Last week I was lucky enough to go along to CAU restaurant in Guildford, Surrey. It was a viciously cold evening and as we went in we were greeted by a warm atmosphere, and an even warmer welcome.
CAU’s name, pronounced as ‘cow’, stands for Carne Argentina Unica, which translates as “unique Argentinian beef”. The name is a witty play on words; a play on words that really sets the tone for a fun and enjoyable dining experience. CAU is a creation by those behind the GAUCHO chain; therefore, we were expecting great quality Argentinian beef and good service. We were not disappointed. But this is where CAU and GAUCHO’s similarities end – the former is a far more relaxed and light hearted affair. This is reflected in a menu that caters for everything from a full on 3 course meal to a quick, yet luxurious, light lunch.
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I need to make you aware of the launch of Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar which is due to open in March at the 5 star London Marriott County Hall Hotel.
The new restaurant aims to be “the most English of English dining destinations” and will feature the best of English beef and seasonal produce as well as over thirty gins and new cocktails created taking an influence from the satirical works of famed caricaturist of the late eighteenth century James Gillray.
Set in the County Hall, built 100 years ago to house London’s government, with views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, few can claim a more inherently English location or vista.
The choice of namesake, James Gillray, reflects the political history of the County Hall’s past, and the intelligence, style and humour of the English personality. James Gillray’s work punctuates the menu and will be exhibited on the walls of the steakhouse restaurant and bar.
Location – check, History – check, Interior design – check. What about the menu? Well, for me this is where it gets really good.
The 1000g ‘Bulls Head’ steak sounds divine and when you throw in bar snacks like English Crumpet & Soft Boiled Egg washed down with 10 English beers, this high end London steakhouse looks to be debuting with gloves off. I am a fan already and I haven’t tasted a morsel.
(I am not suggesting all 10 beers need to be drunk, but merely pointing out the choice is rather good)
The menu features nine cuts of steak – bone-out and bone-in – 300g Fillet on the bone, 450g Porterhouse and 600g T-Bone steaks. Gillray’s Steakhouse signature dish, the 1000g ‘Bulls Head’ steak, will steal the show - a 1000g-butterfly cut, double rib steak served with the bone in.
The Englishness of Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar is evident throughout the bar menu, populated by 10 English beers (and two Scottish beers from Innis & Gunn), 29 English gins (including a few British favourites such as Hendrick’s) and five English vodkas.
The bar snacks menu brings Englishness to life in bite-sized morsels –Pigs in Blankets, English Crumpet & Soft Boiled Egg and Venison Sausage Rolls with HP Sauce – England on a plate.
Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar opens at London’s County Hall at the end of March 2012.
Join the queue….
Apsleys, A Heinz Beck Restaurant which can be found in the iconic Lanesborough Hotel in London always host the most beautiful Valentine’s Day dinners and this year will be no exception.
The restaurant will be offering a seven course tasting menu devised by three Michelin starred chef, Heinz Beck.
Apsleys’ stunning Venetian-style dining room, with its glass roof and plush upholstery, is one of London’s most beautiful dining spaces, an elegant setting for any occasion. On Valentine’s night, the restaurant will have live piano music playing and every woman will receive flowers on the night.
If you are looking to impress this Valentine’s, this is where you need to be! The Lanesborough has long enjoyed its status as one of the world’s most luxurious and lauded hotels and the involvement of Heinz Beck at Apsleys has only furthered this enviable reputation.
Opened in September 2009, Beck soon earned the restaurant its own Michelin Star, when in February 2010 it became the fastest London establishment to be bestowed with the award.
The Executive Chef, Massimiliano Blasone, is a prodigy who has worked with Beck for 11 years and is responsible for ensuring the quality and consistency of his menu.
The wonderful and very tempting Valentine’s menu is below -
VALENTINES MENU
Foie gras, artichoke and sweet wine jelly
I Capitelli 2008 – Anselmi
Sea scallops, green asparagus and black truffle
Greco di Tufo 2010 – Feudi di San Gregorio
Aubergine tortellini with tomato coulis
Vernaccia di san Giminiano 2010 – Teruzzi & Puthod
Langoustine, fennel and potato
Lugana “ Brolettino” 2009 – Ca’ dei Frati
Dover sole, bread crust and ratatouille
Chardonnay 2008 – Planeta
Challans Duck with Jerusalem artichoke and salsify
Tassinaia 2006 – Castello del Terriccio
St. Valentines Dessert
Moscato rosa 2009 – Franz Haas
7 courses Tasting Menu - £160 per person
7 courses Tasting Menu with matching wines- £230 per person
Set just off one of St John’s Wood beautiful, residential streets, One Blenheim Terrace is very inviting. The façade is glass and it has a lovely outside patio which must be wonderful in the summer. We were greeted at the door by the restaurant manager and head waiter. The restaurant manager has a lovely personality, very warm and he is very good at his job.
On entering, our coats were taken. Down a few steps from the cloakroom area there is a very inviting looking bar with some cosy seating – it looks the perfect space when waiting for a table.
We were seated at a corner table, with a nice view over the restaurant. One Blenheim Terrace is a new London restaurant so the décor is very clean and colourful. Very nice overhead lighting and beautiful little glass candle lamps adorn each table. The starched white table cloths and napkins always lend towards a nice evening ahead!
The manager brought us the a-la-carte menu’s along with the wine list and a beer list. I’m not a beer drinker, but there was a very extensive beer list. Apparently the beers are very popular on their Tasting Tuesday menu. Quirky! We decided on a glass of the house champagne to get us started, but were served the Pol Roger, even better! We also ordered still and sparkling water.
Both of the waiting staff (manager and waiter) were very attentive all the way through the evening. They asked if we needed help with menu. I explained my dairy intolerance and on choosing my starter and main course the manager very kindly advised the chef. Having ordered, a small but perfect selection of bread was brought to the table. My guest and I both had the brown rolls, which were delicious! We were then served an amuse bouche to open the taste buds. I found the fish taster to be intensely flavoured, but nonetheless a very nice touch.
The A-la-carte menu is small but perfectly formed with 6 starters and 6 main courses to choose from, (British favourites as the menu states) offering meat, fish, chicken, wood pigeon and vegetarian choices. The menu changes with the seasons, so the taste is always fresh. Prices tend to be on the higher side but this area of London can manage this.
My starter of organic cured salmon was delicious. Nicely cut, cured salmon, oak smoked with tiny pieces of pickled cauliflower. A miso caramel stripe of jus – slightly sweet, but it complimented the salmon perfectly. My food was covered with a glass dome which was removed by the manager to a puff of the oak smoke – very impressive. My guest had the lobster Bolognese: a very good portion of spaghetti mixed with lobster, served with a parmesan ‘air’ – a light fluffy infusion of parmesan, again very impressive presentation and very tasty.
Our main courses consisted of Surf & Turf for me and Bouillabaisse for my guest. The Surf & Turf – a delightful combination of roast halibut and confit chicken, served to me with the chanterelles (minus the cream), samphire, baby leeks and watercress. I am not a great fan of sauces, so choose to have it without the red wine sauce. This dish was truly delicious, the chicken pieces were small but tasty and the halibut was perfectly cooked.
The Bouillabaisse was a very clever modern take on the traditional dish. A great selection of fish served with baby fennel, saffron potatoes, leek – all in a rouille, that classic Provencal sauce. My guest enjoyed the dish very much and again the portion size was good. We chose a selection of vegetables served in individual dishes: broccoli – perfectly cooked, salad leaves – a good selection of leaves, nicely tossed in a delicate dressing, and roast potatoes – by this stage I had eaten quite enough, so the manager wrapped them for me and I took them home!
We chose a very decent Pinot Grigio with our meal, from the well stocked wine list, which has good price variations. We were then offered dessert. My guest, being a small eater, declined but I enjoyed the fruit salad – a good combination of fruit served with a raspberry sauce, very refreshing after a very tasty meal. We enjoyed a further glass of Pinot Grigio to round off a very pleasant evening.
During the evening there were various other tables of two in the restaurant. One Blenheim Terrace is a very good neighbourhood restaurant and I got the feeling that quite a few of the diners had eaten there before – always a good sign – as the restaurant manager was very au fait with them.
All in all, a very good restaurant: comfortable and inviting with very flavoursome food, well presented and served by lovely staff.
If you wanna eat hip in the French capital then pull up a seat ringside at a most ritzy club. This first floor restaurant looking down into the VIP club on rue de Rivoli in Paris. For trendy eaterie in Paris, check out our Gioia restaurant review,
Before the club crowd hits this hip joint, gaze down on the dance floor, which has seen passing a host of top names like Ibiza king David Guetta.
The VIP has moved across town from the Champs Elysées and has not missed a funky beat. And now added to that is a funky eatery!
After feasting your eyes on the mythic club below admire the setting. Across one wall are the serried ranks of bottles as decorations to get in the party mood for a little excess. Prior to taking a seat at table you can pull up at the cocktail bar, which is in the shape of an outsize grand piano. White, it has funky designs on the side. From here you can admire some real artworks on the wall, notably the creations of David de la Chapelle and no less a name than Bono.
This is A List Country! Recently proving this very point was the arrival of Johnny Depp to celebrate the French release of his latest film Rum Diary. With this in mind, we felt Lussorian had to get in on the act with a Gioia restaurant review, we were not disappointed.
With all this star power you might be forgiven for being too overawed to eat. But even the celebrities cannot over shadow an honest and high quality menu. The Italian menu here will light up your taste buds. Literally! The menu is brightly backlit when opened, allowing you to see clearly to order in the low light.
The antipasti we shared was a copious delight. The fine cuts of charcuterie were divine, Japanese style prawns and a platter of freshest tomatoes and mozzarella. Mains included clams in a tomato rich sauce, which coated the quality pasta. The escalope Milanese was nearly the width of the place setting. Wafer thin with a coating to bring the taste alive! And, being Italian, the pizza takes a starring role. And does not disappoint.
The 4 Stagioni was succulent and tasty. A rustic delight quite at home in this slick palace.
From the cocktails to the carte des vins was a pleasant migration - the fiesta tastes of Caipirinha and Mojito, to the floral fruitiness of Tuscan vineyards. Most acceptable!
This is a real restaurant in a real nightclub with real artworks on the walls but just as important real Italian cuisine in the plate: a pretty irresistible mix.
