Why wait till Christmas? May 6, 2014 Visiting the US convinced Village East’s Toby Stuart of the value of turkey This turkey confit recipe was inspired by a trip to Chicago last summer. It’s a very vibrant city with some of the best chefs in the world working there. The top end of the market is phemomenal but you’ve also got places [...]
Where not to eat in London: The worst places in London for food hygiene standards February 13, 2015 If you’re looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day date location, this might be a handy guide for where to avoid taking your significant other for that special dinner date. Six of the worst local authorities in the UK when it comes to food hygiene standards are located in London, with Enfield taking the title for [...]
10-week fitness challenge: The Get-Fit Diary of an out of shape office worker May 12, 2014 I never thought I’d say this, but I’m going to miss going to the gym every morning. I’m going to miss being shouted at to lift really heavy stuff until I’m perspiring and weak and bad tempered. I’m even going to miss not being able to go to the pub, or eat dessert; or at [...]
Great culinary feats can still be achieved, even if you only have a microwave in your office kitchen March 25, 2014 FOREVER associated with the processed, the prepackaged and the unsophisticated, the microwave gets a bad rep within foodie circles. The microwave meal has come to symbolise everything that’s wrong with today’s food culture. They make our cooking easy and unhealthy, fast and fatty, and facilitate our tendency to prioritise convenience over care, The way that [...]
48 hours in… Florence April 13, 2014 WHERE TO STAY Book in for a night at JK Place Firenze, the five star hotel of choice for the likes of Bono and Kylie Minogue. Situated on the Piazza Santa Maria Novella, it also boasts a roof terrace bar with incredible views over the city. WHERE TO EAT One of the most talented young [...]
From fast food to fasting: Osborne’s austerity diet March 17, 2014 LAST year his Budget preparations included a calorie-stacked Byron burger, wolfed down with a side of chips. But Chancellor George Osborne is unlikely to be chomping on fast food as he prepares for Wednesday’s big speech. Proving he has a head for figures – not least his own – Osborne last month took up the [...]
Toto’s makes a return to its west end home May 13, 2014 @steve_dinneen RESTAURANT TOTO’S Walton Street, SW3 2JH Tel: 0207 589 2062 FOOD Four Stars VALUE Three Stars ATMOSPHERE Three Stars Cost for two with wine: £170 Toto’s, the Italian between Sloane Square and South Ken, was one of those places that existed on the periphery of my brain. I knew it had been around for [...]
Risk tolerance: Why decadent Europe is whistling as chaos reaches its gates June 29, 2014 WILL the US ramp up its involvement in Iraq? And if so, on what terms? Will Europe build on its new partnership agreements with Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia to draw an effective line over which an expansive Russia would not dare cross? Will Israel persist in rattling its sabre, while Western powers search for a [...]
What your business card says about you July 29, 2014 A man pats his slicked back hair as he slides his business card across the table to his colleagues. It’s off-white and the words “Patrick Bateman, Vice President” are embossed on it in a finely etched black font. “Picked ‘em up from the printers yesterday. That’s bone. And the lettering is something called Silian Grail,” [...]
Review: Dirty Burger/Chicken Shop Stepney June 20, 2014 Food: ★★★★☆ | Value: ★★★★★ | Atmosphere: ★★★☆☆ A few months ago I swore to myself I was going to stop reviewing anywhere that’s part of a trendy chain; Dirty Burger and Honest Burger and Burger and Lobster and Patty and Bun. Not because I don’t like them – I slum it with the rest of the plebs [...]