Heavenly hammam

I can't pretend to be an expert on beauty treatments. Whenever I've been lucky enough to have been treated to a massage or facial I've always loved it (waxes are to be tolerated as a necessary evil, I suppose), but they're just not one of those things I feel I can justify splurging on. The results are ephemeral, that blissful feeling of being preened and pampered over within the hour. Nonetheless, when I escaped from the practically baltic streets of SW6 last week into the steamy, scented halls of Moroccan Beauty (with a Groupon voucher, no less!) I felt I'd struck onto a winner.

Based around the concept of the Moroccan hammam, this ladies only spa makes for a delightfully different spin on beauty. Whilst they offer the usual waxing, facials, massages, the atmosphere is different from the usual bundles of mini luxury: it felt exotic, yet unpretentious, super friendly and welcoming. My voucher entitled me to the hammam ritual, a full body mask and an express facial - 2 hours worth of warm, pampered sanctuary from the freezing cold. As part of the hammam ritual I was shown into a traditional Moroccan steam room, amazingly humid (I was pouring with sweat within minutes) but I was kept comfortable with frequent cups of water and the showers at one end. After my first rinse, a thick eucalyptus soapy wax was applied to my whole body, and the steam came back on to allow it to absorb right into my skin leaving me slick and incredibly smooth. After rinsing again, I was thoroughly ex-foliated (as it turns out, winter skin is INCREDIBLY dry - I felt like a snake shedding what seemed like an entire layer) and a full body mask applied.

You can spend as much time in the steam room as you like, so after another blissfully sweaty 15 minutes, and yet another hot shower, I donned my fluffy slippers and padded my way into the treatment room for my facial. After a quick skin analysis (still dry, a compound of winter weather and perhaps a little sweaty hammam over-enthusiasm) I settled into an amazingly relaxing facial. With two applications of organic cleansers (all their products are 100% natural), toner, an amazing mini facial massage, finishing off with an intense moisturising mask, this facial may have been 'express' but it felt incredibly thorough, whilst being gentle enough to send me almost to sleep.

After a cup of traditional Moroccan mint tea, it was time to drag myself back into the cold again. My little sojourn at Moroccan Beauty truly felt like a mini-holiday - and definitely a different and welcome addition to the Fulham beauty scene. With these arctic conditions set to stick around for the next few weeks at least, it might be worth booking yourself a micro-break sometime soon.

Moroccan Beauty
780 Fulham Road
London SW6 5SL
www.moroccanbeauty.co.uk

All photos taken from the Moroccan Beauty website

Rocking steak at Roxie

Ladies who lunch/dine/enjoy consuming food are generally well provided for in Fulham. There are tons of options for salads, "light bites", sushi and the like, but when a girl wants steak (juicy, bloody, deliciously carnivorous steak) suddenly the options seem either super swanky, super expensive, or just plain super-size. That's why we thought the concept behind Roxie, on the Fulham Road, was such a good one. A beautifully designed 'steak and wine cafe', it was conceived as a lighter and more casual way to get your meaty fix (with fishy and salad-based fixes too, for those who lean that way) with lighter fillets as standard, and a beautiful selection of wines, cocktails, salads and side orders to build around your meat.

When we were invited down last week, we were struck by the friendly and casual atmosphere, the décor at once sleek, modern and inviting. And once we got over that... we were struck by the food. Although the options are by no means ground-breaking, the steak is done to a T, and because you build a meal out of smaller dishes, it makes for a really convivial evening. The starters and mains mostly come with a small side salad, so for those on a diet, you needn't overdo it: but we recommend you do.To accompany our surf and turf (light fillet and sizzling prawns) and flame-grilled ribeye and fillet strips, we chose some devilishly good (and devilishly fatty, I'm sure) homemade double-cooked chips, a refreshing greek salad and lashings of bearnaise sauce and garlic butter. The starters are also a bit of a must: lemon and herb prawns were sizzlingly flavoursome, and the seared scallops with jerusalem artichoke puree and pancetta had us signalling our appreciation through a series of smacked lips, mmm noises and other (probably unladylike) sound effects.

Washed down with a bottle of Argentine Torrontes, and a healthy splash into the cocktail menu, the evening was spot on for ladies (and gents - all steaks come with the option of sizing up to standard, large or 'ravenous') looking for a much needed catch-up dinner with friends and loved ones. The staff are super-friendly, the service unpressured, and there are plenty of options on the menu everyone should like, so you can sit back, enjoy your food and concentrate on good times with friends. Now go forth, and get thy protein fix.

Roxie Steak and Wine Cafe

803 Fulham Road

London SW6 5HE

For bookings call: 0207 371 5785

Apologies for the lack of interior shots, they came out all fuzzy. But check out Roxie's gallery for an idea - it's really gorgeous!

Seasonal? Tick! Local? Tick! Manson? BIG tick!

If you've read this blog before, you'll know we're big fans of the Sands End. In fact, you're probably sick of the Sands End we bang on about it so much. So this evening, ladies and gentleman, I'm pleased to be able to stick to a theme close to our hearts, whilst writing about something new!

Last week, we had the pleasure of visiting Manson, the sister restaurant to our beloved Sands End, to sample a seasonal menu by new Head Chef Alan Stewart, with wine pairings by sommelier Mickey Narea. Sarah had previously reviewed Manson here, but we'd heard great things about Alan (formerly of Wandsworth stronghold Chez Bruce, and latterly Launceston Place) and naturally couldn't wait to see what changes were underfoot at this local British brasserie.

Upon entering, I was immediately impressed by the décor (interestingly, as it hadn't changed since Sarah had visited and she hadn't been struck by it - perhaps it was the difference between day and evening). Manson manages to retain the warmth and authentic ambience of the Sands End, but with a slightly more upmarket feel: all beautiful woods, taupes, creams, interesting artwork and inviting chesnut-leather banquette seating. I was also impressed with their commitment to producing interesting twists on seasonal meat and vegetables, and to sourcing their ingredients locally. Not only do all the ingredients come from the British Isles, but a good deal of the vegetables even come from an allotment in Fulham Palace Gardens. As Mickey explains, Alan sometimes visits the allotment between servings - your vegetables could not be much more fresh and local than that!

Visiting in October, game is very much of the season, and so our four course meal consisted of venison, partridge and grouse, followed by Braeburn apple pie. What could have been a very heavy menu was made light and playful by Alan's inventive use of a plethora of seasonally British ingredients. Our first course of tartar of highland venison, pickled girolles, celeriac and cobnuts was surprisingly light, yet delightfully smooth and autumnal. For this dish, Narea surprised us by starting not with a white wine, as is traditional, but a light Pinot Noir (Little Yering Pinot Noir, Victoria, Australia) which complemented the dish perfectly.

Mickey surprised us again with an unorthodox move from red back to a richer and more complex white (Limousin Reserva, Marques de Riscal, Rueda, Spain) to accompany the delicious red leg partridge, quince, honey and oats that we were served next. Partridge is a personal favourite of mine, and this was cooked to perfection: the slightly earthy meat blending well with the sweetness of the quince, honey and the texture of the oats.

Feeling fairly full, but eager for the next course, we moved on to the roast grouse, with damsons and savoy cabbage. The richest of the courses, the sweetness of the damson plums gave a welcome sweet punctuation to the flavour of the meat and the savoy cabbage was also an excellent accompaniment - I'm glad we were spared potatoes as I don't think I could have managed them at this point!!! The next stop of Mickey Narea's companion wine tour took us to Italy, as we sampled a fairly earthy and rustic 2007 Biferno Reserva (Camillos de Lellis, Molise, Italy) which I enjoyed, but perhaps not as much as the previous two wines, although it undoubtedly complemented the dish well.

Not to worry - this was a portion for 4!

To round off a fairly heavy meal, what else but a suitable British dessert: Braeburn apple tart, served with a fantastic clove ice cream. This dish to me epitomised what the meal was about in a simple way: classically British, with a surprising twist. It was served with a French dessert wine (2009 Coteaux du Layon, Domaine du Pont de Livier, Loire, France) which I'm afraid I could barely touch, as I was completely fit to bursting and I feared it might send me to sleep! However, it did draw appreciative nods from those around the table with more wine knowledge than myself, so I'd hedge my bets it was a good'un.

Whilst the meal was very rich, it was still original, fun and surprising. Alan and Mickey have worked together for several years, and the shared passion and enthusiasm really shines through in some excellent, imaginative and thoughtful food and wine pairings. Manson got me pretty excited about British cuisine again, and the fact that everything was seasonal and local was the cherry on the cake. Fantastic food, fantastic ambience, and a dollop of truly Great Britain. A must-visit.


Manson
676 Fulham Road, London SW6 5SA
Head Chef: Alan Stewart

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