Located next to St James underground station, you’ll find this restaurant within the St. Ermin’s Hotel. Conveniently located in the heart of Westminster, it’s ideal for tourists, hotel guests or simply those who are seeking a chic and relaxing restaurant in central London. The vibe The modern décor with its tasteful, neutral colour scheme – a palette of taupe, grey and cream - creates a relaxing atmosphere. Pops of colour, such as burnt orange dining chairs and oversized art prints, inject a bit of colour, while beautiful touches abound throughout the décor, such as intricately carved wooden screens, which also provide a bit of privacy for diners, and charcoal grey wood panelling, both which lend an air of sophistication. Candles flickering away in glass votives at each table further add to the ambiance and made our first evening out in ages feel all the more romantic. The food Caxton Grill is passionate about sustainability and sourcing local ingredients whenever possible, which is why they created their rooftop kitchen garden, which boasts a variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs that the head chef uses in a wealth of dishes. They also have their own ‘bee hotel’, which provides their honey. Not too shabby for a restaurant smack bang in the middle of Central London! Our waiter, who was exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable, talked us through the specials and his recommendations and offered to pair wines with each of our courses, and we were more than happy to oblige. As I perused the menu, I enjoyed a Mo, a fruity 'mocktail' from their non-alcoholic cocktail list, which was lovely and sweet and made me feel as though I was on a beach holiday instead of in cold, grey London.
One of the things we loved most was that for each course, you could tell that great care had been taken with every dish, all of which were elegant and beautifully presented. The verdict This is a great place to go if you’re looking for stylish and intimate surroundings with friendly service in the heart of Westminster.
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Christmas time is quite possibly the best excuse to dine out with friends, and it's even better after a spot of Christmas shopping. I am a big fan of Japanese food, especially ramen, so when Shoryu Ramen invited us to sample the Christmas menu, we jumped at the chance. From now until 30 December, Shoryu Ramen invites customers to enjoy a selection of dazzlingly delicious dishes to get you in the festive spirit, including seasonal cocktails. The vibe Located slap bang in London’s bustling West End, it's conveniently located for those looking to grab a bite to eat after indulging in retail therapy. Established in 2012 and recommended in the Michelin Guide every year since 2014, Shoryu Ramen brings Hakata, Japan to the UK under the creative visions of Hakata natives Tak Tokumine and Kanji Furukawa. There is a cool laidback vibe combined with a bustling undercurrent. It's apparent the attentive staff are passionate about Japanese culture and food, which is prepared in an open kitchen, allowing diners to watch the chefs cook as they sit back and catch up with friends. The food Shoryu knows its ramen. As they proudly proclaim on the website, ‘it’s in their bones’. I’ll vouch for that. The limited-edition Christmas menu offers a variety of top-notch ramen, moreish street food and side dishes, such as BBQ Pork Bun with Char Siu BBQ Pork Belly with Japanese Mayo and the signature ramen - Shoryu Ganso Tonkotsu. For starters we enjoyed the Japanese Pork and Pumpkin Croquette Buns. The Pumpkin Croquette Bun was deliciously crispy and I loved the smooth ,melt-in-your mouth hirate sauce and Japanese mayo! For mains, my dining partner and I chose the signature Shoryu Ganso Tonkotsu, a ramen to write home about - even if you live in London! This dish is a creamy slow cooked pork broth with a special blend of noodles, umami rich soup and toppings all cooked for over 12 hours to perfection. Divine. For dessert we had the Matcha Cheesecake and the Mochi Ice Cream in green tea and coconut flavours, both of which were fab. Of course, no festive meal is complete without cocktails. We tried the Christmas signature sake, The Ginza Snowflake, a beautiful drink comprised of sparkling sake and red berry puree, perfectly presented in a champagne glass sprinkled with icing powder with red berries resting delicately on top. For non drinkers, there is the Virgin Snowflake, which consists of yuzu tonic with red berry puree.
Dine between the sea and the starsIt’s a truth universally acknowledged that Italy is a glutton’s paradise; the Canederli of the South Tyrol to Puglia’s deliciously simple Orecchiette alle cime di rapa, every region is as tantalising as the next. It’s impossible to visit this gastronomical Disneyland and leave with a rumbling stomach. A springtime sojourn may be far from one’s mind during the winter months, but given the shortest day of the year is mere weeks away and ergo the days shall once again start to get that little bit longer, now is the perfect time to start planning for warmer climes to drag us through the dark hours of January and February. Always good to have a little something in the diary to look forward to... A brief summer fling this year with the Amalfi Coast ignited a new kind of love affair, but given the heaving cobbles and snail’s pace roads, this year I’ll be booking in my return visit for earlier in the season; head in April or May and you’ll be rewarded with the sunshine but minus the hordes of tourists that saturate the area come July and August. The diamond in the crown of this dream stretch of coastline holds court amid the clifftops above Amalfi; perched overlooking the glistening expanse of blue stretching to the horizon is the Monastero Santa Rosa, a luxurious hotel and spa escape homes within a spectacular 12th century monastery. You’d be forgiven for driving past it given its subtle facade, but the moment you cross the threshold you’re in some kind of Italian Narnia. The hotel, its one Michelin Star restaurant Il Refetorio, it’s sun-drenched terraces and it’s infinity pool cascade down the clifftop into infinity; it would be entirely possible to spend a day simply gazing at the limitless ocean, but you should at least indulge in a Michelin starred lunch while you do so. The Executive Chef Christoph Bob, an alumnus of some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants, has created a menu packed with the freshest ingredients and bursting with flavours inspired by the surrounding Campania region; think richly sun-ripened fruit and vegetables, herbs plucked from the hotel’s own gardens and plenty of seafood from that dazzling coastline. With specialties like the appetizer trio of crustaceans, lobster with chickpea puree and smoked olive oil broad bean salad with Colonnata’s bacon and king prawn ravioli with Corbara’s tomatoes and candied lemon - and that’s just to start - each and every dish on the menu combines the freshest local, organic ingredients of the local fishing village of Conca dei Marini. A summer’s lunch proved a midpoint in our twisting journey south from Sorrento, the perfect pit stop to take away the stress of the road and a welcome respite from Amalfi Coast driving. Even at a busy lunchtime with a few large tables the dining room still seemed a serene oasis in stark contrast to the honking streets below it. Given my penchant for a caprese salad (essentially having one with every meal during my week in Italy...) it had to be done. With tomatoes mellowed with months of Italian sunshine, the flavour in every mouthful was sensational, cutting perfectly through a creamy chunk of mozzarella drizzled in extra virgin olive oil. The il Crudo di Parma con Burrata spread of melt-in-the-mouth Parma ham, oozing burrata and a crisp bruschetta with yet more of the divine tomatoes was a hit, though a salad of rocket, tossed in lemon vinaigrette and topped with grilled prawns, figs and toasted pine nuts was less of a success; at first arriving minus the prawns, it appeared their flavour didn’t quite work with the accompanying fig. For heaven in dessert form, the semifreddo with raspberry coulis and was divine; fresh and fruity, with exactly the right juxtaposition of sweet and tart. It’s probably worth stopping for lunch just for that to be honest. Given the boutique hotel only boasts 20 rooms, the culinary team can cater dining experiences to guests’ wants and needs, taking into account individual tastes and palates, meaning not only is the a la carte option a sublime choice but you can indulge in a totally bespoke gastronomic experience, should your heart desire, not to mention the master Sommelier that will be at your fingertips. Admittedly I can’t pass comment on the wine - given I had another portion of Amalfi Coast ahead of me and three more hours of driving, I didn’t feel wine with lunch was the most sensible option - but with a cellar containing everything from local Italian reds to vintage French champagne to fine chardonnays it’s worth staying over to be able to indulge (or at least arranging a transfer to your next spot location…)
The verdict Halfway between the sea and the sky, Il Refetorio is a slice of tranquility a million miles from the coastal road below with a heavenly menu to match. The details Monastero Santa Rosa Via Roma 2 84010 Conca dei Marini SA Italy www.monasterosantasrosa.com Laurel Waldron |
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Bon Appetit!There's nothing more delicious in life than indulging in a sensational meal. |