Marylebone Village – The Royal Oak Gastropub: Marylebone is one of those London ‘villages’ that many visitors miss, or if they do see some of it, it’s only because they visited Madame Tussauds’ and ventured to the other side of the road. Despite being so central, a mere stone’s throw from Baker Street and […]
Sir John Balcombe Reopens in Marylebone
Classic Pub Grub….with a modern twist Sir John Balcombe is a traditional English pub on Balcombe Street in Marylebone, centrally located just around the corner from Marylebone Station and a short walk from Baker Street. Balcombe Street rang a childhood bell……1974 was the year of the Balcombe Street siege where the Provisional IRA took hostages […]
Nep Nep Vietnamese Restaurant – Marylebone
Nep Nep – the Vietnamese Cafe all Stations Need. Tucked away just around the corner from Marylebone Station, Nep Nep is the kind of restaurant you need to know about. You might hesitate to go in, it looks a little worn around the edges from the outside. But, if you want something freshly cooked, beautifully […]
Lazeez – Lebanese Restaurant Review
Lazeez Restaurant – Lebanese Hospitality in London: My first full-time permanent job was as a Management Trainee for Selfridges. Needless to say, I spent a lot of time socialising around Oxford Street: The Lamb and Flag was a regular haunt after work, and the Stockpot was a favourite for a cheap meal. Other than that, […]
Ishtar – Traditional Turkish Dining in Marylebone
Dinner at Ishtar – a Glimpse of Traditional Turkish Cuisine in London: A year or so ago I was asked to visit Istanbul on a world foods trip. Although it was only a whistlestop 24-hour trip, it gave me a real insight into Turkish cuisine and a real appetite for more. So I was delighted […]
The Harcourt – Scandinavian Inspired Dining in Marylebone
Nordic Lunch at the Harcourt: I love dining out – and I’m lucky enough to do more than my fair share of it. Sometimes though I get just a little blase about the whole thing. It’s refreshing then to turn up with no real expectation that the venue will match the press release and find […]
The Cavendish – Review
Dining at the Cavendish, Marylebone: I have reviewed The Cavendish several times before most notably in its last iteration when El Bulli trained chef Alfonso Lillo Fas offered classic French, Italian and Spanish dishes with formal service, linen and a tableside Crepes Suzette that was pure theatre. With an interior that is a fusion between a […]
The Wallace Collection and Restaurant, Marylebone
Art and Food in Marylebone – The Wallace Collection: My first encounter with Peyton & Byrne, the restaurant group, was at the Royal Academy. I’m a long standing friend of the RA, one of my favourite galleries in London, and can remember being delighted by supper after a late night viewing of one of the […]
The Cavendish – Launch Review
The Cavendish – Classics with El Bulli Flare: It takes courage to open your doors to reviews during a soft opening. In the days when I worked for Kennedy Brookes the soft launch was initially for staff, then for ‘friends’ in the form of shareholders and regulars. It certainly wasn’t for anyone who might write […]
Zoilo Review
Zoilo – Cocina Argentina Review: Taking a pescatarian to do a review of an Argentinian restaurant might be regarded as foolish, but the press release for Zoilo claimed it would offer dishes that gave a ‘firm nod’ to Argentina’s plentiful coast so, off I set with The Hedonist. Diego Jacquet, the Chef Patron of this […]