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Steak frites

Happy World Hanky Panky Day! So glad this wonderfu

Happy World Hanky Panky Day! So glad this wonderful cocktail now gets its own celebration on 25th March, not just to raise awareness of it but its creator, Ada Coleman, who was the first female bar manager at The Savoy. She created it for Sir Charles Hawtrey (not to be confused with the ‘Carry On’ actor of the same name) and it has remained a somewhat obscure classic since. For the uninitiated, it’s essentially a Martinez-adjacent drink comprising gin, sweet vermouth and Fernet Branca. To honour this drink here’s a little roundup of six bars from the last year that served excellent versions (and still do, all highly recommended):

Upstairs at Rules (naturally, and close to The Savoy of course);

Amaro in Kensington (a consistently excellent bar anyway; also try their vintage 1980s version, it’s delicious);

The American Bar at The Stafford for timeless elegance;

Under The Stairs in Brussels (for a slightly unusual version - see the full review in the Palate Cleanser section of our main site);

The Prince on Old Street which opened last autumn - love this bar and their subtle touches like refreshing your glass with a new one from the freezer;

Kwãnt in Mayfair, where they can make any classic to order.

“By Jove, this is the real hanky panky!” - Sir Charles Hawtrey (circa 1921)

#hankypanky #worldhankypankyday #cocktails #cocktailbar #imbibe

Back to Café Deco in Bloomsbury, which is consist

Back to Café Deco in Bloomsbury, which is consistently lovely (and always remarkable as the menu changes every week). On this visit: pork rillettes and pickled pear on toast with aperitifs; a smoked haddock, bacon, mustard leaf and egg salad; roast chicken with wild garlic mash (beautifully cooked chicken and that mash - wow); and a sublime Seville orange tart with a healthy dollop of crème fraîche. Never had a bad meal here since it opened in 2020. Wonderful place
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#cafedeco #bloomsbury #londonfood #londondining #foodgram

Another restaurant that has stood the test of time

Another restaurant that has stood the test of time: L’Aventure in St John’s Wood, which opened in 1979 (when Tom Baker was travelling through space and time with K9, a pint of lager cost 40p and the original Alien burst into cinemas).

Behold the handwritten menu - a technique emulated in many places like The Devonshire and its ilk but this is the real deal, as it is at Andrew Edmunds.

OK, so this French restaurant may be a little stuck in aspic (not unlike nearby Oslo Court); the nearest nod to modern trends is a reluctant attempt at splitting a sauce with oil (see the salmon pancakes picture above) but tucked away on Blenheim Terrace near Abbey Road, all candlelit with cushions and cosy corners, it has a charming, relaxing ambience. The service is old school: you’re greeted in French on arrival; a Kir Royale is offered as an aperitif. The food may not be perfect (indeed, the decorative blueberries with the apple tart were both rock hard and pointless), but there’s something so lovely about it. It was also full on this visit which, for a residential street in St John’s Wood, and for a restaurant without a website, is pleasing to see - though a reminder to support local, independent places when there’s a perfect economic storm approaching for hospitality (again!) this April, not helped by the worst VAT rate in Europe. Use them or lose them, ragazzi

#stjohnswood #oldschool #neighbourhoodrestaurant #frenchfood #londondining

Keeping with the theme of London institutions, an

Keeping with the theme of London institutions, an overdue return to Wiltons on Jermyn Street. Any meal here must and shall begin with the twice baked Stilton soufflé. Heaven.

Also one of the few restaurants that still serves bread and butter gratis (though just as well as it isn’t exactly cheap).

#wiltons #jermynstreet #oldschool #londondining #foodgram

Simpson’s in the Strand! At long last. Turns out

Simpson’s in the Strand! At long last. Turns out the two bars and The Grand Divan restaurant have opened slightly earlier than the expected late March opening (NB: Romano’s isn’t quite ready yet) so couldn’t resist going on a little exploratory mission. Still early days but the two bars (two bars!) are already swinging. Tested the Simpson’s Martini in both (purely to check consistency you understand): both beautifully dry with No. 3 gin and Sacred dry vermouth (the best vermouth, made in Highgate) - essentially Dukes style but with the genius touch of a sherry rinse. Already have a soft spot for Nellie’s Tavern downstairs which is surely going to be a new theatreland den of iniquity; the Jeremy King touches in this bar are subtle and seem quite personal, evoking memories of Bar Américain at Zédel and Joe Allen. Plus the staff were prepared for any off-menu cocktail challenge, e.g. a perfect Martinez and Campari Shakerato.

Considering how much work has gone into this reimagining of such an iconic London venue, this is an absolute triumph. Exciting times ahead. And that roast beef trolley!

Bravo!

#simpsonsinthestrand #londondining #londonlife #newopening #cocktailbar

“Virtus”-signalling in the 12th arrondissement

“Virtus”-signalling in the 12th arrondissement of Paris: Virtus is a wonderful restaurant near the market in Place d’Aligre, somewhat hiding in plain sight, and a study in the poetry of French menu language. By no means cheap but the four-course lunch menu on Fridays is 80 Euros and great value for this standard of cooking, just FYI. Technically excellent, pleasurable service (no tableside monologues) and more spacious than most Parisian restos. Some of the dishes in the photos here include the brioche-croissant hybrid (served gratis), red mullet with a solitary pomme soufflé and red wine fish bone jus for the ages, squab in various forms, and a celebration of pear. Link in bio for the full review, along with our other new reviews for March, comme d’habitude

#paris #virtus #parisdining #parisrestaurants #foodgram

Over to Edinburgh and Nepalese restaurant Thamel o

Over to Edinburgh and Nepalese restaurant Thamel on East London Street. In her first review as a contributor to Palate, Carinne Geil Botta is impressed by the friendly service of this family-run restaurant (complete with a speakeasy bar, The Blind Tiger), in particular the momo (Napalese steamed dumplings), the butter chicken curry, korma and garlic naan. Head to palatemag.co.uk for the full review or link in bio

✍️📷 Review and photos by Carinne Geil Botta

#edinburghrestaurants #napalese #curry #foodstagram #foodgram

March is here and we have new long-form reviews no

March is here and we have new long-form reviews now online on our main site, including reviews from Edinburgh, Paris and London. But first, an epic trip to west Wales and Ynyshir (and also welcoming back Sabrina Goodlife as a contributor).

At Ynyshir, the ingredient sourcing is incredibly meticulous, such as the Silverhill Farm ducks and female cows for the A5 Wagyu, and where the use of fat “is not only a means to an end, but also an end in itself” - a method that is “fiercely utilitarian” where “everything on the plate has an irreplaceable role.”

Desserts were slightly less thrilling perhaps but the duck egg custard, which has remained on the menu for a decade, was excellent.

On the value front, nobody could claim the tasting menu is a bargain but “given the quality of ingredients, and the unique nature of the restaurant, I did feel the experience was worth it.”

For the full review (and thoughts about that recent hygiene inspection) head to palatemag.co.uk or the link in bio, along with our other new reviews for March

✍️📷 Review and photos by Sabrina Goodlife

#ynyshir #restaurantreview #wales #finedining #moreismore

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