Michelin

Food & Drink, Travel

The Sense Experience and Eaté: Uncovering Hidden Gems in Tuscany

By

Tuscany is a part of the world I felt I was familiar with. I’ve walked the cobbled streets of Siena. I’ve jostled through the overbearing crowds of Florence, craning my neck to take in the wonders of Brunelleschi and his kin while keeping half an eye on my belongings. I’ve been herded, like so many wine pilgrims before me, through the vineyards of Chianti Classico.  Yes, Tuscany is a place I felt I knew quite well.  There’s a real joy, especially in my role as an international purveyor of fine food, drink, hospitality and all the rest, in being proven wrong. As I discovered, Southern Tuscany – in particular, in…

Food & Drink

Galvin La Chapelle

By

My visit to Galvin La Chapelle coincided with the first proper rainy day of the summer. My partner and I rejoiced at how wonderful it was—how we would soon see the restoration of the green and pleasant land of England—and celebrated by spending the day in bed watching the extended The Return of the King, whilst said partner, a historical architecture fanatic, remarked on the relative merits of fortifications and roof structures. It was rather fitting therefore, that upon leaving our hobbit hole we were dining in the Grade II listed St. Botolph’s Hall, now Galvin La Chapelle. Constructed in 1890, the building is late-Victorian architecture at its reminiscent best;…

Food & Drink

Tokimeite, W1S

By

The chance to dine with a globally-celebrated chef who holds seven Michelin stars was certainly not one that The Review could turn down. On learning the evening would be partnered by Suntory whiskey, we were even more intrigued. A whole meal accompanied by spirits? Could it be achieved, and how so? Having previously eaten fugu, the famed poisoned blowfish, there is always trepidation when approaching a Japanese cuisine. The best chefs can prepare the delicacy with just enough poison retained to numb or tingle the lips. I needn’t have worried, as my destination lay in Mayfair – and besides, Fugu isn’t allowed to be served in the EU. It was…