Food and Drink
The Weekly Cocktail Recipe – M Bar’s ‘Blue Rose’
There are many people that insist upon the most premium spirits (especially whiskies) being drank neat, without any accompaniments, no matter how simple. And to be completely fair, these particular people are often right. Why would anybody wish to invest in expensive, high quality alcohol only to let the taste be detracted by unworthy mixers? Much to the disgust of most purists, however, there are very few exceptions to the rule,. One bar in particular that has crafted a ludicrously...
Top 5 Burger Chains In London That Aren’t Byron
The Byron Boycott is officially on after the popular burger chain lured its workers into an immigration trap designed in cahoots with the Home Office. Bryon has become the face of right wing Britain with messages of support streaming in from fascist loonies who are overjoyed at the inhumane set-up. Comments such as “About time - kick them out now” and “Maybe they should hold similar 'recruiting' events across Europe” soon appeared on a long list of hate-fuelled comments. For...
Beer of the Week – Goose Island Beer Company’s Goose IPA
Strength: 5.9% Brewed: Chicago, Illinois Set up in 1988 by founder John Hall, Goose Island is now one of America’s most popular craft breweries. Inspired by Hall’s travels of Europe, through which he managed to experience some incredible tasting beers from the continent, Chicago was eventually the city chosen as a base for the brewery: a city that was at the time an ideal start with plenty of rapidly evolving tastes. Chicago is also home to the largest fresh water system on...
Bar Review – Hutong
Four years have passed since the Shard was completed, and I’m still unable to understand why visits to the 72nd floor viewing gallery are so popular. Given the choice, why would anybody choose to pay £25.95 for the pleasure? Especially when that particular cost could, instead, buy a round of drinks (almost) within one of the restaurant bars? The restaurants are perched just half-way up the tower, yet the views are almost equally impressive – especially when seated window-side, with...
Children Do Not Want To Eat Dead Animals
By Elena Orde, Editor of The Vegan You may have seen recent news stories about a malnourished child who was removed from his parents. A sad case, of course, but given that malnutrition affects over 3 million people in the UK, why has this particular story made international headlines? Because the child was vegan. In the wake of this news, chat show The Wright Stuff posed the question, ‘Abuse to put children on a vegan diet?’ while the Telegraph asked...
Mighty White is Brown Bread
Traditional staple foods such as white bread and pasta are disappearing off the Great British menu as people opt for trendy alternatives such as quinoa and flatbreads. New research by Lurpak found a third of Brits say their dietary essentials have changed in recent times, with sweet potatoes, cous cous and pitta bread now commonplace. Seven in ten have expanded the variety of food they eat and a third of British homes have introduced ingredients like olives, avocado and chorizo. In fact, the...
Spirit of the Month – Patrón Silver Tequila
It’s a crying shame that tequila has garnered a somewhat unscrupulous reputation within the United Kingdom, often linked with horrific memories of shots that combine cheap spirit, salt, lime, and regret. However, as is the case with most things, good quality is key and can make all of the difference – premium tequilas, for example, are not only designed to be sipped leisurely, many are also rather enjoyable. Patrón is a brand of Mexican tequila that has soared in popularity...
Restaurant Review – Bone Daddies, Old Street
In modern day life, there are uncountable sources of irritation constantly flung at us from all directions, especially when eating out is involved. Dining companions immersed in the screen of their mobile phones, slates instead of real crockery, argumentative waiters, ‘gourmet’ burgers that are insistently over-cooked and over-sized... The list could go on and on - yet one thing that’s more infuriating than almost anything else is the ‘no-reservation’ culture that’s sweeping London’s restaurant scene – forcing us to queue...
Beer of the Week – Freedom Prototype Pale Ale
Brewed: Abbots Bromley, Staffordshire Strength: 4.2% ABV Britain’s longest-established brewer of craft lager, Freedom Brewery has been operating since 1995. However, it’s not until very recently that they’ve finally started to delve into the world of ales. Following a huge expansion project, which saw a brand new brew house and 20 new vessels, the brewery set out to craft a prototype of their first pale ale. As well as being sustainably brewed and vegan-friendly, the beer is also the first...