The Brasserie Vacherin is the brainchild of top chef Malcolm John and is perfectly placed to appeal to the discerning Surrey commuter. Situated in central Sutton and moment’s walk from the train station, the location means you can wine and dine at your leisure, sure of an accessible means of getting home.
The cuisine is French and the prices mid-range, so it is likely to attract diners who are weary of the ubiquitous establishments Sutton offers. The restaurant has a relaxed feel not always evident in restaurants of this type – it has none of the uptight self-consciousness that sometimes accompanies the uber-cool. Rather, juxtaposing the modern interior is an atmosphere of rustic charm that seems effortless but probably took an awful lot of planning.
The décor is simple; dark wooden floors, tables and chairs, simple glass tumblers and wooden salt and pepper pots create French authenticity. The smoky jazz drifting over the sound system on our arrival added to the atmosphere of a backstreet Parisian café.
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The Seven Dials area is the epicentre of everything exciting and enthralling London has to offer. From the central point of Seven Dials, marked by the Seven Dials sundial pillar, the seven streets originate and reach out into the heart of London. Each street is a different selection of independent shops, boutiques, independent eateries, fresh produce stores and much more. In short, each street is a wonderful journey.
One thing that struck me about the area, the last time I visited, was the completely immersing feel of heritage and history, as you walk through the Seven Dials. This feeling is generated by the vast selection of independent stores and retailers, which still have that authentic London feel. Particular highlights in the area include the Monmouth Coffee House and Neal’s Yard Dairy.
The former, the Monmouth coffee house, begun roasting and retailing coffee in 1978 and built a sampling room for their customers to try their coffees before buying beans. The coffee is a real delight; they make single cone filter coffee and espresso based drinks. The coffees are made using organic Jersey whole milk from Jeff Bowles in Somerset and their organic whole cane sugar comes from Assukkar, Costa Rica. The coffee house is a must for anyone who visits the area – it’s handmade and dedicated touch is a real antidote to mass produced coffee chains.
The Latter, Neal’s Yard Dairy, is a quintessentially British Cheese and Farm produce store. Commenting on the store, Neal’s Yard say: “We buy cheese from about seventy cheesemakers on farms around Britain and Ireland and we sell the cheese in our two shops in London and to shops and restaurants all over the world.” Neal’s yard is a treat for the eyes and the senses, as you are confronted with the world of cheese. You won’t find any cathedral city or babybel here, as all the cheese is sourced from independent cheesemakers across the UK.
If you return to the centre of the Seven Dials area you will find a beautiful 4 star boutique hotel – The Mercer Street Hotel. A part of the fabulous Radisson Edwardian hotel chain, the hotel has recently renovated and is the perfect place to stay when visiting the area.
The suites are especially stunning affairs, and as they have recently been renovated, they are also designed with a fabulously contemporary décor. The suite we tried also had a large lounge area and decent bathroom. Additionally, the bed was particularly comfortable and has to be one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in – I didn’t want to wake up!
The rooms have all the mod cons, for example: they contain a large plasma tv, apple tv, iPod connectivity, King sized bed (more than) big enough for two. The room is finished off by a separate dressing room for the ladies - which includes a SMEG fridge and walk in wardrobe area, and a Nespresso machine for those caffeine fiends amongst us.
The hotel itself is furnished with an astonishingly beautiful décor, a décor which is carried from the bedroom, all the way to the hotel restaurant. The Dial Bar and Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as offering a relaxing and suave setting to drink in the evening.
At the Dial Bar restaurant, I was lucky enough to sample the Scallops, wrapped in Parma ham, with a pea puree. The scallops were succulent and sweet, therefore making them a perfect accompaniment to the smoked taste of the Parma ham. The leek puree complimented the sweetness of the scallops and made the dish delectable (£11.00).
In terms of mains, the a particular recommendation would go to the pan fried rump of salt marsh lamb, garlic mash, roast Mediterranean vegetables and rosemary sauce. Also, the pan roasted breast of Creedy Carver duck, baked fig, malloreddus pasta, red wine sauce, was delightful.
I would certainly stay at The Mercer Street hotel again; it was the perfect place to stay when enjoying the area and, even if I wasn’t staying, I would certainly recommend the Dial Bar and Restaurant. My visit to the hotel was an exciting and satisfying experience, and is one which I would love to replicate in the future.
Part 2 of the Seven Dial Series will feature a run-down of must-visit independent retailers in the area and also, a spot-light review of Peter Gordon’ acclaimed Kopapa restaurant.
For more information on the Seven Dials area please visit: http://www.sevendials.co.uk/
To book your stay at The Mercer Street Hotel click here
Whether you find cooking a challenge, want to be better at it or love it and want to know more then you may just want to read on…
Steven Kitchen is possibly the best cookery school around. This one man cheffing machine not only helps you organise your own cookery lesson at your house, but he encourages you to create a menu, sources the very best ingredients then turns up on your door to help you cook it!
Perfect for dinner parties or just spending time with friends or family, Steven is the perfect guide for cookery heaven as we recently found out for ourselves. Steven recently, kindly agreed to run a cookery lesson for my family. Now, we’re not a family that spends days and weeks together, we’re all busy people and rarely get to meet 4 times a year as a unit, so I jumped at the chance of having Steven come and teach us something useful and at the same time get to spend some QT time with the family.
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My colleague and I walked from Chancery Lane tube to the Volupté Lounge with a sense of anticipation and some trepidation. Neither of us knew what to expect from a ‘burlesque themed tea’, something we had not had the pleasure of before.
Following a warm greeting from the door staff, we were shown into the cocktail lounge, where a smooth talking barman was holding court. Refreshingly, gender stereotypes were turned on their head as we were the only two male clientele. We happily chatted to the other customers, keen to discover what attracted people to such an unusual afternoon tea experience. One answer is the fantastic cocktails - My colleague opted for a fruity and refreshing Chilean cocktail called ‘Passion Fruit Pisco Sour’. I opted for a hearty ‘Blood and Sand’, whipped up from a mixture of Black Grouse, Cherry Heering, sweet vermouth and orange juice. Both cost a fairly typical London cocktail price of £9 each.
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Nestled within the fabulous 5 star Montcalm hotel is one of the finest dining experiences in London – The Grill at the Montcalm. As a beef lover, with a particular penchant for steaks, I approached The Grill with a level of trepidation and high expectations. I must say, they were met, and met with aplomb.
Firstly, the stunning coordination of the décor strikes you as soon as you walk through the door. The colour scheme goes from hot oranges to subtle creams and greys. This colour scheme is carried from the staff uniform, all the way through to the cutlery; the resulting feeling of continuity, lends The Grill a feeling of class and elegance. Also, the greeting and service are of an impeccable standard; we felt relaxed, cared for and at ease. A good start…
Glancing through the menu it is an emphatically British affair. Detailed information, as to where the produce came from and how it was bred, is given throughout the menu. For example: the sheep are reared on Romney Marsh in Kent, the beef in the South West and the pork is reared in in either Essex or York. The wine menu is also very well chosen and contains a collection of exquisite tipples which can be perfectly matched to anything on the menu.
The starter section of the menu contains a fine selection of light and heavy dishes, and spans a great array of food types.
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