9th Oct 2015: MENU SHARE: L'Enclume, Cartmel, England

A quick share of the menu which was operating at the Michelin starred restaurant L'Enclume on 9th October 2015.

If you ever get chance to dine at this fantastic restaurant you MUST do it! It is nestled in an almost purely restaurant owned village in the Lake District, and hosts course after course of delicious- yet undecipherable - flavours.

The wine parings were also well matched. We liked the Testalonga, El Bandito so much we purchased a bottle for home (notice how empty it is now)!

Want to see this restaurant in action? It was featured on the BBC's hilarious sitcom The Trip, and clips from this can be watched here and here.

To find out more about L'Enclume, visit their website.

I hope you like the menu; we certainly did, and it now takes pride of place on our hallway wall.


Thyme Tip: Put on your glad rags, and don't go mad on food or drink before your arrival - make sure you turn up with a hungry stomach!

3rd April 2016 - I'm back! Round-up of the Last Year

I have been very lazy this last year. I haven't posted since March 2015; it's now April 2016.

To make up for my absence, I am posting a quick picture round-up of some of the places I have visited over the last year. The majority of these are situated in London, but you can find a couple of randoms out in the sticks (Farnborough, Woking, Bodmin!), and I also have a few places to highlight in Vancouver, Canada as well.

All of the pictured places are highly recommended. I won't be posting in-depth reviews for these - as per my usual format - but it should hopefully give you an idea of the kind of thing you can expect from each venue.

This post includes pics and a short review for the following bars and restaurants: Cellar Magneval, MOMMI, Bone Daddies Shackfuyu, Bar Termini, Hakkasan, Hawksmoor, The Italian Job, Sky Bar, Cardero's,  Lift Bar and Grill, Forage, Camel Valley Vineyard, Whistling Shop and Smokehouse.

Enjoy!

Cellar Magneval, Woking

April 2016

http://www.cellarmagneval.com/

Great wine selection, and a FABULOUS cheese trolley!! Vintage, cosy ambience. Get in as early as you can if you'd like to get a seat. We arrived at around 6pm and by 6:15pm there were no seats available, and this was on a Thursday.

MOMMI, Clapham Common

March 2016

http://www.wearemommi.com/

This is a fairly recent open, and even though the food and drinks weren't anything to shout about, the price was right! Go here with friends for the very reasonably priced set menu. Stylish decor, great location.

Bone Daddies - Shackfuyu, London

March 2016

http://www.bonedaddies.com/shackfuyu/

Excellent, small, Japanese inspired dishes. The Sake flight was the highlight of the visit. Be prepared to wait for your food if the restaurant is busy!

Bar Termini, Soho

February 2016

 http://www.bar-termini.com/

I've slowly grown to love this place. Very relaxed atmosphere - perfect when the sun is out. Worth going for the tiny glasses! Try the Superiore or the Rosato Negroni.

Hakkasan, Hanway Place, London

February 2016

http://hakkasan.com/locations/hakkasan-hanway-place/

Went here for Valentine's Day lunch. The cocktails were top notch, and although the food was 'good', I don't feel as though it matches the hype. Nicely decorated, and busy at all times!

Hawksmoor, Seven Dials, London

November 2015

http://thehawksmoor.com/locations/seven-dials/cocktails/anti-fogmatics/

Just nipped for a quick cocktail here on this occasion - never fail to impress me!

The Italian Job, Chiswick, London

November 2015

http://www.theitalianjobpub.co.uk/

This is one everyone should try. Relatively unknown, they stock a wide range of Italian beers. I'd recommend going for a sour beer, with a side of fried pizza dough.

Sky Bar, Farnborough

October 2015

https://www.aviatorbytag.com/sky-bar 

The only cocktail bar in Farnborough! Expensive for what they are, but tasty enough. If you're struggling to find a nice place to go for a drink in the Farnborough area, this is the safest bet for you to head to.

Cardero's Restaurant, Vancouver, Canada

September 2015

https://www.vancouverdine.com/carderos/

  Gorgeous waterside seating, and delicious fish courses. Outstanding service.

Lift Bar and Grill, Vancouver, Canada

September 2015

http://liftbarandgrill.com/

Another great waterside dining experience. Check out the Bloody Mary with a prawn atop!

Forage, Vancouver, Canada

September 2015

http://www.foragevancouver.com/

One of my favorite ever restaurants! Not only ethical, but amazing food and perfected cocktails. 

Camel Valley Vineyard, Bodmin, Cornwall

August 2015

https://www.camelvalley.com/

Go here for the vineyard tour, and make sure you sample their Gold Award Winning champagne! I've purchased a crate of it since returning home and it's superb.

Worship Street Whistling Shop, London

June 2016

http://www.whistlingshop.com/

A high-end, dingy cocktail bar - just the way I like'em! Beautifully mastered cocktails, great atmosphere.

Smokehouse, Chiswick, London

May 2016

http://smokehousechiswick.co.uk/

This place has great beers, and we were blown away by the starters. Rustic decor, with dining, bar and lounge areas.

7th Mar 2015 - Peony at Opium, Chinatown, London

Approx 6pm - 9pm

Peonny at Opium

The Jade Door, 15-16 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, London, W1D 6JE

http://www.peonychinatown.com

Before I even start, I am going to struggle to do this bar justice - the drinks, brilliant. The service, unbeatable. The atmosphere, top-notch. I can't big this place up enough.

We arrived at around 6pm and were the first people in there. To get into Peony, you have to first gain access to Opium, and Peony is located further into this maze of bars. Booking is integral, as it seems to be a very popular place.

The decor in here is beautiful - oriental themed throughout, and very cosy. The bar was stacked with unusual drinks, and the walls were adorned with pretty little teapots (one of which we used that night). A little pot of alcohol was steaming away at the bar, which made the place smell delicious, and gave the impression of being in an authentic, Chinese, back-alley bar.

To really get the best experience in this place, try to sit at the bar. It was great to be up close to the action, and the bartender kept us entertained all night - thanks Rasa!

The cocktails were expertly concocted. The cocktail menu is quite small, but they are all interesting and unique. You could choose to go with a single cocktail, or go with a teapot for 2 or 4 people, which was a great touch.

I chose to go with a Golden Sazerac, which was strong and delicious. The orange and lemongrass smoke was an excellent touch to a well-constructed cocktail. I also sampled some of the Peony Punch teapot, which was very interesting - the coconut flavour really came through well, and it was very easy to drink, and fun to share. You also got to choose your own teapot from the wall to have it served in!

Rasa was an extremely capable cocktail-maker, and was more than happy to mix us up a few cocktails which weren't on the menu to suit our tastes. The ones she made for us were all top-notch, but don't ask me what was in them because by this point I was on the tipsy side, and my memory from this point is pretty skewed...

...I remember that this one had a chili kick to it, but only as a hint in the aftertaste. Very well done.

...and this one really was right up my alley. Made with Mescal, it had a distinct and smokey flavour, and a creamy consistency. One of my favourite ever cocktails!

Whilst you're here, it's also worth trying the Dim Sum. Some of the flavours were really amazing and a bit different, and it was instant comfort food. We went for 3 different types; King Prawn Dumplings, Mushroom and Truffle dumplings, and the Pork and Samphire Dumplings (these were my favourite). They all went down very well, and were brought out in quick time.

In conclusion, probably the best cocktail bar ever - I was actually sad to leave. I'll be back soon, I promise!

ThymeTip: To guarantee a great night, sit at the bar for great service and great banter.

Food: 8/10

Drink: 10/10

Service: 10/10

Fun-ness: 10/10

7th Mar 2015 - Zenna, Soho, London

Approx 5pm - 5:30pm

Zenna

77 Dean Street, London W1D 3SH

http://www.zenna-bar.co.uk

Beneath a very attractive Indian restaurant on Dean Street is a mysterious-looking cocktail venue, which even at this early hour proved to be well-known and popular.

We had a table booked, and we were seated in a cushioned archway, which, I have to say, was a little on the dark side! It added to the mysterious atmosphere they were obviously aiming for, but it was difficult to even see the menu! Either way, it was still comfortable, and I could have quite easily fallen asleep.

The cocktail menu didn't particularly excite me, but it was quite extensive, and spanned over several pages. I decided to go for the Palace Punch, with its main ingredients being red wine and tequila (two of my absolute favourites). The tequila was a little overpowering, but it was still a relatively nice cocktail.

The cocktails were also reasonably priced. Please also bear in mind that there is no table service, so orders have to be made at the bar - this eliminates the service charge.

I can imagine that once it gets later in the evening, it's packed with people, and the DJ is playing, that the venue really would come to life. 

ThymeTip: Best Cocktail: Alcoholic Salted Caramel Lassi - this was GORGEOUS! A must get if you visit this bar.

Food: N/A

Drink: 6/10

Service: 6/10

Fun-ness: 6/10

7th Mar 2015 - The Cocktail Trading Company, Soho, London

Approx 4pm - 4:45pm
The Cocktail Trading Company

22 Great Marlborough St, London W1F 7HU

http://www.thecocktailtradingco.co.uk

The Cocktail Trading Company is a relatively newly opened cocktail bar in Soho, and like so many cocktails bars around at the moment is clad in dark wood with alcohol filled shelves and kitsch decor. It is dimly lit and cosy, and has a very cool and hip atmosphere.

As we hadn't booked, we (4 of us) were seated at a small table at the back of the room. This was a little cramped, and the stools were a little uncomfortable. To guarantee a good seat, make sure you book before your arrival. Also, we arrived as soon as the bar opened - at 4pm - and it was already starting to get busy, so if you plan on visiting in the evening, be prepared to book, or to queue. 

There were complementary shelled peanuts provided on the tables, which was more than welcome, but not much room to put the discarded shells - we made a bit of a mess, but the staff were happy to help us out with cleaning that up promptly. 

The cocktail menu was extensive and instantly caught my interest. The cocktails were very experimental, and all had their own unique look.

As well as the cocktails looking super crazy, they were also well made and extremely tasty. I went for the For Whom The Bells Bols (which was served in an actual bell, with a side of shortbread), and an Urn Aged Corpse Reviver (which came on a bed of grass with a plastic zombie hand for decoration). My favourite of these two was the bell - it was extremely tangy, and the Golden Syrup which was mixed into the cocktail gave it a sweet twang.

The award for most novel cocktail went to both the Scouts Honour (included a small tin which contained a toffee, a party popper, and a bad joke!), and the Welcome to Kentucky, Have a Nice Day (looked like a take-away noodle box with edible noodles, and straws within the chopstick wrapper!).

Overall, this bar was great fun; it had a great atmosphere, great cocktails, attentive and friendly staff, and I'll definitely be back.

ThymeTip: Want a weird looking cocktail but don't know which to go for? The pictures on the menu are representative of what you'll receive.

Food: N/A

Drink: 9/10

Service: 7/10

Fun-ness: 9/10

7th Mar 2015 - Bar Termini, Soho, London

Approx 3:30pm - 4pm
Bar Termini

7 Old Compton Street, London W1D 5JE

http://www.bar-termini.com 

Bar Termini is an extremely cute little Italian themed bar nestled at one end of Old Compton Street. The bar itself must seat around 20 people, so it is very intimate, and this added to it's already comfortable atmosphere. 

The menu cocktail was focused on their specialities, and wasn't too extensive. Their most popular specialty was the Negroni, so I opted for the Superiore, which is Negroni infused with pink peppercorns. It came in a very sweet, tiny glass, and the peppercorn taste was a great accompaniment to this dry and strong drink - highly recommended! 

We didn't try the coffee, but it smelled wonderful! I'd definitely recommend this place for a quick aperitif with friends on a sunny Saturday afternoon! 

ThymeTip: Best Cocktail: The Negroni Rosato was also a great little drink - infused with rose petals for a more delicate flavour

Food: N/A

Drink: 7/10

Service: 6/10

Fun-ness: 7/10

7th Mar 2015 - Archer Street, Soho, London

Approx 2:30pm - 3pm
Archer Street

3-4 Archer Street, London W1D 7AP

http://archerstreet.co.uk

Archer Street is a very well kept - and lovely smelling - bar within the confines of Soho, and is decorated stylishly and lavishly...

...as the pictures display. What the pictures also display is how quiet it was. At this time on this Saturday, there were more bar staff than customers. This meant that the service was quick and attentive. All of the tables had reserved signs on for later on in the evening, so it must pick up later on.

The cocktail menu was interesting, but a little pricey. I decided to go for the Zacapa Don't Preach, which is strong in taste, and in alcohol! The absinthe mist was more prominent in the smell than the taste. 

Zacapa Don’t Preach Zacapa rum stirred down with cognac, brown sugar syrup and barrel aged bitters, with an absinthe mist Overall, I liked the decor, but at this early time I felt it lacked atmosphere. I'd like to visit again on another day, but maybe book a table for the evening. ThymeTip: Best Cocktail: Coco in Acapulco Food: N/A Drink: 7/10 Service: 7/10 Fun-ness: 6/10

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