Tag Archives: rooftop

The Culpeper, Spitalfields

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culpeper 1The Culpeper is my new favourite pub in East London. This upscale Spitalfields venue has it all. A stylish restaurant with mouth-wateringly good gastropub food, a sunshine soaked rooftop garden and BBQ area and soon, 5 bedrooms will be finished for guests who wish to stay a little longer.

The gorgeous Victorian building had a long life as a Truman’s pub, the new owners have preserved the historic features but added some chic contemporary features. Parquet wooden flooring, industrial style lighting give a trendy elegance while shabby miss-matched chairs and stools add character to the room. It is a lovely big space that I can imagine gets extremely busy on Sunday lunchtime.

In the kitchen Sandy Jarvis cooks up seasonal British delights, crowd-pleaser recipes with a focus on great flavour. Instead of trying Jarvis’ celebrated menu I wandered upstairs to the roof in search of the BBQ. It was a scorching hot day and the roof was full of sun worshippers, slurping refreshing cocktails and indulging in grilled meat.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe food we tried was simple but delicious. Merguez sausages are a must, intensely spiced with a hint of charcoal smokiness, they cost just £4 for two sausages. They were so good we had to order a second portion! Pork Chop was tasty too, though once the fat was removed there wasn’t a huge amount of meat left to fight over. The Chimmichuri sauce is particularly delicious with the pork. Of the vegetables I would recommend Romanesco, a cauliflower like vegetable that has the prettiest edible flower buds. The peppers with anchovies and green salad were nice accompaniments with the BBQ-ed meat too.

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Desserts here are not just an afterthought, as they are in many pub establishments. Roast peach with crème fraiche & ginger biscuit crumb was a soft and subtle summer hit. A lovely caramelised cooked fruit with contrasting cream and a crunch from the crumb. Strawberry Eton Mess is a more obviously British recipe, and The Culpeper do a great rendition.

Sitting amongst the vegetable garden on the Culpeper roof is one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a sunny Saturday in London. Book ahead as there are already a few locals who call this place home.

More information on The Culpeper here.

Coq D’Argent, Blossom City

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Walking out from the lift in Coq D’Argent the feeling of summer rushed back to me. A hazy warm evening, friends and colleagues toasting merrily with G&Ts and foliage everywhere lightly scenting the air. This rooftop restaurant in the city is currently celebrating the season of Spring with their #BlossomCity menu. Coq D’Argent have collaborated with iconic florists McQueens to create a unique terrarium installations based on the Coq D’Argent rooftop garden designs of award-winning Chelsea Flower Show designer, Arabella Lennox-Boyd.

We joined the throng of suited drinkers out on the balcony, and enjoyed a glass of champagne whilst admiring the epic skyline of London in front of us. I was amazed to see how early this venue gets busy, by 7pm the place was full, both bar and restaurant were buzzing with enthusiastic guests enjoying the blissful weather and soaking up the special Coq D’Argent atmosphere.

The Blossom City set menu, though concise, has a range of fresh Spring dishes created by head chef Damien Rigollet and inspired by the flowers and flavours of this time of year. I adored the roasted Quail with sweet pea flowers, pancetta, celeriac, apple puree and black truffle jus. I thought the complicated list of ingredients might ruin the subtle poultry, but it worked brilliantly with the perfectly cooked meat and crispy, salty pancetta. For a lighter starter, opt for the Baked Poitou goat’s cheese with heritage beetroot, honey and hazelnuts. This soft cheese is encased in breadcrumbs giving a lovely crunchy edge and presented on a bed of sweet beetroot chunks, puree and micro herbs. I found the honey slightly overpowering with the rich cheese and sweet beetroot, though I’m sure most will enjoy this typical pairing.

We had already spotted the impressive lamb shank on a nearby table, and the dish was not a disappointment. A hearty hunk of tender meat with potato puree and spring onion, it was a huge portion but the caramelised soft meat was difficult to leave! I ordered the vegetarian main course, a Provencal tarte with courgette flower and goat’s cheese tempura. Courgette flowers are hard to find in London eateries, a delicacy I love in the South of France, so when I spotted them on the menu I couldn’t resist ordering the dish. The tarte needed a little extra seasoning but looked immaculate and the flower was a lovely touch, oozing melted goat’s cheese when cut.

Desserts were an utter delight. Pretty plates adorned with edible flowers and exotic fruits. We tried the vanilla poached pineapple with crystallised violet petals and coconut sorbet which was a light and refreshing dessert that reminded me of my holiday in Thailand by the beach. The coffee pudding was a hit with my friend who polished it off speedily with a big smile on her face. An arrangement of contrasting coffee textures of biscuit, mimosa balls, crumble, fudge and sorbet were delicately placed in a glass bowl and topped with coffee mousse. But if you try only one option from the dessert menu go for the Granny Smith apple parfait. A beautiful spherical imitation apple filled with a zingy and creamy parfait.

Even when the weather isn’t fine, the Coq D’Argent restaurant will transport you away to a world of elegant dining and delicious food.

The #BlossomCity menu is available for lunch and dinner, Monday-Friday. It costs £28 for two courses or £32 for three courses. Continues until 14 June, more information here.

Selma CitySpa, Stockholm

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At the top of the towering Clarion Sign Hotel in Stockholm is a rooftop spa that will transport you away from the stress of the city to a world of relaxation. The skies were getting heavier outside as we walked into the smart design hotel. We popped straight into the lift and zoomed up to the top floor where a couple of smiling therapists were waiting for us.

Selma CitySpa, as it is known, has thought of everything the modern girl about town desires: a stylish spa with a healthy sushi bar, and treatments which pamper and sooth. The muted purple and beige interior immediately offers a tranquil environment for guests. After changing into the huge towelling robes we were taken through for our treatments.

The staff here were genuinely friendly, my mum was still chatting to her therapist long after her facial had finished! I enjoyed an expert Swedish massage which ironed out some serious knots in my shoulders and lower back. Lying on the comforting heated bed I could have easily have drifted off. My mum, who admitted it was only her second facial ever, absolutely loved the opportunity to sit back and let a professional examine and assess her skin. They layered different lotions and potions on to leave her skin looking bright and beautiful.

As I wandered round the spa I noticed an Olympic champion swimmer walking outside to the open air rooftop area. I followed her and the film crew to discover an azure blue pool, heated to 35 degrees, so guests can enjoy it all year round. It is the only one of its kind in Stockholm and it certainly gives the spa the wow factor.

The spa offers a lovely light room for manicures and pedicures and a Bliss counter for speedy refreshing treatments.

Up in the clouds, Selma CitySpa is Stockholm’s most heavenly spa. A secret for those in the know, and a real treat for us in between sightseeing stints in Stockholm.

More information and book a spa treatment here.

Many thanks to Visit Stockholm for their help with this trip.