 All images © A.A. Miln Founded by Giovanni Quaglino in 1929, Quaglino’s has long been a symbol of decadence. Loved by royals, celebrities and the public alike, dining here has always had an air of exclusivity. In the 1950s the restaurant was said to have had a table permanently reserved for the regular visits by Princess Margaret, the Duke and Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra. Other notable royals who have graced the establishment include Queen Elizabeth, King Edward VIII, and most recently, Prince Harry. And what’s a hip place without a celeb following? Celebs who have visited include Judy Garland, Barbara Cartland, Elton John, Mick Jagger, Benedict Cumberatch, Alexa Chung and Lindsay Lohan, to name a few.  In the 90s Quaglino’s was revered as the hottest restaurant in town to see and be seen, thanks to it being a favourite spot of Ab Fab characters Patsy and Eddie and its reputation as a place to let your hair down in style. The signature ‘Q’ ashtrays that were scattered throughout the bar, were often nicked by guests as they were seen as a status symbol. Rumour has it that over the years more than 25,000 ‘Q’ ashtrays 'mysteriously' disappeared.  The vibe Today, Quaglino’s retains its style and charm thanks to a £3 million facelift by owners D&D London in 2014. There is a sense of 1920s grandeur throughout the restaurant, thanks to intimate lighting and a moody colour palette of charcoals, burgundy and gold, which creates a sexy atmosphere. As guests sip cocktails in the upstairs bar, they can relax on black quilted leather banquettes, which encourage you to stay a bit longer than you probably should. Even the bathrooms are seriously stylish with striking monochrome zigzag decor, which has given us serious bathroom design envy.  At the heart of the restaurant is a grand staircase with illuminated stairs with a gold tortoise shell design, that simply begs for guests to make a fabulous entrance as they shimmy down the stairs to the dining room below. The expansive dining room is an impressive space with a circular gold bar and a stage flanked by red velvet curtains, which serve as key focal points. Each night guests can enjoy performances by either live bands or a DJ, which adds to the sense of occasion.  Saturday brunch at Quaglino's We visited on a Saturday afternoon for the Q Brunch (available Saturdays and Sundays from 11.30am-2.30pm). If you’re feeling festive, there is the option to add unlimited prosecco for £18 per person, when eating two courses or more for the duration of your meal.   The Saturday brunch offering features standard options such as Eggs Benedict, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (a safe bet), sandwiches (croque monsieur or demoiselle), a variety of fish dishes (sea bream, cod, stone bass), a sirloin steak and egg or venison tartare and oysters as well as a selection of sides and desserts.  The salad with mozzarella, tomatoes, nectarines and endive was fresh and light and the croque monsieur in all its cheesy, carby glory is the perfect cure if you’ve indulged a bit too much the night before. Service is top-notch, as you’d expect, and is refreshingly friendly rather than stuffy, which makes it all the more welcoming. The verdict We’ll definitely be making a repeat appearance, but next time we’ll be indulging in dinner and sipping classic cocktails. Get your glad rags on and give it a go – it’s the cat’s whiskers. http://www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk
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All images © A.A. Miln
Hot Pot, Soho
Hot Pot is an Asian restaurant in Soho that was inspired by the Mongolian tradition of sharing a ‘hot pot’ (a large pot filled with broth and various ingredients) with family and friends. This communal style of eating later became popular throughout Asia and today there are thousands of hot pot varieties that can be found in Vietnam, Thailand, China and Korea, amongst other countries. 
The vibe
The 4,500 square-foot restaurant covers two floors and in addition to the main dining room, there is a private dining room that can be hired for larger groups. The décor features oxblood red booths, simple tables with wooden chairs and crackle-glazed jade tiles and industrial style light bulbs suspended from the ceiling behind the bar. 
The food
At Hot Pot guests are the star chefs as they choose every ingredient that goes into their own unique hot pot creation. Each table comes equipped with an induction burner, which guests use to prepare their own hot pot, filled with their choice of broth and fresh ingredients from meat to vegetables. 
The concept encourages diners to savour the experience as their selected ingredients bubble away while they visit. As variety is the spice of life, you can split your hot pot into two sections, so you can have a different broth and ingredients in each side of the pot.
To begin making your hot pot, you first select from one of five broth varieties, each of which comprises more than 50 ingredients and is made fresh daily. Next, you select your ingredients – there are more than 60 dizzying options to choose from, which can be slightly overwhelming if you’ve never been before! There is also a sauce and toppings bar, so you can further customise your creations to your heart's content. 
Some of the ingredients on offer include British rib-eye, marinated chicken, sea bass, king prawns, shrimp wontons, fresh abalone, shitake and golden needle mushrooms, sweet potato, fresh tofu and quail’s eggs, to name a few. 
The classic goya pork starters were lovely and fresh and the homemade spare ribs slathered in a sweet, sticky glaze were divine – we could have eaten about 20 of them!
The hot pot making proved to be a fun experience as we waited in anticipation to see how our concoction of marinated beef, sliced pork, ho fun noodles, morning glory, shiitake mushrooms and fried tofu, would turn out. Thankfully, our selections proved to be a great choice. The only thing we weren't crazy about was the chicken broth, which we found to be a bit on the bland side for our liking, but the fiery Mala Sichuan broth with dried chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, herbs and fermented beans was fabulous – although seriously hot – the servers warned us beforehand to ensure we were confident we could handle the heat! 
 Raymond Blanc’s collection of French brasseries has expanded to include Brasserie Blanc at Fulham Reach, which sits only a stone’s throw away from Hammersmith Bridge. The restaurant occupies a pivotal riverside site where the Haig whisky Distillery once stood overlooking the disused 19th century Harrods Furniture Depository, which only adds to its charm. The ultra-modern floor-to-ceiling glass exterior is exquisitely lit at night and ensures that this bar and restaurant is the most eye-catching on the waterfront. Inside is a rather classy affair with a striking bespoke brass bar with suspended decanter lighting, parquet flooring throughout, velvet banquettes and leather armchairs which create an intimate dining space – making it the perfect mix of classic and contemporary. The open-plan kitchen provides an insight into the fast-paced cockpit of the restaurant and allows you to watch the skilled chefs in action while you sup on a gin and champagne cocktail – aptly named the ‘French’ – at the bar.  The cuisine Quite rightly the menu honours the French classics such as garlic butter escargot, moules frites, beautifully fresh bouillabaisse, hearty beef Bourgignon and the luxurious chateaubriand for two but more contemporary plates of rock lobster, potted Cromer crab with sourdough and an outstanding burger in brioche shine through. It must be said I often think of their celebration of anchovies (the ultimate amuse bouche washed down with a glass of fizz) and the steak tartare as some of the best I’ve had the pleasure of eating. Desserts offer something for all tastes with the ubiquitous tarte au citron, a rich chocolate delice as well as a summer berry pavlova and pistachio soufflé. The set menu changes every month and is a steal at £11.95 for 2 courses. I have no doubt their roast sirloin or Bretagne chicken on a Sunday, which is served all day and is very much en famille, would be a triumph.  What to quaff The quote featured on the drinks menu seems to reflect the generosity of options here – “Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water”. There is a section dedicated solely to Gin encouraging you to tailor your own perfect G & T, the cocktails are expertly designed with your French classics but also some more adventurous seasonal offerings like rhubarb and honey Martini. The cellar is also as diverse with good solid French bottles as well as European and New World varieties. The house champagne though, Blanc de Blancs, is just outstanding, full of peach and apple notes, and is very reasonable at £28.50 a bottle. This is a brasserie in the truest sense of the word. It brings the glorious taste of France to London’s riverside scene in the most welcoming fashion, and I just couldn’t get enough of its stylish sophistication and charm. 
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