Chile, 2009

The venison is perfectly cooked and the whole meal just works amazingly.

Selection of British cheese by Paxton & Whitfield

A wonderful selection of cheese. Very tasty.

Souffle of Scottish raspberries with dark chocolate sauce

Wine: Coteaux-Du-Layon Saint-Aubin, Domaine Des Barres, Loire Valley, France, 2012

This souffle is impressive not just because it tastes delicious, but also because it was huge and arrived from two floors down still beautifully risen. It is the best souffle I have ever had and the dark chocolate sauce is perfect. The texture of the souffle is great. A wonderful dessert. Seven Park Place is a Michelin-starred venue and even if you didn’t know this before you went, it would soon be obvious. The food will be some of the best you have ever tasted and the imagination of the chef is truly impressive.

Chocolate and Apple Truffles

These truffles were unbelievable. And the one in the middle was like a very posh apple fruit pastel. I could eat these everyday and not even care if I got fat. Wow and wow.

And to finish….

A glass of Highland Park 18-year-old Whiskey

What to say? Great whiskey: true luxury.After the meal we got to have a chat with William Drabble and I promptly made him an honoury Scot. I complimented William on his cooking and he swept away the compliment by saying it was the good, Scottish, ingredients. He is far too modest and also said that the food is simple as you have to realise that the other people in the kitchen cannot cook as well as you. William manages to make food heaven in a small kitchen, two-floors down, with a staff of only six. Both impressive and surprising. Williams mantra is, “Make it simple, think about it and make it idiot-proof.” Sounds like the perfect system. In the kitchen they drink tea in the morning and water to clean their palette so they can taste the food properly.During the evening sommelier Marco Feraldi told us about each wine. Marco really knows his stuff and every single wine was amazing. I am very fussy about wine but I loved it all. Especially the Solo Quinta, Cramele Recas, Romania, 2012. I had never tried Romanian wine before but I am now hooked.I had a wonderful evening, the food truly was stunning. The perfect place for the perfect Burns Night.

You can catch the Burn’s Night Menu at Seven Park Place between January 20-26.

Seven Park Place, St James Hotel and Club, 7-8 Park Place, SW1A 1LS.

£72 or £126 with paired wines. (£13 supplement for cheese selection) Phone:020 7316 1615

stjameshotelandclub.com

One In Three In The UK Can’t Afford To Eat Healthily

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Frostie

More than a third (39 per cent) of people in the UK – around 25 million – say they do not eat healthily because it is too expensive to do so. One in seven people (14 per cent) said they do not have time to prepare healthy food, and one in ten (10 per cent) said they do not know how to eat healthily.

These are the findings of new research out today from UK health charity Nuffield Health, who questioned more than 3,100 UK adults. The figures provide a snapshot of the UK’s views on obesity and healthy lifestyle choices. Experts say the findings are concerning, and show poor understanding about healthy living and an acceptance that obesity has become the norm in society.

The research, carried out to support National Obesity Awareness Week, highlights the urgency for effective obesity prevention strategies. Of those polled, a third of people said they had noticed a rise in obesity in the area they live. 40 per cent of people said that seeing obese adults in the area they live in is common, with almost the same number – 38 per cent – saying that childhood obesity is now the norm.

The figures back up research released this week by the National Obesity Forum which shows that current strategies are failing to halt the rise in obesity, and a 2007 prediction that more than half of people in the UK will be obese by 2050 will in fact be exceeded.

Of the respondents, a further 550 people who were measured as obese – with a Body Mass Index of more than 30* – were questioned about their views on weight management.

Of this group:

Nearly half (48 per cent) are resigned to remaining obese due to a lack of willpower
17 per cent said they had never attempted to lose weight
One in five (20 per cent) would rather be overweight than watch what they eat.

When questioned about attitudes towards exercise, the figures showed:

40 per cent said they find exercise boring
A quarter (25 per cent) do not have time to exercise
One in seven (14 per cent) would rather be overweight than have to exercise.

When questioned about the Government’s response to tackling the problem, almost half (45 per cent) said that GP referrals for exercise should be considered. 40 per cent would like to see increased funding for recognised weight management programmes, 43 per cent want stricter regulations on ‘unhealthy’ food and drink chains from sponsoring high profile events and 40 per cent said that school meals should be regulated as a matter of urgency.

While the majority of respondents (81 per cent) said obesity is the fault of the individual, when questioned about contributing factors to the UK’s obesity epidemic, more than half (55 per cent) said the blame lies with the food industry.

Jackie Donkin, Nutritional Therapist at Nuffield Health, said; ”People who are trapped in the rut that is obesity need to take a step back and really think about the food they are eating. As a nation, if we continue in this way we are heading for not only an obese population of children and adults, but a chronically ill population. The key to success is not just dieting, it is long-term lifestyle changes that people need to adopt and which will only work if taken in small steps over a long period of time.

Eating more fruit and vegetables, cutting down on takeaways, or eating food in its natural state, rather than covered in rich sauces, will drastically reduce the amount of fat and sugar we eat. Increasing day-to-day activity; walking up the stairs instead of taking the lift; walking those short distances instead of taking the car; going for a walk around the block in the evening, will all contribute to a healthier lifestyle, which once adopted will become much easier to maintain over time.”

Dirty Apron Restaurant Pops Up At Simmons Bar

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Frostie

Looking for somewhere new to eat? Dirty Apron has teamed up with Simmons Bar to offer you a fun, playful dining experience, serving up a range of delicious home cooked treats that will suit everyone’s palette. At Simmons King’s Cross choose from a range of scrumptious delights including barbecued pulled pork, lamb and harissa meatballs and crispy polenta fries.

Dig in to a variety of hot deli sandwiches at Simmons Camden including a Dirty Yanker – pastrami, mayo, Swiss cheese, balsamic cabbage and American mustard. Or go wild with the yummy Dirty Jerk – jerk chicken & plantain with lime and pineapple salsa. Prop yourself at the vintage school desks and wash these delicious dishes down with a couple of Simmons scrumptious cocktails while they blast out an eclectic mix of music to keep you entertained.

Don’t miss out on the Simmons experience get yourself down to both venues on Wednesdays and Thursdays to experience the hearty, healthy food and delightful cocktails for yourself!

Dirty Apron pops up at Simmons King’s Cross every Wednesday 12pm – late and at Simmons Camden every Thursday from 5pm – late

Simmons King’s Cross

32 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9DT

Opening Times: Sunday to Wednesday 4pm – 12am, Thursday – Saturday 4pm -Late

Simmons Camden

7 Camden high Street, Camden, London, NW1 7JE

Opening Times: Sunday to Wednesday 4pm – 11.30pm, Thursday – Saturday 4pm – Late

www.simmonsbar.co.uk

Twitter: @SimmonsLondon Facebook: SimmonS

Fattoria La Vialla Christmas Advent Calendar

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

It will be hard for any of the Christmas presents we get this year to top this wonderful advent calendar from Fattoria La Vialla. It is certainly the biggest advent calendar we have ever seen, and behind every window is a delicious product from the organic family-run Fattoria La Vialla. Organic wine, pasta, sauce, olives, biscotti…every day is so exciting you will feel like a child again. A book is included and we were also delighted to have a beautiful Christmas card.

A selection of some of the products in the advent calendar (below), does not include them all as we went day-by-day. All of the products are delicious and healthy, the salami was also amazing. Nothing like it tastes in supermarkets. You just cannot compare. In fact every product is of the highest quality. For a more detailed review of their food click here.

What do you think? Will you be buying a Fattoria La Vialla Advent Calendar for someone?

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