Our #TeamCoco Writer Tara Harris from the Yorkshire Food Guide has fully embraced what Yorkshire’s food scene has to offer. Here’s the low down from a jam-packed July, from seasonal small plates, authentic paella, pop up restaurants and award winning afternoon tea.
THE RISE YORK REVIEW: A NEW SHINING STAR IN YORK’S VIBRANT RESTAURANT SCENE
Yorkshire’s only 5* hotel aptly named The Grand, recently unveiled The Rise Restaurant and Terrace as part of a £15M expansion project. Headed up by award winning Chef Craig Atchinson we paid a visit to sample their seasonal small plates and martini masterclass. Read Review.
REVIEW: BLACK SWAN HELMSLEY AWARD WINNING AFTERNOON TEA YORKSHIRE
With such beautiful weather it was only a matter of time before al fresco dining was on our foodie agenda. There’s no better place to visit than the picture postcard village of Helmsley and the Black Swan Hotel to sample their award winning afternoon teas. Read Review.
SPICE & ICE REVIEW: AWARD WINNING CHEF BRINGS INDIAN FINE DINING TO DONCASTER
Indian Chef of the Year and MasterChef the Professionals Amardeep Singh, brings the heat to the South Yorkshire restaurant scene, at Spice and Ice Dining & Lounge Bar. Get the lowdown from our recent review. Read Review.
HORTO HARROGATE REVIEW: A RELAXED APPROACH TO FINE DINING
Following a successful popup Horto moved into their permanent residence within Rudding Park’s stunning new £10M Spa development. Read our review as Yorkshire Chef of the Year Murray Wilson delivers the goods for our 6 course tasting menu experience. Read Review.
HAM AND FRIENDS LEEDS REVIEW: ARTISAN PRODUCE ALONGSIDE SEASONAL SMALL PLATES
From specialty selected wines, seasonal small plates and a compulsory trip into the cheese room, our recent visit to Ham & Friends was a trip to foodie heaven. Read Review.
MASTERING EAST COAST SEAFOOD AT MALTON’S COOKERY COURSES YORKSHIRE
There’s no better way to brush up on your culinary skills than a visit to Yorkshire’s foodie capital – read our review from a recent trip to the famous Malton Cookery School. Read Review.
REVIEWING SHEFFIELD’S HOTTEST NEW POP UP RESTAURANT – COURSES
A new jewel in the Sheffield indie dining scene as former Milestone Head Chef Jamie Robinson delivers a 10 course tasting menu at new pop up restaurant, Courses. Read Review.
HOME RESTAURANT LEEDS ‘RE-IMAGINING THE WORLD OF FINE DINING’
MasterChef meets Michelin-Star as dynamic duo Liz Cottam & Mark Owens release dates for new restaurant opening. We attended an exclusive one off pop-up at the beautiful setting of Harewood House to experience their unique concept. Read Article.
IBERICA LEEDS REVIEW: SUMMER DISHES AND AUTHENTIC PAELLA
Iberica flew their chefs to Spain to learn how to cook age-old traditional paella. Read what we thought as we sampled their new paellas and fresh summer dishes at one of Leeds most stunning dining destinations. Read Review.
The Isle of Eriska is delighted to announce the appointment of Conor Toomey as Head Chef. Conor will commence in his new role on the 17th July.
Toomey, originally from South Africa, will be joining the island from Amberley Castle where he was Head Chef. Conor has previously worked as Michael Wignalls’ Sous Chef at the Latymer Restaurant which held two Michelin Stars and as Head Chef at Storrs Hall and Amberley Castle where he achieved 3 AA Rosettes.
Conor said of his new role ‘I am thrilled to work in a hotel with such an outstanding reputation for its food and the opportunity to use fresh island produce. Foraging will continue to be a big part of what we do as well as using the kitchen gardens and greenhouses to create seasonal dishes. I look forward to continuing where Paul left off.’
He chats to us here at House of Coco and tells us more…
Tell us a bit about yourself and how/why you became a chef… Having grown up around the industry, food has always been a passion in my family, I suppose cooking was almost inevitable. I love the constant learning curve and the people in the industry
What excites you about the new challenge at the Isle of Eriska? Being a more remote location you have a fantastic opportunity to be creative with the local larder, allowing for great creativity
What is your aim for your time at Eriska? I think to continue pushing the food and product further, there is such a great history in the place for both food and service, so to push that forward is a great opportunity.
Do you have any plans for moving the dining experience at Eriska forward? I think the dining experience is quite well established, I will definitely bring my personality to the restaurant.
With the extensive facilities providing produce for the larder what is your favourite part of the kitchen garden facilities? That’s quite tough, I love the whole larder both wild and cultivated, the chance to grow what we want and pick it what we want is awesome.
Are you keen to implement foraging as part of your menu? Definitely, only a fool wouldn’t. It is incredible
Do you bring a flavour of your South African heritage to your cooking? No I don’t think so much as in typical flavour, I think maybe the openness to different styles and cuisines perhaps, as South Africa is a melting pot of cultures and flavours.
How do you plan to use the on-site smokehouse? Definitely the salmon, wow, we pick it up 10 minutes from here and it tastes incredible, oils are good. Just a fantastic tool to have
What is it that makes a dish special? Memory I think, smell and taste are as strong as anything to create memorys or recall memories, if you can make some think… that reminds me of..? Or if it inspires a memory, you always remember a good meal, so I suppose finding that.
What is your favourite dish and ingredient at the moment? Tough one, always mushrooms on that list they are so versatile and then I suppose game.. fish, so hard I love good products. Everything of a good quality excites me.
What is your favourite part of the island? I don’t know yet, so much to explore
Book a table with Conor and sample his delightful dishes www.eriska-hotel.co.uk
Walking into the grand Banking Hall in London you’ll be greeted by the train inspector of Laverstoke Express, a goblet of Bombay Sapphire and tonic and through the steam, glimpse the exciting new name behind the latest The Grand Journey, none other than Story’s head chef Tom Sellers.
Having adventured across Europe, the Laverstoke Express is back in London once again for one week only transporting lucky passengers on immersive gin journeys from 17th – 23rd July 2017 (www.thegrandjourney.com) . So it’s all aboard the train with Tom to understand the inspiration behind this journey to explore the 10 botanicals that make Bombay Sapphire the jewel in your drinks cabinet…
HOC: Cheers, Tom! Thanks for having us along on this journey. We’d love to know, what drew you to working with Bombay Sapphire on this concept?
TS: I’m a big fan of gin. The more I have learned about Bombay Sapphire and the dedication they have to building flavour in their gin made me want to get involved. I loved the concept of taking guests on a journey through the individual botanicals.
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The food I create at Restaurant Story celebrates individual stories, be it from memory, history or literature. We wanted to translate that philosophy to The Grand Journey and create intelligent dishes that not only tell the story of Bombay Sapphire’s gin of ten journeys, but also enhance the flavours of the botanicals to work in harmony with the accompanying cocktails. Ultimately, we want to enhance this unique experience for the diners.
HOC: What was your favourite dish that you created for The Grand Journey?
TS: I love working with seafood so the scallop dish is probably my favourite. Using Spanish lemons in the dish really elevates the sweetness of the seafood and I chose to present the scallop both hot and cold so that guests could experience a range of flavours in one dish by using different methods in each presentation.
HOC: We know you as a chef who really cares about provenance of ingredients. Did you work with any botanicals that really surprised you?
TS: I spent a day at Laverstoke (the Bombay Sapphire distillery in Whitchurch) learning about the origins and flavours of each of their botanicals. Grains of Paradise is a West African pepper that I had never tried before and really stood out to me.
HOC: And finally (and, of course) , what’s your gin drink of choice?
TS: Gin and tonic. It’s a classic.
Cheers to that, Tom! Hurry #TeamCoco and jump onboard the Laverstoke Express for a journey of a lifetime; head over to www.thegrandjourney.com for tickets and more information.
Forgive us, dear readers but we have been known to snarl our upper lips in derision at opulent British countryside hotels with golf courses. The uninitiated snobs we once were envisaged CaddyShack style nightmare guests and overworked hotel staff, buggies full of business men arguing over who has the largest erm, car… From the second we entered The Grove‘s 300 acre property (within 15 mins of leaving London Euston) our jaws hit the floor and we didn’t succeed shutting them until we were chowing down on a tasty burger later that evening. But more about that later.
We were guests of the hotel and spa to check out the new, bang on trend, holistic spa menu. Honing in on the current obsession with the power of crystals and other precious stones, the ESPA spa offers mindful treatments that harness not only the power of relaxation through the therapist’s work but also through breathing and visualisation techniques.
From the moment we entered the spa we knew we were in for a treat. Unlike too many highly rated hotel spas we’ve visited, the spa here feels like a tailor made retreat, rather than an add on to the hotel. Thoughtfully laid out, it feels spacious and relaxing with an additional outdoor pool located just across the way, with its very own urban beach.
Our therapist Daisy is welcoming and incredibly knowledgable about the treatment. Having read quite a lot of holistic books recently we’re all over the colour visualisations (we saw pink, by the way) and she’s enthusiastic that we’re enthusiastic about the use of a gong to wake us from our relaxed state and the application of Rose Quartz Crystals. We could be in California right now, you guys!
The care taken to coax us into relaxation really pays off and Daisy’s great masseuse work is amplified by the music and scent used. This is honestly the best massage we’ve ever had.
When we awake from the treatment, the tired harassed feeling we had from the week gone disappeared and we were energised and excited to explore the hotel. This is just as well as, with 4 spaces to eat in, a spectacular cocktail menu, bike trails and super quirky art dotted around the property, hiding in your luxe (and very possibly four poster) bed would be a shame.
After an explore we opted for dinner in The Stables, a rustic New-England styled stable serving ‘simple food served to perfection’ and enjoyed a low key but tasty dinner. Here’s another example of the Grove smashing our negative perceptions of 5* luxury; that it feels snobby and elitist. It’s just as well that the team here are so down to earth and friendly as we were shrieking with giggles on the golf buggy ride from the restaurant back to the main hotel…
Snuggling into our impossibly soft bed dreaming of what turned out to be an epic breakfast buffet, we felt a world away from the week’s stresses while only being 18 miles from Piccadilly Circus. Can we commute from here? Seriously.
The Grove is an ideal escape from the city, we couldn’t think of a better treat for you and your girls or your loved one. For more information head over to www.thegrove.co.uk ; see you on the urban beach!
With summer fast approaching, cocktails and roof terraces are definitely on the menu. With The Alchemist Trinity Leeds now becoming one of the nation’s favourite cocktail bars, we sent our Lifestyle writer Jenna to sample their new cocktail menu. A sweet take on classic cocktails.
Sipping Sweet Memories
“Now after three or four reviews of The Alchemist, Trinity – you’d think I work for them, but in reality, I just really love this place. Now into my fifth year as a resident of Leeds City Centre, The Alchemist has become my go-to for both dinner and drinks. With an ever-evolving drinks menu, I never get tired of their new mixology creations or their eclectic selection of cocktails. This summer, they’ve chosen the route of classic cocktails with a sweet-inspired twist. Think a Banana take on the classic Negroni and Rhubarb and Custard Sours – it’s like being in a vintage sweet shop and getting tipsy. I like it, I like it a lot.
Settling down on the terrace, the sun was shining and I was so glad to be out of work for the evening. Ordering my first drink, it had to be ‘Battenburg’. My childhood years were spent sitting in the garden during summer, on a picnic blanket, usually drinking Sunny D and eating Battenburg cake – so it was a nice bit of Nostalgia when the drink GENUINLEY tasted like Battenburg. With an amaretto foam, overproof rum and raspberry liqueur it was a drink reminiscent of summers gone by….but with the welcome addition of dark rum. Nice.
Exploring The Alchemist’s Sweet Summer Cocktails
After the arrival of my plus one, we were on to another one of the Alchemist’s newest concoctions. This time, ‘Rhubarb and Custard Sour’ – which had two of my favourite words to see in a cocktail description ‘Vanilla’ and ‘Creamy’. Now some may say that Vanilla is a boring flavour to like, but it is my favourite element when it comes to sweet cocktails as it gives them a sweetness which isn’t too sickly. This paired with Rhubarb Vodka and the traditional Sour cocktail elements of lemon juice and egg white, it became blended into a very seasonally apt cocktail.
I’d fully recommend The Alchemist, Trinity Leeds for a weekend cocktail or a late-night dinner as both their food and cocktail menus are ever-evolving and have something for everyone. Their Summer menu won’t last forever however, so make sure you drop in for a quick one while shopping before they’re gone for good! Their roof terrace is also one of the city’s best sun traps – fancy drinking a cocktail whilst getting the sun in ENGLAND? Sweeeeeeeeeeet.
The Alchemist, Trinity Leeds is located on the third floor of Trinity and is open from 10am-late 7 days a week.
Wow, May has come and gone, bringing lots of exciting things with it. From new restaurant openings, huge refurbs of some old favourites, cocktails as you’ve never seen them before and an event like no other. Our #TeamCoco Writer Tara Harris from the Yorkshire Food Guide fills us in.
A TASTE OF SPRING AT GUSTO LEEDS
We visited Gusto’s Greek Street Leeds restaurant for a taste of their new Spring/Summer menu. If restaurants were considered pieces of art, Gusto would be considered one of them. Read Review.
BUBBLES FLOWING AT EPERNAY LEEDS NEW CHAMPAGNE MENU LAUNCH
Leeds is bursting at the seams with great places, each selling its own unique twist on fantastic food and drink. The Electric Press houses one such place, Epernay Champagne Bar. With the largest collection of champagne in the north we sampled their new tipples. Read Review.
WATER LANE BOATHOUSE REVIEW: MENU SAMPLING AT ANOTHER UNIQUE VENUE FOR LEEDS
Yet again another winner from the team behind Belgrave Music Hall, Headrow House and Ox Club in Leeds. Water Lane Boathouse is located in a beautifully converted former shipment warehouse on Canal Wharf. We sampled their new menu featuring delicious sourdough wood fired pizzas, to fresh seasonal salads. Read review.
YORKSHIRE’S BIGGEST STREET FOOD FESTIVAL COMES TO NEWBY HALL
Following the success of Harrogate’s StrEat Food and Family Fun Festival, the event will be taking over the beautiful setting of Newby Hall with over 60 street food traders from around the world, Europe’s biggest outdoor cinema, headline acts, hot tubs, glampling and SO much more! Find out more.
RAFTERS RESTAURANT: ONE OF YORKSHIRE’S BEST RESTAURANTS HIDDEN IN SHEFFIELD’S LEAFY SUBURBS
The two AA Rosette awarded Rafter’s Restaurant has been serving the foodies of Sheffield and beyond for over 15 years. We sampled their 8 course tasting menu, fine dining in relaxed surroundings. Read review.
A TASTE OF WHAT’S TO COME FOR NEW JAPANESE ROOFTOP RESTAURANT
With so many new dining destinations popping up in Leeds all the time, Issho has got to be one of the most exciting. With Executive Chef Ben Orpwood previously of Sexy Fish and Zuma in London at the forefront we were excited to sample what’s to come at the new rooftop Japanese restaurant, located in the stunning Victoria Gate, Leeds. Read Review.
VICE & VIRTUE LAUNCH A COCKTAIL MENU LIKE NO OTHER FOOD ‘IN’ COCKTAILS
We attended one of Leeds finest drinking dens and restaurants, to experience their new cocktail menu which is set to get the foodie scene talking. Their food ‘in’ cocktails menu blends signature cocktails with classic food. Perhaps the most interesting cocktail masterclass Leeds and beyond has ever seen. Read Review.
RE-VISITING ONE OF LEEDS MOST LOVED ITALIAN RESTAURANTS FOLLOWING £250,000 RE-VAMP
Salvo’s italian restaurant in Leeds celebrated their 40th in style with a new £250,000 re-vamp of their much loved restaurant and bar area, with a whole host of new dishes to match. After being consistently listed in The Good Food Guide since 1985 and holding an AA Rosette amongst a collection of national accolades, we had to see what has kept people coming back time and time again. Read Review.
CHEESE AND WINE PAIRNG FROM YORK’S CAVE DU COCHON
When Head Chef Josh Overington from York’s acclaimed French restaurant Le Cochon Aveugle and current star of the Great British Menu 2017 opens a Parisian style wine bar, you know it’s going to be a winner. They shared their favourite cheese and wine pairing with us from Cave du Cochon wine bar this month. Read Article.
AN INTERVIEW WITH HAM & FRIENDS AHEAD OF THEIR HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED RESTAURANT LAUNCH
Friends of Ham are the experts of charcuterie, cheese, wine and craft beer in Yorkshire. Their third venue Ham & Friends which is located in the historic Grand Arcade is a new concept for Leeds, a wine bar, food hall and restaurant in one which also features in-house specialist cheesemongers and a wine school. We caught up with the owners to find out what’s to come, ahead of their restaurant launch on 30th May 2017. Read Article.
Last week, #TeamCoco was lucky enough to attend the opening party of COYA Angel Court, a buzzing Peruvian restaurant and Latin American bar in the heart of the city.
COYA Angel Court is on the ground floor of the new 24-storey Angel Court development. It’s a day-to-night venue incorporating a buzzing Latin American bar and a contemporary Peruvian restaurant.
Executive Chef Sanjay Dwivedi and his team had prepared some delicious canapés, giving a taster of his menu which mixes traditional elements of Peruvian cuisine with Modern European cooking techniques and Asian influences.
Colourful destination bar, the Pisco Lounge, offers an impressive collection of fine and rare wines and spirits, a comprehensive Pisco library, and a menu map of cocktails to discover Latin American flavours. We tried the South American classic, The Pisco Sour, and a delicious fruity COYA Punch.
Just moments from Bank tube station, the restaurant and Pisco Lounge brims with personality, filled with Peruvian trinkets and hand crafted furniture. The design is by London-based Sagrada, who are part of the design team for all COYA venues worldwide. With a dedicated art collective, that regularly hosts programmes and pop-up exhibitions, COYA brings together art, music and culture from all over Latin America.
If you want to try somewhere new in the city for cocktails and beautiful design, try out COYA Angel Court for Latin American spirit and great food.
For more information, visit www.coyarestaurant.com.
The ultimate city break and most romantic weekend getaway, has to be Paris. Whether you’ve visited before or this is your first time, we’ve compiled a list of #TeamCoco’s most recommended tourist locations, restaurants and bars to make sure you fall in love and make the most of your 48 hours in the La Ville Lumière/de l’amour.
Prepare yourselves for a lot of walking, a lot of spending, a lot of good food and a lot of red wine, let’s start with day one. Standing at the western end of the Champs Élysées at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, The Arc de Triomphe. Honoring those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars the Arc de Triomphe is as historic as it is architecturally beautiful. With 12 avenues branching off from the roundabout is is situated on, the Arc is accessible via two under passes located at the Champs Elysées and the Avenue de la Grande Armée. Along with taking pictures with the Arc, it’s 9.50 Euros to take the lift up to the museum, which is definitely worthwhile and if you can manage the 46 extra steps to the terrace, you have the most beautiful panoramic views of Paris.
Address; Place Charles de Gaulle, 75008 Paris
Views from the Arc de Triomphe showcase all Paris has to offer and one view in particularly casts your view down the infamous Champs Elysées. Located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, the Champs Elysées is 1.9 kilometres long and runs from Place de la Concode and the Place Charles de Gaulle. The avenue is the perfect place to stop for a coffee, lunch, stroll and window shop. With everything from Louis Vuitton and Cartier to McDonalds nd Ferrari’s you can hire to zip around the city for 30 minutes, there is something to intrigue everyone.
Address; Champs Élysées, 8th Arrondissement of Paris
If your looking for a place to stop for lunch, the most divine hot chocolate or to get your hands on a selection of their famous macaroons, Ladurée is your next stop. Founded in Paris at 16 rue Royale in 1862 by Louis Ernest Ladurée, this little bakery has transformed into one of the most patisseries in the world. The Ladurée on Champs Elysées was opened in 1997 and is constantly creating, twice a year, much like fashion, Fabricant de Doucerurs propose new desserts for the brand ensuring that Ladurée is a café monument to the elegance of 19th century.
Address; Ladurée, 75 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris
A trip to Paris would be incomplete without a visit to what is one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world, the Eiffel Tower, the epitome of romance. Named after engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower, which stands at 300m tall and has the most unrivalled views of the city. The tower is open for tours from 9.30am to 11pm, so you can view Paris from sunrise to sunset depending on your preference. In total with queues and security and lift queues/stairs to get to the summit, understand the history, enjoy the view and have a glass of champagne and get back to the ground again, we recommend allocating around 3 hours. 58 Tour Eiffel, is the towers own gourmet restaurant situated on the first floor. Whether you want a drink or a meal, you are best booking way in advance to secure a table at the ultimate romantic location.
Address; Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris
The River Seine is a 777- kilometre long river that runs through the north of France and most importantly Paris. It’s a good centre point to head to whenever you find yourself a little lost as it leads you straight to most of Paris’ key spots. The Seine also has some bridges, one being Pont des Arts, aka the love lock bridge. Despite all the locks being removed due to health and safety and well making the place look a lot less pretty, the bridge is definitely worth a little stop and still has an air of romance. If the weathers bad and a walk down The Seine isn’t what you’re up for then there are a variety of river cruises that showcase what Paris has to offer.
After leaving the Eiffel Tower, a good hour walk down the Seine on the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris happens to be a masterpiece of gothic art; Notre-Dame. Known for its sculptures and stain glass windows, the cathedral ws one of the very first gothic cathedrals with a heavy influence of naturalism since it’s construction in the 13th century. The cathedral still hosts masses and whether you speak French or not, they are extremely moving and an incredible experience. A walk around the to understand the history, enjoy the art and experience the atmosphere the cathedral holds. You can also go to the top of the cathedral to look at the bells of Notre Dame, have even more stunning panoramic views of Paris and you know, say hi to Quasimodo, whilst you’re up there.
Address; 6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl Jean-Paul II, 75004, Paris
In the heart of Paris, there is a palace dedicated to contemporary art, the Centre Georges Pompidou and at the top of this is a place that is in a world of its own; Les Georges. A restaurant that has indoor or terrace options and boasts the most unique and beautiful views of Paris. Directly ahead you have Notre Dame and as you pan to your right there is the Eiffel Tower. Booking is necessary and if you’re lucky enough to reserve a table before sunset, the change in the skyline is extraordinary and after darkness, once every hour you are able to experience the Eiffel Towers light show, which from this distance, makes it sparkle. This restaurant is not a tourist attraction, it is a place for true Parisians so if you want to fully submerse yourself in the french lifestyle and cuisine this is the place to do so. With excellent service, a drinks list as long as your arm, exquisite food and a rose on every table, Les Georges immerses you in the romance of Paris.
Palais Beaubourg, Place Georges Pompidou, 75000 Paris, France
After a long day of walking, sightseeing and indulging, it’s time to rest. If you’re wondering where in paris to stay, how about somewhere that is a 10 minute stay from the Eiffel Tower and just next to Dior? When it comes to luxury in one of the most stylish cities in the world, Hôtel Plaza Athénée, is the dream location. Situated in the heart of Haute Couture on the renounced Avenure Montaigne, this hotel has everything Paris has to offer under one roof. Along with the most magnificent views of the Eiffel Tower. So those rom-coms with the Eiffel Tower glittering through the window, yes, that’s here. Of course, such an opulent hotel comes at a price but if you only have the one night, you have to do it right.
Address; 25 Avenue Montaigne, 75008, Paris
After a maybe a drink in one of the hotels many bars or an early morning massage or treatment in the spa, its time to head out for Day 2. With being surrounded with so much luxury and opulence, it’s always necessary to take a moment to come back down to earth. Step away for what is arguably the best view of the Eiffel Tower and head to Place du Trocadero. Grab a crepe and a coffee for breakfast from one of the stalls on the viewing platform, take a seat on one of the steps, relax and take it all in.
Address; Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 75016 Paris
Musée d’Orsay is situated on the left bank of the River Seine and is housed in the Beaux-Arts style Gare d’Orsay railway station. A place that is both surrounded in history and art. If neither are your thing then you can always g crazy on Instagram with a snap of the infamous clock. The museum is home to France’s national collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Art Nouveau works; it is one of the most culturally important museums in the world. It houses work by painters including Gauguin, Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, and Van Gogh.
Address; 1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 75007 Paris, France
A little further along in the 1st arrondissement and on the opposite side of the Seine sits a historic monument; Le Louvre. Since opening in 1793, le Louvre has gone through a transformation to look just how it does now. Now home to more than 380,000 objects and displays of 35,00 works of art in eight curatorial departments, making it the world’s largest museum. Le Louvre is somewhere you can spend hours upon hours exploring it’s departments. Along with queues, we recommend giving yourself a few hours as pieces like the Mona Lisa take a while for you to get close to, even once inside.Address; Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France
If you wish to indulge in a dose of Parisian retail therapy, then there is a place in the 9th arrondissement on Boulevard Haussman that is perfect for you. With more than 3,500 affordable to luxury brands, Galeries Lafayette has everything from ready to wear to haute couture. Since 1894 Galeries Lafayette has become a Parisian icon; with stunning products and architectural design, this retail store is as stunning on the outside as it is inside, its dome and panoramic views have made it a tourist attraction in itself. Along with being a shoppers paradise the retail space is also home to 25 restaurants, which takes us on to our next stop.
Address: 40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France
In 1903 confectioner Antoine Rumpelmayer founded Angelina’s and the tearoom is now known as both a place of sophistication and indulgence. In its early days Angelina’s was sought after by Parisian aristocracy along with Proust and Coco Chanel. The interior is the epitome of Belle Époque and oozes elegance and romance. It’s a tranquil space and know has various locations throughout Paris, however with only 48 hours, we recommend two birds with one stone and visiting the tearoom situated in Galeries Lafayette.
Address; Galeries Lafayette, 40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris
Our final recommendation is situated in Saint Germain and the Latin Quarter of Paris. A restaurant bar on the top floor of the LVMH building, just about the Kenzo store, is the restaurant-bar which is heavily inspored by South East Asia. The restaurant is similar to that of a London Eye capsule, all glass and is decorated with a green stairway as almost a statement piece, the rest is kept to a white tonal palette, glass chairs, white leather sofas and a black and white patterned floor. If the interior isn’t enough to win you over, the views of the Seine and typically Parisian town houses will. Kong offers everything from brunch to cocktails and after 11pm turns into a club. So whether the sunlight is streaming in, the rain is hitting the windows or the place is lit up by the Parisian night skyline, Kong is definitely the place to go, to make your last few hours in Paris truly unforgettable.
In a slight departure from our gin obsession we bring you some super exciting new things from Grey Goose, the world’s best tasting vodka, don’t you know!
Just in time for the summer season they have collaborated with Harvey Nichols to bring out a limited edition version of their bottle which celebrates the brand’s French heritage and is inspired by the sparkling blues of the Côte d’Azur. This stunning design makes us want to scramble around for someone to gift it to…friend’s birthday? wedding gift? or have you got a space on your liquor shelf that just needs to be filled?
We’re enjoying our bottle through Grey Goose’s signature summer cocktail, Le Grand Fizz (above). It’s a fresh fizzy little number, perfect for sipping poolside – or at home while watching holiday programmes, we won’t judge. The Grand Fizz combines Grey Goose vodka with sumptuous St Germain elderflower liqueur, soda and lime and honestly tastes like sunshine.
If that’s not enough you’ll find Grey Goose encouraging us all to live their best summer and has partnered with a number of festivals and bars across the country – alongside a wider calendar of events – including House Festival, Barclaycard British Summer Time, The Mondrian, Restaurant Ours and Harvey Nichols, to offer the classic Le Grand Fizz serve.
If you’re in London this summer head over to the Fifth Floor Bar at Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge to enjoy six variations of this summery cocktail. Nab your bottle of Grey Goose in-store and you’ll even get treated to a complimentary cocktail before the end of May.
What are you waiting for? The limited edition bottle is available for 1 month only at all Harvey Nichols stores. It will also be popping up in other great retailers such as Ocado and Waitress from mid-May. Go get your serving of summer!
We travel to some amazing places. We love amazing clothes & we eat some of the most amazing food. This time around Team Coco headed to Staten Island, New York to try a new Italian restaurant by the name of Andellas. The ambiance, the customer service and of course THE FOOD are magnificent. Our waiter keep the laughs and drinks coming throughout our entire dining experience. A quaint little table in the VIP area surrounded by enchanting lamps and a stunning chandelier overhead that had our eyes glistening every time we looked up.
We started the night off with olive loaf & a succulent Lobster Bisque topped with crabmeat. If you’re a fan of Lobster Bisque like we are, then this is definitely highly recommended to try. After a drink we were served mozzarella balls and baked clams that were to die for. The laughs and food just kept rolling in. After our appetizers we headed right into our main course. Gamberoni Al Scampi which is pan roasted jumbo shrimp with zesty garlic, fresh herbs, Meyer lemon/ Pinot Grigio sauce over fresh spinach and mashed potatoes. The presentation was astounding!
Andellas is at the top of our list for great Italian Restaurants to try while in New York. The food and the service really blew us away. This a place we can see ourselves dining at over and over again.
