Last week I went to a preview of a great event which will be happening for Woman’s Day in London.  March 8^th is known worldwide as International Women’s Day, but in Italy it is also as an annual excuse for a girls’ night out on the tiles.  Now girls, don’t you think it’s time we all had a share in this?  Well, this year we can!!!  Cantina Del Ponte  in London is celebrating the occasion in true Italian spirit with a fabulous dinner, a line-up of ‘topless’ waiters and prosecco all round – and all in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Great Daffodil Appeal.

The choice of ‘La Festa Della Donna’ as the focal point for Cantina’s fundraising for the Great Daffodil Appeal could not be more appropriate as it’s on this day each year in Italy that men traditionally give all the important women in their lives bunches of yellow flowers. This year, the guests (and hopefully the topless waiters too!) will all be wearing their daffodils with pride.

In fact, Cantina del Ponte  will be drumming up support for Marie Curie Cancer Care for the month before the fundraiser by adding a discretionary £1 to every bill to go to the charity. Head chef Claudio Gottardo will also be running two special dishes from his ‘Festa Della Donna’ menu for the duration of the appeal – namely, Bocconcino di Capra con Confettura al Peperoncino e Focaccia al Rosmarino (warm goats’ cheese with chilli jam and homemade focaccia) and a beautiful Risotto alla Pere e Prosecco (pear and prosecco risotto).

The event I went to was a preview for the fund raising dinner on 8^thMarch.  We got to sample the menu and enjoy the eye candy.  I was trying my best to eat healthy food, so I started with beef carpaccio before a main course of fabulously tender salt baked sea bass (don’t try eating the salt on the side like me!).  I did look on rather jealously at the Italian lady sitting opposite me who feasted on the Bocconcino di Capra as her starter and pronounced it delicious and at the plate of fantastic looking antipasto di mare being consumed by the lady on my left.  The beef was just a bit tasteless (or was that my dreadful cold?).

Desserts, served to share for us, included Tiramisu ai frutti di bosco, Panna Cotta alla rosa and little apple fritters with chocolate!

Throughout the meal, we were served a fabulous selection of matching Italian wines, though sadly not by the topless waiters who had greeted us on arrival!

Now,  if you’d like to try this for yourself, DO book for the special fundraising dinner on 8^th March.  You can enjoy the same special menu and wines that we were served for £50 per head including matching wine throughout the meal and a glass of prosecco on arrival, and there will be charity auction with amazing prizes including:

-       Three course dinner for 2 with recommended wine at Skylon restaurant

-       A burlesque lesson with Betsie Bon Bon of London’s Folly Mixtures

-       A ticket to a Supper Club at Butlers Wharf Chophouse

-       A dinner safari for 2 people on Butlers Wharf

-       A Coq D’argent dinner voucher

-       Cookery master-class & lunch at Le Pont de la Tour for 2 people

-       LK Bennett Blackberry Phone case

-       £100 McQueens Florist voucher

It should be great fun and at £50 for three courses, wine and a glass of prosecco to start, it is remarkably good value for an event that promises to make a substantial donation to Marie Curie Cancer Care too.

So, why not?  And of course you get the topless waiters too!!

We were booked to dine at Bar Boulud in the Manderin Oriental, Knightsbridge as guests of the Hotel, but arrived just a little early.  I have to say, while I generally like hotel bars, on a whim I suggested we went to the 5th Floor bar at Harvey Nichols rather than wait in the Manderin Oriental.  And, it proved a mistake.  The red carpet was out and there were already crowds of sad, cold looking onlookers waiting for Victoria Beckham to arrive. Once we reached the bar, half empty at 6pm on Friday night, my impression was that we really were not welcome – perhaps because they clearly had a big event in the private room next door.  We made the mistake of sitting down at what looked like an unreserved table.  And got told very abruptly that ‘we could sit at the bar’.  So, we perched on the two remaining shiny white bar stools, blasted by air conditioning and waiting for someone to ask us what we’d like to drink.  The man next to us was so drunk that the staff refused to serve him anything other than water.  And, he was smoking a pipe, half hiding it with his hand, so in the end I was grateful for the air conditioning.  Meanwhile the ‘reserved’ tables remained empty for our entire 30 minute stay.

About the best you can say about the bar is that it is good for watching Only Way is Essex girls who aspire to Made in Chelsea.  And, my champagne cocktail was pleasant enough, though my friend’s vodka martini was pronounced not cold enough and weak flavoured.  We made our escape, close to £30 worse off.  I was disappointed, having eaten in the restaurant and café and enjoyed both, albeit some years ago.

On to Bar Boulud where as guests of the hotel treatment was impeccable.  But, one thing I do if I am dining by invitation (being just a little sneaky) is check around to see how other people are being treated and whether we are getting the same as them to eat.  And, all I saw was smooth, slick, helpful service and fabulous looking food.

I love Lyonnaise food.  I spent a lot of time in my teens and early 20s in Chambery and then Lyons.  Sometimes with a French family and at other times taking part in the Berlioz festival in Lyons itself.  So, the idea of trying the menu at Bar Boulud really appealed and I spent some time checking the options before we arrived. But, as it happens the staff were incredibly helpful and everything was explained in some detail. Daniel Boulud , the Michelin 3 star chef of the eponymous restaurant ‘Daniel’ in New York also runs a collection of brasseries in the US and a few other cities world wide.  Bar Boulud is a kind of fusion of French meets USA food, with a lot of influence from Lyons noticeable in the charcuterie and sausages.

We chose a small charcuterie platter to share as a starter which arrived with a couple of rounds of toast, some pickles and a small dish of celeriac and apple.  I thoroughly enjoyed the terrines, in particular the Pate Grande Mere and the Tagine d’Agneau, an unusual Moroccan spiced lamb terrine.  And the sweetest and most succulent Paris ham I’ve ever tried.  The charcuterie is predominantly made in-house and is not to be missed.

Our procrastination about main courses were solved by an offer by the bar to let us have tasters of the burgers.  We ended up with half a ‘Frenchie’ and half a ‘Piggie’ each.  The Frenchie was a burger to die for.  The perfectly cooked meat, topped with delicate Morbier cheese, peppery rocket  and confit pork had an excellent balance of flavours and textures. According to my dining companion, the Frenchie was the best burger he has ever tasted.  The Piggie suffered from a slightly dry cheese bun.

I have to admit, at this stage I was really very full!.  However, I’d ordered a duo of boudin, mostly because REALLY wanted to try the boudin blanc, a white pork sausage made with tiny morsels of black truffle with mash and apple to accompany it. It’s something I ate regularly  in France but have never dared try over here! It was light, tender and really beautifully balanced.  My second sausage was the beaujolaise, a classic combination of pork, mushroom, bacon and bacon with potatoes.  It was excellent – again, just as I remember boudin from my stays in Lyons and Chambery in my teens!  Our helpful sommelier suggests a glass of Batisiolo Barolo 1989 as something we could both enjoy

My dining companion’s paleron had a great depth of flavour and was fantastically tender.  It looked and tasted like a true brasserie dish.

Now, I admitted defeat!  But I’d seen some pretty plates of macarons being taken to other tables so asked for some to go with my coffee.  Meanwhile my braveheart dining companion went on to choose Gâteau Basque, a classic french cake served with brandied cherries and vanilla ice cream.  The cake was reported to be moist in texture, complimented by the ice cream and striking the right balance of taste without the vanilla ice cream overpowering the delicate cake.

We were also served a pretty basket of madeleines and a glass of Muscat de Riversaltes.  The perfect end to a wonderful feast.

This is not fine dining, nor is it priced that way, with a sharing platter of charcuterie for £16 and burgers for around £12.  You could bring your (well behaved) children here and they would enjoy the menu.  But, everything is beautifully flavoured and really tasty.  Good honest French brasserie food with a New York twist in elegant and comfortable surroundings.

Arriving at the RA, there were queues throughout the main courtyard.  I walked confidently up to the front only to find that there were queues even for pre-booked friends!  Thankfully not too long.  The exhibition itself was actually too busy to properly appreciate, at least for me.  Some of the exhibits were fantastic, blazing colour that I can still see if I close my eyes.  And there were amazing demonstrations of how art and technology can work together.  I really liked the dynamic video collage of the woods and as an iPad user was astounded at the iPad pictures.  But, at times for me, it was just a bit too much and a bit too crowded.

Of course it didn’t help that I was VERY hungry by now.  I’d put off eating anything in anticipation of a large lobster…and then got worried we’d have to queue again for lunch.  As it happens I needn’t have been concerned.  Burger and Lobster, a few streets down from Green Park Tube, was busy but not so busy that we had to wait for a table.  And, the lack of menu made choosing food very quick.

I ordered a steamed then grilled lobster while my companion asked for a lobster roll. Our platters both came with sides of fries, salad and two jugs of melted butter, one lemon scented.  The lobster was generously sized and perfectly cooked.  Nothing chewy, just tender, fresh lobster.  The fries beautifully crispy and the salad a nicely dressed bowl of mixed leaves and tomato.  Really nothing you could take exception to.  The lobster roll was served in what was more of a brioche type of roll than a conventional roll.  And it was, well, stuffed!

We took a little tour of the restaurant too see the lobsters.  Four big tanks of beasts awaiting their fate in the basement.  Apparently the restaurant gets through around 400 of them a day.   And, after a quick coffee left, around £58 worse off (I had a nice glass of wine too).  It was a very pleasant experience (apart from looking at death row).  Not too bad on the pocket, no queuing (at 2.30pm on a weekday) and good sized lobster.

Another place to note and revisit.  Especially, or should that be ONLY if I really yearn for Lobster;)

Burger and Lobster

29 Clarges Street

London

I know, as a godmother and surrogate godmother  to a whole host of kids, I get ‘lets meet up and do something with the kids’  particularly during half terms and holidays.  And I love doing just that (borrowed children are great fun!), but sometimes struggle with ideas on what might be fun.  I also have a bevy of American friends who turn up with kids and want me to find them the London equivalent of Disney.  So what are the great London attractions for families

Panic no more gentle reader, I have a great giveaway for you!  In fact, I don’t mind if you ARE unattached or you just lurk on my blog!  And, this particular giveaway is one that you can use even if you are NOT planning on being in London.

A few years ago, one of my American friends came across the pond with his son, then 12, to show him London.  I was duely roped in as unofficial tour guide and had to find a whole host of  things to do in London.  One of the things we did was to go and see the London Dungeons.  It was great fun, a kind of guided tour through the history of London with some suitably scary bits and a lot of atmosphere.  Now if it worked for a 12 year old streetwise New York kid, it should work for anyone!  (and I quite enjoyed it too, especially the Fire of London bit)

I’ve got a family ticket for the London Dungeons up for grab (up to 2 adults and 2 children –  and it is valid for the Edinburgh, York, Blackpool venues as well so you don’t HAVE to be in London! To Enter all you need to do is follow the instructions below using rafflecopter below.  While you might not get to see Alice Cooper being beheaded, you will certainly have fun!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was invited to dine at Aspleys recently. It’s a fabulous restaurant in the Lanesborough Hotel that boasts Heinz Beck as executive chef – a quietly spoken German man who just happens to run Rome’s only three star Michelin restaurant as his other venture.

I was a little nervous. I ate at the Lanesborough in pre Heinz Beck days and remember being very disappointed. Now, at the time most of my working life was spent in Brussels and Paris, on expense account. So, my expectations were very high and the Lanesborough just didn’t meet them. And, one of the challenges about accepting a complimentary meal invitation is what to do if you feel let down by the venue or food but know that you have been entertained for free.

My current stance is as follows:

• If any part of the meal is complimentary, I always declare that on the blog.
• I try to be realistic in what I order. So, I won’t necessarily ask for the cheapest dish on the menu, nor will I pick the dish that has an out-of-this-world supplement. I’m trying to be Jo Average for the venue if you like.
• I will point out personal preferences and try to highlight if I feel they are just that. So, for example, I know I don’t like very noisy venues. But, if I accept an invitation to somewhere that proves to be ‘lively’ I will probably comment along the lines that this isn’t really what I’d look for, but might be great for you.
• If the review is going to be particularly damning and I’ve been invited to review, I will be courteous enough to contact the PR or restaurant management and explain my issues before printing something. The restaurant industry in this country has enough challenges without unsympathetic reviews that might just have been a ‘bad night’.
• I TRY to write objectively about the food, venue, ambience etc. And then add in my own preferences. What is great for me might be your worst nightmare and vice versa. And I’d rather have readers with their own tastes and views than a pack of memes!

As it happens, Aspleys was fabulous. There was very little to fault in the food, service or wine. We picked the 5 course tasting menu and matching Italian wine flight . Our dinner started with an amuse bouche of baccala, small crispy mouthfuls of salt cod.

My first dish was foie gras terrine, a rich smooth portion of meat with delicate garnish of smoked apple jelly and amaretti to balance the dish perfectly. I enjoyed my 2009 Quartz , a light acidic sauvignon blanc , perfectly matched with the fois gras.

My dining companion is pescetarian, so opted for the Wild sea bass with papaya and cucumber, an elegant dish that disappeared before I could get a taste!

This was followed by an excellent game tortellini with pumpkin and parmesan cream for me, paired with a soft chardonnay, Tasca d’Almerita. I have to admit to a twinge of jealousy at my companion’s substituted dish of carbonara fagottelli – I was given a taste of this and it is remarkable. The pasta is very silky and complemented by the lightest egg and cheese filling to give tiny mouthfuls of creaminess. There is something very special about taking such a simple dish and making it perfect.

Our next fish dish was scallop with green curry. This was paired with a 2009 Tramin gewürztraminer. Again, a flawless execution of a dish that could easily have failed. The green curry sauce was light and foamy but beautifully balanced and the scallops were tender and just gently caramelised.

Next for me was Challans Duck with Jeruselem artichoke and salsify. Very tender pink mignons of duck breast with morsels of artichoke and salsify and a delicate chocolate sauce paired beautifully with a 1996 Barbaresco. My companion’s vinaigrette of halibut and mackerel was pronounced very good but rather dominated by the mackerel.

A small pre-dessert of the lightest mousse set the way for the elegant and delicate Amadei Chuao chocolate dome which was really an exquisite dessert of fine chocolate with light ice-cream.

To round off the meal we were serve a plate of tiny petit fours.

We were lucky enough to meet Heinz Beck himself, a charming gentle man who took the time to talk to every table in the restaurant that night. And, I can genuinely recommend the venue. The five course tasting menu with matching wines is priced at £100. For that you get a perfectly balanced and beautifully executed portfolio of food with wines that are intuitively right for the dish. If you are looking for something special for an anniversary, a gastro experience or simply a meal executed with faultless food, service and wine, then this is a very good option. And, what at first glance seems expensive becomes excellent value.

The Lanesborough

London, UK SW1X 7TA
(020) 7333 7254

This one, from Cadbury’s, includes an iconic box of Milk Tray.  I am guessing that some of you may be too young to have seen the Milk Tray adverts.  So  I’ve been happily browsing through you-tube clips to find you some of my favourites.

Here’s the first milk tray man I remember – apparently filmed in Basingstoke (!)

As years went on, he seemed to get a bit beefier, as did the ad budget and he was allowed to go off and film in rather more exotic locations….

By the time it got to the 1990s he really did look just like James Bond and got a prop list to match the best of the movies

Now, my giveaway includes a rather lovely box of milk tray chocolates in a pretty heartshaped box together with a selection of Cadbury chocolates for Valentines which you can check out here  and which contains a whole host of other goodies (Please note, this will be sent directly by Cadbury’s who may substitute the hamper as I’m finishing this giveaway AFTER Valentine’s Day!)

I’d like you to use your imagination…if you were being brought chocolates by the Milk Tray Man, who would it be and why?  For the guys…well, if you WERE the Milk Tray man, who would you take your chocolates to…and why?

There’s no right or wrong answer, the winner will be picked by randomiser, but it will keep me entertained reading your suggestions…and who knows, it might just help me stay away from those lovely ads!

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Over to Annalise

Whether you’re prepared for it or not, very soon you will be bombarded with all things pink, red, chocolatey, flowery, shiny and there will possibly be a chubby, armed, naked child involved in your exposure to this holiday. Valentine’s Day is in less than a week, and if you don’t already have a spectacular celebration planned out for your significant other, you’re probably looking upon this approaching date with disdain and possibly – panic.

However, it’s not too late to plan out a lovely experience for you and your date this year – something a bit different and unexpected that will be more memorable than a fancy meal in a long line of meals you’ve probably already shared. Over at TasterLab, we believe that we should always be seeking to enrich our lives and improve ourselves through open-mindedly searching for new, exciting experiences.

With that considered, we took it upon ourselves to put together a few out of the ordinary Valentine’s Day taster experiences – stuff in which not only will you take away the memory of doing something different with your partner, but you’ll also get to learn something new in the process – anything from a sensual, Argentine export – the tango – to a more creative/technology based skill like digital photography.

We’ll start with the traditionalist. If you’re dead set on a food-oriented date – we understand. We love to eat too. However, take that romantic dinner experience to the next level by having two trained Italian chefs (Marzia and Gianluca – nice folks) come to your home to prepare an amazing meal in the comfort of your own kitchen. Not only will you be able to enjoy this lovely dinner, but they’ll teach you all the skills that go with it so you can recreate your special Valentine’s night all year long.  Find out more about TasterLab’s Romantic Dinner Experience in your own home

For lovers of London who might be looking to experience the city’s loveliest parts in a different way – we have a three-hour photography walking tour of Central London. It starts at the Eros Statue and you and a professional photographer, Paul Hames, will work your way through the city until you reach St Paul’s Cathedral. This date leaves you with actual physical memories – the lovely photos Paul will help you create of your time together in the heart of London.

For those looking to infuse a little passion in their Valentine’s date, tango is absolutely the most sensual yet exciting of all the dance styles. While it might sound a little intimidating – a group beginner’s tango class means you won’t be the only couple stumbling around. And even if you discover that you aren’t the next world champion ballroom dance couple, it is really nice to have a laugh together, right? Plus, the classes take place in two excellent venues – one of which, the Union Tavern, doubles as a gastropub stocked with more than 80 wines. So if it takes three to tango (you, your partner and a glass of wine), the option definitely exists.

For the cocktail enthusiasts – why go out and spend a bunch of money on drinks when you can spend just a little and learn how to turn your own home into a lovely drink destination? Celebrate Valentine’s a day early (classes are on Mondays) with a cocktail making class with your significant other. One of London’s leading mixologists, Dan Thomson, will lead you and the rest of the group in learning everything you need to know to create everything from the classics to a delicious original creation of your own.

Cookery programmes – well, there was Fanny Cradock (with Johnnie) and Graham Kerr.  When we were allowed to stay up,  we laughed at Fanny Cradock and loved Graham Kerr.  We were too young to understand why my mother thought it was funny that Fanny had a side kick called Johnnie …and when we asked I think she told us it was something to do with fish.

Somewhere along the line ‘reality TV’ kicked in and someone must have twigged that televised cookery competitions would be fun.  So far as I can see, Masterchef was one of the first, but I honestly don’t remember the Gary Rhodes era.  Hells Kitchen showed us what it was like being a ‘real chef’ and there were a host of ‘celebrity chefs’ ranging from Keith Floyd to  Michael Caines, Delia Smith and Nigella Lawson who were for the most part glamorous rather than mumsy.

Now there are certain nights of the week when my fellow food and lifestyle bloggers are totally engrossed and twitter is dominated by the cookery shows.  Right now on Wednesday evening, Heston followed by the fabulous Baker Brothers followed by Masterchef.  And we discuss the merits of Masterchef UK versus Masterchef France versus Masterchef Australia.  We get upset by some presenters and we rave about others.

Whilst I fully understand the marketing benefit of running a TV show in parallel with a recipe book launch, that wouldn’t work if the show didn’t get an audience.  So where does  our fascination with TV chefs and cookery programmes come  from?  And how many of us actually cook what we see on TV rather than, for example, what we find in a book we buy because of the TV show?  I’d love to hear your views on why we have such a fascination with food programmes.

Pubs  are not really what we are looking for and nor are chain restaurants of the pizza express/café rouge type.  It’s good to do something different – but there’s always someone who doesn’t want spicy food or doesn’t like Chinese.  And usually there’s someone who doesn’t want to eat more than a snack.  Oh, and ideally, we don’t like to be too far from Waterloo – because one of our group has a trip back to deepest darkest Surrey!  Finally, we like wine, but we don’t want to pay too much for it.

You get the picture?  Finding somewhere that suits everyone can be quite a challenge.

I’m pleased to say last night’s foray to 10 Cases with just one friend seemed to tick the right boxes. The premise of this bistro in Covent Garden is that their wine list is constantly changing, based on 10 cases at a time.  It’s not large, I would guess space for 20 diners plus eight at the bar, though there’s a private room downstairs which can be booked without charge for up to 19 people.

There’s a good but manageable wine list with bottles from £20 upward (reasonable value in Covent Garden) and a small range of food.  But the nice thing about the food is that you get the impression no one is going to mind if you sit there all evening eating quails eggs and saucisson, while if you want something more substantial there’s a shortish bistro type menu with options like whole plaice, duck breast, rump steak and pollack all coming in at around £17.  We were in a bit of a wicked mood and went for the rather extravagant but utterly delicious fillet steak with fois gras.

Well, we did share our pudding of pear and almond tart.  The pudding list is probably the most limited section of the menu, substituting cheese just doesn’t work!  And all restaurants need a chocolate option…even if it’s just truffles to go with the coffee.  Other than that, really we had no problems with the limited menu.  Perhaps we were just lucky and liked what was on offer that day.  Our bill was just over £100 for the two of us, but most of that was the £28 a head fillet steak with fois gras, which was NOT in any way mean sized!

All in, the experience was great.  The atmosphere was lively without being ‘in your face’ and the staff were very friendly.  And, most importantly, the loos are VERY smart and clean.  This is important.  It sets the place apart from tackier bistros and bars in the Covent Garden area.  You don’t feel as if you are in a tourist destination.  In fact it really does have a ‘neighbourhood’ feel to it.

I’d go back again without hesitation.  It’s also somewhere I’d happily eat alone if I was shopping in Covent Garden.  So for me, a big thumbs up.

(020) 7836 6801

You could win this beautiful selection of Green & Black’s Fairtrade and organic chocolate for a perfect Valentine gift for yourself.   The hamper contains a whole range of Green and Black’s chocolate delivered in a recycled box and hand tied with crushed berry coloured satin ribbon.  Perfect for a bit of self-indulgence, although of course if you really want, you could share or even give them to your Valentine.  I know I will be keeping mine for me though!  Perfect for eating curled up on the sofa with a glass of red wine and an old film!

Contents:
1 x 120g Organic Mint Conversations
1 x 180g Organic Miniature Bar Collection
1 x 100g Organic Milk with Raisin and Hazelnut Chocolate Bar
1 x 100g Organic White Chocolate Bar
1 x 100g Organic Dark Espresso Chocolate Bar
1 x 100g Organic Dark 85% Chocolate Bar
2 x 35g Organic Dark 70% Bar, Organic Dark Maya Gold

To enter  this Giveaway,  please visit the Green and Black’s Gift selection and  let me know by posting in the blog below what your favourite gift would be from there.  That’s a mandatory.   Then, you can have some extra entries by following the various options on rafflecopter.

This giveaway will close on 14^th February and can be sent to UK postal addresses only.

Terms and Conditions for the Giveaway

I am running this competition on behalf of  Green and Black’s who will be responsible for sending the prize to the winner. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

The winner will be selected by rafflecopter

Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified. The winner will be contacted by e-mail; if they do not respond within 1 weeks another winner may be chosen

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