Gilbert Scott Restaurant

King’s Cross is still grotty in places, but the new St Pancras Renaissance Hotel is definitely a step in the right direction, and welcomes tourists off the Eurostar in true British style. The glorious neo-gothic palace that has been home to only rats and bats for the last twenty years, opens after a £150 million revamp. It is epic in size and decor, the restorers have done a spectacular job.

Inside the hotel, Marcus Wareing presents his second London restaurant, The Gilbert Scott. This is a great British brasserie, named after the original building's architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott. It is not only the name that pays homage to this great master though; the food celebrates the very best of the UK’s culinary history, adding a modern twist to some delicious traditional dishes.

The restaurant opened on May 5^th, I visited several days after for lunch. I felt very special walking through the grand halls, past an exquisitely decorated bar, to a large sophisticated banqueting hall... the wonderfully high ceilings give the dining room a very fresh and airy feel.

We were brought bread (weird but wonderful fennel flavoured), though with no side plates or butter knife we had to just clumsily munch on it, sprinkling crumbs all over the table. The day prior to our meal I had been emailed with the menu, so I knew what to expect and didn’t take long to choose. The menu is well balanced with a variety that caters for all kinds of foodies – veggies, meat lovers, with fish and lean green dishes for the health freaks. And a long list of sides for those who really like to indulge!

My friend had visited Gilbert Scott with four girlfriends on opening night, so I had a brief review from her, letting me know exactly which food to order and not order. I took her advice and chose Queen Anne’s artichoke tart (globe artichokes and tarragon dressing) to start and then the Queen’s potage (chicken, pistachio, pomegranate, mushrooms) for the main event. A whopping great tart was delivered to me, warm and smelling delicious. My first impression was that it was too lemony, a citrus taste that clouded the delicate flavour of artichoke. The pastry was scrumptious and melted in the mouth, and the tarragon dressing provided a vinegary kick. I couldn’t finish it, and decided as they took my plate away that this recipe would be better as a little canapé. A mouthful would be perfect but ten mouthfuls was too samey and not exciting enough for my palate - an unfortunate example of a vegetarian dish needing to work twice as hard to satisfy. My main was cooked to perfection, tender breast of chicken coated in a wonderfully nutty breadcrumb mixture, and alongside it three very yummy chicken dumplings. The sauce was rather watery though, its opaque appearance rather unappetising. I ordered mash to accompany and this didn’t disappoint, creamy and soft it was a welcome addition.

My companion chose Mushrooms on sippets (red wine sauce, bone marrow) to start and then London Pride battered cod (with mushy pea mayonnaise and chips). He seemed to really enjoy both, and barely uttered a word while making his way through the hefty portion. I tasted the starter and was unimpressed - a very plain dish consisting of mediocre bread and an uninteresting slice of mushroom; the sauce was flavourful but it was definitely not worth £7.

Cocktails were definitely a highlight of our visit, unique concoctions with unusual flavour pairings. The menu provided much entertainment, trying to decide which of the exotic combinations to have. After much deliberation we both opted for short cocktails: 1873 – Bombay sapphire, apple, cranberry, rhubarb, charged with CO2 for me and a Favela Sour – Leblon Cachaca, Velvet Falernum, lime, demerara syrup, egg white, Peychaud for him. Both were divine, inventive and expertly mixed; they also looked beautiful. Mine tasted a little like loveheart sweets, with a fizz which I guess was from the CO2. I was pleased to see that all the cocktails use Bacardi spirits which are definitely superior in mixing.

To finish we shared a dessert, the warm chocolate in a pot with chocolate cornflakes. It arrived piping hot in a terracotta dish, and looked a bit like a helping of soil. It was luxuriously rich, a bitter dark chocolate goo with sweet crispy cornflakes and a dollop of crème fraiche to cut the flavour.

Perhaps not quite Michelin standard food but a wonderful experience nonetheless, with a setting that beats any other.

Book to eat at The Gilbert Scott here.

Secret Cinema

You may have heard whisperings about Secret Cinema, a special company that host exciting shows focusing on a particular, carefully chosen film, usually old and often forgotten. As a spectator, you are instucted not to utter a word about your experience which is how it maintains its mystery and continuing appeal. Consequently this "review" cannot divulge certain details and will have to act more as an advertisement to encourage you all to get involved in this original and exhilarating idea.

Tickets are priced at £35 (or £25 for students), with limited 3 or 4 week runs - needless to say spaces sell out very fast. You are given cryptic instructions: where to meet and what time and what to wear; this is usually all the clues you are allowed, though for my showing we were also asked to print and complete personal identity forms, our details determined which group (a, b or c) we were in.

We arrived at Leake Street near the Waterloo Tunnels at 12.30 ready for whatever was in store. Told to wear late 1950s and 1960 smart outfits, I came in head to toe vintage Balmain... a striking white and red striped full length suit I bought in a French market last summer. It was fun to take it out for the first time though completely impractical for the dust-ridden underground setting of the performance.

Every season a different film is shown which dramatically alters the surrounding entertainment. From my experience and speaking to others about their trips to Secret Cinema, it seems the layout is not dissimilar for each production... once admitted inside the audience is involved in a drama that takes you into the world of the film you will later watch.

I was overwhelmed by the whole production, and the incredible detail they had gone to, to create such a moving and realistic world. I had no idea what to expect from Secret Cinema which made the event all the more surprising and at times even scary.

I won't tell you what film I saw... can you guess from the photos I took?

Kingdom of Earth at The Print Room

I was not around in the 1960s to know what it was like, but ‘Kingdom of Earth’, a primal and strikingly bleak 1968 play by Tennessee Williams, feels to me as if it is set much earlier. The Print Room are staging this forgotten play for Williams’ centenary year.

We are first confronted with a statuesque mount of clay, so big it covers a substantial area of the room, and casts an imposing shadow over the audience, a constant reminder of the characters' impending doom. This play has only three players, just as the previous production at the Print Room did. Young and wildly energetic on stage, there is an enthusiasm in this cast that transfixed me in my exhausted post-work state. All three are impressively assured; I detected no faltering despite the intimidatingly intimate layout of the stage and the obvious daunting nature of ‘press night’.

Lot, a scrawny dying transvestite returns to his family home in the Mississippi Delta with his new TV wife, eccentric Myrtle. Here his animalistic half-brother, Chicken has been left to tend to the property, but is given no payment or recognition for his work, although he does have signed proof that when Lot dies the house will be his. A great flood is coming, threatening their lives. As Lot deteriorates he hopes to steal back the farm for his wife, while also desperate to pay tribute to his mother’s memory.

Of the three actors, I was most amazed by Joseph Drake, who I annoyingly recently missed playing the title role in ‘Vernon God Little’ at the Young Vic. Dressed in a vintage white suit and clinging pathetically to his ivory cigarette holder, he perches languidly on his mummy’s gold chairs, and gives a performance that is strange but brilliantly executed and oddly believable. His TB stricken rendition is painfully realistic and as he groaned and writhed about the floor tangled in a white dress I couldn’t help but shudder and turn away. Brother Chicken is performed as the exact opposite, a brute of a man, coated in a layer of mud. David Sturzaker seems to take it in his stride and roams about, menacing and yet strangely enticing. Showgirl Myrtle is taken on by fabulously confident Fiona Glascott, who has a difficult role playing the chatty blonde between the brothers. She could give a masterclass in southern accents, hers is so convincing, even managing to keep it up when speaking at great speed. She loses not a moment's concentration, and shows a real understanding of the role particularly towards the end of the production as she learns the truth about her situation.

Director Lucy Bailey triumphs, as she always does with these morbid pieces... I suggested to the Print Room that they attempt a musical next, but the idea was sneered at! This is a theatre that wants to say something new, always challenge themselves and the audience. The set, complete with dripping water from the ceiling and fresh clay, was being watered for the next performance as we left. This imaginative design comes from Ruth Sutcliffe, winner of the 2009 Linbury Prize for Stage Design; she is one to watch.

I sat next to Tom (who owns the Tennessee Williams estate) and he preached to me before the show, “there is so much more to him that just Streetcar, everyone wanted another Streetcar, but Williams at his second best is still better than most.” And with this production I think he might be right.

Kingdom of Earth continues until 28 May, book here.

A Delicate Balance at The Almeida

There is not much to Edward Albee’s ‘A Delicate Balance', the new show at the Almeida. The play is rather overshadowed by the playwright’s earlier, better known piece ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ I booked tickets far in advance for this production, convinced that it would sell out thanks to the starry cast that includes Imelda Staunton and Penelope Wilton, but when I went along on the first night, there were still a few seats empty.

The notices by the entrance warn of two intervals - this immediately set off alarm bells in my head; it was going to be a long night. Parked in the cheapest £8 seats, we had several pillars restricting our view and were quite squashed on sofa benches among a group of loud Americans.

Life is pretty good for urban socialites Agnes and Tobias until their house is invaded by a troop of uninvited visitors. They now have to deal with Agnes’ rowdy alcoholic sister, their recently divorced (for the fourth time) hysterical daughter, and a couple of close friends who have been terrorised in their own home (by what we never find out) and so have come to stay, indefinitely. Accepting of their fate, Agnes and Tobias soon realise that these guests are revealing unwanted truths about their own lives.

The story sounds more enthralling than it is in reality. Set entirely in a comfortable sitting room the show feels quite static, with little action and even less excitement. It is incredibly slow paced, and if you fell asleep for an act you wouldn't miss much plotline. The acting is, on the whole, convincing though not outstanding. I loved Imelda Staunton’s rendition of the mad drunken sister, gallivanting around causing trouble, shouting rudely and playing the accordion! Though she isn’t usually the villain, this role suits her and she had a real sparkle in her eye on opening night. Penelope Wilton and Tim Pigott-Smith are a good leading couple, though several line slip ups led my attention astray. I couldn’t stand Lucy Cohu as Julia though, she seemed completely insincere and shrieked in an irritating fashion throughout, she is more annoying adolescent than distraught divorcee.

The play came to an end after three hours, there were cheers of approval from the audience at the final curtain call, while I sat relieved it was over.

A Delicate Balance continues until 2 July 2011, book here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 50

In a variation on the theme of last week’s hot on the highstreet, I introduce to you some of my other favourite highstreet spring collaborations. Get your very own little piece of designer with these much cheaper collections.

Antoni and Alison are a dynamic duo, British designers with a very British flair. Their clothes are quite art-based and sometimes use a ‘stupid’ concept to present garments with silly quirky slogans. I have visited their dizzy little shop on Rosebury Avenue, and was fascinated by it all, a museum of exciting and bizarre artefacts amongst their wonderful clothes.

This season Antoni and Alison have contrived some witty remarks for UniQlo, and together they’ve made some hilarious bright t-shirts, casual and very easy to wear. Bold statements such as ‘I hate my hair’ and ‘I can play the piano’ are used on the front, and there are about twenty different illustrations to collect. I hadn’t noticed this collaboration until I saw my trendy little sister sporting one the other day. If it’s as popular as the Jil Sander partnership I’m sure it will sell out in no time. At the moment there are still quite a few online, buy here (£12.99 or two for £19.99, bargain!)

Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff are the designers behind London’s most talked about, up-and-coming label, Meadham Kirchhoff. The clothes are girly, candy floss tinted with a touch of mystery - ethereal garments unlike any other. The prices are painfully steep though making it hard for most of us to afford these charming gems. Meadham Kirchhoff presents its second collection with Topshop this spring, featuring incredible layered skirts and dresses that are beautifully dishevelled and amazingly flattering. See the whole collection and buy here.

And finally Matthew Williamson has teamed up with charity Too Many Women (raising funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer) to create a fun neon beach bracelet that will be sold in Accessorizes all over the country for £15. Featured in this month’s Vogue.

Petrus Restaurant

Petrus is one of Gordon Ramsay’s star eateries with experienced, Yorkshire born chef Mark Askew at the helm. Petrus was once the joint labour of love of Gordon Ramsay and his most successful protégé, Marcus Wareing. Together they set up at the grand Berkeley Hotel and were rewarded two Michelin stars for their efforts. However in 2008 an almighty falling out led Wareing to work at the venue alone, and Ramsay took the Petrus name elsewhere. That restaurant is now tucked away in luxurious Knightsbridge just round the corner from my workplace. I had never tried a Ramsay restaurant so was excited to finally have the opportunity to experience the food behind the TV personality.

Lunch begins at 12 noon at most of London’s smart restaurants, and so when we arrived at Petrus a little after 1.30 many diners were already gorging on desserts. We were seated at a spacious table overlooking the room and presented with large cream menus. Brushing past the tempting a la carte, I found the lunch menu ... three courses for £30, or including two glasses of wine and coffee, £45. The list of options was impressively long, with many alternatives. Note: If you are vegetarian you will have to opt for the £60 vegetarian menu as there are no veggie dishes in the set lunch.

To keep costs down we politely declined wine. We waited slightly impatiently for bread, which took longer than it should to arrive at our table. With the warm slices of white and brown came the first of our little extras, an amuse-bouche of watercress mousse with potato and horseradish, with a crisp crouton and raw salmon. It was light and delicious, with a refreshing flavour, though I did avoid the salmon.

I wasn’t overly impressed with my starter, a neat slice of pressed foie gras and confit duck, served with a mouthful of oily hazelnut salad and a lump of sweet carrot chutney. It was brave of me to order foie gras in the first place, an acquired rich taste that I like in moderation but still find ethically difficult. It was nice enough, but just not as special as I’d expected. My companion chose the beef carpaccio with celeriac remoulade, horseradish and capers... this was better, a complementary mix of flavours and textures.

When our main courses finally came I was preoccupied watching the surrounding tables receiving their numerous sweet surprises. Looking greedily forward to dessert (plus the extras) I was glad our mains were quite petite. I had roasted breast of poussin and leg stuffed with wild mushroom, and cep sauce and my friend had braised pork cheek with romanesco, turnips and spiced Madeira jus. The food came steaming, a divine aroma of sweet rich flavours. After a disappointing starter, I was delighted with my main, perfectly cooked meat and with a creamy salty sauce that was ‘lick the plate’ worthy. With the mains they kindly brought us two extras, steamed broccoli and potato dauphinoise.

Accompanying the dessert menus came two miniature ice-cream cones filled with white chocolate and passionfruit mousse: a little mouthful of sugary heaven and a taster of the treats to come. With seven pudding choices, I felt a tad overwhelmed and asked the waiter about his favourites - the chocolate ones came out on top and so we both went for those: white chocolate cylinder with coffee and mascarpone ice cream for me and chocolate sphere with milk ice cream and honeycomb for him. Both were yummy, though after trying each I can confirm the chocolate sphere the true winner at our table. The waitress poured hot chocolate sauce on top of the dessert causing the perfect sphere to collapse inwards revealing a creamy plump ball of ice cream.

It wasn’t over yet, I’d seen steaming silver pots being taken to other tables so I asked our waiter if we too could share in this fantastical freebie. Just as we paid the bill, we received our treat which had liquid nitrogen streaming out magically; the waiter lifted the lid and beneath the clouds were four adorable little round lollipops - some kind of alcoholic ice cream coated in white chocolate.

Though the Petrus food was below par in places, and the service could have been better, the tricks and excitement made up for it. Surprises and freebies are my favourite things about Michelin star restaurants, and as far as magic is concerned Ramsay didn’t disappoint.

Visit the Petrus website here.

Uncle Vanya at Arcola Theatre

Dalston is a hip, vibrant area of London with a real buzz. The fabulous and original nail heaven WAH is here as well as cute little eateries serving up "a little of what you fancy". Turn a few corners away from Kingsland Road and you are at the Arcola, a bright independent theatre with a hefty helping of panache.

I was there at the new theatre opening a few months ago and the transformation is exciting, though the makeshift loos are still a treacherous journey away! Arcola treat their press people well with a complimentary array of nibbles (olives of every variety), and a beer on the house. There is a friendly welcome at the door.

This season the Arcola stage two Chekhov plays, Uncle Vanya and later in June, The Seagull. Chekhov is a writer who uses the mundane to express a broader opinion of life. I was immediately struck by the naturalness of both the writing and acting in this new production of Uncle Vanya, and for this I must congratulate the inspired director, Helena Kaut-Howson. She bravely took on the task of translating the famous script, offering a fresh and exciting new perspective that stays true to the spirit of the original.

Women seem to both fascinate and confuse Chekhov who often portrays them as crazed creatures, screaming and dancing madly round the room. This is true of both The Seagull and Uncle Vanya which both feature captivating young leading ladies. Marianne Oldham looks striking in a full length white gown as the temptress Yelena Andreyevna. Oldham successfully grasps the enigmatic persona of this much desired woman, though I noticed twinges of nervousness that occasionally broke the beguiling illusion.

The action is centred around a dysfunctional family, each character has their own pessimistic reasons for wanting to escape the boredom and monotony of the estate property. Uncle Vanya is the most frustrated, and finds relief in adoring and fantasising about Yelena. Jon Strickland is brilliant as Vanya, he creates a multi dimensional character and I was absorbed by his rendition.

There is a good ensemble balance throughout - one of the most intriguing scenes comes from the three drunken men, who are hilariously convincing as they stumble about giggling and joking. Simon Gregor gives a deeply thoughtful, nuanced performance as the handsome Doctor Mikhail Astrov and Paul Bigley is a hysterical asset to the cast as the kind Ilya Telegin.

Designer Sophie Jump must have had a fun job decorating the stage for this play; the space already has such a wonderful atmosphere it lends itself to dramatic work. Nonetheless Jump found some modest antiques to imbue the scene with Russian charm.

As ever, the Arcola delights with its instinctive and creative production. They succeeded with the original commissioned play The Painter, and now we see the genius of their updating of a classic - is there anything they can’t do?

Uncle Vanya continues until 4 June, book here.

Goodnight Mister Tom at Rose Theatre

Goodnight Mister Tom is a classic novel by Michelle Magorian; since its publication in 1981, the book has had continued success capturing the hearts of children and adults alike. Two musicals have been written based on the book, and a film has been made featuring the great British actor John Thaw. Now a new theatrical version by children’s dramatist, David Wood is taken on by ‘The Children’s Touring Partnership’ who are performing this production round the country.

William Beech is being sent away with all the other evacuees to the countryside where they are safe from the devastating war. His strict religious mother has insisted he be placed near a church and so he is given to Mr Tom Oakley, a grumpy old man in the village whose house is next door to the church. Traumatised by a childhood filled with rules and abuse, William is quiet and unhappy when he arrives in the lively town of Little Weirwold. Soon the friendly caring environment encourages William to be happier and more confident. With the help and guidance of kind ‘Mister Tom’ he learns to read and write and has the opportunity to explore his artistic talent.

The Rose Theatre provides a fitting platform for this play, and with the front floor seating, it involves the audience in the action. Unfortunately on press night, lighting problems meant a thirty-five minute delay to the start, rather irritating especially after the long and tiring journey to Kingston. The set by Robert Innes Hopkins is simple but persuasive, but lack of scene changes in the first half means the action moves along rather slowly.

Tiny Toby Prynne makes a superb William Beech, he is very convincing as the young protagonist and has a sensitivity that is well beyond his years. It is always a worry for me to watch a child in a leading role, I can’t help pre-empting a wrong foot, or forgotten line, however with Prynne I felt completely at ease and was able to enjoy his performance without any doubt of his ability. A very smiley and enthusiastic Emilio Crescenzo takes on the role of William’s new best friend, Zach. Crescenzo and Prynne complement each other on the Rose Stage. With three boys for each part, the kids have the challenge of working with different cast combinations.

As the elderly Tom Oakley, Oliver Ford Davis excels, and while watching I couldn’t help thinking how much this part suits him. Mr Oakley is a gruff old man but with a good heart, vulnerable William brings out the best in him and gives him purpose. This production has another dimension... stunning animal puppets made by the young and immensely talented Toby Olie. Tom’s trusted pal and dog Sammy is an important addition to the cast thanks to Olie’s masterful puppetry and Laura Cubitt’s brilliantly convincing portrayal.

This story is deeply evocative and thanks to the brilliant acting from the central pair is moving for all the audience. Though the cast and audience may be predominantly made up of children, this is definitely not just a kiddie show.

Continues until Saturday 14 May at venues round the country, more info here.

Manon, Royal Ballet at The Royal Opera House

Last Thursday I attended Manon, Massenet’s ballet at the Royal Opera House, in what was the 223rd performance of the piece at this venue. It is a popular programming choice and offers two wonderful lead roles that are surprisingly character driven. We had (the cheapest) £6 standing tickets, in the upper slips, and so our view was rather restricted. Craftily though, before the lights went down, we clued up on which seats were left empty in the stalls, and in the first of the two intervals we crept down to enjoy the rest of the show from a premium vantage point!

Manon, a French girl is on her way to enter a convent. Her brother Lescaut, noticing a wealthy gentleman’s attraction to Manon comes to an arrangement with him. Meanwhile she falls in love with Des Grieux, an attractive young student. Torn between wealth and love, Manon struggles throughout the ballet to decide on which man to choose. As a result of her mischievous behaviour, her brother is killed and she is arrested and deported as a prostitute. The faithful Des Grieux follows her to America, where an exhausted and frail Manon dies in his arms.

Due to Edward Watson’s last minute injury, the role of Des Grieux was played by Steven McRae, an Australian dancer who I saw most recently in Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Watson’s absence was our gain: McRae gave a heartbreaking rendition of the desperate lover, as believable as it was skilful. Leanne Benjamin is pretty and tempting as the enchanting minx, Manon. She dances superbly, and despite being very petite, fills the stage with her perfect pointe and fluttering steps. As I watched I could hear the audience members around me gasping at her intensity and brilliance.

Kenneth MacMillan's choreography is impressive in its vitality and dramatic strength which brings the story to life. Occasionally some of the chorus routines feel a little clumsy and less composed than the sublime solo moments. The design, from Nicholas Georgiadis is stunning - I love the final mysterious jungle, with long green vines twirling down through which the main couple dance.

Perhaps not as inventive as the brilliant Alice ballet, but beautiful nonetheless.

Manon continues until 9 May 2011, book here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 49... PAMELA LOVE for TOPSHOP

Spring seems to welcome new collaborations, and this year is no exception... I’ve seen several exciting pairings in the pipeline, and one in particular that is whetting my appetite for accessories.

New York based designer Pamela Love is teaming up with Topshop to bring us an affordable range of her designs. Like much of her work, the jewellery will be big, bold and beautiful with a powerful tribal feel but also a feminine twist catering for the stylish Topshop girl. Love said recently that much of her inspiration for the collection comes from the adornment seen in Africa and India and the native American culture - a vibe that is clear in her pieces. Pamela Love founded her eponymous label in 2007, starting the business in the basement of her flat. She quickly built up a fan base, and has since collaborated with many inspiring designers.

I have always lusted after the Pamela Love claw bracelets known as the talon cuff, these gothic pieces are often seen on famous fashionista's wrists, and sell out as soon as stock is replenished. Unfortunately with a price tag of $1000 upwards, they are a little out of my reach, so I am hoping to get a little bit of Love to wear from Topshop instead.The designer herself has told Grazia that her favourite piece in this inaugural collection is the wonderfully boho dream catcher earrings, with big feathers and beads, they would bring a touch of fun to any summer outfit. They reflect her interest in magic and folk tradition. I love the historic feel to the Topshop range and am particularly keen on the big heart pendant necklace.

Be sure to get your hands on a piece before the celebs snatch them all up.

The collection will be hitting stores on May 19^th with prices starting at £50.