Restaurant Reviews Mapped!

With a little help from my wonderful brother-in-law, we have put together a handy map of some of my favourite restaurants in London, along with my pictures and words.

Have fun exploring!

blow LTD: Fast Beauty in Covent Garden

Ever needed to be somewhere ASAP and not had enough time to get ready? Be it for either a very important meeting or a night out? Well there's a new beauty bar open in Covent Garden, that is sure to be the answer to your needs.

It's called Blow LTD and it's situated in a convenient central location in Covent Garden. Basically, they can make you look like a movie star in 25 mins.

The blow dry craze never really took off here, even with bars like Hershesons blow dry bar, it was either too expensive for us or took too long. British women have never really taken that much time to pamper themselves, unlike the Americans. We look after ourselves, but not too much.

Blow, however, leaves us with no excuse not to look after ourselves. It brings the concept of fast beauty to London. Whereas places like Hershesons and other blow dry bars only specialise in hair, Blow LTD leaves their competition far behind they not only blow dry your hair in 25 minutes, they can also do your makeup in 15 mins and do your nails at the same time as your hair. You can go in having just rolled out of bed and in about 40 mins you can exit looking like a Goddess. 

Let me talk you through the concept. Blow has a menu, from which you can choose one of 9 styles, everything from up-dos to super sleek hair, plus one or two seasonal specials. The most popular styles are the "Luxe", loose waves, and the "Beach Blow", which is tighter waves. Then choose your makeup, natural, evening or party and then choose the kind of nails you want. 

I visited Blow and decided to go for something I would never normally have, a Starlet blow, which is like that Veronica Waves look. A real classic movie star.

Staff were very friendly and it did only take 25 minutes to complete. 

#nomakeup #selfie The Starlet in progress....


From the side, this hairstyle is stunning. They plait your hair tightly and clip it to one side so it stays in position. It's an absolute dream.

Blow is not just a beauty salon. They consider themselves a beauty bar. Fantastically, they also stock all the products they use on you, so if you love a lip colour or a blush, you can buy them in store too. They stock amazing cult beauty brands, like Jouer, Lord and Berry or GlamGlow, brands that were previously only available online or abroad.

I walked out feeling like a true 1930s Hollywood movie star. I just know I will be revisiting Blow LTD again when I'm in need of a transformation before that night out, or simply in need of a little lift in the form of a quick pamper.

Check out their website here blowltd.com to see the products they sell and the styles they do, or to book yourself an appointment!

Iberica, Marylebone

Someone told me that they think Iberica is better than Barrafina. Blasphemy I thought, Barrafina (and Jose) is the best Spanish restaurant in London. I have to check this out.

With a few outposts now Iberica could be considered - eek- a chain. They have two restaurants in Canary Wharf, another in Farringdon but I visited the restaurant in Marylebone, not far from Marylebone high street. One thing that might please some, you CAN book at these London restaurants!

The tapas restaurant is open and spacious set over two floors. Details like wood and glass and classic Spanish tiles have been carefully thought out to create a beautiful and lively surroundings. 

The first thing I noticed about the menu is that they have tried to modernise traditional spanish tapas food. They have taken the classic spanish flavours, grilled sea food, cured meats and chorizos, and updated them and put a modern twist on them.

Sadly I did not try the green Canarian mojo, but whatever it is, I want some of that mojo.

We ordered a different kind of sangria, containing prosecco instead of red wine. Interesting!! Also came in very cute jars.

Food: starting with fried chorizo lollipops with pear aioli. Lovely and not too greasy.

The best thing we ate, the squid ink risotto with cuttle fish, prawns and aioli sauce.

This was delicious, asparagus, manchego, onion confit and truffle oil. I'm a sucker for truffle.

Lamb sweetbreads, two way egg and roasted red pepper.

Serrano ham croquettes.

Crispy confit of Segovian suckling pig, apple puree and frisee salad.

Yes, we ordered a lot. Yes there were just two of us. But we still wanted dessert.

La tarte de la abuela, a kind of chocolate mousse.

All very lovely and I had an extremely enjoyable night. I admit after I came away I was on a high and thinking "Yep, that was delicious. I like that more than Barrafina too!" However, as I've had time to reflect upon the meal, as lovely it was, the modern style of tapas that they do is not making me yearn for more. There is no stand out dish that I still dream of, unlike the sobrosada on toast with duck egg from Barrafina. 

Those stronger, punchier flavours of classic tapas, which maybe more simple - for example grilled prawns with aioli and chilli - linger in my memory a lot more than the now seemingly bland flavours of Iberica.

Try it, you will like it, but it won't leave you gasping for me. I'm back off to Barrafina.

L'Autre Pied, Marylebone

Michelin starred restaurant, L'Autre Pied, awarded its one star in 2009, had an offer on Groupon for their 7-course tasting menu at half price. Well worth checking out if it's still on! Some may call it cheap, I know someone who calls it Value For Money. If the deal is no longer on, they also do a pre-theatre and set lunch menu so you can get a taste of their style for under £30.

UPDATE: L'Autre Pied is offering a special Easter menu of 5 courses for £39 between 14th - 27th April. Online bookings only, check menu here http://ow.ly/vhcwK 

L'Autre Pied is the sister restaurant of Pied a Terre, the two star Michelin restaurant, just around the corner (and pop-up Pieds Nus) all masterminded by David Moore.

The style of food is modern, set in a relaxed non-fussy atmosphere, unlike some other French restaurants out there (cough Gauthier Soho cough), so the diner can relax and enjoy their meal with no worries about uber correct etiquette and being quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

Dishes are imaginative, precise and beautiful to look at. So much detail and precision goes in the placing of every ingredient; some are very close to works of art.

Although 7 courses long, plus amuse and pre-dessert, I left feeling comfortably full and not over-stuffed. The food felt light, virtuous and *almost* healthy. 

It was a joy to eat. Without further ado, here are some pictures.

Salad of Radishes with Black Quinoa, Crème Fraiche, Fennel and Dill

Flame Grilled Mackerel with Hazelnuts, Apple Tapioca, Celery and Miso

Roasted Sea Bass with Ras el Hanout, Butternut Squash, Celeriac and Soybean

Fillet of Roe Deer with Toasted Hay, Parsley Roots, Carrots and Peanut Crumble

Apple Mousse with Lime and Olive Oil Puree, Caramel Meringue and Yoghurt

Sager & Wilde, Hackney

In an unassuming, rather random, corner of Hackney stands a cute little wine bar named Sager & Wilde.

Walking in, I was truly astounded at the beauty and general loveliness of the little place. Beautifully designed, it was incredibly romantic, with a dimly light bar, exposed brick and original features throughout. Shame I didn't go with the boyfriend!

The menu is very fairly priced and changes every day, a clever way to lure wine lovers in. You are allowed to taste anything you want to make sure you'll like the wine. Great for someone like me who is picky with wines.

We sat in a back corner, on a little raised wooden bar, surrounded by candles. It is first and foremost, a wine bar but excellent offerings of charcuterie, cheese and small plates are provided.

Most importantly, all the wine ordered was excellent. They will work so hard to find a wine that you really love. Don't be afraid to say no!

We felt peckish, so ended up ordering all three kinds of charcuterie on offer, coppa, salame piccante and finocchiona.

And once we had a taste of that, we couldn't stop so went ahead and also ordered n'duja on toast, air cured tuna with almonds and delicious boquerones in a rocket salad. 

The atmosphere is just perfect inside, quiet, calm and unassuming. The evening was wonderful and I can't wait to go back, this time with someone to experience some romance!

The Lockhart, This Time For Brunch.

And I thought it couldn't get much better than dinner at The Lockhart. I was so so wrong. Lockhart is fast becoming one of my favourite places to eat in London.

Warning. This post is delicious. And full of one of the best brunches I've ever had in London.

However, best to start with the bad so it's out of the way. A coffee is £4. I nearly choked. But that is London. Moving on.

Starting with the best fried chicken in London on a pecan waffle with maple syrup. There are not enough words for how good this was. It blew my mind.

Equally as interesting and delicious, though not as sweet, was smoked pork hash with a fried egg. I can't tell you what else the pork was mixed with, some kind of creamy sauce, but all I know is that it was delicious.

To finish, we went for 1235 doughnuts, made by head chef Brad McDonald himself, sold in Columbia Road market. These were a little disappointing, mostly due to the fact I've had St. John's Bakery doughnut - maybe the best in the world - and more recently Justin Gellately's - of Bread Ahead Bakery in Borough Market - Salted Honeycomb and hazelnut praline doughnuts, which are very very good indeed. 

Here the salted caramel doughnut filling didn't taste of much at all, and neither did the pastry itself. However the chocolate filling was very good. They are by no means perfect, which Brad McDonald has acknowledged by saying he wants to tweak them to find the perfect doughnut.

Still, by no means a bad doughnut. I'm just being very picky!

If you haven't been to The Lockhart yet then WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!!?!

GO GO GO GO NOW!!!!

Polpetto, Soho

Polpetto, sister of Polpo and child of Russell Norman, has re-opened, moving from Dean Street, to a bigger site on Berwick Street.

With rising star Florence Knight at the helm and banking on the already popular, tried and tested Venetian, no-reservations, small plates concept, this was always going to be a good. If you're looking for somewhere in Soho to eat, the Polpo/Polpetto group are always a safe bet.

Starting with a delicious blood orange and thyme alcoholic cocktail and some foccacia to keep us going, we waited for a table for around 35 mins after entering at 7.30 - not too bad. 

I'll admit, Polpo is never somewhere I'm going to be mind blown by the food, unlike say Chiltern Firehouse, the food here is too simple for that, but it is somewhere in Soho that you can go where you know you will have good food and always be pleased by the experience.

First to arrive was the creamy burrata with agretti and chilli. Really good creamy burrata.

Next up came the mussels with wild roasted garlic and canellinni beans. Good, if a little fiddly, having to pick out the beans from inside the sauce and I'm not sure mussels lend themselves that easily to the sharing concept, though the sauce was fantastic. 

The only serious disappointment was the soft poached egg and black truffle. I thought this was going to be so so good. Unfortunately, what came was a rather sad-looking poached egg. 

The black truffle flavour, usually my favourite, hardly came through. Perhaps some truffle oil should have been added for a fuller flavour, or simply a little bread to mop up the deliciously runny yolk. In my opinion this dish needs some work. It could be so so so good.

Then came my second favourite dish, the scallops with creamed and whole white broccoli with lardo. Really good.

And, they saved the best till last, the bacon chop with whitty pear butter and walnuts. The smell was incredible and that butter, more of a sweet jam, was deliciously sweet paired with smokey bacon.

We were stuffed at this point….but still managed to be tempted by the milk pudding with rhubarb and rose. Deliciously sweet flavours all mingled with the tart rhubarb and the texture of the milk pudding was perfect.

So an enjoyable evening was had, and a place in Soho I know I can always go and be satisfied, however not wowed.