Miller & Carter - 'Experts in Steak' are cooking up a storm

With social networks awash with positivity about Miller & Carter Steakhouse, I felt the time was right to see what all the hype was about.

The Brookmans Park site has been open just over four weeks when my partner I decided to pay a visit. We booked for a Saturday night, to get a real feel for the atmosphere of the place.

We were greeted at the front desk by the general manager, Derrick Fiddes, and promptly shown to our table, despite it being a hive of activity.

The sizeable chicken wings starter

Our server for the evening was Claire, our first impressions being that she was warm and friendly, while also being passionate about her job and all that Miller & Carter stand for.

For my first drink, I chose the Pilsner Urquell, appealing as it is rare to find on draft in restaurants and pubs in the UK. It was crisp, refreshing and importantly, served chilled in Pilsner Urquell-branded glass (a bug bearer when beer is served in inappropriate sized/styled glass). 

The food menu threw up no surprises - different meat dishes all sounding equally appealing. For starter we decided to share the Chargrilled Chicken Wings (in the knowledge that we had a sizeable main of meat to come), served in a Chipotle glaze. We were told that these 'weren't your normal wings', and so this proved.

The fillet steak was cooked perfectly and supplemented well

The ribeye was recommended ahead of my visit, and I wasn't disappointed

Four bumper-size chicken wings arrived, supplemented with a creamy and cooling blue cheese dip.
The glaze made the skin just as edible as the juicy, slide-off-the-bone chicken.

When selecting our main courses, I wanted some inspiration, and believed our server Claire would be able to provide that. Listening to her favourites from the menu, as well as advice as to how to have the steak cooked and what to have as a side led me into selecting the 12oz Ribeye, cooked medium with a peppercorn sauce.

My dining partner plumped for the 8oz Fillet with a bordelaise sauce, and after Claire's advice, deviated away from medium to go for medium-rare. We also decided to sample a half-rick of ribs, promised by Claire that they would be the perfect accompaniment.

The Rioja was a perfect accompaniment to my steak

A quirk of Miller & Carter is that you also select you 'lettuce wedge' which will be delivered prior to the steak. I went for the wedge served with bacon and honey mustard, my partner chose the blue cheese and Stilton option.

As with any review, it's important to be brutally honest. I would say that a negative review makes much better reading.

Sadly there are no negatives here. Both our steaks were perfectly cooked, served with a generous helping of seasoned fries and Miller & Carter's renowned onion loaf.

The ribeye was flawless - the fat cooked off and invigorating the meat which was juicy and tender with a very unique after-taste. The fillet was smooth to cut through and easy to chew through. What impressed me was not only the flavour of the meat before any of the side-sauces were added, but the lack of those 'gritty bits' that have to be pulled out in secret and into a tissue.

And let's not forget about the half rack of ribs! It is the first time I have not felt as though it was a battle, me against the rib, a fight till the death (or at least until I had shaved the bones of all the meat).

My partner rushed in at this before I took the picture!

The meat literally slid off the bone with one fell swoop of my knife. And similar to the chicken wings, there was more meat than bone, cooked in a tingly barbecue sauce.

The thought of being too full was lost on me, as I carved my way through this meat feast. Supplemented with a small glass of Rioja, oaky and vanilla in taste, it was a good night.

Sadly dessert was out of the equation for me as I had most certainly had my fill.

I say out of the equation, but maybe the delicious After Eight-Thirty cocktail I finished off with 'could' be classed as dessert.

My partner was feeling braver, and her selection of the vanilla  Beechdean Farmhouse Dairy Ice Cream and Cookie was a good one - I admit I squeezed in a spoonful and it was rich and creamy and generous in portion.

I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. And now I know why. The interior of the restaurant is welcoming, lively, and atmospheric, with a happy buzz prevalent in customers as well as in staff.

My 'dessert' After Eight-Thirty cocktail

The Brookmans Park site is vast catering for different group-sizes as well as offering a 'private' room for those who want a more personal experience (call general manager Derek Fiddes for more information, 01707 647429).

The food is evidently 'cared for' at every stage of the process - from the preparation, to the cooking to the serving, and this feeling of 'pride' is similarly displayed by the members of staff.

All this added together made us, as the customer, feel cared for, and left us reflecting on all the positives from our first ever visit to a restaurant who label themselves as 'experts in steak' - and I'm not disagreeing.

Scores on the doors (out of 10)

Setting -9
Service -9
Quality of food -10
Cleanliness and decor -9

Total score  - 37/40

To view the Miller & Carter menu, click here

To make a booking at Miller & Carter Brookmans Park, click here

Celebrate everything Spanish - in London!

The market is sure to be a continental affair

As ever with English weather, there's no guarantee of a warm and sunny Bank Holiday weekend.

However there is a promise of one Mediterranean delight that is scheduled to hit London over the long weekend of May 3-6.

The UK’s favourite Spanish wine brand, Campo Viejo is bringing the vibrancy, life and colours of Spain to London’s Southbank Centre with its ‘Streets of Spain’ festival – a four day celebration of modern Spanish food, wine, art and culture unlike anything London has experienced before. 

Running from May 3-6, 10.30am to 7:00pm, the festival promises to bring the bustling energy and tastes of Spain to London by welcoming market stall owners from Barcelona’s world-famous La Boqueria food market to the UK for the first time ever.

Bringing fresh produce and tapas direct from Spain, the event will be the first time people will be able to buy the famous offerings here in London. The festival also impresses with a myriad of authentic Spanish experiences, such as wine tastings straight from the Campo Viejo cellar door hosted by winemakers; art demonstrations by famed street artists Okuda and Remed; films as showcased at the Spanish Film Festival; and authentic Spanish tapas prepared by La Boqueria chefs.

There is bound to be a high-class selection of Spanish meats on offer

Following the daily bustle of the market, the Streets of Spain will transform each evening into an exclusive pop-up restaurant hosted by Michelin-starred Spanish chef, Angel Pascual. The Campo Viejo pop-up experience will offer food and wine-lovers a world-class Spanish menu designed by Pascual, matched with wines from the UK’s favourite Spanish wine brand, Campo Viejo.

The Campo Viejo Streets of Spain festival offers the following colourful Spanish experiences:

Masterclasses:

• Blend your Own Wine: Attendees will have the chance to become a winemaker for an hour.  Our winemakers will explain the fundamentals of a great tasting Rioja, demonstrate what this could look like and then our fledgling winemakers will be able to try it for themselves. The ingredients will include young and aged samples, the key grape varieties and regions of Rioja. Their final blend will then be blended by the winemakers and bottled for them to collect and take home at the end of the day with their own personalised label. Places are very limited.

• Introduction of Spanish Wine: Winemakers will offer information on the Rioja region, Spanish grape varieties and styles, as well as wine busting a few myths and answering all those questions you have always wanted to ask. Attendees will have an opportunity to taste the full Campo Viejo range of red wines including Tempranillo, Reserva, Gran Reserva and its super-premium Dominio de Campo Viejo, together with two Campo Viejo Cavas.

Take home some tips from Spain's famous chefs

• Taste Experience – Looking at how taste influences wine perception: This will be a guide to discovering the effects of basic tastes – acid, sweet, salty, bitter and umami – on tasting different wines using two popular Campo Viejo products; Tempranillo and Gran Reserva. Lucky attendees will be treated to some unusual, controversial but sensational food and wine combinations: red wine and desserts or fish anybody? This session will make you think completely differently about food and wine matching and open your eyes up to the wealth of possibilities.

• Advanced Spanish Wine Masterclass: Campo Viejo Winemakers will host a Tempranillo masterclass, which as the name suggests will immerse attendees into the delights of the noble grape variety of Rioja. Tutored by our experts, attendees will compare wines from different sub-regions of Rioja – including Rioja Baja, Rioja Alta and Rioja Alavesa – showcasing the diversity and richness of both Rioja and Tempranillo. There will also be an opportunity to try our new vintage; Campo Viejo Tempranillo 2011. Additionally attendees will be able to taste the other Riojan varieties (Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano) and understand the differences between wines aged in French and American oak.

• Spanish breakfasts served daily from 10.45am

Live art experiences:

•  Campo Viejo will partner with two famous artists, Okuda and Remed, at the Streets of Spain event

• They will be creating a live piece of art outside the Southbank Centre inspired by the Campo Viejo brand, and will bring Spanish colour and vibrancy to the Festival Village with a number of 3D installations that will be on display throughout the weekend

Michelin star pop-up restaurant each evening from 7pm to 10:30pm.  To reserve a table, visit the Campo Viejo Facebook page.

•  Five course food and wine match menu for £65 per person

Cinema viewings of celebrated films previewed at the Spanish Film Festival

For more information and to book masterclasses and a table at the pop-up restaurant, visit www.streetsofspain.com where you will find the Streets of Spain tab on the Campo Viejo Facebook page. Also see Twitter at #streetsofspain for more information.

So I shall be keeping my fingers crossed for some decent weather come the Bank Holiday weekend, in the hope that I can experience my own little Spanish summer in the capital. 

Dinner dilemma? Dine in for a tenner!

M&S food is a bit of a treat, really.  We've been having a laugh their 'food porn' TV ads for a couple of years now but, let's face it, they have the goods to back it up. When I was a student I was once given M&S vouchers for Christmas so that when the post-Christmas-impoverished-student blues kicked in come January, I could cheer myself up with something more desirable than beans on toast.  And though my university days are tragically behind me, M&S food is still something a bit special, something to swoon over.

But it doesn't often come particularly cheap which is why, in my mind, their (now much copied) 'dine in for £10' offer is GENIUS.  A yummy main, side dish, irresistible dessert and a bottle of wine for a tenner?  Amazing.

The expert choices made for our 'dine in for £10'

My partner went off to make the choices and came back with beef and smoked bacon meatballs (with a lentil ragu, cherry tomatoes, roasted red onions and cheddar cheese), accompanied by rosemary potatoes and a bottle of Merlot.

The meatballs were rich and warming, and the crispy potatoes were the perfect, tasty hit of carbs we all appreciate in the winter.  There was a bit of a drama when I went to start cooking and noticed that the two dishes required oven temperatures that differed by 50 degrees(!!!) but don't worry guys, I made it work!  The glass of red on the side was just right for the cold January night, and gorgeously smooth.

While it is difficult to match up on presentation compared to a meal out - the taste more than made up for that

 

I was pretty pleased with the decadent dessert that was chosen; salted caramel billionaire's dessert, with a base of chocolate crumb, salted caramel sauce, treacle mousse and a layer of Belgian chocolate ganache.  Desserts really are my weak point and M&S offer an impressively tempting selection.  At 390 cals this may have to be a once-in-a-while treat for some of us, particularly this time of year, but I cannot recommend it highly enough - rich, sweet and indulgent, it was the perfect way to round off the meal.

My one and only criticism of this offer is that, depending on what you choose, you may find that you want to add an extra side dish, which obviously bumps up the cost a little.  In this case, some salad or a few veg would've been great, and might have made us feel a little more virtuous!  But M&S have some great examples of extra side dishes so you won't have to look far.

There is such an impressive choice on offer that there really is something for everyone, and in these tough times eating out isn't really an option for all of us, so this provides a fantastic substitute that you can enjoy in comfort at home.  So go on, head to M&S and treat your partner (and yourself) this weekend - it's only a tenner and I guarantee it will get you some brownie points!

The desserts were rich and indulgent

For more information on M&S food, or to order in your dinner delight, click here.

Guest blogger  -AB

Yes, I ate the cute bunny rabbit!

It's fair to say, if you're taking a trip to Shoreditch, London, to seek a nice meal out, you're spoilt for choice.

So in that respect, my review of Lena Restaurant at 66 Great Eastern Street, left me wondering what this establishment could offer me ahead of other, rival restaurants.

In short, outstanding service, a warm and cosy feel, and delicious and varied food made my journey to the classy Italian eatery a worthwhile experience.

Unfortunately the weather didn't help with the scene shot

My visit saw me Tweeting a live restaurant review for the first time; I plan to use this means of social networking for future reviews and have received very positive feeback from it so far (follow me on reviews_live).

Head Chef, Pierre Caruana, 'will be making some exciting changes in the kitchen' we are told, so in my mind at least, the pressure was there!

First impressions of a fairly plain and demure outside are forgotten immediately on entering the porch area to be greeted by a friendly smile, and a sneak peek at an upmarket interior, with excellent lighting and a spacious dining area.

The salmon starter

On being escorted to our table, we were asked whether we wanted to hand our coats to the cloakroom - quite a rare occurence these days in central London unless you raise the topic yourself!

I decided on an antipasti to whet the appetite, the parma ham (cured for 24 months) seemed like an excellent choice - and it didn't disappoint.

Meaty parcels of one of Italy's popular imports set us perfectly for the starter.



I chose the home-cured Scottish salmon - watercress, sunblushed tomato & quail egg salad, ink mustard dressing, my partner opted for the sliced Parma ham - fresh fig, melon & passionfruit essence (obviously the antipasti went down a treat)!

I believe a food review should be critical where necessary, honest in substance, and genuine. Sadly to disappoint you from this point - there are very few negatives to come.

The salmon was fresh and lively, perfectly complemented by a juicy and appropiately crunchy salad. The quail's eggs were a nice touch, with your usual hen's eggs perhaps deemed too dominating for the size of the starter.

The Parma ham starter

The Parma ham, I was told, was very much the same as the antipasti, but more of it. A fair reflection!

For the main, I decided to be, what I thought, was brave, and I plumped for the braised Tuscan rabbit served with chargrilled baby vegetables, alongside a portion of roasted new potatoes, rosemary and garlic.

I had no preconceptions of rabbit, as it was the first time I had tried it - and this was perhaps for the best. Simply I can describe it as similar to chicken, yet much juicier and much tastier. Being more descriptive, the meat slid off the bone without falling apart on the fork and on the palate there was a desire to add to this taste sensation. The vegetables were cooked to perfection, crunchy with all the natural flavours intact and the potatoes were nicely seasoned without taking away from the earthy texture.

My partner went for the speck & pecorino wrapped chicken breast with zucchini, lemon-cream and jus. As I reached in with my fork for a 'test' I was told that I would enjoy it. And I did. Although it must be said, wherever I see chicken on a menu, I tend to swerve it and be more adventurous. However, certainly no complaints here; the chicken was thick and perfectly cooked.

The rabbit main course

The chicken main course

The only semi-criticism I might have on the mains, is that perhaps the rabbit was covered with a bit too much sauce (make your own mind up from the pictures). However, if like me you see extra sauce as advantageous for dipping the sides in, then reject this immediately!

Suitably mixed with a bottle of NV Borgo Sanleo Bianco, a fruity but dry white wine, the decision to take on a dessert was a tough one.

But we did - and decided to share a Torta Caprese - rich chocolate & almond torte, Amareto ice-cream.

The chocolate torte dessert

Now I'll be honest - of the various courses of a meal, dessert is my least favourite, however eating this Lena classic may lead me to re-evaluate that.

A large slice of 'torte' with a still-solid portion of natural ice cream rounded off the meal perfectly.

I would like to point out the superb service given to us by Gabriel - he was always on the lookout should we have any questions or requests, without being too over the top. Service with a smile, and a genuine care for his customers made our seating relaxing and pleasant

Lena Shoreditch has certainly made a superb appointment in new head chef Pierre Caruana - his experience having worked in The Eight Club in the City of London, as well as time spent in kitchens in Southern Italy give Lena a real authentic feel, with no corners cut on quality or presentation. Complimenti!!

I would very much recommend a trip to Lena Restaurant; competitive pricing, first class service and a varied and extensive menu make a visit there a must.

Scores on the doors

Setting - 8
Service - 10
Quality of food - 9
Cleanliness - 10

Total - 37/40

Click here for more information on Lena Restaurant and to book your meal there

All aboard for some tapas on The Thames!

It may well be 'the party boat rocking The Thames,' but my recent trip to Bar&Co was less to sample the nightlife and all about checking out their tapas menu.
Moored at Temple Pier, and running as a fully licensed bar, restaurant and nightclub, the venue really does appear as though it can cater for any kind of party.

Only five minutes from Holborn and right outside Temple Station in this unique location with views to the London Eye, Big Ben and Oxo Tower, after a couple of beers to whet my appetite beforehand, I was ready to experience some fine Spanish cuisine.


Idyllic setting makes Bar&Co a great choice for a meal or a party on the Thames

And I was not disappointed. My partner and I shared five tapas from the varied menu, and choose to accompany it with a bottle of the house red (I can never remember whether it's beer BEFORE or AFTER wine leaves you feeling fine).

For a Sunday night it was, perhaps as expected, very quiet. However, this is all the more reason if you are there for some great food and not a party night, to take advantage of the quieter nights. Service was attentive and efficient, prices were reasonable, and the setting was unique and relaxing.


The tasty croquetas de setas

The croquetas de setas (Mushroom croquettes) were sizeable for two, and came with a fresh and juicy salad, a perfect mix. The texture of the potato was smooth, and the mushroom flavour added to it perfectly.

The chorizo a la sidre (chorizos cooked in a cider sauce) was my first choice from the menu (and it wasn't just to add another alcohol source to my evening). It was just what I hope for - juicy sausage with sweet sauce that didn't last long in the dish! One of my pet hates about chorizo is a piece that has more fat than meat; safe to say this pet hate was left on the dock!

If chorizo was my first choice, then the albondigas en salsa (meatballs in tomato sauce) ran them close. This was reflected in the tasting - big, juicy balls bursting with enthusiasm and delight. Creamed in a tasty and slightly spicy tomato sauce, they went down a treat.

By the this point, the wine had already run low, but we decided not to drown our paletes in red and try and save our tastebuds for the rest of our tapas buffet.

The patatas fritas a la brava (fried potato in a tomato sauce) may seem like a standard choice, but we were deligted, not least with the size of the dish, as well as the crispyness of the little beauties.

The meatballs are served with a generous helping of sauce

Our final dish was the plato de jamon serrano (Spanish ham platter) that came recommended. It was a nice, cold alternative and afforded a little breathing space compared to the filling other dishes.

Prices on the tapas menu range from £2 to £10 (bread is £1.50), and I would advise you to take advantage of the knowledge of your waiter/waitress who can help make your decision as easy as possible.

The lighting is superbly suited for either an intimate meal with a partner, or a calm and relaxed evening with friends. The gentle bobbing of the boat is evident as you look towards the portholes, yet when seated it is barely noticeable. All in all we had no complaints on leaving Bar&Co, and complemented the servers as well as the chef on our exit. 

The stroll back along Temple pier, suitably filled up on scrumptious Spanish fare, was a perfect way to end the evening.
I am now looking forward to my invite to investigate the party element of Bar&Co!!

The view across the Thames is dazzling

Bar&Co



















Scores on the doors (out of 10)

Setting - 9
Service - 8
Quality of food - 8
Cleanliness - 8

Total - 33/40


Click here for more information on Bar&Co and to book your meal or night out there.

Click here for a Tube map to plan your journey.