Dining in Style: JOE's

This one is for the foodies and the fashionistas. This week we visited Draycott Avenue to dine at the beautifully appointed JOE's, the stylish eatery of the sleek and chic fashion line Joseph.
The brainchild of a fashion house, the interior did not disappoint. Following the elegant but pared down aesthetic of the clothing line, JOE's features crisp white tablecloths, minimalist wooden and red leather chairs, and a selection of beautiful wooden sideboards and bookshelves. A well curated group of black and white Lennon and McCartney photographs adorn the wall, and the bookshelves boast a carefully chosen array of fashion magazines and vintage bottles of red wine. JOE's manages to look stylish without being imposing: dare I say it, it's actually rather warm and homely. (Perhaps if your home has been featured in Vogue!)

The kitchen has recently come under the stewardship of Anglo-Greek chef Maria Elia, and the menu is both enticing and innovative. There is a wonderful range of both rich and diet friendly dishes (sides are ordered separately - a must for the body conscious "ladies who lunch" crowd, who seem to be big fans of this place), and we were torn by many delicious sounding options.

What we ate:
To start:
Chilli and ginger prawns, crown prince squash cous cous
Pan-fried scallops, morcilla, roasted apple creme fraiche
For mains:
Pan-fried sea bass with raw beetroot, herbs and toasted seed cous cous with yoghurt dressing
Octopus, tomato and fennel pasta rags (sugar snaps, lemon butter and almonds)
Pheasant, puy lentils, celeriac and hazelnuts (hand cut chips, rosemary salt)
Rounding off:
Amaretti, pear and chocolate tart

Kicking off the meal with olives and slightly oily (my favourite) garlic crisp-bread, the starters were both fantastic. My pan-friend scallops with morcilla (Spanish black pudding) with roasted apple and creme fraiche was really well balanced, with the apple and creme fraiche lightening the rich and juicy flavours of the scallops and morcilla. Sarah's prawns were juicy, and the dish was full of interesting and warming flavours. Both dishes were well presented on smart pieces of slate.

For me the piece de resistance was the sea bass with raw beetroot. Thank goodness the kitchen insisted we give it a try. The sea bass was done perfectly: well textured and easy to prise away with a fork. The tang of the raw beetroot and yoghurt dressing was the perfect complement and the dish was satisfying without being too weighty (a perfect option is you're hoping to squeeze into some of Joseph's skinny leather trousers!).

Both our mains were fairly rich (I've never been able to muster the art of dining 'light' whilst in a restaurant) but my pheasant was a brilliant seasonal option. The celeriac and hazelnuts gave an extra lightness and crunch, whilst the bird was nice and tender. My hand cut chips were size XXL and every so slightly oily. Delicious and satisfying none the less.

The octopus and fennel pasta offered an interesting combination of flavours, but Sarah found it perhaps a little on the heavy side, although beautifully cooked. A great dish if you're coming in for just one course, perhaps? Certainly I enjoyed the few mouthfuls I eagerly took from her plate!

By the time we were re-presented with the menu to consider desserts we were both pretty stuffed. However, we were unable to resist the chocolate, pear and amaretti tart (two spoons!). The taste of almond comes through quite strongly, but the combination of chocolate and pear has long been a favourite of mine. Served with a dollop of ice cream, our stomach didn't quite allow for us to do it justice, but if you find yourself ready for a third course at JOE's and want a recommendation - we reckon it's pretty much on the money. Just be prepared to roll yourself out of the restaurant afterwards.

Talking of money, it's well worth mentioning that the prices are anything but eye-watering, and, considering the fashion credentials of the place, the portions aren't tiny size-6 affairs either. Starters ranged from 5.50 to 9.95 whilst the most expensive main (a hefty tagliata steak) will set you back 20.50. They also offer a good value prix-fixe menu at lunchtime.

JOE's
126 Draycott Avenue,
South Kensington,
London SW3 3AH

Fulham Halloween Hotspots

Halloween in Fulham will be a spooky affair with most of our favourite bars, pubs and clubs hamming up the horror for the weekend. Costumes are essential (Jess and I recommend Circus Circus on Wandsworth Bridge Road) whether you fancy some creepy cocktails or a full on rave from the grave- here is our pick of top Halloween Hotspots.

Aragon House
Aragon House is hosting their annual Halloween party on Friday night (28th October). The Parsons Green party kicks off at 8pm with a DJ until late- fancy dress is encouraged and they will have a selection of spooky drinks specials all night.

                                     

The Jam Tree
Never missing a creative beat The Jam Tree is hosting a Bloodsuckers Ball on Saturday 29th October. They have promised spooky decor, a makeup artist on site to ghoulify, prizes for the best dressed and scary cocktails.
                                                                 
Public
The official Public Halloween Party will not disappoint, the HUB London girls will be “encouraging all who dare to indulge their inner villain and party like an absolute criminal”. Costumes and full on fancy dress is expected and an array of surprises are promised in what will be ‘the world’s deadliest prison”. 

Eighty Six

For those looking for a more subtle and sophisticated approach, EightySix have promised to be ‘spooktacular' but not too crazy. They have been tweeting their impressive pumpkin attempts throughout the week and will no doubt have a great atmosphere over the weekend. 

                                                             
Kings Chelsea
This newly refurbished Kings Road nightclub is hosting a ‘Boudoir of Beasts’ party featuring Kiss Me Deadly - A decadent Lingerie Show modelled by seductive Femme Fatale beastly beauties. Britain’s Next Top Model Jessica-Louise Abidde will be making a special guest appearance modelling for Kiss Me Deadly. They are promising that Halloween horror chills, party treats and thrills await...

                                                                

Getting into the fighting spirit

Fitness can be fun, and fitness can be a chore. Sarah and I have been lucky enough to try out a multitude of classes across SW6, from bikram yoga to tabata training, but I've always found that trying a new class is the best motivator to get my body moving. So when I heard about Safari Kickboxing, I leapt at the chance to get fighting fit, whilst trying my hand at something different.

Safari Kickboxing is run by husband and wife duo Karim and Khadija Safari. Tucked away in a discrete location in a shopping centre on the North End Road, the studio is surprisingly spacious and offers total privacy from prying eyes - perfect for those of us who haven't quite 'mastered' the moves yet! Classes are single sex, which serves a multitude of purposes. Kickboxing competitions are traditionally run in different weight classes, and seeing as some of the kicks and punches are given with force, even in training, I for one was very glad some muscle-bound fellow wasn't throwing his fists at me! More importantly, it sets a supportive and relaxed tone which attracts a multitude of ages, shapes and cultures to train in a way in which they feel comfortable.

Khadijah is a very engaging and motivating teacher who has evidently built an excellent rapport with her students, many of whom are regulars. But kind and chatty as she is, she will work you hard - my abs were still burning days later! We were taught a combination of "fight" sequences, combining blocks, dodges, jabs, punches, hooks, high kicks and stomach kicks. To up the ante repetitions were built in: one four part sequence was repeated once, twice, thrice and then up to 10 times! Khadijah makes sure to give everyone plenty of personal attention, as each of the moves is doubly effective when performed with the right positioning and posture, and keeping your guard is just as important as getting the moves right.

Kickboxing is not just about learning how to spar - there is a huge emphasis on gaining personal confidence but also fitness. The classes start with a healthy dose of skipping and we were guided through a series of squats, crunches, leg raises and abdominal exercises that, whilst challenging, are guaranteed to give you a six pack! For those real fitness freaks amongst you, or just gluttons for punishment, Safari also runs aptly named Cardio Killer sessions.

The classes are really accessible and welcoming. There's a range of ability within the group but both Khadijah and the other students are more than willing to take time to make sure you're doing the postures correctly and that you're enjoying yourself. You'll come out of the class exhausted, but most of the exercises can be dialled up or down according to your fitness levels - just know that you will be stretched! Though, no pain, no gain, right?

Safari Kickboxing
347 North End Road
SW6 1NN