Category: BEST FOR DATES

March 6, 2013

Where to go on a date – March guide

Spring has sprung, or so it seems! Easter chocolate galore is kicking off. Speaking of which, look at these naughty boys I found at Milan airport. White chocolate Eggs with Baci! I barely refrained myself from getting one .

But I am digressing, it’s that time of the month again.. for the TDO best new places for a date guide.

FEAST

Nothing better than good food, music and experimental cocktails for a laid back date at Feast. A four day food festival hosted in the Tobacco Dock space in Wapping filled with a selection of the Capital’s most exciting chefs. These chefs will be trading alongside London’s street food heros. Just to name a few: Spuntino, Caravan, Dishoom, Patty and Bun, HIX, The Wright Brothers, The Meringue Girls Roti Chai… From 7th – 10th March. To buy your tickets, click here. they are selling quickly, Hurry!

OPERA IN A WAREHOUSE

Fan of the opera, but can’t quite fork out the price for two tickets? Peroni Nastro Azzurro’s has a solution for you. You need to turn up at Factory 7 warehouse at around 19:30, to grab a complimentary drink and some Italian-style aperitivo. Then at 8pm you can enjoy a modern version of Puccini’s La Rondine.
Here is where you can book your ticket (£11 per person). From 12th to 16th March.

B.Y.O.C.

If food festivals aren’t your thing, and fancy something a little more intimate; perhaps wanting to move your relationship to the next level, B.Y.O.C. is the place to impress your date. ‘Bring Your Own Cocktail’ is a new concept to London’s bar scene. With absolutely no alcohol available to buy on the premises, guests are invited to bring their own favourite tipple, for the skilled bartender to create something bespoke, on the spot. Hidden through a discreet door behind the counter of the Bedfordbury Street Juice Club (www.juice-club.co.uk), guests will descend into an underground drinking den with candlelit tables, hanging glassware and a lone cocktail mixologist wheeling an antique Italian drinks trolley. The vintage Italian trolley contains a selection of fresh syrups, pressed fruit and vegetable juices, spices, herbs, salts, seasonal fruits, home-made cordials and bitters – from which the bartender can create individual drinks. Bookings can be made by emailing reservations@byoc.co.uk

VOLTAIRE

Love Champagne and up to mischief? Head to Voltaire. Located in the square Mile, housed in a grade II listed building, once a prison, then used to store the treasures of the former bank above, the building’s old stone vaults have now been converted into a series of spaces, The Vaults at Voltaire. Here in private alcoves, you can kick back and relax enjoying a glass of bubbly with your date, picking your favourite from the capital’s largest collection of Pommery champagne.

JAPANESE POP-UP

Fancy a Japanese with a twist? The Prince Arthur pub will be hosting a Japanese pop-up by Masterchef champion 2011 Tim Anderson on 26th and 27th March. Ahead of opening his brand new restaurant Nanban, Tim will give Londoners a taste of what to expect at the eagerly anticipated Shoreditch venue. Dishes will include Grilled sardines stuffed with mentaiko, Pork belly braised in soy sauce, and Crunchy grilled rice balls stuffed with spicy citrus-rubbed chicken. The six-course Japanese feast is amazing good value for £29pp. Book fast, as it’s selling fast. To reserve email amy@etmgroup.co.uk or call 07872 456 550.

APERITIVO

A drink is too casual, and don’t feel ready for a dinner date yet? Do it the Italian way. Why not Milan-style aperitivo? Drinks and nibbles. Italian restaurant Banca has launched a special cocktail menu dedicated to the iconic Italian aperitif – Negroni. The new menu offers guests the choice of ten expertly crafted Negroni cocktails, all priced at £10. From 5pm – 7.30pm on Tuesday to Friday, classic Italian Aperitivo is laid out in Banca’s chic and sophisticated setting, across its impressive long bar that spans the entire length of the restaurant.

February 11, 2013

101 emergency last minute Valentine’s ideas

Are you still scratching your head, wondering where to take your Valentine’s date? You are in good company!

This morning my friend S sent an emergency WhatsApp group message, asking for a last-minute restaurant recommendation. The brief: romantic, great food, under £100 per person. Easy…err not!

In the past week, I carefully reviewed the many Valentine’s dinner options around London; and I can confirm that very few restaurants offer a 3 course menu for less than £100/head, and even less come with the added value of a romantic atmosphere.

Last week however, I was invited to personally taste the Valentine’s menu at recently revamped Blue Elephant, relocated in stunning Imperial Wharf. And luckily for my restaurant-expert friend reputation, this eatery ticks all the boxes. Romantic? Check. Stunning views of the Thames. Great food? Check. Not your usual Thai, amazingly good traditional Royal Thai cuisine directly imported from Bangkok. Price? Check. Incredibly good value menu at £69.

The Thai feast starts with a delicious amuse bouche of Tom Yam Yod Phaeng, a sour soup with tiger prawns and the Chef’s homemade pastry, stuffed with herbal green curry and mixed vegetables. A little explosion of exotic flavours.

Thai born Chef Nooror then offers a few starter options. Vegetarian Chor Chom-pu, steamed floral shaped dumplings stuffed with yod phaeng and shitake mushroom. An interesting balance of different textures, beautifully presented.

My favourite, steamed egg custard with towhu topped with home-made strawberry sauce. I loved the sweet and sour combination of the unusual custard foie gras and the sweet strawberry sauce.

Other starter options include the fresh avocado salad with lemongrass, coriander, mint and kaffir lime leaves and the perfectly crispy, and piping hot, deep fried duck rolls served with a delicious red sweet and sour sauce.

Among the main course trio, my pick is the spicy lamb shank curry with black wild ginger. Seriously mouth-watering. Perfectly cooked juicy lamb, in a spicy, slightly sweet, rich aromatic sauce, with a little pleasant ginger – that I hear is known for its aphrodisiac properties! – kick.

Another excellent dish is the grilled black cod marinated with Korean ginseng, wrapped with banana leaves, served with a caramelized tamarind and shallot dip.

But if you want to stick to one of Thai staple foods, they also offer stir-fried giant (they really are giant – see my picture!) prawns with a home-made paste of bird’s eye chilies, shrimp paste, black wild ginger, kaffir lime, sweet basil leaves and a hint of rice whisky.

Two accompaniments for the mains, stir-fried jasmine rice with celeriac and crab meat and my favourite of the two, the crispy and delicate stir-fried green pak-choi with garlic, oyster, and soya sauce.

Lastly, the trio of desserts. A must-try is the ginger and honey vanilla Panna Cotta. A rich yet light, spicy pudding. It comes with a rose cream Éclair and a more traditional Thai heart-shaped coconut jelly.

Great Thai food with a twist. Recommended!

If your wallet doesn’t quite stretch to the budget needed for a dinner, what about a fun yet romantic night of bowling and cocktails at All Star Lanes in Holborn? My cocktail pick: the Love Tap with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Cassis, Fresh Lemon, Sugar and Pomegranate Juice topped with Prosecco.

If you are planning a steamy night in, then why not try my Nutella and M&Ms truffle recipe to surprise your date?

No matter how you will decide to celebrate, Happy Valentine’s day!

January 22, 2013

Where to go on a date – January guide

New year.. new love? It has been everywhere in the news, the start of the year is the busiest time for online dating. And what about that midnight kiss on NYE? No wonder so many are asking me for suggestions on where to go on a first date, or on a date generally. To answer this, I have decided to create a monthly post with the best new places for a date. If it’s a first date, you may want to stick to drinks, perhaps not in a smelly pub (it happened to my friend D) or in a bar chain full on drunk bankers downing shots (it happened to my friend N). Yes guys, we don’t like that. No matter how great the chemistry is, this is the time for boys to make an effort, and find a good place. Fear not, you won’t need to spend your lunch break on Google, I have put together some ideas for you… with a little twist.

Old Bengal: Great cocktails, a stone’s throw from Liverpool street. An atmospheric and romantic reconverted warehouse dominated by exposed brick work and mirrored walls. A James Bond tip to impress your date, if you go on a Saturday night, by whispering the password that they release over Twitter @OldBengalBar every week, you can gain access to the secret cocktail list.

Bounce: Hate the first few awkward minutes of a date and want to break the ice quickly? Nothing better than a table tennis match (maybe let her win ) sharing the Tipping Point cocktail. Newly opened Bounce features 17 table tennis – including an Official 2012 Olympic table. And if the date is going well, why not grab a bite in their pizza restaurant. My pick: White pizza with wild mushrooms, spinach and truffle oil.

W film Club: I know Guys, cinema and first dates are not the norm, and I don’t recommend it! However, if it’s your third date or just want to spice up your movie night,W London is kicking off the new season of the ‘W Film Club’, every other Tuesday at 8pm. The £20 VIP tickets include popcorn and a drink from the W Lounge Bar.

The Rum Kitchen: what about whisking her away to the West Indies for a night? Well if you don’t own a private jet yet… you can jump on a taxi and head to The Rum Kitchen, a Caribbean inspired beach shack, nestled in the heart of Notting Hill. Here you can enjoy each other company, sipping a Caribbean inspired rum cocktail (really generous sizes), nibbling on jerk chicken or salt fish bruschetta in the candlelit basement cocktail bar.

Happy dating !

Follow TDO – The D@ily Out