Hi…
I have moved The vine to its own domain www.hearditonthevine.co.uk
Join me over there for more adventures 🙂
Just a quick post…
If your looking for the perfect comfort food in london I might have just the thing. Pieminister is the perfect place to get some quick cheap eats on a cold day.
I went to the one at Boxpark and wasn’t disappointed. The pies are yummy.. nice crisp outsides and oozing fillings. I recommend the meal deal with pie, mash peas, cheese, gravy and crispy shallots.
There are plenty of pies to choose from… let me know your favourite one?
Tommi’s burger joint is hidden away on a back road not far from from Oxford street. Somewhere that you kind of have to stumble upon, which is excitably what we did one weekend but we had just eaten and couldn’t fit in any more. So this was a return visit and I am so glad we did!
Tommi’s is the UKs spin off of an icelandic burger chain but the restaurant it’s self has and vintage urban diner feel. The counter is covered in hand written signs on paper bags and the kitchen is directly behind just like a fast food restaurant.
When we first stepped thought the door we had to wait a while but we managed to find a spot along of the small benches to squeeze in to.
Tommi’s offers a very limited menu of burgers (original, steak and veggie) and these complimented by fries and sodas. So if your looking for a huge amount of choice this is not the place for you. Of course you can add cheese and béarnaise sauce (which is amazing) to any of the burgers.
I had a veggie burger and L had a steak burger with cheese and béarnaise. They were both amazing! the bun was the nicest I have ever had and L loved his so much I didn’t even get to snap a photo until he had eaten half. The fries were also yummy; thin and crispy the perfect way to compliment the tender burgers.
Oh and finally one of the things I like the best is that they have a huge range of sauces and condiments which you are free to pick and choose from. ( relish, mustard, burger sauce .. well.. just to many to name)
This place is highly recommended and a nice little retreat from the hustle and bustle of the tourist filled Oxford Street. 
So jen’s Cafe is not at the top of a 60 floor tower or a Michelin stared restaurant in fact it is a little place on a corner in the heart of china town. But let me assure you these are traditional dumplings just like the ones you get in Hong Kong.
You might be forgiven for walking past this little gem, but next time your in china town I beg you to go in and try some dumplings. All authentic even down to the fact you mix your own dumpling dip.
You’ll recognise it by its green exterior and usually there is a woman sitting in the window making the super fresh dumplings.
There is not much more I can say except try it!
I would recommend any of the dumplings and a steaming cup of jasmine tea.
I got a little surprise for my birthday recently, and it was pretty much the best thing ever!
We stopped in a taxi my eyes had to stay closed as I was lead out of the taxi and told to open my eyes I saw the number… 41. I knew instantly where we were and was super excited, you don’t really get to stay in many hotels it the city where you live so it was nice to do just that.
41 is a 5 star hotel on Buckingham Palace, and boasts unforgettable luxury and one-of-a-kind character and it most definitely doesn’t disappoint.
We arrived and were greeted by reception and then taken upstairs to check-in in the executive lounge. We sipped champagne as we checked in and then we were taken to our room. To our delight we had been up graded to the conservatory master suite which had two levels and a huge open glass roof across the entire ceiling.
We settled in, drank another bottle of champagne and explored the room before heading out for dinner. On our return the room had been “turned down” and a happy birthday cake had been left for me on the dinning table.
Later on we tiptoed down to the executive suit where you can “plunder the pantry” ,which is free snacks and drinks 🙂 We also had some tea which was the perfect thing before we snuck back to our room and fell asleep.
The next day we had a late check out and spent all day in bed watching movies and eating hand deliver Mc Donald’s and room service. We even had magazines delivered to the room perfect for a relaxed day in bed.
All of the team at the hotel we lovely and couldn’t do enough to help.
We left the hotel feeling super relaxed.. if only we could have stayed another night.
P.S there was a little teddy named huggie on our bed when we arrived and we couldn’t help but adopt him and take him home to live at our lovely little flat.
Huggie
Happy birthday Cake
Reception
The roof of the executive lounge
I love afternoon tea, I always feel super British as I sip my tea and nibble on my finger sandwiches. So am always on the look out for the next best afternoon tea.
When I heard about the Reform Social and Grill at The Mandville, it was one that looked like it was worth a try.
They offer a traditional afternoon tea as well as a gentleman’s afternoon tea, perfect for me and the boy. Both afternoon teas came with a cocktail and the gentleman’s afternoon tea comes with a hearty savoury selection – pork pie, mini burger and steak and snail sandwich.
So first things first… the food (in the most part) was lovely. The scones were amazing and the cakes.. although stacked a little messily were all yummy. L enjoyed his manly savouries and my sandwiches tasted amazing, but they had gone a little hard as if they had been cut and sat out for a little while.
The cocktails were also good although mine was enjoyed by L because he liked mine better than his.
We also added Champagne and when it arrived we were told it was unlimited.. which is a little odd, but once we tasted it we knew why. YACK.. worst champagne ever.
So all in all it was ok but I don’t think it would be an afternoon tea I would recommend.
Any good afternoon tea’s you think I should try?
The Botanist at No.7 Sloane Square is a lovely place to have a relaxed breakfast. It is laid back and quite .. and the perfect spot to watch the world go by.
This place just oozes chic, cream finishing and dark wood make for an up class yet relaxed feel and the feature wall at the end of the dinning room is a must see. (sorry no photo) The menus are so cute they are covered in 18th-century botanical drawings and really do look amazing.
I had (my favourite) french toast and it was delicious, thick cut bread with a crispy out side and a light centre covered in maple syrup and berries.. Yummy and the boy had eggs royal which must have tasted amazing by the speed in which it disappeared.
We did drive past later on in the evening and it was full to the brim so I can only presume drinks and dinner are just as good 🙂
Oh P.S you must try the “made in chelsea” smoothie, a bit cliche but a must with breakfast.
Peggy Porschen is a little bespoke cake company London, with the cutest shop I have ever scene. The perfect place for a little bit of afternoon tea, well a cupcake and pot of tea.
We stopped off here on a sunny Saturday afternoon so it was pretty full out side but we sat inside on the large shabby chic table, which I kind of liked better as I think my cupcake may have melted in the blistering heat.
I had a lemon chiffon cupcake, a floral rose tea and a pink lemonade.. and everything was Yummy!
Well recommend for a spot of tea and cake and they do custom made cakes but make sure you book an appointment. 🙂
Just a few snaps from afternoon tea at Harvey Nichols…
Well recommend and for those summer days it’s lovely to stop and cool off.
Recently we too the Loli-POP! Friday lates at the V&A. This was an evening inspired by the Lolita sub culture, the unique street style that combines Japan’s obsessions with cuteness, punk and Gothic macabre.
There was plenty today from photo booths, nails, lectures, a wig bar, DJs right throughout to japanese inspired food.
It was great fun (if a little full) and seeing all of the people attending was a sight in it’s self dressed from Sweet Lolita to Gotic Lolita. We spent most of our time admiring dresses and wandering around the photo trail.
We attended a Q&A: Japanese Fashion Subcultures and also watched a film created by Francesco ‘Telegothika’ Calvano, all very educational but still with a fun edge.
..and of course I wasn’t one to miss out on a yummy japanese inspired cupcake.
The atmosphere was amazing and the activities were great my only comment is I wish it would have lasted longer so i could have had a go at everything.
Can’t wait for my next Friday Late… Anyone been to any others?
The Vine 
