And the winner is ... GRAPHIC FOODIE

And the winner is ... Graphic Foodie.

I hope you are free this Saturday 12th March, 10am-2pm to redeem your prize of 2 places on the pasta making course!

Please contact me before 7pm today otherwise I will have to reallocate the prize.

Well Done!

Alice in Wonderland ballet at The Royal Opera House

I booked tickets for the Royal Ballet’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ at The Royal Opera House way back in September which was lucky because despite only starting its run this March the entire run sold out last October six months ahead of the performances, too early for the popularity to be explained by the Black Swan phenomenon. So what is it that has made this new ballet such a predetermined hit?

Alice is the first full length work to be created by the Royal Ballet since 1995. Here finally is a piece to rival the Nutcracker’s supremacy, perhaps enough to knock it off the top spot. The mysterious tale is popular with adults and children alike as witnessed by the success of Tim Burton's recent film. It was just a matter of time before it was adapted and staged as a ballet.

This is storytelling at its very best, with no detail of Lewis Carroll’s original book neglected. Christopher Wheeldon is a provocative choreographer who seems to have examined the qualities of the narrative. The magic is all there, magnified even with an exquisite set and breathtaking puppetry. Even with the financial support that Wheeldon was fortunate to receive, the staging presents some seemingly impossible tasks... episodes like the growing and shrinking Alice are achieved miraculously.

Lauren Cuthbertson is a fresh, gracious and inquisitive young Alice. She has the ability to capture real emotion through both her dancing and her cheeky facial expressions; she is utterly engaging throughout. It is a big role to play, she barely leaves the stage, and when she isn’t falling or racing about, her time is spent twisting and twirling. The narrative is slightly altered in this adaptation: though lured down the rabbit hole by the bonkers white rabbit, it is the gardener’s boy (Sergei Polunin) she is keen to pursue, a love interest that is very much a part of the new storyline.

The music, by Joby Talbot, is suitably weird and wonderful; led by a huge percussion section of five bold players, the melodies soar and the rhythms match the dizzying story perfectly. I was sitting directly above the orchestra (high up in the £8 seats!) and could see the power and energy of the conductor Barry Wordsworth, the new score is obviously exciting them as much as it is being gratefully received by us. The music is at times very filmic but nonetheless very danceable and appropriate for Lewis Carroll.

I have played an evil red Queen in my time as a performer and can say she is a fabulously fun villain to be; fierce Zenaida Yanowsky triumphs as the Queen of Hearts relishing every ounce of nastiness much to the delight of the audience. She arrives in a red heart chariot, eyes glaring and finger pointing at anyone who dares look her way. The carriage later opens to reveal the poor tired King kneeling at her feet, kicked about by her dangerously pointed shoes. I have never heard the Royal Opera House roar with laughter like it did while Yanowsky frolicked about on stage, long gone are the pretty ballerinas.

The mad hatter, played here by a very talented Steven McRae, is meant to be a rambling chatterbox – a character that is difficult to convey in speechless ballet. Wheeldon replaces chatter with tap dancing, his marvellously frenzied footwork contrasts with the classically dancing Alice. The magnificent costumes leave little to the imagination, no expense is spared, everyone looks outrageous. I particularly loved the little kids rolling about in spiky outfits as the hedgehogs and the pink clad girls delicately hopping on one leg, mimicking flamingos.

I found the first act a little long, and was ready for the interval when it came. The second half moves more quickly, with awe inspiring dances, one after another. The choreography here is not as complex or virtuosic as it might be but amazes because it is beautiful and full of panache.

Long live Weeldon’s Alice, I predict it will be an immortal classic, a success that the Royal Ballet has been craving for a while. It is criminal that there are only six performances.

See more on the Royal Opera House website here.

Les Deux Salons Restaurant

Les Deux Salons is part of the same family of restaurants as Arbutus and Wild Honey (both awarded with Michelin stars). This restaurant has a more relaxed feel though with a menu that isn’t as rich and daring as the choices I saw at Arbutus.

I received an email a few mornings ago advertising their £15.50 pre-theatre three course menu - surprised at the value I phoned up and booked immediately. To be found just round the corner from the Colliseum, the location is ideal for a visit before a show, just a short walk from Shaftesbury Avenue and the rest of London’s West End. Les Deux Salons opened quite recently and calls itself a French Brasserie, traditional and spacious with an amazing mosaic floor. The interior struck me at once as being very French, very similar design and decor to Chartier, the extra cheap canteen eatery I fell in love with while visiting Paris last year.

The a la carte menu is detailed and varied with a great deal of choice, I even spotted a cheeseburger on there. With main courses costing £15 - £25 we decided the set menu was definitely the most sensible use of our money.

SET MENU

Farmhouse Country Terrine
Vegetable Minestrone
--
Cornish Mullet, Smoked Eel Risotto
Italian Sausages, Puy Lentils, Seasonal Vegetables
--
Blackberry & Vanilla Cheesecake Renverse
Cheese

3 courses £15.50

After feasting on so many successful set menus recently, I had high hopes for Les Deux Salons. From the first glance you can see this menu is simple with no fuss – food for the everyman. Aside from the very crusty bread brought to our table, my choices (minestrone and then sausages) were served with no carbohydrates, making the meal light but wholesome.

The food had good flavour, and used ingredients that were fresh and in season; however I felt disappointed that it wasn’t more special, this I realise is the difference between an establishment with star quality and a place that is quite simply a good restaurant, if that makes sense. I guess for such a bargain price you can’t expect caviar.

The dessert was divine and I polished off every last crumb. With all the components of a cheesecake, but in reverse; cream cheese mousse on the bottom, a fruity compote and crumbled biscuit on top, it worked really well.

Three course meal for two for well under £35 all inclusive. Excellent value set menu, but you can tell that it is the cheaper option, if I go again I’ll be trying the a la carte.

Visit the website and book here.

The Heretic at The Royal Court

The Royal Court is fast becoming my favourite London theatre. The productions here seem to have a style that is strangely magnetic. Conveniently located next door to Sloane Square tube station, it couldn't be easier. I went last weekend to see the Saturday matinee of ‘The Heretic’, the much talked about play by Richard Bean. I purchased £8 ‘under 26’ balcony tickets from the few remaining the day before, snatching an absolute bargain.

When we arrived on the grey afternoon the box office was chaos, with several poor stewards desperately trying to deal with an epic ticket error – many of the seats bought on ‘Last Minute’ had been booked twice, making double the amount of punters to seats. Luckily I booked my tickets on the theatre website so waltzed right through the angry crowds to the busy bar area.

The Heretic deals with the topic of climate change, much like the National’s Greenland, and touches on many of the issues thrashed out in ‘Earthquakes of London’. But unlike the other plays, The Heretic has a more optimistic feel due to the female protagonistic, Dr Diane Cassell (Juliet Stevenson). I enjoyed seeing a play on this delicate subject that argues both sides of the debate convincingly rather than a depressing doom and gloom piece about the inevitable and imminent bitter end of our planet.

Dr Cassell is a leading Earth Sciences lecturer at a Yorkshire University, researching rising sea levels in the Maldives. She is a climate change sceptic preaching to those who will listen about her conclusive results that the sea level is not rising. Her listener turns out to be a lonely but passionate 19 year old student Ben, he admires her studies but is especially interested in her anorexic, manic Greenpeace-obsessed daughter, Phoebe. Cassell’s views inevitably land her in trouble, with death threats and the loss of her job thanks to adversarial colleague and ex-lover, Professor Kevin Maloney.

I found the play thoroughly entertaining though the focus seems to disappear in the second half. Stevenson as the heroine is firmly convincing throughout, commanding the stage with a poignant realism. James Fleet brings another dimension to the cast as Faculty leader Maloney. I felt completely at ease watching him and he makes a serious subject gut-achingly funny.

I admired Johnny Flynn from afar at Hop Farm Festival last summer where he sang with his talented band. He has a delicate yet rich voice, and is a fantastic multi instrumentalist, little did I know he could act so spectacularly too. The young droopy haired lad speaks almost entirely in an upbeat rap style, his crafty innuendo is hysterical. He captures the awkward demeanour of his character perfectly, like the part had been written for him.

The Heretic is on at the Royal Court until 19th March. A clever and witty play, I absolutely loved it.

Book here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 41

The days of natural fibres are long, long gone... and the highstreet stores are cashing in on cheaper, more versatile materials – goodbye cotton and silk, hello nylon and viscose. And as prices continue to rise, quality takes a tumble. I can’t stand wearing clothes made from synthetic materials, I find them itchy, hot and sticky and aesthetically incomparable to the real thing. Washing-wise they are usually easier, but are prone to shrinking and changing shape, leading to disappointment.

It breaks my heart to see so many tacky materials filling the rails in popular stores like Topshop and French Connection, and while others may continue to waste money on their unnatural garments I refuse to. Okay, rant over. While browsing for shoes in Topshop the other day I came across a gypsy yellow silk shirt, made from, believe it or not... real silk! Faded and delicate, with sweet tassle detailing - I instantly adored it.

Overjoyed with my unique find I rushed to the nearest mirror to try on the beauty (see picture above). I sampled different sizes but decided the largest 14 would suit my needs best: I could wear the shirt as a loose summer top, perhaps over a bikini or with denim shorts. Assuming it would fall within the usual £30-40 price range, I took the shirt to the till, ready to forgive Topshop for all its viscose sins.

“That will be £70 please, would you like a bag?” Horrified I turned away, I just couldn’t justify spending £70 on a shirt in Topshop, no matter how pretty and soft. So that’s where the dream ended, and I left Topshop empty handed. Weeks later I am still dreaming about that pretty shirt, impressed that Topshop have at least one naturally made garment. Not worth the price, but a beautiful top if you do feel like splashing out on a highstreet treasure.

Buy here.

Million Dollar Quartet at The Noel Coward Theatre

Shows are getting shorter, often without an interval. This is something I’ve noticed when visiting the theatre recently to see performances that frequently last less than two hours. I am often grateful – I easily exhaust watching plays every night.

You may have seen the bright Million Dollar Quartet sign near Leicester Square, it has been up for some time. The musical celebrates the night that four of the greatest rock’n’roll legends came together: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins under the guidance of Sam Phillips, record producer at Sun Records. On this night in 1956 the four have an epic jam session and make music history.

This show is lots of fun, and the score will delight visitors of all ages. The production is less a musical than a tribute act, with four very talented impersonators. There is little narrative, so if you need the loo halfway through the most you’re going to miss is a favourite Elvis number. While watching, I found many parallels with Woody Sez, the show on just round the corner showcasing folk artist Woody Guthrie’s life and music. There are also numerous similarities with great box office success ‘Jersey Boys’, even noticeable in the staging that favours dramatic static poses and strong silhouettes.

Of the four performers Ben Goddard sparkles brightest, playing the cheeky Jerry Lee Lewis, he has a magnetic spirit and an irresistible charm. He is an exceptional pianist and has a voice that is full of fire. Goddard energises the score matching the original Jerry Lee’s star quality. Robert Britton Lyons has a tricky task playing the less famous musician Carl Perkins, luckily his supreme guitar skills make up for the slightly bland characterisation. Both Derek Hagen (Johnny Cash) and Michael Malarkey (Elvis Presley) fulfil the brief as their respective legends, it is a pleasure to listen to their renditions of some classic numbers and they seem to love being up there. There is secure back-up too from Francesca Jackson as Presley’s squeeze, Dyanne and Bill Ward as the enthusiastic ringleader Sam Phillips.

Although Million Dollar Quartet may not be as durable as its competitors no-one can deny the talent and fun that the show displays by the bucket-load.

Continues at the Noel Coward Theatre until 1 October 2011, book here.

FRANKENSTEIN at The National Theatre

Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein is probably the most talked about play this season, an adaptation by Nick Dear of Mary Shelley's classic novel. The central pair: creator (Victor Frankenstein) and creation are unusually cross-cast, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller playing both roles, switching each night. This is, of course to represent the cruel duo as one, though it is a strategy that causes some debate. Reviewers were invited to both alternatives to grasp the effect of the idea... Lee Miller seems to have come out on top, receiving all four star reviews. It is an interesting concept, but one that I believe can compromise the quality of a performance, after all can an actor be as convincingly in character if he is having to constantly switch. And if Lee Miller is better as the creature why not keep it that way every night? I saw him in this role and suspect it to be the preferred casting, but with not enough time to see the vice-versa line-up, I will never know.

The NT press team is not keen on niceties, with the theatre at the top of its game there is a tendency to be arrogant. They can be as brash and brutal as they want and the majority of their shows will still sell out. I experienced a curt unkind woman first hand and it rather deterred me from spending a fortune on Frankenstein tickets. I’d almost completely given up hope of seeing this heralded production when my friend mentioned the standing tickets obtainable from the box office on the day. Last minute tickets are a crafty way to secure seats in popular London theatres but usually it is necessary to queue for hours. I was sceptical that it was possible to procure tickets for Frankenstein this way, but after holding on the phone for a manageable ten minutes I was through and two minutes later I had booked and paid for two £5 standing tickets for that evening's performance - hurrah! I’m not one to update my facebook status every half hour, but my jublilation at my success lead me to notify my friends that I was one of the lucky few with a hot ticket to the latest theatrical phenomenon.

For the first ten minutes the stage belongs to ‘the Creature’. We watch a man being born out of a circular contraption that looks like the skin of a giant African drum. Once broken through he scrambles about on stage naked and dirty like a deranged toddler. With no speech, the audience watch in amazement as he thrashes himself against the floor struggling to walk; it should be painful to watch but Lee Miller acts with such realism and compassion that I began to wish the sequence would continue. Soon this spellbindingly physical scene is curtailed by a steam train rolling steadily towards the audience, and the rest of the play is underway.

We do not meet the Frankenstein family for a good while, meanwhile we see the creature acclimatising himself to the world, and with the help of a kind blind old man (beautifully played by Karl Johnson) he becomes more human, even beginning to feel emotion. Benedict Cumberbatch is immediately powerful on stage, it is something about his mannerisms and the intense furrowing of his thoughtful face.

The soundtrack accompanying the action is impressive on many levels - as you enter a heavy bell tolls in the centre of the auditorium, throughout there is melancholic guitar playing, beggars wailing a chorus and an atmospheric frequently returning melody. This reminded me of the introduction of Ave Maria, memorable but with a sadness that submerges your mind. The set has a gothic punk feel, and reminded me slightly of the expansive scenery in ENO’s Parsifal. Scene changes are frequent and swift with sets flying in and the central part of the stage rotating round, all very otherworldly. It is a tour de force from Mark Tildesley, who previously designed His Dark Materials.

The intensity of both Miller and Cumberbatch would make the show exceptional which ever way round they were playing it, but there is something about the raw energy of Miller that makes him just that bit more animalistic. The rest of the cast cannot compare, and appear a little bland against these stars, it doesn’t matter though as no-one is looking at them.

Bizarrely in the car on the way home from the National, Danny Boyle was presenting on Radio 2, so after seeing his tremendous show we listened to him interviewing too.

Call the box office after 9.30 am (on day of show) to get £5 standing tickets for Frankenstein – 0207 452 3000. And if you’re between the ages of 16-25 it is well worth signing up to the NT Entry Pass scheme - it is free to join and you can then book one of the £5 tickets allocated for all shows, and you can bring a friend along for only £7.50.

Les Dennis in 'Drowning on Dry Land' at The Jermyn Street Theatre

Alan Ayckbourn seems to be a fashionable choice for independent theatres at the moment, with the Print Room staging ‘Snake in the Grass’ and now Jermyn Street Theatre presenting ‘Drowning on Dry Land’. There are many Ayckbourn traits and characteristics that the two plays have in common, most obviously the mysterious outdoor settings: SITG is set in an old tennis court, DODL takes place in the protagonist’s garden. I felt frightened and unnerved by the Print Room’s production, and though there are still eerie undertones in ‘Drowning on Dry Land,’ it is predominantly a harmless comedy.

This is Ayckbourn’s 66th play, written in 2004 about the idiocy of celebrity culture. B-list star Charlie Conrad has caught the public’s attention by continually failing, and over seven years has transformed himself from approachable likeable guy to aloof megastar, with no time even to attend his six year old son’s birthday party. Fame seems to bring him little joy and slowly everything worth having slips away from him.

The attraction for many going to see ‘Drowning on Dry land’ will be the appearance of Les Dennis who takes on the role of Charlie’s kind, smooth-talking agent Jason Ratcliffe. Much to my surprise he steps up to the challenge and comes across convincing and at times quite hilarious. Christopher Coghill has a tricky job playing the ignorant celebrity, and he mostly succeeds though is occasionally a bit lacklustre. Emma Swain seems nervous as the princess wife, Linzi Conrad. Helen Mortimer is awkward as Marsha Bates the young woman entertainer, who turns into freakish clown, Mr Chortles. Her alter-ego clown becomes the focus of the play.

The real laughs come in the second half from Mark Farrelly and Russell Bentley as the two snappy lawyers Hugo de Prescourt and Simeon Diggs. Farrelly has a charming eloquence that immediately adds heat to the on stage debate, and catches the audience’s attention in a way not achieved previously. Bentley is an instinctive comedian who thrives with Ayckbourn’s humour, when he entered I found I was leaning forward in my seat to enjoy the hysterical banter.

Apart from the unpleasant heat this boutique theatre is truly unique in its layout and well worth a visit. You immediately feel involved - a quality perfect for Ayckbourn drama. Be warned though – toilets are on stage, so be sure to go before the lights go down.

Drowning on Dry Land continues until 19 March, book here.

Angus Steak House on St Martin's Lane

Round the corner from the garish Leicester Square branch of the ‘Angus Steak House’, the chain has set up another more stylish restaurant. This one is on St Martin’s Lane and is a smaller more discreet venue, pleasantly decorated and furnished. I noticed while dining there that the music was a particularly well compiled playlist of jazz standards – my favourites, so this kept me well entertained throughout the meal.

I always thought of the Angus Steak House as a tourist hang out for visitors to London wishing to splash a bit of cash on a hearty steak. The big red signs are instantly recognisable in the city centre and tend of put off locals who are keen to eat somewhere a little more individual. Consequently I was surprised when I found this branch and intrigued about the quality of the food.

My consort and I were lead to a nice table for two, perhaps a little close to the drafty entrance. The service was very attentive: we were asked most minutes if everything was okay, and as sweet as our waiter was, I felt a little suffocated by it. By main course I wanted him to pay the other tables some attention instead, I couldn’t help chuckling to myself when he offered us desserts for the fourth time.

The Angus Steak House stick to what they are best at... and this is the way it should be at a steak joint. A select choice of starters includes crispy battered chicken strips and cheese and bacon potato skins, both very yummy but rather greasy, definitely not for those on a diet. We chose a white Pinot Grigio, which was light and crisp and tasted delicious with our ordered food, I was impressed at the price too, our bottle cost £17.

There is a lot of variety when it comes to choosing your steak, but if you don’t know what you’re doing the waiters are happy to advise you. They cater for less greedy customers too with lighter chicken and vegetarians options. We both opted for the fillet steak, one with garlic butter, and one with creamy pepper sauce. My companion had the biggest size (12 oz), cooked medium, and commented afterwards that it was the best cooked steak he’d ever eaten, compared even with much pricier meals. I had my steak ‘butterflied’ a technique that thins out the meat to let it cook more. It was delicious. To accompany, fries and salad filled us up so that dessert was not a manageable option, we were more than satisfied from the steaks.

This may not be the classiest Steak restaurant on the London scene, but don’t judge this book by its cover, the standard turns out to be very high.

Visit website here.

Hibiscus Restaurant

I had the afternoon off work and decided to treat someone special to a lunch at Hibiscus. Continuing with my quest to try all the two Michelin starred restaurants in London this eatery was next on my list.

Hibiscus is located in the heart of Mayfair, just beside Regents Street. The restaurant has a polite dining room with a subtle, pared down decor apart from the extravagant flowers that sit gloriously in the centre of the room. It is a swish operation with clever automatic doors and hidden drawers providing equipment for the best standard of service.

While contemplating the menu I was delighted to see the most delicious looking petit fours being delivered to the next door table, each diner received (with their coffee) a small oblong plate with four different tiny chocolates, it almost made me wish the meal away for my turn. Money restrictions meant the set lunch was the only option for our visit but I had a quick glance at the full a la carte as it is a better indicator of the chef’s creativity. This menu costs £80 for three courses. The choices are certainly more daring than at the other Michelin establishments I have visited recently, for example the starters – Raw Bouquet Shrimps & Lychees, Warm Ravioli of Kohlrabi & Pig’s Trotters, Galician Sea Urchins.

The set lunch menu has two seemingly generous options: £29.50 for 3 courses or £38 for 3 courses plus glass of wine, coffee & petit fours, we opted for the latter which worked out very well with absolutely no other costs (apart from service charge). We both asked for white wine, a delicious fresh accompaniment to our meal. Wholesome brown bread was brought with the most sumptuous, freshly made bright yellow butter.

Here is the set menu.

LUNCH

Terrine of Fois Gras, Green Mango & Aloe Vera Compote

Salad of Devonshire Crab, Pressed Leek, Liquorice, Conference Pear (Supplement £5.00)

Aged Parmesan Royale, Caramelised Nuts, Warm Veloute of Potato & Toasted Rice


Roasted Skate Wing, Grenobloise Brown Butter, Chipped Potatoes, Brussel Sprouts

Slow cooked Plantation Pork “Blanquette” Style, Glazed Chervil Roots, Chervil Leaf Puree

Blade of Harefordshire Beef Braised for 24 hours, Pickled Cucumber, Soba Noodles, Brown Shrimp Sauce (Supplement £10.00)


Melilot Pannacotta, Russet Apple, Cinnamon Shortbread

Dark Chocolate Tart, White Miso Ice-Cream, Goats Cheese

Selection of British & French Cheese, From Paxton & Whitfield and Bernard Antony (Supplement £8.00)


I’m afraid there are few of the options I can comment on as my guest and I both chose the ‘Aged Parmesan Royale’ and ‘Slow cooked Plantation Pork’. However I must tell you about the complementary ‘amuse bouches’ we received prior to our lunch. I had noticed eggshells being delivered around the room as we arrived but had assumed they were a starter choice on the menu. These delicately filled vessels were in fact just a little surprise treat to excite our mouths while waiting for the grand meal. Sat cutely in their eggcups these shells have their tops precisely chopped off, the contents removed and then the inside loaded with a strange but comforting warm mousse. We were told about the contents - a mixture with mushroom and coconut amongst other ingredients, and were told the chef wanted us to ‘dig deep’ to experience the full extent of the aromas. It was bizarre but certainly tantalised my taste buds ready for the meal ahead.

Our starter had a similar consistency with the waitress adding the sauce to the dish once she had brought it to the table. I couldn’t distinguish many of the listed flavours, instead it was just like a warming soup, rich and deep. The nuts sprinkled on the top were a delicious addition with a delightfully crunchy texture. The main course was the star dish, and definitely the best pork I have ever tasted. Soft and tender, cooked slowly to bring out all the flavours - it was faultless. The sauce was fragrant and creamy (I scraped every last drop off my plate), the additional creamed potatoes went down well too. Unfortunately pork isn’t the easiest food to plate up immaculately, but the presentation is the only thing I can criticise, as the dish was otherwise nothing short of perfection.

My dessert wasn’t quite as I’d hoped with russet apple puree on top of the pannacotta tasting too much like baby food. I didn’t mind much, the extra cinnamon shortbread was divine, and besides I was saving any remaining space for those final chocolate treats. My companion chose the alternative pudding: the darkest, smallest slice of chocolate tart arrived with a dollop of ice-cream and smudge of goats cheese. The miso ice-cream is an interesting concept though sadly not that pleasant in reality and after one minute taste he left the rest untouched. I tried it and my taste buds were equally revolted by the salty savoury flavour. After studying the main menu again I can see crazy ice-cream flavours are a bit of a theme: with Indonesian basil, puy lentil & wild lime and toasted oat featuring as accompaniments to various desserts.

Finally it was time for the little squares of heaven and coffee that arrived with raw salt crystals. The chocolates did not disappoint: dark chocolate truffle, smoked fudge, white chocolate and blood orange, milk chocolate and salted caramel, yum.

Hibiscus head chef Claude Bosi brings real personality to this restaurant, not playing safe but presenting food that is unique and unexpected. Though this might not suit comfort eaters, within his creations Bosi produces food that is not only an exquisite mix of flavours but will also challenge and entice your palate.

Book online here.