Along a little cobbled alley in Mayfair lies a unique piece of treasure that is the innovative Indian restaurant, Indian Accent. Renowned chef, Manish Mehotra, already has restaurants in New York and New Delhi, and lucky for us his third opened in London last year. As soon as you step into the restaurant, low lit lighting and minimalist interiors seduce you and you’re instantly spellbound, intrigued by what the menu will bring.
A tiny naan is brought to you as an amuse bouche. It is filled with blue cheese and can only be described as pure deliciousness. It’s served with an equally delightful pumpkin sauce. Immediately, you’re excited for what is to come – usually a difficult impression to create so instantly. The menu is refined and the food is an innovative take on Indian cuisine, yet you don’t leave the restaurant feeling full, you feel alive from the flavours.
Potato sphere chaat with white pea mash and Kolhapuri chicken salad with peanuts and avocado are the must haves for starters. For mains, we’d recommend the seared scallops with rava prawns, on a bed of malvani dried shrimp rice, or the chicken malai tikka decorated with green chilli cream. The show-stopping desserts are not to be missed either. Makhan malai drizzled with saffron milk and rose petal jaggery brittle will send your taste buds into melt down (in a very good way).
Since going, we’ve made sure to tell everyone we know about this piece of treasure. Now we’ve told you, you’d best get booking.
While #TeamCoco are never ones to turn our noses up at a kooky tasting menu in a low lit restaurant or to complain about queuing for the latest kawaii dessert, we might just have found our next favourite trend; food you need protective gear to eat…
Brindisa, the home of Spanish food in the UK, has brought over to our shores one of Catalonia’s traditional winter festivals, Calçotada. Calçots, long green onions, are the original limited edition as they only grow from late January to March. When chargrilled and then peeled by gloved hands and dipped in creamy romesco sauce they are honestly to die for, and that’s just the start of the special weekend menu available at Brindisa’s Shoreditch outlet. We’d wager that the fact you’ve helped prepare the onions makes the caramelised mouthfuls even more delicious.
A bit like the kräftskiva, the Swedish crayfish party, that has invaded the british psyche due to Ikea’s power; we can’t wait to see the smily Mr Calçot, complete with cartoon eyes, legs and hands printed on everything. In the meantime we’ll just have to make do with the great paraphenelia that comes with diving into Brindisa’s special Calçotada weekend menu, available until the end of March at Tapas Brindisa Shoreditch or ordering our own DIY Calçot kits from brindisa.com.
On a grey Sunday, we entered the restaurant and were instantly transported to the more exotic climbs of Catalonia ; nestled at our table among large groups of amigos – proving the theory that if people from the country in question are eating in the restaurant, you are in for a treat. The Calçotada menu runs until end of March and offers an epic sharing basket of caramelised, chewy calçots, a dedicated meat, vegetarian or vegan tapas style main finished with a smooth Crema Catalana with the all important crunchy lake of sugar on top.
This meal paired with a delicious G&T (the Spaniards really know their way around the stuff) or cava poured from traditional porrones (spanish drinking jugs) has got to be the best way to wait out dull spring before we get to crack out the Sangria jug.
The traditional Calçotada feast is and great value at £35pp with the Vegan option sitting at £27pp. The menu is available exclusively at Tapas Brindisa Shoreditch on weekends throughout March, 12-5pm. To book your table visit www.brindisakitchens.com
DIY Calçotada kits (£14) are available for delivery nationwide via online shop www.brindisa.com.
House of Coco is here to help you impress bae and show you’ve gone the extra mile organising date night.
Here are seven ideas in Leeds that are a little different to the usual ‘dinner and drinks plan’, perfect for Valentine’s Day and beyond …
Challenge each other to a game of crazy golf Pick one of three epic courses at Junkyard Golf and get a glimpse of your loved one’s competitive side as you battle for the title of number one putter. Each course is the perfect mix of fun golf holes, photo opportunities, fab tunes and a great atmosphere. They offer a range of punny cocktails (‘Drank U, Next’ being a #TeamCoco fave) and with a bar halfway round each course, there is absolutely nothing to complain about.
via Instagram @junkyardgolfclub
Mix your own drinks with a cocktail masterclass If drinking is your thing then this is the perfect upgrade to a regular ‘drinks out’ invitation. Revolution offers a number of masterclass packages, which allow you to step behind the bar and get creative with cocktails. You can even add delicious food into your package to keep you going while you learn the tricks of the trade.
Get the last laugh at a comedy night With a ‘shared sense of humour’* being billed as the secret to a successful relationship, this is a great way to put that to the test. Visit The Hifi Club for an evening of laughs at Yorkshire’s longest running independent comedy night (every Saturday, 7-10pm).
Explore a secret bar If you’re looking to impress your partner and show-off your knowledge of the city, then we recommend one of Leeds’ secret bars. Hidden in the Grand Arcade, The Domino Club, is one of the best and the element of mystery as you lead the way through Lord’s Barbering shop and into this speakeasy-style bar is bound to be a hit.
via Instagram @dominoclubleeds
Spice up your date night with a salsa class Ever wondered if you and your partner would be any good on Strictly Come Dancing? Well at Revolucion De Cuba you can find out. Every Tuesday they host a ‘Salsa Social’ night giving beginners an opportunity to take to the dance floor. The 30-minute free taster class (at 7pm) and 2 for 1 cocktails make this a no-brainer if you want to let loose and have a laugh, all while learning a new skill.
via Instagram @revdecubaleeds
Get locked in an escape room Imagine this: you and your date are locked in a room, there’s no one else around and you finally have some alone time. Except this isn’t a perfect romantic scenario, as you’ve got to solve a series of difficult puzzles and challenges to get out. Although escape rooms can be high-pressure situations they are a great way to test your teamwork and would be a fab idea for double or triple dates (but there are plenty that tailor the rooms to two people too).
Put your vocal cords to the test in a recording booth Our #TeamCoco Editor Laura recently visited Beat Street Studios and found that a session in the studio laying down some vocals can be a hilarious way to spend some time with your other half – and a CD loaded with your very own song is a great souvenir to take away.
It seems that Galentine’s Day is most definitely a thing now and as a predominantly female team, at #TeamCoco, we are so on board! If there are national days celebrating ‘National Feet Day’, ‘If Pets had thumbs day’ or even ‘National Waffle Day’ (potato, sweet or endless chatter – who knows!) then an international day celebrating our wonderful friends is definitely worthy!
What better way to celebrate the big G than to get the girls together for a city break adventure? Here is our round up of three of the best UK city breaks to take this Galentine’s Day.
Leeds
Named as one of the Top 10 European Travel Destinations of 2017, Leeds continues to impress visitors with its thriving cultural scene, beautiful architecture and superb restaurants and bars. Hit up one of the 16 free museums or the Leeds Gallery for your dose of culture, or why not take a road trip out of the city and visit the amazing Yorkshire Sculpture Park?
If you love to shop until you drop, Leeds won’t disappoint. The prettiest place to shop has to be the Victoria Quarter with its high ceilings, marble floors and iron railings. Here you will find the likes of Vivienne Westwood, Ted Baker and more.
Foodies will rejoice in Leeds, there really is something for everyone. One of our favourites is Matt Healy X The Foundry. The former MasterChef: The Professionals finalist serves up a sensational seasonal menu utilising local produce. For fantastic Indian cuisine, Hansa‘s in the city centre is the place to be – locals rave over the superb vegetarian dishes too.
Edinburgh
Steeped in history and chock-full of charm, Edinburgh is not only a dream destination for foodies, but it’s also a festival powerhouse too. Go Scotland!
Packed with medieval buildings, the iconic castle, and of course an unrivalled selection of great bars and restaurants, Edinburgh is a fantastic destination for a fab city break and it’s just over an hour’s flight from London.
Edinburgh seamlessly blends old and new, which is evident as you wander from the Old Town to the New. If you love architecture, Edinburgh won’t disappoint. One fantastic example of this is at the foot of The Mound, where you will find the National Galleries of Scotland complex. This includes both the Royal Scottish Academy building and the National Gallery of Scotland which were designed by the acclaimed architect William Henry Playfair.
The restaurant scene in Edinburgh is pretty spectacular, Fhior on Broughton Street serves up a stunning menu full of locally-sourced produce. The Ox (also on Broughton Street) is a vibrant restaurant that offers local and seasonal produce that specialises in Ox-related items. If you are looking for a great Sunday Roast, head to Kyloe where you can enjoy an award-winning roast dinner (this eatery won the Best Roast Dinner in Scotland award in 2016)
Bath
History lovers will have a ball in beautiful Bath which is one of the UK’s most-visited cities thanks to its pretty Georgian architecture and its fantastic selection of bars and restaurants. A visit to the Roman Baths is an absolute must and why not check out the luxurious Thermae Spa where you can enjoy a treatment or two and take a soak in the rooftop pool.
You can’t visit Bath without trying an Afternoon Tea, there are plenty of restaurants and eateries that serve up this English classic. The only question is – will you have a cup of tea or a glass of champagne with it?
When it comes to lively entertainment and a buzzing nightlife, Bath has it all – from nightclubs and bars to comedy nights and live music. Why not take in some live jazz at the Green Park Brasserie, or watch a burlesque cabaret performance at Komedia with the girls?
This coming Saturday is both National Bagel Day and National Pizza Day, what are you doing to celebrate?
In recent years, the 9th of February has seen divided Brits face a dining dilemma: to celebrate National Bagel Day or to celebrate National Pizza Day?
Now, foodies will no longer need to choose as the UK’s number one bagel brand, New York Bakery Co., has today unveiled the ultimate mash-up that brings two giants of the culinary world together.
Introducing the ‘Bagelizza’ – the UK’s first ever bagel and pizza mash-up inspired by the true taste of New York.
Boiled and baked the New York way, the 12-inch bake is made by hand by the expert bakers at New York Bakery Co. Each bagel weighs in at an impressive 1.5kg, which is more than 16 times heavier than the average bagel. It gets sliced in half to form the base.
Then comes the toppings. Made in partnership with the pizza professionals at Mulberry Street Pizza, London’s only authentic New York Pizzeria, the ‘Bagelizza’ is inspired by the flavours of the ‘Reuben’ – a classic in the delis of New York.
Laden with lashings of 21-day-aged grass-fed brisket, the cured pastrami sits on top of a bed of sauerkraut, shavings of swiss cheese and finished off with a drizzle of Russian dressing – all sitting on top of the restaurant’s signature marinara sauce and 300g of mozzarella.
Enjoyed either as a solitary meal or shared between friends and family, the deep dish can serve up to eight people.
Rhiannon Heap, Brand Manager at New York Bakery Co. says: “This year we decided to embrace the fact that two food icons of New York share the same national day.
“The ‘Bagelizza’ has the same authentic chew of our boil-and-bake bagels and is loaded with the very best New York flavours, it’s the perfect way to celebrate National Bagel Day and National Pizza Day.”
Londoners will have the opportunity to bag a ‘Bagelizza’ and save some dough, with the innovators giving away hundreds of ‘Bagelizzas’ for FREE for one day only. Available on Saturday 9th February 2019 on a first come, first serve basis, the limited-edition ‘Bagelizza’ is available to order from Mulberry Street Pizzeria in-store or on Deliveroo from midday.
Seb Eshraghi, Owner of Mulberry Street Pizzeria – known for its famous fans such as Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, commented on the partnership: “We’re excited to work with the bagel experts at New York Bakery Co. We share a mutual passion for the culinary culture of the Big Apple and hope to ignite the same appetite here in the UK.”
#TeamCoco think this could be our idea of food heaven, even if it’s for one day only! Come on Londoners, get ready to pop along to Mulberry Street Pizzeria for your free Bagelizza this Saturday.
Bowling is such a flukey thing to me; sometimes I’m queen of the gutter ball but othertimes, when I least expect it, it’s only a blooming strike. When #TeamCoco were invited to check out All Star Lanes Manchester‘s newly launched menu, I at least knew I would ace the brunching part…
The Manchester outpost of popular retro styled All Star Lanes is housed in the Great Northern Warehouse where the old AMC cinema of my teenage years used to live. Just a stone’s throw from the gloriously fun Peaky Blinders bar and Brew Dog, this bowling alley is the great starter for a boozy night – or, my absolute favourite, day out.
At the weekends the dark, classy, americana alley and dining room opens from 11am so we bagged a table around lunch and got to doing what we do best; eating through the menu. On first glances we were impressed by the variety on offer; from the delightfully sweet Sriracha Chicken Wings, Mac’n’cheese right through to healthier options like a Quinoa Salad – if you want to save space for dessert.
The team are super clued up about vegan and gluten free options making it a great spot for catching up with your girls, if you don’t quite know what everyone’s eating at the moment…
Across four of us, we tactically ordered so we could try as many dishes as possible. We don’t usually judge a book by its cover but, in this case, every dish placed in front of us was met with a ‘woah, this is way better than I was expecting’ and a double check of the prices on the menu. This, friends, is the ace up your sleeve when pay day is just too far away but you want a luxe meal in town.
The bottomless add-on didn’t shaft us, in the way that so many places do with their Bellini’s full of sugar and no alcohol; for an extra £20 with any main dish you get 2.5 hours of bottomless Prosecco, Mimosa or a selection of delicious craft ales including my weakness, Beavertown’s Gamma Ray. The team are also not shy about getting you refills; shout out to our waiter who helped us get good and buzzed before hitting the lanes…
The bowling alleys just behind the dining area are super smart, shiny and a lot of fun. Get your insta shots of your bowling shoes with some of their ‘candy shop’ american treats, another beer and put the bumpers up; no-one’s judging.
You could even consider hiring their ‘so-tacky-it’s-glorious’ Jungle Room with its Elvis-tastic leopard print carpet for a big do, you can even come over all Priscilla and get married in there. Then we should probably talk about their other private space, The West Wing…
The All Star Lanes can be found in Manchester at 235 Deansgate M3 4EN, allstarlanes.co.uk
How often have you been caught out, in between meetings in London in the pouring rain, battery on your phone dying, right before an important phone call? Don’t worry, #GirlBoss, this new platform that opens up some of London’s most exclusive hotels and restaurants as daytime workspaces launched earlier this year. (In the lead image,on the left, Tzvete Doncheva, Head of Business Development)
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Spacemize, already a popular concept in North America, is set to takeover here in London offering an environment which is more productive than working at home in your PJs and fluffy socks and cheaper than renting desk space. You can now book in to work from luxe spots like W Hotel London and Andaz Hyatt between 9am and 5pm from only £99/month. Membership to Spacemize also includes exclusive restaurant and spa perks and free tea and coffee to keep your hustle going.
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Before you sign up for that dingy office space over the chicken shop (yes, we’ve viewed it too!) take a look at Spacemize.com ; wouldn’t you rather carry out your new business activities from a plush velvet sofa at Mamounia Mayfair? . Want to try out co-working in Central London? Go to Spacemize.com and use code ‘HOUSEOFCOCO’ for an exclusive free day pass, valid until the end of February 2019.
January can be a tough, boring month, socialising goes on hold because everyone is dieting and detoxing. The invites to lunch and brunch dry up because all your friends are abstaining from booze and trying to be good. If you are trying to be healthy this January, don’t despair, you don’t have to cut back on your lunch dates as Chucs restaurant has collaborated with esteemed Chelsea-based private members health club, KX to create a healthy and delicious detox menu. Founded by Charles Finch, Chucs has venues in Mayfair, Westbourne Grove, Harrods, The Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park and Saint-Tropez. I went along to their Mayfair branch to sample the detox lunch. I was looking forward to a meal out minus the guilt and was hoping for something healthy, delicious and a big enough plate to not feel cheated. I’m pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed.
Unlike some of the other restaurants on Dover Street, Chucs isn’t pretentious. It has a welcoming, cosy atmosphere, if a little snug so you might want to try one of the bigger outlets if you are going with a large group. The walls are adorned with photographs from the 1950’s of the Amalfi coast instantly making me long for summer and forget about the wet weather outside. The staff here are warm and friendly and couldn’t do enough for us, even tempting us to go off-piste with a cheeky glass of vino. We resisted and instead opted for an invigorating glass of Clensa, a zesty combination of lemon, grapefruit and orange juice. Head chef, Alessandro Verdenelli has created plenty of tasty, nutritious options to choose from. The menu is a collection of fresh, vibrant and delicious European cuisine with a healthy influence. There are smaller plates to start with like a fresh quinoa tabbouleh salad or minestrone soup. The mains include seared tuna or poached salmon with chicory velouté and amaranth. I plumped for the seared tuna and niçoise salad served with quail eggs, finely chopped green beans, asparagus and broccoli while my date had the quinoa tabbouleh salad. Both dishes were substantial yet light. My seared tuna was delicious, coated in sesame seeds and cooked to perfection. The portion sizes were a lot bigger than I expected and we shared the tuna as I just couldn’t manage it all. As a result, there was no need to check out the desert menu although I’m not sure that would have been part of the detox lunch option! So if you are sick of staying in this month and want all the fun without the guilt head over to one of the Chucs restaurants and try the detox lunch. In addition to this Chucs and KXU, KX’s sister brand will be hosting a detox brunch on Saturday 19th January. It kicks off at KXU in Chelsea at 10.30am, from here you and their team of professional coaches run to Chucs Serpentine where you’ll be served one of their freshly squeezed juices followed by a selection of healthy salads. Post brunch an expert from KXU will give a talk on wellbeing, exercise, diet and detox, followed up with a Q&A. The January detox menu is available alongside the usual Chucs menu. If you don’t fancy going for the full detox you can combine with Chucs signature dishes. The menu is available in all four London locations.
The Oblique Life is a London based Membership Club and Lifestyle Management Service that puts community first.
Tailored towards like-minded people from all walks of life who are welcoming, social and passionate about new experiences, The Oblique Life is revolutionising how Londoners meet people by creating a membership that pioneers a social slant on experiences and community-driven events in the digital age.
The family-run start-up was founded by the Sumaria brothers: Romi, Shonil and Keyu, with the ambition to combine fun and welcoming experiences with a 24/7 personal assistant to help members with both every day and special tasks.
For all Londoners or London visitors, Oblique Life London is a members club that gives so much to all its members including food & drink events, health and fitness events, cultural experiences, music events, travel experiences and so much more.
As #TeamCoco are well and truly into food & drink we decided to focus on this element of Oblique Life for our little feature below.
Oblique Supper Club
At The Oblique Life, members love going to restaurants just like the next person. However, food means something much greater to them; it is a sign of London’s different cultures and a vehicle in which communities come together.
Focusing on everything from the hospitality to the food, The Oblique Life has handpicked London’s most authentic international restaurants to collaborate on their monthly supper clubs. In exclusive, private spaces, top venues will develop bespoke menus for Oblique Life guests. While traditional supper clubs can be pegged as echo chambers for the customs and members of the institution, te team at Oblique Life are confident that innovation and evolution will lie at the heart of theirs, regardless of the venue, cuisine or guests.
The Cocktail Club
In London, a night out often involves visiting multiple cocktail bars, staring quizzically at the menu, and then robotically ordering a mojito or a margarita. The Oblique Life want to enhance their members’ knowledge and appreciation of cocktails with the launch of a new monthly experience, ‘The Cocktail Club’.
Every month The Oblique Life will partner with one of London’s best cocktail bars and introduce members to different spirits and creative cocktails, all while they drink and enjoy each others’ company.
Search online for The Oblique Life London for more info.
As Sri Lanka continues to be the top rated destination in 2019 for travellers alike then naturally, here at HOC, we want in on a slice of the action too. Whether it’s beach life you’re after or some rural jungle exploring, Sri Lanka really does have it all.
Ever heard of Weligama? Nope neither had we but boy are we glad we kicked 2019 off by ticking it off our travel bucket list. Weligama is the place to be if you want to learn how to surf as an abundance of surf schools line the beach offering cheap rates plus the board hire. If you’re a keen surfer then the waves along this beachy strip should be just what you’re after but they are also great for beginners too. Weligama offers a bit of everything for everyone which includes some very delicious food spots too.
We paid a visit to the oh-so-instagrammable Nomad Cafe & Boutique and it was well worth it. This stylish cafe boasted a chic menu full of smoothie bowls, delicious juices and avo on toast with a twist, all with a strong influences from Bali and London. You can also grab a coffee with coconut milk which is a rarity here in Sri Lanka as most coffees come black and with sugar if you don’t ask for it without! It was home from home in a sense and was a refreshingly healthy escape from the heat.
Visiting other parts of the world should be all about experiencing new sights and taking in the cultures and ways of life of the destination which of course, we love doing here at HOC. But sometimes, a little taste of home doesn’t go a miss and a delicious smoothie bowl enjoyed in a beautiful oasis-like courtyard away from the hustle and bustle was just what we needed!
