Chakra – a hidden delight in Kensington: Earlier in the year we were pleased to be invited to the re-launch party for Chakra and to sample their food and drinks, but these events can only ever give a glimpse of what the restaurant is capable of, so we were more than happy to be invited […]
The Ivy Kensington Brasserie
The perfect place for a Pre-Proms dinner We’ve all heard the saying ‘’If music be the food of love, play on’’, and as an evening at the Proms has become one of our annual summer ‘’must-dos’’ over the years, we booked Prom 42 which promised a three-course musical feast of Arvo Part, Grieg and Sibelius. […]
The Ampersand boutique hotel in South Kensington – Review
Boutique Hotel in South Kensington – The Ampersand When you visit a city like London you want to be close to the action – to the culture, the shopping, the restaurants – all the things that make a city’s heart beat… Invited to review The Ampersand, I was aware of the typographically influenced name but no […]
Pufferfish at Mahiki Kensington – Review
A fish called Puffer The people behind Mahiki, The Dover St nightclub loved by the jeunesse dorée, have teamed up with the creators of South Kensington private members’ club Albert’s, to create a new ‘Tiki paradise’ in Kensington, Pufferfish. And, I am completely seduced by the Tiki concept. In the cold grey of a London winter, […]
Lunch at Min Jiang – #Review
Min Jiang – Chinese with a view: Sometimes I am slow off the mark. I arrived at the Royal Garden Hotel just as a scrum of South African Rugby players, still in full kit, descended from their coach. And, gentle reader, I shared the lift with some of them. Not a single selfie, though! I […]
Do you know the Coda to get in? The Albert Hall’s special secret restaurant
Coda, Royal Albert Hall, Kensington: Beloved home of the Proms, the Royal Albert Hall is famously known as a venue for music, from classical to jazz to rock, ballet, as well as for the odd comedy evening, and charity galas. It’s a building that was built to impress with all the self-assurance and swagger of […]
Min Jiang – Chinese New Year with a View
Min Jiang at The Royal Garden Hotel: The Royal Garden Hotel is a glamorous place on the edge of Kensington Gardens. I’ve been there for drinks but never made my way to the tenth-floor Chinese restaurant, Min Jiang, open now for eight years. There is something quite exciting about taking the elevator up – and […]
Acciuga – Kensington – An Italian Summer
Summer Menu at Acciuga Kensington: There are a few restaurants in London which have quickly become like old friends. Although Acciuga only opened in 2013, I was lucky enough to pop along and meet young chef Guglielmo Arnulfo right at the very beginning. I’ve been back a couple of times since, even taking an Italian […]
Zaika at One Kensington – London
Comfortable Indian Dining in Style at Zaika, Kensington: Although Kensington High Street is great for shopping and One Kensington is only a stone’s throw from the Albert Hall, there isn’t a great wealth of restaurants at the Kensington Park end of the road. So, hearing that the Tamarind Group had re-opened Zaika at One Kensington […]
Suites with Style at the Kensington Hotel, London
Supper and Suites at the Kensington Hotel: Although I don’t usually need to stay in a Hotel in London, I do often get asked for recommendations. And, of course if friends are staying it’s always nice to have somewhere close to home. I must have walked past the Kensington Hotel many times before I finally […]