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Taking its rightful place in the foodie hotspot of Soho, Kasa and Kin, the sister of Kensington’s Romulo Restaurant, brings contemporary Filipino flavours to the capital. With Kasa meaning home, a place of family history, and Kin meaning family, the restaurant brings the authentic recipes, collected from grandmothers with a splash of Filipino fiestas, a twist of fun and a good helping of craftsmanship. The result is a place for family and friends to get together and enjoy vibrant contemporary Filipino food. The colourful menu features an array of tapas-style home-cooked favourites, street food classics, hot broths, BBQ specials, Kasa Klassics, and you can even create your own Imbento Box. For the sweet-toothers, the onsite bakery is brimming with freshly baked treats and patisseries. It’s no surprise that this fiesta inspired restaurant is vibrant and fun. An eye-catching and colourful hand painted mural by Artist Kulay Labitigan runs along the full length of the longest wall, set against oranges, dark green sofas and rattan low hanging light shades, providing a beautiful ambient light for evening dinners. Diving into the colourful food, we tried the octopus, brushed with smoked oil, chill & garlic. It was meaty, soft and succulent and the side of sweet and sour courgette complemented the octopus nicely. The smoked aubergine on a panda leaf was another firm favourite, sweet and tangy with a scatter of red onions and edible flowers. Our waiter was very passionate about the menu, so we took his recommendation of the Beef Kare Kare, slow braised beef cooked in a peanut sauce, annatto & sautéed shrimp paste, roast bone marrow, with aubergine, green beans and pak choy. The beef was flavoursome and tender, it was really tasty! It was a generous sized dish, with a medley of different ingredients, tastes and textures, a very comforting dish. I’d highly recommend you save space for dessert, the bakery at the entrance of the restaurant is brimming with delicious and colourful sweet treats. I’ve been told the cheesecakes are incredible and if you want something warm, try the ensaymada. Dining at Kasa and Kin was great, the staff were so friendly and the service was top notch! The food is good value and delicious, and no doubt I’ll be back again tucking into the Imbento Box. Website: https://kasaandkin.co.uk Address: 52/53 Poland Street, London, W1F 7NQ Written by Nyla S. #filipino #filipinorestaurant #kasaandkin #soho

RASSA – a new digital cookery school is for people looking to create authentic dishes from across the globe. Rassa has teamed up with pro chefs like Budgie Montoya (Sarap Bistro) to create 12-week courses to not only help people get creative in the kitchen, but it also gives an insight into different cultures and specialised ingredients, to help create those authentic dishes. I am always keen on trying new ways to get me creative in the kitchen, mainly those that can make my life easier in the kitchen, little fuss is my type of cooking. Being a fan of Filipino food, I opted for The Filipino Kitchen: East Meets West course. Led by world-renowned chef Gene Gonzalez and Budgie Montoya. Once enrolled in the three-month course you will receive: A box each month full of specialist ingredients A membership to the cookery course, led by pro chefs. Live creative workshops, real-time cook-along sessions, Q&As and pre-recorded videos Exclusive access to the Rassa community, where you can share your journey Virtual tours of the chefs’ homelands and an insight into their food cultures I was very keen to learn how to cook pork adobo, I have eaten chicken and pork adobo in Filipino restaurants and street food markets, so needless to say I was very excited! Before the course started I received a delivery of dry ingredients, which included the Filipino vinegar and soy sauce, the key ingredients for this meal, not any old soy sauce would do… When I logged online, I watched the ingredients introduction video, which talked through the different ingredients, I couldn’t wait to try my hand at braising the pork. A week or so later, the cooking video came online, I received an email detailing the time and date to join in the live cooking class, alas I wasn’t going to be home on that date to make the live cooking class, but it wasn’t a problem as the video would then be uploaded onto the RASSA site for me to login and watch at a later date. I bought the pork and a few other ingredients from the supermarket to complete the ingredients list. I found the cooking video by Mark really easy to follow along, it felt effortless and calming, which really helped in cooking along stress-free. The prep was pretty easy and once all ingredients were in the pot, I waited an hour and a half for the pork to cook. Once cooked Mark gives you the option to just plate up or fry the pork to create a crispy skin. I choose for the latter, to add a little more flavour by frying the pork in fat. I excitedly plated up for me and my two guests along with a side of Jasmine rice. The pork was soft and tender, and tasted delicious. For future pork adobo dishes, I may just reduce the amount of Vinegar I use, the best thing about learning to cook a dish you like, is on the second time around you can do a few tweaks to get the dish to your liking. To “adobo” something means to cook it in vinegar and aromatics, I had a lot of marinade leftover, which I popped into the fridge to use on another dish. On the three-month course you get to cook a new meal once a week, some of the dishes include: Arroz Caldo & Salted Duck Egg, Seafood Sinigang, Oxtail Kare Kare, Suman and BBQ Pork Skewers. Logging into your own account allows you to view these cooking videos, along with an ingredients introduction video, and articles on the history of some of the dishes and why it is so popular. You will also get newsletters weekly, to keep you inspired and more importantly encourage you to get cooking in the kitchen. Happy and proud of any of your dishes? You can share them in the community section. Fancy a taster before signing up for a three-month course? Head on over to their website to sign up, and get your creative juices flowing in the kitchen! Costs: £150 a month For more information and to sign up to Cook Rasa visit: www.joinrassa.com Photography courtesy of RASSA #cookrassa #cookeryclasses #rassa

11 Cadogan Gardens, located in the heart of Chelsea, has launched a new Afternoon Tea menu. True to the 11 Cadogan Gardens guest experience, the Afternoon Tea is classic and of exceptionally high quality. Guests can enjoy traditional British finger sandwiches, freshly baked scones and delicate pastries with a pot of Partridges’ tea or, to make it even more of an occasion, a glass of Laurent Perrier Brut Champagne. We visited on a Friday afternoon, and there were three or four other tables also enjoying Afternoon Tea. The room has a crackling open fire, fresh flowers and lovely jazz music played in the background – the perfect setting. The service was excellent – the waitress answered any questions we had as we ordered, and she talked us through everything on our plates as it was brought to the table. I ordered a vegetarian set of sandwiches; the sandwiches were cut into delicate fingers on different types of bread with fresh fillings. One of the veggie sandwich finger fillings was a salad mustard sandwich which sounds unassuming but was so delicious and something I’ll recreate at home. The scones were a perfect size, crusty on the outside yet soft and fluffy on the inside; these arrived with pots of jam, thickly clotted cream and lemon curd. Other sweet offerings included melt in the mouth lemon meringue tarts with a fluffy meringue topping. Chocolate torte squares and pistachio slices were other stand out desserts! When ordering Afternoon Tea, guests have the option of a Traditional Afternoon Tea (served with a pot of Partridge’s tea) or a Champagne afternoon tea (served with a glass of Laurent Perrier Brut Champagne). We went for the Champagne afternoon tea – I think the glass of Champagne is worth the extra cost and made the experience all the more special. Afterwards, we had a lovely walk around Chelsea and did some shopping as 11 Cadogan Gardens is in such a great location. Just a stones throw away you will find artisan food shops, fashion stores, and independent restaurants. 11 Cadogan Gardens is close to some of the best art galleries, museums and retail destinations that London has to offer (nearby you’ll find the Saatchi Gallery, Harrods, Cadogan Hall, the V&A Museum and Royal Albert Hall). The Afternoon Tea is served from Monday to Sunday between 12pm and 6pm. Priced at £45 per person for Traditional Afternoon Tea and £55 per person for Champagne Afternoon Tea. Written by Lenny Wright Photography courtesy of 11 Cadogan Gardens #11CadoganGardens #afternoontea #chelsea

We’re not sure if chef Nico Simeone is a Tinie Tempah fan but he promises to take you from “Miami to Ibiza” with his latest menu serving at Canary Wharf. If you’ve been under a rock for the past few years Six by Nico is a concept restaurant with an ever-changing menu – after six weeks the script is flipped –  past menu themes have included “Hollywood” “Chippie”, “Circus”, “Ancient Rome” and “Paris”. ‘Miami to Ibiza” comes with some delicious snacks to start – classic Padron Peppers served with a cracking aioli and a Bruschetta-style “Pan con tomate”. The accompanying aperitif “Miami Vice” absolutely transports you to the 1980’s beach bar with a pineapple ring and packs a fruity punch. And then we fly onto our first course a stunning gazpacho style dish with a paella arancini. Our favourite course is The Cuban, a delicately pressed pork sandwich complete with gherkin relish and mustard emulsion – a finger-sized snack of deliciousness. Another highlight is “Es Vedra” sea bass served with smoked potato, beach herbs, celery and white grapes – a real mouthful of summer delights. For the final dessert course, a huge golden pineapple comes out with our server spooning out a pina colada foam, providing a fitting finale to our “trip”. The menu can be served to accommodate vegetarians as well and the menu can be complemented with a selection of delicious matching wines for each course. Our attentive waiters loved explaining each dish, giving their own recommendations and finding out what we liked. The restaurant is lively and buzzy with a great view of the kitchen and great atmosphere. Book your spot before they change again and soak up some sunshine. To book a table visit: https://www.sixbynico.co.uk Address: Chancellor Passage, London E14 5EA Written by Claire Selby Photography courtesy of six by Nico #canarywharf #MiamitoIbiza #sixbynico #tastermenu

If sister restaurant Como Garden, is a homage to the flora and flavours of Lake Como, right next door, Zuaya takes visitors into the jungles of Latin America. The tapas-style restaurant draws on influences from Brazil, Peru and Mexico and is designed to share. Having been bowled over by Como Garden, we wanted to check if the dishes at Zuaya were worth sharing, you know…just to be sure. Walking in past the inviting outside patio, the interior of Zuaya is adorned with foliage hanging from the ceiling, quirky monkey lamps, feathered lampshades and a glossy bar. It feels like a cabaret in the amazon rainforest and we love it. The menu is a collection of small to medium-sized fish, meat and vegetable tapas and a handful of sides. There are familiar options such as Fried Calamari, Empanadas and Croquetas, alongside more intriguing bites such as Seabass Ceviche with Wild Berries, Argentinian Sirloin with Chimichurri and Pork Belly Patacones with Coriander Aioli. Our favourites included the delicate and sweet Tuna and Avocado Taco packed with flavour, and the deeply rich Lamb Taco, an eye-catching pink taco to maintain an element of cabaret in the menu. The Wagyu Beef Short Rib Bao was a sweet and sticky tastebud party encased in a fluffy pillow with a slight peppery kick. For something a bit fresher to accompany the rich flavours, we’d recommend the Quinoa Pomegranate Salad, the pomegranate takes centre stage in this sweet salad. Our melty dessert had us melting in the middle as much as the pudding itself. The Chocolate Tart is like a delicious spongy volcano with a crunchy salted caramel hat, that when cracked, erupts is rich chocolatey lava down the sides, absolute heaven. If you like the optionality of tapas and like to try a selection of different flavours, Zuaya brings something quite unique to the format and we genuinely loved every dish that emerged from the kitchen. So grab a friend or two and head down to Zuaya to share some flavour-packed Latin American Delights in an exotic indoor jungle. Website: www.zuaya.co.uk Written by Rick Hartley Photography courtesy of Zuaya #coventgarden #Cocktails #pokehouse #pokebowl #healthyfood

Opening in Lisson Grove on 6th July, Manga Banga is a new Japanese concept restaurant that marries delicious regional food and drink with manga – Japanese comics and graphic novels developed in the late 19th century. Located just 150 yards from Marylebone Station, the cosy 50-cover restaurant will be serving up delicious Asian small plates, bao and inventive cocktails. The concise menu features options such as Crispy baby squid with yuzu kosho mayo; Bang cauliflower; Seared salmon sashimi with yuzu-soy and ginger; Spicy tuna tacos with scorched chilli salsa; and Vegetable gyoza. Alongside this delicious offering, visitors can entertain themselves by soaking in the featured wall covered with over 100 manga magazine covers, neon signage, and a striking mural. For more information visit: http://www.mangabanga.co.uk Address: 41-43 Lisson Grove London NW1 6UB Written by Jordan Crowley Photography courtesy of Manga Banga #centrallondon #japanese #mangabanga #marylebone

Do you love the idea of a decadent afternoon tea but struggle in the heat? The clever folk at Whittard of Chelsea have come up with the Cold Brew Tea Range to enjoy during the summer with flavours including Passionfruit, Mango & Peach, Watermelon, Strawberry & Lime, Blackcurrant and Blueberry, Pink Grapefruit and all are caffeine-free. To sample the teas in luxury you can book their one-of-a-kind Ice Cold Afternoon Tea Igloos at London’s Secret Garden in South Kensington, open for three days (12th, 13th, and 14th July) only. You’ll be treated to an exclusive selection of Whittard biscuits, sandwiches and cakes with a glass of prosecco, the perfect complement to go alongside the fruity floral flavours of Whittard of Chelsea’s new Cold Brew. Chill out in true style and snag a Cold Brew goodie bag (worth £40) ensuring you can quench your thirst for the rest of the summer. Tickets are £45 per head (including prosecco) and £35 (without prosecco), to book your ticket click here. Written by Claire Selby Photography courtesy of Whittard of Chelsea #afternoontea #coldafternoontea #southkensington #WhittardofChelsea

This month Canary Wharf has launched eco-dining initiative Conscious Cuisine, a unique project in collaboration with a number of restaurants in Canary Wharf, offering innovative new dishes made from food that would otherwise have gone to waste. Restaurants taking place include Hawksmoor, Humble Grape, Gaucho, Caravan and Pergola, you can visit them this month to early August to try out the new dishes and drinks added to their menu, that are made from otherwise wasted food to carbon-neutral plates and thoughtfully mixed cocktails, lets not forget how delicious they are as well! New sustainable dishes Humble Grape  New sustainable dishes include Root Vegetable Bhaji with Herb Sauce, Pork Croquette and Tomato Aioli and Tempura Cod Tongue with Cauliflower Leaf Kimchi. Caravan  New sustainable dish includes Cauliflower and Shiitake Potstickers. Gaucho  New sustainable dishes include Flor del Mundo, Crate to Plate Salad and Colita de Lomo. Hawksmoor New sustainable dish includes Potted Beef. Pergola Tree Planter Cocktails are new to the menu. Canary Wharf are continuously championing residents and visitors to live, eat and shop locally through sustainable retail and food choices. In Canary Wharf you will find refillable water stations dotted around, plastic-free lunch spots and beautiful green spaces to relax and unwind. Photography courtesy of Hawksmoor #canarywharf #caravan #hawksmoor #sustainability

Home baking can either be exceedingly satisfying or a baking disaster! But the clever folk at GAIL’s realise our woes and have launched a number of home baking kits, with the Chocolate & Pecan Brownie baking kit being its latest offering. A great way for people to get creative in the kitchen in an easy and stress-free way. Having had many kitchen baking disasters in the past, when I saw this kit I jumped at the chance of trying it out. How could it possibly go wrong, right? I knew that being from one of my favourite bakeries,  the ingredients inside would be of good quality and measured perfectly so how hard could it be? The kit has everything you need to make your brownies apart from eggs (which makes sense – eggs are pretty fragile to have knocked about in depots and delivery vans. Oh and butter – another ingredient that would just melt in transit. A quick trip to the shop and armed with eggs and butter, I was rearing to go! All ingredients are measured out and placed in bags, so it’s really easy to make. Melt the chocolate and butter (resisting the temptation to taste a spoonful here and there), then whisk in all the other ingredients, boom! There is a recipe card included to help you along the way, and I was happy with how easy and effortless it was. Pop in the oven for 20 -25 mins (gooey) or a few minutes more (less gooey) et voila! They were ready. I felt like an excitable child as I left them to rest and set for a while whilst I licked the bowl…cough, what? Once they were set I was amazed at how great they looked and tasted! Rich, gooey and chocolatey on the inside with a light crust on the outside, it was everything and more! Just the thing you would pick up from your favourite bakery, but instead of just one brownie to indulge in, you have a whole tin of them to impress your friends over coffee. It is also a great kit to get for the kids to encourage them to bake in the kitchen. Needless to say, I look forward to trying out more of GAIL’s baking kits. It costs only £18.00, to order your box, click here. Written by Nyla S. Photography courtesy of GAIL’s #browniekit #brownies #ChocolateampPecanBrowniebakingkit #gailsbakery

Famed for their breakfasts (naturally!), The Breakfast Club have changed its menu. Fear not, the same breakfast staples are there, but now, you also have the option of a lot more food than just sublime scraggy eggs and sausage baps, depending on what time you arrive. The Late Late Breakfast Club begins at 12:01 every day and features a range of fried chicken, steaks, burgers, wings, loaded fries, pancakes and some ‘unique‘ combinations like salt beef hash pancakes or the ‘lasanwich’, which is exactly as it sounds, vegetable lasagna in a sandwich. Lasanwich joins meal deals and new items on the menu, including  Watermelon Daiquiris, Ferrero Espresso Martini and Steak & Truffle Benedict. Need more? Not to worry, the team is extending opening hours too. Happy hour is 4-7 pm every day, but what about bottomless booze with any main dish? From  pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, you can get bottomless Prosecco, Draft Beer, Summer Sangria and Aperol Spritz until 90 minutes before the venue closes. Events are happening at all locations, from drag bingo to Disney quiz nights, so check out the events pages for updates. Remember there are more secrets at The Breakfast Club on Artillery Lane. Just tell a member of staff that you are “here to see the Mayor”, and you’ll be whisked away to a candlelit speakeasy below the restaurant, dubbed ‘The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town’. Or, if you are hanging after hanging somewhere else, simply grab your phone and order from Deliveroo; they’re now on there too. Find your nearest Breakfast Club and book your table at thebreakfastclubcafes.com (they’re in 13 spots across London, Brighton, Oxford & Chelmsford). Written by Paul Armstrong Photography courtesy of The Breakfast Club #breakfast #thebreakfastclub

Heddon Street is fast becoming a foodie haunt again with new bars and restaurants launching along the street made famous by David Bowie and his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. You can travel from the Philipines to Spain to Japan and now Italy courtesy of Piccolino’s glow-up with a refurbished outdoor terrace, a glitzy open plan restaurant and private dining downstairs. From the moment you arrive the staff are attentive and knowledgeable, recommending dishes and drinks to make your evening flow and make sure you have the best time. We loved the marinated Cerignola olives, Bruschetta al Pomodoro and mini pizzettas served on the stunning new terrace while the live saxophonist and dancers heralded our arrival. The cocktails and drinks list is extensive with something to tempt everyone into the party atmosphere. Once inside, chandeliers and luxe lighting made the whole evening sparkle with a live house DJ mixing classic pop and house tunes. The menu is extensive and comprehensive, courtesy of the Sardinian Head chef through the authentic regions of Italy with fish, steak, pizza and antipasti. We sampled the Calamari Fritti and Tricolore salad to start, both were excellent and beautifully presented. For mains, we chose the Linguine Al Gamberoni and the Merluzzo – wild cod with spicy sausage and tender stem broccoli which definitely sated our appetites. Every dish is worthy of an Instagram moment, but we were not prepared for the desserts. A hazelnut and chocolate cheesecake paired with the signature Honeycomb Gelato, accompanied with some fresh chocolate truffles were the closest thing to heaven on a plate we’ve had in a long while. The venue is ideal for a pre-theatre dinner or pre-club with the party going on into the night.Piccolino has arrived in London with a bang! Website: https://piccolinorestaurants.com/our-restaurants/heddon-street-london Written by Claire Selby Photography courtesy of Piccolino #heddonstreet #Italian #italianfood #Piccolino

This summer has graced us with plenty of glorious sunshine which gives us the perfect opportunity to dine al-fresco. Coqbull in Spitalfields has pulled out all the stops offering diners a gorgeous outdoor terrace, adorned with beautiful blooms of colourful flowers. As you can imagine, this place is popular so we’d recommend booking ahead. By 1pm, there wasn’t a spare seat in sight on the outdoor terrace. Coqbull is a Chicken fan’s dream, with rotisserie chicken, a selection of chicken burgers and chicken wings, non-chicken eaters will be happy to know there are non-chicken options as well, such as beef burgers, veggie burgers, salads and a selection of starters and sides. I choose the Coq ranch burger, a grilled chicken breast with a punchy ranch sauce that brings the flavour and the sweet potato fries packed a delicious punch with just the right amount of crisp. Coqbull offers diners the chance to get messy with their Dirty Fries, Chorizo Fries and Taco Fries. Having heard about their award-winning wings, it was a no-brainer in ordering those as well, they were tangy with a good amount of spice, the perfect companion to my Coq ranch burger. My dining partner opted for the rainbow beet salad and cauliflower wings, two great veggie options. The salad was refreshing and full of flavour. Alas, we were both too stuffed to dive into the dessert menu, however by looking at the tables nearby, I could see we were missing out! The menu features waffles, Eton mess whip, a chocolate & salt caramel pot and a warm chocolate chip cookie pan. So leave room for this as they look delicious. Not ready to go home after an evening dining experience at Coqbull? well, you don’t have to… head downstairs to the intimate speakeasy-style basement space for DJ nights and after-dark events. Address: 65a Brushfield St, London, E1 6AA For more information visit: https://coqbull.co.uk Written by Nyla S. #chicken #coqbull #eastlondon #spitafields