Tag Archives: soho

Brasserie Zedel, Piccadilly

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Zut alors… How have I not discovered this fantastic french underworld before? Brasserie Zedel is neighbours with the busiest tube station in london and yet once inside you forget you are even in Britain. From the street this venue looks like just another mock-Parisian restaurant, but what you will find inside will fill your imagination with french fantasies and romantic anecdotes.

There is a coffee shop on street level, and if you follow the memorabilia-filled walls down the stairs you can watch cabaret at The Crazy Coqs, sip cocktails at Bar Americain, and dine at the greatest french brasserie in london.

Walking away from the quaint upstairs cafe I could hardly believe my eyes as the venue unfolds. It is a beautiful palace of Art Deco design and an exhibition of authentic french culture. They have got the atmosphere just right. We spent most of the evening in the restaurant where friendly chatter between guests replaces the usual dissatisfying and distracting musical soundtrack.

I chose the dishes that I am so fond of from my summers spent in Provence. In France the tomatoes are sweeter, the meat is juicier, and the desserts are just so SO much better. So for me it was tomato salad to start, Rib-eye steak with french fries for main, and an exquisite Creme Brûlée for dessert. The food was all delicious – simple and classic, reasonably priced and a menu with good variety to choose from. My guest tried the extra garlicky snails, and we both enjoyed the hearty steaks which were grilled perfectly to our preferences and served with ultra thin crispy fries. Creamy smooth very vanilla Creme brûlée was a highlight with a crunchy sugar layer on top.

A deep rich red wine matched our steak well and after dinner cocktails in Bar Americain are a must… We loves the sweet and refreshing ZL Cobbler (No 2) and the martini style Bel Ami, a spicy tangy concoction.

Now for the best bit…Anyone who turns up on Bastille Day –14th July (this Sunday)– in a striped blue and white Breton top and a beret gets a free ‘Formule’ menu on us.  Full details and T&Cs here: http://www.brasseriezedel.com/bastille-day

Moustaches optional…

www.brasseriezedel.com

Tuscanic, Soho

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This restaurant is a Tuscan haven for Italian lovers and foodie fanatics. It is a simple and easy concept exhibiting Tuscany’s best culinary offerings. Located on Old Compton Street in the heart of Soho, this new little cafe-bar offers a select menu of cheese, meat and bread based treats.

Our chirpy waitress was keen for us to try all of her suggestions. I expected to hate the lukewarm ‘bread soup’, a recipe made with a base of tomato-soaked breadcrumbs, but it was strangely tasty. The onion and caper recipe was less delicious but an obvious attraction for French onion soup fans. It is the antipasti type boards that are most appealing at Tuscanic. A wonderful spread of fresh cheeses and fennel infused soft salami that worked well with the focaccia bread and bottle of Italian olive oil on the table. The properly made macchiatos were divine and the gluten free chocolate torte was a big hit with my sweet toothed guest. The wine list exceeded all our expectations – a light white and a classic Chianti, both were divine and very drinkable.

Tuscanic is less of a restaurant more of a wine bar cafe, perfect for an early evening snack and glass of wine away from the noise and mayhem of Soho. A proudly passionate place for all things Tuscany.

More information here.

www.tuscanic.com

LAB cocktail bar, Soho

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The London Academy of Bartenders (LAB) don’t make things easy for themselves, with a list of 100 drinks to master there is plenty of room for error, and yet the glasses we tried were immaculately executed and intriguingly tasty.

This little Soho cocktail den is found in the shadows of Old Compton Street, illuminated only by the neon glow of the nearby peep shows. Boasting a wealth of experience and a team of the very best mixologists, the fluid creations here are sometimes classic and sometimes experimental.

Seated near the bar we could see all the action as coloured bottles were swiped from the shelves and employed methodically in different glasses, ready for each customer. The most memorable drink from the evening was the Burnt Breakfast Martini, a genius concoction from the ‘Clever Stuff’ section of the menu. An elegant combination of Beefeater Gin, fresh lemon, orange marmalade and pink grapefruit, shaken with a splash of Aperol and egg white and given the final touch with a flamed vanilla brûlée top. It was a creative and pretty drink – an interesting contrast of tangy fruity martini with a delicious creamy top to soften the taste.

Keen to display the wackier skills he possessed, the barman mixed up a Leftfield for us. A quirky cocktail with Sipsmith Gin stirred with elderflower cordial, a splash of dry vermouth and dark balsamic vinegar then dressed with pickled onions. This was a slightly odd assortment of flavours, strong and aromatic with a kick from the vinegar and onions, which we couldn’t quite stomach.

LAB is an asset to the Soho bar scene… just as fun and fabulous as the surrounding camp hang-outs but with an array of expertly mixed cocktails to match.

The award-winning LAB team also offer cocktail classes for wannabe connoisseurs. Learn from the best of the industry how to make a variety of drinks using styles and methods from classic to contemporary.

More information here.

http://www.labbaruk.com/