Posts Tagged "london bars"

6 Aug
2010

The Lonsdale Restaurant and Bar

Posted by Hannah in Eating Out 1 Comment

I’d been meaning to visit The Lonsdale in Notting Hill since it was refurbished a few months ago, and I finally made it this week.

I was expecting a nicely renovated gastro pub with lots of wood and traditional touches, so I was surprised to see an interior full of expensive-looking chandeliers and mirrored walls. It looked more like an upmarket casino.

The bar was packed with uber-trendy twenty-somethings who looked as though they worked in fashion and had spent the whole day getting ready.

But despite the smart décor and cool crowd, there was a relaxed atmosphere: staff were friendly and it was the kind of place where you ended up talking to people at neighbouring tables (as we did, to a middle-aged American couple who were visiting their son in London).

For dinner, we shared a tomato and goats cheese galette, then I chose the only veggie option: a deliciously fresh risotto with peas, tomato and asparagus. Steak is The Lonsdale’s speciality, and Jenny, my dining companion, enjoyed her sirloin with béarnaise sauce.

The Lonsdale is tucked away in a side street just off Westbourne Grove. Next time you’re in the area, I’d recommend seeking it out and joining the Notting Hill set for drinks or dinner.

www.thelonsdale.co.uk

6 Apr
2010

Dinner at 108 Marylebone Lane

Posted by Jenny in Eating Out, Pubs & Bars No Comments

Last Wednesday night I dined at stylish eatery 108 Marylebone Lane. The restaurant has recently taken on Norman Farquharson as Executive Chef and has a new seasonal menu, which changes every few months and where possible uses ingredients from local producers.

The restaurant would be perfect for a special occasion, but it’s also laid back enough for a post-work catch-up. I felt comfortable and relaxed – perhaps because of the flattering low-lighting! By 9pm, the restaurant was almost full, which is a pretty good sign – especially as it was a Wednesday night.

The menu had a good range for meat-eaters with lots of fish and meat dishes. There were two vegetarian options. The restaurant staff were attentive and happy to give advice and recommendations about the menu and wine.

I had a delicious prosciutto ham starter followed by lemon sole for the main course. The lemon sole came in strips, in a light lemon-flavoured batter – very tasty. And I loved the presentation of the chips in a little silver bucket on the side. Dessert was just as good. I opted for the Rococo chocolate brownie – very chocolatey without being too rich.

In the name of research, I also tasted everything my date ordered! So I can confirm that the soup, lamb shank and crumble were up to the same standard as my meal.

I really enjoyed dinner at 108 Marylebone Lane and will definitely go back to try more of the menu. It took me less than five minutes to walk there from Selfridges (where I had been eyeing the Easter chocolate displays) and there’s a good cocktail menu, so it’s also perfect for shopping pit-stops.

108 Marylebone Lane

8 Mar
2010

Cocktail Masterclass at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge

Posted by Jo Aspin in Accommodation, Classes, Pubs & Bars No Comments

On Friday, I was invited to the brand new Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel for a cocktail masterclass with mixologist Aristotelis Papadopoulos.

Aristotelis beat off stiff competition from around the world (6,000 bartenders from 24 countries) to become 2009 World Class Bartender of the Year.

The hotel’s general manager spotted Aristotelis in a newspaper and decided they just had to have him create a bespoke cocktail list for the hotel bar, Primo.

Passing the Houses of Parliament, we saw the huge building looming in the distance. This is a hotel of vast proportions: 1,000 bedrooms, two huge revolving doors at the entrance, multi-coloured light installations for walls, and not one but three receptions on the first floor.

We pitched up on stools at the bar and shook hands with a tired-looking Aristotelis. He’d flown in from Greece for just a week to set up the bar and train the bartenders; the next day he was headed off to host the heats of the 2010 World Class Bartender of the Year awards in Korea.

Still, he pushed on through and entertained us with a crash-course in some of his unique concoctions.

Here is a man who likes grapes – they seemed to feature in more than half of his cocktails, either within them or on top as a garnish. When he wasn’t adding grapes to his drinks, he was busy tossing them in the air and trying to catch them on the end of a toothpick suspended in his mouth!

We worked our way through a Vita Vini (vodka, red seedless grapes, lychee juice, Prosecco and lemon juice), Ginger Grape Daiquiri (Havana rum, lime juice, fresh ginger and white grapes) and my personal favourite Vodka Crème Brulee (vanilla-flavoured vodka, Frangelico, Grand Marnier and cream).

Looking around, I was surprised to see the bar was already quite full – despite having just opened – with a mix of hotel guests, businessmen and even Boris Johnson (although he slipped on his bike helmet and snuck off before I got a chance to nab him for a photo).

After we’d drunk our way through Aristoteli’s entire list and made Pinday the PR promise to invite us back when the hotel restaurant opens (watch this space), we wobbled off into the night a tad tipsy. What a great start to the weekend.

If you ever swing by, do let us know which one of the cocktails is your fave.