Things to do in Brighton

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When I booked the train tickets from London to Brighton for the 10th January I didn’t expect good weather for the trip. Waking up in our grand Hotel du Vin room, I could see a glint of sunshine poking through the thick curtains and excitedly got dressed to explore Britain’s favourite seaside town. It was just as a day in Brighton ‘should’ be; walks on the beach, ice-creams on the pier and fish and chips al fresco, the perfect day to be by the sea.

To do

Walk along the pebbled beach and pop into the Pier arcade to play on the 10p machines and slurp an ice-cream. Do the things you can only do when you are by the sea!

To shop

Utility – Wander around the lovely Laines and you will discover numerous appealing independent shops. My favourite was Utility, a hip household store selling retro and vintage-inspired items which will bring nostalgia and flair to your home.

To eat

Regency – This fish and chips restaurant is an institution in Brighton, a favourite with families, locals and visitors. Serving up cheap and cheerful fresh fish by the sea’s edge, it is known to be one of the best of its kind on the South coast.

To see

Royal Pavilion – Extraordinary and extravagant this ‘pleasure palace’ was built for the Prince Regent two hundred years ago. Its exotic, oriental design stands out against the urban landscape and it is a thrilling architectural one-off to visit. Exhibitions inside are varied and imaginative.

To drink

Coffee at 33 – Bringing Monmouth beans to the South coast, this minimalist café offers great flat whites, tasty artisanal-style sandwiches and cookie dough to take home and bake. A joyful little stop for tired shoppers.

To sleep

Hotel du Vin Brighton – This is a particularly charming branch of the much loved chain of du Vin hotels. With spacious rooms, an atmospheric bistro and pub, there is something for everyone. It is perfectly situated: near the sea, the centre of town and just a short walk from the main station.

 

Cafe Boulud, New York

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Boulud is a big name all over the world. In London I work just across the road from Bar Boulud, which serves up some of the best burgers in town. In New York, Daniel Boulud currently has seven restaurants, of which many have a Michelin star rating. The most prestigious perhaps is Daniel, which has the ultimate recognition of three stars.

Café Boulud is located inside the stunning Surrey Hotel on New York’s Upper East Side. It has become a staple for the smart mummies, businessmen and fashionistas of this area, but is a destination also worth travelling to. On a Friday lunchtime the stylish dining room was heaving with animated guests… we squeezed into a corner table and awaited Boulud’s brilliant food.

Hailing from Lyon in France, most of Boulud’s food has a strong French influence and elegance, though at this restaurant he confidently explores cuisines and traditions from further afield offering diners a wide range of international recipes to try. We picked options from different menus, despite the conflict of origin! The ‘Potager’ menu (inspired by the Farmers’ Market) provided our starters: Mushroom Veloute and Butternut Squash Fettuccine. Both were warming, comforting dishes, made with fresh autumnal flavours. The veloute, although a slightly unappetising marbled green and brown colour, had a wonderfully silky texture and wild woody taste. The fettuccine was irresistibly tasty, tossed with pumpkin seed pesto, chanterelle mushrooms and pecorino Romano and tasted like it had come straight from Italy.

The main courses were more typically French, Dry Aged Beef, spinach subric, crispy horseradish, Pommes Anna and shallot jus was the favourite. A grand meal with all the trimmings the beef was a lovely cut cooked slowly to conjure a depth of flavour. Seared chicken breast was a little dry but Sage Pain Perdue was a tasty herby addition and the sauce was caramelly and delightful, if only there was more of it!

Desserts were beautifully presented, my Coconut Delice was almost sculptural in appearance, a perfect white sphere of refreshing coconut sorbet with piercingly pink pomegranate gelee. Caramelia was a richer pudding, Peanut Dacquoise and salted caramel ice-cream with a contrasting Huckleberry Compote which I couldn’t quite decide on… the ice-cream was a dream but I found the compote a little overpowering.

A little basket of warm-out-of-the-oven mini madeleines was the lovely end to this exquisite Boulud meal. Walk off the calories at one of the nearby art museums, we did so at the Whitney.

More information and book here: www.cafeboulud.com/nyc

And information on The Surrey hotel here: www.thesurrey.com

Many thanks to NYC GO for their help with this trip, and Virgin Atlantic for flights.

 

Hot on the Highstreet Week 193: Redchurch Street

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Blink and you might miss something on Redchurch Street. Every time I visit there are a host of new boutiques, cafés and shops to discover. When the sun came out yesterday Shoreditch was full of Londoners and tourists making the most of the dry weather and blue sky. After a stint at my favourite flower market on Columbia Road we wandered to Redchurch Street where East London shopping is at it’s very finest. Here’s my pick of the bunch:

Start your shopping at Labour and Wait where you can find classic homeware, stationery and utilitarian clothing. Your home will thank you!

Parisian perfume at Etat Libre D’Orange, trendy but sophisticated scents.

Shop and eat or vice versa at Cafe And, a clean cut contemporary venue with great design pieces and a lovely dining room.

Scandic simplicity rules at Hostem, where you can find a range of international designer clothing. The shop is filled with old furniture but feels alarmingly up to date.

Pasta lovers will delight in Burro e Salvia, Shoreditch’s first pastificio. For daytime dining and pasta making courses.

Recently the Redchurch community welcomed West London hit Aime. I love the carefully curated selection of designers, including the much coveted Isabel Marant.

Beautiful and obscure objects will overwhelm you at Maison Trois Garcons, which also houses a restaurant particularly popular on weekends.

For cool cuts visit Radio Salon, or for a retro up-do The Painted Lady does the best beehives in town.

Take a coffee break at Allpress Espresso, the caffeine obsessives who pour a perfect flat white and offer awesome homemade cakes.

Enjoy a healthy Peruvian brunch at Andina, I can recommend the Mini Chicharrones (Confit pork belly with rococo chilli jam) and the Choclo Corn Cake with fresco cheese, avocado and salsa. Wash it down with a freshly pressed apple or melon juice.

Can’t fit it all into one day? Stay overnight at Design haven, The Boundary Hotel.