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Hungrily walking down Charlotte street, you seem to have myriad restaurant options to stop by and cure that hunger, which can sometimes be overwhelming… where on earth do you choose? If it’s brunch you’re after, you may well be drawn to the bright exterior of Lupo Bros, a laid back cafe with an outdoor terrace. Wandering inside, you are met with a casual, no-fuss setup, with a bright and airy environment and welcoming staff. The breakfast and brunch menu is suitably extensive, with a full range of egg dishes along with other breakfast favourites, including pancakes, sweetcorn fritters and grilled salmon. Fresh and good quality ingredients are important to Lupo Bros so you will find carefully selected ingredients such as sausages from the Ginger Pig, to the fresh smoked salmon from Moxon’s. Eggs are always a favourite of mine for brunch, so I opted for the Huevos Rancheros, consisting of two fried eggs, Boston beans, blue corn tortilla, smashed avocado, and red tomato salsa. Beautifully presented with a generous portion, I was eager to tuck in! The eggs were cooked to perfection, the flavours harmonised well together and I loved their own twist with the blue corn tortilla. If you wanted a sweeter bite to eat with your coffee they also dish up chocolate brownies, cinnamon swirls and pastries. Although I didn’t get to try their homemade sourdough bread, I overheard a couple of girls next to us praise how good it tasted. Me…eaves dropping? Never! But no doubt I’ll be back to try it out! For more information visit: https://www.lupobros.co.uk Address: 10 Charlotte Street, London W1T 2LT Written by Nyla S. #bestbrunchspots #brunch #Charlottestreet #lupobros

Wood & Water, the new fusion Caribbean soul concept (previously named Three Little Birds), sits along Coldharbour Lane in vibrant Brixton. The former cafe and Rum bar, now transformed into an intimate plush dining spot, serves modern British food with a Jamaican twist. Wood & Water is a small and intimate restaurant with a cocktail lounge at the front (think high tables, black velvet bar stools and lower lounging sofas) and a dining area towards the rear – the perfect place for a date. The decor balances elegant and industrial, with sleek, bottle-green metro tiles lining the walls, cool marble tabletops, and exposed brick. The menu, even though small, offers a great selection of meat, vegetarian, and vegan options. The waiter explained that the plates are very much for sharing over a cocktail / nice glass of wine. There’s an emphasis on the cocktails – the menu boasts a larger selection of these than anything else. The cocktails celebrate the sweet and spicy flavours hailing from Jamaica and spotlight spirits from across the tropics. Highlights include the St. Elizabeth Martini made with Porter’s Tropical Old Tom Gin, Pineapple Liqueur, Acid Blend and Herb Oil, and a Pimento Old Fashioned made with Plantation 5yr Barbados, Pimento and Chocolate. I wasn’t drinking, so ordered a glass of the non-alcoholic Prosecco – the waiter then asked if I’d like a Kombucha non-alcoholic cocktail and explained that some of the cocktails could be made non-alcoholic on request, so there are plenty of options for the non-drinkers amongst us. The drinks menu also showcases a variety of Sparkling, Red, White, and Orange wines. I ordered a mixture of vegetarian/vegan plates: Goats Cheese with Pumpkin, a Beetroot Rose, Walnuts and Chilli Oil (V), the Spiced Sweet Potato with Creamed Callaloo, Vegan Feta, and Cancha (VG), and the Roasted Cauliflower with Beetroot Hummus Jerk, Pomegranate, and Tamarind (VG). In an ideal world, I would have ordered all of the sides but as a solo diner, I opted for just one, in the end, choosing the Plantain with Honey-Ginger Glaze and Pineapple Salsa. Other side offerings included Baby Carrots in Jerk Butter and Charred Baby Gem Lettuce with Sesame Oil, Sunflower Seeds and Cranberry. The Goats Cheese dish came as three fried balls of soft Goats Cheese – crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. These paired perfectly with the Beetroot, and the Walnut added a crunch. The Cauliflower plate was deceptively spicy (but this was certainly my favourite dish), the waiter said that this dish was a previous favourite on the Three Little Birds menu. The Beetroot Jerk Hummus with the pomegranate seeds was a balance of sweet and spicy – I’d order this again and again. The Sweet Potato dish was beautifully presented, however tasted like fancy Sweet Potato Fries. The Plantain on the other hand was delicious – the Plantain was cut into thick slices and covered in a Honey and Ginger Glaze; it was crispy but soft at the same time and paired with a Pineapple Salsa, which really brought the dish together. I’ve never been the biggest Plantain fan, but I’d quite like to give re-creating this dish myself a go. For dessert, I ordered the Rhum, Agricole, Limoncello Curd, and Ginger Cheesecake – the fluffiest cheesecake I’ve had in a while. The waiter suggested I try the Crème Patisserie, Dark Chocolate, and Rum Caramel Banana Bread, as this was a favourite on the menu, but I didn’t have room for Banana Bread, so I’ll have to give that a try next time. I’m keen to come back to this spot and try the weekend brunch! Diners can expect Jamaican and brunch classics at the weekends – Ackee and Saltfish with Bammy and Plantain and Avocado on Toast with Halloumi, a Fried Egg with Three Little Birds Chilli Sauce (it’s not brunch in London without avocado and eggs on the menu is it?). Brunchers can go bottomless for £25 and enjoy unlimited Rum Punch, Processo or Mimosa’s for up to 90mins. There’s also a ‘Designated Driver’ bottomless option which I think is a nice touch – unlimited non-alcoholic Prosecco, Mimosas, Orange Juice, and Coffee for the same 90 mins if you want to enjoy brunch, just sans the alcohol. A final word on the service, the waiter was very attentive: his service stood out. He knew everything about the menu and was more than happy to give recommendations which really added to the dining experience. Check out Wood & Water for cocktails, food with a Jamaican twist and excellent service the next time you’re in Brixton. Website: woodandwater.uk Address: 412 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LF Written by Lenny Wright Photography by Johnathan Sharp #brixton #southlondon #jamicanfood #carribeanfood #woodandwater

Church Street in Camberwell, a well known London foodie spot, is home to Kurdish cafe and restaurant ‘Nandine’. This is one to check out if you haven’t already. The Church Street location is Nandine’s third offering in the city; they originally launched on Vestry Road, before a stint in Peckham Levels, and now the family-run cafe and restaurant have rooted down on Church Street. Nandine’s atmosphere hits you as soon as you open the door. An authentic picture of a Kurdish woman is projected onto the back wall, eclectic jazzy music plays from wall-mounted speakers, and dim lighting from straw hanging lamps makes the plywood, brick walls, and dangling plants seem cosy. I arrived at 8pm, and nearly every single table was full. I was greeted by friendly (and very chilled) staff who let me choose where I’d like to sit from the remaining tables. I chose the lone upstairs table, which is a great spot to soak up the atmosphere from above if you’re lucky enough to get it. ‘Nandine’ means kitchen in Kurdish, which is simple but fitting. For those not familiar, Kurdistan is a region in Western-Asia, and Nandine brings authentic Kurdish flavours and dishes to this small corner of South-East London. I have friends in Camberwell, and we’ve ordered takeaway Nandine before (which was outstanding), so I was excited to eat in. The staff were knowledgeable about the menu and explained that the larger kebabs the menu offers are more like main dishes, and there’s a large selection of smaller plates for sharing to choose from. One kebab and one small plate are recommended per person or two to three small plates per person. There are plenty of meat, vegan and vegetarian options. The drinks menu is mainly cocktails (three of which can be made non-alcoholic) with a couple of beers on offer and a selection of wines. The menu comprises an incredible selection of traditional Kurdish food, from Aubergine Platters and Mezze Dips to Kurdish Dumplings and Chicken Shish. It’s similar to the Turkish and Middle-Eastern food we know and love, but I was left wondering what flavours I was tasting in some of the plates and flavours of dill, celery and rosewater come through nicely in the dishes. I left this dining experience having tasted flavours in dishes that I’d never come across before. I ordered the Vegan Kubba Dumplings (Kurdish Rice Dumplings filled with Vegetables), the Aubergine Platter (Smokey Aubergine Qawarma, Baba Ganoush, and an Aubergine Strip Salad), and the Vegan Kifta (Cracked Wheat Dumpling filled with Vegan 7 Spice Meat in a Warm Tomato and Spinach Sauce). The Dumplings were crispy, salty and fluffy yet stodgy (all in a good way) with a little kick of spice. I’ve never had Dumplings like these, and they were my favourite dish of the evening. The Aubergine Platter came with fluffy, seasoned Bread – the dip trio itself was smokey, and some of the dips were warm, and some were cold, which was a nice contrast when dipping my Bread. The Vegan Kifta was a giant Dumpling in a bowl of Tomatoey Soup – this had a slightly sweet and nutty taste and was a truly unique dish. I’d recommend trying this if you’d like to try something new – they have a meat version of this dish on the menu as well! I’d describe the food as hearty and comforting. They also have some amazing looking fries, which I saw on most of the tables from above topped with Spices, Fresh Herbs and Pomegranate Seeds. I wish I’d ordered these and will the next time I visit. Church Street, generally speaking, is a great spot to drink and dine, some of my favourite restaurants in London are along this street and some great pubs too. If you haven’t been to Silk Road, The Camberwell Arms, Falafel & Shawarma or Theo’s Pizza – add them to your hit list now and check out Stormbird (the pub on the corner) while you’re at it. But visit Nandine first. Website: https://nandine.co.uk Address: Nandine, 45 Camberwell Church Street, London SE5 8TR Written by Lenny Wright Photography courtesy of Nandine #southlondon #nandine #kurdishfood #camberwell #kurdish

Discretely nestled away from the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden, Sycamore Vino Cucina is an all-day Italian restaurant and bar and is on a mission to deliver amore to guests in 2022, ideally located inside Middle Eight Hotel. Walking past a buzzing bar eluding a murmur of laughter, the mood was instantly set as soon as we walked through the door. Disco playing in the background with dim lights, it felt like the perfect spot for a cosy Thursday date night. We snuggled into a booth and admired the great décor; aqua green tiles with soft velvet seating, white accented walls with up lighters and gold feature piece wall lamps, it was the perfect mix of sleek and relaxed. We both instantly commented on how amazing the staff were. Big smiles and welcomes, our waiter, in particular, was cracking jokes with us and the other members of staff, it felt like a really welcoming place to be. Dotted with other diners who were enjoying an equally as chilled out night, there was the kind of vibe you only really get in hotels with an onsite bar/restaurant. Taking our waiter’s advice, we started with a cocktail to assist with choosing our meal. A refreshing Limoncello fizz for myself, and a Honeycomb Old Fashion for my guest – which was impressively finished off with a whole chunk of honeycomb. The menu offers a selection of Italian fayre, with Napolitano pizzas running alongside Italian meat, fish and veggie classics. We chose a few starters to share between us; Gallette invernale – Potato and celeriac rosti, porcini, chives, Burrata – Creamy cheese, caponata, pine nuts, basil, croutons, and Fregola – Fennel, orange, alfalfa, toasted almond, and a Sardinian fregola salad. All completely different tastes, the creamy burrata offered a moment of indulgence whilst the Fregola had a crisp, detoxifying feel to it. The rosti’s were my favourite, comforting potatoes with a truly decadent porcini sauce, it was rich to the point of perfection. My guest tucked into a bowl of clams which she assured me were some of the tastiest she has had outside of the seaside, whilst I went for the vegan option; Melanzana – Aubergine schnitzel, red pepper, broccoli, Romesco and caper sauce, almonds. The schnitzel had a wonderful meat-like consistency, smooth and chewy on this inside with a crispy outer layer of golden crumbs. Topped off with al dente broccoli and pickled red peppers, it was a mix of wholesome and nourishing. Finishing off by sharing a Chocolate fantasy – Chocolate & almond mousse, cherry, vanilla ice cream, the rich dark chocolaty mouse satisfied our sweet cravings following our savoury banquet. Sycamore Vino Cucina is an urban, local hangout with the sharing nature of the dishes creating an atmosphere that is informal and laid-back. Welcoming and bustling during the day, by night the buzz continues as live DJs and musical talent create a vibrant and welcoming social hub. A great date night option, it offers relaxed service with top-notch food, in a beautifully curated hotel restaurant setting. For more information and to book visit: https://www.middleeight.com/food-drink/sycamore-restaurant-bar Address: 66 Great Queen St, London WC2B 5BX Written by Jordan Crowley Photography courtesy of Sycamore Vino Cucina #coventgarden #Italian #italianfood #SycamoreVinoCucina

Tonight marks the re-launch of Michelin Starred Chef, Adam Byatt’s celebrated food and wine dinners. Taking place at Upstairs at Trinity (also Michelin starred), the evening promises to shine a light on oysters, sea urchins and grower Champagnes. Adam’s ventures include Michelin Starred Trinity, Bistro Union, Upstairs at Trinity and Charlie’s at Browns Hotel, Mayfair. A food lovers dream, the menu from the first session of 2022 will include: three baked regal oysters with Iberico ham, sea urchin orzo, slip sole baked in seaweed and urchin butter and wild turbot with Champagne sauce. If you are gutted that you’ve missed the first installment, fear not! Tickets for March’s food and wine dinner are already on sale, taking place on March 21st at Upstairs at Trinity. Expect asparagus, specialty eggs and fresh goats’ cheese to all feature on the menu alongside wines from Sicily. Tickets are £195 per person, and can be booked by clicking here. Website: www.trinity-upstairs.co.uk Address: 4 The Polygon, London SW4 0JG Written by Jordan Crowley Photography courtesy of Upstairs at Trinity #AdamByatt #upstairsattrinity

For those unfamiliar with Six by Nico, it’s a six-weekly affordable tasting menu concept put together by chef Nico Simone. Six by Nico Canary Wharf has revealed their latest menu theme, which will pay homage to Ancient Rome from Wednesday 16th March to Sunday, April 24th. Hours have been spent reading the ‘Apicius’ or ‘De re culinaria’, coined the world’s oldest cookbook, to create a historically adapted menu. The menu will transport diners to the heyday of Roman Londinium with offerings inspired by ancient traditions brought to life through modern techniques. Dishes include; Course I – Cacio e Pepe – Crispy Pasta, Black Pepper & Parmesan Royale, Course II – From Eggs to Nuts – White Asparagus, Crispy Duck Egg, Hazelnut & Brown Butter; Course III – Cavolo Hispi Arrostito – Roasted Hispi Cabbage, Cavatelli Pasta, Pickled Chanterelle Mushrooms, Truffle Foam & Pecorino Sardo, Course IV – Bay of Naples – Pompeii, Sole, Smoked Mussel, Lovage, White Turnip & Mussel Cream, Course V – The Grand Feast of AD14 – Belly of Pork Fillet, Turned Rib, Cured Meat, Fennel & Toasted Fennel Seed, Date & Apple Compote, Braised Fennel. The Romans referred to their dessert course as ‘mensa secunda’, or ‘second meal’. To round off Six by Nico’s Ancient Rome feast, guests will have the chance to indulge in Course VI – Honey Parfait, Ricotta Cheese Mousse, Preserved Quince, Fizzy Muscat Grape, Pear & Citrus, Honey Tuile. The ‘Ancient Rome’ menu is priced at £37 per person, with the option to enjoy an expertly selected wine and specialist drinks pairing for an additional £33. As ever, there is a vegetarian alternative available for every course, as well as snack sides available from £8. Address: Six by Nico, 6 Chancellor Passage, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AE To make a reservation and to book now, visit www.sixbynico.co.uk Written by Lenny Wright Photography courtesy of Six by Nico #Italian #canarywharf #tastermenu #italianfood #italianmenu #sixbynico

Plant-based concept KOJO has announced the launch of its brand-new plant-powered menu in their flagship Hampstead store. KOJO also has a Liverpool Street location and is a 100% plant-based allergen-friendly restaurant, committed to compostable processes on top of recycling, re-using and sourcing ingredients locally. KOJO’s new menu offers an array of breakfast, all-day, evening and drinks options, bursting with plant-based goodness. Diners can enjoy signature build-your-own fresh Açai Bowls, Avocado and Toast and warming Warrior Porridge from the breakfast menu. The new all-day menu is inspired by contemporary Asian cuisines, with staple dishes including a hearty Tamashi Ramen, healthy Asian Salad and the plant-based KOJO Burger. Drinks-wise, KOJO offers a large selection of mocktails (that can be turned into cocktails) as well as an array of beers and wines. I arrived at around 1pm on a Saturday, and the sun was shining on brunchers sitting outside KOJO. The windows are floor to ceiling, so the inside is almost as bright and airy as the outdoor seating area, and as you enter the cafe/restaurant KOJO’s very relaxed, modern and industrial setting greets you. Think comfy seats, smooth-edged sleek furniture and lots of plants. Relaxing jazz music was playing, and if diners lookup, a colourful mural is painted onto the ceiling. Printed on the wall is the word ‘KOJOTARIAN /kojo-teh-ree-yan/’. This is, according to KOJO, a person who believes that a plant-based diet is the most delicious and nutritious way to optimise well-being and help restore the planet to its former glory. I ordered the Choko smoothie to start, which was thick and chocolatey. If I didn’t know that this was a healthy smoothie, it could have passed as a creamy chocolate milkshake – 10/10. All of the smoothies are priced at £5, which is very reasonable. I decided to order an Asian selection from the menu as the waitress recommended the Tashimi Ramen which is a ‘soul-warming broth, Noodles, Bamboo Shoots, Shitake, Bok Choi and Crispy Flakes’. The Ramen arrived bursting with veg, and the Soba Noodles were swimming in a hearty broth with a Miso flavour – perfectly salted. It’s the sort of dish that you have no regrets eating – filling and healthy. To accompany my Ramen, I ordered some Edamame (which you can order to come salty or spicy) and the Kimchi Fried Rice, which was sweet with a Kimchi kick, and the rice was crispy. The menu is varied and wallet-friendly, with the most expensive dish costing £16. KOJO offers a selection of refined sugar-free puddings (if you have room for dessert), ranging from Miso Brownies, a delicious Banana Loaf, and its take on the classic Sticky Toffee Pudding. I tried the Sticky Toffee Pudding and was sceptical that it would compare to a traditional, sugar-loaded Sticky Toffee Pudding. The textures were a little unusual, but the flavours were pretty bang on. The futuristic feel is very in keeping with their values. KOJO brings a plant-based menu to us, using only sustainable materials and environmentally friendly cooking methods; their vision is to invite all walks of life into an urbanised environment that promotes sustainable responsibility, diversity and equality. KOJO is on the path to becoming carbon net zero in each store this year as their environmental efforts will see 100% renewable energy sourced for all KOJO stores using compostable packaging and no plastic waste whatsoever. Visit during Happy Hours, Monday-Friday from 4 pm-7 pm, to receive two cocktails for £10 and a FREE glass of house wine with any main. Locations: Hampstead: 32-34 Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, NW3 1NH | Liverpool Street: 10 Devonshire Sq, Unit 1, London, EC2M 4YP Website: https://kojo.co.uk Written by Lenny Wright Photography courtesy of KOJO #kojo #plantbased #vegan

Throughout March, the Nucao team will be handing out 17,000 bars of free chocolate. For every bar of vegan chocolate that’s handed out, a tree will be planted in Nucao’s mission to plant a massive one billion trees by 2030. So far, Nucao has planted nearly 11 million trees! The chocolate bars are 100% organic, climate-positive, and made from responsibly-sourced chocolate, with hemp seeds and roasted hazelnuts. Nucao’s five flavour varieties, including creamy noisette and crisp & crunch, are wrapped in specially-developed, plastic-free, home-compostable packaging and Nucao is made without refined sugar – using only natural coconut blossom sugar. Here is where to pick up a free bar: Saturday 12th March: 10am – 1pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, 133 Clapham High Street 1.05pm – 3pm: Clapham Common tube station Sunday 1th March: 10am – 3pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, 8 Southwark Street, Borough Market Friday 18th March 10am – 1pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, 45 Garratt Lane, Wandsworth 1.05pm – 3pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, St John’s Hill, Clapham Junction Friday 25th March 10am – 1pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, 56 Brushfield Street, Spitalfields Market Saturday 19th March: 10am – 1pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, 31 Essex Place, Chiswick 1,05pm – 3pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, Chiswick High Road Saturday 26th March: 10am – 1pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, 27 Townmead Road, Fulham Wharf 1.15pm – 3pm: Fulham Broadway Station Sunday 27th March 10am – 1pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, 147-1511, Balham High Road, Balham 1:05pm – 3pm: Balham Underground Station Saturday 1st April 10am – 1pm: Outside Sainsbury’s, 17-21 Camden Road, Camden 1:05pm – 3pm: Camden Town Station Available at Sainsbury’s, Holland & Barrett, Abel & Cole and Planet Organic, as well as online at the-nu-company.co.uk, RRP from £2 to £2.25. To find out more about the nu company’s mission to make the world a better place, follow the journey at https://the-nu-company.co.uk Written by Lenny Wright Photography courtesy of Nucao #chocolate #Nucao #vegan

Nestled in a beautiful grade II listed building just off Covent Garden, members club The Conduit, provides a space for leaders, thinkers, and activists with a shared interest in positive global change. For the first time, they have opened up their doors to the general public in the form of a restaurant, and as expected, one with a social conscience. The Space Warehouse, which has been named after the original Covent Garden fruit and veg warehouse of the 19th century has sustainability woven into its fabric. The beautifully designed and softly-lit interior gives a rustic yet homely feeling with natural textures of baskets and ceramics, mixed with tapestries. The designers have worked closely with NGOs, co-operatives and charities across the Global South, South Africa and Swaziland to support artisans in these communities and bring their products into the restaurant alongside reclaimed and vintage materials. The Food Head Chef Brendan Eades’ works with carefully selected UK producers who have a shared vision of sustainability and protecting food systems. From using traditional techniques that echo the establishment’s warehouse origins, focusing on seasonality through to using every part of an ingredient. The seasonal menu currently features ingredients such as grain and oil from Hertfordshire’s Dutchess Farm, Vanilla from world-renowned humanitarian brand Heilala Vanilla, expertly foraged Wild mushrooms from the Wild Room and Rock Oysters directly from our coastline. Using the right ingredients at the right time don’t do the flavours any harm at all. The Beetroot, Sprouted Quinoa, Apple and Seaweed offers up a rich purple garden of thinly sliced beetroot, dig a little deeper and you find the sweet pool of apple to compliment the earthy surface. The Venison Tartare, Sumac & Biber Chilli consists of the most delicate and melt in the mouth cubes of venison with a welcome tang, all nicely shovelled onto a crispy allum wafer. For the large plates, a deliciously tender but delicately flavoured sliced Pork Chop is accompanied by the tartness of Barberries, whilst a ginger-infused sauce adds some clout. The Ethical Butcher Beef, Smoked pepper is also given some welly with a rich sauce. The interesting flavours of the menu come to a peak with the Chocolate Tart, Rosehip Curd and Heilala Vanilla Ice Cream. The rosehip provides a genuinely fascinating flavour against the bitterness of the dark chocolate tart. Whereas the vanilla ice cream is welcomed to mellow everything down it does the job perfectly to create a really enjoyable desert. Overall There’s a lot to love about the mission and purpose of a place like Warehouse. From the approach to sourcing and preparing the food, to the ethical design of its beautiful interiors. It just so happens that the food tastes good too. Bravo! Address: 6 Langley St, London WC2H 9JA Website: www.warehouselondon.com Written by Rick Hartley Photography courtesy of Warehouse #warehouse

Dans Le Noir on St John Street in Clerkenwell, is the British branch of the French concept whose name gives a strong indication of what to expect once inside. Translated as ‘In the Dark’, the restaurant invites diners to eat in complete darkness. Often voted as one of the 10 most original restaurants in the world, the first restaurant of the chain was opened in Paris to raise awareness of disability and visual disabilities in particular. The idea being that removing one of the key senses would lead to a true sensory experience, heightening our sense of taste and smell. Served by blind and visually impaired employees, diners enjoy a set menu of quite excellent food with their sight completely removed. Upon arrival, you are greeted by the hostess who respectfully relieves you of all your modern day flashing and noise inducing devices, and stores them safely in a locker. The slightest twinkle of light would be detrimental to the experience. At the bar area we choose our menu, the options being vegan,  pescatarian or meat, but you don’t get to see the dishes, this would ruin what would become the guessing game later on as you get to discover and experience different flavours and textures. Once chosen, You are guided into the completely blacked-out dining area by a blind or partially sighted staff member, at which point you feel completely vulnerable as you put your faith in a complete stranger to get you to your seat without bumping into anything or anyone. Once seated, you start to come to terms with the fact that your eyes are no longer of use, all other senses start to kick in. All of a sudden you can hear the conversations of dinners nearby, and across the room for that matter. It was pretty loud due to a few groups we had been seated next to, by the sounds of their laughter they were having a great time. We fumbled to get our hands on the water jug on our table and not pour the water on the floor. As the first course arrives, our hands clumsily grope around in the dark for our cutlery and we eagerly albeit, gingerly try to figure out what we are eating, relying on the familiar textures and flavours. As my dining partner and I chose different menus, our first question for each course was “what have you got?”  It’s an unparalleled sensory experience, forcing you to focus on the taste, smell and texture of each mouthful you eat. I had suggested that we share the dessert but after a moment of imagining passing a dessert across a table laden with drinks,  we quickly turned our backs on that idea. The feeling of vulnerability stays with us throughout, but it is so powerful to be taken out of your comfort zone and experience eating without your sight. Most of the reviews we do, we like to talk about the dishes, but at Dans Le Noir, half the fun is trying to guess what you are eating, so we will leave the guessing to you. One thing we will say is that you get the option at the end to view the menu and the dishes you have just eaten. Go and see if you were correct. Address: 69-73 St John St, London EC1M 4AN To Book visit: https://london.danslenoir.com/pages/booking-restaurant-insolite-ans-le–noir-london.html Price range: £48 to £100pp Times: Tuesday to Friday, first seating 5pm, last seating 9:30pm / Saturday and Sunday lunch from 12 noon to 3pm and evening from 5pm to 9:30pm Written by Nyla S. Photography courtesy of Dans Le Noir #clerkenwell #danslenoir #unusualexperience

Late March marks the start of a beautiful explosion of white and pink blooms as cherry blossom season gets underway, and there’s no better place to experience this wonder of nature than Japan. To celebrate this colourful time of year, Knightsbridge’s Sumosan Twiga are putting on an evening of Entertainment, floral decorations alongside an extended menu. On Thursday 24th March, Guests will be surrounded by pink cherry blossom decorations, violinists, Japanese Geishas, dancers and talented DJs. Indulge in an exclusively curated Japanese menu including maki rolls, sushi, and sashimi to start, and mouth-watering mains such as Sumosan Tuna Tartare, Prawn Noodle, and a deliciously melt-in-the mouth Alaskan Marinated Miso Black Cod. Celebrations wouldn’t be complete without a statement tipple to signify the occasion. The limited-edition Sakura Cocktail created just for this event is a blend of Roku Gin, home-made carbonated sencha and tonka tea, Zallotti blossom and Sake yuzu. We think this sounds like a dreamy evening. Date: Thursday 24th March | o Book visit: www.sumosantwigalondon.com Address: 165 Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9QB Written by Rick Hartley Photography courtesy of Sumosan Twiga #festival #Knightsbridge #SumosanTwiga #Sushi #CherryBlossom #japanese

Back by popular demand! In celebration of St. Patricks Day Crosstown have brought back the ever so popular limited edition Guinness & Baileys doughnuts. This time around, you can also bag yourself a curated gift box including 4 cans of Guinness, a Baileys truffle chocolate bar and of course the lip-smackingly sticky doughnuts. We got our sticky paws straight on a box of 6 doughnuts including the Irish delights. Biting in, Baileys Irish cream chocolate ganache oozes out of two fluffy layers of chocolate Guinness cake doughnut which is hand-dipped in Guinness icing and finished with Crosstown’s chocolate soil. Dreamy. Of course as much as we love the seasonal editions, we couldn’t do Crosstown without munching down on a few other flavours. Another winner for us is the vegan pistachio with pistachio custard, the sweet crunch of pistachio glaze and a generous sprinkle of pistachio nibs…did we mention pistachio? It’s soft, it’s chewy, it’s oozing with creamy goodness. St. Patrick’s Day boxes: If you’re sticking to the Guinness & Baileys limited-edition boxes they come in the following packages: St. Patrick’s Day six-pack – Including six Guinness & Baileys doughnuts (£25.95) St. Patrick’s Day twelve-pack – Features six handcrafted Guinness & Baileys doughnuts + six Tongan Vanilla Bean Glaze doughnuts (£44.95) St. Patrick’s Day gift box – Including a pack of six Guinness & Baileys Chocolate Cake doughnuts + four cans of Guinness + a bar of Baileys truffle chocolate (£32.95). The gift box can be purchased here – www.crosstown.co.uk/st-patricks-day-in-london You had better be quick, these doughnuts are only around until March 20th. To find your nearest Crosstown, go to – www.crosstown.co.uk/locations Written by Nyla S. Photography courtesy of Crosstown #crosstown #doughnuts