Home
Reviews
Articles
Interviews
Travel
About
Palate Cleanser

Browsing Category

articles

new
Read

The Trouble with Steak Chains (2017)

by C Ley

A lovely return to London Shell Co in Highgate and

A lovely return to London Shell Co in Highgate and discovering a new coffee shop / bookshop hybrid called Funny Weather which opened very recently. These are located very conveniently (or dangerously, depending on your interpretation) either side of The Bull and Last. After a bracing walk on Hampstead Heath these are perfect for blowing away the January cobwebs
.
.
.
.
.
#londonlife #hampsteadheath #highgate #londonfood #coffeeshop

Happy Dry Martini January! Back to St John to get

Happy Dry Martini January! Back to St John to get 2026 off to a good start
.
.
.
.
#stjohn #martini #drymartini #january #newyear

Rounding off 2025 with some favourites, old and ne

Rounding off 2025 with some favourites, old and new: martini at The Donovan Bar, emergency steak at Arlington (with Paul on the piano of course), a return to the amazing 74 Charlotte Street (now with a Black Forest Soufflé), Campari Shakerato with a touch of Fernet Branca at Kwãnt, Campari Shakerato and Negroni at Termini (avec Parmesan) and, finally, before heading to a little dinner party to see in 2026, a Hanky Panky at Rules.

Have a good one whatever you’re doing! Long-form reviews will return on our main site in February after a short break but in the meantime thanks for reading and wishing you a delicious 2026! May your ice cubes always be clear and your martinis as dry as Arrakis. Cin cin
.
.
.
.
.
#newyear #happynewyear #bonneannee #carpediem #cincin

A wonderful return to Lorne in Pimlico just before

A wonderful return to Lorne in Pimlico just before Christmas - an independent neighbourhood restaurant that has been consistently excellent ever since it opened in 2017. The wintry haunch of venison with braised shoulder, potato galette, beetroot purée and creamed cabbage (first photo) was particularly impressive, but also the chicken raviolo with buttered leeks and the roast haddock with crab, onion ring and a rich shellfish bisque. All bookended by the mandatory and delicious Lorne aperitif (with cheese arancini) and madeleines. Great wine list as usual. Merry Christmas!
.
.
.
.
.
#christmas #londonrestaurants #eat #londoneats #foodgram

A lovely lunch at another new quiet opening for la

A lovely lunch at another new quiet opening for late 2025: Michael Caines at The Stafford, where The Game Bird used to be, is subdued and refined (and is conveniently metres away from The American Bar so it would be rude not to have a martini there first). It feels essentially the same as The Game Bird in both design and with its high standards of service but now with Michael Caines’ refined approach, bringing ideas from his Michelin-starred restaurant Lympstone Manor in Devon (though like The Elizabeth (reviewed on our main site) he is a “culinary director” and so is unlikely to be in the kitchen every day but he has clearly employed a good team).

A few dishes from this visit: a salmon tartare with salmon jelly, cucumber and honey soy vinaigrette; beef cheek raviolo with celeriac fondant, watercress purée and Madeira cream sauce (Otto’s levels of decadence here); beautifully cooked honey roasted Creedy Carver duck with grilled peaches and an additional duck ragu on the side; divine salted caramel custard tart with Pedro Ximenez and a bitter chocolate sorbet. Oh and a Champagne trolley.

Wine mark-ups are punchy but this is The Stafford after all. The food and service are excellent. This is a pleasing new chapter for this restaurant
.
.
.
.
.
#thestafford #michaelcaines #lunch #restaurantreview #christmas

A little Clerkenwell crawl ending in the warm embr

A little Clerkenwell crawl ending in the warm embrace of Josette again (reviewed earlier in the year, it’s still just as lovely, serving comforting French classics at a reasonable price), via the newly-opened Passione Vino on Exmouth Market following sharpeners at St John. Yep, December is definitely in double digits now. Bon week-end !
.
.
.
.
.
#josette #escargots #clerkenwell #exmouthmarket #passionevino #farringdon #stjohn #weekend #delicious #december #comfortfood #goodtimes #bonheur #steakfrites #bonvivant #frenchfood #foodie #eat #enjoy #palate #negroni #martini #londonlife #londonfoodie #carpediem #foodgram #snails #friyay #moreismore

December is now in double digits and it’s time t

December is now in double digits and it’s time to step into Christmas. Indeed, Elton John’s oven door is now almost as gleaming as the bar at The Donovan… excellent Negronis here as usual, made to order with clear ice and free Parmesan and olives on the side (such a nice touch)
.
.
.
.
.
#thedonovanbar #negroni #clearice #bar #mayfair #hotelbar #humpday #festive #cocktailhour #cocktailbar #toplondonbars #gin #campari #vermouth #puntemes #londonbar #cincin #bestbars #imbibe #instadrink #cocktailtime #stepintochristmas #december #doubledigits

Ah, back to Oslo Court where it’s always 1982 (i

Ah, back to Oslo Court where it’s always 1982 (in a good way). One thing’s for sure: you’ll never leave here hungry. Delightfully retro melba toast, crudités, butter in curls, melon and Parma ham, lobster bisque, beef Wellington with plentiful sides (will still be digesting this at Christmas), tarte tatin, a cheeky Chablis, a reasonably priced 2016 Pauillac (decanted without prompting), martinis and Negronis, silver service and a great atmosphere. It always feels like you’re crashing someone’s wedding reception here but that’s part of its charm
.
.
.
.
.
#oslocourt #beefwellington #lobsterbisque #pauillac #retro #oldschool #stjohnswood #primrosehill #londonrestaurants #feedme #foodie #foodgram #goodtimes #hospitality #quirkyrestaurants #londondining #silverservice #parmaham #nostalgia #londonfoodguide #palate #onmytable #delicious #moreismore #londoneats #londonlife #comfortfood

Facebook Twitter Instagram

About us

An online food and drink magazine: UK-based but international in spirit read more

Find us on Facebook

© 2017-2026 Palate Magazine

Back to top