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London Fashion Week cocktails at two of Covent Garden’s hottest hotels

If you can’t wait for London Fashion Week to kick off on September 17th, get your Louboutins on and totter along to the Light Bar at the St Martins Lane Hotel. Situated in the heart of Covent Garden, it’s an effortlessly stylish space designed by interior design legend Philippe Starck, with ultra-flattering lighting, a warm colour scheme and quirky portraits. This month, they’re serving a ‘Front Row’ cocktail list inspired by some of the world’s leading designers – perfect if you need to refuel after a day of boutique bargain hunting.

Fans of the bright, clashing colours seen at the House of Holland’s catwalk shows will love the K.M.T – a sweet and funky blend of Koko Kanu coconut rum, Blue Curacao and pineapple juice, topped with bright green floating Midori and accessorised with neon coloured straws. If you prefer something more delicate, Erdem’s floral prints have been recreated as a cocktail of vine gin, lemon juice, elderflower syrup and soda, topped with delicate edible flower petals.

Danielle Scutt’s retro 80’s themes have allowed the decade’s favourite cocktail, the ‘frozen strawberry daiquiri’, to make a comeback as bold as Scutt’s shoulder pads. For health-conscious fashionistas, there’s a Green Tea-ni and the Runway Diva, infused with lemongrass and ginger. After a drink or two, you can book a table at fusion favourite, Asia de Cuba, situated within the hotel.

There are more fashion-inspired tipples on offer at The Trafalgar Hotel, which is just a short walk away from Somerset House where this year’s show takes place. Throughout September, the Rockwell Bar will be serving limited edition cocktails priced at £10 and a gorgeous trio of chocolate, hazelnut and coconut desserts.

Inspired by this season’s colour of choice, ‘The Girl in the Camel Coat’ is a must-try for tequila lovers. There’s a splash of Grand Marnier to add a citrus kick and a dusting of chocolate on this wonderfully warming drink. Looking for something more demure? Try ‘Nude Lace’, a smooth as silk blend of Mozart white chocolate liqueur with a tequila and coffee undertone – an ideal after-dinner drink.

Finally, one for the ladies – Pretty Poetess. This cocktail was designed with a romantic bohemian look in mind and combines golden rum with Angostura bitters and green cardamom syrup over ice. Lightly spiced and utterly delicious! Why not stay for dinner at the Rockwell Bar & Restaurant? With their current offer of 3 courses and half a bottle of wine for £26, there will be plenty of cash left for couture.

News Bites: What’s happening at top restaurants in London this month

Atul Kochhar’s Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant is bringing a touch of glamour to Berkeley Square with the launch of a new Cocktail Hour at Benares Bar. Each day from 5-7pm, a wide range of specially created cocktails will be available for half their original price with accompanying complimentary bar nibbles. Also new this month at Benares is a range of take-away wraps for a quick but delicious lunch on the go. Tempting choices such as chicken tikka with wasabi mayo or Tandoori prawn with tomato and honey and mustard mayo can be ordered over the phone or picked up from the restaurant. All wraps are priced at just £6.50 and diners can add a delicious mango lassi for £2.

Summer will soon be a distant memory so take advantage of the long evenings and enjoy the sunset at Min Jiang in Kensington. Their restaurant boasts stunning views of the London skyline and the £25 dim sum and cocktail menu is an affordable end-of-summer treat. Their bar is serving two new cocktails: the fruity Tequila-based Raspberita and the Golden Dragon, an exotic blend of vodka, Triple Sec, lime and mango juice.

In celebration of British Food Fortnight, The Restaurant at St Paul’s is giving green-fingered foodies the chance to harvest a free lunch. On September 26th, you can swap a shoebox full of home-grown fruit and veg for a traditional Sunday roast, courtesy of head chef Candice Webber. She will use the produce on the following week’s menu so that cathedral visitors can enjoy a taste of England.

1 Lombard Street Restaurant and Brasserie has teamed up with Jazz FM Live to create a unique supper club experience, with intimate performances by a host of world-class jazz musicians. From September, big name artists will entertain diners on Saturday nights, with music taken from the ‘Great American Song Book’. Customers will be able to choose from the à la Carte or the ‘Jazz’ set menu (3 courses for £21.50).

Covent Garden’s Navajo Joe will be celebrating Mexican Independence Day for a whole week and will be promoting a suitably spicy Mexican menu (2 or 3 courses) during the run-up to September 16th. Expect live Hispanic music, tequila tastings, a street party, and lots more!

To celebrate the Thames Festival, the riverside Swan at The Globe is offering a Thames-inspired dinner menu throughout September. Diners can feast on brown shrimps, cockles, herring, mitten crab and Theale mallard, as well as spices and exotic fruits that were first imported along the Thames in the 16th and 17th centuries. The menu is priced at £19.95 for two courses or £22.95 for three courses.

Book Review: Hix Oyster & Chop House by Mark Hix

You won’t often see chef Mark Hix on TV or in the tabloids, but that hasn’t stopped him becoming something of a celebrity on the London food scene. His first restaurant near Smithfield Market is popular with EC1’s smartly suited lunch crowd, while his newer Soho eatery attracts younger food-lovers and the pre and post-theatre set. With restaurants in Mayfair, Selfridges and Dorset to look after, it’s a miracle he found time to write a book.

But we’re very glad he did. ‘Hix Oyster & Chop House’ features over 100 recipes that showcase his signature style. If you’ve eaten at the restaurant, you will know what to expect – freshly shucked oysters, manly meat dishes and impeccably sourced produce. There are no fancy foams or dainty plates; just gutsy, full-flavoured British fare.

At the centre of the book is a meat manual where beautifully photographed cuts of beef, lamb, veal, pork and venison are accompanied by carnivorous cooking tips. Hix sings the praises of meat on the bone and explains which cuts are best for grilling and slow-cooking. Home cooks are encouraged to become good friends with their local butcher and to try cheaper, more flavoursome cuts of meat. (As you may have guessed, vegetarians might want to skip this book and stick to Ottolenghi.)

After an excellent chapter on oyster varieties and shucking techniques, the recipes are divided into no-nonsense sections like ‘meat’, ‘fish’, ‘soups’ and ‘salads’. From the ‘on toast’ chapter, we loved the simple but luxurious Dorset crab on brown bread and red mullet on white bloomer with vivid green crushed broad beans and peas. Salads are fresh and light, full of lesser known veg, and soups are elevated above the ordinary with ingredients like crayfish, grouse and wild rabbit.

The fish dishes are simple enough to become mid-week suppers but it’s the meaty mains that are the real stars. Hix’s roast chicken with garlic sauce is perfect on Sundays, leaving delicious leftovers for the week ahead, and the ribs in barbecue sauce would go down well with younger foodies. For dinner parties, or just to show off, try the classic beef and oyster pie or the mutton chop curry, fragrant with saffron and roasted spices. Hix’s recipe intros often contain helpful hints and the recipes themselves, while occasionally time-consuming, are surprisingly fuss-free. Decadent puds aren’t really Hix’s strong point so the ‘Desserts’ chapter is short and made up of retro British sweets like trifle, shipwreck tart and rice pudding.

The ‘bar’ chapter is great if you’re having a Come Dine With Me moment and want to impress your guests with some posh pre-dinner nibbles. We liked the easy-to-make vegetable crisps and more adventurous options like quail’s egg shooters and pork crackling with Bramley Apple sauce. Sadly, the book doesn’t include any cocktail recipes from the award-winning ‘Mark’s Bar’ so you’ll just have to visit his Soho restaurant for those.

If you liked his restaurants, you’ll love his book – especially if you’re passionate about great meat, fresh fish and ‘old world’ dishes. There isn’t a huge amount for vegetarians but we were surprised by the light, seasonal salads and snack-friendly ‘on toast’ options. Have a flick through in your local bookshop or order online today – you won’t be disappointed.

Love Cooking food festival launches in Bristol this October

We know you all love to dine out but how are you in the kitchen at home? Do you need a recipe book to tell you how to boil an egg or are you the next Gary Rhodes or Thomasina Miers? Either way, whether you’re a beginner or a culinary expert, Love Cooking is a new not-to-miss event that launches in Bristol on 5th October with your favourite celebrity chefs cooking live on stage and giving their top tips and tricks to make delicious home-cooked food.

Watch Ainsley Harriott cook up a Caribbean storm with his ‘soul food’ or Rachel Allen with her nurturing and homely dishes. Learn Italian from the maestro Gino D’Acampo or classic British dishes from Gary Rhodes. James Martin, Val Warner and Tommi Miers will be on stage together in Bristol so expect some seasonal delights and maybe a bit of authentic Mexicana.

Between shows you can ask experts the cookery questions you’ve always wanted to ask, learn exactly how to fillet a fish or make your own pasta. Refuel at the Food Network café or pop into the Books for Cooks bookshop – you may even spot a chef or two in there signing copies.

After launching in Bristol on October 5th, Love Cooking will tour the UK stopping at Edinburgh, London and Harrogate. (Ticket information and dates are available on the website). Book now for the Bristol show and don’t forget to make a reservation at one of our top diner rated restaurants nearby.

Friday Feast: Grilled red snapper with pineapple salsa from Camden’s Blues Kitchen

This week’s recipe comes from a toptable newcomer – The Blues Kitchen in Camden. It’s a laid-back bar-diner that specialises in bourbon, live blues and soul food from the deep South. We love their all-American classics but this recipe is great if you fancy something a little different. Red snapper is packed full of omega-3 fatty acids and the firm white flesh has a mild flavour so it works well with the fruity salsa. Give it a try this weekend!

Grilled red snapper, fried green tomatoes & pineapple salsa

Ingredients: 4 150g fillets of red snapper (descaled and boned – ask your fishmonger!), olive oil, salt and pepper.
For the tomatoes: 4 large green tomatoes (cut into 3 slices), 50g plain flour (seasoned), 50g panko breadcrumbs, 2 eggs.
For the salsa: 100g of pineapple, 100g tomato flesh (deseeded), 100g red onion (all finely diced into 1/4 cm pieces), 2 dessert spoons chopped coriander, 1 dessert spoon chopped red chilli, juice of 1 orange, 4 dessert spoons of olive oil.

1) Mix all of the salsa ingredients together in a bowl and leave in the fridge for at least an hour.

2) Put the flour (seasoned), eggs (whisked) and the panko crumbs in separate shallow dishes or plates. Pass the tomatoes through them starting with the flour (brush as much off as possible), then the eggs and then the breadcrumbs. Set aside.

3) Lightly season and oil the snapper and grill skin side down. Turn over after about four minutes to finish.

4) Deep fry the tomatoes until golden brown, drain on kitchen paper and season.

5) Put the tomatoes flat on the plate to form a circle, then put the fish on top and spoon over a little salsa.

This tasty fish dish can be served with mixed leaves, a simple rocket salad or – if you’re really hungry – some Cajun-spiced sweet potato fries. If the weather improves, you could even grill the fish outside on the barbeque.

(Photo from a similar recipe featured in the NY Times)

Top chefs team up to create exclusive menus at London Restaurant Festival

This week, the London Restaurant Festival announced an exciting new event for this year’s line-up. In celebration of their ongoing partnership with American Express, ‘10-10-10’ will see 20 of the UK’s most celebrated chefs working side by side on exclusive Sunday lunch menus.

Ten top chefs from across the UK will be paired with ten London chefs and then travel to the capital to cook in their restaurants. The menus will be on offer to anyone booking with an American Express card. (If you don’t have one, get a friend or colleague to book using their card). This is an incredible opportunity for American Express cardholders and their foodie friends to experience one-off collaborations from some of the UK’s culinary heavyweights. Here are the dynamic duos:

• Alain Roux (Waterside Inn) + Claude Bosi (Hibiscus).
• Raymond Blanc (Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons) + Bruno Loubet (Bistro Bruno Loubet).
• Sat Bains (Restaurant Sat Bains) + Richard Corrigan (Bentley’s)
• Tom Kerridge (The Hand and Flowers) + Anthony Demetre (Arbutus)
• Michael Smith (The Three Chimneys) + Jeremy Lee (Blueprint Café)
• Simon Rogan (L’Enclume) + Vivek Singh (Cinnamon Kitchen)
• Mitch Tonks (The Seahorse) + Mark Hix (Hix Oyster & Chop House)
• Shaun Hill (The Walnut Tree) + Tim Hughes and Simon Wadham (Rivington Grill)
• Steven Smith (Freemasons Country Inn) + Matthew Foxon (The Criterion)
• Chris Meredith (Punch Bowl Inn) + Anna Hansen (The Modern Pantry)

Claude Bosi of the two Michelin starred Hibiscus commented: “I think 10-10-10 is a brilliant idea. Restaurants outside of London are not championed enough so joining the two is a great combination. I am delighted to welcome Alain Roux to Hibiscus; I have always admired his cooking and know we’ll make a great team!”

Take a look at the LRF website for booking info and to find out more about this year’s events.

Dinner time! Heston Blumenthal to open his first London restaurant in December

British super-chef Heston Blumenthal has announced the opening date for his first London restaurant. On December 1st 2010, Dinner will open at the Mandarin Hotel in Knightsbridge – a prestigious address which is already home to Bar Boulud.

Diners will enjoy stunning views over Hyde Park as well as a unique glimpse into the kitchen, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling glass windows which will separate it from the dining room. The restaurant will also feature a pulley system, modelled on a 16th century design for the kitchens at the Royal British Court. Resembling the craftsmanship of an oversize watch, it will mechanically rotate a spit over an open fire. (Fingers crossed for London’s poshest hog roast!)

The kitchen will be headed by Ashley Palmer-Watts, who has worked with Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck for eleven years as Group Executive Chef. The pair have spent time researching the UK’s culinary history at the British Library and as a result, the menu will include dishes inspired by recipes dating back to the 16th century. The menu will celebrate top quality British produce in dishes like bergamot cured mackerel salad; slow cooked short rib of beef; and scallops with cucumber ketchup and peas.

Unlike the wallet-worrying prices at The Fat Duck, Dinner will be an affordable treat for London’s foodies. A three-course set lunch will set you back just £25 and a three-course a la carte dinner is priced at £55.

The booking line – 0207 201 3833 – opens on October 15th. Definitely a date for your diary!

Friday Feast: Canteen’s sea bass with anchovy and parsley mayonnaise

After last week’s fancy fusion dish from Asia de Cuba, we’ve gone back to basics with a simple fish supper from Canteen – a small chain of London restaurants who specialise in seasonal British food. Head chef Cass Titcombe explains, “At Canteen we use top ingredients and don’t do too much to them – this dish illustrates that brilliantly. It’s a quick and easy recipe and the mayonnaise works well with sea bass, sea bream or red mullet. Try and buy your fish from a good local fishmonger.”

Sea bass with anchovy and parsley mayonnaise

Ingredients: Whole sea bass (gutted and scaled by your fishmonger); 6 anchovy fillets; 3 cloves of garlic; 2 tablespons of Dijon mustard; 2 organic egg yolks; juice of one organic lemon; 350ml sunflower oil; small bunch chives (finely chopped); generous bunch of parsley.

1) For the mayonnaise: Blanch the parsley in boiling water for 30 seconds and then refresh in ice-water. Drain the parsley and squeeze out any water. Place the egg yolks, chives, blanched parsley, anchovy fillets, garlic, mustard and lemon in a food processer and blend until smooth (about 1 minute).  Then slowly add oil which still continuing to blend until you get a thick mayonnaise.

2) Season the sea bass, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Score both sides of the fish 3-4 times and then drizzle some good quality olive oil on both sides.

3) Place the fish under a hot grill for 2-3 minutes, then place the fish on a metal tray inside a pre-heated oven (200 degrees) for about 10 minutes (depending on the size of your fish).

4) Serve with some green salad leaves, a wedge of lemon and a glass or two of good white wine.

If you don’t feel like cooking this weekend, try out Canteen’s traditional British dishes at their restaurants in Baker Street, Spitalfields and Canary Wharf.

Experimental Food Society to host September Spectacular in London

On Saturday 25th September, The Brickhouse in East London will host The Experimental Food Society Spectacular – a glamorous gourmet exhibition and evening banquet. Society members and rising stars of the UK food scene will showcase their unique talents in a daytime exhibition at the stunning event space on Brick Lane. This will be followed by an extraordinary banquet where diners will be invited to feast on the edible artworks while enjoying a night of food-inspired performance. It’s guaranteed to be a feast for all five senses!

Featuring a quirky mix of jellymongers, bread artists, one-of-a-kind dining conceptualists, cake artists, food performers and chocolate sculptors to name a few, the event promises to be a spectacular display of Britain’s ground-breaking culinary artists. Guests will include food writer Stefan Gates; infamous jelly artists Bompas & Parr; the ChocStar van; the Rebel Dining Society; the Curious Confectioner; cupcake goddess Lily Vanilli; and international chocolate painter Sid Chidiac.

For just £5 per ticket, visitors to the daytime show can take part in interactive exhibits, sample the edible art, watch some of the artists as they create their works on site and pick up recipes and tips on how to get experimental in the kitchen. There will be a child-friendly installation for your mini-gourmets and the chance to meet some of the movers and shakers of the food arts industry.

From 7.30pm and priced at £75, the banquet finale will see 100 diners partaking in a unique multi-sensory dining experience. They will feast on the artworks in a five-course menu designed by Matthew Reuter (head chef at The Brickhouse) and Experimental Food Society members. Accompanied by a series of food-themed performances, the interactive evening will end with DJ sets by the Broken Hearts.

Founded by Alexa Perrin, The Experimental Food Society is an organization that celebrates food as an art form by bringing together some of the UK’s most-talented gourmet artists. As well as an annual Spectacular, the Society features an online members directory and a series of talks and events. You can find out more about the society and the Spectacular on their website.

Bitesize bargains! Great deals at some of the hottest new restaurants in London

With over 1,300 offers currently running on toptable, we know it can be hard to pick the best deal or the perfect place to eat. You can use our Best For lists for inspiration and set up special offer alerts via the My Account page so you don’t miss out on new deals at the restaurants you love and the areas you spend your time in. If you’re planning a night out this month and fancy trying somewhere new, check out these great deals at five of the most talked about new restaurants in London right now.

Shaka Zulu – Taste of Africa: 4 courses & a glass of fizz £25
This impressive addition to Camden Town is a feast for all five senses – from the incredible décor and the smoky aromas of the grill, to the zulu-themed cocktails and menu packed full of South African specialties. Spread over two floors featuring marble bars, 60ft murals and African carvings, it’s the perfect place to impress a first date and do a bit of celeb spotting. With the Taste of Africa offer, dinner for two could cost as little as £50 – but only if you avoid that tempting cocktail menu!

RedHook – 2 courses £10, 3 courses £12
At this slick Farringdon steakhouse, the super-fresh seafood and meaty mains have already won over the local suits. USA ex-pats will love the wine list, which includes over 70 wines from the Americas, and those on expenses can splash out on oysters and meltingly tender Wagyu beef. If you’re more underdog than fat cat, swing by at lunchtime for the great value set menu.

Café Luc – 3 courses £15.50
Budget-friendly meals can be hard to find in well-heeled Marylebone but at this charming eatery, the set menu is a real steal. Owned by Belgian restaurateurs and inspired by Parisian brasseries, it has a Euro-chic vibe and a menu full fresh fish, brunch dishes, and crowd-pleasers like steak-frites and duck confit.

Gauthier Soho – 2 for 1 Tasting Menu
Fine dining addicts and fans of Alexis Gauthier’s cooking at Roussillon will love his new West End venture – an elegant French restaurant in a Soho townhouse. Expect formal but friendly service and a series of exceptional small plates where Gauthier’s beloved legumes often take centre stage. If you’re celebrating this month or just want to splash out on a decadent dinner, the restaurant is offering a 2-for-1 tasting menu deal (normally £68 per person) – unbeatable value for an unforgettable experience.

Hix – 2 courses £15.50
Ok, so it’s not quite ‘new’ but it’s new to toptable and still packed to the rafters with West End foodies. Mark Hix has struck gold in Soho with his gutsy British menu, edgy artworks and a bar serving some of the finest cocktails in W1. Dine off-peak and the set menu offers 3 courses for under £20 and 2 courses for £15.50 – perfect if you’ve got a show to catch or need to refuel post-theatre.

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