Keelung, City of London

23-06-2009

1 Review(s)     

Located in the heart of China Town, Keelung is the newest addition to the Leong family empire (Goldfish, Koi, Hi Sushi chain and Leong's Legends).

The name derives from a major port city in the north-eastern part of Taiwan and the feel of the restaurant exactly matches up to it. Buzzing with people, the restaurant displays an image of its Taiwanese harbour on
the walls and fish in the window.

The décor however was less market place and more stylish comfy retro, with black carpet, dark leather chairs and cream walls. The restaurant specialises in seafood, Taiwanese street dishes and night tapas at
affordable prices. Prices range for £3 for smaller tapas dishes to between £7 and £19 for more expansive plates of seafood.

After settling back on a comfy settee and enjoying a glass of rose wine we indulged in our first dish; a bamboo pot of steaming, rice wine prawn soup. Light in texture and delicate in flavour, thanks to the rice wine, it was presented with three whole flavoursome prawns. Soon afterwards we were served a bamboo basket with eight steamed dim sum (Keelung Siu Loung Bao). The soft, savoury mince filling dissolved in the mouth, the flavour complemented by the rice-flour wrapping. Opting for another traditional dish, we tried the steamed rice paste with minced pork – the gelatine consistency reminding me of unsalted white polenta.

Mains followed soon afterwards and before we knew it the table was full with Taiwanese delicacies, from stewed boneless pig’s trotter, morning glory vegetables with garlic, steamed Chilean sea bass with ginger, and stir-fried crayfish with chilly and garlic. The pig’s trotter, served in a bowl atop of a flame, delivered supreme taste and outstanding value for money (£6.50). The meat was incredibly tender and velvety to the pallet; coupled with the glutinous sauce, steamed rice and some crunchy morning glory, this dish is an essential option on the menu. Equally delicious was the Chilean sea bass, its steamed flesh boasting a luxurious ginger taste. The crayfish on the other hand was served with a bit too much garlic and chilly for my taste, and a finger bowl wouldn’t have gone amiss; however, the crustaceous meat was tender and full of flavour.

With a karaoke night planned for the long hot summer nights, Keelung restaurant is a wonderful experience of real Taiwanese tastes and flavours. And despite the competitive nature of the London dining scene,
this venue has all the skill and potential to successfully establish itself in the market.

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The Brasserie, Hounslow

08-05-2009

1 Review(s)     

Priya Ramkissoon & Valentina Sutto Myvillage Local

When it comes to fine dining, The Brasserie is an elevating experience. Tucked away in the leafy surroundings of Surrey, this super chic restaurant oozes style and decadence.

Though its interior offers no conquering décor, its formal outlook and conservative setting does dampen the mood - and may be a little rigid at times. But with a few swigs of their delicate and crisp servings of Petite
Chablis wine we soon loosen up.

With a menu consisting of Roast Sea Trout, Venison and Suffolk Mule Lamb, we were mesmerised by their detailed offerings. For starters, the chosen Carpaccio of Bluefin Tuna and Nicoise Dressing was a crisp opening both zingy and lingering on the palate. The Lamb Offal & Smoked Bacon served warm on bed of salad was an interesting combination of great texture and very strong flavours.

But it was their main course, the Wild Halibut marinated in flavoursome herbs which ceased all hunger pangs - and painstakingly presented too. The roast loin of rabbit was an extremely mouth watering too. Served with
a Hogsback Ale braised leg warm and crunchy pie alongside white broad beans. This plate was the ultimate winner. Both courses were accurate in portion and were devoured effortlessly.

Temptingly, we moved onto their dessert menu and were instantly drawn to their chocolate tart and Pistachio mousse. The mousse served was fluffy and filling, especially when sidelined with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
The chocolate tart on the other hand made a sugary explosion.

There is no denying The Brasserie is armed with class and personality. And when compared to other unique establishments it is fair to say that this restaurant is the Chanel of restaurants that will no doubt charm all.

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Isle of Wight Festival, Chichester

23-04-2009

1 Review(s)     

I've been to the Isle of White festivals for two years in a row and always had the best of time. The camping site is well organized and they have so many food stalls available to make even the fussier of eater happy.

If you wake up early enough in the morning you can also have a warm shower without queing for long.

The bands choosen every year are a wicked mix of cool, chilled, rock n' roll , pop, house, indie music and the athmosphere is so great that you so sad to leave the grounds on the monday morning.

Also to top it all off the weather has been of the sunniest and warmest giving us an amazing w/e away.

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Mews of Mayfair, West End

21-04-2009

4 Review(s)     

Tucked away in a cobbled mews, away from traffic and the prestigious shopping area of New Bond Street lies a beautifully, restored period building called Mews of Mayfair.

This is no ordinary venue but a contemporary modern restaurant with multiple functionalities - a private dining room, cocktail bar and club, all located in the heart of Mayfair. Super chic in décor – the interior is elegant, dim-lit and cosy with comfortable creamy leather upholstery.

Their menu had a good balance of fish and meat with seasonal ingredients being their key components. We were also pleased to see a credit crunch set menu on offer (£25 per person) which had most of the dishes featured on the a la carte.

Sitting back and relaxing from a very long day, we started our meals with a very crisp, citrusy ‘Chablis Emile Petit’ while looking at Chef Oliver Clark’s menu. A very accommodating waiter recommended our choice of scallops and quail salad for starters and for mains we opted for the pan-fried cod and tiger prawns.

The salad with quail eggs and quail breast, wild garlic and truffle was a unique blend of strong gamy flavours. When combined together all flavours created a wonderful spring dish. Our other appetizer of scallops was a delicate explosion of taste which was enhanced by the cauliflower and cumin puree.

Incredibly impressed by our starters, we were eager to try more. Soon to arrive were our mains, Tiger prawns and pan-fried cod. The prawns were of prime quality, meaty in flesh and were paired well with the ginger sparkle and freshness of watermelon pieces. The pan-fried cod was also a winning dish thanks to its excellent firmness and aroma. The combination of white asparagus and crispy calamari completed the feast, for what I believe to be a magnificent melange of flavours.

Dessert wise, my partner ordered Tiramisu, which did not topple our taste buds. The dish was too dry, the cream too firm and it was certainly not moreish on the palette. On the other hand, my choice of Passion fruit cheesecake was a creative and experimental dish. The layers of fruit coupled with dollops of cream and cheesy centres made an appetising treat.

The Mews of Mayfair is a dining must. The combinations of ingredients, flavours, presentation and overall experience were of high standards. Only the best of chefs can really keep the ingredients so basic taking the whole dinner and food experience to another level … well done Oliver Clark!

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Ministry of Sound, South Bank

20-03-2009

4 Review(s)     

After been parted from Ministry of Sound for so many years last Saturday night I decided to venture to Elephant & Castle to experience the renown vibes of the Subliminal sound of Eric Morillo.

The queue outside the club was endless, a snakey line trailing from block to block, but all the revellers were more than happy to wait just to hear the King of House. The atmosphere was buzzing and in no time we managed to get our wrist band and enter the VIP area (lucky us)

Eric Morillo was already playing and relatively early (12.15) too, the floor was rammed and the magic tunes were already smothering the dance floor. We managed to find a cool and not too hot corner to dance away from the raucous crowd (yep, we are that old!). From the classic jams of the old 99’ track 'So in love with you’ to the more recent ‘Silence' we just couldn’t be seated.

Once again Morillo did not let us down; I would give 10 out of 10 to music, atmosphere, place, people … regardless if my feet were sore from all the dancing.

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