City Eating

FLASH Temporary Restaurant: Art You Can Eat

Opening on November 1st, FLASH is set up in the West Room of the The Royal Academy of Art and will be a fully-functioning restaurant for 80 days before closing. It is part of an exciting new arts season called GSK Contemporary which includes 20 art exhibitions, 40 live events and 100 film screenings.

FLASH is brought to you by the guys from East London eatery, Bistrotheque, who enjoyed huge success with the first temporary restaurant, Reindeer, back in 2006. Executive Chef Tom Collins has created the lunch and dinner menus, which are inspired by French and Californian cuisine. It includes dishes like dressed Dorset crab with grapefruit, avocado and spinach; grilled duck breast with seared foie gras, confit duck, cabbage and cherry jam; and orange pannacotta with blood orange sorbet and polenta tuile.

The afternoon interlude will be filled by the Josiah Cream Tea which celebrates Wedgwood china’s 250th anniversary in traditional English style. There is a suitably stylish wine list on offer too, but we recommend trying out the signature cocktails. Don’t miss the Royal FLASH – a blend of Ketel One vodka, crème de cassis, champagne and fresh berries.

Tables are already extremely hard to come by, so cross your fingers and make your bookings fast. Their online booking system is located here or you can give them a call on 020 8880 6111.

Go Westfield: 50 New Restaurants Open Now In Shopping Centre

The £1.6billion Westfield shopping centre opens its doors today after months of hype and speculation. Thousands of Londoners are expected to visit over the next few days to splash some cash in the 265 shops inside. With 16 brands never seen before in the UK alongside big names like Dior, Tiffany & Co, Mulberry and Ted Baker; West London’s fashion-conscious locals will be spoilt for choice.

But it’s the promise of ’50 international food concepts’ we’re really interested in. There are 17 restaurants and cafes on the Southern Terrace and 13 more on the Balcony, while the Loft near the cinema is home to three family-friendly eateries – Nando’s, Pizza Express, and burger-joint Byron.

On the Terrace, you’ll find the second branch of popular pizzeria Fire & Stone; Swiss vegetarian café concept, tibits; and Wahaca – the second Mexican street food restaurant from BBC Masterchef winner Thomasina Miers. Chains like Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Wagamama, Del Aziz and The Real Greek are also represented.

The Balcony, overlooking the bustling Atrium, is a more informal space with communal seating, home to familiar favourites like Square Pie; Pho; Tiffinbites; YO! Sushi; and a new dim sum and noodle hut called Bamboo Basket. There’s food from all over the world with France represented by Crepeaffaire and Croque Gascon (from the owners of the Michelin-starred Club Gascon in EC1), which will be serving up traditional cassoulet and duck burgers with optional foie gras.

Hungry shoppers can also enjoy risotto at Ooze Risotteria; sandwiches and other snacks at Café Concerto; and Middle Eastern cuisine at Comptoir Libanais. The problem here won’t be finding something you like, but being overwhelmed by choice!

It’s going to be an incredibly busy place for the next few months but don’t panic, we’ve got you covered. Fire & Stone and The Real Greek are now bookable on london-eating so you don’t have to worry about queuing for a table, and the rest of the centre’s eateries are all on site and ready to receive your reviews – good or bad.

Halloween 2008: Spooky Treats For Ghoulish Gourmets

We know it’s technically for kids, but that won’t be stopping us from getting in on the action this Halloween - especially when there’s so many great events to choose from.

London’s top Thai restaurant, Mango Tree, will be revealing its dark side with a sinister Sunday full of fun for the whole family. From 2:30pm, there will be face-painting, pumpkin carving, and prizes for the best costumes; but after 7pm guests can look forward to devilishly adult fun and a medley of twisted tunes performed by Cabaret from the Crypt. A special three-course menu is available until November 2nd, including dishes like spiced prawn and crayfish salad, guinea fowl jungle curry with aubergine; and red fruit set in red wine jelly – all for just £29.50.

If you’re in the mood for a seriously spooky meal, then head for Tootsies in Richmond where they’ll be serving up a tasty python curry to adventurous diners. If you’ve already tried alligator, ostrich and kangaroo; then why not add this non-venomous but still scarily enormous snake to your culinary ‘To Do’ list? The curry is available until November 27th but don’t panic, the kids can still tuck into the normal Tootsies Junior menu.

Your little terrors are also welcome at Chicago Rib Shack where they’ll be invited to wear their best costumes, play ghoulish games and take part in trick or treat. There’s a special menu too, featuring American favourites like pumpkin chowder, 10oz rib eye scream steak, and Frankenstein’s apple pie with cinnamon cream.

For a slightly more grown-up All Hallows’ Eve, try out the Halloween Supper at No. 5 Cavendish Square near Oxford Circus. Their elegant menu includes pumpkin soup; baked cod with porcini mushrooms and butternut squash; and devilishly dark chocolate mousse.

Across town, trendy arts emporium - the ICA - is celebrating in style with frightening films and a full-on costume party which kicks off at 8pm in the ICA Café & Bar. Head The kitchen will be serving up classic British dishes like fish and chips and organic burgers, while the bar has put together a Halloween-themed cocktail list. Don’t miss the Skelitini – a bone-chilling blend of bourbon, chambord and fresh blackberries. The hosts will be giving away a bottle of Champagne to the guest with the coolest costume. The party in the bar is free to attend, while cinema tickets are priced at around £8 for non-members.

Pumpkins Galore: Waterloo Brasserie’s Seasonal Feast

While most of us have only ever used them for jack-o-lanterns at Halloween, the humble pumpkin has a lot more to offer – that is, if you’re brave enough to carve them. The autumnal favourite is loaded with beta-carotene – (known to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease) - and they’re also packed full of vitamin C, potassium and fibre, which are all wonderfully good for you.

But that’s enough science. We’re happy to eat them for eating’s sake and, luckily for us, Waterloo Brasserie is saving London’s busy gourmets the hassle of carving their own by serving up a four-course pumpkin menu for one week only. We visited yesterday on a suitably chilly October evening and settled into the darkly stylish main restaurant, which is actually an ideal setting for a night so close to Halloween thanks to its sleek dark furniture, moody lighting, and canvases splashed with warm shades of red and orange.

Naturally, I went for the full pumpkin menu which begins with a traditional soup. Served piping hot in a hollowed-out half pumpkin; it was well-seasoned and had a much deeper, earthier flavour than the roasted butternut squash soup I had made just days before. The bijou portion was just enough to set the mood and between the two of us we mopped up every last drop with the excellent poppy seed bread. From the special Autumn drinks list, I chose the Thanksgiving cocktail – a blend of Tanquerary gin, Martini (extra dry), apricot brandy, and lemon juice that cleverly cut through the rich pumpkin flavours.

Next came a delicious square of puréed pumpkin lasagne, packed with fresh wild mushrooms and topped with a pine nut velouté. Full of flavour and not too heavy or rich, this was a vegetarian’s dream and a welcome change from the tomato-based original. So far so good.

My dining companion, who had so far waited patiently while I worked my way through two courses, was rewarded with a perfectly cooked bavette steak and pommes dauphinoise. My third course was, sadly, less successful. While the risotto itself was well cooked and accompanied by a delicately flavoursome sage cream, the bitesize chunks of pumpkin suffered from being slightly undercooked. A real shame, as this was otherwise an excellent dish.

We rounded off the evening by sharing the almond nougat ice-cream. Firm, as opposed to creamy, in texture; it was studded with chunks of chewy nougat and drizzled with a subtly sweet pumpkin coulis. Light and not unlike frozen yoghurt, it was a suitably satisfying end to our seasonal feast.

The Pumpkin Menu is available all week (ending on October 31st) and is priced at £25 for four courses. If you’re not in the mood of a full-on feast, you can also order the dishes individually to complement your choices from the a la carte.

BBC Good Food Show 2008

It seems like ages since we were sipping Pimms and shopping for goodies at the Taste Festivals this summer, so it’s comforting to know that there’s less than a month to go until BBC Good Food Show London kicks off on November 14th.

Now in its sixth year, the show will feature the usual winning combination of celebrity chefs, award-winning producers, book signings, wine and beer tastings, and sample-sized dishes from some of London’s top restaurants. This year’s special guests are Nigella Lawson and Heston Blumenthal who will be hosting the Food Icons sessions as part of the Cookery Experience alongside James Martin, John Torode and Theo Randall.

The Restaurant Experience will be returning, offering food fans the chance to sample dishes from Blue Elephant, Roast, La Porte Des Indes, Theo Randall, Smiths of Smithfield, Kai Mayfair, Sumosan and many more. The gallery level of the Grand Hall Olympia will be transformed into a huge farmers’ market to create The Producers Village which this year plays host to the Slow Food Pavilion, and Henrietta Green’s FoodLovers Fair.

As well as the London show, the BBC Good Food Show will be in Glasgow from 31st October 31st to November 2nd and at the NEC in Birmingham from November 26th to 30th.

Tickets for all of the BBC Good Food Shows are on sale now from the box office (0870 040 0324) and online at www.londonbbcgoodfoodshow.com.

We will be blogging live from the London show on Friday 14th, so if you’ve got weekend tickets be sure to check the blog before you go to see what we recommend.

Choctoberfest

With temperatures dropping and winter drawing in, it’s time to roll out the comfort food and from October 13th, Britain will be indulging in its favourite - chocolate.

This year Chocolate Week is focusing on British chocolate and celebrating it with talks, tastings, demos, and the opportunity to meet British chocolatiers like Gerard Coleman, Marc Demarquette, Pascal Beschlé, and William Curley.

Some of London’s top restaurants are getting in on the act too. Diners can enjoy exclusive chocolate desserts at Signor Zilli, The Alma, Acorn House, Sam’s Brasserie, and Harrison’s. Some of London’s Gaucho Grills will be serving up ‘Chocolate Tres Leches’, which is head chef Martin Manning’s take on a traditional South American dessert made from cocoa, cream, evaporated milk, condensed milk, butter, eggs, sugar and flour. If you’re on a diet, just remember: there are no calories in food someone else pays for, so get someone to treat you.

Hardcore chocoholics should head for Almeida in Islington, which will be offering a full chocolate-themed menu including dishes like butternut squash veloute with a chocolate and cumin stirrer and pot roast squab pigeon with Madeira and chocolate jus.

If you like your chocolate in its original liquid form, there are sinfully sweet cocktails on offer at the Sanderson’s Long Bar and chocolate-themed afternoon tea, complete with chocolate martinis, at the Mandeville Hotel. You can pair chocolate with tea at Tea Smith, whisky at Paul A’s chocolate shop in Camden, cognac at Fortnum & Mason, and fine wines at Bumpkin - so whatever your favourite tipple is, you can be sure there’s a truffle to match.

As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also free tastings at chocolate shops across London, chocolate classes at L’Atelier de Chefs, and the launch of 100% pure Mexican chocolate bars at Cocomaya. You can check out the full itinerary on the Chocolate Week website and print special codes and vouchers for your cocoa fix of choice.

Rossopomodoro Bans Cutlery In Favour Of Hands On Dining

Diners at the Rossopomodo pizzerias can look forward to being refused cutlery and encourage to get stuck in, Neapolitan style. The chain - which has branches in Covent Garden, Chelsea and Notting Hill - was originally founded in Naples and is passionate about staying true to its Italian roots. Even the water they use to make their coffee comes from Naples.

"We make traditional Neapolitan pizza, and anyone from Naples will tell you, you don't eat pizza with a knife and fork. It's crazy using cutlery," said Rossopomodoro's managing director Simone Falco.

"Pizza is something you touch and share. The pleasure of eating it is just as much about how it feels as how it tastes."

Simone and his team are enforcing the no cutlery rule, and will confiscate any knives and forks brought in by customers so fall in line and get hands on. Bring the kids - they'll love it!

Gourmet Burger Kitchen Feeds Hungry Students

New research from leading burger restaurant chain, GBK, has revealed that the vast majority   of students starting university this Autumn can't cook simple meals from scratch. They surveyed 300 18-21 year olds across the UK and discovered that 66% couldn't cook an omelette, while one in six couldn't put together a traditional roast.

While 88% could manage to prepare beans on toast, only 23% could make fresh soup and many relied heavily on pre-prepared food. David Sykes, Managing Director at GBK, explained: "While I expected a lot of young people were used to having their food cooked for them, I was surprised by how few were able to cook pretty basic meals."

"To make sure students are getting proper, wholesome food into them, we're offering a special 'you buy one, we'll buy one' deal on all of our burgers when they produce our exclusive student voucher. I'd challenge even the hungriest of students to polish off two of our filling burgers, even if one of them is free, so bring a mate!"

The offer is valid for students only, Sunday - Thursday, when you eat at any Gourmet Burger Kitchen in the UK. Just buy two burgers and the cheapest one will be free. Offer runs until 31st October 2008 and you can print your voucher from the GBK site or the STA Travel site.

More Mexicans Enter The Capital

Chilango, which means a person living in Mexico City, is a new Mexican restaurant arriving in London with a mission to deliver fast, fresh and tasty Mexican food to the masses. Owners Eric Partaker and Dan Houghton have spent two years researching the best burrito and taco to come up with the most popular formula (taking into account traditional Mexican versions as well as US versions in California etc). They explain: ‘Our name sums us up. We’re here to bring some vibrant Latin spirit to the streets of London.”

Set to launch this October on Fleet Street, the interior will be a mix of bold, modern colours and the menu will feature typical Mexican fast food with a twist. Everything will be prepared and cooked fresh daily in the open kitchen, with chicken marinated overnight in their secret marinade and the guacamole mashed by hand. Most importantly, it’s all on offer at bargain prices – which should go down well as we all tighten our belts and the media talk us into a recession.

If you can’t wait for Chilango’s doors to open, you could try the equally cheap new addition to Goodge Street – Benito’s Hat. The menu is small – just soups, salads, burrito and tacos – but they do these very well indeed. They have already had a rave review in the Metro and our users have reported ‘great tasting beef, salsa verde and guac’ and, predictably, long queues.

Not so new but still worth visiting are Mucho Mas on Upper Street, which serves up ‘simply delicious burritos’ and ‘organic juices’ and nearby Tortilla – famous for its authentic street food. KL explains, ‘Tortilla a tiny, fast-food-esque place directly across from Angel, and specializes in the simple, inexpensive Mexican food that I came to know and love back in the States...I had the lush grilled steak burrito with everything, doused with Cholula hot sauce at the table. I may have to swing by for the braised pork on my way home.’

If you’re lucky enough to live or work near Leather Lane, you probably already know about Daddy Donkey. If you don’t, head down for lunch mid-week and grab a burrito to go. They’re among the best you’ll find in London, and their tacos are pretty good too.

Nelson’s Pub Sails On

The Talbot Inn, Ripley has just reopened after a massive Merchant Inns Ltd. refit that has seen this 15th Century inn keep all its original charm of low, head-splitting, beams and cosy inglenook fires but now also benefit from very modern facilities. The 400 year old oak main staircase looks like it’s been in quite a few wars and it’s odd to think that Admiral Nelson, who frequently stayed here en route to Portsmouth, must have run his hand where you now run yours. When he wasn’t running his hand over Emma that is.

A new restaurant with a cool copper ceiling and carved from an adjoining building blends classical and modern décor with a shiny conservatory while the menu is modern and assured from Chef Ian Richards. Upstairs in the original building are stunning, romantic bedrooms while out back are tasteful new rooms in a purpose built building that blends in with the original structure well. A pub and restaurant for locals and a hotel that’s ideal for corporates in the week and couples at the weekend, The Talbot is a warm place to go this autumn and just a short ride out of London. With RHS Wisley next door, you can combine a trip with some shopping for tasteful Xmas gifts too. Kiss me Hardy!