Review: The Princess of Wales, Primrose Hill

After following love the princess on twitter for the best part of year, I decided it was time time to pay them a visit. Their tweets always make me laugh, and with images of their peanut butter brownie and salted caramel ice cream flooding my timeline, a reservation was made for Saturday night for fun, food and a little bit of Banksy (maybe).

Which was promptly cancelled because Hangover. And then rearranged for Sunday.

This turned out to be a great twist of fortune as Sunday really lived up to it's name. With the temperature reaching a sizzling 25C, we decided a walk around Regent's Park followed by a manic dash through Primrose Hill was in order.

Arriving at the Princess, which is situated on the gorgeous Chalcot Road mere minutes from the leafy park, we stood waiting for a guy to order his drink before speaking to the barman. We spotted our table instantly, but it would have been rude to have just sat down uninvited, you see.

Drink

The barman showed us to the table we'd already noticed, and we were greeted by Michele who brought over the cocktail menu and wine list. Parched after walking for miles, a refreshing tipple was in order. Fruity cocktails, a great selection of ales and beers, and even a cheeky glass of Pimm's was on offer so to say we were spoilt for choice was an understatement. A ginger and lemongrass cocktail caught my eye, and we also sampled a fruity Flower Power Royale made with cucumber syrup, mint and champagne.

We could hear the cocktails being created moments after our waiter left, and they were served to the table minutes later, ice cold. We clearly had our favourites; the ginger was hot and spicy, while the Royale made a great addition to the sunny day.

Once these were over we tried Camden Hells, a locally brewed lager made just around the corner, and Michele's favourite, the Plum Sour. Which, as you can see, wasn't purple as I expected, but tasted juicy and delicious.

Eat

For starters we picked the salted chilli squid rings with a rocket salad, and parma ham with mozzarella. The squid was cooked to perfection and was so tender while the ham and figs were a great pairing. We polished off our plates then waited for the mains to arrive; a good ol' Sunday Roast Beef with many trimmings, and a pulled pork burger.

The wait between meals did err on the long side, but we were offered a drink in the meantime and had no rush so it wasn't a massive problem for us. If you're in a rush I believe there is an express menu, and I'm sure a word to a friendly server would help speed things up.

The mains were gorgeous. Succulent pulled pork was cooked in a gorgeously sticky sauce that tasted exactly like my nonna used to make, and the soda bread bun was a great touch. I wasn't hot on the apple coleslaw personally, being more a traditional kinda girl, but the fries more than made up for that.

The roast was gorgeous and was served with a Yorkshire Pudding the size of the plate! Three generous slices sat atop veggies in a pool of gravy.

For dessert we went for an apple crumble, and the famous peanut butter brownie. The latter was delicious; melting ice cream and soft, warm brownie was a great way to end the meal. The apple crumble was the only disappointment as it was 25% liquid with hardly any crumble and served up in a chipped bowl. We couldn't quite work out the flavour too, so that's definitely a miss.

The meal was good value for money for central London, with the full three course meal costing £25 each.

Relax

This is such a strange pub, in that we saw such a mix of people all dining and socialising. From an old timer slowly ambling through the doorway only for the waitress to rush over, hold onto his arm and guide him to a table, to a young American family with their dog chatting about the best bits of London, the place was packed with a mix of young and old, locals and tourists. We felt super relaxed sitting on our table, and even spotted a long-time patron of the Princess grab a coffee and a foil-wrapped meal to go.

Upstairs is a more formal dining area which can be hired for events and weddings. With my wedding fast approaching and the decision being made for a small and intimate celebration with nearest and dearest, we could just imagine how gorgeous a meal here would be, all sat in the candlelight enjoying the food and drink.

Downstairs is a basement seating area with more tables, and the famous Banksy-inspired beer garden. It's said the elusive street artist was caught on camera stencilling the lion, which is a really lovely and very unique touch regardless of whether it was the Bristolian.



With pubs in central London popping up ten a penny, it's hard to find somewhere that feels both like a local, and like a treat. The Princess managed to combine the two and it did have a real air of authority. After all, it's been in Primrose Hill for over a century and a half. Give the guys there a tweet. I'm sure they'll be able to convince you to head on over. After all, it worked on us, and we're so glad!

The Princess of Wales |  22 Chalcot Rd, London NW1 8LL

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Edinburgh Adventure | Review: Angels with Bagpipes

Following on with the 'let's have a wander and see what we can find' theme of the Edinburgh Adventure weekend, after heading back from the Camera Obscura and braving the cold we decided to stop for a bite to eat. Pret, Maccies and Wetherspoon's all offered the same old same old we could get on our lunch break. So after having a stroll around the old town, a gorgeous restaurant caught our eye.



Angels with Bagpipes (what a name - well, it is opposite St Giles' Church) is located on the Royal Mile,and a prime tourist location. It looks absolutely gorgeous from the outside, and as we were dressed in jeans and tees, we weren't sure whether we'd be allowed in. After being refused entry from a MEXICAN restaurant with my parents as a child for wearing jeans, I've always been mortified at dress codes, preferring to find something more suitable than go through that ordeal again.

Amazingly we were warmly greeted by the girl working front of house. She mentioned that as it was Mother's Day, the back area of the restaurant was booked up with lunches and dinners, but we were more than welcome to grab a table at the front.

We sat at the window table, and the menus were brought over promptly. We decided for a glass of prosecco and two courses, as we still hada bit of walking to do, and went with the beef, a chocolate dessert and a rhubarb concoction. The menu was a bit limited, but what do you expect from a lunch menu?



The beef arrived soon after ordering, and was the most tender meat I've ever eaten. It was more the texture of pulled pork, but it was delicious. It looked gorgeous on the plate too, so of course there were the obligatory photos (don't hate us).

With the mains polished off, it was on to dessert. The chocolate was so, so rich, and so tasty. It was served with a refreshing Clementine sorbet type cream which balanced the flavours so well. And considering I've never understood what people mean when they say a 'balance of flavours' I'm pretty sure a trip to this place years ago would have solved that issue.

The rhubarb and custard treat was served rustically in a Mason jar, and was just the right combination of sweet and bitter. It came with two little biscuits which finished off the meal nicely.

All in all, it was a flying visit. We probably didn't stay for more than an hour, and it would have been lovely to have stopped for dinner. Still, we're so glad we stumbled upon this gorgeous little place.

A two course meal with glass of prosecco will cost £21 each.

Angels with Bagpipes | 343 High Street, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1PW | 0131 220 1111

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Pancake Day spesh: Polo Bar, Bishopsgate, London

I learnt how make them at a really early age; from a smash-and-grab recipe (smash into the pantry, grab what you can find) handed down through the generations - originally found in a New Zealand Woman's Weekly or an Edmonds Classic cook book, but read from a tattered and battered once-leather bound recipe book, handwritten in pencil but gone over in ink, scribbled out where the imperial measurements turned to metric, and corrections made in the columns as necessary. This was the one recipe I stored in my memory when I moved out of home, and it saw me through many a hangover, burnt dinner and everything in between. Those pancakes are my childhood. Those pancakes are my comfort.

Would I go as far as to say I am a pancake fiend? Yes. I suppose I would. So, when I heard that the folks over at Polo Bar on Bishopsgate reckoned that their pancakes were the ones to (b)eat this Pancake Day... well, I had to see for myself.






There was literally no need to Google the restaurant prior to arrival, because as soon as you get to the top of the elevators on the Bishopsgate side of Liverpool Street Station, it's... right there. Nestled between a 7/11 and a betting shop (I'm surmising)(it's pretty accurate though) is a big, bright window, and a tiny, narrow door. That's it. That's Polo Bar. That's the restaurant.

Upon entry you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in the wrong place. I certainly did. From the dude in chef's whites (assume he was the chef..? again, surmising) standing in the middle of the walkway, smiling at us, to the employee with his head popping out from under the innards of a coffee machine waving for us to take a seat - this didn't feel like the top notch restaurant glamour that we'd grown accustomed to when out roving for the mag. This felt more like 'twenty minutes to kill before the next 149 to London Bridge, wanna grab a coffee?'

With the menu boasting a range of all-day-breakfast as well as the standard burgers and fries, we pointlessly mulled over our choices before finally settling on... something that wasn't even on offer. There was only one thing I wanted, and the waitress was gracious enough to see to it that I got it. WHO DO I THINK I AM? With my order of pancakes with bacon and maple syrup (and almond slivers!) placed, and the prosecco in retro champagne glasses in hand, we enjoyed the quirky retro-modern decor and waited. Not for long though - in a matter of minutes, our food had arrived...






...and was devoured. We're told a standard serve comes with three pancakes, but ours came with four. Four smallish pancakes. Four smallish and pretty thin pancakes. I mean, I'd hate to say I was disappointed, but I was. With the amount of Americanised restaurants saturating the food scene in London, you can just about get a short stack on every street corner. So to hit up an all-day-breakfast bar specifically for pancakes, and not even have them served in a stack... WUT?

 Don't get me wrong; they tasted great. They were great tasting pancakes. Their presentation was just a little... un-pancakey for my liking.

With three large rashers of bacon and a side pot of maple syrup, plus the almond slivers and random powdered sugar, my pancakes were sweet and salty - just the way I like them. The thing I didn't like about them though, was how quickly they disappeared. I usually get owned by a short stack; I fill up on the thick and fluffy morsels, and just leave that one, tiny mouthful at the end that drives my boyfriend mad ("IT'S ONE MORE MOUTHFUL! JUST EAT IT!"). These though, were gone in under five minutes. They just didn't fill me up, at all.

They were nice. They weren't game changing. And they didn't stop us discussing whether or not it would be disgusting or not to follow pancakes up with a curry on Brick Lane. But, if you're around Liverpool Street this Pancake Day, and have 12 minutes and £5.50 spare before your next bus, consider Polo Bar. Have the maple and almond, and ask for bacon for a quid extra.

Alternatively, try and get your hands on an Edmonds cookbook from the 60s, and go at it yourself. At home. With wine.

By Erica, of www.imbeingerica.com

Polo Bar is open 24 hours a day, with an all-day alcohol licence too. Find it at 176 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4NQ | 020 7283 4889

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Review: The Folly, Gracechurch Street, London

When Lise, of Bitten Bug Writes, got in touch about a spur-of-the-moment meal at The Drift Bar's sister restaurant, we just had to let you guys know about another little gem in the city. Perched right by the river and with views of the Monument to the fire of London, it's a place I've walked past and longed to visit...

Nestled amongst the grim façades of London’s financial hub, the wide windows of The Folly are an oasis of twinkly gorgeousness and charm. Having first spotted it from the far less salubrious settings of the 381 bus, I was instantly seduced by the inviting décor (I react to fairy-lights the way most five-year-olds respond to Santa) and promised myself it wouldn’t be long before I was pushing open the heavy glass doors.

Thankfully, a graduation ceremony in Barbican provided us with a handy excuse. Less than a minute from Monument station and a short potter from London Bridge, The Folly is ready to be your Edenic escape from the big, bad world. Lit by soft, tear drop bulbs, candles, and the afore-squealed-over fairy-lights, the atmosphere is a sparkling union of relaxation and buzz. Tables tucked between tree bowers or cushioned hanging chairs make for cosy corners, while longer tables on the lower level provide the perfect space for larger parties. Sliding onto one of these purpley-plush benches and grinning at your companion through silver candlesticks and basil pots certainly makes you feel like one of the cool crowd, attendees of an elite summer garden party or university may ball.

We were greeted cheerfully and seated immediately. That said; it was a Monday night. After a quick chat with a regular in the ladies' I was warned that come Thursday or Friday the place is heaving, and you find yourself engaged in an intense battle with the bankers to get hold of a seat for dinner. Booking advised.

The drinks menu offers a great range of innovative cocktails, and helpfully provides flavour wheels to help you match a drink to your particular tastes. Rather too helpfully, however, was the list of ‘skinny cocktails’, calorie count determinedly displayed. Now I don’t approve of calorie-counting on nights out, and when it comes to cocktails, ignorance is bliss. Bliss it certainly was though, as the waitress cheerfully reminded us (twice!) that it was Mojito-Monday, where their gorgeously-balanced cocktails (including a kumquat mojito and a lavender and strawberry concoction) are two for the price of one.

Delivered to your table, glowing like jewels in pretty glass jars, this is not an offer to be refused.

The food was an Asian-Italian-British fusion range, sourcing from local suppliers to create dishes like the slightly-alarming sounding “London sausages” (cue Sweeney Todd associations, anyone?). We decided against a starter of flatbread in the end; some of the options sounded interesting (particularly the borough market flatbread, with brindisa chorizo and piquillo peppers) but at nearly £10 it was too risky a choice. The diners around us had selfishly refrained from ordering it so we couldn’t see how much bang (or bread) you got for your buck.

Instead, we headed straight to the main courses, choosing the Crispy Duck Salad for me, while The Graduate opted for the Steak Sandwich. To test the full variety on offer, we also chose a Mac & Cheese side (hey, all in the name of research…)The food arrived quickly (again, a by-product of the Monday night lull I suspect) and was truly wonderful.

Served up to me in a gorgeous ceramic dish, my warm noodle salad came with succulently sweet red peppers and crunchy kale, and was altogether a fresh, filling and fabulous dinner. At £9.45 it was only a pound or two more than the same meal from somewhere like Noodle Nation, but without the greasy regret.

The duck was honestly perfect, crispy at the edges but succulent, not a trace of fat, and drizzled with a heady hoisin sauce far richer than what you’d find in your usual Chinese takeaway. My companion was pleased by the finely sliced Scottish beef on his ciabatta, but the waitress forgot to ask how he liked his meat (it came rare) and the £8.45 portion was reasonably small, without any accompanying chips or fries (or, as I like to call them, “the good bits”).

The side dish, though, was a triumph: made with salty bacon and tenderly cooked leeks, the macaroni swam in a delectable cheese sauce made with what tasted like 1000% cream. If the Folly is Eden, the Macaroni is surely the forbidden fruit; too sinfully tempting to resist.

We had a great night at The Folly. The scrummy food, beautiful cocktails and carefully-detailed décor make you feel like you’ve achieved the glittering lifestyle of the city-worker, without the matching price tag. Drake and Morgan have opened another bar, The Fable on Holborn Viaduct, and after my experience at the Folly, I am truly excited to see what these guys are serving up next.

The Folly Bar | 41 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0BT | 0845 468 0102

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Review: Five Guys Burgers, Covent Garden, London

Friday nights in Covent Garden are often categorised by two things; how long the line is into a restaurant, or how irrelevant the costume is of the flyer-er employed by it. Generally, the more redundant the costume, the better the deal. The same can be said for the lines; the longer they are, the more you want to join the them. Rarely will you see people flyer-ing to people already in the line for their place, but that's exactly what I encountered last Friday night - and he was without a costume, if you can believe that!

We'd made arrangements to meet with Pali over at Five Guys at 6pm, and when we'd blown in like drowned rats shortly after, there was already a lengthy line out the door; inside at the counter the line was longer still. that's when I saw the flyer monger, mongering his flyers to those already lining up for the place. Sranger still, the people in the line were grabbing for them like they'd never been flyer-ed before. This had me curious!

Breezing past the giggling couple at the head of the line, we spoke to the chief flyer-er, announcing our arrival. While he ran off to find Pali, I helped myself to his stack; what I'd mistook for restaurant propaganda was actually just a copy of the menu. It was... short. All the research (all five minutes of it) I'd put into this place led me to believe there were over 250,000 kinds of burger options and over 100 drinks choices! Impossible to include at length on a menu, yes, but this hand out merely described a handful of burger options, and not a lot else.




With my previously high hopes dashed, we were escorted by Pali into the heart of the restaurant; some secret underground burger lair, walls adorned with gratuitously positive reviews of the restaurant - both overseas and here at home. Words like "Yum!", "Delicious!" and "Tasty!" shouted at me from the red and white walls, and I wondered if it was subliminal messaging at its finest, or something to be taken ironically - this décor was not that of a modest family restaurant, rather a bratty burger-bar heir shouting "LOOK HOW GOOD I AM, DAD!".

When Pali explained the menu to us, it all became clear. From the staple menu we'd seen, you can ultimately customise your burger, however you like. Ketchup or BBQ, Chipotle or mayo, jalapeños or tomatoes - pick your burger, and build. So, with the endless combinations of options, I'm told their are over 250,000 ways to have your burger. Genius! With the option to add more patties to your burger too, Pali described for us the classic Man vs Food moment when some (stupid) person tried to eat a burger with seven patties and every possible extra on the menu. We did not question that person's current health situation. Pali shrugged though, and starred off to the distance wistfully... enough said?

I'd chosen the bacon cheese burger with added BBQ sauce, mayo, lettuce and tomatoes, while my date for the night had gone for a bacon cheese with ketchup, grilled mushrooms and onions. Basic. We'd also opted for a portion of the regular fries as well as a portion of the cajun fries - and, a cupful (or two) of the complimentary peanuts that spill out of their confines on both levels of the restaurant. I'll admit, they're a fun way to kill time while you're waiting for your burger; shelling those nuts is bloody therapeutic, but, must be careful not to overdo it on the peanut front - the short wait is totally worth it.




While we waited, we debated the drinks selection. We were told that the magic soda fountain contains over 100 drink options; here was me thinking it was one of those machines that lets you add your own flavours to create a specialised and totally original flavour (orange and red Fanta ftw!) - but no! it literally contains 102 different flavours of soda. I was told to try the peach Sprite, so that was the first of many a drink from that machine. Tasting exactly like peach iced tea (but bubbly!), it was refreshing and sweet, and definitely did not disappoint. With options like Strawberry Coke and Vanilla Fanta on display, we were torn about where to stop. Turns out though, once you go Grape Soda you never go back.





And then there were burgers. Delivered by the attentive Pali in brown paper bags reminiscent of any drive through order, ever, the mere smell had us salivating. Now, you know when you order a burger from a picture, and when your burger comes, it never looks anything like the picture? Not here, man. My burger was perfectly symmetrical. There was no overhang; the patty was the perfect size for the burger bun. The streaky bacon was cooked to a crisp; deliciously crunchy morsels were evident in every bit I took. The cheese was not too melted, but melted just enough to not run out all over the wrapping or drip down my hands. Let me be clear: these burgers are game changers.






Stuffed after a few measly mouthfuls, I powered on. The perfectly cooked and juicy patty was seasoned to a tee - the flavours of the BBQ sauce, cheese and bacon danced in my mouth, while the mayo and salads balanced the whole deal out. This burger, was the only burger I ever wanted in my mouth. It has shamed all burgers before it, and I doubt there will ever be another burger after it.

By Erica, of www.imbeingerica.com

Five Guys | 1-3 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LH and also Islington, Reading, with Bluewater opening soon, Guilford opening February 2014 and Kingston opening March 2014

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Review: Ping Pong Dim Sum, Wembley

A mere stone's throw from Wembley Arena - in the newly developed designer village at Wembley Park, is the newest addition to London's favourite dim sum franchise; Ping Pong. (It's so new in fact, that Google Maps doesn't know where it is. Which proved to be a problem for me, until I opened my eyes and saw the enormous sign pointing me in the right direction. I'm also told that the first customers of this store were none other than, oh... what's their name? Oh yeah, One Direction. So, there's that.) We were invited to sample their exclusive Chinese New Year menu - including seasonal dishes and delicious cocktails, and who were we to refuse? We headed along on a dreary Wednesday night, our bellies grumbling with anticipation, and boy oh boy, did we dine.

With the cocktail menu boasting such exotic offerings as Kumquat Mojito, Ginseng Passion and Something Served in a Beaker with a Jasmine Rose and Fancy Straw, we carefully made our first selections. One came served with a suspiciously small amount of Anything Other Than Alcohol, while the other came Drowned in Crushed Ice and Thai Basil Seeds. Regardless of their contents, they tasted AM-ASIAN (get it?), and after the first round, we deduced that there would certainly be another (or two).

With pencil in hand we pored over the New Year specials and the regular old house menu, and assessed our dim sum options. We were advised that five dishes each would usually suffice, and we chose a few snacky type bits to start too; the tempura seaweed crackers and some sea salt and celery edamame, followed quickly with a serve of the deliiicious duck spring rolls (with hoi sin sauce!) and the infamous Crispy Prawn Balls (trademark, patent pending).

We were running out of room on our table for two by the time the next course was served, and were kindly offered the use of a nearby table to hold the never-ending flow of steamed, griddled and banana-wrapped Parcels of Goodness as they arrived from the kitchen. Next to arrive was the king prawn and scallop sticky rice parcels, char cui buns (OMG nom), prawn and chive dumplings and the chicken and cashew nut dumplings. What you need to know is that in every serving there were either three of four pieces; between the two of us we'd just consumed just under twenty five pieces of dim sum. I mean, I don't want to brag, but... that's a lot of food.

We sat back, stuffed, admiring the damage we'd done in such a short space of time. The staff were super attentive and friendly, and - bless them, a bit deranged to ask us after all that if we'd like to order dessert. Another cocktail, yes, but more food? Absolutely not. We still had many a zone between us and the opportunity to lay horizontal, and after all that food, it was all I wanted.

While we digested enough food to feed - well, two or maybe three people, we chatted to the staff about their new menu, the thought process behind their inventive cocktails, and just exactly how good St. Germain Elderflower liqueur actually is (answer: very). We were more than looked after by the amazing staff over there in the new venue, and I can hand-on-heart declare that if Wembley wasn't so damn far away from my little flat in SE London, that I would easily become a regular. Saying that though, should I ever have the displeasure of being forced to that stadium for anything other than a One Direction concert, I will certainly be holing myself up in there first. Or after. Or, both...

By Erica, at www.imbeingerica.com, with images provided by Erica and Rebekah Jays (Erica's dim sum date).

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Review: The Drift Bar, Heron Tower, London

We've talked about how to get high in London before. But there are some absolutely amazing little places at the bottom of those big skyscrapers too. Take Drift for example. When I worked in the city (please, don't remind me - it was a bad time and all those 5am up-and-dressed alarms have been deleted thank you very much) I used to walk past this place all the time. I thought it was just a bar with a few alfresco tables and blankets for city workers to have a drink. Reader, I was wrong.

For those not in the know with London's skyscrapers (srsly, why not) Heron Tower is one of the newest high-rise multifunctional buildings in London. Situated opposite Liverpool St Station on Bishopsgate, the top floors are reserved for Duck and Waffle, an open all hours bar and restaurant and Sushisamba, serving a mix of Japanese and South American food. The queues are almost always out the door and around the corner, so it's somewhere I've never fancied going.

Drift, though, is located on the ground floor, so admittedly it's not going to have the same wow factor as you would get on the 40th. It kinda overlooks the second phase of Heron Tower, which at the moment is a literal building site. BUT, keep reading. Because this is one place that's definitely worth a visit, even just for the salted caramel alcoholic milkshake.

So you get to Heron Tower. You admire the huge, massive fish tank in the building's main lobby. The receptionists are trained to be able to recognise each fish, so you consider testing their knowledge, but food and drink awaits. To the left of the tower is Drift's entrace. Downstairs is a bar area with a few tables. This isprime drinking space for office workers letting their hair down and ramming company credit cards. Up the stairs is another matter entirely.

Firstly, there's a faux fur adorned private mezzanine room, with a view of Heron Tower reception's fish tank from the back, which is pretty cool. At the top of the stairs is the dining room, a huge cavernous space with driftwood tables, gorgeous Morrocan styled tiling on the walls, and comfy chairs. It was packed to the rafters on a Tuesday at 8pm, which is a huge testament to the place. Office workers are fussy creatures, and city folk are used to good service, good food and better prices. Because if one of the three is missing, there's a whole host of other restaurants to visit.

We were greeted by a cheery girl, who showed us to our table. Lorenzo, the waiter, came over and took our drink orders. The cocktails looked amazing, but we were all about prosecco and food. Once we'd sipped our drinks, we had look at the menu. There's everything from sharing plates, to steaks. Something for everyone.

We chose a sharing platter to start, with a mix of battered prawns, meats and an onion, mushroom and blue cheese bruschetta. The prawns were divine, coupled with a red pepper dipping sauce, but the bruschetta was definitely the highlight (I pinched the recipe too. For this I am not sorry).

For starters, we had deep fried squid at Drift Manager Wayne's recommendation, and chicken skewers with a satay sauce dip, both served on rustic chopping boards. The portion sizes were huge - if you're a small eater then you'd be fine with just a starter.

Mains arrived promptly, a huge array of scampi with fat chips served in a deep fat frying griddle, and a Malaysian vegetarian curry with added chicken.

This is where we felt it was a bit weak. The scampi was lovely, but there was so much of it even two of us having a go were defeated. The batter was lovely and crisp, but it was slightly plain and very filling. However, this could be because it was totally overshadowed by the curry which was out of this world. We asked to speak to the chef to get to the bottom of what was in it, and he explained it was a mix of coconut, lime leaf, ginger, vegetables, and all manner of South East Asian flavours. We were seriously impressed and this was polished off, leaving the poor scampi looking rather untouched at the edge of the table.

After sitting back, Lorenzo came over with dessert menus featuring cakes, brulees and knickerbocker glories. We were massively stuffed, so settled with a salted caramel milkshake, with added bourbon to make it more of a grown up drink. It was delicious, but I'd have definitely enjoyed it had I not stuffed my face with all manner of meats, fish and veggies.

All in all, we had a great night in this beautiful bar. Service, we felt, rivalled that of high end restaurants we've been to, but still managed to make us feel relaxed after a long day at work. Prices were brilliant for London, with a platter serving 2-3 people costing about £9, and mains at £10. It's definitely worth a visit, even just for the milkshake.

The Drift | Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY | 0845 468 0103

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Review: Bodega Bar and Cantina, Birmingham

Birmingham blogger Tasha's found another great little place for all you midland folk. Didn't see her Home Is Where... review before? Give it a read here.

Located around the corner from Birmingham Snow Hill Station is a gem of a place that serves the most incredible South American cuisine. It goes by the name of Bodega Bar and Cantina. It's far away enough from the rush of the Bullring Shopping Centre, but central enough to enjoy the buzzing atmosphere.

Bodega directly translated from Spanish, means ‘cellar’ or ‘wine cellar’ and a Cantina is normally a bar near a work place. Something similar to a canteen. All these words definitely are a way to describe the vibe in Bodega and make the place different to every other place within Birmingham.

Interested? Read on...

Review: Drunch, Mayfair

Tucked away on a little side lane off one of the busiest streets in London is a little café. No, it’s not a café. It’s more like a restaurant. Actually, it’s probably more of a tea house than restaurant. Well, they do serve tea and cake, but it’s definitely a lounge. Saying that...

Much like it’s name, Drunch – either a blend of dinner and lunch, or drunk lunch, we're unsure which – is a tiny little place right next to Bond Street tube station serving everything from tea and cakes to full-on mixed grills. See why we were hesitant to categorise this place as just a cafe?

The place itself is pretty with gorgeous tea sets and hearty food, and works well as a pre-shopping meetup or post-splurge stop off. As for dinner though? Well, you'll have to read on to see what we thought of this boutique eatery.

Interested? Read on...