Food and Drink

Review of 10 Immersive Dining Experiences in London in 2023

But what qualifies as an immersive dining experience, you might ask? Well, an immersive dining experience is one that quite simply engages all your senses. Thus while great food is obviously a prerequisite, it must offer a lot more, such as a great ambience, cultural experience, an engaging soundscape, live performances, art, narratives. In short, anything that makes even the sybarite in you sit up and take notice.

Our lifestyle expert reviews The Xara Palace, Relais &...

Mdina (pronounced ehm-dee-nuh) is also known as The Silent City, and we experienced this first-hand. We walked through the Vilhena gate that leads into the fortified city, amidst the crowds of tourists who are queueing to see the city dungeons and the horse-drawn carriages with drivers shouting out offers for a ride. Once night time falls, all the noise and activity melts away to reveal an almost eerie, mystical ambience within the air as the whole place goes quiet. Built like a traditional Arabic medina, our footsteps echo as we make our way down the labyrinth of interconnected paths until we reach a towering stone palazzo. The Xara Palace is a 17th century five-star Relais & Châteaux property—the only hotel inside the walls of the Mdina—and the former home of a noble family. A sign at the entrance reads: “The Maltese nobility assembles within the walls of this ancient palazzo in order to elect its committee of privileges.” The baroque building stands proudly at the end of a small slope, just a short walk from the main gates. Upon entering the hotel doors, we’re welcomed with a glass of bubbly and invited to take a seat in the lounge. From the ornate church doors towering over us at the end of the hallway to the exquisite furniture full of dark wood and brick reds, there’s an air of sophistication that oozes from every nook and cranny of the palace.

The Very Best of Thailand

Phuket is the largest island in Thailand, and its name is derived from the Malay word bukit, meaning hill, given its mountainous terrain. Situated 7.5 degrees north of the Equator, Phuket has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and it is also widely credited as the Asian birthplace of the contemporary pool villa. The most spectacular view in all of Phuket is that of the limestone karsts of the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Phang Nga Bay, from the picturesque COMO Point Yamu hotel. Situated atop Cape Yamu, on a tropical peninsula on Phuket’s east coast, the hotel is caressed by the cerulean waters of the Andaman Sea, overlooking the geological marvel. Filled with islets, sunken caverns and rock formations rising out of the sea, the Phang Nga Bay kisses wafting cotton clouds and pierces the landscape with its wondrous beauty.

A Trip to The Lalee, Chelsea’s History-Rich Cafe-Restaurant

The Lalee, an all-day neighbourhood cafe-restaurant within the historic Cadogan, a Belmond Hotel, is truly a treat for the senses. Sitting within the heart of London’s Chelsea, the venue is perfect for both casual dips from the bustle of Sloane Square and long, leisurely, meals by the fireplace. “The LaLee will take guests on a culinary journey to the grand cities of Europe, inspired by the voyages of one of the hotel’s most legendary past residents, and Chelsea socialite, Lillie Langtry,” says Xavier Lablaude, General Manager of The Cadogan. The Lalee “Marks a new era for The Cadogan, with Lillie’s love of entertaining at the forefront and dishes served in true sophisticated Cadogan style with a touch of tableside theatre," he continues. "Lillie Langtry would entertain the brightest stars of society, including the Prince of Wales, at 21 Pont Street – her elegant townhouse that became part of The Cadogan.”

Our Lifestyle Expert reviews The Laundry's Brunch Menu

I am horrible at directions. I think about this every time my eyes are glued to my phone as I follow the route CityMapper has planned for me, despite the fact that I might be going somewhere I’ve been a million times before. Because of this, I don’t even notice important buildings or familiar signs that may make my next journey easier—but restaurants, now those are my landmarks. My husband always says I navigate London through food—if you ask me how to get somewhere, my directions will sound a little something like this: “Turn onto Great Eastern Street and keep Shoryu on your left-hand side, walk towards Pachamama East and right before you get there, you’ll want to cross the road to get to Gloria which will be on the corner on your right.” Thank you, come again.

Featuring Your Guide to Luxury Christmas Hampers

Review of Our Lifestyle Expert reviews Oklava's evening set menu

I remember a time when restaurants were finally allowed to reopen after the pandemic, and everyone I knew was scrambling to get a reservation at their favourite place. Then came the post-pandemic peak in dining out, with groups wanting to catch up with each other after months in isolation, resulting in having to book weeks or months in advance for the city’s top spots. And now we’re seeing another shift in dining habits — the cost of living crisis coupled by the huge struggles restaurateurs face in hiring talent has given birth to the newest trend we’re seeing across the capital: set menus. This autumn, I visited Oklava, the Turkish-Cypriot corner restaurant in Shoreditch that I have dined in many a time. Chef Selin Kiazim and co-owner Laura Christie are no strangers to making changes when the going gets tough; they started trialling a set menu for their diners as early as last year in addition to scrapping the controversial service charge that gets added to guests’ bills. For my visit, I was excited to try Oklava’s new evening set menu, which Kiazim created to highlight seasonal ingredients as well as her famous flame-led cooking techniques, whilst ensuring guests leave with an experience that they’ll want to return to time and again.

Sustainable Cocktails at The Churchill

We recently interviewed Gaston Fusco, the new bar manager at The Churchill who, along with his team, have created a new sustainable cocktail menu that highlights environmental issues - each of the cocktails aiming to inspire through innovation and education. The menu features twelve curated drinks centred around ten themes of environmental concern to explore how the bar industry can take steps to be more environmentally friendly. It’s not only the drinks themselves that have been considered but the vessels and garnish, as well as the partnering organisations chosen to support the relevant causes. Perfect for the slightly colder and darker evenings, I recently visited the bar for cocktails & nibbles.

Women Who Launch - Mignon Francois, The Cupcake Collection

“I always thought I was going to be a surgeon. I even went to Xavier University of New Orleans to become a doctor but I just couldn’t apply the science to the human body. 17 years later, it ended up serving me in the kitchen when I started to learn how to bake and create recipes for The Cupcake Collection.” says Mignon Francois, the founder and CEO of The Cupcake Collection (TCC), an award-winning multi-million-dollar business and one of the top bakeries in the United States. Though Francois first turned to baking at a time when she was struggling financially, the entrepreneur has definitely turned things around. Aside from having queues at the door upon launching a new signature flavour, The Cupcake Collection has evolved into a real destination bakery with fans travelling from across the country to their locations in Nashville and New Orleans, to get a taste of what Francois and her team are cooking up next. For those who are unable to make the trek to their two locations, TCC delivers nationwide in the States as well. Menu items are split into cupcakes, cakes, and even pupcakes for pooches with a sweet tooth. Whilst it’s her sweet potato cupcakes that have been the talk of the town, other yummy delights include the sweet lemonade cupcake, the sprinkle surprise birthday cake, and the toddler favourite, the smash cake.

Featuring The Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Cooking a turkey is most certainly a daunting task; naturally inclined to be dry, huge in size and generally quite bland in taste - no one wants to be responsible for roasting the big 'old bird. But fear not, we've created the ultimate thanksgiving turkey recipe that will undoubtedly impress your toughest of critics. So sharpen your knives and get your apron on, because this is about to be a thanksgiving you won't forget!

Featuring The Best Luxury Alcohol Christmas Gift Guide

Enjoying the festivities with family and friends is always made more comforting with a glass of fizz! A bottle of booze makes the perfect Christmas gift if you're struggling on what to get for who. So, skip the cheap stuff and follow this guide as we provide a list of the best spirits and sparkling wines to gift to the ones you love this year.

The Sybarite St Maur, an Exclusive Cocktail Recipe

Here, you'll find the recipes for "The Sybarite St Maur", and some perfect autumnal drinks to treat yourself ahead of Halloween, including "The Vampire Cocktail" and "Daylight Martini."