Stylicia

Sunday 27 October 2013

W8 Kitchen

Situated in Kensington much nicer and less posh than expected. Not too mention the fantastic set lunch menu deal they offer £23 for three course!

Highly recommended.

1. Ambience modern and contemporary, muted greens and greys. Some lovely drawings on the walls.

2. Service very friendly, helpful and professional. The waiter was able to answer all my question regarding the produce and suppliers. Really impressive.

3. Food - divine! There was nothing I could give less than 9 out of 10.

Warm smoked haddock in parsnip cream with pickled discovery apple and crispy shallots - what a delicious dish... Fantastic texture, balance and finish.

Beurre Noisette Poached hake with brown shrimps and cauliflower with spinach - and again perfectly cooked fish with a mouth-watering shrimps sauce

Muscavado financier with spiced roast pear and vanilla ice cream

You have to visit it the place! You'll love it!

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Honey & co

This tiny restaurant in Fitzrovia is a lovely (and very popular) place.

1. Ambience - modest and unpretentious. Saying that I love the blue star patterned floor tiles (wink).

2. Service - kind and friendly, makes you feel very welcome straight away.

3. Food - I was expecting some typical dishes, but got surprised. Beautiful home made food and Middle East inspired flavours. Simply said it tastes like it's been made by someone who loves you.

New beets and plum salad with walnuts and rose water dressing - the winner! This salad could convert any hater into a beetroot lover! A perfect balance of sweet, sour, earthy and salty.

Artichoke hearts with kashkaval cheese and pine nuts - the cheese was a new ingredients for me. Lovely and moorish. I'm convinced you could serve it to my fussy Italian friends and they wouldn't complain...

Falafel with pomegranate salad and tahini - the best falafel I've had in ages. The warmth of the spices and sesame plus the combination of the heat and freshness in the pomegranate salad.. Oh yeah!

Warm chestnut and whiskey cake with salt caramel and sour cream

Not a looker, but yummy (Mary Berry would say scrummy). The cake is very moist, nice nutty texture with a hint of whiskey. Delicious salt caramel and dollop of sour cream bring it to another level. Mouth watering!

4. Prices well worth the money. Please notice you can only tip the stuff with cash which I regretfully didn't know.

Tuesday 22 October 2013

Tasty tasty at Fishy Fishy

Fishy fishy

I found it on internet before going to Brighton. Reviews were quite good and it looked like a nice place.

1. Ambience - elegant and jolly, kept in light colours maritime seaside theme. Beautiful chandeliers!

2. Service - nice and dedicated. My friend and I were probably too chatty as the poor guy got confused with all our requests and served her the bread instead of the fries she asked for.

3. Food - yummy! To me this is the place I'd recommend to any fish/seafood lover when visiting Brighton.

Oysters - fabulous! Fresh, beautifully served, heaven... What more can you ask for?

Dressed crab served with salad and bread - a beautiful plate of food. My friend (Italian = not easy to impressed) left very satisfied. She said it was very well seasoned and fresh.

Fish and chips with fries and mushy peas - how to recognise good quality F&C? By the tartar sauce served with them, and this one was delicious. Succulent fish! I'm not a big fan of French fries, but these were amazing. Perfectly seasoned mushy peas tasted more like crushed peas with mint - loved it. Overall yummy! My portion was very big and I left a clean plate!

4. Prices well worth your money!

Monday 21 October 2013

Taste of Launceston Place

For my birthday I was lavishly surprised with a taste menu dinner at Michelin Star restaurant in Kensington - Launceston Place. I sank into a chair in the muted romantic ambience and its friendly staff made me feel being looked after. Pretty much as the majority of the guests I very much enjoyed the company and knowledge of the excellent sommelier.

Amuse bouche - perfect small promise of more

Cornish mackerel - cold smoked and grilled served with gooseberries jelly and iced grain mustard. A very successful combination of tangy fruit and powerful fish.

Autumn salad - ruffle cream cheese, pickled carrots, salt baked vegetables grain mustard honey. Superb texture, flavour and balance. The winner!

West Coast scallop and Iberian pig's cheek - carrot and star anise, romanesco cauliflower, sesame and five spice. Very nice. I loved the scallop and wished there was more of it (wink)

Hand Speared Plaice - English crayfish, anchovy potatoes, seashore herbs and crayfish cappuccino. Excellent fish and sauce, I found the potato a bit too salty.

Selection of English and French cheeses

Lemon - lemon sorbet, ice cream and mascarpone cream tangy and yummy.

Black Provence Figs - quite average. For me it was the letdown of the menu. Completely opposite to the wine it was served with Passito di Patelleria, Ben Ryé Sicily. Fantastic desert wine made out of sun dried grapes. Liquid Christmas - a mix of almond cake with orange zest soaked in cinnamon and star anise. You have it instead of the dessert!

Pure pistachio soufflé - phenomenal! Massive thanks to the chef! It's worth visiting the place just to try this dish. Cloud nine!

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Bake the Cover for Stylist Magazine

After weeks of weeping and dealing with my depression I decided to enter the Stylist Magazine competition to Bake The Cover! With massive help from a fantastic photographer Duncan Longden and great support from my flatmate Dayna (love ya babe) I managed to design, bake and decorate my famous chocolate brownies with raspberries.

The theme for the cover was “What makes you happy?” I asked my family, friends and colleagues and surprisingly the answers where simple and predictable, but cordial and inspiring – friends & family, sunshine, food, travelling, laughter, health, sex, and money to support all mentioned above J

Here’s my front cover and a few photos from the baking-shooting process.