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Dinner at The Noodle House, London

August 25, 2014 by cheriecity

The Noodle House opened on London’s busy Shaftesbury Avenue earlier this year and has grown throughout Asia since launching in Dubai in 2002.

The casual South-East Asian street food restaurant offers signature dishes from a number of countries including Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. It also takes inspiration from Asia’s tea house culture with an extensive tea menu, plus exotic cocktails and juices infused with tea.

We visited The Noodle House on a particularly hot day and light, tasty South-East Asian food was exactly what we were craving. The restaurant was already busy for dinner with a mostly touristy crowd, perhaps due to the proximity of the West End theatres.

We were served quickly by the friendly staff and were asked if we’d like all of the dishes to arrive as they were ready or if we preferred our starters to come out first. There was hardly any wait before the first dishes came out of the open kitchen and the others were followed swiftly, so our table was covered with a feast to tuck into.

The Noodle House has a tempting cocktail menu, but as it was so hot outside, we went for a mocktail instead. I loved the refreshing and summery Jasmine & Peach Iced Tea (£3.30) – a delicious blend of sweet jasmine tea, white peach purée and lemon.

The first small dish of steamed Prawn Hacao (£3.90) was enjoyable but they came apart easily and there was a little too much filler and not enough prawn.

Spicy Wings (£5.45) were succulent and nicely charred, marinated in a sweet and smoky Sambal chili glaze. The portion size was substantial yet they made a perfectly light starter.

For the main dish, I was tempted by the classic Cantonese Roast Duck (quarter for £8.60).

The slow-roasted aromatic duck was tender and juicy with plenty of delicious crispy skin. It was carved to order and served in bite-size slices with a basket full of paper-thin steamed pancakes, julienne cucumber and leeks on the side and a rich, sweet hoi sin sauce.

A quarter portion is more than enough for one person with a few sides, or you could order a half portion for the table if you want to share.

Steven’s Black Pepper Beef (£12.25) was full of lean steak smothered in a sticky, punchy sauce with lots of black pepper and a strong chili kick. It was cooked with mixed peppers, red onion and topped with fresh spring onion.

We accompanied our main dishes with a side of Fried Jasmine Rice (£5.25). The aromatic, slightly sweet wok-fried jasmine rice was packed with chicken, prawns, bean sprouts, egg, chili and Thai basil. It went well with the Cantonese Duck, but the Black Pepper Beef was already spicy enough and might have been a better match with simple Steamed Rice.

I really liked the side of Broccoli (£3.80), which was steamed to perfection with lots of oyster sauce and crispy garlic chips.

After such a flavoursome, spicy meal, we cooled down with a few scoops of Mango Sorbet. I was tempted by the Banana Spring Rolls and Chocolate Fondant, but the mango sorbet was refreshing, sweet and bursting with exotic fruitiness.

To round off the meal, I chose the White Peony Single-Estate White Tea from the excellent choice of Asian teas. It was served in a cast-iron teapot with a small cup and was a calming, fine quality tea.

While the food and drinks were done well at affordable prices, I didn’t really enjoy the restaurant experience. The open-plan kitchen was far too close to the table where we were sat and the noise from the roaring woks, too-loud music and the non-stop traffic quickly became irritating and made conversation difficult.

The interiors of the restaurant were also starting to look a little tired with scuffed tables and curling paper menus. I can’t help thinking the concept would work a lot better if the restaurant was located in a slick shopping centre like Westfield, as per The Noodle House at the Dubai Mall.

It may not be a destination restaurant but The Noodle House is good for a quick South-East Asian fix when in central, plus they do take-out if you fancy a quieter Asian picnic in the park.

Chérie City was a guest of The Noodle House

Photos by Chérie City (interiors by The Noodle House)

Bars, Breakfast, Hotels, Hotels - Design, London, Restaurants

An Amazing Stay at The London EDITION Hotel

August 22, 2014 by cheriecity

The London EDITION is one of the city’s hottest hotel openings last year and has received much acclaim since its arrival.

Behind the game-changing Fitzrovia design hotel is hospitality guru Ian Schrager – a pioneer of the boutique hotel experience who brought us Sanderson and St Martin’s Lane. The inaugural EDITION Hotel opened a few years ago in Istanbul’s Levant district and a number of the brand’s hotels are set to open globally over the next few years, under the expert management of Marriott.

Location

The London EDITION took over the former Berners Hotel and occupies a row of five Georgian townhouses. It boasts a central location, just off Oxford Street, within walking distance of Soho and Covent Garden.

I visited The London EDITION for a weekend staycation and was wowed by the hotel’s cool design, social scene and attention to small detail.

The lobby is a constant hub of activity and is beautifully-designed with a restored stucco ceiling, original fireplace and futuristic stainless-steel orbs by Ingo Maurer. It’s an inviting space with plush green velvet seating, a billiards table and complimentary work station in the lobby with Apple iMacs.

Arrival

Check-in was friendly and dedicated and a member of staff accompanied us to fully introduce us to our room. A Schrager signature is eye-catching artwork in the public areas and we couldn’t help admiring the stunning Louis XV Gobelin Tapestry behind the reception desk, contrasted by a glowing installation by Korean artist Chul Hyun Ahn at the back of the hotel.

The Room

Our Loft room was long and spacious with a gorgeous king-size bed and an open-plan seating area. The unique style is contemporary with retro design touch and a dash of chalet-chic. The room is designed with walnut wood panelling, pale wood flooring and a natural colour palette of caramel and cream.

The living area features a plush sofa, comfy armchair and a low coffee table with a chic orchid and design books. I loved the addition of a cream cashmere blanket for curling up on the sofa and the pretty hydrangeas – a detail that can sometimes be overlooked by design hotels. The view from the window was simply office buildings, so we kept the sheer curtains closed to keep the atmosphere of the room.

The hotel’s art focus extends to the rooms with a contemporary interpretation of one of Vermeer’s iconic paintings by Dutch photographer Hendrik Kerstens. The portrait is both eerie and beautiful and the girl’s captivating gaze seemed to follow me around the room.

The king-size bed was extremely comfortable and covered in sumptuous linen, plenty of large pillows and a gorgeous faux-fur throw nonchalantly draped over one side of the bed. In front of the bed is a 46 inch flat screen HDTV with movies on demand and a stack of premium magazines including Vogue, GQ and The Gourmand.

Other room features include a super-wide desk and retro chair, iPod docking station and an extra-large built-in wardrobe filled with a handy umbrella, clothes brush and ironing board. Not only is there a minibar filled with premium drinks and gourmet snacks, but there’s a marble bar counter with a selection of spirits, a mini cocktail shaker and fancy glassware.

A Welcome Treat

To top it all off, we were welcomed with a retro sweet shop bag filled with large strawberry marshmallows – the Chef’s sweet of the day. At evening turndown, complimentary mineral water was placed beside the bed.

The Bathroom

The sleek, minimal bathroom was covered in tiny white mosaics, with a powerful walk-in rainforest shower, wooden towel rail and wide Corian Grohe white sink – the cool kind that you might find in a nightclub.

It had clever storage with a pull-out drawer below the sink featuring a proper hairdryer, face tissues, vanity essentials and the all-important bathroom products. We also had the luxury of plush embroidered bathrobes and slippers for lounging in.

Le Labo products

I’m never usually excited by hotel own-brand toiletries, but The London EDITION’s range is very special and almost reason enough to stay overnight.

The products have been created exclusively for the hotel by cult perfumer Le Labo and have a luxurious, intoxicating black tea fragrance. They smell amazing on both men and women and perfectly capture the stylish, sexy ambiance of the hotel.

That evening, we decided to eat healthy and went for some vegan food at Planet Organic, however if you’re after something a bit more sparkly for a Saturday night, try and score a table at the hotel’s renowned Berners Tavern by Executive Chef Jason Atherton, Roka and Dabbous just a short walk away.

The Lobby Bar

Of course, we couldn’t resist checking out the hotel’s lively atmosphere with a round of cocktails in the buzzing Lobby Bar. The bar attracts a well-heeled crowd elegantly lounging at the bar and low tables with glam waitresses serving cocktails in designer LBDs.

Davide Segat’s cocktail menu is innovative and well-edited, with a focus on aromatic drinks using house-made bitters and potent spirits. I tried a refreshing Summer Cup and Steven went for a Golden Age, made with Johnnie Walker Black Label, aged cherry brand, yellow Chartreuse and Fernet Branca.

Another drinking destination in the hotel is the reservations only Punch Room. Nestled at the back of the hotel is an oak-panelled den that feels like a cross between a private members club and the library of a country manor house.

It serves Punch Bowls for 2-8 people and has a cosy feel with low-key vintage soul, jazz and blues playing. It’s ideal for a quiet, intimate drink but we preferred the atmosphere and open-plan design of the lively lobby bar.

At night, the charming door security multiply and manage the queue behind the velvet rope for the members-only BASEMENT nightclub inside the hotel (Ian Schrager was behind Studio 54, after all). The vibe seems distinctly non-glitzy with a cool crowd and YOYO’s Seb Chew at the helm.

Breakfast

In the morning, breakfast is served in the gorgeous surroundings of the acclaimed Berners Tavern. The breakfast menu is full of tempting dishes, from healthy chilled citrus salad and cold-pressed kale juice to indulgent Hazelnut waffles with berries and cream and the ultimate Full English.

My Eggs Benedict were sustantial and delicious, with perfectly-poached eggs, thick griddled ham and creamy Hollandaise atop a fluffy English muffin.

However, Steven’s enormous Buttermilk pancakes with summer berries, maple syrup and vanilla cream was the winning breakfast dish. No less than five freshly-flipped pancakes were doused in high quality maple syrup and topped with fresh whole berries, with the most indulgent vanilla cream served on the side.

Our Earl Grey tea was presented nicely in a silver pot with fine china tea cups – clearly everything is done with flair at Berners Tavern.

The London EDITION is the hotel to stay at if you appreciate cutting-edge design and a lobby that’s constantly bringing its A game. While the hotel has plenty of dining and bar amenities, I was a little surprised that a property of its size didn’t have a spa for some pampering and relaxation.

With Ian Schrager’s vision and Marriott’s signature warm hospitality, The London EDITION is without a doubt one of the city’s finest design hotels.

Room rates at The London EDITION Hotel start from £285 per room per night. For more information and booking, visit: www.edition-hotels.marriott.com/london

Chérie City was a guest of The London EDITION Hotel

Photos by Chérie City (Berners Tavern by The London EDITION Hotel)

London, Restaurants, Sicily

Luce e Limoni, Clerkenwell

August 21, 2014 by cheriecity

Luce e Limoni is a charming neighbourhood restaurant in leafy Clerkenwell that I’m delighted to have discovered, thanks to the lovely folk at Zomato.

The day I visited, Chiltern Fire House was being heralded on the cover of a magazine as the hottest restaurant in London and I couldn’t help being amused that we were dining at the antithesis of the celebrity circus restaurant. While I like a good ‘scene restaurant’ as much as the next London foodie, it’s a different kind of enjoyment finding a real under-the-radar hidden gem – exactly what this blog was started for.

We arrived early evening and had the place to ourselves for a short while before a steady stream of locals, groups of friends and the after-work crowd arrived. The restaurant is petite and lovingly designed with comfy seats and vintage-style pictures of Sicilian lemons adorning the walls.

Sicilian chef Fabrizio Zafarana offers a tantalising menu of seasonal dishes that take inspiration from his homeland. The cooking is honest and unpretentious but with flair, and uses authentic Mediterranean ingredients.

To start, I ordered the Burrata with Sicilian caponata (£9.95). The enormous ball of fresh burrata was cool and silky with a soft, creamy centre and topped with black pepper and olive oil. It was served on a bed of rich, flavoursome caponata made up of slow-cooked aubergine, celery, onion, pepper and black and green olives.

It was a delicious, simple starter done exceedingly well, plus the portion size is big enough for two to share.

Steven ordered the Baked mackerel timbal with capers, ricotta, samphire and red pepper couli (£9.50). The flavoursome, flaky mackerel was oven-baked with light and creamy ricotta and encased in paper-thin filo pastry – almost like a Sicilian quiche.

It was sat atop a tangy, slightly spicy red pepper couli and the accompaniment of fresh, salty steamed samphire perfectly complimented the flavours.

For my main course, I couldn’t resist the Slowly roasted pork belly served with lentils and Marsala reduction (£14.95). It was a comforting, rustic dish that I could imagine coming 0ut of a kitchen in rural Sicily.

The high quality piece of pork belly was succulent and tender, with contrasting textures of lean meat, melt-in-the-mouth fat and crunchy pork crackling. The lentils were beautifully-cooked with tiny pieces of vegetable and had a slightly sweet taste.

There could have been a little more of the delicious Marsala reduction to accompany the pork, however every mouthful was an absolute delight.

Steven went for the Roast rump of lamb with cinnamon, date and caramelised shallots with red wine jus and rosemary, with mashed potato (£15.95). The roast lamb was so tender and juicy and it was served with roasted whole shallots and a generous amount of buttery, smooth mashed potato.

The highlight of the dish was the intense red wine jus infused with aromatic herbs and spices. The cinnamon and cloves gave it a festive feel, so it didn’t seem like a summer menu dish, but it was a welcome comfort as the rain was beating down outside.

For dessert, I went for the simple classic of Lemon Meringue (£5.50). It had the potential to be a great dessert, but sadly the proportions were all wrong.

I quite liked the crispy, wafer-thin pastry basket, but it was filled with just a thin layer of tart, zesty lemon curd and a mountain of dense, whipped meringue. I never usually leave even a tiny morsel of dessert on my plate, but I had to give up on half of the meringue and still left on a sugar high.

Steven’s Tiramisu (£6.50) was a much more successful dessert. Crunchy biscotti were doused in potent espresso and liqueur and finished with cool, creamy mascarpone and cocoa powder.

What I liked about the desserts were that they were both freshly made. The Lemon Meringue had been blow-torched just before it came out and the top of the Tiramisu has been made into a wave shape before being covered in cocoa.

Luce e Limoni is a fantastic spot for when you fancy some delicious Sicilian food in a low-key, attractive setting. The staff were friendly and attentive and contemporary Sicilian music at just the right volume added to the cosy atmosphere. It’s definitely a new addition to my London eating address book.

For more information and booking, visit: www.luceelimoni.com

Chérie City was invited by Zomato

Photos by Chérie City (interiors by Luce e Limoni)

Beauty

Viva La Juicy Gold Couture

August 18, 2014 by cheriecity

Viva La Juicy Gold Couture is a vibrant new interpretation of Juicy Couture’s popular Viva La Juicy fragrance.

The sparkling fruity floral fragrance is uplifting, girly and glam – exactly what you’d expect from the LA-born, casual luxury brand. With a touch of punk rock and lashings of gold, it’s the kind of perfume that stands out in a crowd.

Juicy muse Sasha Pivovarova returns as the face of the fragrance range, which also includes Viva La Juicy and Viva La Juicy Noir.

It is without a doubt the most extravagant perfume bottle on my vanity table, with a shiny melted gold bottle, hot pink ‘couture’ nameplate, crystal-style stopper and an organza Swiss dot bow.

Created by master perfumer Honorine Blanc of Firmenich, the long-lasting eau de parfum bursts with luscious fruitiness and develops a heady, warm sweetness.

It opens with juicy wild berries and leads to a heart of sweet honeysuckle and jasmine sambac. The base notes give it a sticky confectionery aroma with golden amber, melted caramel, vanilla elixir and sandalwood. While some fruity florals with this level of sweetness can smell synthetic or sickly, Viva La Juicy Gold Couture has a lavish, opulent scent that lasts all day.

Viva La Juicy Gold Couture is a youthful, fun fragrance for girls who love Juicy Couture’s over-the-top glamour and a big dose of sweetness.

Viva La Juicy Gold Couture is priced from £35 for 30ml to £65 for 100ml and is available at Debenhams.

All photos by Chérie City

Sample

Cafes, London

GAIL’s Artisan Bakery Ice Cream Sandwich Pop-Up

August 14, 2014 by cheriecity

The sun may be hiding right now, but GAIL’s Artisan Bakery is keeping the summer vibes going with its ice cream pop-up at its Soho bakery.

From 20th August for just two weeks, GAIL’s will become a stylish ice cream bar with plenty of sweet treats to stay cool.

‘Ice cream sandwich’, always makes me think of the classic American scoop wedged between two chocolate chip cookies, but GAIL’s also offers a more European dessert option.

GAIL’s baker Roy Levy has created a short menu of tempting ice cream sandwiches. Choose from cinnamon brioche toast with vanilla bean ice cream, caramel or chocolate sauce and salted peanuts or a fruity cinnamon brioche toast with creme fraiche ice cream, mixed berries and raspberry coulis.

Then there’s Roy’s favourite – fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, toasted pistachio ice cream, a dollop of sour cherry compote, fresh cherries and chopped pistachios.

Morgan Cannon will also be bringing summery tunes to the ice cream bar with a live DJ set every evening.

Roy’s monster two-scoop ice cream sandwiches look so tantalising and yummy – definitely a decadent treat come rain or shine.

GAIL’s Artisan Bakery ice cream sandwiches are priced at £6 each. For more information, visit: www.gailsbread.co.uk

Photos by GAIL’s Artisan Bakery

Brunch, Hotels, Hotels - Luxury, London, Restaurants

Sunday Brunch at Le Méridien Piccadilly

August 14, 2014 by cheriecity

Sunday Brunch is quickly becoming an established London ritual with so many different cuisines and concepts to choose from.

For a truly indulgent Sunday, the best luxury brunch can be found at the Terrace Grill & Bar at Le Méridien Piccadilly. The three-course brunch is set out as a bountiful buffet with hot and cold options and a live carving station. As it that wasn’t enough, free-flowing Prosecco makes the experience even more decadent.

When we arrived, brunch was already in full swing and almost every table in the main dining room was taken up by ‘in the know’ brunchers. It attracts a well-heeled, convivial crowd of local couples, families and friends as well as hotel guests.

Our table overlooked the elegant Moet & Chandon Summer Terrace, with striped deck chairs, striped deck chairs, white and gold life rings and parasols.

A talented singer performed acoustic jazz and soul classics with her guitarist while the lovely Valentino worked the room, topping up the glasses of Prosecco and chatting with guests. What could be more fabulous for a lazy Sunday!

The different brunch courses are divided into separate stations with the dessert table on its own on the lower mezzanine. We started with a few bites from the salad station station, which offers poached salmon Nicoise salad, cured hams and salami, smoked salmon, pickled red cabbage, potato salad, spicy cous cous salad and a choice of dressings.

The roast turkey and prosciutto ham were delicious and I couldn’t resist adding some Brie and Gruyère from the dessert station to make up a charcuterie and cheese plate.

The tapas and bowl food station includes hummus, marinated olives, sweet tomato confit, peppered mackerel spread and Caesar salad.

I particularly liked the fresh and tangy crayfish, asparagus and mango cocktail. The Italian-style tomato, mozzarella and pesto salad was also summery and light enough not to fill you up before the hot dishes.

The highlight of the brunch is the live carvery station, where you can make up a Sunday roast with a variety of slow-cooked meats straight from the oven. The chef carves slices of roast sirloin beef, roast leg of lamb and roast chicken to order and you can even choose which cuts you prefer.

The roast sirloin beef was tender and juicy while the roast chicken was succulent and infused with fresh herbs. I accompanied the meat with some fluffy, crispy Yorkshire puddings, aromatic lemon and herb stuffing, herb roasted potatoes, slow-roasted carrots, creamy carrot and swede mash, steamed mixed greens and a generous amount of rich gravy.

The hot buffet also includes a soup of the day, mushroom risotto with truffle oil, gnocchi and breakfast items such as sausages, bacon and hash browns. It’s tempting to overload on the roasts, or even go back for seconds, but the other main dishes are ever so tasty and worth trying.

Be sure to save lots of room for dessert, as the generous array of colourful sweets is just so tempting.

Start with Chef’s Mum’s recipe Apple Crumble with lashings of fresh custard. It’s a classic done extremely well with plenty of juicy apples stewed with cinnamon and an exemplary, crunchy crumble topping.

The main feature is the selection of exquisite éclairs in flavours including lemon, chocolate, coffee, pistachio, strawberry and vanilla. They were delicious and perfectly bite-size – a nod to the hotel’s contemporary French style.

Those with a sweet tooth will love the home-baked cupcakes and the velvety smooth strawberry and chocolate dessert pots. Of course, you can still work towards your five-a-day with luscious, exotic fresh fruit.

The Terrace Grill & Bar is a perfect spot for a stylish Sunday Brunch with excellent food and a lively, warm atmosphere. I liked that you can get up and walk around between courses and set the meal at your own pace. It’s a relaxed style of brunch that I would happily go back to again and again.

Sunday Brunch at the Terrace Grill & Bar at Le Méridien Piccadilly is priced at £39 per person, £49 with a free flow of Prosecco.

Chérie City was a guest of Le Méridien Piccadilly

Photos by Chérie City (interiors by Le Méridien Piccadilly)

Hotels, Hotels - Design, Hotels - Luxury, Lisbon, Restaurants

A Wonderful Dinner at Feitoria Lisbon

August 13, 2014 by cheriecity

Our first evening in Lisbon was spent in style with a spectacular dinner at one Michelin star restaurant Feitoria at Altis Belém Hotel & Spa.

The sleek five-star design hotel has a picturesque seafront location in historic Belém with stunning views over the Tagus River. Its design is super-minimal and chic with floor-to-ceiling windows and a travel theme inspired by the trade routes from the Far East, Africa and the Americas.

The hotel feels very peaceful and sophisticated – a little bit of zen by the sea. Alongside a Michelin star restaurant, Altis Belém Hotel & Spa features the stylish Cafeteria Mensagem, Bar 38°41′ and BSpa by Karin Herzog.

Feitoria continues the cool design with floor-to-ceiling windows, dark wood panelling, touches of gold and an attractive Asian screen at the entrance.

We arrived just as the restaurant was opening, so the beginning of our meal was almost like private dining. Our table by the window overlooked the sea and we had some great sunset views during our dinner.

Chef João Rodrigues prepared a special five-course tasting menu for us, with a number of amuse-bouches and wine pairing. A member of staff introduced each course, telling the story behind the dish, the chef’s inspiration and the origins of the ingredients. The ceremony and gravitas dedicated to the dishes made each course feel special, like a culinary journey through Lisbon.

The first little bite was an Orange macaron with salmon served inside a plant pot. The savoury macaron was full of intensity with deep flavours and interesting textures from the bursting salmon eggs.

Feitoria’s delicious home-made olive and sun-dried tomato bread was given ceremony with an impressive apparatus of olive oil, sea salt and two different types of butter. It’s so difficult to resist filling up on bread and butter when it’s done as creatively as this.

Marinated red snapper with pomegranate jus was tender and doused in a zingy, sweet and sour jus – a real taste of summer.

Copita brioche and tomato Azeitao cheese crisp was a new take on typical Portuguese specialities. The brioche was sweet and fluffy with a perfect little morsel of Copita cured ham. The Azeitao cheese was smooth and creamy, neatly packed inside a bite-size pastry case and topped with a juicy tomato relish.

‘Fiel Amigo’ – cod fish and tripe was another light and summery dish with moist, flaky fish, sautéed tripe and a flourish of foam. Each course onwards was paired with fantastic red and white wines from Porto, Algarve, Douro, Colares and Alentejo.

Our first main tasting dish was Sautéed scallop, Iberian cured ham, wild mushrooms and crab tempura. Scallops are my favourite dish to order for a starter and Feitoria’s scallops were an absolute triumph.

The plump, nicely seared scallops were accompanied by the most delicious crab tempura, crispy, high quality Iberian ham and subtle wild mushrooms, finished with foam.

This was followed by Ricotta, spinach and egg yolk ravioli oxtail stew and black truffle from Perigord. The silky home-made pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and the creamy filling worked well with the rich, slow-cooked oxtail stew. Shaved black truffle added a luxurious touch and an earthy flavour.

My favourite fish dish on the menu was Sea bass with Alcacer do Sol lobster rice, lime and coriander. The herb-crusted sea bass was a little piece of heaven while the gooey yet firm lobster rice featured a generous chunk of succulent, fresh lobster. The dish was accompanied by delicate asparagus, pea shoots and a saffron foam.

A highlight of the meal was the Black Angus entrecote, stuffed potato, quail egg and creamed turnip greens. I was already feeling very full by this point, but there’s always room to be found for a good piece of steak.

The medium-cooked Black Angus entrecote was so tender, juicy and satisfying. I loved the smoky, sweet stuffed potato and the colourful, flavoursome creamed turnip greens. The dish was finished with a rich, meaty jus and burnt fresh herbs – absolute perfection.

Dessert was a refreshing, uncomplicated Wild berry mille-feuille with raspberry sorbet. Layers of flaky pastry were packed together with silky vanilla creme patisserie and fresh raspberries. It was accompanied by glossy raspberry sorbet, fresh raspberries, mini mounds of meringue and torn fresh mint.

It was a delightfully light yet exquisite end to an indulgent meal. The tasting menu usually ends with tea or coffee and petit fours in the form of whimsical, colourful cake and chocolate pops. We were so full of rich food and wine that we couldn’t quite find room for them and instead walked off the meal on a tour of the hotel.

Feitoria is a stunning restaurant with impressive views, slick design and a calm atmosphere. Chef João Rodrigues’ cooking is sophisticated and interesting with a strong focus on excellent, seasonal ingredients.

Make a day of visiting Belém’s famous monuments and cultural institutions (and of course Pasteis de Belém) and end with fine dining and a glorious sunset at Feitoria.

For more information and booking, visit: www.altishotels.com

Chérie City was a guest of Feitoria

For more Lisbon travel ideas, read my reviews of:

Beauty, Cherie Soleil, Health

The Source Juice Cleanse

August 11, 2014 by cheriecity

My first juice cleanse was a daunting prospect – would the juices be bearable and would I be starving by the afternoon?

There are a number of juice cleanses on the health and well-being market now, but The Source Juice offers tailored cleanses for all levels of experience – beginners, intermediates and experts.

As a first-timer, I tried the Foundation Cleanse for two days. The cleanse consists of six organic cold-pressed juices made up of fresh fruits, vegetables and spices. The juices come in 500ml bottles and their natural, vibrant colours make them look appealing to drink.

Nutritionist Caroline Farrell selects ingredients based on their specific nutrients and vitamins, creating a balanced cleanse with everything your body needs for that day.

The point of a juice cleanse is to expel toxins, nourish the body with vitamins and restore depleted energy. The main criticism of juice cleanses is that the body already does a good job of digesting food and removing toxins.

Of course that’s it’s natural role, but we don’t always listen to what our bodies want us to consume and sometimes too much red meat, copious amounts of alcohol or very rich food can make our organs work overtime. So what’s wrong with giving your body the equivalent of a weekend spa break?

The Source Juice cleanse is delivered to your door, ready for you to get started. The juices are accompanied by a Cleanse Journal, which offers excellent advice on how to spend your cleanse day and outlines the time periods in which to drink your juices.

For the best results, it recommends water intervals between juices, a little light exercise later in the day and ending the day with a hot bath, dry body brushing and an early night’s sleep.

Here’s how it all works…

Prepare

When doing a two-day cleanse, I would recommend planning it on a weekend free from social or work obligations so you can really focus and relax.

If you’re used to starting the day with a coffee and perking up with tea and flat whites during the day, you might like to reduce your caffeine intake to soften the blow. I don’t drink coffee, but limiting myself to one cup of caffeinated tea per day, alongside herbal teas, definitely helped make the transition smoother.

Also, have at least one day of healthy eating and good sleep, so you approach the cleanse with a positive attitude and don’t feel groggy and prone to food cravings.

The Cleanse

I started the day with hot water and lemon, followed by the first juice, Rise & Shine – pineapple, apple, pear, clementine, spinach and mint.

I was amazed by just how tasty and refreshing the juice was. It was sweet and zingy with plenty of mint, like drinking a virgin Mojito for breakfast (I couldn’t even really taste the spinach).

After a glass of water and a two-hour wait, it was time for the Volcano – carrot, pear, pineapple, lemon, ginger and turmeric. This juice also had a good balance of sharpness and sweetness, with a dominant, fragrance carrot taste and a punchy kick from the ginger and turmeric.

Next up was a bespoke juice, created specially as I don’t like cucumber. The juice was a tailored version of Dr. Detox, made with apple, pineapple, kale, lemon and ginger. It had an aromatic, ‘green’ aroma but the most prominent flavours were green apple and uplifting pineapple.

I followed this with Red Earth – carrot, clementine, pineapple, pear, beetroot, lemon and chilli. The juice had a very earthy, deep flavour from the beetroot and a slight kick from the chilli – included to stimulate the metabolism.

‘Dinner’ was another Dr. Detox green juice and by this point, I did miss cooking our usual Saturday night meal. It can be difficult to change your mindset away from the usual three meals a day.

The final juice at the end of the day felt like a treat, as it seemed like dessert and night-time milk in one. The Almond Milk contains alkaline water, almonds, coconut, vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt. The creaminess from the almonds and coconut provided some necessary natural fat and protein. It was a welcome contrast to the strong flavours of the day’s juices and had a soothing, calming effect.

Night-time on the first day was tricky, as I had lots of excess energy coupled with a pounding headache. The second day was easier, as my body felt lighter and more relaxed than usual. I did start to have juice fatigue, but could see the end in sight and was determined to keep going.

By the end of the juice cleanse, I felt like I’d been through quite a journey (it was a joy to actually chew again), but the results were worth it. My skin had a glow from all of the good nutrients and lack of carbs/dairy. Since doing the cleanse, my digestive health has massively improved and I’ve been more aware of what I eat and the portion sizes.

I lost two pounds during the cleanse, but weight-loss wasn’t my primary goal. A two-day cleanse felt like enough to see the benefits and make sure that I stuck to it.

Tips

Congratulate yourself – fist-pumping the air with your empty bottle, shouting ‘juiced it!’ is totally embarrassing but whatever it takes to keep you going…

Watch a comedy (or read a fun book) – if you’re missing food, you’re going to need some laughs.

Stay off Twitter and Instagram. The endless shots of tempting food and weekend brunches will drive you mad.

Chérie City received a complimentary two-day cleanse from The Source Juice.

All photos by Chérie City

Beauty

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Skincare

August 5, 2014 by cheriecity

Last week, I attended the launch of an exciting new skincare range from Elizabeth Arden. Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide is a range dedicated to the first signs of ageing among 26-35 year-olds (conveniently my age bracket).

Elizabeth Arden notes that we are ‘generation stress’. The challenges of life in this transitioning period such as our career, finances, starting a family, moving house or managing a jam-packed schedule can play havoc with our health and skin.

With the effects of stress in mind, Elizabeth Arden’s Flawless Future range includes three core products – an eye gel, caplet serum and moisture cream SPF. Nothing too complicated to add to your regime, just results-driven products for those of us with busy lifestyles.

Flawless Future’s anti-stress prescription includes:

Ceramide Support – ceramides are boosted to replenish those lost in chronological ageing and depleted through stress.

Telosense – a protective protein complex to help stabilises telomeres (the caps at the end of chromosomes that prevent our DNA ‘fraying’). Limiting their shortening helps minimise the early appearance and lines and wrinkles.

Soothing & brightening – licorice extract soothes irritated skin and Adenosine improves skin tone, texture and radiance.

Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Eye Gel

After trying the products for a few days, I’ve found the Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Eye Gel particularly effective. The white gel formula is light and unfragranced, leaving the eye area feeling refreshed and comfortably taut. It’s hydrating and non-greasy, making a good base for make-up.

Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Caplet Serum

So far, I’ve loved using the Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Caplet Serum, as it sinks into the skin quickly and doesn’t leave any sticky residue. The pump action combines gel with mini-caplet, which release the powerful ingredients within the serum when they burst.

Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Moisture Cream SPF30

Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Moisture Cream SPF30 helps combat the signs of stress and brighten skin while smoothing the look of enlarged pores and minimising discolouration. The delicately-scented opaque cream feels instantly cooling and leaves the skin feeling plump and hydrated.

It’s a little rich for me to wear every day under make-up, as I have combination skin, but I like using it to give my skin some extra nourishment on weekends, low-key days and at night. The iridescent white and and gold packaging is suitably luxurious and it is a pleasure to use.

With so many lifestyle stresses at this time in life, it’s great to find a skincare range that specifically targets these effects and concerns. I also recommend boosting this skincare routine with a game-changing Oxygen Beauty Blast 15-minute facial at your local Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa (£15 redeemable against products).

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide is available exclusives at Debenhams until 10th August and nationwide from 15th August 2014. For more information, visit: www.elizabetharden.co.uk

Samples

Hotels, Hotels - Luxury, Lisbon, Restaurants

A Great Lunch at Flores do Bairro Lisbon

August 4, 2014 by cheriecity

Flores do Bairro is a stylish restaurant on the ground floor of Lisbon’s five-star Bairro Alto Hotel. A member of Leading Hotels of the World, Bairro Alto Hotel boasts a prime position on Luís de Camões Square between historic Bairro Alto and hip Chiado.

Its acclaimed restaurant Flores do Bairro has the intimate feel of a neighbourhood restaurant and is one of three dining options at Bairro Alto Hotel. Guests can also enjoy spectacular views over Lisbon and light bites from the fourth floor BA Terrace or a refreshing cocktail at the hotel’s popular Cafe-Bar BA with nightly DJs or live music.

Redesigned earlier this year, the colourful, retro-contemporary restaurant is decorated in shades of warm orange, olive and cream with striped feature walls which reminded me of Missoni. It’s an intimate, bright dining room with comfortable banquette seating and views over the square.

Flores do Bairro takes inspiration from a typical ‘bairro’ kitchen, combining tradition with a modern outlook. Talented Portuguese chef Vasco Lello’s menu combines the city’s signature dishes with Asian influences, using the very best seasonal ingredients.

We visited for a light lunch before exploring Bairro Alto and Chiado. The restaurant was quiet when we dined, but I imagine it to be a popular spot during the high season.

Chef Vasco Lello prepared a selection of sharing plates for us to graze on. To start the meal, we were brought a basket of freshly-baked bread with cute little trays of excellent olive oil, pickled vegetables and the most amazing tomato and olive tapenade, which I found rather addictive.

The first dish to arrive was a colourful Octopus salad with peppers and coriander. The octopus was tender and meaty and was marinated in a tangy, aromatic juice with plenty of olive oil and garlic. The small diced peppers, red onion and fresh torn coriander added some sweetness and gave it a summery feel.

Salmon tataki with soba and sesame was a deliciously fresh and light dish. The high quality salmon was nicely seared with a fleshy centre and the cold soba noodles with ribbon vegetables were lightly dressed with just a touch of soy and sesame oil.

Duck Croquettes with green mango chutney were so moreish and tasty with tender shredded duck covered in crispy, golden breadcrumbs. They went perfectly with the zingy, uplifting green mango chutney.

This was followed by a traditional Portuguese seafood stew. The cast iron pot was filled with an assortment of tender seafood in a strongly-flavoured sauce with crisp toast. It’s not something that I would usually order, but the seafood was very fresh and it’s a signature dish worth trying when in Lisbon.

One of my favourite dishes was the Fresh Fish Flores do Bairro style. Thin slices of cod were deep-fried in very fine breadcrumbs, making the most delicious crispy goujons. They were well-seasoned and full of flavour, served simply with a wedge of lemon – definitely a must-order dish.

The fish was accompanied by a traditional Cockles rice served in its own Le Creuset pot. The soft rice and tender cockles came in a juicy broth made with white wine, garlic and fresh herbs. It was a tasty, rich dish but the portion size was a little overwhelming – we didn’t come close to finishing it.

In Lisbon, it’s impossible to resist dessert or a cheeky Pastel de Nata after almost every meal. At Flores do Bairro, we were served a different Lisbon speciality – Traditional yolk pudding and tangerine ice cream. The dense, set pudding was sweet and not overly creamy with delightful orange and honey flavours.

The heavenly tangerine ice cream was studded with citrus pieces and was served atop crunchy biscuit crumble.

Almond Cake was another delicious dessert that we shared. The freshly-baked, nutty cake was split in two and filled with decadent almond ice cream and topped with toasted almond flakes. Both desserts were exceptionally good, so be sure to leave some room for an indulgent sweet at the end of your meal.

Flores do Bairro is a fantastic restaurant for a light and tasty lunch, or a stylish yet informal dinner in Lisbon’s liveliest neighbourhood. It’s perfectly placed for finishing the meal with a coffee on the terrace at nearby A Brasileira or discovering Bairro Alto’s quirky cocktail bars.

The staff at Flores do Bairro were so hospitable and friendly, asking which dishes were our favourites and offering some local insider tips for cool things to see in Chiado. If you’re exploring Bairro Alto and Chiado, be sure to make a stop at the delightful Flores do Bairro.

For more information and booking, visit: www.lhw.com/bairroalto

Chérie City was a guest of Hotel Bairro Alto

For more Lisbon travel ideas, read my reviews of:

Tech, Websites

Plan a Price-Focused Trip with GeniusFlight.com

August 1, 2014 by cheriecity

GeniusFlight.com looks set to change how travellers plan their trips as the world’s first price-focused search engine for worldwide flights.

This first launch from the Amsterdam-based start-up GeniusTravel Group was created by Dutch entrepreneur Gennie Freen, who saw a gap in the market for a price-focused online travel tool.

GeniusFlight.com generates instant search results from the latest airfares of 1000 airlines worldwide, in partnership with Skyscanner.

Like most seasoned travellers, I like to tailor-make my holiday and use price comparison sites for travel, however I often rely on my tried and tested airlines, sometimes missing great deals from the lesser-known affordable airlines.

I tend to choose my next destination based on where I’m inspired to visit at the time, interesting sights and whether I’ve been there before or are exploring for the first time. Once I have my heart set on a trip, I consider the costs and sometimes it’s just not possible to make it happen.

Luckily GeniusFlight.com has devised a savvy new online tool for holiday planning which allows users to search for flights according to their budget. What’s more, it helps broaden your horizons and keep an open mind to destinations that might not have previously been on your travel radar.

Simply set the slider to how much you want to spend and add your departure point and dates, plus how many people will be travelling with. ‘The Genius’ then brings up a list of clickable countries on a comprehensive may with prices clearly displayed.

Click on the country that takes your fancy and it produces a number of destinations. After selecting, all of the possible flights for your chosen dates are listed with a variety of outgoing and incoming flight times.

I recommend filtering your search results to only include specific airports and airlines, departure and arrival times and direct flights only, to narrowly target your search.

Once you’ve selected your flight, GeniusFlight.com takes you to a third party site to make your booking. I used GeniusFlight.com to book return flights to Barcelona (BCN) in September for Steven and me.

I initially used the site for travel research, as I hadn’t yet decided where to travel to. The reasonable price of flights, wide range of flight times and a choice of London airports made it a clear choice. Another appealing factor was that Barcelona International Airport is within such easy reach of the city by air-conditioned metro.

I found GeniusFlight.com very easy to use and straightforward, meaning I could confirm my booking in as few clicks as possible. It was worth using the website to determine my destination and find suitable flights from all possible options quickly and efficiently.

GeniusFlight.com is currently available on desktop and tablet and an iPhone app is planned for later this year. A GeniusHotels.com product is also available, featuring over 460,000 hotels worldwide and powered by Booking.com.

For price-focused flight inspiration and to book flights online, visit: www.geniusflight.com

Chérie City received flights courtesy of GeniusFlight.com

Hotels, Hotels - Luxury, Paris

Meet Kléopatre at Le Bristol Paris

July 31, 2014 by cheriecity

Fa-Raon, the pampered Birman cat at Le Bristol Paris, is beloved of guests and known across the world as the luxury palace hotel’s number one VIP.

However, no cat is an island and Fa-Raon needed a fellow four-legged friend to accompany him on his adventures around the hotel. Enter Kléopatre – an equally regal white Birman cat who Fa-Raon has graciously welcomed into his stylish abode with open paws.

Kléopatre and Fa-Raon live together in a special apartment located within the hotel, which has been exclusively decorated by renowned street artists, Renk. The walls are covered in their names and the word ‘cat’ in many different languages.

Le Bristol insiders say that Fa-Raon has already taken Kléopatre on a tour of his favourite hotel haunts, including the top of the Concierge counter, which he often uses as his own napping spot or vanity table for grooming.

In celebration of the arrival of Kléopatre, Maison Goyard has created for her a bespoke ‘Oscar’ bow-tie collar, which will be worn with a silver tag by silversmith Christofle and graphic design duo Ich & Kar who created the personalised lettering. It matches a similar Goyard bow-tie collar given to Fa-Raon by the maison on his third birthday.

Yes, these fluffy Parisian felines have the kind of glamorous lives and social connections that only you and I could only ever dream of. But don’t be envious, just stop by Le Bristol and see if you can spot them in the garden or curled up in the lobby. If you’re lucky, they may extend a paw and welcome you into their home.

Photos by Le Bristol Paris