Food and Drink

Even in your wildest dreams, could you honestly imagine ever opening a restaurant called ‘Plum Plum’? Merging the Chinese (‘Mei’) and Japanese (‘Ume’) words for the firm, juicy stone fruit, Mei Ume is the latest restaurant to open within the Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square, joining La Dame de Pic. The hotel space is glorious, yet the location is frankly bewildering - somewhat disconnected from nearby landmarks the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. Instead of fruit, though, the...

We take a look at some of the best ethical, healthy, vegan restaurants in London right now.

Brewed: Bristol Strength: 4.5% ABV Combining traditional British brewing techniques with global trends and unconventional ingredients, Bath Ales-owned Beerd Brewery was born out of the eponymous Craft Beer & Pizza Bar in St. Michael’s Hill, Bristol. Since establishing, Beerd Brewery have crafted a constantly growing number of beers that showcase different brewing methods, from ‘extreme-hopped’ IPAs, to unfiltered Hefeweizens, through to their coconut porter or Bristol cream stout. Speaking about the Brewery, Beerd’s Head Brewer said: “To create exceptional beers...

Have you ever wondered what somebody on the other side of the world is eating, or what that pungent smell coming from the apartment above was? Well, the chances are it isn't one of these unusual foods, but its better to be safe than sorry. Here are our list of the top 10 most unusual foods in the world Top 10 most unusual foods in the world Fugu by Peter Kaminski 10. Fugu When thinking of food, the concept of...

Joining the likes of Claude Bosi and Lee Westcott of The Typing Room, Chef Chris Denney of 108 Garage recently hosted a banquet on the roof of Harvey Nichols. Part of S.Pellegrino’s ‘Itineraries of Taste’ series, which continues with another event in London tonight (Tuesday 8th August) followed by one more at Harvey Nichols’ Edinburgh store, hosted by Elizabeth Allen (Pidgin). The final London banquet of the summer will be hosted by Marianne Lumb, having made it into the top...

Devastatingly, most of London’s Japanese restaurants have become poseur pilgrimages, instead of dining institutions. Terminuses for those who’ll choose a place for dinner based on the “vibe”, dress like stars from terrible films and push their raw fish around a slate, pretending to have fun before settling the four-figure bill and posing for optimum Instagram likes. Kikuchi, however, is a saving grace for those of us that actually enjoy Japanese food. Here, there are absolutely no bells, whistles or “live...

Although not the prettiest of cuts, pig’s cheeks are amongst the animal’s tastiest offering. The same can be said for those of cows (ox) and monkfish, too. From the new Saturday brunch menu at Roast – a British restaurant in Borough Market – this recipe substitutes traditional ham for smoked pig’s cheek, as a take on classic Eggs Benedict. Although time consuming to prepare, the sublime taste compensates for every second of cooking time. Smoked pork cheeks can be sourced...

Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, G’Vine Gin (Spain’s top-selling gin) pushes boundaries with a unique approach. Produced in Villevert, France, G’Vine is distilled with French grapes, juxtaposed to traditional grain. The grape spirit is then infused with vine flowers and nine other ‘luxury’ botanicals including juniper berries, green cardamom and ginger root. In addition, the vine flowers are a rare ingredient, blossoming just once per year, in mid-June, existing for just a few days before maturing into grape berries....

One of the first things you should consider when pairing wine with food is whether to mirror or contrast the bottle with the dish. For some people the like-for-like flavours of say, chardonnay and lobster make the perfect duo, whereas others opt to contrast with the crisp and bold flavours of champagne. Either are absolutely fine to do, but one of the big no-nos is to juxtapose great with humble or humble with great, and it's a sin Darwin Brasserie is...