Bites
Gossip, launches, sightings and the like brought to you direct from Blue Tomato towers…
Paul A Young Opens New Flagship Chocolaterie
Paul A Young Chocolates’ third chocolaterie and flagship store opens today in Soho. [continue reading]
Rene Redzepi at Taste of London
The head chef of S. Pellegrino’s number one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants is coming to Taste of London this weekend. [continue reading]
British Beer and Indian Cuisine at Quilon
The internationally acclaimed and Michelin starred Indian restaurant the Quilon has released a new beer and food matching menu devoted solely to British beer. [continue reading]
Sartoria: Fashionable Italian Cuisine
Drop your shopping bags and enjoy fine Italian dining. [continue reading]
Deluxe Bento Boxes at the Great Eastern Dining Room
The popular pan-Asian Ricker Restaurant in Hoxton is now offering a new selection of Japanese-inspired bento boxes. [continue reading]
A Dog’s Dinner
We’ve all heard of a dog’s dinner, but Gaucho in Richmond are taking things a step further. [continue reading]
Le Cordon Bleu London to Offer New Culinary Scholarship
The world-renowned culinary institute is offering a prestigious scholarship in London for the first time in its 115 year history. [continue reading]
An Old Hungarian Restaurant with a New Supplier
The Gay Hussar is now being supplied by Urban Merchants. [continue reading]
Madison: Drinks and Dining with a View
Madison Cafe Bar and Restaurant opens to the public today, Monday 6th June. [continue reading]
Shopping and Ice Cream at Harvey Nichols
From now until 3 July, enjoy critically-acclaimed ice cream at Harvey Nichols. [continue reading]
Joe and Seph’s: Not Your Ordinary Popcorn
Who says that you need to go to a movie to enjoy good popcorn? [continue reading]
Bushstock Festival: Beer and Music
Attention all pub crawlers and music lovers. Rock out this Saturday at the Bushstock Festival in Shepherd’s Bush sponsored by Vedett Extra Blond. [continue reading]
One Water: A Great Cause with a New Look
If you are thirsty over these warm summer months, perhaps you should think before you buy your bottled water. [continue reading]
1 in a Million
London isn’t short of cool bars, but ICEBAR LONDON is in a league of its own. [continue reading]
Experience Perrier Nights
Water may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of cocktails, but perhaps that’s going to change. [continue reading]
Malbec World Day (& Where to Drink It)
If you’re out for an excuse to drink a good glass (or two) of red wine this weekend, then we’ve got a treat for you. It’s Malbec World Day on Sunday. Which means it would be rude not to. And it’s a bit less strenuous than running the Marathon. [continue reading]
Party Patriotically with Pimm’s
London’s summery weather may seem to have come and gone, but that’s no reason for the party to stop. [continue reading]
StreetSmart Totals Revealed
Totals have been announced from the 2010 StreetSmart campaign. The annual charitable campaign, which also now includes SleepSmart, works with restaurants to raise money for the homeless. [continue reading]
The Art of Taste
Tomorrow sees the launch of a tasty new exhibition at Mernier Chocolate Factory. And we mean tasty in the most literal of senses. [continue reading]
Japanese Restaurants Raising Money for Relief Effort
Following the recent Japanese tsunami disaster, some of the faces of Japan here in London are doing their bit for the relief effort by helping to raise some cash. [continue reading]
La Maison Du Chocolat Tasting Sessions
As if you needed an excuse to indulge in a bit of chocolate therapy, may we point out that doing so can actually be an educational experience? [continue reading]
Mummy Me Time @ Renaissance
Gastropub group Renaissance, whose venues include The Avalon in Balham, The Stonhouse and The Abbeville in Clapham, The Bolingbroke in Battersea and The Tommyfield in Kennington has launched its new ‘Mummy Me Time’ club. [continue reading]
Pimm’s Summer Party: Be There!
Let’s start with the negative: this coming weekend we lose an hour of sleep when the clocks go forward. And now the positive: it’s officially summer. Sort of. [continue reading]
Thai New Year
Thai New Year (Songkran) celebrations bring puppetry and plates together at Ora, a fine dining Thai restaurant in the heart of central London. [continue reading]
Rachel’s Ravishing Yogurts
Ring in the spring and wake up your taste buds with Rachel’s new fruity and floral flavours. [continue reading]
Lucky Dip; Lucky Sip
How do you fancy a £900 bottle of wine, then? What do you mean you can’t afford it? It only costs a fiver. [continue reading]
Michelin-Starred lunch on a budget
Swamped with work, having less than an hour to eat and with a limited budget on food, yet still willing to lunch in a Michelin-star way? Club Gascon, renowned restaurant for its innovative South West France cuisine, has come up with a soulution and is delighted to introduce its new Chef’s Special composed of two lunch courses for £22. [continue reading]
Nibbles at Ham and Sherry Bar
Just when we’ve started thinking London has seen it all (funeral jellies, marmalade vodka, or Mayfair film club lunch with a movie instead of dessert, to name but a few) a new culinary offering pops up in the city – Capote y Toros. This Spanish phenomena is a ham and sherry bar combining authentic Iberian cuisine with the world’s most extensive sherry list – 100 and counting. [continue reading]
Not your Average Curry Night
Pairing alcohol beverages with Indian cuisine has often posed a quandary – but not for long. On the 20th March 2011, Trishna and wine experts Wine Chap will launch Trishna’s new monthly pairing evenings. ‘Not Your Average Curry Night – Thinking Outside the Bottle’ will be London’s only regular curry evening that pairs wine, beer and cider with an Indian menu. [continue reading]
Chef Zilli fires up Prezzo Pizzas
Italian TV chef and restauranteur Aldo Zilli brings his own flare to a new range of Prezzo Pizzas. [continue reading]
In the Pink
London-based Edgerton Distillers brightens the face of gin with the launch of its Original Pink, infusing this spirit with a striking rosy blush. [continue reading]
FREE Pancakes @ Freggo
To celebrate Pancake Day tomorrow, the generous Freggo folk are giving away FREE PANCAKES to everyone who buys a coffee between 9am and 6pm. [continue reading]
Pancake Day: Go Hungarian
If you’re looking for a different way to indulge this Shrove Tuesday, put the sugar and lemon down and step away from the kitchen. [continue reading]
A Taste of the Cotswalds via Five Valleys Cordials
For a taste of the country without having to brave the Great British weather or the even less great National Rail system, try one of the Five Valleys Cordials range, which come direct from the Cotswold countryside via the convenient shelves of your local Waitrose. [continue reading]
Noodle Month Bento Box @ aqua Kyoto
It’s March, which can apparently mean only one thing: it’s noodle month. [continue reading]
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Style with Jameson
How would the Irish celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Of all the cracker joke style answers this question may conjure, we’d say it’s a fair guess that whiskey would feature. [continue reading]
Win Ideal Home Show Tickets
Blue Tomato has teamed up with Harveys® to offer you the chance to win free tickets to the Ideal Home Show… [continue reading]
Bacchanalian Feast @ Blacks
Blacks is a true Soho institution. A private members’ club set over several floors within a Georgian Townhouse on Dean Street, [continue reading]
Magic and Macaroons
Food has long been a realm of mystery and magic. Yet today, with culinary wizards such as Bompas & Parr waving their magic wands, there are new and exciting ways bring magic to the kitchen. [continue reading]
Kitchen Kits
You’ve heard of tool kits, shaving kits, and even window box herb garden kits. But now this concept is entering the kitchen with kits for curries, kormas, risottos and more. [continue reading]
CityPoint Smoothies
Blue Tomato recently reviewed CityPoint Club’s new cafe, a tucked away haven of tranquillity near Moorgate. We said at that the time that one of our favourite things about the place was their selection of freshly made juices and smoothies, so it’s good to see that they’ve already decided to expand their offering further. [continue reading]
Istanbul Hotel Revives Spirit of Orient Express
The days when train journeys were as glamorous as the Orient Express are long gone, with engineering works, delays and standing-room-only commonplace throughout.The Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul is bringing back a touch of this lost luxury, with a brand new homage to the historic trip from London to Istanbul. [continue reading]
Jacob’s Creek launches Regional Reserve range
Jacob’s Creek is quite possibly the best known wine brand out there, benefiting from brand awareness and suffering from name snobbery in equal measure. [continue reading]
Passata from Pizza Express
The ubiquitous Italian restaurant chain PizzaExpress is advancing further into the supermarket with the retail launch of passata, straight from its kitchens. [continue reading]
Sushi, Sake and the City
Hankering for Seaweed, Sake and Soya? Tsuru, a popular sushi restaurant with locations in Bankside and Bishopsgate, has recently opened a third site in Mansion House. [continue reading]
Gaucho International Polo at The O2
Polo tournaments in Argentina are renowned as the best in the world, and attract sporting nuts and families alike to view matches. Gaucho are used to bringing a taste of Argentina to London via steaks, ceviches and empanadas at their restaurants, so it makes sense for them o go one step further and bring us a taste of the Argentine national sport. [continue reading]
Blue Tomato Loves… WB&CO Veg Juice
WB&CO VEG JUICE has arrived, and it couldn’t be much more London-centric. [continue reading]
Real Bacon Campaign
Britain eschews inferior bacon with a new campaign aimed at improving the taste and quality of our fry ups. [continue reading]
Imli’s lunch that’s healthy on bank and body
The New Year is traditionally a time of cutting back. This may mean watching your weight and trying to shed those inevitable Christmas pounds, or it may mean watching your wallet and trying to, well, gain back those inevitable Christmas pounds. [continue reading]
Polpo Campari Bar
Already the talk of Soho, Polpo has reopened its private dining room as a brand new Campari bar. [continue reading]
Playful munching
This spring take a trip to Harrods newest dining destination, The Tree House. Located in the heart of Harrods famous Toy Kingdom on the Fourth Floor, this bright, contemporary restaurant is the ideal place for families to engage in fun and feast on healthy breakfasts and hearty lunches. [continue reading]
A genuine date experience
From time immemorial the date palm has been a pillar of life, the desert oasis. This legendary fruit has been the source of nutrition, a symbol of hospitality, an emblem of a traditional and proud culture. And now, should you find yourself shopping in Harrods, you too can benefit from dates’ virtues as Bateel, gourmet company associated with deluxe dates, has launched a new shop in the Food Halls. [continue reading]
New Chef for Playboy Club
In a glamourous new Mayfair location, the Playboy Club is returning to London in 2011, equipped not only with a stylish building a sleek new restaurant design, but the talent and enthusiasm of Chef Judy Joo. [continue reading]
Bread & Bird Feeders
Allinson Bread has announced a new environmentally conscious partnership with Conservation Grade. [continue reading]
Clippy’s support British apples
Clippy’s Apples, maker of luxury apple chutneys, jellies and jams, are on a mission to save British apple orchards. [continue reading]
BLUE TOMATO LOVES… Wild Hibiscus Flowers
Every so often, we like to highlight some great products that we find. The latest we’ve come across are wild hibiscus flowers. [continue reading]
Harvey’s Half Hour of Heaven
Relax and unwind with the help of a little Harveys Bristol Cream and a Half Hour of stress free sipping. [continue reading]
Blue Tomato is Rubbish at Valentine’s…
M&S have recently released a set of statistics from a survey into wine for Valentine’s day. The results have landed in our Inbox and they’re quite interesting – but seemingly, here at Blue Tomato Towers, we don’t have a clue. [continue reading]
Auberge du Lac Still Shines
Executive chef Phil Thompson, presiding over the kitchens at the Auberge du Lac on the beautiful Brocket Hall estate, is still in the stars this year as his Michelin accolade retaining its twinkle. [continue reading]
Master Spud
Cooking poatoes doesn’t get tougher than this… …only this time there’s no John and Gregg [continue reading]
Hendrick’s Refined Courtship Clinic
London rejoice as the curious Hendrick’s crew roll into town once more to brighten up our days in new, unexpected and reliably gin filled ways. [continue reading]
London Fashion Week Menus
What and where will the fashionistas be eating this time? [continue reading]
Live Lounge
Tanqueray Live Lounge, nestled within The Roof Gardens in Kensington, provides a blissful and luxurious escape from the typical frenzy of city life. [continue reading]
Tanqueray Gift Pack
To celebrate the 200th birthday of Charles Tanqueray, the makers of Tanqueray gin have created a limited edition gift pack, perfect for the concocting a deathless and cool gin martini. [continue reading]
Tickle Your Taste Buds
Have some foodie fun and support Red Nose Day. Luxury sauces, sinless chocolate and charitable nibbles all add flavour to the UK’s annual comedy fundraiser. [continue reading]
Chinese New Year
Flopsy bunnies or not, Londoners can chose from a variety of ways to celebrate 2011 as the Chinese year of the rabbit beginning on February 3rd. [continue reading]
Namaaste Orient Express
Namaaste Kitchen’s express lunch brings a little of that weekend indulgence to your working day. [continue reading]
Cupid at Clos Maggiore
Take the stress out of creating the perfect Valentine’s date, leaving the details to your personal Cupid at the delectable Clos Maggiore. [continue reading]
Fire & Knives Mixed Grill
From ‘Penut Love Poems’ to ‘Cheeses of the World’ it’s a foodie’s free-for-all this February 12th as Fire & Knives presents an day of culinary lectures and debates. [continue reading]
Become a Tanqueray cocktail pro
To celebrate the 200th birthday of Charles Tanqueray, the makers of Tanqueray® gin have created a limited edition gift pack, perfect for the cocktail enthusiast in your life or for entertaining friends at home. [continue reading]
Sloe Sherry is a Quick Hit
Demijohn, the kings of quirky and artisan drinks, have added a unique Sloe Sherry to their shelves as an alternative to their bestselling Sloe Gin. [continue reading]
Bollywood Brunch
If you’re fed up with the same Sunday brunch of eggs on toast, crispy bacon and bottomless coffee pot, you should definitely try Sitaraay’s Bollywood brunch. Not only will you break your food routine with some Tikkas and Dals, you’ll also find yourself eating among the much loved faces of heroes and heroines, villains and vamps and legendary romantic couples of Bollywood. Also – did we mention kids eat for free..? [continue reading]
The Great Recipe Archive
A new project by Innocent (of Smoothie fame) introduces the Great Recipe Archive, a space to share your own secret recipes and discover a world of culinary traditions. [continue reading]
Sainsbury’s Frozen Feasts
The new and improved Sainsbury’s frozen range has a lot to offer – so why not give it a fresh look? [continue reading]
Clash of the Comics
Forget voting with your fork, now its time to vote with you bare hands and a bag of crisps as Britain’s best loved comedians face off in a battle for Comic Relief. [continue reading]
Cinnamon Club Lottery
Fighting a case of the winter blues? If so, why not spice up your life and enter to win a place at the Cinnamon Club’s 10th anniversary dinner. [continue reading]
PizzaExpress at Home
PizzaExpress have launched a new pasta sauce range to bring restaurant style food into your home kitchen. [continue reading]
Royal drinking with Bombay Sapphire
Bombay Sapphire, the world’s leading premium gin, is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the secret recipe the spirit is based on. To mark the big occasion Bombay Sapphire and Garrad, the oldest jewelry in the world, have collaborated and created a very limited edition decanter. [continue reading]
BLUE TOMATO LOVES… CHARBREW
Every so often, we like to highlight some great products that we find. This time, we’re talking tea with Charbrew. Their flavours are a quite literal ‘walk on the wild side’ – with Tropical Roobios, Black Tea with Sunflower Blossoms and a more genteel English Strawberries and Cream all featuring. The Charbrew Original Blend in itself contains a heady mix of roasted almonds, popcorn, pineapple and papaya and made us recall tropical cocktails. We reckon you wouldn’t get such a bad hangover if you drank more of this stuff, though – the ingredients are entirely natural and the teas are naturally de-toxing and high in antioxidants. What more could you want? Available: Lakeland, Booths and independent stockists – see full list RRP: £2.99 Find out more: www.charbrew.com [continue reading]
Toast with Marmalade?
It is indeed, but probably not the one you expect… No toasted bread involved, no jars of fruit marmalade in sight. Instead – we’re raising a toast with marmalade vodka. Sounds bizarre but it’s true – Marmalade Vodka has been launched by Chase Vodka Distillery and there’s already a massive waiting list for this limited edition bottle. [continue reading]
Australia Day – 26th January
Looking for a way to celebrate Australia Day on 26th January? Here’s some ways to bring the Down Under to London… [continue reading]
Valentine’s Menu at Imli
If you’re looking for a way to spice up Valentine’s Day, Indian may be a way to do it. But hold back those thoughts of curry shop Vindaloo, which your partner’s unlikely to thank you for. Instead, try a trip to Imli on Wardour Street, where they’ll be celebrating with a special Valentine’s menu from Saturday 12th to Monday 14th February. [continue reading]
La Detox Vita
Yes, we do realise we risk being eye-rolled at by you when we start yet again on new year’s resolutions and healthy eating, but here we are – talking detox… But we’re not talking flavourless tofu, wilted sprouts or curdled soya milk in your decaf coffee. We’re talking minestrone, insalata di verdure and mela Annurca al forno. We’re talking Italian, mind you – healthy Italian – to help you kickstart your year of good intentions with ingredients and great-tasting menus from the country of La Dolce Vita! [continue reading]
Taste No.5 Umami Paste
What if taste could be put in a tube? Well, that’s (sort of) what author and agony Aunt Laura Santtini has done. Her new Taste No. 5 Umami paste is, literally, deliciousness in a tube. [continue reading]
Whisky & Ginger for Burns Night?
Taste-tickling Ginger Ale from Fever-Tree This Burns Night (25th January), Fever-Tree are encouraging us all to mix the inevitable wee dram of whisky with their ginger ale. The warmth of the drink, matched with citrusy overtones, apparently makes it the ideal partner for whisky. [continue reading]
Rib-Eye & Reds at Camino
There can’t be a country in the world that doesn’t appreciate the combination of a steak and a glass of red wine. The new ‘Rib-Eye & Red’ promotion from Camino Puerto del Canario is set to showcase the Spanish take on this classic. [continue reading]
Bingeing on Diets
From olives to artisan cheese, the wonderful world of choice has a dark side—a glut of torturous diets ready for your picking. The British Dietetic Association reveals the most popular diets and warns against their perils. [continue reading]
Hendrick’s Late Supper Soiree Service
Hendrick’s are rightly proud of their curiously different gin, infused with rose petals and cucumber. It’s not just the gin that’s curious, though. Any event that the brand puts on is sure to be one to remember. [continue reading]
Sparkling Wine: The Lowdown
A bottle of bubbly is essential for any special occasion. But what to buy? Champagne or Cava or Prosecco? Is one better value than the other? Do you like dry or sweet? And how do you know? [continue reading]
Healthy Eating at Leiths
So, is everyone full of New Year resolutions and good intentions to eat more healthily in 2011? If you’re needing a little help along the way, we’ve found just the thing for you in the (svelte, slim) shape of a Healthy Eating cookery course at Leiths. [continue reading]
Hey Prezzo iPhone App
Are you a sufferer of “appsbergers” syndrome, that obsession with amassing iPhone applications? [continue reading]
Popping Your Zork
If you were to overhear someone talking about popping their zork, you’d be forgiven for thinking they had some ‘special’ pills knocking around. [continue reading]
Mount Street Deli Unveils Christmas Hampers
Mayfair’s Mount Street Deli has just launched their range of luxurious Christmas hampers. Rather than stopping at a bundle of indulgent treats, the deli has gone a step further. They’re offering up the chance to experience partly what it’s like to be a member of some of London’s most exclusive clubs. [continue reading]
Fig & Vanilla Cocktail
James Bond might like his martini shaken, not stirred, but we prefer this seasonal fig cocktail for our next mission. Sabrina Ghayour adds just a swirl of vanilla-infused fig puree to transform this old classic into a killer cockail. [continue reading]
Prezzo Live – Music and Minestrone
Prezzo Restaurant has launched a new X Factor style competition, so diners can enjoy authentic Italian cuisine while experienceing the buzz of finding Britain’s next big talent. [continue reading]
Snowtime Showtime at Volupté – a titillating Christmas dinner
Charity, compassion and good deeds are all great ideals come Christmas time, but what we all really truly enjoy at Yuletide is greedy, shameless, unabated indulgence. [continue reading]
We Wish You A Beery Christmas…
If you’ve ever wondered what the hell Christina Aguilera was on about with her genie in a bottle nonsense, we may have found the answer. [continue reading]
