We spent the crisp winter morning working up an appetite for Sunday lunch at the highly acclaimed Alimentum restaurant; wandering the streets of Cambridge, crossing Jesus Green and Midsummer Common, and watching the punts appear from the mists of the River Cam. My partner and I were full of romance and history, and ready for the fine dining promised by Alimentum’s three AA rosettes.
On a noisy industrial road and with no parking provided, the start wasn’t promising. Don’t look for Alimentum in the picturesque streets of Cambridge city centre, or on the romantic banks of the River Cam. Head out of the city centre, down the Hills Road, and look for the multiplex and Travelodge. In the row of shops and takeaway chicken joints opposite lies the unassuming exterior of the Alimentum. Blink and you may miss it.
We arrived on a Sunday lunchtime to a near-empty restaurant, so excellent scope for attentive service. The barman assured us the restaurant would fill up later, so we took our opportunity to relax in the bar area with a pre-lunch cocktail before the well-heeled hordes arrived.
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Angelus states that it is ‘far more than a stunning interior and mouth-watering brasserie de luxe, Angelus is one of London’s last secret spots’.
After our visit, we would happily agree and this London Luxury brasserie is one secret that is too good to keep to ourselves.
It’s a very nice, cosy restaurant with a real French feel about it. It is very tastefully decorated, with French influence and detail. We were offered water and given the menus. The seating around the walls are banquette seats which is always comfortable.
The sommelier said he would bring the wine. He brought a Sauvignon Blanc which was very good, so we stuck with that all evening. He filled our glasses as soon as they emptied (quite a few times!!!)
The waiter offered a very nice selection of breads, with butter. He kept offering this bread basket all the way through the meal until we declined – having had two pieces each!
My partner chose the Ballotine of pheasant, foie gras mousse, spiced prune puree and pistachio and I chose the Marinated Loch Duart salmon, herb crème fraiche and caviar. I advised that I couldn’t eat any dairy and the manager said he would check with the head chef.
For main courses, we ordered Roasted Stone Bass, smoked garlic and lemon mash, confit chicken wings, red wine jus and Millefeuille of wild mushrooms and artichokes, Puy lentils with balsamic vinegar.
Again the manager said he would check with the chef and get back to me on my choices. He did that and advised that the chef would leave the crème fraiche off my starter and that the mushrooms for my main course would not be cooked in cream. Very understanding and much appreciated by me!
My starter was delicious – the salmon was marinated beautifully and was very tasty. The pheasant dish also looked very good. ‘Pink’ pheasant stuffed with pistachios. All the dishes had excellent presentation.
My main course was superb – just right up my street. Vegetarian at its best. The layers of Millefeuille were perfectly light with tasty mushrooms, artichoke on a bed of Puy lentils.
When we arrived, there were two other people in the lounge area. By 8pm the restaurant was almost full – it seats around 32 (with the option to eat in the lounge area also, which is quite dimly lit, but very intimate). We left the restaurant at 9.30 by which time the restaurant was full and buzzing with atmosphere. There was a good mix of people – tables of two, three and a party of ten.
On departure I spoke to the ‘manager/owner’, He was very polite and professional – as were all the staff.
So all in all a very impressive London luxury brasserie, well placed close to Lancaster Gate tube station, situated in a nice neighbourhood street. We will be returning.
The interior is very relaxed and comfortable and it was very tastefully decorated for Christmas. The staff are all very attentive and the food is good – a great evening!
With Christmas a little more than a few sleeps away, I wanted to alert our readers to a wonderful Fine Dining gift experience, an easy way to make reservations for Michelin Star restaurants.
Smartbox, my favourite gift experience company offer a number of high end gift experience packages including the fine dining experience that is ‘Michelin Star Dining’ and ‘Gourmet Escapes’ in association with Time Out.
As a gift experience company, Smartbox offer sensible prices on experiences that you would really like to do. No fuss, just straight forward easy choosing gift options.
The Michelin Star Dining package is for two people and is just £169.00. With 25 leading Michelin star restaurants to choose from, including 7 in London, you may find this gift package being bought more than once.
Payment of the package is simple, as is the reservation of your choice of Michelin Star restaurants.
Simply, a perfect Christmas gift for a foodie.
The Gourmet Escapes package goes a little bit further, keeping to the high end theme. There are 50 locations to choose from all over the UK and the package is £269.95 for two people. Including an overnight stay in a top hotel with a superb dining experience.
Hotels in this package include the Radisson Edwardian Sussex Hotel close to Marble Arch in London and the Rye Lodge Hotel close to Hastings. Rye Lodge Hotel is acknowledged as one of the finest small luxury hotels in the country,
So, I think if you are looking for a Christmas gift for a foodie, Smartbox can help you out.
Luxury Mayfair restaurant Le Caprice have recently celebrated their 30th Anniversary and to mark the occasion they have partnered with leading music personalities to create an exclusive collector’s edition music book.
The centrepiece of Le Caprice (apart from the food!) is the piano, the collection of sheet music features classic songs for the piano. The music book is a little bit special.
Only 200 copies have been printed and will sold at Le Caprice for £200 each. Proceeds will go to War Child, a charity long associated with the music industry.
Le Caprice has partnered with leading music personalities to create this exclusive collector’s edition music book. Along with an introduction from Jools Holland, artists including Sir Paul McCartney, Gary Barlow, Coldplay and Skin have each chosen a favourite classic song that has been scored for the piano to add to the music book.
“In my life I have been very fortunate as music has fascinated and brought me more joy than almost anything. I hope this book may do the same for you… play what you love, love what you play and love the people you’re playing it to.” – Jools Holland.
To celebrate the success of the restaurant over the last three decades, Le Caprice has undergone a design refresh. The update honours the restaurant’s signature style with a black marble floor, new windows and pristine, re-imagined bar.
The timeless monochrome interior has been maintained, along with such elements as the timeless David Bailey photographs adorning the walls. Additionally, a terrace has been added for guests to enjoy alfresco dining in the bustling centre of St James’s.
Jesus Adorno, Director of Le Caprice, comments: “I’ve been at Le Caprice for 30 years, starting out as a waiter. The restaurant seems to evoke passion amongst both its staff and customers. I’ve witnessed first dates to marriage proposals to golden wedding anniversaries. The first 30 years have been remarkable – here’s to the next 30!”
Amanpuri Phuket is an iconic part of the history of 5 star resorts on this beautiful holiday island in the Andaman Sea. For 24 years it has set the standard of unbridled luxury to which other resorts have aspired. It is a beautifully sculptured masterpiece of Thai architecture that synthesises a wonderful location next to the pristine Pansea Beach, top class modern facilities and first class friendly service, making it a perfect holiday location.
Aman resorts throughout the world have a unique footprint and raison d’être based upon the desire to provide a peaceful environment for their guests whilst minimising any detrimental effects upon the local environment. Indeed the word ‘Amanpuri’ in the Sanskrit language means ‘place of peace’. In typical Aman fashion, the entrance to the resort is understated so nothing prepares you for the breathtaking beauty of Amanpuri that you experience as you drive in. The whole place is absolutely magnificent, based around traditional Thai buildings neatly sculptured into the hillside location. The mature flora and fauna and the way it complements the facility is a lesson in how nature and manmade construction can live in synchronised harmony creating a perfect synergy and a beautifully exciting backdrop.
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