YUMMEI

#ZoMeeto at Sponge and Cream Bakery - Brixton -

With Halloween just around the corner, this calls for an evening of gluttony!

Sketch - Mayfair - London

Sketch is a wonderful hidden world, disguised as a Townhouse from the outside.

Jamie's Italian - Threadneedle Street - Bank - London *

I have a soft spot for Jamie Oliver.

Marco Pierre White's Steak House - Liverpool Street - London

When you're stressed, you develop a few bad habits.

You give in to things, you wouldn't normally give in to.

You do bad things.

Sinful things.

Like this...

The Perfect Birthday Breakfast

I was dreading my birthday this year.

Signs of an early mid-life crisis maybe?

The Rooftop Cafe - The Exchange - London Bridge - London

There are very few places in London like The Rooftop Cafe at The Exchange.

Only a handful of places exude such an exclusive atmosphere without the pretentious vibe and extensive price tag.

Even fewer restaurants make you feel so at home that you don't want to leave.

The Reach Bar and Kitchen - Gallions Reach - London *

January has been a month of post-feasting depression.

It's that time of year where you stare at yourself in the mirror and say to yourself "Dayyym what have I become?!." *cry sulk cry*

We've all been there.

I feel your pain.

I have become a whale too.

I know some of you have already started those New Year's work outs.

Some of you have taken that extra mile and have started your New Year diets.

Good for you. Well done. Kudos.

BUT I've fractured my foot (toe), so til that's healed I'm just going to sit here proudly and show you ALL what you've been missing out on.

Time For Tease - Burlesque Afternoon Tea - Kensal Green - London *

It's no secret that I spend most of my spare time lounging around in dark rooms, smoking cigars wrapped in my Hugh Hefner-esque robe, with sexy model-types hand feeding me steak sandwiches and topping up my glass with whiskey.

So naturally, I was invited to attend Time For Tease, a burlesque afternoon tea party.

The ingenius marriage of refined British afternoon tea with the wit and glamour of burlesque and cabaret.

Come take a cheeky peek into how I spend my afternoons ;]

Recipes : Easy Peasy Lemon Scones

Happy New Year my lovers!!

It's been a while since I've showcased my lazy cooking/baking skills.

So I thought I'd start off the new year with a sweet treat.

Eat Yourself Young - Simplyhealth & The Underground Cookery School - hosted by Kate Cook - London *

The holidays are only around the corner!

This means engaging in some serious gluttonous behaviour ;]

Ohh yess this is what the holidays are for!

Fortunately before I reached the point of no return with such debauchery, I was rescued by Simplyhealth & The Underground Cookery School; who sat me down for the 'Eat Yourself Young' workshop hosted by the wonderful Kate Cook.

The Meat and Wine Co. - Westfield - Shepherd's Bush - London

The surest way to my heart is through a steak.

A badass steak, that is.

Any tiffs & arguments amongst friends and lovers can be resolved with steak.

That is why choosing your steakhouse is so god damn important.

If you get it wrong; you're probably going to end up in the dog house for a week.

This is no joke.

One of my secret weapons comes in the form of The Meat and Wine Co.

The Meat and Wine Co. is a global African Steak house, with it's one and only flagship restaurant in the UK nestled in Westfield - Shepherd's Bush branch - London.

They have their own exclusive line of beef; the Monte Beef brand, which is sourced from only premium breeders of primarily the Angus cattle, whom are carefully reared and grazed on selected farms.

So these are happy pampered cows.

The Dorchester - The Grill - Mayfair - London *

There's something about The Dorchester.

It just oozes that 1930's old school glamour we all secretly love.

As soon as you step foot inside, displays of diamond jewellery twinkle at you behind glass cases, and in the opulent Promenade lobby you will no doubt see a flurry of ladies clad in their Christian Louboutins teetering past, and businessmen gathering amongst the marble pillars and giant floral displays.

The decadence here is unmatched.

Yet despite being unashamedly upper-class, The Dorchester is surprisingly very friendly and welcoming.

Mosimann's Private Dining Club - Belgravia - London

I admit that I have been rather naughty, and have neglected you all.

I don't have an excuse this time.

But... then this little post wouldn't hold much merit if I didn't go into hiatus for awhile.

So as a treat, I'm going to let you in on London's best kept culinary secret.

Courtesy of being awesome (work), I was lucky enough to dine at the exclusive Mosimann's Private Dining Club.

Mr. Anton Mosimann has the royal stamp of approval so expectations were exceedingly high.

His culinary style is described as 'cuisine naturelle' for it emphasises only the use of healthy, natural ingredients and avoids additions of any fat and/or alcohol in his cooking.

Only Mosimann could have forged a union between exquisitely tasty and healthy food; a coupling that was previously only thought to be mutually exclusive.

Afternoon Tea at the Millennium Hotel London Knightsbridge *

Now it is no secret that I love cake.

Okay... that's an understatement.

I don't just love cake, I adore cake.

So, when I was invited to the Millennium Hotel in Knightsbridge London for Afternoon Tea, I simply couldn't say no.

Honest Burger - Soho - London

Summer is coming.

This means everyone is hitting the gym that bit harder to get those steel abs.

Everyone except me [despite the fact that I should really be training for the British 10k].

So, what do I do instead?

Go hunting for burgers...

I found Honest Burger's second branch hidden away in the side streets of Soho, the original Honest Burger joint is in Brixton.

You know if a restaurant is located opposite flats harbouring signs like this... you have totally hit the jackpot.

Scandalous.

[I jest, I jest] :P

Flat Iron Steak - Soho - London

The first rule of Flat Iron is that there is only one choice.

The second rule: there is only one cut.

The final rule: there is only one steak.

The Flat Iron Steak.

After a series of successful pop-ups during the summer last year, Flat Iron have finally set up a permanent home in Beak Street just off Carnaby Street.

I've always been a sucker for dark, intimate spaces; and Flat Iron doesn't disappoint with it's exposed brick walls, soft candle-light and limited seating.

Lord Poppington's Perfectly Popped Popcorn *

Lord Poppington, is introducing his own brand of perfectly popped popcorn to the streets of the UK; and courtesy of the kind people at Clip, I was fortunate to be sent a few samples.

Lord Poppington's Popcorn comes in 4 different flavours:

1) Sweet and Salty - Golden Barabados Sugar with Cornish Sea Salt

2) Lightly Sea-Salted - Pure Cornish Sea Salt

3) Chilli and Lime - Brazilian Lime and Cheeky Chilli

4) Four Cheeses - Quattro Formaggi

LP prides himself in developing popcorn that is not only healthy but also is amazingly tasty.

Patty & Bun - Bond Street - London

Holy mother of cheese.

Mark my words you will be screaming those exact same words.

How do I know this?

Because that was my reaction when I took my first bite of what-so-far is the mother of all burgers that has hit London.

Along St. Jame's Street just off Bond Street is Patty and Bun.

London's worst kept secret.

With burgers named like The Ari Gold (those who watch Entourage will understand), and The Lambshank Redemption; you really cannot walk by without stopping just to stare.

There are only 6 burgers on the menu.

Each one a character in their own right. (And rightfully named.)

Choose wisely.

We went for The Lambshank Redemption, The Jose Jose, and The Smokey Robinson.

Recipes: Amaretto and Pear Cheesecake

When it comes to baking/cooking, I won't do it unless it requires minimal effort.

This Amaretto and Pear Cheesecake Recipe is my secret weapon.

Super easy, no cooking required. Perfect.

What you will need:

Base:

150g caramelised biscuits (i.e. Lotus; not the gooey ones)
50g unsalted butter

Filling:

300g full-fat cream cheese (I used Philadelphia)
125g caster sugar
450ml double cream
2-3 standard shots of Amaretto Liquer (I used Disaronno)
100g amaretti biscuits, (roughly crushed cave-man style)
1.5 tins of pear quarters (chopped into small cubes ~1cm)

Sex Appeal:

70% cocoa dark chocolate

Method:

1. For the base: toss the 50g of unsalted butter and the caramelised biscuits into a food processor and blitz. Then tip the mixture into a 24cm springform cake tin, and press it down gently. Send it to the refrigerator to set.

2. For the filling: whisk the cream cheese and sugar until it's well blended, and then add in the double cream and amaretto liquer (have a swig of liquer yourself as well) and whisk away to form soft peaks. Fold in the the crushed ameretti biscuits and chopped tinned pears.

Have a taste of your filling and add more liquer if you're feeling naughty (this always happens to me).

3. Spooning:] Spoon out the filling and dollop on top of the biscuit base.

4. Chill: Leave your cheesecake in the refrigerator until it sets, so approximately 1 hour.

5. Decorate: (Optional) Since I didn't have a grater and I used a sharp knife and shaved off curls of dark chocolate on top of the cheesecake, for added seduction.

6. Undress from the tin and serve.

Burger and Lobster - Farringdon - London

If you live in London, I'm sure you would have heard of Burger and Lobster.

Since it first opened last December in Mayfair, B&L has been creating heatwaves in the atmosphere.

So hot that it was necessary to open branches in Soho, and most recently in Farringdon both in the same year.

The concept is simple:

3 Choices:

Beef Burger (Beef burger, with optional bacon and cheese)

Lobster (You know just a huge, stonking lobster with a jug of garlic and lemon butter)

Or

Lobster Roll (Cold lobster served on toasted brioche with a dash of wasabi mayo or lemon and garlic dressing)

All served with salad and chips.

Priced at £20 each.

B&L have recently introduced sharing lobster options, which is basically a bigger, and more badass lobster weighing up to ~10bl for £150 with unlimited salad and chips (Prices start from £60 onwards; for the sharing lobsters depending on size).

Anyway for £20, for a whole lobster? Sweet Mother may I?!?!

YUMMEI

07/10/2015

#ZoMeeto at Sponge and Cream Bakery - Brixton -

04/08/2015

Sketch - Mayfair - London

11/06/2015

Jamie's Italian - Threadneedle Street - Bank - London *

07/12/2014

Marco Pierre White's Steak House - Liverpool Street - London

23/09/2014

The Perfect Birthday Breakfast

30/03/2014

The Rooftop Cafe - The Exchange - London Bridge - London

18/01/2014

The Reach Bar and Kitchen - Gallions Reach - London *

07/01/2014

Time For Tease - Burlesque Afternoon Tea - Kensal Green - London *

02/01/2014

Recipes : Easy Peasy Lemon Scones

16/12/2013

Eat Yourself Young - Simplyhealth & The Underground Cookery School - hosted by Kate Cook - London *

06/11/2013

The Meat and Wine Co. - Westfield - Shepherd's Bush - London

02/09/2013

The Dorchester - The Grill - Mayfair - London *

27/07/2013

Mosimann's Private Dining Club - Belgravia - London

30/04/2013

Afternoon Tea at the Millennium Hotel London Knightsbridge *

23/04/2013

Honest Burger - Soho - London

26/03/2013

Flat Iron Steak - Soho - London

18/03/2013

Lord Poppington's Perfectly Popped Popcorn *

04/03/2013

Patty & Bun - Bond Street - London

04/02/2013

Recipes: Amaretto and Pear Cheesecake

30/12/2012

Burger and Lobster - Farringdon - London