Monday, 28 September 2009

Loving The Luxe for Sunday Brunch in Spitalfields


Greetings foodie followers.

Newsflash, The Luxe in Spitalfields is finally open.

Those that knew its predecessor, The Spitz bar and restaurant, will welcome it with open arms as trying to get served even a bowl of chips at The Spitz was a painful experience, particularly on a hangover.

On the contrary, our cheery waitress wouldn't leave us alone despite the fact that it took my friend and I over twenty five minutes to order: a fish finger sandwich & coarse tartar (£5) and blueberry pancakes & maple syrup (£4.50).

Well I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed my sandwich. The fish fingers were piping hot and nice and crunchy on the outside and featuring 'real' tasting fish on the inside. The tartar was chunky and fresh and accompanied with fresh white bread and some ketchup, it was not far off the best fish finger sarnie ever. Although now that I come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time I had a fish finger sandwich so perhaps I didn’t realise how much I missed the childhood snack.

I tasted the pancakes and they were of good consistency, with decent maple syrup and lots of tangy blueberries inside.

The boys' fried breakfasts seemed to go down a treat too.

For those that don’t know, The Luxe is the latest venture from John Torode, the restaurateur that you may have seen on TV, presenting and judging MasterChef (not the bald one, the other one).

John Torode also owns Smiths of Smithfield, the Farringdon eatery that offers some of London's best breakfasts on the ground floor and a fine dining restaurant at the top.

Similarly, The Luxe upstairs restaurant will open on 1st October. Watch this space for more news...

Thursday, 24 September 2009

Central Perk Coffee Shop Pops Up in Soho


Calling all pop-up bar fans, coffee addicts and lovers of the cult TV series Friends…

A pop-up bar modelled on the Central Perk coffee shop from the hit TV series Friends has appeared on Carnaby Street.

Head down to pick up your FREE coffee and soak up the re-created Greenwich Village coffee scene.

I popped along to check it out and although I did have to queue for a while, it was worth the wait as Gunther was there in the flesh having pictures taken on the 'Friends sofa'!

The coffee's not bad either. Latte, Cappuccino, Americano, take your pick. Just don't ask for a skinny OK? That's taking the pop-up coffee concept a little too far, as I learnt when the server smirked at my request.

You'll have to be quick. It will all be over on 5th October.

Download your free coffee voucher and directions here:
www.warnertv.com/friends/