Pop Up Kings Road

Once upon a time, the Kings Road was known for being a hotbed of counter-culture; fertile ground for start ups, fresh thinkers and bright young creatives. For the last decade or so, I would argue, it has provided more of a stable environment to some local mainstays - places like Heals, Jack Wills, plenty of the Parisian fashion brands... even the feisty Ad Hoc has been around for a while.

So when I saw Pop Up Britain had moved in at the World's End, I was pretty excited: time for some fresh (super fresh) talent. Pop Up Kings Road is a concept store with a fantastic premise - every 2 weeks, for a whole year, 10 fresh new start ups move into the space and start trading. It's a great opportunity for new British talent to find a platform, get a leg up and make a name for themselves, and makes sure the shop is a real destination for a whole year, as you never know what you'll find there next.

When I visited this Saturday, the first batch of start ups had just taken residence, and I was really impressed with what I saw. The selection of brands was really well curated, each company complementing, rather than competing, with one another, and a really high standard of design and creativity. What's more, most of the brands were offering introductory discounts, so you can get your hands on future classics for fantastic prices

The highlight for me had to be Pinucci shoes, who had a selection of the world's coolest flats, and I couldn't resist their black leather, snakeskin and taupe suede Sloane sneakers, down from £150 to just £60. I also loved the selection of pretty trinkets, clothes and homewares from The Gorgeous Company, edgy shades from Couth and my boyfriend picked up a super cool slapband watch (90s children, remember snap bands?! Cool right?!) from Clicloc. Everything on offer was highly original, covetable and just a little bit different from most of what's on offer on the rest of the King's Road, breathing a fresher, younger lease of life into what is usually the slightly 'tired' end of the street.

A fresh batch of traders arrived in store today, and I'm sure I'll be checking in every few weeks throughout the whole year. I can't think of a better way to support talented young British entrepreneurs, and I love the fact that every time you visit, there will be new and exciting brands to shop. You'll see at least a few faces this year who make it big in 2014 and beyond, guaranteed.

Pop Up Kings Road
387 Kings Road
Chelsea, London
SW10 0LR
www.popupbritain.com

Pictures from Pop Up Britain and retailweek.

Countdown to Christmas 2012

Love it or loathe it, with Halloween and Guy Fawkes well behind us, the gallop towards Christmas has well and truly begun. Personally, this is my favourite time of year, so even if you're feeling a bit more Scrooge than Santa hopefully this run-down of all the fun we'll be having in Fulham over the next month will get you into the spirit.

December sees party season really kicking off in earnest, and this year there are PLENTY of options to choose from.

If you just can't wait until the advent count down begins, you can get into the spirit early with Tales Under The Tree at Barts. This location is the perfect cosy hideaway for mulled wine, warm cider, carols and of course a bit of Christmas culture with the speakeasy's book club. Once story time is over, join the regulars in Secret Santa and an Xmas team photo. It all kicks off from 7:30 on November 28th.

Next up,  on Saturday December 1st, the Brompton Bar and Grill have teamed up with Bloodshot Vodka to host the Bad Santa Brunch. Your £10 ticket will keep you entertained from 12-5pm, with DJs, live acts, a christmas gift market, and a very merry Christmas feast followed by carols in Santa's grotto. Don't forget the dress theme: anything that glitters and glows.

The Brompton Bar & Grill
243 Brompton Road
London SW3 2EP

If you're looking for a truly kitsch Christmas, there's only one place to be and that's celebrating Buon Natale with Bunga Bunga. Throughout December, there'll be karaoke carols, turkey pizzas, fiery Italian mulled wine and potted Christmas tree cocktails to get you feeling festive - plus guests can send complimentary cheesy Christmas postcards to their friends - much better than the usual M&S fare!

Throughout December

Bunga Bunga
37 Battersea Bridge Road
London SW11 3BA

It may be pretty frosty outside, but that's all the better when you're visiting Elk Bar's Winter Wonderland. They've transformed their garden into a veritable mini Lapland, replete with icicles, Christmas trees and even a few of Santa's reindeer friends. They'll be serving up a special festive menu from the smoke pit (the venison Deer Porker sounds delicious) to be washed down with some wintry cocktails such as the Butterscotch Schnapps Hot Chocolate. Sounds like an ideal way to ease yourself into those cold December nights.

Elk Bar
587-591 Fulham Road
London SW6 5UB

If memories of last year's office party have got you off the sauce throughout December, there are plenty of low-key festive options in the borough for shoppers and culture vultures alike.

I can't think of a location more suited to traditional Christmas cheer than the beautiful Fulham Palace. They've got a full schedule of events to look forward to including a pantomime performance of Sleeping Beauty on December 9th, a Carol Service in the Chapel on the 14th and kids can visit Santa in his Grotto on the weekend of 1-2nd December. The grade-1 listed Palace also provides the perfect picturesque backdrop for a traditional Victorian Christmas, from 7pm on December 11th. There will be carols, 19th century songs and a traditional Mummer's Play - the forerunner to the pantomime. Good, old-fashioned fun for all the family!

For some unique last-minute gifts and a much more civilised shopping experience, pop by the Andara Christmas Fair being hosted at The Durrell on December 17th. From noon to 9pm, entry is complimentary, and inside you'll find a carefully curated selection of beautiful gift options from up and coming businesses, ranging from handmade home accessories, to gorgeous jewellery, fashion, lifestyle and pantry items.

And finally, if even the thought of the C word is making your skin crawl, you can still pass a perfectly pleasant evening without being subjected to fairy lights and over-sung carols. Del Aziz are continuing their Thursday jazz  and bossa nova evenings, for example. Settle in with one of their legendary tagines and listen to the warm and soft tones of Mel Pashova as she sings jazz standards mixed with a hint of Latin on December 6th, or perhaps take in some authentic Brazilian flavour with Jandira Silva on the 20th. On the 13th, Helen Burnett graces the stage with a mix of recognisable and lesser-known jazz tunes, whilst for some post-Christmas cheer you can pop in to see Josephine Arthur on the 27th. Her voice has been described as like 'bathing in chocolate' - the perfect thing to enjoy with Del Aziz's beautiful selection of desserts then!

Del Aziz
22-32 Vanston Place, nr Fulham Broadway
London SW6 1AX

SW6 Fright Night

The evening's are getting darker, the temperatures have plummeted, and although summer never really arrived, winter is most definitely here. But, instead of getting depressed and hibernating, the run up to Christmas gives us lots of opportunities to party. First up: SW6 gets all spooky for all hallows eve. Here's a run down on some of your options for the freakiest day (make that week) of the year.

The folks over at Bikeminded RKBC are putting on another one of their much acclaimed cycle tours on Wednesday the 31st itself. This time they've teamed up again with Exquisite Folly theatre and invited us to solve a creepy mystery in their wartime whodunnit, whilst cycling around Notting Hill by moonlight. If the last cycle theatre tour I went on is anything to go by, this should be an entertaining and original way to spend Halloween itself - the acting is always surprising and engaging, and it's a fantastic way to explore the borough, whether you're an expert on your wheels or a teensy bit wobbly. Just don't forget your costume! Tickets available here. The early bird price is just £5, going up to £7 is a few days time.

The Brompton Bar & Grill have teamed up with Bloodshot Vodka to offer a suitably gory "Bloodshot Brompton Brunch" on Saturday the 27th October, from 12-5pm. With a personal 'bloodbath' on each table (it's a DIY Bloody Mary Bar, so much less hideous than it sounds!!), live music, top DJs and all sorts of delicious and devilish snacks available, the £10 ticket is worth every penny - plus there's plenty of time to continue the party afterwards! Bloodshot eyeball eggs, anyone?

The Brompton Bar & Grill
243 Brompton Road
London SW3 2EP
www.bromptonbarandgrill.com

Once you're suitably warmed up, there are plenty of options to give yourself an authentic fright night. Notting Hill's supperclub, for example, can always be relied upon for a decadent party. On the 26th and  27th, guests are invited to visit their Disco Slaughterclub, where the whole venue will be turned into a haunted house, full of spooky surprises and gory scenes. Explore if you dare, or simply lie back on your bed and let the disco maids and butlers serve you the "bloody corpse" menu whilst you dance to the beats of DJ Sancho Panza (Friday) and Femi Fem (Saturday). Tickets are available here

Supperclub
Halloween: 26th-27th October
12 Acklam Road,
W10 5QZ
http://www.supperclub.com/

If the journey to Notting Hill makes you quake in your boots, Maggie's Monster Mansion is a ghoulishly great options (sorry!) closer to home. Staying true to their 80s theme, Maggie's is promising a 'hair raising halloween fancy dress party with a retro twist'. Hosted by Beetlejuice, there will be ghostly girl dancers, deadly decor, toxic cocktails and a "Dead and Buried" dress code to match (No prizes to guess which recently deceased celebrity will feature most heavily!).  Entry is £20, and the night goes on until 3:30am.

MAGGIE’S
Saturday 27th October 2012
10:30pm – 3:30am
Entry £20
Maggie’s, 329 Fulham Road, London, Greater London, SW10 9QL
www.maggies-club.com

If you're still not inspired, the Barts Gruesome Twosome might get your beetlejuices flowing. Champagne will be the poison of choice at the Bart's Yelloween Party, on Saturday the 27th October. In association with Veuve Cliquot, this promises to be a decadent evening of dramatic décor  creepy costumes and fantastic fizzy deals.

On the night itself, head back to SW3 for an evening of twisted tales and spooky secrets. The Barts Book Club have hooked up with Roger Clarke, the author of 'A Natural History of Ghosts' for a reading, shocking tales of history's most gruesome hauntings and some bedtime stories certain to give you the shivers. With a Waterstone's voucher for the guest with the spookiest story to tell, you could give yourself nightmares all the way through November. 

BARTS GRUESOME TWOSOME

Barts
YELLOWEEN
Saturday 27th October 2012
FREE
6pm-1:30pm

TWISTED TALES AT BARTS
Wednesday 31st October
FREE
6pm - 1:30am

www.barts-london.com



If good old fancy dress and some devilish deals on Halloween grog is more your idea of a night well spent, the celebrations at Elk Bar could be just the ticket. Kicking off the festivities early, you can get the Green Candy Floss mojitos in for just £2.95 this Thursday, whilst the best fancy dress costume wins a bottle of champagne - guaranteeing that frightful feeling will last well into Friday morning! If you can handle it, head back on Saturday 27th for the big event. This time, your costume skillz could win your a £50 tab, and with a whole host of cocktail and shooter specials, free entry, and DJs from 8pm, the night will not only be great fun, but wickedly good value.

Elk Bar 
587 Fulham Road
London SW6 5UA

If the only thing giving you nightmares is your love life, Halloween at the Bluebird can help you find romance amongst the cob webs with their Halloween themed Speed Dating night. With plenty of punch and other spooky treats, even if you meet more Frankeinstein's than Prince Charming's you're guaranteed a great night. Tickets are £25 each, and include a complimentary glass of bubbles. Grab your entry now by emailing emilyb@danddlondon.com before they sell out!

The Bluebird
http://www.bluebird-restaurant.co.uk/
350 King's Road
Chelsea SW3 5UU

Lastly, but definitely not least -you can always rely on The Jam Tree for a good party. Their Halloween bash is taking place on Friday 26th October, when DJ Greggy G will be on the decks for an evening of house music, frightening fancy dress and ghoulishly good drinks. Entry is free all night and the beats go on until late... Definitely a brilliant start to a big weekend

The Jam Tree
541 Kings Road
London SW6 2EB

Whatever you get up to, we hope you have a great night! Let us know how you get on....

On Virgin Ground

Whoops! Who ate all the bruschetta...

For someone who fancies themselves a bit of a foodie - if only for the amount I eat, as opposed to any real  expertise - living within easy reach of the World's End is definitely a plus, as the last year or so has seen a range of openings, switcharounds and more on the restaurant scene. When Rosso Pomodoro shut, it left many of its fans disappointed, and the site lay empty for quite a few months... seemingly the recession's ubiquitous calling card, the empty shop front, had finally hit Chelsea. So it was as much relief as curiosity that I felt on seeing the builders move in to develop the World's End latest Italian venture: Terra Vergine.

Inspired by the Abruzzo region of Italy, the emphasis is on quality, natural and pure ingredients. The menu is diverse, although not too long, following the traditional structure of starters and pasta (normally a first course in Italy), followed by a selection of meat or fish dishes, and sides chosen separately. They definitely sit on the pricey and more sophisticated end of the spectrum, although the dishes are not overly complex or adventurous - the emphasis is on quality.

Sitting outside on one of August's rare sunny afternoons, I was certainly struck by the freshness of the vegetables adorning my bruschetta: set off with a crisp white wine, and a good dose of sunshine, I definitely felt a blissful Mediterranean vibe. Having whet our appetites, a generous helping of garlic and white wine seafood linguine (packed full of our sea-dwelling friends) and some lobster spaghetti managed to transport us almost completely - only the rattling of the number 11 bus going by managed us out of our reverie. Rounding off with a traditional Italian affogato (amaretto, espresso and vanilla ice-cream), we'd enjoyed a meal as good as you'd find anywhere on the Italian coast. However, we'd also spent a fair few pennies. Whilst Terra Vergine is not Chelsea's priciest Italian, it's not your cheapest option either. Definitely one for a date, rather than a wallet friendly option for a group of friends. It will be interesting to see how it fits in amongst the many other Italian options in the immediate area.

Terra Vergine
442 Kings Road, London SW10 0LQ

Great wines, fine times at the Finborough Wine Cafe

Like most Fulham residents, I drink a fair bit of wine. Some of it fine, some of it... not so much. Yet only recently, having attended a few different tastings in the borough, have I really begun to learn the subtler differences between all those wines that lie between the 'epic' and the 'undrinkable' ends of the scale. As someone from Blur might have once said, it's only recently I've begun to know my Claret from my Beaujolais.

Having started on this boozy adventure, I'd been keen for a while now to check out the offering at the Finborough Wine Cafe. Promising a range of tastings from group sessions to a pretty appealing '10 wines for £9' deal (tasters rather than bottles, sorry folks!) and with a square emphasis on bringing you great wines that won't break the bank, I was looking forward to trying out some wines I could actually afford to take home with me (and show off to my friends about with my newly acquired knowledge!).

The Finborough Wine Cafe sits across two floors underneath the legendary Finborough Theatre. The ground floor cafe is bright and light, with a large central bar area and lots of welcoming leather sofas, all well spaced out to give a relaxed atmosphere, where we enjoyed a glass of sparkling whilst waiting for the tasting to begin. As you might expect, they offer a plentiful wine menu, helpfully organised by style and taste of wine, as opposed to by grape or region (which can be a little bamboozling, particularly when they are grapes you haven't heard of before), and range of snacks including delicious Firezza pizzas from an outlet next door... pretty handy after a whopping 10 glass tasting.

The tasting area is in an contemporary cellar space in the basement. The groups are intimate (our table was just 10) and you are completely surrounded by racks of wine, accentuated by appealing modern backlighting. The sessions are strictly informal, no charts or power-points, just a list of wines with space to make notes, plenty of banter and light hearted (yet still informative) commentary from our friendly, enthusiastic, yet totally unpretentious host. We learnt about how differences in temperature, grape, soil, gradient and even rot affect the taste of wines, the differences between Old and New world wines, and plenty more besides: and most cleverly of all, we never once felt we were in a lesson or lecture. Tastings at the Finborough make wine accessible, really accessible. Case in point, here's an anecdote I will always remember: "New World wines are like strippers, they reveal themselves quickly, where as the old world wines are more akin to a burlesque dancer - taking their time and with a more complex way of undressing."

With the emphasis on the best of affordable wines, the Finborough may not be the place you come to have a crack at the couture of the wine world (although there definitely are some bottles I wouldn't class as 'affordable'), but the range of grapes and provenances we tried was perfect for figuring out what suits your tastes, and it's definitely a plus to discover a bottle you wouldn't find in Sainsbury's that can become an affordable favourite. Sessions are fun, educational and won't break the bank. I'd definitely visit again.

Finborough Wine Cafe
118 Finborough Road
SW10 9ED
Bookings via finboroughwinecafe@gmail.com or 0207 373 0745

Medlar - a World's End Gem

Long known as the "grotty end" of the King's Road, the World's End is having somewhat of a revival in the restaurant stakes. Not only has the eponymous pub been featured in a certain E4 "reality" series multiple times, but Osteria Dell'Arancio and local cakery the Chelsea Teapot also delight. Medlar sits on this stretch of the Kings Road approaching Gunter Grove, and if the exterior seems smart but unprepossessing the fanfare that accompanied the first few reviews of the food certainly ensured this Chelsea newbie made a splash - one local blogger declared it his "best meal of 2011". So naturally, as my visit approached, I was feeling pretty excited, particularly due to the heritage of the owners - both of whom have done stints at SW12 power-house Chez Bruce.

As mentioned previously, the exterior is certainly very smart - a slick mid grey facade, with green lettering and a smart verandah out front - but the look is quite discreet. Medlar is a fairly small venue, I'd say around 12 tables, and elegantly decorated within, with lots of low lighting, crisp white tablecloths and a clean wooden finish.

Kicking off the evening with a Campari and Soda (seems to be a tradition these days), I scanned the short but inventive menu eagerly. Helpfully, for those of larger appetites at least, the decision as to number of courses is already taken, and price need not play a part in your menu choices. Besides a few dishes that carry a surcharge, a 3 course meal will set you back £39, whatever you choose. Having heard the crab raviolo much touted as the "must-have" starter (the Guardian review said it was "as good as any starter I'd had all year" - high praise indeed), we made sure to order that, along with a foie gras and hamhock terrine with green bean, dandelion and shallot salad, walnuts and toasted brioche. Although I thought my hopes may have been raised a bit too far by all the praise heaped on the raviolo, it did not disappoint, and was creamy, rich and delicious without being too filling and overwhelming, arriving as it did with samphire, brown shrimp and leeks in a seafood bisque - absolutely divine. I'm not much a terrine and pate girl myself, but the boy assures me that the foie gras and hamhock terrine was a great way to kick off the meal too.

Unoriginally, I'm afraid, we both went for the under blade fillet steak, with bone marrow, salad, triple cooked chips and bearnaise sauce. This was a "proper" steak, as my partner in crime put it, cooked to perfection and also served with a healthy dose of garlic and herb butter, which complemented the steak perfectly although rather made the bearnaise sauce a bit redundant. Still, the sauce was fab, and served separately in an enormous portion. The chips were HUGE and perhaps a little rich for my liking but the exterior was well crisped and the insides soft and fluffy so I can't fault the chef on that either.

Now before I continue, I must iterate that the service at Medlar was charming, seamless and discrete. However, on the night we visited, there was "un petit accident" in the kitchen resulting in a power cut just after our main course! The staff could not have handled it better (we were unable to have coffee, but would we like some complimentary champagne instead? Hell, yes!) and somehow they managed to produce two excellent puddings for us - even if we did rather feel like contestants on dating in the dark! I must admit, when my gigantic crème brulee turned up, I rather wondered if they hadn't picked up the wrong dish in the blackness, but I am assured that this portion size is just par for the course. Not that I was complaining - there were no gimmicks with this simple but perfectly executed brulee, and I was thankful for the extra quantity in my bowl, even if I felt a little sick afterwards. Dessert number two was an creamy yet refreshing AND single-portion sized glazed creme chiboust with caramelized oranges and hazelnut brittle - another success story.

Medlar is smart without being too fancy for it's own good. There is strong attention to detail and interesting yet uncomplex dishes are served to perfection. The prices are pretty darn reasonable and the service excellent if not rather formal. Not one for a boozy, bawdy night but fine quality dining suitable for families, couples and foodie friends.

Medlar
438 Kings Road
London SW12 0LJ

Bookings on 0207 349 1900

PS excuse the pictures being very dark - some were taken in the power cut!

The C Word

With the super mild November weather we've been having recently, a certain "festive holiday" probably couldn't be further from all our minds. So please, don't blame us for introducing the concept in mid-November - it's everywhere all of a sudden! Indeed, a spate of local business and associations are already planning their yuletide activity, and in the spirit of 'prompt and timely' journalism, and to give you all plenty of forewarning, we thought it was only right to let you know about all the Christmas fun there is upcoming in the borough!

To get you into the festive spirit, the Christmas lights at Fulham Broadway are being switched on by none-other by Sami Brookes from this year's X Factor (come on, I know you've been watching...), on Friday 25th November from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. The event will feature a live performance from Sami as well as the Nostalgia Steel Band, and vocalist Shelle Luscombe; carols from Fulham Cross Girl's School & the London Oratory School; plus children’s entertainment, balloon modelling, and a Santa’s Grotto.



For fans of vintage style bling (that's most of the ladies then) Butler and Wilson are kicking the season off early with a special Christmas shopping evening, with a 10% discount on all purchases and a bit of bubbly to help prise away the credit card.



Meanwhile, our friends at the Fulham Palace Garden Centre (also an excellent place for gift shopping, by the way, as they have a range of quirky home accessories as well as a plethora of plants and flowers) are holding two Christmas events over the coming month. The weekend of the 3rd/4th December is their yearly Christmas Activity Weekend. The centre will put on a number of refreshments (we've had their mince pies before - divine!) to help keep you going whilst you select your Christmas Tree, decorations or gifts, as well as providing activities for the children to keep them occupied whilst the grown ups do some Christmas shopping. Activities include face painting, Christmas balloons and a lucky dip whilst adults can show down on mince pies, mulled wines and roasted chesnuts.

For the arty and crafty amongst you on Tuesday 6th December from 11am - 12.30pm Fulham Palace Garden Centre are hosting a Christmas Wreath Making Demonstration with Belinda Shepperd, who will make wreaths using a variety of materials, ranging from traditional greenery with fruits & nuts to the more exotic. Tickets are £25, and this includes tea, coffee and biscuits as well as £10 voucher to spend at the Garden Centre on the day. As we've said, there is a really lovely range of candles, vases and bits and pieces for the home and all profits of the Centre go to the Fairbridge Programme, which is part of the Princes Trust. Spaces are limited so book in advance to avoid disappointment either by calling into the garden centre, emailing fpgc@princes-trust.org.uk or by phoning 020 7736 2640.



We're big fans of all the local markets Fulham has to offer, and now it seems we're also to get a festive dose of Scandinavia this December. From 15-23 December, Eel Brook Common will play host to a traditional Scandinavian Market (11am - 8pm each day) with food, drink, confectionary, crafts, gifts & entertainment. Stalls will serve up a range of delicious Scandinavian style treats including roast duck, skewered wild boar and venison, plus hot dogs served from a polsevogn (" a sausage wagon"), a Swedish bakery, Danish beer, mulled wine, Swedish forest berries, Marabou milk chocolate and more. I know where I'll be getting two week's worth of dinners then...

Both the Fulham Road and the Wandsworth Bridge Road will each be holding an "Odd Man Out" window shopping competition between the 1st and 21st of December. The big prize is a seasonal hamper full of goodies from participating shops, (one for each road), and all you have to do is locate small household objects found in participating competition shop windows that you wouldn't find there normally.  e.g. a teabag in a DIY shop, a cotton reel in a butchers. Pick up a competition form from participating Fulham Road businesses or the Durell Arms at 704 Fulham Road or download at http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/. For the Wandsworth Bridge Road competition pick up a competition form from participating WBR businesses or Circus Circus at 176 Wandsworth Bridge Road or Harringtons 154 Wandsworth Bridge Road or download at http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/.
The Wandsworth Bridge Road businesses are also going head to head in a "Best Dressed Window" competition so be sure to note down your favourites on your "Odd Man Out" entry form.

If you struggle to get your Christmas shopping done due to work commitments, the Wandsworth Bridge Road is also offering festive late night shopping with shops staying open until 7:30pm during the week of 1st to 8th of December, with extra late nights added on the 15th and 22nd too for those of you who leave it all a bit more last minute! There will be mince pies and mulled wine, special offers (for example, Circus Circus is offering 10% off all costumes until Dec 21st) and free gift wrapping, as well as a healthy dose of Christmas Carols. Just the thing you need to get into the festive spirit.



We love enterprising local businesses, but we love enterprising local people even more. South Fulham resident Alice Bamford, who runs her own catering company and supper club, LoveaLocavore, has come up with a genius idea for a pop-up Christmas market that she will be hosting in her own home on December 5th. Customers will be greeted with a glass of bubbly on arrival as well as a selection of canapes, and will be able to shop and be primped and preened all at once. The stalls for you to browse will include photographic prints,  boutique jewellery, homewares and house plants, hand-made cards and gift tags, chutneys, cheeses and luxury aloe vera products. Meanwhile there will be spray tanning and manicures and pedicures for those who fancy sprucing themselves up a little for the festive season. Entry is free and the venue is 79 Stephendale Road.
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If your business or organisation is putting on a special event this Christmas time, be sure to drop us a line with the details, and we can update this post as we go along. You'll find a link to our email near the top right hand corner of the blog, or in the 'About us' section.

Steak, glorious steak... and a pretty mean Martini!

If you’re a fan of steak, I can tell you where to go. If you’re a fan of cocktails, I can tell you where to go. If you’re a fan of both... now I can, without a shadow of a doubt, tell you the best place to go.

Last week I visited Sophie’s Steakhouse on the Fulham Road, and it was UH-MAZ-ING! Situated on the stretch of Fulham Road known as ‘The Beach’, Sophie’s has been doing a busy trade for almost a decade and has a pretty substantial following of devotees. With one tweet announcing my intention to visit, I was deluged with suggestions of much loved cocktails, milkshakes and raves about Sophie’s special steak sauce. Feeling a little bit silly for not having visited before (it damages my pride a little to think I’m so late to the party with such a local favourite as this), I decided the only way to do it justice was visit post-haste, and go a little OTT whilst ordering.

Not being able to decide between all those cocktail suggestions, I left myself in the capable hands of my waitress and had her bring two drinks she thought I might like. Well, she must have been a mind-reader because the Kiki’s Mojito (Havana Rum, Raspberries and Pineapple Juice – this time jazzed up with a splash of champagne) and Chili, Passion Fruit and Vanilla Martini she returned with were spot on. I love any cocktails with berries in, and the Kiki’s Mojito walked the line perfectly between sweet and tangy. And next time anyone asks me for a drink’s recommendation, I’ll send them to Sophie’s for that Chili Martini – absolutely divine.

Having glugged down the cocktails (you know when something is just too good to savour?), we ordered a nice bottle of Rioja to help us was down the mains. And the copious amounts of sides. And that milkshake we just had to have at the end. The wine was a Viña Zaco Rioja in case you’re interested, and very nice indeed.

Although you can order hearty classics like fish and chips and Shepherd’s Pie, I felt I couldn’t very well go to a place called Sophie’s Steakhouse and not test out the meat. The boy felt likewise and soon a Fillet Steak and a Rib Eye were on their way to us. But not before we’d gobbled up the salami platter that arrived with our drinks, and a beautiful beef carpaccio that was so tasty we got most of the way through before we remembered to photograph it!

The meat at Sophie’s is not exactly cheap (you can get a minute steak for £12.95 if you’re a bit hard up, but the Chateaubriand costs an eye-watering £49.95 for two), but you can tell they take it seriously. Where most restaurants will simply list the cut on the menu, Sophie’s takes the trouble to describe the texture, level of marbling (that’s fatty bits to you and I) and differences in flavour. We ordered both steaks medium rare, and they arrived beautifully cooked, moist, flavoursome and with an equally delicious side of hand cut fries and béarnaise sauce. The chips also tasted fairly amazing when dipped in Sophie’s special Steak sauce, and extra smoky variant of BBQ sauce – yum yum!

Not wanting those poor steaks to be lonely, we may have gone a little overboard on the sides. Our neighbours’ eyes nearly popped out of their skulls as they saw the lettuce wedge with blue cheese and bacon arrive, followed by onion rings AND macaroni cheese. My absolute favourite had to be the mac ‘n’ cheese. It was extra indulgent, extra cheesy and definitely raised my chances of a heart attack by about ten notches (it would be worth it).

Rounding off, and I’m still not sure how we squeezed it in, we shared one of Sophie’s famous milkshakes. Having been recommended the Oreo one by a reader, I was mildly disappointed to find it was no longer on offer, but any such feelings were quickly dispelled with my first sip of my vanilla and toffee milkshake. De-lic-ious!

Sophie’s is a real all-rounder, and it’s no wonder we found it so busy late on a Sunday evening. The bar has a great vibe (all exposed brick, metal fixtures - loved the low hanging lightbulbs - and blackboards) and some excellent cocktails to match. The steak was really well cooked and in general the menu sticks to a hearty formula and delivers perfectly on it. It's also worth mentioning it that the service was brilliant, and both our waiter and waitress were really warm, welcoming and attentive. The booth we were sat in was pretty darn comfy too! I can’t believe I was so late to discover this one, but I’ll definitely be back again.

Sophie’s Steakhouse

311-313 Fulham Road, London SW10 9QH.

Bookings: 0207 352 0088

Thirsty Thursday's just got even better...

We have already reviewed the Jam Tree (here) but like many good establishments this venue has varying times/days to suit all tastes and last week I discovered, albeit a bit late I know, the wonder that is the Jam Tree Free Hog Roast Thursdays.

The concept from what I could gather was to head down after work on Thursday with some friends, order something cold and refreshing, grab a table in the sunshine and then when feeling peckish, as if from nowhere, a lovely lady called Sophie appears with a groaning tray of BBQ'd burgers. For Free. Yes Really! 
Serious kudos to whoever at The Jam Tree came up with this idea, not only do you feel totally chuffed that you don't have to fork out for dinner (although their menu is ace) you have more money left over for drinks. An inspired choice of day by the team too considering Thursday is technically the start of the weekend in media land which made for a very chilled summer atmosphere in their cute decked garden. It also lends itself perfectly to the 'pre lash' Public crowd who are gearing up for a somewhat thirstier Thursday, we even spotted the Made in Chelsea cast dolled up to the nines and rubbing shoulders with us non celebs.

Molti Piatti on the Kings Road

There is an absolute abundance of Italian’s in Fulham and Chelsea. Big ones, small ones, chains, independents, iconic ones, ones with longevity and ones that seem to disappear in the blink of an eye. With a strong preference for independent restaurants, one place that has long been on my hit list has been Osteria Dell’Arancio, which sits on the Kings Road just before the World’s End. Last Sunday, I finally got round to it!

From the outside, the place looks like a fairly large and unpretentious restaurant. The premises are light and airy, and the cool white exterior punctuated with bright green makes the place seem instantly inviting. Inside, the feel is vibrant, spacious and quirky all at once. The tables are of solid build, well spaced out, and the walls are covered in eye-popping collage-style paintings replete with tongue-in-cheek pop culture references, whilst the banquette seating is covered in a selection of colourful cushions.

However, if the look and feel is unpretentious, bright and welcoming, don’t be fooled that this place doesn’t take its food seriously. The menu is diverse and imaginative, and the wine list (helpfully divided by Italian region) is absolutely enormous! The food offering follows the traditional Italian format of bruschetta, antipasti, primi piatti, secundi piatti, contorni and desserts but you will not find a bog standard Bolognese here (though the owner is very accommodating, and I have a feeling he could rustle one up on request!)

We had a tough time deciding what to eat, but in the end plumped for:

Starters:

Octopus, borlotti bean, sunblushed tomato and olive warm salad

Squid, fennel and orange salad.

Mains:

Traditional Italian beef “tagliata” steak accompanied by rocket and parmesan

Tagliolini with langoustines and shredded courgette in a light tomato sauce

The owner was really helpful in finding us the right wine. Having recently returned from Tuscany we fancied a white from that region that wasn’t eye-wateringly expensive. Having chosen a selection of meat and seafood we were directed to a Tuscan white called Il Volano, which was fairly full bodied white with a very distinct taste that lent itself very well to our chosen dishes.

The octopus was rich and meaty, and the accompanying beans, tomatoes and olives were carefully balanced to produce something that was part hearty stew, but also retained a certain freshness and lightness. I really would recommend this as a starter

I’ve always been a big fan of squid, and this was done to perfection, cooked to add a slight smokey flavour, and remaining tender and not in the least rubbery. The boy doesn’t usually like the taste of orange anywhere but dessert (philistine!), but even he had to agree that the fennel and orange were each other’s perfect counterpoint and this was the dish I perhaps enjoyed the most from the meal.

Having recently got back from a trip to Italy where we had both fallen in love with the traditional tagliata dish, I’m sorry to say that although the steak was beautifully cooked (and good Lord do you get a lot of meat for your buck) some of the finer details that we had grown to love about the tagliata were missing. In Tuscany, and perhaps there are regional differences at play here, we had always been served tagliata cooked in a rosemary sauce with almost pesto-like consistency. This extra dimension of flavour was absent from the Osteria Dell’Arancio version, although the meat was cooked very well nonetheless.

On the other hand, my taglioni dish of dainty thin spaghetti was really delicious, even if langoustines were a little thin on the ground! The courgette had been carefully grated into little threads which meant it integrated itself well into the spaghetti and lended its flavour evenly throughout the dish, whilst the accompanying tomato-based sauce was well seasoned and light enough not to detract from the langoustines and courgettes which were the main event. As were all our dishes, it was served in almost artistic clean white crockery and was presented in a thoughtful and elegant manner.

Visiting as we did mid-Sunday afternoon, the place was not exactly heaving but the owner was very attentive, and you could see that the atmosphere would be absolutely fabulous on a Saturday night. It’s the kind of place you could go as a family, or for a fun night with friends, and although the atmosphere is light-hearted, I could recommend it for a date also. If they added the rosemary to their tagliati – I wouldn’t hesitate to give it a solid 9 out of 10!



383 Kings Road, London SW10 OLP
For reservations call 0207 349 8111 or book online