“Are you with me, or are you with The Woolwich?” Otto Tepasse probes before insisting I become heavily involved in the ceremonial crushing of a duck carcass. The question has no real relevance, but it’s just one key example of the endearing eccentricity that environs dinner at Otto’s – a...
2017 has been an outstanding year for London restaurant openings, with over 300 having launched since January. Some have been absolutely sensational, others considerably less brilliant. From nose-to-tail cooking to Mexican fine-dining; Michelin-approved international exports to home grown triumphs – we pick ten of the best restaurants to have opened...
Pan-Asian cuisine has become so oversaturated in London, it’s often distinguish between the bad and the utterly atrocious. With the opening of so many restaurants serving a mix of Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Taiwanese and Laotian food, a great deal have roots far more British than the menus may suggest....
“A good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody”, Samuel Pepys wrote in November 1665. Though best known for first-hand accounts of the Great Fire of London and the plague, kept within his diary, Samuel Pepys also wrote numerous passages on his favourite things to eat – perhaps most notably The Lampery...
Christmas is a time for indulgence. Though turkey is most commonly associated with British Christmas dinner, the bird wasn’t introduced until the 16th century, with Henry VIII the first British monarch to have enjoyed roast turkey on Christmas Day. Before that, goose was far more popular, while the rich generally...
Established in 1985, Wye Valley Brewery is a family-run business operating from a nine-acre former cider mill in Stoke Lacy, Herefordshire. Before launching the brewery, founder Peter Amor previously worked as a brewer for Guinness, leaving the company to follow his dream of crafting some of the country’s best cask-conditioned...
When reporting on a brand new restaurant, the question of ethics is generally raised. Is it really fair to review a restaurant that’s brand new? And if not, how long should we wait – a few weeks, a few months, a year? There’s no set rule, but the issue has...
Forget arid roast turkey, prosaic Christmas pudding and sprouts boiled to the point of complete submission. This year, so many of London’s incomparably diverse restaurants have created special, unique Christmas dinners. From classic German goose with dumplings to Indian spiced goose breast; Australasian-inspired fusion to South African Braai – we...
A delicacy synonymous with Japanese cuisine, fugu (pufferfish) is highly-prized, but potentially more deadly than cyanide. Each fish has enough tetrodotoxin (one of the world’s most powerful neutrotoxins) to kill 30 adults, so it’s hardly surprising it’s banned across the EU. In Japan, only rigorously trained chefs are licensed to...