THE WELL: FARRINGDON GASTROPUB

The Well in Farringdon is one of those gastropubs that truly commit to the art of drinking & dining well (sorry!) in an atmosphere & surroundings worthy of the traditional British pub. On one of the finest days of the year so far, we paid a visit to this institution on Saint John Street, nestled in amongst offices & tower blocks, its front & side walls opened up to allow tables & patrons to spill out onto the pavement. 

We arrived 10 minutes before the end of happy hour, immediately encouraging us to make a snap decision on cocktails, deciding upon a Strawberry Passion (Zubrowka vodka, passion fruit, strawberries & black pepper) and a Berry Swizzle (Prosecco, Chambord, raspberry vodka, & strawberry puree). The latter seemed a bit tangy for my tastes, but the former was deliciously light & frothy, served in a martini glass & garnished with a fresh strawberry. For my starter I chose one of the specials, a soft-boiled black gulls egg served with herbed mayonnaise, crushed black pepper, & flavoured salt. The egg was marvellously runny & red-yolked, although it would have been all the more perfect served with some buttered granary soldiers! The Well seems to specialise in produce from the sea, so I chose a main of mussels in white wine, cream & garlic sauce, which was nicely complimented with the addition of sliced fennel, celery & onion. Hand-cut chips were an obvious accompaniment, & were just the right amount of crispy salty goodness. Minted veg also appeared on the scene, a hint of mint & a generous helping of butter creating the perfect side.

The best dessert we tried was the sticky toffee pudding served with butterscotch ice-cream & toffee sauce. Surprisingly light, with a thick, syrupy sauce, a great endnote to the meal. Throughout the meal we enjoyed one of the nicest Roses I've had in quite a while, a Cotes de Provence Melopee de Gavoty, of the lightest pink & most delicate flavour. Dessert was another matter, as unable to decide upon a dessert wine, our waitress advised us of an off-menu sherry, a lovely velvety, dark, sweet wine that was so fabulous, I forgot to read the label & remember the name! I did, however, hastily order a 2nd glass even after dessert was over - only slightly less enthusiastic than my companion who suggested ordering a bottle. Too much for a thursday night? Never!

Mains average on the pricier side towards £20, but if you have a gourmet card (we did), you'll get 50% off food.

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{all photos & edits by me}

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POPPIES CAMDEN, FISH & CHIPS, & DINER JAZZ

If you're looking for the best fish & chips, battered or grilled, that evoke memories of the coast & unequivocally convince you that the salty sea air is blowing in & the tide is close by, then head to Poppies in Camden. This fun, enthusiastically retro diner - the staff sport 1950s sailor-girl outfits - with juke box & dancing wooden puppets in the corner, also plays host to jazz & swing concerts whilst you eat. We started with some crispy battered onion rings & a plate of white bait: salty, lemon-soaked bites that were set off perfectly with a tangy tartare sauce. I chose rock fish, a deliciously mild & almost creamy white fish that flaked effortlessly off the bone, plus a side of mushy peas. The portions are huge, & whilst I didn't manage to polish off my main, I just about had space left for a dessert. And thank God, because the dessert? Wow! Caramel toffee pudding, a surprisingly light sponge swimming in deep brown caramel sauce, with a hint of salt, went down marvellously. I loved all the little touches - the cut-glass tumblers & wine glasses that remind you of those your parents had, the toilets (yup, i unashamedly took some pictures!), & the chewy yellow & black penny sweets that bid you farewell with your bill.

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{all photos by me, except final by Lizzie, edits by me}

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RETRO DINING: UNION JACKS, ST GILES PIAZZA

Before heading to the Moda de la Mode party, Union Jacks seemed to pop out of nowhere, just off Tottenham Court Road, the perfect place to grab a quick bite. On one corner of St Giles Piazza, the restaurant is the brainchild of Jamie Oliver & Chris Bianco, & is the cutest mix of modern and retro dining.

Since I was just going to have a little bite, I thought it sensible to head straight to the Pudding section of the menu...

..which meant a tumbler of Nectar late harvest pudding wine was of course a must..

(iPhone case by Tory Burch)

Sophie opted for McBianco's crinklecut chips, served with Sarson's malt vinegar & Maldon sea salt. Yum! Paired with fish fingers, a wedge of lemon, & some liberally garlicky tartare sauce.

Sophie's wearing a fabulous collar by Fanny Anne, & I'm wearing a jacket by Topshop (more outfit details here)

(Cranberry bakewell tart, soured cream, & orange)



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{all photos by me, except of me by Sophie, edits by me}

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Review: Real Greek Restaurant

  
I'm excited to be a part of the blogging team over at Old Spitalfields Market - check out my first assignment! A review of The Real Greek restaurant... Happy eating!



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{all photos by me}

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The Jam Tree - Clapham

First, we have snow in April, & then before we know it, the flip-flops have been dusted off, sun-dresses twirl, & the line for gelato at Clapham Common is twisting around the store front at Nardulli's! At the first sight of warm sun for what seems like far too long, we headed to The Jam Tree in Clapham - they have a garden out back, whilst the front opens up through a row of patio doors, light reflecting off the cold metal ceiling tiles, & you could (almost) be somewhere in the Mediterranean.

I haven't ever eaten here before, & for a late lunch, this really hit the spot! The menu is fairly extensive, covering a variety of price points, so we mixed bar snacks with large salads with accompaniments on the side. Whilst small, the veggie samosas stuffed with pumpkin, paneer & coriander, were crispy without dripping in grease, & the tomato salsa with a light pesto dressing was both tangy & refreshing.

The bloody mary menu was pretty impressive (they usually have at least 9 variations! & I can highly recommend the Fiery Caesar), but my favourite thing was the green beans. The dressing, wow! Caramelised soy, garlic, & chilli, combined to make a thick, gloopy dressing. Next time, I'll order bread as well, to mop it all up!

The Jam Tree are currently hosting a Jambalaya pop-up: cuisine inspired by the food of New Orleans will be served between 16 & 28 April.

(^obsessed with these light fittings, how gorgeous is that golden filament with the heavy rose-gold setting?!)


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{all photos & edits by me}

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Lunch in Chelsea #imready

I headed to Chelsea over the long weekend for a rather lovely lunch at Made in Chelsea hangout-fave The Bluebird. Amongst good friends & family, we celebrated my 30th over some fabulous food! 

Some of the dishes we had:

braised lentils, with turnips, spinach & basil pesto

grilled sourdough, echire butter & anchovies

6 hour braised Hardwick lamb, with colcannon and confit onions

pea & leek tart, with pea, mint & herb salad.

Did I mention the desserts?!

lemon tart with raspberry sorbet

sticky toffee pudding with banana & clotted cream

passion fruit posset with pineapple compote

I wore: coat from All Saints, sweater & trainers from Topshop, dress by Mango, sunglasses by Karen Walker, bag from Zara


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{all photos & edits by me, except portaits by Michelle DV.}

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