The London Restaurant Review

Awana’s Lobster Festival

Looking for an excuse to treat yourself to the ultimate culinary indulgence but worried about the purse strings? Fine-dining Malaysian restaurant Awana offers the perfect solution this spring with their exceptional lobster festival.
In honour of this king of crustaceans, from the 14th – 28th May 2008, let Awana on Sloane Avenue tempt you with a series of succulent specials from starters to mains at eminently affordable prices. With so many lobster dishes to choose from seafood lovers won’t want to eat anywhere else.

Executive chef Mark Read and Malaysian-born head chef Lee Chin Soon have created this range of dishes to celebrate the most sumptuous of seafood. Indulge in a lobster feast or if something tempts you from Awana’s a la carte menu then simply mix and match to experience a taste of Malaysia in the heart of Chelsea.
Inspired by the traditional Malaysian teak house, Awana is the ideal location to enjoy this lavish selection of lobster dishes. To complete your culinary exploration, pair your dishes with choices from Awana’s extensive wine list or choose from a fabulous range of cocktails, from classics to exotics including Blooming Hibiscus (Tanqueray No. 10, lychee juice, rosewater, lime juice and hibiscus flower), and Fire Dragon’s Pearls (Coconut Rum, Tequila, Grand Marnier, fire dragon fruit, fresh lime juice and brown sugar).

Open for lunch and dinner every day, Awana unlocks the mysteries of Malaysian cuisine.

www.awana.co.uk

Stanza Restaurant London

Stanza, a contemporary British restaurant and lounge bar is situated in the heart of Soho, London.
The 80 cover first floor restaurant features a panoramic window display that overlooks Shaftesbury Avenue and contains a private dining area, suitable for functions and meetings.
An adjacent bar, including banquette seating for up to 50 people with a total capacity of 150, features an impressive cocktail list created by Filippo Lari.

Head Chef Stuart Tattersall moved from being Sous-Chef at the Michelin starred Pool Court in Leeds to take a Head Chef post at its sister restaurant Brasserie 44.

His extensive experience has seen him cook across continental Europe, Australia and the Caribbean and his most recent post prior was at the Match Bar group in London, where he successfully introduced an impressive food offering to mirror outstanding cocktail outputs at venues including Milk & Honey. 

His menu at Stanza focuses on British classics with a modern interpretation. He sources ingredients from a variety of suppliers and the varied provenance of his ingredients includes fresh asparagus from Secretts Farm, Surrey, Herdwick lamb and an entire charcuterie board from Cumbria.

Stanza
93 - 107 Shaftesbury Avenue
London W1D 5DY
T : 020 7494 3020
E : reception@Stanzalondon.com
www.Stanzalondon.com

Zebrano Restaurant meets the Establishment

Zebrano at The Establishment has opened its doors on the 6th of March 2008 with a coveted launch partyk.  The guys behind this new bar, restaurant and Club have already built up a successful Zebrano bar on the other side of Soho and now they are to unleash themselves at one of Soho’s most famous buildings.

18 Greek street, where the legendary “The Establishment” was founded by Peter Cook and his partner in the early sixties holds many rare and warming secrets.  Back in the days of the Peter Cook, Dudley Moore partnership no one was safe from comedic humiliation – the politicians in particular.  Imagine a scene where a man named David Frost practices his satirical delivery in the balcony, the ground floor is a hive of activity and from the basement come the repetitive drills of the typewriter.  Here the first ever issues of Private Eye were conjured up in the waiters changing room and the writers thrown out at the turn of half past five with their portables.  Cook of course bought the publication for £500 – a small price considering the success we see now.  The Club had many regulars such as John Bird and John Fortune, guests like Barry Humphries and controversially, the American Lenny Bruce.  The venue was named The Establishment because “everyone wanted to be a member” of this private members club.

As with Zebrano in Ganton Street, Zebrano at The Establishment will now be a venue to excite everyone. And even though the venue has a past to be immensely proud of, Zebrano at the Establishment will step into the present and is sure to become a new favourite hangout for the après work drinkers, the dinner crowd and not forgetting later night party people.

Licensed to 3am, Zebrano at The Establishment believes that a location should cater for all needs and with a laid back but professional team, Zebrano at the Establishment will become a home from home for the savvy Soho patrons. DJs will spin across the week playing familiar, classic and latest tunes facilitating that classic mix of dancing and drinking.

The exceptional drinks menu has been put together by operations director and TV mixologist Chris Sheldon who has taken inspiration from classic cocktails served in Peter Cooks era fused with modern flavours which have been in high demand over the last 3 years at Zebrano on Ganton Street.
The food will be unfussy, uncomplicated but hugely tasty. Head Chef I. Chikuendu (Chico) has created a Mediterranean and Asian menu that can be dressed down or up depending on the occasion.  Chris Sheldon says ‘the customer is king at Zebrano and we have built up a reputation and a top business by putting them first and delivering a great product without emptying the pockets of our customers.  Zebrano at the Establishment will be no different with our policy being: not charging minimum spends, for booking tables or drinking areas - keeping drinks and food prices at a reasonable level without sacrificing quality.
Whatever your social requirements, it is distinctly possible you will find the answer at 18 Greek Street and the new era for this old Soho building.

Zebrano at the Establishment is open 6 days a week 12pm to 3am.
Zebrano at the Establishment 18 Greek Street W1D 4DS
Zebrano at the Establishment is the 2nd Zebrano, the first being Zebrano 14-16 Ganton Street, Soho, W1F 7BT.  You can read reviews of the first one on The London Restaurant Review here.

   

The Loft Restaurant in Clapham, London

Historically dominated by chains and cheap eats, Clapham High Street can now celebrate The Loft, a dining experience on another level.

Whether feasting, brunching or just bar snacking, diners at The Loft will enjoy seasonal British produce courtesy of head chef Marianne Wit. Formerly of Michelin starred The Glasshouse in Kew, Marianne's aim is to deliver delicious dishes that are 'familiar but with a twist.' To this end, the braised oxtail in the endive salad has been crisped and is complemented by walnut oil and mustard dressing; the cream sauce for the rope grown mussels is spiked with dill and star anise and the toad in this hole is chorizo.

Careful sourcing is of paramount concern: pork comes from outdoor reared Gloucester Old Spot pigs; all fish is from sustainable sources, including line-caught sea bass; all beef has been hung for nineteen days and marigold-hued yolks stand testament to the quality of eggs from acorn fed, free-range hens. This responsible attitude is continued after the meal is over, with waste oil being sent for processing into bio fuel.

Away from the main menu, The Loft maintains the same high standards. Brunchers have the agony of deciding between delights that include buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup and fresh blueberries; kedgeree with smoked mackerel and a poached egg; and a Full English that boasts Stornaway black pudding, Macken Bros. sausages and Guinness and black treacle cure bacon. The Loft's roasts provide the perfect reason to venture out on a Sunday. Indulge in roast beef with Yorshire pudding and all the trimmings or roasted Gloucester Old Spot pork belly with roasted vegetables, caramelised apples and homemade chutney. Bar menu dishes available every day include watercress salad with soft goat's cheese and a good, old-fashioned homemade burger with chunky chips.

Complementing the food is a strong but succinct wine list, encompassing a range from great value Mendoza Valley house red and white, through the likes of Puligny Montrachet Chavy 2005 and Reserve de Leoville Barton 2001, to Louis Roederer Cristal 2000. Excellent international draft and bottled beers, such as Sleeman Honey Brown Beer and Coopers Sparkling Ale and a lengthy catalogue of premium spirits complete the picture.

As Plan B cognoscenti will have anticipated, diners at The Loft eat to the beat of a cutting edge
soundtrack. Friday evenings bring rare grooves, northern soul, eclectic beats and funky breaks, while Saturdays nod to NYC disco combined with party classics and Sundays feature forgotten favourites with 80's classics and easy listening.

The Loft: reaching new heights in casual fine dining and drinking.

The Loft, 67 Clapham High Street, London SW4 9TG
T: 020 7627 0792 www.theloft-clapham.co.uk

New Fado Night at Algarve Restaurant, Wandsworth

Saturday 15 March 2008 starts at 19.30
Artistas: Barra Lopes, Sousa Matos, Xico Fragoso

Set Menu   £25.00 per person

Bread, Butter, olives, Cod Fish Cakes, Crab Sticks, Fresh Cheese, Pates.

Starter

Traditional Portuguese Fish Soup

Or

Traditional Portuguese Grilled Sausage 

Main

Special Stew Lamb with roasted potatoes 

Or

Sun Dry Cod with Cream and new potatoes

Dessert

Traditional Portuguese Pudding

Or

Traditional home made Chocolate Mousse

www.thealgarverestaurant.co.uk

Book now 0208 875 0313 /07947483126

Taste Thai at Benja London

Thai Royal Family chef ML Kwantip is hosting the first in a series of Thai cuisine master classes and tasting sessions – on Friday 7th March 2008 at Benja London.

The workshops are free to attend for kitchen novices and potential master chefs alike – Benja Culinary Consultant ML Kwantip will be sharing her favourite recipes and delicious dishes.

A renowned celebrity chef in Thailand, ML Kwantip writes a regular column for the country's biggest women's consumer magazine, Ploi Gam Petch.

She has created dishes tried and tested on Thai royalty, from her family's role as official chefs to the Palace, and has since spent much time travelling across Thailand and beyond, learning and discovering as many different tastes, cooking cultures and experiences as possible.

ML Kwantip is available for interview to discuss her unique Benja recipes and give her top-tips on how to cook fine Thai cuisine in advance of the event. 

The Benja experience is based on hundreds of years of Thai tradition; the opulent restaurant is spread over three floors of and old Soho town house, and has been awarded the Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide 2008.

WHEN: Friday 7th March 2008
WHERE: Benja London, 17 Beak Street, London, W1F 9RW
TIME: 12pm – 2.00pm
ENTRY: FREE

Awana Lunch Promotion

Say goodbye to leftover sandwiches in the supermarket and the microwavable monstrosities that pass for a midday meal – it’s time to take your light lunch to new heights. From the 15th - 30th March 2008, fine-dining Malaysian restaurant Awana will tempt you with their unmissable Satay and Roti offer…

Simply choose

· one of six sensational satays,

including original delicacies of wild venison, shark, okra, mushroom and pepper, duck and salmon

· one of four delicious roti canai (Malaysian crispy bread),

filled with cheese, sesame seeds, egg and pepper or sweet chilli,

· and either a fruit cocktail, Anchor beer, or glass of house wine

for a totally irresistible price of just

£12.00 per person

Available from 12pm – 3pm and 5pm – 7pm, diners can choose to savour their satay and roti canai in the main restaurant or take a seat at London’s only Satay Bar, where the remarkable view of Awana’s chefs freshly preparing dishes is sure to mesmerise,

With executive chef Mark Read and Malaysian-born head chef Lee Chin Soon at the helm, Awana has become synonymous with first rate Malaysian food. Expertly executed, dishes demonstrate the depth and diversity of this relatively overlooked cuisine, with Awana’s signature peanut, and spicy peanut, Satay sauce widely celebrated as the best in London.

So if you want a light bite with a difference, head to Awana and make the most of this delicious offer.

Available 12 midday to 3pm and 5pm – 7pm

from 15th – 30th March 2008

Awana Satay and Roti menu is just £12 per person.

Open for lunch and dinner everyday, awana unlocks the mysteries of Malaysian cuisine.

www.awana.co.uk

Mothering Sunday at The Bingham, Richmond Upon Thames

With its enviable riverside position, chic interiors and exquisite food, the Bingham in Richmond upon Thames are putting a little magic into Mothering Sunday on 2nd March 2008. Offering a spectacular Harry Potter party to keep little ones busy, the most important first lady in our lives can take the time to revel in some much need rest and relaxation.

One of the most enchanting settings in which to celebrate the tireless and often taken for granted, devotion of our dear mums, the Bingham are serving a delicious seasonal three-course Mothering Sunday lunch menu, courtesy of head chef Shay Cooper. Diners can choose to eat in the beautifully renovated Bingham restaurant or make the most of the hotel’s stunning Garden Rooms. For those with kids in tow, a specially created children’s menu and Harry Potter themed party ensure parents
can truly relax. Everyone is spoiled at the Bingham on Mothering Sunday.

For grownups, starters include white bean and Parmesan soup; Brixham crab salad; and terrine of celeriac and parsley, followed by tempting mains of rib eye of dry aged beef with truffled potato purée and caramelised shallots in sherry vinegar dressing; organic salmon, crispy morels, pink fir potatoes and cauliflower purée in Pommery mustard sauce; and risotto of pea and broad bean with asparagus, trompettes and goat’s cheese velouté. Desserts of saffron poached pear and dark chocolate fondant will woo those with a sweet tooth, whereas a selection of British cheeses is a must for those sticking with savoury.

Little ones can choose between homemade basil linguini with confit cherry tomatoes and Parmesan; and kids size rib eye of dry aged beef with pommes purée; followed by a selection of homemade ice cream or sorbets.

The Harry Potter themed party sees a professional party host play the role of Professor Dumbledore’s secretary looking for magical muggle children to enrol at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Using various educational games inspired by Potter’s magical world, children’s imaginations will captures making sure they have an afternoon of fun.

Served 12.30 – 4.00pm, the three-course Mothering Sunday Lunch Menu is £38 per person
Little One’s Menu is £25 per child including the Children’s Party from 2.30 – 4.00pm

To book call Bingham on 020 8940 0902
Bingham, 61-63 Petersham Road, Richmond upon Thames, TW10 6UT
www.thebingham.co.uk

Valentine's Day Restaurant

Whether you are kindling or rekindling your love this Valentine’s Day, the modern Indian tastes at The Cinnamon Club are sure to fuel the fire with a specially created menu available 13th – 16th February 2008.

Housed in the stunning Grade II listed Old Westminster Library, this highly acclaimed fine-dining destination restaurant is the ideal intimate setting for the most romantic of occasions. Renowned for innovative Indian cuisine and impeccable service, the love of your life is sure to be seduced by the delectable food, enviable wine list and distinctive ambiance.

Upon arrival diners are welcomed with a complimentary Saffron Elixir cocktail, a glittering mélange of saffron gin, Goldschlager and pomegranate, spiced with cardamom and kaffir lime leaves, with a gilding of real gold leaf.  An equally decadent four-course menu follows, created specially by Executive Chef Vivek Singh to woo the senses and stimulate deep desires.

Demonstrating Vivek’s passion for the finest ingredients, the Valentine’s dinner begins on an aphrodisiac high with an amuse bouche of scallop and oyster with mango and mint, followed by an appetiser of Scottish lobster with coconut and mustard. With the palate suitably whetted, lovers are further treated to a starter of black leg chicken breast, filled with spinach and apricots in a fragrant korma of morels before a main course of tandoor roasted Pyrenean milk-fed lamb in rattan jyot infused sauce. A final delight comes in the form of warm chocolate mousse, with pistachio and almond ice cream.

Vegetarians are set for an equally seductive feast, first tantalised by an amuse bouche of spiced potato and green pea cake with smoked tomato chutney followed by crisp zucchini flower with stir-fried asparagus.  A tasting selection of Bombay street snacks is the perfect prelude to an extravagant main course of filled jumbo morels with truffled wild mushroom biryani. Attracting one final wistful glance of envy from the carnivorous, those choosing this menu conclude with a lemon posset and compote of red fruits. 

All are then invited to linger over coffee, petit fours and paan before slipping into the night.

The Cinnamon Club’s four-course Valentine’s Day menu is available 13th – 16th February 2008
at £70 per person.
The Cinnamon Club
The Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BU
www.cinnamonclub.com t.020 7222 2555

THE CULINARY KEY TO MALAYSIA

Malaysian cuisine is somewhat of an enigma. Due to the country’s long and rich history, the food has been heavily influenced over time by neighbouring states. With spices and flavours freely crossing the borders, a relatively unknown and unappreciated gastronomy thrills those who have been lucky enough to discover its variety and depth.

Arguably, London’s only fine-dining Malaysian restaurant, awana, on Sloane Avenue, is an elegant setting in which to introduce willing taste buds to the true culinary diversity of Malaysia. Combining traditional dishes with innovative modern interpretations, the restaurant’s menu has been created by Executive Chef Mark Read and Malaysian-born Head Chef Lee Chin Soon. Drawing on extensive understanding of the cuisine and injecting firsthand experience, dishes include curries, soups, grills and stir-fries, with traditional breads to accompany. The restaurant’s unique Satay Bar offers a sophisticated selection of satay featuring only the best quality meat from sirloin steak to succulent rump of lamb.

For those who have simply no idea where to begin, awana’s inventive ‘Malaysian Journey’ menu, effortlessly guides diners through a comprehensive range of especially crafted courses.

Sommelier Li Ya Nan has knowledgeably put together an extensive wine list for awana, and for those enjoying the Malaysian Journey, suggested pairings guarantee the perfect complement to the intricate flavours.

Gorgeous teakwood, traditional batik silk and luscious dark red leather combine to create a contemporary interior reminiscent of a Malaysian plantation house. A chic bar area hosts an extensive cocktail list concentrating on delectable whisky blends and exotic aromatic mixes.

Open for lunch and dinner everyday, awana unlocks the mysteries of Malaysian cuisine.
www.awana.co.uk