love bakery, kings road

LOVE red velvet cake

Take a celebratory christening and wrap it up in a spot of sunshine...add to that some very pale rose, and what do you get?


...the icing on the cake, which literally is, the icing on the cake!

Red velvet cake from Love Bakery on Kings Road, Chelsea (founded by Sam Blears).

The girls from Love are full of love too, I hear from a dickie bird that the girls in a certain store nearby get end of day treats for free!

Try out their cupcakes. By far my favourite cupcakes in London. They do a delicious cookies and cream one. Far better then all the others out there!

Get your gob around that!

Love Bakery, 319 Kings Road, London SW3 5EP
020 7352 3191
http://www.lovebakery.co.uk

the collection, chelsea

The Collection, Chelsea

I heard it through the grapevine 
Not much longer would you be mine.
Oh I heard it through the grapevine,
Oh and I'm just about to lose my mind. 
Honey, honey yeah.

Well I heard through the grapevine that The Collection in Chelsea had been taken over by new owners.

Huh...really? Tell me more...

Yes really...a new management team and a complete overhaul and revamp of the previously rather worn down appearance by Design Research Studio, headed by Tom Dixon.

Ok, I'm interested...keep talking...

...and new Executive Chef Alex Fanzola, fronting the kitchen for the reworked restaurant.

Ok, talk to me later...I'm already half way there in a taxi!

Hello there, would you like to walk with me down the catwalk?

The Collection hasn't lost its original statement features. You can't miss the 80ft catwalk entrance and let's not forget, probably the longest bar in London.

Peeking over the mezzanine edge feels like spying on a scene from Sex and the City...

Is that your best chat up line?

However, the even bigger and better statement is the restaurant, with its cleverly placed open kitchen. Close enough to see the magic happen live, but expertly shielding back the noise so not to draw focus away from the dining experience.

The bronze cluster lamps hanging from the ceiling, let you know Tom Dixon has left his stamp on the place.

Feels like I'm watching a televised chef show...

Bronze cluster lamps

Italian Executive Chef Alex Fanzola, brings with him the very best from Mediterranean cooking. I'm told by the passionate and humorous man himself that he uses NO butter or cream. Olive oil is used in all the cooking. A big emphasis is on the great olive oil. Health friendly and packing a punch of flavour. A first glimpse of this is with the bread. A wonderful trio of basil, truffle and lemon zest extra virgin olive oil. The gorgeous bread is made the night before always using a bit of leftover sourdough, resulting in tasty focaccia and fried bread.

Basil infused extra virgin olive oil

Tradition coupled with the finest quality ingredients, sourced from suppliers such as the organic Laverstoke Park and premium London butchers, O'Shea's of Knightsbridge make for a mouth watering array of dishes. I discover that true creative geniuses will go far for their craft, as I'm told an amusing story of some hay snatching from a field in the country before some serious dish testing. Alas it was clearly a success due to spotting the 'hay roasted lamb shank' sitting confidently on the menu.

There is a generous selection of small plates, and light enough to share more than one, which is encouraged as there are so many different accents to ummm and ahhh over. Dishes such as creamy burrata, salty and sweet chorizo and sweet potato and baked prawn with basil emulsion and roasted garlic.

Creamy burrata, chorizo and sweet potato

The main dishes are impressive with combinations of clay baked baby chicken with pomegranate molasses, herbe'ed polenta and slow cooked sturgeon and chanterelles. The waiter wips out the equipment he needs to debone the salt crusted sea bass in front of you. I was a little un-nerved by the stark appearance of the lamb shank on the chunky wooden board, but the waiter offers to debone it, and I'm happy to discover this also means presenting all the ingredients together. A perfect blend of melt in the mouth lamb, creamy artichoke puree, pistachio sauce and rich jus.

Salt crusted sea bass with Mediterranean sauce

Hay roasted lamb shank pre deboning

Save room for dessert. A surprising favourite was the cold fragrantly scented rice pudding which held its neat shape unlike hot steaming gelatinous versions of the past. A must is the heavenly hazelnut and the pistachio ice-cream. Light and creamy.

Dinner is divine, but fear not, The Collection is open from 10am in the morning until late, and the new private retail spaces will host a series of one-off 'pop-up' stores, collaborating with renowned jewellers, designers and artists to showcase their work, so there is much to be enjoyed from this greatly improved establishment.

The Collection, 264 Brompton Road, London, SW3 2AS
Opening Times: Daily for lunch and dinner, from 10am – Midnight.
http://www.the-collection.co.uk/
http://thecollectionchelsea.tumblr.com/

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joe's

The hour is Brunch, so here I am...

Act aloof and nonchalant - SNAP!

 ...and 'here' is...

Joe's

Are you familiar with this beautiful brand?

Joseph Autumn/Winter 2011/2012

Joseph Autumn/Winter 2011/2012

Judging by the disaster that was 'The Fashion Cafe' in the mid 90's, you'd assume that fashion and food don't mix (believe me...I went, I tasted, I walked away!).

Fortunately for us, when Joseph and Joe's are concerned, it does.

After Joseph was established, the first Joe's Cafe opened under the 16 Sloane Street store in the mid 80's and was swiftly followed by the stand alone restaurant at 126 Draycott Avenue. So synonymous with the 90's cool, my favourite 'Absolutely Fabulous' pair got a fair bit of filming done there...

After that, I was hooked. The chic black and white branding. The jodhpur. The knitwear. I was desperate for my mother to take me to Joe's Cafe. I handed out my CV to the stores. I wanted to be a Joseph girl. Fate would have it that I would end up working there for a couple of years later on in life, and fate would also have it that Joseph would go through an incredible overhaul,  re-threading the essential 90's essence back into the brand for a modern era....meaning...DRUMROLL...fantastic advertising, amazing new seasons and, naturally, the organic evolving of Joe's Cafe, including a new Joe's at the Westbourne Grove store.

Refreshing means a little makeover and a new chef. Case in point. Joe's at 126 Draycott Avenue. Enter Maria Elia (previously Whitechapel Gallery Dining Room amongst others). Together. A Winning combination.

Comfortable, cosy, relaxing

The open all day, drop in, relaxed atmosphere, means you can pop by in the morning to pick up a takeaway coffee. Snack on a cake or sandwich up at the bar, or sit down for healthy, tasty flavoursome seasonal fine dining brunch, lunch or dinner.

A drink, a cake, a sandwich, a waitress

Fun and a sense of playfulness is to be had with the new informal black board taking up the wall as you walk in instructing you to drink some water, peruse the menu or try a stylish strawberry and basil margarita 'skinny' cocktail.

What's on the blackboard?

Diner style informality

Coming for brunch meant a range of choices and the prices are pretty OK too considering where you are. Puddings are only about £3.50!

The 'Brunch' menu

I of course was craving a little egg action, so had the smoked ham, poached eggs and sourdough toast.

Can't beat a poached egg

I also couldn't resist the delightful salt chocolate mousse and chocolate 'dirt.' Genius.

The dirt is good enough for me!

Scattered within the tasteful book shelves are bottles of wine and hundreds of magazines...just in case you forgot which industry Joe's was born from. It's like the perfect study. A women's dream!

Perhaps Gwyneth has been here...I know the rest of the fashion pack have

The cosy environment ensures that it will be the perfect backdrop for BRAIN FOOD at JOE'S, South Kensington, where from mid October, Joe's will be hosting weekly hour-long author talks and book signings from the world of fashion, food, literature and more.

Tickets at £5, will include freshly baked madeleines, Monmouth coffee and Joe's own special JOSEPH rare tea blend.

Event details will be updated here: Spoon blog

If you want to see how the fashion crowd do it, more pictures can be found here: Sara Ferrero and Katie Grand host at Joe's

Thank you for dining with us!

le pain quotidien

Le Pain Quotidien...is this tempting you at all?

The first said: “Who has been sitting in my chair?”
The second: “Who has been eating off my plate?”
The third: “Who has taken a bite of my bread?”
The fourth: “Who has been eating some of my vegetables?”
The fifth: “Who has been using my fork?”
The sixth: “Who has been cutting with my knife?”
And the seventh: “Who has been drinking out of my cup?”
Then the first looked around, saw a little hollow in his bed and said: “Who has been lying in my bed?”
The others came running, and cried out: “Somebody has been lying in my bed too”
But when the seventh looked at his bed, he saw Snow White lying there asleep. 

Organic bread

The Seven Dwarfs had every reason to be suspicious and inquisitive about their unexpected intruder, but the happy vibrant 'whistling work' that Snow White casted on their lives, is the same spell that Alain Coumont has dusted over our cafe culture when he founded Le Pain Quotidien in Brussels in 1990.

Infact, he's created an atmosphere so relaxed and inviting I half expect to see Snow White, mouth open, dribbling and asleep on one of the long wooden communal tables, that dominates each store.

Le Pain Quotidien's bakery beginnings, ensures that bread is still the cornerstone of the menu (you don't need to hear my 'pro' carbohydrate talk again), but I'm just so darn excitable about their specially, expertly and organically made bread without yeast. After hearing that only organic stone ground flour, salt and water are 'kneaded' then you might think twice about picking up a loaf of bread from the supermarket that has 25 ingredients!

Kneading the right ingredients

Organic rye bread

Organic porridge, honey and banana

I have many fond memories of LPQ since it's hit London. I've taken clients for breakfast in High Street Kensington. I've picked up a fruit salad on my way to work in South Kensington. I've cured a heavy night with an organic ham, gruyere and mustard filled baguette in Parsons Green. I've filled up on wine, tarts and tartines during Nottinghill Carnival in Nottinghill. I've soothed aching 'invisalign' teeth with organic porridge, honey and banana on Kings Road. I've delivered fresh coffee, and hazlenut flutes to a friend in need, and I've spilled the entire pot of pepper over my scrambled eggs.

What keeps drawing me back is the quality of product. The environment keeps me in with its warmth. There is no pretence. One can whip out their laptop with sufficient work space, and you could stay all day and not be frowned upon. How would you like to entertain friends in your kitchen? How would you like your kitchen? Let's call LPQ your home away from home, where you don't have to do the work!

Cup of coffee or tea?

If you are not enticed by the bakery then there are soups, hot dishes, a dinner menu and Coumont's RN13 label of organic wine to tickle your tastebuds.

Are you salivating?

There are also plenty of kitchen cupboard essentials, like the organic jams or the 'to die for' organic artichoke spread with extra virgin olive oil, and then there are the 'Le Pique-nique Box' choices which I think are very reasonably priced (compared to another Italian chain out there) and even a canape service. Is there no sign of this chain slowing down?

Organic artichoke spread

Now that it's raining, all I can do is take my purchases home, curl up on the sofa with a slice of rye toast and make sure to spread it thick with a generous helping of Noisella!! (sorry Nutella, but I've been cheating on you!).

Noisella