Peninsula Restaurant, The Intercontinental at The O2

Getting out of the tube station at North Greenwich I never could have imagined the fine dining eating experience which awaited us just minutes walk away. The  Intercontinental Hotel at The O2 is a convenient hotel for those watching a show or performing at the giant O2 arena. With such a range of concerts, gigs, exhibitions and sports matches it is different to offer food which would appeal and suit everyone. Those who wish to enjoy a special meal should head to the Peninsula Restaurant, which serves exemplary food and boasts panoramic views of the London skyline.

Peninsula RestaurantPeninsula Restaurant

The dining room is smart and sophisticated with plenty of natural light flooding in from the floor to ceiling windows. We demolished the wonderful freshly baked bread and chicken skin & tarragon butter almost instantly after the waiter placed it down on the table. There is nothing better than sitting down to eat in a great restaurant feeling very hungry.

Peninsula RestaurantPeninsula Restaurant

Head chef Tomas Lidakevicius (previously in Texture and Corrigan’s Mayfair) presents modern European recipes deftly infused with a hint of spices which is reflective of the active spice trade that passed through East London’s docks. Each dish was carefully assembled in beautifully unique bowls and plates. Seared scallop with Alsace bacon dashi, apple and sea greens was a light dish with big bold flavours. I loved my Potato and Dill Veloute, the kitchen managed to elevate simple basic ingredients with clever cooking techniques and the addition of truffle air and a rich cured egg yolk.

Peninsula RestaurantPeninsula Restaurant

Matching wines were brought to the table to try with each dish. The sommelier’s choices were exemplary, including a aromatic Pouilly Fume from the Loire Vallet and a irresistably refreshing glass of Chateau de Beaulieu, Coteaux de Provence rose, which had me dreaming of summer.

Main courses were slightly more substantial, but still went easy on the carbs to avoid unneccesary bloating. Slow cooked duck breast with spiced crumbs, swede pasta and savoy cabbage was a lovely seasonal dish… though I didn’t think the strange swede pasta added much in flavour or presentation to the dish. I had a regal fillet of beef with smoky black garlic, Jerusalem artichoke and tenderstem broccoli. The meat was cooked to perfection, though I thought the sauce was a little too thin.

Peninsula RestaurantPeninsula Restaurant

There was a range of intriguing sounding desserts on offer when we visited Peninsula. I urge you to try the Bread and butter pudding with white chocolate. This classic and comforting pudding is made with a twist, and is served with delicious stewed fruits and creamy custard. The Dark chocolate parfait was nice but unexceptional, a light cocoa flavoured mousse with citrus yoghurt, burnt clementine and douglas fir soil.

We admired the beautiful view over London as we finished our lunch with coffees and creative petit fours.

Peninsula Restaurant

If you ever find yourself in North Greenwich I highly recommend a meal at Peninsula, it is so much more than just a hotel restaurant.

More information and book a table here.

Cornwall by Weekend Journals – BLACKFRIDAY20 Discount Code

Cornwall by Weekend Journals is a new, inspirational, travel book for design-conscious travellers, featuring a curated selection of places across the county.

Cover

Following extensive research and time spent travelling round Cornwall, the Weekend Journals team have uncovered unique and special venues: from verdant gardens to visionary galleries, independent shops and exceptional restaurants. The book is written by Milly Kenny-Ryder and produced by Simon Lovell. They both have strong family links to Cornwall and have been visiting since they were young. Using these connections they have gone off the beaten track to discover the venues that the locals love, while also showcasing some of Cornwall’s most iconic sites and stories.

Coombeshead Farm Feature

The book features 40 venues including: Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Gardens, Chapel House, Leach Pottery, No. 56, Coombeshead Farm, Plumbline, Paul Ainsworth at No. 6, Hotel Tresanton, Fifteen Cornwall and Jubilee Pool, as well as many other hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops, galleries and places to visit all over Cornwall. It includes exclusive interviews with 2-michelin starred chef, Nathan Outlaw, prestigious hotelier, Olga Polizzi, up-and-coming designer, Tom Raffield, and Cornwall’s only hotel concierge, Sid Williams of The Idle Rocks.

Photography is by Gabriel Kenny-Ryder and is exclusive to Weekend Journals. All venues have been visited personally by the Weekend Journals team.

Lay-flat photo

The book is available to order through the Weekend Journals website here. For this Friday and Saturday only WJ are offering 20% of all orders with the code BLACKFRIDAY20. Limited Edition gift packs also include a signed, large-format, fine art print of a photo from the book, or you can order a set of 10 postcards featuring images from the book.

Giftpack Print (Logan Rock)

Book Specification:

165 x 215 mm
Threadsewn, 128 pages
Printed full-colour on FSC certified uncoated paper
Debossed and foiled cover
RRP: £15.00
Published in the United Kingdom in 2016 by Weekend Journals Ltd
ISBN: 9781527200869

© Weekend Journals Ltd. All rights reserved. All text and images are exclusive to Weekend Journals Ltd and may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, in part or in whole for any use without prior written permission.

The book is a high-quality physical product – contemporary and minimal in style with a focus on the pictorial element. It has been designed to appeal as a collectible memento that people will want to keep and display, rather than as a functional, throw-away guidebook. It is a limited edition of 2,000 copies. There is no advertising or paid promotion within the book.

 

You can also follow @weekendjournals on Instagram.

Sensory Storytelling, Queen’s Hotel Cheltenham

British travel is on the rise, and the staycation trend seems set to stick around. The MGallery by Sofitel hotels around Britain are offering something even more special to tempt you into booking a mini-break in Bath, Windsor or Cheltenham, three of the UK’s most charming destinations. I visited the grand Queen’s Hotel in Cheltenham to find out more.

Queens Hotel Cheltenham

This imposing regal property opened its doors in 1838, named in honour of Queen Victoria. It was one of the first purpose-built hotels in Europe, and was built on the site of the old Sherborne Spa. There are many period features which remain untouched in the hotel, like the magnificent Georgian staircase and original Pugin wallpaper.

Queens Hotel CheltenhamQueens Hotel CheltenhamQueens Hotel Cheltenham breakfast

In 2015 the hotel was renovated and became part of the MGallery by Sofitel group. This refreshed new look has updated the hotel, with new luxurious amenities and thoughtful touches.

Queens Hotel CheltenhamQueens Hotel Cheltenham

To complement the long and intriguing history, Lizzie Ostrom (a perfume obsessive and self taught scent historian), has worked with the Queen’s Hotel to create three perfumes to flavour the guest bedrooms at the hotel.

We sat with Lizzie and discussed the stories behind the scents, whilst indulging in a delicious afternoon tea. Lizzie explained the background of the Regency era, the importance of certain ingredients and why fragrance has always played such an important role in Cheltenham life.

When a guest checks in they are invited to choose one of the three contrasting perfumes to add personality to their bedroom. The ‘Signature’ fragrance is a cool and refreshing scent with green apple and hyacinth, the ‘Olympian Dew’ has a fruity flavour with Rose, Lychee and Cassis, while ‘Eau D’Ange’ is a warming mix of cardamom, cinnamon and cedar.

Find out more and book a scented stay at Queen’s Hotel, Cheltenham here.