Home
Reviews
Articles
Interviews
Travel
About
Palate Cleanser

Browsing Category

palate cleanser

Drinks news and reviews, from wine to beer and cocktails to coffee

new
Read

A Measured Response to Pricey Wine Lists (2017)

by C Ley

Keeping with the Scandinavian independent producer

Keeping with the Scandinavian independent producer theme and just remembering the incredible Norwegian tomatoes and stracciatella on a recent visit to Vaaghals in Oslo. Yes, tomatoes do grow in Norway and these are from Hanasand in the south-west of the country whilst the stracciatella is from the Toddum farm in the Norwegian ‘midlands’. Incredible. Also pictured here is the open kitchen and astoundingly good pan-fried hake. And all quite reasonably priced for Norway, coming to about £60 with a glass of wine, dessert and coffee. Vaaghals is in the ‘Barcode’ district of Oslo and a five minute walk from the Munch museum (which you can’t miss as it looks like a giant staple remover). Well worth a spot of lunch if you’re ever in town and the Munch museum is highly recommended too.

No long-form review for this one but there is for Alouette in Copenhagen up on the main website, along with other new reviews for October - link in bio or head to palatemag.co.uk
.
.
.
.
.
#vaaghals #oslo #norway #norwegiantomatoes #stracciatella #barcode #oslorestaurants #lunch #lunchmeanslunch #instachef #oslofoodguide #scandivania #travel #traveltips #wheretoeat #foodguide #delicious #foodphoto #foodgram #foodstagram #foodwriter #sustainability #hanasand #nordicfood #restaurantreview #tasty #osloguide #goodtimes #nordic

Back to lovely Copenhagen and Alouette, holder of

Back to lovely Copenhagen and Alouette, holder of both a red and a green Michelin star, which moved to a new home opposite the King’s Garden in 2024. Here you can expect a cavalcade of 15 mystery courses arranged around 4 or so ‘chapters’, each celebrating a particular ingredient or independent Danish producer. Ex-pat American chef Nick Curtin fully embraces “luxurious sustainability” but it isn’t exactly cheap… and to segue into the meat chapter, a bowl of pig’s blood broth may not be everyone’s cup of tea (photo 5). But the experience as a whole is wonderful with truly excellent service. For the full review head to palatemag.co.uk or tap the link in our bio
.
.
.
.
.
#alouette #copenhagen #denmark #sustainability #michelin #finedining #foodie #copenhagenfoodguide #danishfood #topdanishrestaurants #palate #restaurantreview #foodgram #travel #travelgram #travelinspiration #weekend #foodstagram #honestreview #gourmand #bonvivant #moreismore #yummy #artofplating #instachef #wheretoeat #artisan #delicious

Also in our new reviews this month, Mischief in Pa

Also in our new reviews this month, Mischief in Paris, the much-anticipated new restaurant by chef Erica Paredes. “If Reyna toyed with subversion, Mischief wears it on its sleeve…” However, there is work to be done to meet its potential. Head to palatemag.co.uk (or link in bio) for the full and honest review

Pictured here are the fried chicken with butter chicken sauce (“by far the best dish of the night”), the slightly more incongruous langoustine dumplings, the spaghetti hoops (a work in progress) and the peach and mango cobbler

✍️📷 Review and photos by Rachel Naismith
.
.
.
.
#paris #parisfood #restaurantreview #parisdining #mischief #fusion #globalfood #parisrestaurants #parisfoodguide #chicken #foodstagram #journalism #foodphoto #foodwriter #honestreview #foodcritic #france #diningout #foodguide #review #parisfoodspots #travel #travelgram #instafood #newrestaurant

It’s October! We have new long-form reviews on o

It’s October! We have new long-form reviews on our main site for this month, including restaurants in Paris, Manchester and Copenhagen. But first, The Waterman’s Arms in the leafy enclave of Barnes (soon to have a new sister pub in Soho). Alas, the curried scallop was off the menu this day but the judicious use of spice was definitely evident in the red mullet and spiced celeriac (a dish with the colour palette of The Simpsons and just as joyous) and sensational smoked aubergine with fennel. Also, a very comforting sausage, lentil and cavolo nero ragù, perfect for the changing of the seasons. Good Negronis, decent splishy-splashy, and anywhere that puts a Ferrari on the cocktail menu (equal parts Campari and Fernet-Branca) deserves respect.

And if this visit was anything to go by then their new sister pub which opens this month - The Shaston Arms in Soho - will surely give The Devonshire a run for their money.

As usual, for the full review head to palatemag.co.uk or tap the link in our bio above
.
.
.
.
.
#thewatermansarms #barnes #pub #gastropub #restaurantreview #ragu #vibes #foodgram #toplondonrestaurants #foodreview #foodwriter #londonfood #londonfoodguide #wheretoeat #goodfood #comfortfood #bonheur #october #lunch #instachef #londonfoodscene #goodtimes #eat #foodheaven #londonlife #foodstagram #palate #toplondoneats #westlondon #moreismore

A lovely early autumn escape to Aldeburgh and The

A lovely early autumn escape to Aldeburgh and The Suffolk where lunch means lunch, starting on their roof terrace overlooking the North Sea for al fresco martinis (one classic, the other with oyster liquor) and crab gougères and oysters, followed by scallops and pancetta on a pumpkin purée, whole brill (expertly filleted tableside) with chips as good as Parson’s in Covent Garden, apple choux bun and a coffee and cardamom crème caramel. There are worse ways to spend an afternoon
.
.
.
.
.
#thesuffolk #aldeburgh #alfresco #martini #seafood #fish #brill #poisson #liveyourbestlunch #weekend #aldeburghonsea #lunchmeanslunch #eastanglia #escape #exploreuk #travelgram #instatravel #eastengland #aldeburghfood #artofplating #goodfood #foodgram #moreismore #instafood #travelinspiration #topbritishrestaurants #goodtimes #foodwriter #restaurantguide #déjeuner

Negroni Week is now in full swing so here’s a qu

Negroni Week is now in full swing so here’s a quick and entirely subjective collection of editorial favourites in London, all highly recommended. In no particular order:

The Stables Bar at The Milestone in Kensington (photo 1). Well, just look at this beauty. Clear ice, perfect glassware, and the first question Angelo the bar manager will ask you is which gin you would like for your Negroni. Wonderful.

Conveniently, Amaro (photo 2) is virtually next door. Negronis are made to order here as well. Superb service and ambience.

Then, of course, St John (photos 3 and 4) (various sites) for its standard Tanqueray, Punt e Mes and Campari serve, or its boozier counterpart, the “Fergroni” (garnished with lemon).

A stone’s throw from St John in Smithfield and you have Brutto (photo 5) where the Negroni is still just £5.

Over to Rules in Covent Garden (photo 6) the bar upstairs is magnificent and Brian Silva’s classic Negroni is delightfully gin-forward with a special vermouth blend.

The American Bar at The Stafford (photo 7) allows you to fully customise your Negroni, served with origami orange peel.

Bar Termini (photo 8) and its direct Negroni filled to the brim. Seasoned pros will dip their heads and sip directly without lifting the glass to avoid spillage.

The Rouge Clair Negroni at Baudry Greene (photo 9), almost martini-esque, comprising gin, rosé vermouth and French bitters. Ideal with those comté and gruyère puffs.

Last but not least, Dav’s Negroni at The Thin White Duke (photo 10) available on request and made to a secret recipe…
.
.
.
.
#negroni #negroniweek #cincin #campari #gin #vermouth #cocktailhour #londoncocktails #cocktailgram #aperitif #digestif #clearice #toplondonbars #barfly #londonbars #instadrink #negronigram #londongram #londonbylondoners #wheretodrink #cocktails

Last orders at The Gothic Bar which quietly and ve

Last orders at The Gothic Bar which quietly and very sadly closed this week. All closures are sad but this one is particularly painful - lots of great memories of this wonderful venue, both as The Gothic Bar since 2023 and as the Gilbert Scott / George’s Bar from 2011-2021. A new chapter awaits. Pictured here: a final Hanky Panky and Campari Shakerato for the road. Cin cin
.
.
.
.
.
#thegothicbar #cocktailbar #kingscross #stpancrashotel #closure #hankypanky #hospitality #hotelbar #toplondonbars #cocktailhour #ginstagram #gin #ginoclock #fernetbranca #cocktailgram #hospitalitynews #londongram #cincin #camparishakerato #cocktails #nightcap

It’s another homemade penne alla vodka kinda day

It’s another homemade penne alla vodka kinda day, following Russell Norman’s recipe (pp.78-79 of the Brutto cookbook). Never fails
.
.
.
.
.
#penne #penneallavodka #pasta #pastadish #brutto #rustic #homecooking #instacook #italian #italianfood #tubestrike #cookingwithvodka #retrofood #comfortfood #delicious #foodgram #foodie #foodstagram #cucina #tasty #eat #foodinspiration #onmytable #homemade #cooking buonappetito #tomatosauce

Facebook Twitter Instagram

About us

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

Find us on Facebook

© 2017-2025 Palate Magazine

Back to top