Barretts of Belsize - Englands Lane

The concept of a local butcher is not one that I've really experienced for several years I have to admit. Not since the hazy, lazy days of my childhood has meat come from anything but a sleek looking packet, ready chopped, pre-prepped and ready to go. So when I moved into the vicinity of Barretts of Belsize on England's Lane I was intrigued.

Given the area, my initial thought was that I'd be paying through the nose for what had now become the cool way to shop - £8 for a single sausage that kind of thing - but that was not the case. I started my exploration of Barrett's burgeoning meat counter with some fantastic sausages, fat and herbed, some plump chicken breasts and a pork chop. All were rewardingly delicious and no more than supermarket prices - but it's the roasting joint that really makes or breaks a butcher if you ask me and so the day came when I decided to try out their beef.

I bought a topside - £9 and enough for 4 - and it came complete with cheerfully delivered cooking instructions and a recipe for yorkshires (I obviously looked like a bit of a roasting novice when I asked if I could cook it on a baking tray). I was also told to pinch a little hole in the bag whilst the beef was in the fridge to let it breathe - all of which made me think 'these guys know why they're doing.'

Having managed not to incinerate the beef joint and having cooked and rested it exactly to instructions, it was time to eat it with yorkshires, peas, parsnips, green beans and carrots. I don't know if I was getting caught up in the whole experience but I swear the meet tasted better. Sweeter, juicier, more tender - it made sense as it hasn't been shut in a packet since being slaughtered. It looked nicer too and it didn't have that odd chemical smell when meat comes out of a packet.

So I would highly recommend Barretts of Belsize (as would the queues that snake out of the shop door every weekend...). Whether you want a roasting joint, fry up fare or a bit of sausage banter it's a great option for a meat n greet…

www.barrettsbutchers.co.uk/‎

Gaucho Hampstead - They Don't Just Do Steak

Yet again the issue of getting a decent cocktail on a Friday night in an environment that doesn't make you want to cover your ears and run away recently reared its ugly head. This time it was trying to find somewhere decent near Hampstead tube, a spot (quite insistently) selected by a friend for a quieter cocktail evening ('maybe with something more exciting to go on to after...'). Well we started at the now defunct Dach & Sons, an establishment which had a decent sized cocktail 'room' upstairs and a fairly sparse restaurant downstairs serving greasy sliders and a single cocktail option. We were denied access to the upstairs room in a rather snooty way and as we could no long stomach the unpleasant tasting 'grog' they were calling a cocktail downstairs we started walking back towards the tube.

'But what about Gaucho?' Said my friend as we walked past the steak restaurant that looked dark and glamorous and inviting. As I looked in a noticed that actually there was a fairly good sized bar area and there were seats....

So in we went and the relief of welcoming polite service in comparison to the snobby superiority of Dach & Sons was a welcome rush. We were presented with a range of drinks to delight even the most picky of cocktail lovers with all the usual accoutrements including the proper glasses (this is key to a good cocktail experience, trust me).

The drinks were divided into Buenos Aires Classics, Bloody & Rare and Gaucho's Own Cocktails and were created by Tato Giovannoni recently named Argentine barman of the decade. We opted for Argentine gimlets and then a concoction of cognac, cherry liquor and coffee that was an instant boosting burst of taste. The flavours were defined, the drinks were well mixed and the variety would no doubt give us terrible hangovers the next day but they were that good that you just didn't care. We paid through the nose for the service but I'd say overall it was worth it.

So if you're looking to go for cocktails around Hampstead and you want something a bit more glamorous than a pub then take a look at Gaucho. They don't just do steak you know.

Flatiron Soho

It seems to be the ‘thing’ now to make people sit on shared benches, drink out of tumblers and have a menu without choices. Flatiron in Soho is the latest restaurant I have visited where this slightly ‘emperors new clothes’ approach is being pushed and because of experiences at other establishments I wasn’t that much looking forward to it.

I began my evening with a quite unpleasant cocktail in the bar downstairs. Of course you can’t book here but we were happy to wait somewhere with a decent looking cocktail list. The fact that they offered the unusual approach of icing the drinks by chipping great chunks off a big block gave the impression of being consummate cocktail professionals but this was not the case. However, where the cocktail didn’t taste good it was strong (and it came in a Babycham glass – old school) and by the time our table was ready I was buoyed with booze.

So the menu choice here is basically a steak or a burger with a small selection of sides and sauces. Most of us opted for steak with one exception of the burger, and we all wanted it cooked different ways. In terms of the wine, there were two choices of Malbec on the menu, which was a pleasant surprise – and one wasn’t a bank breaker so we opted for that. It was good! Although having to drink it out of what was essentially a school squash glass did ruin the experience somewhat (get proper wine glasses!).

The food was swift – the little thin strips of £10 steak arrived on blocks of wood accompanied by (small) portions of eggplant parm, chips and spinach. Everything was cooked exactly as we had asked and frankly the entire spread was delicious and lasted about five minutes – not what I had been expecting given the terrible cocktail. The diner in our party who had the burger even said it was the best he’d ever had.

When it came, the bill was not too extortionate either – a very reasonable £26 per head for a bottle and a carafe of Malbec, three steaks, a burger, four sauces and four sides. Pudding-wise there was one choice on the night that we went (I assume this is normal) and none of us fancied it so we left. We would probably have had a desert if there had been another option or two (we just didn't want chocolate) so they’re kind of cutting off a mini profit stream there.

All in all I would say that Flatiron is definitely worth a visit (just don’t have a martini downstairs). It’s tasty, the atmosphere is lively and you don’t walk away feeling like you’ve just been made a mug of by somewhere that is all style and no substance. But maybe take your own wine glass…

Cotswolds B&B: No. 12 Cirencester

We journeyed to Cirencester for a break. There's was nothing about the town that particularly attracted us other than that it wasn't london. We wanted to walk down streets we didn't know, get coffee from someone who didn't know our names and generally just tumble into anonymity for a few days.

We picked No 12 because we liked the look of the sleigh beds and the roll top bath, and because one of the reviews talked about an establishment scented with Diptyque candles. Perhaps not the most scientific of reasons but everyone's different.

When we arrived we were tired and it was dark, and walking inside the quaint townhouse on a typical Cotswolds esque street was like stepping into a hug. This is how most of the stay here felt - it was warm, comfortable and undemanding, like going back home only without the questions about when a grandchild is going to be produced or why you're still smoking at your age.

Our room, Room One, was positioned at the front the of house with possibly the biggest bed we had ever slept in (that's no joke - at one point when I woke in the night I couldn't even see my other half). Thickly carpeted floors, double glazed windows, beautiful vintage wallpaper and the heaviest of curtains make you feel like you're back in age when we didn't purchase everything from Ikea. The toilet was kind of in the wardrobe, which was slightly odd and not too private, but no doubt a space saving design and one that didn't intrude that much on comfort. The bath was in the bedroom - a thick shower curtain providing some privacy - with an immense shower, with the kind of jungle head that makes you feel ridiculously energised afterwards. The only thing I didn't like about the room was the picture above the bed - a woman cowering (in my interpretation anyway) which if you believe in that sort of thing seems like very bad relationship feng shui to place over a bed.

Cirencester itself is pretty enough - a sanitised version of a Cotswolds town with plenty of places to get a latte and a couple of wonderfully posh deli style restaurants where I had a lovely carpaccio of beef and sparkling crisp prosecco. But it was for No 12 that we had journeyed here and that's where we spent most of our time. If you're the kind of person who marks a B&B by its breakfasts then the spread on offer at No12 is top notch. Even when we arrived two minutes from the end of breakfast on the first morning they were still willing to make us something hot (and were nice about it).

I would highly recommend No 12 if you're visiting c=Cirencester - or anywhere in the Cotswolds - or if you're just looking for an escape. An hour from London then ten minutes in a taxi and you can immerse yourself in Diptyque fragrances, great bacon and the biggest bed on earth. 

69 Colebrooke Row

In a city so brimming with bars, it's often unexpectedly difficult to find a decent cocktail. Everyone thinks they're a mixologist these days and there are few places left where the true art of the cocktail is really practiced. 69 Colebrooke Row is one of those places. Sister venue to the Zetter Townhouse, which also has a mean team of mixologists, you'll pay the standard London £9 for a house cocktail here, but believe me you won't give a damn.

From the flexible menu that can be altered to accommodate just about any whim to the 'proper' cocktail glasses and the white coats of the waiters they do things properly at 69 Colebrooke Row. That's not to say it's in any way straight laced. Gawd no!  This is a tiny, sweaty noisy speakeasy, complete with a stealth pianist and a loud, buzzy atmosphere punctuated frequently by raucous laughter.

St James' Gate: Myers Rum, Guinness Reduction, Lemon, Sugar

The thing about 69 Colebrooke row is that it's not particularly sophisticated. You will probably have to wait even if you've booked (if you haven't booked then you could be there all night) and when you're waiting you won't know where to put yourself, as there isn't any space. But if you're the kind of person who likes to walk into a bar and say 'I'd like something refreshing. With tequila. That tastes amazing' and then have the best cocktail of your life made for you then you might just fall in love.

www.69colebrookerow.com

Brasserie Zedel - The ONLY French restaurant in London

This is rather late in the writing but better late than never!  Whilst there are many French restaurants in London – some heavy on the butter, some service-poor, some vastly overpriced – none except Brasserie Zedel will actually make you feel as if you’re dining on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the heart of Paris.  I lived in the City of Light for six glorious months and I often have periods of craving the food, the booze and the je ne sais quoi - it was the most wonderful thing to find it right here in London, without the cost of a Eurostar ticket. 

Brasserie Zedel’s main restaurant is reached down several flights of stairs.  Walk through the little café at the entrance, a secret nod to the woman behind the bar  - as if you’re in on some kind of clandestine code, the key to the party – and then walk into the maroon and gold covered corridor, down the stairs, past the cabaret room and the coat check into the high ceilinged restaurant of what to all intents and purposes is a buzzy Parisian brasserie circa 1950.  I took my dad along for this one as he had real life experience of a buzzy Parisian brasserie circa 1950 and could confirm authenticity – which he duly did.

We arrived on a Thursday lunchtime to find the place busy – very busy – but we were seated straight away at a white clothed table, complete sparkling glassware and good, heavy cutlery.  Immediately two glasses of champagne arrived ‘from the chef’ – a great start.  The menu here is a single, unwieldy card -  simple and oh so French.  The quality of the food is such that if you pick the cheapest option on the menu – the two course pre fix – what you have will still be tastier and more satisfying than you would get in most ‘above average’ chains. 

We started with the Carottes Râpées (£2.95) – a perfect French carrot salad, tart, crispy and dressed to perfection - and Filets de Hareng, Pommes à l’Huile (£3.75) (herring) which lasted around three minutes.  Next, the most picture perfect plate of Bœuf Bourguignon (£9.75), with achingly tender beef, smoky bacon flavour and gorgeous curved scoop of mash, whilst on the other side of the table there was Choucroute Alsacienne (£11.95), a wonderfully rustic dish of potatoes, onions, smoked belly of pork and a big, comedy frankenfurter.  At this point we were wavering a little on the pudding front, but our wills were strong.  So to finish, we had Crème Brûlée (£3.50) (the crack was there, the creaminess was there, the vanilla was there – it was all there) and Pêche Melba (£4.25) with fresh peaches and clotted cream.  After that we had to go for a long walk.

What you might not be expecting from the flowery and over the top way I have raved about Brasserie Zedel is that it is cheap.  I mean, it’s not 99p or anything like that but you can get a two course meal for £8.75 and feel like it should have cost you £20 – and that doesn’t often happen.  Despite the fact that it’s a French restaurant in London, it’s unpretentious, straightforward and honest in its cooking and pricing.  They don’t try and recoup the lower cost by charging for the bread or doubling the price of the puddings and even something like champagne is within reach, without settling for something sparkling but sickly.  In the middle of a recession, when all you really want is to not feel like you’re not watching every penny, when you do want to treat yourself occasionally and you don’t want to pay over the top for the privilege, Brasserie Zedel has really hit the nail on the head.  They’ll feed you like a king, treat you like a queen and best of all they’ll bill you like a pauper.

The Booking Office Bar at The Renaissance Hotel St Pancras

If you haven't yet visited the new St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in what was formerly part of the St Pancras station building then I would suggest you get down there quick smart before the secret gets out.  Whilst Londoners might write this place off as a transient location for those coming through, to and from the city, thanks to the unique site and distinctive internal structure, the 207 rooms and three restaurants/lounges here have a lot more going for them than your average journey hotel. My specific experience was with the Booking Office Bar, a loftily ceilinged room lined on one side with a smart 29m long marble bar top and on the other with enormous windows looking out into the station.  This was the station's former booking office for trains to the north but the atmosphere in here is of a grandiose New York hotel, with bucket deep leather chairs that could have come straight from a gentleman's club, dark walnut wood and the original 19th century brickwork.  No too shabby at all.

I went to the Booking Office for Sunday brunch with a friend and to be honest it was not a great start when I arrived for the table I had specially booked for brunch at 11 and was told that breakfast finished at 11. However, my friend has a bona fide gift of the gab and we managed to get them to accept our order despite the fact that it was 11.07. For me, it was corned beef hash with a specifically requested non-runny egg (I know it's not the done thing but sometimes I can't stomach a liquid yolk) and for him eggs Florentine.

(Top: Corned beef hash Bottom: Eggs Florentine)

We chatted our way through quickly served coffees and a watermelon smoothie, watching the Eurostar hustle and bustle through the enormous Booking Office windows and feeling pleasantly secluded. When the food came, my hash was minuscule - served on an enormous plate! - but when I tasted it I could see why it was dished up small, as it was very rich. It was also utterly delicious, with a punchy hollandaise and meaty hash (complete with that specifically requested hard yolk) and some iron rich spinach that was well drained. My only criticism would be that the hash lacked the crunch that I was expecting. I wonder if this was the bowl nature of the plate (see above), which would have encouraged moistness…

(Top: Apple and rhubarb crumble  Bottom:  Sticky toffee pudding)

This brunch took place with the friend of mine who always has to do desert with brunch, and so despite feeling pretty full we perused the puddings. I allowed myself to be steamrollered into a sticky toffee pudding, rich with an unctuous sugary sauce and spongy, moist cakey consistency and an enormous bowl of clotted cream.  For my friend, an apple and rhubarb crumble. It was all delicious but too much - but that was our own fault.

The Booking Office is a good spot for brunch – not amazing as it’s more of a hotel breakfast feel place than a real brunch spot – but good food, unhurried service and a fantastic setting.  At £25 ish each for the food it did fall on the expensive side, but it wasn’t ludicrous for what we had and I didn't feel stung.  Having also spent a few very pleasurable hours drinking cocktails there a few weeks before – the kind that make you flush up and giggle lots and are served with a napkin and a little ornate tin of snacks – I’d say that if you want to be bowled over by the Booking Office then go at a time you can work your way through the cocktail list.  And then maybe do breakfast the next morning.