Archive For The “European” Category
Nestled in the historic streets of Maastricht is the Bisschopsmolen or, in English, the Bishop’s Mill. It truly was once a mill and its reputation grinds on in the guise of its bakery and restaurant. The mill was built in the 7th century and has had different roles since its construction. In the 11th century…
I have mixed feelings about Michelin-star restaurants. Yes, they can be striking and obviously the food will be memorable, but sometimes they lack soul and continuity. One has the sense that they might be trying too hard to keep that glittering accolade, at the expense of their guests. Il Gallo d’Oro Madeira has changed my…
What a wonderful island! Funchal in Madeira offers a great climate, history, creditable wines and superb food. There is a wealth of eating opportunities to cater for every taste, pocket and time of day. There are cosy bakeries, shelves groaning with both sweet and savoury treats for breakfast and late morning snacking. Bars and cafés…
Funchal in Madeira is one of my favourite cities and Quinta da Casa Branca has one of my favourite restaurants. That is surely a recipe for delicious contentment and a very happy reviewer. I have not actually stayed at Quinta da Casa Branca but dream of doing so. It is perhaps one of the most…
We had visited this delightful and intimate hotel before (read my reviews here). The Garden House is part of the Beaverbrook Estate and the smaller of the two hotels, the other being the lavish and imposing main house which was once the home of Lord Beaverbrook, one of the most influential men of the last…
Abokado is a chain, but it has become just that because it delivers what people want and it has regulars, and that, these days, is an accolade! We had breakfast in the High Holborn branch, which is just a stone’s throw from Holborn and Chancery Lane Underground stations. There are a few seats at this…
This is an exceptional summer in London. We are, at the moment, enjoying a heatwave and it’s the Royal Academy’s celebrated Summer Exhibition. It’s rather special this year as it’s the 250th year of this wonderful and sometimes controversial event. And one can make a day of it by having a delightful lunch at Le…
Ametsa with Arzak Instruction is a unique collaboration between Elena Arzak – voted Veuve Clicquot World’s Best Female Chef in 2012, her father Juan Mari Arzak, and Mikel Sorazu, Igor Zalakain and Xabier Gutierrez. This superb one-Michelin-star Basque restaurant is found at COMO The Halkin Hotel in London’s Belgravia, and it’s a convenient and worthy…
The Petersham Hotel Richmond is a perfect gem of a hotel and I am delighted to say it’s within walking distance of my home. OK, that walk would be a healthy trot of several miles but the hotel is near enough to be called local, and I am so pleased. This impressive building is perched…
Mayfair is one of the swankier neighbourhoods in London. It has everything the well-heeled might need: classy boutiques, jewellery, galleries and some great restaurants …expensive great restaurants. And then there is the gem that is known as El Pirata. There isn’t much in Mayfair that could possibly be described as cheap – not even good…
This is, at least for me, a box-ticking restaurant. I guess we all have our own individual preference boxes, but there can’t be too many of those that wouldn’t be garnished with a big golden tick after a visit to Pied à Terre. This Michelin-star restaurant was established in 1991, with the support of the…
Who doesn’t enjoy a good afternoon tea? It’s a delicious British institution and comforting. We know exactly what to expect – a 3-tier stand with sandwiches on the lowest deck, a few scones in the mid-section and an array of sweet treats on the top. It’s traditional, and marvellous when done well. But one might…
Opera Tavern is a beautiful two-storey bar and restaurant in the heart of central London’s theatreland. Located on Catherine Street opposite the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and seconds from the eponymous Opera House, it’s a stone’s throw from The Strand. Read my dinner review here. Catherine Street has been a thoroughfare since the 1600s. Its…
Ember Yard is the fourth restaurant from the celebrated Salt Yard Group. It has an enviable location off Oxford Street. Yes, ‘off’ is preferable to ‘on’ in this case. These streets are for those in the know rather than those who are lost on the way to Primark. There is great food to be had…
This is a classic English coastal town. It has a long and wide Blue Flag shingle beach which is dotted with fishing boats and fresh-fish shacks. It’s a draw for those who want to catch some rays and go for a paddle, and also those who would love an early morning summer walk to watch…
Located near Covent Garden in the heart of London’s West End, Eneko at One Aldwych is one of this writer’s favourite eateries. It is a delightfully stylish restaurant and wine bar from the acclaimed Basque Chef Eneko Atxa. This basement space takes advantage of a 2-storey ceiling at one end which offers diners in that…
Both afternoon tea and The Criterion are icons. The first is quintessentially British; the second a long-standing London destination for fine food, and one which has been frequented by the great and the good for around a century and a half. Thomas Verity, a British architect, won a competition to build The Criterion; work began…
One Aldwych is a smart and celebrated hotel and, as its name suggests, occupies the front near-side corner of that sweeping crescent called Aldwych. Eneko is its latest restaurant, taking the basement place of Axis, which I had always enjoyed. Eneko opened in London last year. It’s a sibling of one of the Basque region’s…
This truly is a ‘garden’ house with the intimate character of a cosy cottage. (Read more about the Garden House here.) It’s part of the Beaverbrook Estate and the smaller of two hotels, the other being the lavish and imposing main house which was once the home of Lord Beaverbrook, one of the most influential…
Discerning diners in Milan and the great and the good from the rest of the world will know of Savini. It will likely have been the venue for their international business meetings, smart lunches, family celebrations and perhaps a marriage proposal or two. It is, in short, a restaurant of impeccable pedigree and holding the…