Thai Square, Trafalgar Square: Officially Thai Square Restaurant isn’t on Trafalgar Square but on the adjoining Cockspur street. To any normal member of the public though, it’s a restaurant with a prime location. And if you sit by the window, as we did, you’ll get a splendid view out across Trafalgar Square. Londoners like me love […]
The Balcon at Sofitel London St James – Wine Days
Celebrating the Wine Harvest in France at the Balcon: There are ideas which just seem so intuitively good as to be unquestionable. In my humble opinion, a menu to celebrate the wine harvest at the Balcon at Sofitel London St James is a great example. Without lapsing into ‘traditional French Brasserie’ territory, the Balcon always seems […]
Tea at the Palace
Afternoon Tea at the Strand Palace Hotel Afternoon tea on one of the hottest days of the summer might not sound like quite the choice activity. Lying down in a cool room might be more the ticket. Yet Tea at the Palace was booked and you don’t keep her majesty waiting. Royalty was not present […]
Quick Lunch – The Balcon at Sofitel London St James
Fast feasting at The Balcon, Sofitel London St James: As the economy cycles, it seems to me that so our dining habits evolve. In times of economic boom, a leisurely lunch with plenty of wine and convivial conversation is in fashion. And, when the economy is depressed, it’s all about leaving your jacket on your […]
Breakfast at The Balcon
The Balcon at Sofitel St James: Is there a better way to start the day than with a hotel breakfast? The soft-voiced server gently asks you how you’d like your coffee. ‘Triple espresso with eight sugars?’ ‘Of course sir, no problem, and you must try our selection of pastries, cold cuts and cereals. And would […]
Afternoon Tea with a View – Oxo Tower, London
Afternoon Tea on the South Bank at Oxo Tower Restaurant: There’s nothing better on a warm summer’s afternoon than wandering along The South Bank. It’s a vibrant part of London with street theatre, market stalls and plenty going on besides the stunning views back across the River Thames. Walking from Embankment bridge past the Festival […]
Afternoon Tea at the Corinthia Hotel
Tea at the Crystal Moon Lounge, Corinthia Hotel Guest Post by Lucy Daltroff If the ubiquitous “nice cup of tea” can calm most situations, what I wondered would be the result of a whole pot, especially when taken at a top London venue. To find out I went with a friend to visit the 5 […]
Introducing Galvin at The Athenaeum – Review:
Galvin at The Athenaeum – Perfectly Poised Hotel Dining: I have a soft spot for The Athenaeum, a five-star hotel on Piccadilly. You may well have noticed it because of the astonishing living wall, a festival of greenery on a stone-faced street. I’ve been a few times over the years – most recently to sample […]
Kaspar’s at the Savoy, London – Review
Kaspar’s Seafood Bar and Grill – Savoy Hotel, London A new addition to the Savoy following the refurbishment, I hadn’t had the chance to eat at Kaspar’s. So I was delighted to be invited there on my recent stay. Although it lacks the formality of the old Grill, it has the kind of straightforward menu […]
The Balcon – Dining in Style at Sofitel London St James’s
Entente Cordiale at The Balcon, Sofitel London St James’s: I’ve been to The Balcon before. In fact I used to dine at the venue, then Brasserie Roux, quite regularly before it was rebranded as The Balcon, not because I preferred the old restaurant, but simply because I used the IOD, just across the road, for […]