Monthly Archives: April 2016

Lobster Hotpot at Shuang Shuang

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There is a juvenile excitement about picking your lunch of a conveyer belt. It is a formula Yo Sushi has thrived off for many years and now Shuang Shuang has successfully introduced a restaurant with the same concept, offering comforting and flavoursome hotpots to be personalised by the diner.

The eatery has a prime position on Shaftesbury Avenue, but amazingly is filled with local Londoners as well as hungry tourists. We sat at the pristine white counter, ready to sample the Lobster hotpot, a decadent option they have started offering for just £19 for two people. First a steaming fragrant broth was poured into our own boiling pot which can be heat adjusted as required. Before long a beautiful lobster arrived on ice, along with glasses of Crement (a light sparkling French wine), and a few tasters of their snack list. Scallop and Prawn Fritters with Mala Oil were the obvious winner, mouthful sized crispy seafood bites. I also liked the salty and spicy Pig’s Ears with Xinjiang Spice.

The next part was great fun, picking ingredients from the ‘carousel of flavours’ whizzing round in front of us. There is a huge variety of meat, fish, vegetables, tofu and noodles to choose from. I grabbed a selection of tasty looking plates, including pak choi, mixed root vegetables, some lovely thick noodles and slices of chicken breast. Guests must be careful they cook each ingredient for the right amount of time, it is easy to get carried away delving into the pot, forgetting about recent ingredient additions. The lobster was soft and creamy perfectly suited to the vibrant Tom Yum broth with hints of lemongrass and lime.

An assortment of tools are provided to help you cook and eat your food more easily. Despite this we still managed to make quite a mess! After such a dramatic and exciting main course I didn’t need dessert, but the Soy Milk Ice Cream with Candied Ginger was a simple and subtle pudding which cleansed our palates after the flavoursome and spicy hotpot.

Shuang Shuang offers an interactive and tasty way to experience Chinese hotpot. I thought it might be a bit of a tricky concept for kids but the neighbouring family proved me wrong, as I overheard the little girls proclaim, “this is the best thing I’ve ever eaten”. You can’t get a better compliment than that. shu

More information on Shuang Shuang here: www.shuangshuang.co.uk

Orée Boulangerie, Fulham

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There are plenty of bakeries in London claiming to offer authentic Parisian patisseries, fluffy baguettes and flaky croissants, but few deliver. The new Orée Boulangerie in Fulham, however, exceeds all expectations. Last week I joined a group of fellow foodies for a morning of sampling. Pitching to a table of unforgiving French bloggers was not an easy task, but our expressions softened as the buttery soft pastries were delivered to the table each, smelling more delicious than the last.

The Orée bakery and café stands out immediately, a creamy shade of baby blue with golden cursive writing. Inside, the décor is just as delectable with white marble surfaces, sophisticated furniture and lots of natural light. There is plenty of space for guests to sit and relax with their breakfast. Founder Laurent d’Orey brought the concept to England, after setting up bakeries elsewhere in Europe, and hoped to win over Londoners with his irresistible French pastries – he is definitely succeeding.

The boulangerie prides itself on offering a huge range of gluten-free treats in addition to the standard baked items. Highlights from our breakfast included the ‘escargot’ – a swirled pastry filled with pistachio and white chocolate – and the beautiful egg breakfast dishes, which are accompanied with the bakery’s organic sourdough bread. Those brunch-addicts hoping for something more substantial will enjoy the ‘tartines’, essentially an open sandwich topped with delicious ingredients such as avocado, smoked salmon or ratatouille.

A week later and I’m still relishing my bag of Orée almond financiers, each bite is a reminder of the beautiful baked treats at this wonderful new breakfast hang out.

More information about Orée Boulangerie here.

Myla & Davis, Brixton

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Until now I have trekked up to East London for hip haircuts, but this week I discovered Myla & Davis, a trio of independent hairdressing salons in South London. Founder Katya Davies started the brand in Herne Hill, as a boutique neighbourhood salon offering cut and colour services by pro stylists at reasonable prices. I recently visited the newest venue in Brixton… a perfectly compact but well organised space with fresh, clean design and an informal and friendly atmosphere.

The Myla & Davis salons have become known for their mix of professionalism and good chatting skills! I’d picked up a few magazines to absorb whilst my stylist Jess transformed my unruly mop of hair, but soon we were chatting away and the reading material was discarded! After 6 months of world travel, with questionable hair products and no haircuts, my hair was in great need of a revamp. The roots were unfashionably outgrown and my split ends were creeping further up. We decided on a trim and highlights to brighten and lighten the tips whilst making the roots look more natural.

Jess worked wonders, magically and effortlessly blending the dye to soften my colour, giving a natural, sun-kissed look. Endless cups of earl grey tea, sparkling elderflower and water were bought to me whilst I sat lazily in my seat. After a quick toner and hair wash I was back in front of the mirror ready for my trim.

Myla and Davis work religiously with US cult brand Bumble and Bumble and the product ranges are lined up neatly on the wall. I love their products but often struggle to understand which suits my hair best. Jess offered me frank and realistic recommendations of which products I should use, dependent on hair type, what look you wish to achieve and how often you wash your hair. It was decided that the surf range would offer a beachy texture whilst not adding too much weight to my hair.

Often I feel rushed by hairdressers but Jess seemed genuinely happy to spend time demonstrating how to use each product and offering insider tips. I walked out of Myla & Davis with a beautiful, bouncy new hairstyle and feeling confident that I could maintain the style in my own home using the salon’s helpful advice.

More information and book an appointment at Myla & Davis here.