One of the memorable aspects from my Thailand tour some years ago was of the country’s affinity with displaying their menus in pictures. Soho’s Benja Bangkok Table has stayed true to tradition, with a gallery of dishes pinned to the window.
“J.D., QC is a sophisticate like myself, boasting a detailed knowledge of the finer things that make life bearable. My reputation was at stake. I needed to deliver reliability for quality, but with uplift. There is only one place: Quo Vadis.”
Pick up a handful of restaurant reviews in quick succession and you will see a…
Camélia, the restaurant at France’s first Mandarin Oriental in Paris, is a cocoon from the commerce and costly shine alongside the hotel’s Saint-Honoré entrance. Douglas enjoys a memorable birthday lunch.
It was time to give the cucumber sandwiches a break; we resolved to try the unique ‘thé complet à la française’, French-style afternoon tea, composed of savoury treats such as fois gras with apricot chutney…
“Ghee-splattered jeans and starched, white cuffs that bear the deep, indelible stains of turmeric-laced mishaps. These are just the temporary scars that the uninhibited curry-lover has to bear.”
You’ll hurt at Hawksmoor. If you don’t then you’ve failed. Aching, distressed, belly-burning protein poisoning. Covetous carnivores in their baggy shirts and lose-fitting trousers have declared Hawksmoor steaks the best in town.
My mood could have been better. It was raining when I arrived at Malmaison in…
“I found Tsuru in its metallic City cave. A steady flow of suited zombies entered and ordered, their lunch neatly boxed in sushi selections and Bentos. We began where all good meals should: with green tea and a Scotch egg.”
Coalescing into a trend at the V&A end of Old Brompton Road is the French brasserie-cum-bistro. There are three notable examples: Henry Harris’ excellent Racine, Marlon Abela’s Cassis and, last but certainly not least, the Brompton Bar & Grill.
“You must have the cheesecake, it’s the house speciality,” said Chi Chi. Cheesecake? Not a light sorbet, not a fresh fruit salad, not even a delicate mousse – no, cheesecake, on top of steak. Was this a cruel joke?
“The tables are dark wood and the banquettes are deep red leather. The zinc bar shines in the warm, carefully conceived light, and there’s a sense we could be in one of those Bonnieux bars in the late 1980s.”