The Ninth London, England, United Kingdom

My fiancé and I have followed Jun Tanaka from afar since he was responsible for the Pearl Restaurant at the Renaissance Chancery Court. This is now the Rosewood London.

We had always wondered where he had gone to and were happy to find out he had a new restaurant, called The Ninth, and holding 1 Michelin star. It is his 9th restaurant hence the name.

The cuisine is inspired by Jun Tanaka's travels.

In July/August 2017 we spent a long weekend in London, so we booked a table for dinner at Jun Tanaka's newest venture.

It is located on Charlotte Street, within ca. 20 minute walking distance to the British Museum. There are other Michelin stared restaurants in the area, one even on the same street, and the Charlotte Street Hotel is just across the road.

Again the front is unassuming like The Portland (see review) and we walked past The Ninth once, when looking for it.

At the time the weather was nice, so patrons could choose to sit outside on the small terrace and enjoy the sun.

We were greeted warmly by the Maître d' and brought to our table. Our jackets were taken.

Tables were close together, so we could easily overhear the conversation of our neighbors. If you are looking for privacy or a more peaceful atmosphere this isn't the place to go to. It was probably the loudest of the four Michelin stared venues we had lunch or dinner during our three nights/four days in London in July/August 2017.

Our fellow diners were international and one group celebrated a birthday.

Soon afterwards we were asked if we would like to have an aperitif or a bottle of water. We asked for still water, which was The Ninth Eau de Vie.

We also had a The Ninth Cocktail. It was a refreshing summer drink and we liked rather much, it's made with Hendrick's Gin and served as a Martini.

Since it was our first time at The Ninth we were explained that all dishes on the menu were made for sharing and we should choose five to six each. They would arrive whenever they were ready. If we wanted we could have a break after a certain amount of dishes arrived.

The waitress and we had a discussion about Bilbao and oxtail, since one of the dishes we had ordered was oxtail croquettes. We had eaten this particular delicacy the first time at the Cafe Metropol at the Gran Hotel Domine in Bilbao last year. She had been to Bilbao and the Biskaya too, but more for the wine. The croquettes came highly recommended by her, though.

 

One of our neighbors ordered it, too, but the rest of his family wasn't interested, even so he tried to convince them to try some.

Our choices were as follows:

Four oxtail croquettes,

Burrata, Datterini and fresh almonds,

flamed mackerel, dill, cucumber, capers,

sea bass Carpaccio, salsa Verde and pickled Kohlrabi,

Osso Buco tortellini,

rabbit lasagna,

chargrilled cauliflower, tomato and yogurt,

one slice of Comte cheese, 36 months aged with crackers,

Pain Perdu and the caramelized lemon tart.

All dishes looked appetizing and were outstanding in flavor.

The oxtail croquettes were moreish.

The Burrata was creamy and worked well with the crunch of the almonds and the juicy, sweet-tart Datterini tomatoes.

Both fish dishes were refreshing and beautiful.

The Osso Buco tortellini and rabbit lasagna were astoundingly light, considering that these are traditionally heavier dishes.

The cauliflower was crunchy, while the yogurt was soft. Flavor was added by the tomato. Jun Tanaka is famous for his vegetarian dishes, so you should try at least one.

The Comte was stronger in flavor, still not over powering, ideal for a taster.

The Pain Perdu was thick, crispy on the outside but soft on the inside and large. It tasted heavenly with the vanilla ice cream.

Normally I'm not a big fan of lemon desserts. It's more his thing, so I was pleasantly surprised when the lemon tart found the right balance between being sweet and tangy. The slice was ideal for sharing too.

The bill was 110.81 GBP / ca. 125.20 Euro / ca. 142.80 USD including service charge.

We would return, because we like the sharing concept, the colorful and tasty dishes and the warm and personal staff. Value for money is very good too in our opinion.

©2017

Galvin at Windows @ The London Hilton on Park Lane, London, England, United Kingdom

Galvin at Windows at the London Hilton on Park Lane was longer on my fiancé’s and my radar. Since we had four days in London end of July/beginning of August 2017 and one of those was a Sunday, we decided to try the famous and only Michelin stared Sunday Lunch at Galvin at Windows.

A few days before our lunch we received a call from Galvin at Windows to confirm we were joining them as planned.

Arriving at the London Hilton on Park Lane we asked the concierge how to get to the restaurant. We were directed to the elevator bank, where we had to type in the floor we wanted to go to. In our case the 28^th. The display showed us which elevator we had to take. Security is good, because no one else can join you and you can only go to the designated floor. A key card is needed, when going to a guest floor.

The elevator was fast and within a minute or so we were at our destination.

The hostess greeted us warmly and took our jackets. She offered us to have drinks at the bar first or go immediately to our table. We decided to head straight for lunch.

The dining room was classic and beautiful with cloud inspired artwork.

At first the restaurant wasn’t very busy. The longer the afternoon progressed the more diners arrived. The clientele was international with most of them being couples. There was also a family with two small children. The kids were overall well behaved and had fun with the sommelier.

The chef patron is Chris Galvin with head chef Joo Won in the kitchen from South Korea, so the classic French dishes had some Korean influence too.

Our table at the double height floor to ceiling windows had views over the Intercontinental Park Lane, Piccadilly and other London landmarks towards Victoria and Battersea Power Station.

We were given the wine list and menu. When asking for the cocktail menu this wasn’t a problem either, it was promptly presented to us.

We were asked if we might be interested in olives.

We agreed and didn’t regret it. The Spanish green Gordal olives were delicious and addictive.

Our bottle of still Acqua Panna water and a bread basket with butter arrived soon afterwards.

We had one alcoholic cocktail called The Foreigner made with Nomad Whisky, Pedro Ximenez sweet Sherry, Palo Cortado dry Sherry and orange and one non-alcoholic, Betty’s Garden, made with raspberries, strawberries, lemon juice, Vanilla syrup and cranberry juice. The sommelier said Betty’s Garden was a good choice and it definitely was my kind of cocktail. It was sweet and fruity, while The Foreigner was definitely a manly drink. He liked it very much. It was slightly too bitter for myself.

There were about 20 cocktails created by the bar manager Tiago. The inspiration was travel.

Our waitress said that the chefs could work around our dietary requirements.

Our appetizers were Galvin smoked salmon, beetroot, horseradish and dill and seared foie gras, Iberico pork, brioche and tomato chutney.

The first one is a “signature” classic. Both were delicious and moreish.

The size of the dishes was generous, so I thought in order to have a three course I should choose something smaller or lighter. I tried the tart tartin with zucchini, aubergine, onion and tomato. My fiancé had the roasted breast of Cotswold Chicken, chilli barbeque glaze and vegetables.

The savory tart tartin reminded me of holiday in the Mediterranean, while his chicken was finger licking good and the glaze was the highlight. The meat itself was tender and virtually fat free.

As desserts we chose a lime and strawberry mousse cake and a hazelnut and almond Paris Brest with praline cream and chocolate ice cream.

There was a show element included. The desserts were brought to the table on a trolley and the cake was cut in front of us. The size of each dish again was fairly large.

The Paris Brest was covered in chocolate sauce by the waitress at the table.

Wonder what a Paris Brest is? The choux pastry was created in 1910 by Louis Durand, a famous French patissier, at the request of Pierre Giffard. It was named after a bicycle race from Paris to Brest and back. The pastry is circular shaped to remind of a bicycle wheel.

The mousse cake was light and summery. The Paris Brest was heavier, but the size was right and the flavors worked well together.

To round up the meal we ordered two cappuccinos.

As surprise we received dark chocolate and chocolate orange pralines.

The pralines have been memorable and the sommelier must have overheard us discussing that it would be nice to have more of them, if we weren’t so full, because of this he came with another set.

 Of course we couldn’t refuse the gift, so we ate further….

The staff was attentive and genuinely interested in us, for example we chatted about golf with the sommelier, inspired by the polo shirt my fiancé was wearing. We had bought it at the Elba Palace in Fuerteventura.

After our beautiful Sunday lunch it was time to settle the bill, which came with a large glass jar of marshmallows (mint and strawberry). Both tasted moreish and are fluffy and refreshing.

There was a slight mistake with the bill. We were charged for the 3 course dinner, not the Sunday lunch. It was fast corrected and the member of staff was very sorry about the mistake.

The bill was 179.61 GBP (ca. 202.80 Euro / ca. 231.45 USD) including service charge.

We would return for the Sunday Lunch again. It reflects good value, the cuisine is excellent, the portions generous and the staff efficient and warm, plus the location on the 28^th floor added a magical setting and wonderful views too.

©2017

Nobu Shoreditch, London, England, United Kingdom

My fiancé and I discussed which hotel to take for our stay end of July/beginning of August 2017 in London, this was dependend upon purpose, availability/budget and location of our visit. There were three choices: a budget hotel in Shepherds Bush, an upscale hotel in Camden or a brand new luxury hotel in Shoreditch.  The budget hotel we've stayed earlier in the year, the upscale hotel had the right location for one of our full days, which included lunch at The Portland, a visit to the British Museum and dinner at The Ninth.

On the other side we could connect relatively easy by Tube to all the places we wanted to go to, when staying in Shoreditch, so it was a memorable call to try the newly opened Nobu Hotel, which we have followed since hearing about plans it was going to be built a few years back, it offers 150 rooms/suites with a design and feel which cinnects certain elements of Asia, especially Japan with the heritage and surroundings of London Shoreditch connocted in a beautiful 5-star environment. When it opened on 1st of July 2017 it was the only Nobu Hotel in Europe.[More Nobu Hotels are planned worldwide incl. Ibiza and others in Europe].

We used their opening offer. It included a reduction of 40 % on the overnight rate and breakfast. Having stayed there now we both believe it is worth to pay full price as we liked the style of the hotel as awhole, it's like a breath of fresh air for a new generation of luxury hotels in London.

We contacted the hotel before our stay via e-mail to request a Deluxe Room (entrance category room) on the higher floors and the in room dining menu. We inquired what the breakfast inclusion meant too. 

A friendly reply arrived soon afterwards. We were advised the highest floor we could have was the third floor. If we wanted to have a higher floor we would have to upgrade to an Executive Room. The breakfast included was the Nobu style "Full English". We were a bit concerned, because normally we don't like a traditional full English breakfast. More about that later. The menu was also attached.

Finally it was time to fly. It was one of the busiest weekends of the year in travel terms, so our flight was delayed by an hour, which had a knock on effect to our plans later on the same day.

We were glad we had decided to buy a Gatwick Express ticket in first class, which made the journey into the city much faster and more comfortable. From Victoria train station we connected to the Tube. Getting off at Old Street Station we had difficulties finding the hotel at first, because the area isn't built in a grid system. Shoreditch is one of the oldest parts of London. 

After searching for about ten minutes in heavy rain we finally found the Nobu Hotel. It is located on Willow Street, which is a side street and very small. The Hoxton Hotel is just opposite. The Nobu takes the whole block and the facade is understated Japanese.

We felt immediately well and I liked especially the little gardens to each side of the entrance.

Reception was straight ahead, while the lounge was to the left.

Check in was friendly and efficient, as expected. 

We were accompanied to our room and some features were explained to us, but there were also some secrets left to explore ourselves.

The Deluxe Room was on the 3rd floor as we had requested. It had views over the side alley which gave us a good reminder about our location.

The color scheme was gold, red, brown, grey, black and white, plus it worked well together.

There was a small hallway with the bathroom to the left.

The room felt large, even so it was "only" 22 m2. 

The style was a combination of Japanese cool and Shoreditch chic.

The floor to ceiling windows had two shoji screens; one for the day, which let in limited light and provided some privacy and a black out screen with a print typical for Shoreditch.

The air conditioning worked fast [cold] and was easy to use. The complimentary WI-FI was fast and reliable throughout the hotel at any time during our stay.

There was a beautiful king sized bed, a swiveable arm chair in one corner and a 55-inch flat screen TV.

The flat screen was hidden in a gold colored Japanese credenza and offered a whole range of regional and international channels, including the whole line up of Sky Sports, CNN, BBC World News, CNBC and Bloomberg.

In the compartments of the lower part of the credenza were the minibar and the tea set - no coffee making facility.

The mini bar contained interesting items, like Nobu Sake, Double Dutch Tonic Water (the classic version and one with water melon and cucumber), Sangre de Vida Tequila, which is shaped like a skull, still Fiji and sparkling Voss water, Hendricks Gin, a half bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, Pocky from Japan and Valrhona chocolate. There were also a phone charger, intimacy and emergency kits for sale and many more items.

The prices were easy to remember, because they were for the same group of items equal, so for the non-alcoholic drinks and snacks it was 4 GBP (ca. 4.55 Euro/ca. 5.20 USD), the alcoholic beverages 9 GBP (ca. 10.20 Euro/ca. 11.65 USD), the Champagne 30 GBP (ca. 33.90 Euro/38.70 USD) and the kits started from 15 GBP (ca. 16.95 Euro/19.35 USD).

The traditional tea set was from Kyoto and the tea was by Ikaati - the flavors were Royal Breakfast, soothe Herbal and Jasmine Song Premium Green Tea.

There was also a set of glasses for diverse drinks, coasters and recipes to make cocktails on your room with the contents of the minibar.

Even the compartments of the credenza were interesting.

For example the part that was hiding the TV contained a small mirror and all the drawers were red lacquered and had prints inspired by silk weavers and birds inside them.

The headboard of the bed was intricate too. It was extended and felt beautiful, it covered not just the bed with purpose, it was a design/quality statement at the same time. The design remembered us of Bottega Veneta's intricate leather work.

On both sides of the bed were outlets for electronic devices. 

The globe shaped lamps were suspended via orange rope from the concrete ceiling, which gave it an industrial feel and reminded us a bit about the Inntel Hotels Art in Eindhoven, which is set a former Philips light bulb factory in which we steayed in Sep. 2016.

The seating area was cleverly designed. It could be also used as storage unit. There was a bench with the luggage rack and a large drawer underneath it, and a chair. 

On the round wooden table, which reminded me of a tree or a mushroom, was a copy of the 24 hours in room dining menu, which was comprehensive, the menu functioned also as the Nobu Hotel guest magazine, plus there was a typed welcome letter reminding us that there could still some building works to be heard and that not all Nobu Hotel offerings are open yet incl. their fitness and wellness facilities/Spa.

The room was carpeted and grey with colorful stripes, which reminded us about Asian design sensibilities, especially Japanese design.

The shoji screens continued along the hallway, hiding two wardrobes and the bathroom door as well as one side where the seating area was.

There was limited storage space in the wardrobes. One drawer contained the safe. It was easy to use and there was no risk of the safe door falling suddenly down due to the design of the safe.

A full sized mirror was provided too.

The light was dimmable.

Turn down service was provided every evening with two small bottles of Fiji water and Japanese slippers [especially for her/him versions] inclusive.

The room was comfortable and we liked spending time there, even though we were very busy.

The bed and black out curtain allowed for restful sleep.

The bathroom was large and reminded us about the one we had at Das Stue in Berlin. It was completely white overall with some gold accents.

The material used was unpolished granite for the floors, stone and tiles. The gold sink and tap were a nice contrast to the dominating white.

There was of course a toilet and a large shower with a step up and a hanger to one side. The shower head was large and white too.

Water temperature and pressure were good.

A window with orange glass was located in the shower. It wasn't see through, but shadows could be seen, so this room type might be not suitable, if you aren't a couple or close family members. Using the light during the night in the bathroom could also disturb the sleeping companion, but all this was very subtle and didn't disturb us at all.

The bathroom amenities were by Natura Bisse Barcelona for Nobu Hotels with rosemary and white tea, which we loved.

Yukatas were provided [all Nobu branded and very soft] along with dental kits and other supplies.

As mentioned we had breakfast included at the Nobu Restaurant as part of our package/opening offer, the first one to do so. Some dishes were specifically created by Nobu Matsuhisa for this location.

The restaurant was located in the basement, but was double floor height and had massive floor to ceiling windows at the bar area with seating at the outdoor terrace. There was a pocket garden with Bonsai trees.

The bar contained many interesting Japanese Whiskeys and sakes.

The industrial and Japanese design continued throughout this fascinating space.

The maître d' greeted us friendly and brought us to our table.

There were booths on both sides and tables in the middle.

We preferred the booths, because they provided privacy, while sitting on one occassion in the middle we felt a bit exposed.

Our waiter explained we could choose the Nobu Style "Full English" or if a lighter breakfast was preferred the Nobu Style "Continental".

The "Full English" included green tea or coffee, orange juice, British and American bacon, Japanese style sausages, shiitake mushrooms, Japanese poached egg, crispy boudin noir (blood sausage), cherry tomatoes, adzuki beans with tomato jalapeno jam and Japanese buns.

We tried the full English with green tea on the first morning. It was delicious. The combination of all ingredients created an umami flavor. We liked especially the poached egg, the Japanese style sausages, the adzuki beans and Japanese buns. It was satisfying and left us definitely not hungry.

The second morning we had the continental, which looked like a piece of art. It consisted of exotic fruits, Nobu granola parfait and a green tea croissant. It gave us the option to try other a la carte items, which we paid for, and our dietary requirements could be easily accommodated.

We had the infamous Matcha Waffle and Chicken with smoked maple ponzu and pecan miso butter twice and also tried the Japanese Matcha flat muffin.

All the items we tried were of high quality, delightful, tasty and moreish.

If you haven't breakfast included, the full English costs 16 GBP (ca. 18.10 Euro / ca. 20.65 USD),the continental 13 GBP( ca. 14.70 Euro / ca. 16.80 USD), the Matcha Waffle and Chicken 16 GBP (ca. 18.10 Euro / ca. 20.65 USD) and the Japanese Matcha flat muffin 3 GBP (ca. 3.40 Euro / ca. 3.90 USD).

There were signs that the hotel is still in soft opening. Some examples are here:

The spa and fitness center and some of the rooms were still under construction. We heard a bit of building site work in the mornings, but it didn't influence us.

On our first evening we needed an umbrella, because we had a dinner reservation and it was still raining. I called the operator, inquiring about one. We were told housekeeping would deliver it to our room, only to receive a call a few minutes later being advised that we could request it from the doorman.

Shoe shine service was only available during the day, since housekeeping wasn't available during the night, we hope they might find a suitable solution to solve this "problem" in the future.

The breakfast inclusions should be better explained. On our first morning we weren't told that Matcha green tea wasn't included and cost 6 GBP (ca. 6.80 Euro / ca. 7.80 USD) extra. The second morning we were asked if we wanted one, so since we thought it's green tea too, it was included. When the bill arrived we queried the charges. We were okay with the explanation by the manager that the tea is rare and quite expensive and wanted to pay for it, since we had consumed it. He kindly took it off our bill.

Overall, it was surprising how smoothly the hotel ran after having opened only a month and given enough time the minor hiccups we encountered should have been worked out in due time.

The staff was friendly and personal. When we returned in the evenings, the gentleman, who checked us in had time for a chat and inquired how our days went and what we had done.

Check out arrived as always too soon and was equally friendly and efficient.

We loved our stay and would return again and we might try other room types offered in our future too. By the way, the suites offer balconies with views over their pocket garden which over time and good weather conditions will get "buzzy" IMHO. It's a beautiful and fascinating hotel which bodes well coupled with their location in equally fascinating Shoreditch, one of the oldest parts in London which feels creative and innovative at the same time, it's up and coming. 

©2017

Theo Randall @ The Intercontinental London Park Lane, England, United Kingdom

After having mixed experiences at Theo Randall's one year earlier we decided to give it a new try after the restaurant went through a full transformation and renovation in late 2015/early 2016.

The space had considerable brightened and looked much more contemporary and rustic with wood panelling and interesting light features.

The acoustic had also improved. It wasn't as loud as before. It could have had also to do with there being mostly couples.

The welcome was much warmer than last time around. We were promptly brought to our table, which was large, wooden and squared.

We had given the vouchers for two glasses of Prosecco we had received at check in to the maître d' and the Prosecco arrived promptly.

Our bottle of Acqua Panna and the Three Moons Cocktail with Masala and fig-thyme syrup were next. The cocktail was very strong and nuanced. It was delightful.

The greetings from the kitchen was bruschetta, which we already knew from our first visit and loved. It's one of the best we had so far, besides the one we enjoyed at the Hilton Dublin Airport.

We ordered insalata mista and beef carpaccio with zuccini as starters. Both were delicious.

Our main courses included sea trout with datterini tomatoes, aubergine, peppers, courgette, capers and Tagliatesch olives and parpadelle a la ragout (slow simmered beef in Chianti) and Parmesan cheese. The fish dish was colorful and had all the Mediterranean flavors I imagined it would have. The parpadelle were an indulgence.  It was rich and moreish. He had ordered the appetizer size, remembering from our first time visit that the portions were generous.

Dessert rounded up our meal with the infamous Amalfi lemon tart and one torta caprese, a chocolate almond cake with almond ice cream. The lemon tart is my fiancé’s favorite dessert at Theo Randall's. He liked the tart and sweet flavor combination. My torta caprese was generous in size too and delicious, but felt slightly too large.

Service was warm and attentive. We had also the chance to chat with the restaurant manager about the renovation and could compliment him for good service, better design and even improved food, which tasted even better than a year earlier.

The bill was 105.75 GBP, ca. 118.60 Euro or ca. 129.60 USD.

When we visit London again in our future and look for an upscale Italian meal we would gladly return to Theo Randall at the Intercontinental London Park Lane for our dinner.

©2016

Intercontinental Park Lane London, United Kingdom

In June 2016 we stayed for the fourth time in four years at the Intercontinental London Park Lane. We had enough IHG Priority Club Rewards Points left, so we used them to pay for our stay. When we made the reservation we made a mistake and noted there would be three persons sharing a room instead of two. I called the hotline to rectify it and promptly received a new reservation, stating two guests.

During the weekend the Queen officially celebrated her 90th birthday, so London was very busy and we had the chance to sign the congratulatory book at London Heathrow’s Queen’s Terminal. In exchange we received Union Jack flags and a paper crown as a keepsake.

When we arrived via the Tube at Hyde Park Corner we were surprised to see lots of naked cyclists. The cycling event takes place annually. Navigating through the throng of bikers wasn’t easy, but at least I had some eye candy, while he was fed up within a few minutes. Having finally made it to the Intercontinental we were warmly greeted by the door man and the greeter. Check in was a breeze and done in a friendly and personal manner. The receptionist did even know we were celebrating our anniversary and this was one of the reasons to stay at the hotel.

The check in sheet showed that there were three persons staying, so it seems the information hadn’t been passed on to the hotel directly. It wasn’t a problem. The receptionist promised to send a member of staff up to remove the rollaway bed, since we didn’t have a need for it. We had been upgraded from an entrance category room to a London Room. He also handed us vouchers for two glasses of Prosecco at Theo Randall’s. We were surprised by this because normally they are only given to either to Intercontinental’s loyalty program’s Ambassadors or highest tier members of the IHG Priority Reward program. It was a nice touch and we felt spoiled.

It was our second time we had received a London Room. The two were identical, only the views and layout were slightly different. This time we had Hyde Park view, which was very much appreciated.

As always the room was comfortable and even with a rollaway bed it wasn’t very cramped. The color scheme in blue and brown was to our taste too and felt fresh and elegant at the same time.

We were around 15 minutes in our room, when housekeeping arrived to take away the rollaway bed, which looked comfortable too. We hadn’t tested it, while waiting, so we can’t comment.

There was a book on the room, called “Love London”.

We used the shoe shine service and received the Financial Time as complimentary newspaper as requested. Both services were reliable as usual.

We had in room dining twice. Once we had late lunch with a Stamina Boost and a Vitamin Shot, the Spa Bento Box, which all came from the Wellness – “I’m worth it” section and a little indulgence, a massive Chocolate Brownie and Dark Cherry Sunday. It was all high quality and of course the dessert left as always a lasting impression.

In the morning we had the Wellness – “I’m worth it” The Healthy Start breakfast. It included green tea, one Energy Jolt juice, organic low fat yogurt, fruit salad, all bran with soy milk and multigrain toast.

The late lunch cost 67.50 GBP (ca. 75.70 Euro / ca. 82.75 USD) and the breakfast 22.50 GBP (ca. 25.25 Euro / ca. 27.60 USD), since the portion was generous we shared one set.

We also had dinner for our 2nd time at Theo Randall’s (review to follow), which we enjoyed.

Another nice touch was the cake that was delivered to the room due to our anniversary.

We had to check out fairly early, since the second reason for our stay was an exhibition visit, called Cycle Revolution, at the Design Museum at their former location at Shad Thames near the Tower bridge before it closed and moved to their new location in Kensington. While checking out we had a chat with the receptionist about the exhibition, since he was a cycling enthusiast, but hadn’t heard about the event.

We would stay at the Intercontinental London Park Lane again, since we were always well treated.

©2016

The Lobby Lounge @ The Metropolitan Hotel by COMO, London, England, United Kingdom

After our lunch at Benares in February 2016 – please see review – we visited the Metropolitan by COMO Hotel in London.

 

We made a quick stop to warm up at the Lobby Lounge, because it was a bit cold and raining during our February afternoon while out and about.

 

We had already some experience with COMO, having stayed at the Halkin Hotel, just a few steps away.

 

We were impressed by the stylish and whimsical, but comfortable interior design.

 

Would it have been a bright day, the lobby would have been light flooded due to the floor to ceiling windows.

 

The staff members were very discreet, not really visible and arrived just in time when you needed them, like magic, so this was an outstanding experience. Of course they were charming and efficient too.

 

We ordered tea, hot chocolate, a Vital Veg Juice and the Cashew ice cream sundae with walnuts, blueberries and verbena jelly.

 

The juice and sundae were from the COMO Shambala Cuisine Menu.

 

The juice included locally grown tomatoes, carrots, celery, peppers, cucumber, fennel, pumpkin, parsley, basil and lemon juice. It was delicious.

 

The hot chocolate was rich and the tea again by JING.

 

The sundae was really interesting and the jelly the most unique part. It was refreshing. The textures and flavors worked well together. We didn’t miss “normal” milk based ice cream at this time.

 

The bill was just under 40 GBP (ca. 52 Euro or 58.80 USD).

 

We would return again and we would want to stay at the Metropolitan by COMO Hotel in our future.

 

©2016

Benares London, England, United Kingdom

When planning our holiday to Fuerteventura and London in January/February 2016 we wanted to try a Michelin stared restaurant during our full day in London. We had three favorites and had to make a decision. We studied the menus and decided to book a table for lunch at Benares.

 

The chef patron is Atul Kochhar and his restaurant Benares holds 1* Michelin star.

 

The restaurant is named after the spiritual capital of India, Varanasi, which was also called Benares.

 

Benares is located at Berkeley Square in the Berkeley Square House which offers an unassuming façade for this grand restaurant.

 

Reception is located on the ground floor as well as the cloak room. We were greeted with a warm Namaste and brought upstairs to the dining room. It was divided into a larger space with a bar, private dining and a smaller, quieter room. We were in the furthest most private section and appreciated it.

 

At first there weren’t many fellow diners. It picked up and by the time we left each table was taken in the restaurant which created a good buzz.

 

The design was sultry with low lightning and photographs of Varanasi on the walls which added a touch of originality and authenticity.

 

One waiter was designated to us. He took our order and also made recommendations.

 

We decided to have a three course meal with Jing Tea Pairing, a bottle of water and two cocktails.

 

A greeting from the kitchen were mini poppadoms with different chutneys. We liked the slightly spicy one best out of the three on offer.

 

The first tea was a Jing Jasmine Silver Needle Cold Infusion. As the description implied it was served cold and was nicely refreshing.

 

Our starters were Paneer and Black Quinoa Croquettes with a Walnut Sesame Chutney and the Tandoori Lemongrass Infused Corn Fed Poussin with a Young Leafy Salad.

 

The textures of the croquettes were interesting and the chutney added nice flavors. The poussin was an excellent choice with the flavors very subtle, but satisfying.

 

The tea served was a Lemongrass and Ginger Hot Infusion. It was one of our favorites and paired perfectly well with the appetizers. It reminded us of teas we have enjoyed in Thailand for example.

 

Our main courses were chargrilled Cauliflower and Broccoli with Tomato, Fenugreek Gravy. The cauliflower and broccoli were on the one side tender, but had a good bite too. The spice mix made it exciting.

 

The matching tea and our favorite was the Nilgiri Frost and was a black tea. It had very good flavors and rounded up our meal to wonderful effect.

 

Our desserts were Rose Panna Cotta with Peppered Strawberry and Carrot Halwa and Cake with Mandarin Ice Cream. It was accompanied by Masala Chai. The chai was a surprise. We had previous experiences with chai and they came normally with milk. This one didn’t. The spices were subtle and it was very enjoyable.

 

The desserts were colorful, lavish and light. Our waiter was very well aware of our allergies and dietary requirements and advised us, that my fiancé shouldn’t try my dessert because it contained raisins. We had been in e-mail contact before about our needs, so we didn’t have to mention them during our meal again. This was very impressive in our eyes.

 

Our cocktails (one alcoholic, the other non-alcoholic) were served after our meal. He had the Cherry Kiss containing Wyborowa Vodka shaken with muddled Maraschino cherries, Visciolata Cherry Wine, Paan Liquor, Passion fruit Puree and Gomme Syrup. My Winter’s Dream included lemon grass, lemon juice, rose syrup, lychee juice and homemade orange bitters. We liked the presentation and flavors of the cocktails. We would want them to try again, they’re superb.

 

An older gentleman from the neighboring table was intrigued and wanted to know about the cocktails we enjoyed. He also ordered my fiancé’s poussin and when it arrived the waiter told him: “Here is your chicken.” We were a bit surprised by the visit and the “chicken”.

 

Before it was time for the invoice we received petite fours. They were inspired by Valentine’s Day, since it was the next day and our lunch visit was part of the Valentine’s weekend. We loved them.

 

The bill was 140.57 GBP (ca. 177.90 Euro or ca. 199.70 USD).

 

Our meal exceeded our expectations and was totally different from the Indian cuisine we are normally used to. We would return again.

 

©2016

 

Lowndes Bar & Kitchen @ The Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel London, England, United Kingdom

During our stay in February 2016 at the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel in London, England, UK - please see also review - we had dinner at the Lowndes Bar & Kitchen.

The bar itself was near the entrance from the hotel. Otherwise the dining room was setup like a modern restaurant. One of the waiters brought us to our table in the center of the contemporary designed space.

We liked the small lamp and the flower on the table, which added a warm feel to our experience.

It wasn't very busy, but there were a few other tables occupied with a family and some couples which all looked very happy.

Our dinner included a bottle of still water, three berry smoothies, two Scottish smoked salmon parcels with avocado, shallots and tomato, chicken biryani and the Lowndes mango chicken salad. As dessert we shared the vanilla crème brulee.

With the order came a bread basket and butter. The bread was still warm.  The dishes were colorful, fresh and light. Only the chicken biryani was very large and better suitable for two or three persons instead of one.

The waiter was delighted we liked the berry smoothie so much he recommended us earlier. Service was attentive and friendly.

The meal cost 105 GBP (ca. 132.25 Euro/ca. 148.25 USD).

We would return to the Lowndes Bar & Kitchen, since the quality of the food and the service are very good, but would be more careful what to order, since the portion size of the chicken biryani was very generous.

©2016

Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel London, United Kingdom

When planning and booking our holiday to Fuerteventura we returned via London to Dublin and decided to use the weekend completely, spending two nights there. Having stayed previously at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, which we liked, and having passed the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel numerous times, we thought we should book the Lowndes to have experience with all two Jumeirah properties in London.


The location is ideal - just a few steps from the Pierre Herme Boutique and easy walking distance to Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

We arrived shortly before 8 PM at the hotel and were welcomed warmly and with a hot towel. Check in was quickly completed.

To our surprise we were upgraded from an Executive Room to an Executive Suite. The receptionist accompanied us to our suite and also provided us with important information about the hotel.

For example we could use the pool and fitness facilities of the Carlton Tower, if we wanted to.

Leading off the small, but elegant lobby was the entrance to the Lowndes Bar & Kitchen, where we had dinner (A review is going to follow). The hallway, leading to the elevators, had a residential feel. On an intricately designed table were magazines like Baku and Marie Claire waiting.

Floors could be only accessed by a swipe of the key card, so security was high, since the reception had to be passed first before even reaching the elevators.

After a short tour of our suite we were left alone.

We fell in love with the room immediately. It had views over the entrance and the neighboring buildings. It wasn't the largest suite and more like a junior suite. The open plan design worked well. The suite was detailed and felt like a home.

There was a large comfortable seating area, a table with Jumeirah, London Where, Woman & Home and Home & Garden Magazines.

The coffee table book was about the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and its famous guests over the past 50 years.

The Flat Screen TV was mounted to the wall and was swivable, so it could be watched from the sofa, the bed and the writing desk. There were over 90 channels available and all the necessary international ones, like Bloomberg and CNN.

The wardrobe contained some storage space, the safe and the mini bar, which was well stocked with our favorite Sunraysia Juices. Prices were as expected in a 5 star luxury establishment. Hildon water cost 3 GBP (ca. 4 Euro or 4.40 USD), Champagne was 35 GBP (ca. 45.50 Euro or 51.10 USD), beer 5 GBP (ca. 6.55 Euro or 7.30 USD), Jack Daniels and Johnny Walker, Gin and Vodka 7 GBP (ca. 9.15 Euro or 10.25 USD) and snacks from 2.50 GBP to 5 GBP (ca. 3.30 Euro to 6.55 Euro / ca. 3.65 USD to 7.30 USD). We snagged the Kinder Bueno. It was halal and tasted somewhat differently than the shop bought European version. It was imported from the United Arab Emirates.
There was also a Nespresso Coffee machine.

The large bed was extremely comfortable and we loved the headboard with a Scottish pipe print, which was unique.

The writing desk with a London map print was large and like the rest of the furniture made from dark wood. We also found the "Concierge Chronicle" there. The head concierges of the Carlton Tower and the Lowndes give recommendations what to do and what to see. For example Szymon Romanski  of the Lowndes recommended the Chelsea & Belgravia Chocolate Tour, Kensington Palace, Salmontini and the Star Tavern.

We encountered Szymon in person, who is a clef d' or concierge. He was coincidently just a few weeks earlier on holiday in the Canary Islands. Szymon was friendly and warm and of course could answer our easy question without problems. Before dealing with us he was organizing transportation to Gatwick Airport for another guest.

Other details we liked were the very fast and reliable internet access, the deaf friendly phone and the key card holder and key cards. They had the Lowndes building printed on them.

The color scheme of the room was neutral.

We liked also the carpet design, which reminded us about Missoni, but it was brown and beige.

The artwork was modern and one was large and Celtic inspired.

The turn down service was every night between 19.00 and 20.00 hours. It included two bottles of water and a little gift. On the first night it was a Temple Spa lip balm, the other it was mint crisp chocolates. On the night before Valentine's Day Rococo chocolates were left in addition. There was also an accompanying letter from the General Manager Ian Richardson wishing a Happy Valentine's and also advising that the hotel had a high occupancy rate and that the breakfast at Lowndes Bar & Kitchen could be busy.

Back to the turn down: The bed was made up and mats and slippers provided.

In regards to changing sheets and towels, a disc was left on the bed and guests can choose what, if anything, needs to be changed.

We used the wakeup call and shoe shine service, which were punctual and our shoes looked like new.

The bathroom was medium sized with a sink, toilet, bidet, and bath tub/shower combination. We liked the photography of flowers, the Temple Spa amenities and the tile decoration.

We had in room breakfast each morning. We shared a Continental Breakfast and ordered in addition mixed berries, an egg white omelette with smoked salmon, tomatoes, peppers and onion, a French Toast with maple syrup and had green tea and a mixed berry smoothie. All was very delicious and beautifully presented. We liked the Thursday Cottage jams.
Tea was by Burchall and coffee by Caffe Torelli "Famously Italian".
We paid ca. 40 GBP (ca. 52.10 Euro / ca. 58.45 USD).

All the staff encountered was pleasant and efficient.

As always check out arrived too soon.

We would love to return again due to feeling welcomed and at home, the excellent location, comfort and details of the hotel and the excellent food.

©2016

Theo Randall at the InterContinental London Park Lane, United Kingdom

When we booked our stay at the Intercontinental Park Lane for October 2015 we also decided to reserve a table at Theo Randall, having passed it a few times while previously staying at the hotel and having heard many good things.

 

We were greeted warmly when entering the restaurant for dinner. The center piece is a desk with Theo Randall cook books and the earned AA Rosettes clearly displayed. We were asked if we wanted to have a drink at the bar first, before having dinner. We declined, since we had an early start, catching our train from London Euston Station to Birmingham New Street Station. The Maître d’ seemed, at least in our opinion displeased with our decision, but brought us to our table.

 

It was a relative private space and only a table seating four other diners was in the same area.

 

Unfortunately the group of business men and a woman was fairly loud.

 

The restaurant was full and the atmosphere was lively and didn’t match the fine food. Sometimes it was so loud we couldn’t hear what the waitress or the significant other was saying.

 

We started with a large bottle of still water and an Apple Martini for him. He enjoyed the Martini very much. It was soon followed by a greeting from the chef, bruschetta with tomato and cheese. This was really excellent and enjoyable.

 

We had already sent an e-mail with our food intolerances/allergies and dietary requirements, so I was a bit surprised when we were asked for them again by our waitress.

 

We ordered the insalata di pomodori (tomatoes, cheese and thin bread), as main course the large portion of ravioli filled with Delica pumpkin and Ricotta and as dessert originally cheese cake and black berry sorbet.

 

We liked the salad. It was refreshing and the bread added nice crunch. The ravioli were one of the best, but we made a mistake by ordering the large portion, which was slightly too much. It would have been better to take the appetizer sized dish.

 

The desserts and his drink, an Amaresso with espresso, Amaretto and cream, arrived at the same time.

 

To our dismay we realized the cheesecake contained raisins. It hadn’t been mentioned at all on the menu, so it was a total surprise. It wasn’t possible to pick the raisins out, because there were so many and they were incorporated in the dough. Since he is allergic against them we couldn’t accept the dessert. It was also overlooked by the staff, who had been advised months before and when ordering.

 

Of course mistakes can happen and when we told a member of staff, we received a few very sincere apologies, the cake was taken away and replaced with a Panna Cotta with raspberries soaked in Grappa without any quibble. It arrived fast and I was still eating my sorbet – I couldn’t wait, since it was melting away -, so we could at least enjoy part of the third course together. We don’t know if the Panna Cotta is normally presented the way it was, but it was delicious and made him happy.

 

We suggested that some dishes should be described in greater detail in terms of which ingredients are used.

 

My sorbet was full flavored and tasty. He liked the Amaresso. It was very generous, rich and bitter-sweet.

 

The bill came in at 129.38 GBP (ca. 166.10 Euro or 185.10 USD).

 

We will return, because the cuisine was excellent, the staff was friendly and the recovery quick and satisfactory. Hopefully next time we arrive at a slightly quieter time too.

 

©2016

 

The Intercontinental Park Lane London, United Kingdom

Our first port of call in October 2015 when arriving in London was our hotel, the Intercontinental Park Lane, where we stayed for a night on a points and cash rate. This was our third stay in three years.

 

We were recognized by the greeter and at check in as returning guests. To our big surprise we were upgraded to a London Room on the 8^th floor with courtyard view. We had considered booking this room type for some time now, so we were very happy to have received the upgrade and we weren’t disappointed.

 

The room was medium sized, but very detailed furnished and beautiful throughout.

 

There was dark wooden furniture and the color scheme was grey, blue, brown and gold tones, which was a nice contrast and added elegance.

 

The carpet had a beautiful plant print.

 

The large and extremely comfortable king size bed took in most of the space.

 

There was also a seating area with a coffee table and a club chair, a writing desk with a leather chair and stylish lamps.

 

Artwork depicted Apsley House and the Wellington Arch and reading material was the Where in London Magazine, which we enjoy.

 

The bathroom was small but well thought out with a sink, toilet, shower/bath combination and Agraria amenities.

 

The minibar was fully stocked and the Flat Screen TV offered regional and international channels.

 

We had ordered our lunch from the in room dining menu. It had changed since our earlier stays and was getting more health conscious and exciting. We had of course to try out the Wellness – “I’m worth it” by Neuropath Elisabeth Peyton-Jones Spa Bento Box. It included grilled chicken on Baby Gem, lemon and yogurt dressing, watermelon, mint and feta salad, salmon sashimi and couscous with moutabel. We also had drinks from the range, the Stamina and the Vitamin Shot. All was beautifully presented and tasty.

 

Later we had dinner at Theo Randall’s. A review is going to follow about it at a later stage.

 

The next morning it was hard to get out of the comfortable bed. Our next adventure was waiting, though, and we had to get ready for breakfast and our train journey to Birmingham.

 

We shared a Wellness “I’m worth it” Healthy Start breakfast with green tea, an Energy Jolt, a fruit salad, granola and bran flakes with soya milk and wholemeal toast. It was delicious.

 

Afterwards our check out was quickly dealt with and we were on our way.

 

We are looking forward to stay at the Intercontinental Park Lane again in the future.

 

 

©2016

Pret-a-Portea, The Caramel Room @ The Berkeley, London, United Kingdom

Having heard so many good things about the Pret-a-Portea at The Berkeley we decided to try it while we were staying there.

See also our review.

The tea was served at the Caramel Room, which was designed by Alexandra Champalimaud. We booked online at the hotel's website ca. 4 weeks before. We were lucky seatings were still available on Friday afternoon, but Saturday and Sunday were already booked out.

We chose consciousiously the seating at 16.30 hours, because we were checking out at the Intercontinental Park Lane (see also review) the same day and wanted to make sure we could check in at The Berkeley, photograph the room and make ourselves fresh. It was perfectly timed.

The Pret-a-Portea was originally created in 2005 to bring in shoppers from the surrounding Knightsbridge/Mayfair area. It was only planned to be temporary, but the tea was such a success it stayed for good.

As the name suggests Pret-a-Portea is fashion inspired, so there is a spring/summer and autumn/winter "collection".

We had to wait a bit before our table was ready.  There was a name sign in the shape of a pink high heel marking it.

We had a table in the middle of the room.

The clientele was international.

Our waitress explained to us how the afternoon tea functioned since it was our first time we took part. We could have from everything second or more helpings and we could even try different teas or have refills. We were also asked for any food intolerances or allergies.

We chose Amazing Apple and Pear Caramel Tea. One of us enjoyed also a glass of Laurent Perrier Rose Champagne.

The china was designed by Paul Smith - a perfect fit to the exhibition ["Hello, My Name is Paul Smith"] we did visit at the Design Museum during our stay at the Berkeley Hotel.

First arrived the sandwiches - all were fantastic and since they were so tasty we asked for another round of the egg and ham sandwiches. They were our favourites.

One bread type was especially unusual it was made with beetroot. Another one was lemon flavoured. The shapes were round and squared.

Next were the savouries - no scones - BBQ roast duck tartlets, goats cheese, chilled water cress soup, chestnut panna cotta and marinated sword fish.

Everything was great. The chilled water cress soup and the goats cheese were our favourites.

The highlight was of course the sweets. There was a Burberry Trench Coat, a Giovanni Rossi over the knee boot ginger bread, an Emporio Armani and Jean Paul Gaultier inspired cream/mousse, a Saint Laurent Victoria Sponge Cake bag, a Vivienne Westwood macaroon, a Miu Miu Polka Dot Jaconde and Gianduia Mousse, a Giles Sacher Torte and an Oscar de la Renta Orange Bavarois. All was decadent, creative and full in flavour. 

Stand outs were the Emporio Armani violet cassis mousse with light Curacao jelly and the Jean Paul Gaultier gold quilted banana and caramel cremeaux and passion fruit compote.

It was amazing and we were totally spoiled, getting second helpings from everything and even though we said we were fine the staff double checked there wasn't really a need for third servings. It was the most generous afternoon tea we ever had.

The staff was always there when needed, engaging and passionate - finding just the right balance between being professional and warm, but discreet. You could see they enjoyed what they were doing and seemed sad to see us go.

We received two little carton handbags filled with a few more goodies as present before leaving. 

Cost was 108 GBP (ca. 130.50 Euro / ca. 180.80 USD) including service charge - time and money well spent.

We would recommend the Pret-a-Portea highly. It's unique, tasty and inspirational.

©2014