Food & Drink - House Of Coco Magazine

Food & Drink November 21, 2019

DINE OUT: THE ULTIMATE ROMANTIC EXPERIENCE THIS AUTUMN AT LE PONT DE LA TOUR

Romance is undoubtedly in the air this autumn with our founder, Laura Bartlett getting engaged recently. Team Coco has been looking for the ultimate romantic treat this autumn. Getting the acclaimed Coco Couple stamp of approval is The Truffle Hut at Le Pont de la Tour, which has returned once again this year to celebrate this coveted culinary gold.

Words like rustic and cosy have been invented to describe this intimate venue. The exclusive table of 2 is surrounded by hanging lights, cushions and furs with an inner wall comprised of carefully crafted tree trunks and bark and a roof comprised entirely of moss. You have your own private heater along with a dedicated server and stupendous views of Tower Bridge. For those looking for the perfect location to propose to someone, celebrate an anniversary, looking for a honeymoon extravaganza, you would struggle to find anywhere more impressive than the truffle hut.

The price might seem steep at £200 for two people, but this unique meal shouldn’t be simply judged in terms of is it value for money but rather how do I impress a loved one with the most magical experience possible. The offering does come with a 5-course truffle tasting menu along with a bottle of Moet & Chandon.

The first dish was arguably the most successful: wild mushrooms egg cocotte, truffle sabayon. A baked egg dish made infinitely more high-end by the addition of umami-rich wild mushrooms and truffle. It had been cooked to just the right temperature so that it wasn’t overcooked inside and still had an inviting, soft, runny centre.

Terrine of duck liver can taste incredibly gamey if not done properly and that was not the case at Le Pont de laTour. The extremely rich tastes were well-matched by apple and raisin chutney; both of which you can spread on a perfectly-toasted truffle brioche. The roasted halibut dish was very well-portioned and just in case you hadn’t enjoyed enough Champagne, the dish was served with a Champagne sauce.My favourite of the main courses was the breast of poulet noir, baby leeks, chicken jus and generous amounts of black truffle. This type of free-range chicken has been reared by the French house ‘Label Rouge’ and is highly popular with chefs across the country due to its incredible flavour, whilst the meat is particularly juicy and succulent.

The final dessert course: Crème caramel infused with truffles and golden raisins was a marmite kind of dessert. With every mouthful, your brain is telling you this shouldn’t have earthy, meaty notes but personally, I thought it worked in terms of finding the next winning savoury/sweet combination akin to flavours like salted caramel. Although, my dining companion thought it was just too boundary-pushing for his traditional palate.

Londoners are notoriously fickled and have little restaurant loyalty, but in these challenging times, it is great to see a class act like Le Pont de la Tour still setting the bar on offering refined cuisine in romantic surroundings.

Adventures November 19, 2019

Experience the Authentic Flavours of Mauritius

Mauritius is a melting pot of culture, this beautiful island in the middle of the Indian Ocean is steeped in history and hidden gems. Having been under the rule of the British, French and Dutch as well as being a shipping conduit to India and China you’ll find a plethora of cultural experiences and influences.

One of the best ways to experience the local culture is through the cuisine and at Anantara Resort on the unspoilt, less commercial south side of the island you’ll find Didier Jacob, Executive Chef and foodie. Originally from Mauritius, Didier has a wealth of experience having trained in France under the guidance of Michelin starred chef, Jean Gorge Vongerichten, he’s cooked for heads of state including Donald Trump, partnered with Heston Blumenthal in Barbados and had a stint at Le Caprice. The Anantara Spice Spoons cookery masterclass run by Didier and his equally talented number two, Warren Domah, is an experience not to be missed.

As soon as you meet Didier you catch on to his passion for food, he has this amazing ability to make you look at food differently, he awakens your senses, getting you to experience the smells, the textures and flavours. His cookery classes are open to both hotel guests, locals, aspiring chefs and beginners.

The nation’s French, Creole, Indian and Chinese inhabitants have contributed to a unique culinary culture. Couple that with fresh locally sourced produce and a vibrant, knowledgeable chef and you have an authentic Mauritian cookery experience. The masterclass is around two and a half hours and you learn about ingredients that are synonymous with Mauritian food, as well as the cooking techniques and ethos behind the cuisine. It’s a fantastic way to learn about the culture, taste the local dishes as well as sharpen up your skills.

My lesson starts with some of the basics and one thing I’ve always wanted to do is that chef chop, you know the one where they chop up veggies at an alarming speed? I get a demonstration from Didier and soon pick up the rhythm of the knife and am chopping like a pro until I manage to catch my knuckle and cut myself, epic fail on my part. Apparently, I am scared of the knife and he’s not wrong, I am clumsy in the kitchen and have the scars to prove it. What Didier does brilliantly is build your confidence. A quick plaster and he soon has me chopping again, this time with assurance.

I was tasked with mastering the curry. My cookery station was jam-packed with herbs and spices all of which fill the kitchen with an amazing aroma. Because of the diversity of the island I was shown how to change a basic curry base into either a Thai, Malaysian or Mauritian dish. The pace of the class is just right and as you are taken through each step there’s lots of opportunities to ask questions while listening to anecdotal tales peppered with Didier’s tips and cookery secrets. It’s a relaxed, fun environment and before long you’ll be sprinkling spices and stirring like a natural. Once the masterclass is finished you get to enjoy your dish with a glass of wine and come away with a recipe file so you can cook up a storm at home and recreate your very own taste of Mauritius. Set in a nature reserve and with breath-taking views of the Indian ocean this is the perfect setting to learn to cook.

The Anantara Spice Spoons cookery masterclass can be booked via www.anantara.com

A stay at Anantara Iko Mauritius Resort costs from £335 (390 Euros) per room per night on a half board basis. www.anantara.com

Food & Drink November 11, 2019

DINE OUT: SHOLA, AUTHENTIC KARACHI FOOD IN WEST LONDON

Shola (‘spark’ in Urdu) is a new Pakistani restaurant, heating up the culinary scene in West London. Following the overwhelming response since opening the doors of Shola Karachi Kitchen back in early 2019, founder and head chef Aida Khan has now begun dinner service, extending the restaurant’s current walk-in, lunch-only opening hours.

We were lucky enough to be one of the first to taste Aida’s passion for authentic flavours and traditional recipes from Karachi, Pakistan’s most cosmopolitan city. We were welcomed as if we were family into the restaurant and told that we couldn’t leave without trying the famous Chicken Biryani, with the spices and sauces all made from scratch. We feasted on Chicken Pakora, Palak Paneer and of course, beautifully prepared Daal – curated from recipes passed on for generations in Karachi households.

In a similar way to the food, the space was light, fresh and took a modern take on an old classic. In many of the dishes, vegetables took centre stage with fusions of flavours that were truly mouth-watering. A favourite was the Meetha Paratha which was described as the go-to dish served by Pakistani mothers to lure their children into the kitchen for some much needed quality time. Sugar-coated, fried and delicious. The ultimate home-cooked family comfort food.

Chef Aida Khan has perfectly translated the delicate spicing and complex preparation of Pakistani cuisine, to a simple, approachable modern style, whilst retaining the romance and vibrancy of South Asia’s food culture: it’s street markets, it’s royal dishes, and it’s home-cooking. We sampled a small taste of Karachi in London, and we definitely want more.

Shola is located in White City Place, where the former BBC headquarters have been transformed into a new creative campus. For more information, visit: www.sholakitchen.com

Cocktails November 10, 2019

Farzi Café, London

#TeamCoco was invited to experience Farzi café and to sample their selection of food. Farzi Café is a contemporary Indian restaurant, that elevates traditional Indian food to the next level through finesse and powerful flavour combinations paired with out-of-the-box thinking. The menu highlights India’s food delicacies and uses the best ingredients in India which takes you on a journey through textures, spices and authentic flavours, whilst at the same time creating dishes that are inspired by traditional favourites but reimagined and reinvented.

Farzi Café is an award winning restaurant, opening its doors in London in early 2019. The interior is an elegant, low lit restaurant which gives the atmosphere a calm feel with a smart and classy appearance. This meaning, there is no pressure to dress formal, but equally, you would never feel overdressed. Farzi Café has two floors, enough for large groups, families and couples. Located in the heart of London, moments from Leicester square, which make it easy to get to.

The restaurant has a large selection of drinks to choose from, and a food menu with many options but in no way overwhelming. Farzi’s drinks menu included a choice of signature cocktails, a variety of tea and Whiskeys from around the world. #Teamcoco and her guest had the pleasure of sampling the recommended and popular dishes which included, for starter; Hass Acocado Chaat, Pani Poori, Chicken Tikka, and Sweet Potato & Pomegranate BunTikki. These dishes were so unique from anything we have tried before in Indian cuisine but had traditional flavours and a clear focus on achieving fantastic texture balance. You can tell that these dishes were well thought out and had much attention-to-detail despite many being side dishes.

For mains, we had Smoked Aubergine Bharta, Chicken Tikka Masala, with side dishes, Jeera Tadka Asparagus, Traditional Indian Breads, Dal-Makhni. With a selection of the menu to try from, we both were impressed with every dish as they had similar attention-to-detail and boldness of flavour. The food dishes were very rich and satisfying. Each portion was plenty of food and filled us up. The flavours were incredible, I especially enjoyed the Smoked Aubergine Bharta, which was explained to us of how they make it. They smoke the Aubergine inside the tandoori oven until it is tender and then used as the main part of curry. I could not taste that it was Aubergine, but could taste this smokiness of the curry and it was delicious!

We also sampled and enjoyed two cocktails. I chose from their signature menu which are named after star signs, which Farzi Café explain it as Ayurvedically inspired cocktails. Farzi Café told us that ‘they use carefully selected tinctures, herbs and spices to playfully keep our lives in balance and our wellbeing in check’. From discussing the cocktail menu with the bar manager he told us every ingredient within each star-sign cocktail has been made to help the human body circulate and rebalance. I found this really impressive and tried Sagittarius, which was an antioxidant and good for the heart. We also tried The Truffle cocktail, used Gin from the Cambridge distillery, it was strong but well balanced and had a classy rich dark orange colour.

As the evening was coming to an end, we had to try the deserts, for me, always the best part! We went for a Ladoo-coconut shell and a Mango semifreddo, and oh my… what a presentation and so light and delicious. The Ladoo came with berries, lychees, and inside the Ladoo was a raspberry core. The Mango semifreddo was with a mango sorbet, with a passion fruit foam, it was so pleasant to eat and rich in fresh fruity flavours.

We had a very pleasant evening, good attentive service and the food was a big YES from us! We recommend a visit for sure, whether it is just for drinks, food or both! You will have a great evening and a satisfied stomach for sure!

https://www.farzilondon.com/index.php

Farzi Cafe, 8 Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4BP

Food & Drink October 25, 2019

Dine Out: The Lost & Found Leeds Club

What a treat, #TeamCoco’s contributing writer Rachel McAlley was invited to experience the new autumn menu at The Lost & Found Leeds Club in Leeds city centre.

This grand Victorian building, which was once the fabulous Leeds Club for private members is now the equally fabulous restaurant and bar The Lost & Found. Originally built in 1820, the Leeds Club opened in 1849 for wealthy Victorians to socialise together.

The ground floor boasts a bar, and vast lounge area for guests to enjoy a drink or a little nibble from the bar menu. The first floor is an open plan restaurant and bar overlooking Albion Place in the heart of the city of Leeds complete with its own wood-fired pizza oven.

The autumn menu has a array of starter dishes including spiced sweet potato or grilled chicken skewers to bang bang cauliflower or smoked haddock and cod fishcake, plus much more.

#TeamCoco rep Rachel and her guest enjoyed pan-fried scallops, and smoked Scottish salmon to start with alongside a basket of warm breads and a selection of dips. And, seriously the scallops were to-die-for; they arrived served on a bed of saffron risotto with parsley and lemon gremolata.

Main courses varied from pizzas and pasta dishes to salads, steaks and plenty of other mains including glazed short rib burger, chipotle and quinoa chilli, and battered cod with triple cooked chips to name just a few.

With so much choice #TeamCoco were torn between numerous dishes, and after much deliberation we opted for ricotta and spinach ravioli, and a rather fabulous crispy harissa lamb salad which was outstandingly flavoursome with a coriander and green chilli rice salad, coconut yoghurt, sliced chillies and a good helping of pomegranate seeds.

We also enjoyed a glass of house red, and a non-alcoholic hedgerow cooler which consisted of blackberries, apple juice, lemon juice, lavender syrup and topped with soda.

Our wonderful server persuaded us to have dessert, so we went for the light and refreshing raspberry sorbet served with fresh blackberries and fruit coulis, and the not so light, but beautifully decadent dark chocolate and peanut butter parfait with caramelized banana and caramel sauce. Oh lord, were they good!

The service was excellent and the food outstanding at The Lost & Found, and the loos in the basement – well, they were quite possibly the best bathrooms we have ever had the pleasure of using anywhere in Yorkshire.

Would we recommend a visit to The Lost & Found, you’re damn right we would!

The Lost & Found, Leeds Club, 3 Albion Place, Leeds, LS1 6JL
0113 493 1450, www.the-lostandfound.co.uk

Food & Drink October 24, 2019

How to Celebrate World Pasta Day in London

World Pasta Day 2019 is this Friday (tomorrow – eek!) and we are so excited for it. It seems as though nowadays there is a national or globally-celebrated day for everything. Burgers, sushi, cheese – the list goes on. London eateries and pasta palaces have a variety of special dishes, discounts and more available for anyone who wants to celebrate World Pasta Day in London so here’s my round up.

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta

77 Alie St, London, E1 8NH

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta takes the crown for how to celebrate World Pasta Day in London. This delicious homemade pasta restaurant is offering every diner a free bowl of pasta this Friday. If you just had to re-read that sentence, I totally get it. But seriously, it’s true. Between midday and 4.30pm and again between 5.30pm and 9.30pm, diners can choose from seven different pasta dishes – at no charge. You can simply turn up and enjoy a steamy bowl of fresh pappardelle with a four-hour slow-cooked Bolognese sauce. Or perhaps you prefer creamy homemade basil pesto? Dig in (I’ll probably see you there).

Pasta Remoli

Westfield Stratford, 3 Great Eastern Market, Westfield, London E20 1GP

10 Exhibition Way, London, Wembley HA9 0FU

Elsewhere, Pasta Remoli is also offering its guests a free bowl of pasta to celebrate World Pasta Day in London – but you’ll have to buy one first. Not quite as celebratory as Emilia’s but you can’t deny this is an excellent way for you and your other half/best friend or fellow pasta babe to enjoy the day. Plus, few things in life beat Pasta Remoli’s truffle ravioli. It’s valid across every pasta dish too – so seafood lovers, make the most of the prawn tagliatelle. The ‘BOGOF’ offer is only available in their Westfield Stratford and Wembley Park locations.

Gloria’s or Circolo Popolare

54-56 Great Eastern St, Hackney, London EC2A 3QR

40-41 Rathbone Pl, Fitzrovia, London W1T 1HX

You may only know them still from the Instagrammable cheese wheels that grace your feed ALL THE TIME but Gloria’s and sister restaurant Circolo are both here to make sure you leave full of pasta – and completely satisfied. The carbonara is a necessity for sure – what better way to celebrate World Pasta Day in London? But make sure to get the spicy lamb ragù too; the rest of the menu is highly underrated (although we can forgive this because that carbonara wheel is quite impressive).

Coco di Mama

90 Fleet St, London EC4Y 1DH

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzxD_zsAuTR/

The popular ‘grab and go’ Italian eatery is offering all customers a free pot of pasta at its Fleet Street store to celebrate World Pasta Day in London. All you need to do is pick up a leaflet from one of the Coco di Mama street team members to claim your free pot. They’ll be hanging about in bright red jackets so you can’t miss this opportunity. Choose from a classic pomodoro pot, traditional pasta and meatballs or roasted squash, spinach and sage. They’ve got vegans covered too, with a lentil ragù.

Harry’s Bar

30 -34 James St, Marylebone, London W1U 1ER

The Italian Dolce Vita of London is helping you celebrate World Pasta Day in the most luxurious form – with white truffle. Putting a twist on their classic tagliolini dish for the new White Truffle Menu, the fresh egg and wheat pasta is slathered in parmesan and butter before being sprinkled with thick lashings of the beautiful white truffle. Decadent, huh? White truffle is delicate so if you’re pairing this with some wine (to continue celebrating, obviously), Harry’s Bar recommend an ‘elegant and fruity’ Pinot Noir.

Artusi

161 Bellenden Rd, Peckham, London SE15 4DH

https://www.instagram.com/p/BixVHpVApkG/?igshid=1q7q4yag9w0l7

No special World Pasta Day offer, just incredibly good pasta so I had to give the final spot to Artusi. If you’re around South London – or even if you’re not, it’s worth the train journey, trust me – Artusi will be an exceptional spot to celebrate the day. With a chalkboard full of special dishes, expect to eat well at this fuss-free, authentic eatery. You can expect dishes such as tagliatelle with mussels casarecce with pumpkin and squid ink rigatoni.

Cocktails October 22, 2019

Coco Crush: Seasonal Drinks Round-Up

‘Tis the season to start drinking spiced cocktails, enjoy wintry warmers by the open fire, and lap up luxurious tipples – we are totally on it like a car bonnet here at #TeamCoco HQ.

Look no further than our little listicle below, we’ve included a seasonal spiced rum, the best ever ‘morning after the night before’ Bloody Mary, a countdown to Christmas daily treat, an old fashioned traditional drink that recently made a comeback, a rather wonderful mulled cider for Christmas eve, and a bottle of English bubbly for that all-important Christmas day dinner.

Bring on the season of joy, but remember to drink sensibly and responsibly.

Captain Morgan, Gingerbread Spiced Rum

Captain Morgan’s Gingerbread Spiced is a limited edition gingerbread-flavoured spirit drink, guaranteed to spark festive nostalgia in drinkers with tasting notes of gingerbread biscuits.

Gingerbread Spiced boasts warming hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and black pepper and is best served with either hot or cold apple juice – offering drinkers a delightfully different way to cosy up with their crew as the nights draw in.

Priced at £12 (500ml), available exclusively to Asda (until stocks last) or from Green King Pubs. www.asda.com

Bloody Drinks, The Bloody Classic

Bloody Drinks has launched a range of premium, pre-mixed Bloody Marys in a can in the UK.

Crafted using nothing but proper, quality ingredients then canned for maximum freshness, Bloody Mary enthusiasts can rest safe in the knowledge that their cocktail will now be bloody perfect, every time.

The Bloody Classic, Bloody Drink’s signature recipe, has been carefully considered to produce a beautifully balanced bar-quality cocktail. The unique recipe includes premium vodka and cream sherry for body, the finest tomatoes from Italy and Spain for natural sweetness, fresh lemons for acidity, and Worcestershire and soy sauce for a rich, umami-packed base.

Priced at Bloody Classic packs of 4 (£16.00), 6 (£24.00) and 12 (£48.00), available from www.bloodydrinks.co.uk

The Bottle Club, The Irish Cream Liqueur Advent Calendar

This treat of an advent calendar counts down to Christmas Day with the world’s all-time favourite Irish cream liqueur. With three delicious flavours, including festive Orange Truffle, warming Coffee, and original Irish Cream Liqueur. The calendar also features an exclusive Baileys cocktail recipe. Available to pre-order now, the calendar will be delivered from 11th Nov.

Priced at £29.99 (12 x 5cl), available from www.thebottleclub.com

Advocaat by Warninks, Snowball Cocktail

Warninks, the UK’s number one Advocaat renowned for its custard-yellow hue and velvety texture is bringing back a taste of nostalgia this Christmas with innovative new serving suggestions for its iconic Snowball cocktail.

Elevate a Snowball to a Snowball Fizz, pure Christmas in a glass! Featuring another festive staple, Prosecco plus a dash of vanilla syrup, this delicious drink is finished off with a stylish garnish of lemon rind and an icing powder rim, for a beautiful snowy touch. You’re welcome!

Priced at £12 (70cl), available from all good retailers including Budgens and Londis.

Caorunn Gin, Caorunn Mulled Cider

Fancy a unique gin based mulled cider this Christmas, then check out the Caorunn Mulled Cider with its warming deliciousness and seasonal ingredients.

Ingredients: 150ml Caorunn, 50ml Honey syrup, 250ml Mulled cider, 100ml Hot water

Method: Heat cider on low heat in pan with cinnamon, cloves, star anise and nutmeg. Leave to cool and strain into punch bowl. Top with 100ml hot water, Caorunn and honey syrup and stir.

Caorunn Gin Priced from £28 (70cl/75cl), available from selected Waitrose & Partners, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco.

Bolney Wine Estate, Bolney Bubbly

This Christmas day what bubbly are you going to serve at the dinner table? Have you thought of enjoying a Bolney Bubbly this year, an English bubbly that is delightfully floral with brioche notes combined with zesty citrus fruit, honeysuckle and elderflower. It is delicate and well balanced, finishing with a soft fresh hint of sweetness.

Priced at £23.99 (75cl), available from www.bolneywineestate.com

Be Drink Aware.

Cocktails October 19, 2019

London: The Awesome Aviary Igloos Are Back!

You know it’s winter in London when Aviary and their renowned rooftop igloos are back. But, there is an exciting development to form a rooftop experience you’ll never forget!

Running in partnership with award-winning spirit, Talisker Whiskey, the igloos will immerse visitors into a beautiful winter wonderland, inspired by the Talisker’s homeland of the Isle of Skye. The famous igloos are now open to the public and can be found 10 floors above the city offering breath-taking views of London – do we sense an awesome Instagrammable opp? Yup!

It’s such a wonderful way to escape the hustle of the city, as guests will find themselves immersed into Talisker’s Scottish homeland from the moment thy first step onto the rooftop. If you’re looking to celebrate something special nothing quite beats a tasty cocktail under the stars in a unique private igloo.

You’ll also be able to enjoy an exclusive menu of wild whiskey cocktails all developed by Talisker, some of the delicious creations include…

- Spicy and citrusy ‘Scotch Midst’
- Fruity and smokey ‘Northern Lights’
- Adventure inspired ‘Talisker Campfire Hot Chocolate’

On top of all those mouth-watering drinks, you can indulge in a specially curated food menu which serves up a range of platters. Winter in the UK isn’t all that bad!

View available packages and book your slot at www.aviarylondon.com/igloos – the igloos can accommodate up to eight guests.

Couples Travel October 17, 2019

The World’s Best Underwater Restaurants and Hotels

There’s nothing better than hanging out in the water, whether it’s lazing on the side of a catamaran, playing in the shallows, snorkelling amongst the fishes or sleeping by the sea. What about sleeping in the sea? Or having dinner with the fishes? Underwater destinations are a seriously luxe way to explore the water and we can’t get enough of them. There aren’t any off England’s coast yet which just means you’ll just have to find your passport and head off to one of these international spots in the sea.

Under, Norway

Up until now it’s been all about Maldives, Fiji and Dubai when it comes to underwater dining, but now Under has opened in Norway. Europe’s first and the world’s largest underwater restaurant is five metres below sea level in Lindesnes in southern Norway. Half-sunken, the Scandi-chic restaurant juts out of the sea making it an architectural interest in itself, but really you want to get inside and down to the panoramic window. The sea might not be as a crystal blue as in the tropics, but the rugged coastline still makes for perfect dinner viewing, you can expect to see urchins, crabs, mini sharks, battling lobsters and even the occasional seal!
www.under.no

The Manta Resort, Tanzania

If staying on your own private floating island surrounded by reef fish wasn’t already dreamy enough, the base level of this three-tiered hotel room is submerged entirely underwater. At night underwater spot lights attract the likes of squid and octopus and coral has started to grow up around the anchor. With a minimum three night stay, you can spend one night sleeping on the top deck under the stars, one on the middle deck with 360 views of the reef and conservation area and one night below the water, watching the fish for a truly unique experience.
www.themantaresort.com

Subsix, Niyama Private Islands Maldives

If you want to dine at the dramatic Subsix then you’re going to need to catch a speedboat or board a seaplane to get there as the restaurant and club sits 500 metres off the shore and six metres below sea level. Inspired by the setting the restaurant’s shape emulates a clam, the chandeliers mimic coral and there are sea anemone chairs. That said, however glamorous the interior is, we can guarantee that as you’re sipping on your Champagne you’re going to be transfixed by the lagoon outside where moray eels, parrotfish, groupers, butterflyfish and even Hawksbill turtles glide past.
www.niyama.com

Ithaa Underwater Restaurant, Maldives

Starting this luxe trend, was Ithaa, the world’s first underwater restaurant. Sitting five metres under the Indian Ocean, Ithaa at the Conrad Rangali Island in the Maldives is surrounded by coral gardens teeming with fish, giving you one incredible view as you dine – no need for people watching or trying to think of topics if the conversation runs out. Open for mid-morning cocktails through to dinner, this really is one special restaurant that should be on everyone’s bucket list.
www.conradmaldives.com

Atlantis The Palm, Dubai

The underwater suite at Atlantis The Palm in Dubai is pure decadence. You won’t just be curling up on an opulent king sized bed or relaxing in a marble jacuzzi, you’ll be doing both of these whilst watching 65,000 marine animals including sharks and stingrays glide past your window. With mesmerising private views of the Ambassador Lagoon and a butler to boot and you’ve got yourself one very decadent holiday.
www.atlantis.com

Food & Drink October 17, 2019

Coco Crush: VegfestUK Returns to London

With a formidable reputation as the last word in vegan experiences, VegfestUK is returning to London for their final outing of 2019, bigger and more delicious than ever, and #TeamCoco are rather excited about it.

The festival has become a staple of Europe’s festival scene and will take place at Kensington Olympia for the seventh year, housing 320 food and lifestyle exhibitors and 200 speakers across the weekend of October 26th and 27th 2019.

VegfestUK London leads the way for city-based festivals, boasting a lineup both topical and entertaining; including live fitness and cookery demos, two Kid’s areas, the Holistic Health Hub, Yogific yoga, Natural Therapy Zone and a Wildlife Summit. Industry professionals will take to the stage for lectures on the best in health-conscious living, while top performers and award-winning comedians will be live across the weekend. Also, in the light of a new wave of controversial vegan activism including Animal Rebellion, VegfestUK London will host a series of summits analyzing and debating the effectiveness of such actions.

The now legendary Food Village will showcase the cutting edge of vegan cuisine, where guests can indulge in an international guilt-free menu from the likes of Pig Out, offering the very best in juicy vegan burgers, hot dogs and creamy mac & cheese and Dr Cheem’s Superfood Odyssey, who put a sumptuous Indian twist to their flavorings. Decadent vegan prawns and lobster can be enjoyed from Shelley’s Vegan Seafood, Brownin’s will offer African and Jamaican delights, while those with a sweet tooth can go wild with Booja Booja’s dairy-free ice-cream and the baked goodness of Ms. Cupcake.

Organiser Alan Lee says ‘We can’t wait to return to Kensington to see VegfestUK bigger than ever. Ethical living has exploded over the last few years and our festival is perfect for vegans, families, or those simply wanting to learn more about the lifestyle and eat something delicious!’

Advance tickets for VegfestUK London are on sale now https://london.vegfest.co.uk/tickets/