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Dubai

Splurge or Save in Dubai?

July 4, 2018 by cheriecity

Dubai has a well-earned reputation for being the world’s most opulent destination with its 7 star hotels, world-renowned restaurants and designer shopping.

You can definitely live the high life there as a visitor, however spending mega bucks isn’t essential for a memorable trip to the ever-developing UAE city. In fact, I’ve been inspired to learn more about it from recent travel programmes on the more cultural and traditional aspects of Dubai.

If Dubai is on your travel radar too, here are a few ideas for how to see the city your way…

Extravagant

For a once in a lifetime experience, splurge on a stay at Dubai’s famous Burj Al Arab (the most expensive suite is a cool $25,000 per night), the plush new Bulgari Resort or iconic Atlantis, The Palm. Of course, you’ll want to dine at the city’s top restaurants, so book a table at French classic La Petite Maison Dubai, the inventive Reflets par Pierre Gagnaire, sushi crowd-pleaser Zuma and Pierchic for seafood with views across the Gulf.

A luxury trip is all about those unique moments, so fill your days with a luxury yacht tour, helicopter ride, VIP shopping at The Dubai Mall or a polo match – the possibilities are endless.

Money to Spare

Look past the ritzy tower residences and you’ll find that Dubai has a number of affordable design hotels such as Vida Downtown Dubai and XVA Art Hotel, which is also a popular art gallery. Friday brunch is a big occasion in Dubai, since it’s the first day of the weekend there, and the vibe ranges from family-friendly to a raucous daytime party. Enjoy a lazy, all-inclusive banquet at Bubbalicious at The Westin, beach-chic Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE or Al Qasr with its dedicated chocolate room.

Also, be sure to schedule half a day to go dune bashing in the desert or indoor skiing for a change of temperature, as well as shopping at the Egyptian pyramid-shaped Wafi Mall.

On a Budget

Dubai can easily be done on a shoestring, just look out for cheap eats, free events and alternative transport. Rent a city bicycle and ride along the marina, join in a public tour of the Jumeirah Mosque and Dubai Museum, haggle for a bargain at the Old Dubai souqs and take a traditional wooden Dhow boat across the Creek.

For a multi-cultural taste of Dubai at a pleasing price, go for shawarma at Zaroob and Sidra, grilled kebab at Pars Iranian Kitchen or Pakistani curries at the legendary Ravi Restaurant. Al Dhiyafah Road is noted for its many traditional eateries that attract locals and travellers alike and you can also graze on fresh produce from the Ripe Food & Craft Market in Zabeel Park every Friday.

To make it even easier, Travelplanners, the all-inclusive and package holiday specialists, have created this handy tool, so you can quickly see where to spend or save in Dubai. Simply scroll and click on the map to explore…

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Contrary to its super-luxe image, your pound can go quite far in Dubai if you’re savvy. Are you tempted to visit?

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Photos via Visit Dubai and Instagram

London, Restaurants

A Great Lunch at Obicà Mozzarella Bar

June 22, 2018 by cheriecity

Obicà Mozzarella Bar feels a bit like an old friend, as I have good memories of eating there on shopping trips to London years before I moved here (it was once conveniently on the designer womenswear floor of Selfridges). I’ve always thought that there’s something rather luxurious about a ‘mozzarella bar’ and Obicà was officially the first in the world.

This boutique chain is quite a success story – it was established in 2004 by Silvio Ursini and now has restaurants across Italy as well as Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles and London where there are no less than five in different parts of the city. Obicà Creative Chef Alessandro Borghese is a well-known face on Italian TV and has designed a typically Italian menu of ‘food to share’ with family and friends.

Obicà serves high quality Mozzarella di Bufala Campana from the plains of rural Campania awarded with the Protected Designation of Origin. It’s made only from the milk of water buffalo and three types are served in the restaurants – delicate, intense and robust for the smoked mozzarella.

We visited the Soho restaurant on Poland Street for a leisurely weekend lunch and to see what’s new. The recently-launched summer dishes at Obicà are all about truffles, so we indulged with a Burrata al tartufo. The burrata was as cool, creamy and artisanal as expected, but the freshly-shaved black summer truffle and infused oil really made it special. It’s definitely worth upgrading to this luxe burrata for a treat.

We accompanied it with a plate of Prosciutto crudo di Parma DOP. This air-cured, 20-month aged pork leg had a mature, almost fruity flavour and was very moreish. Another hit was the Caponata alla Siciliana, which I like to order in restaurants as you rarely find two the same. This authentic Sicilian stew had fantastic agrodolce flavours with slow-cooked aubergine, aromatic capers, soft celery, raisins, almonds and toasted pinenuts. It was also served with shards of crispy Sardinian flatbread and made the perfect match for the more subtle burrata.

It would be crazy not to try the signature mozzarella in some way, so we channelled the Naples purists and ordered a classic Bufala DOP e pomodoro pizza. Not only was the pizza enormous but it’s possibly one of the best I’ve ever had in central London. The dough was pleasingly light, airy and mellow while the organic tomato sauce was packed with naturally sweet flavour and the rich mozzarella di Bufala and torn fresh basil finished it perfectly.

I’ve had many pizzas in London (particularly some of the new-gen sourdough ones) where the core ingredients don’t mesh well together and just feel rushed, but Obicà’s is exemplary and a bit of a dark horse of the pizza scene since they don’t really shout about it.

It was a warm day when we visited, so sharing a pizza and a gourmet salad seemed appropriate. Of course, I wasn’t prepared for how mega the Pollo Ruspante would be – both in flavour and sheer size (it also comes in a slightly more modest starter size).

It was beautifully presented and packed full of smoky flame-grilled free-range chicken breast with fresh lambs lettuce, a generous amount of sliced avocado and punchy Datterini tomatoes confit. There were also plenty of fragrant black olives, whole toasted almonds and a simple, refreshing buffalo yoghurt sauce. It was a very satisfying salad and I didn’t even get food envy as bubbling hot lasagne arrived straight from the oven to the table behind us (although it did look like comfort food heaven).

Luckily we found a little room for dessert and shared a slice of Torta di Capri. This decadent flourless chocolate cake had a velvety texture and was studded with slivers of roasted almond, served with a cooling fior di latte gelato. The coffee is also really good – proper Italian coffee at its best.

We enjoyed our lunch at Obicà Mozzarella Bar not only because the food was excellent, but for the comfortable surroundings, peaceful atmosphere and lovely, friendly staff. There are countless new, exciting London restaurants to try, but Obicà is a classic that reminds you of the good life. I’ll definitely be back soon to try the weekend brunch or after-work aperitivo.

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

Cherie City was a guest of Obicà Mozzarella Bar

Photos by Cherie City

Hamburg, Hotels

A Stay at 25hours Hotel Hamburg HafenCity

June 20, 2018 by cheriecity

When visiting the Hanseatic port city of Hamburg, what could be more appropriate than staying at a hotel inspired by seafaring? 25hours Hotel Hamburg HafenCity is a cool design hotel overlooking the harbour from an island on the Elbe river in the downtown HafenCity quarter.

It occupies a prime spot in the newly-developed Überseequartier and is surrounded by neighbourhood restaurants, cafes and shops. In fact, its sister hotel 25hours Hotel Hamburg Altes Hafenamt is literally behind it, so you can make use of the amenities at both.

Design

I’ve always been intrigued by the 25hours Hotels brand – with hip, individually-designed hotels across Germany, Austria and Switzerland – and this is certainly one of its most quirky properties. It has the industrial feel of a shipping warehouse with a sociable open-plan lobby, cargo box lobby and Mare Kiosk with a curated selection of books, bric-a-brac, snacks and drinks.

Also on the ground floor is Heimat Küche+Bar (meaning ‘home’ in German), offering a new interpretation of Hamburg’s traditional dishes such as Swabian cheese spätzle, fried fish and veal meatballs, using fresh ingredients sourced from the region.

The Room

Check-in was friendly and attentive and we swiftly got settled in to our M cabin+ (the second room category up) on the sixth floor. This cosy room has been designed with maritime nomads in mind and has a Wes Anderson vibe with a travel-themed illustrated wall, sailor’s rope ladder and shaggy carpet.

Room features include an open wardrobe, large flat screen TV and a sea chest incorporating a writing desk with electrical plugs, minibar, magazines and a logbook filled with poems from the sea. The queen-size bed was comfortable with high-quality linen, fun embroidered cushions and bedside shelved nooks.

The bathroom was small but well-appointed, with an illustrated pin-up girl wall mural, brown tiling, powerful rainfall shower, fluffy towels and simple natural bathroom products by German eco brand Stop the Water While Using Me!

The Club Level is a calm space where guests can chill out and read or listen to music. There is also a no-nonsense traditional Finnish Harbour Sauna and a boxing punching bag rather than a high-tech gym on the 6th floor with panoramic views of the harbour.

Dinner at NENI

That evening, we had booked dinner at NENI, the restaurant at the 25hours Hotel Hamburg Altes Hafenamt, as we’d had a great meal at its sister restaurant in Berlin a few years ago. NENI is a hip ‘Balagan-style’ restaurant by chef Haya Molcho that began in Berlin and now has restaurants in the 25hours Hotels in Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Vienna and Zurich. It’s one of the most popular restaurants in HafenCity and has a cosy, colourful vibe like a Middle Eastern bazaar with an open kitchen and outdoor seating too.

We started with a smoky, moreish Baba ganoush and rustic Sweet potato with roasted almonds, crème fraîche and rocket spinach salad with citrus vinaigrette.

Our main courses were enormous and very satisfying. From the robata grill, we tried the NENI-style kebab – succulent home-made beef-lamb kebab with Har Bracha tahina, parsley, baharat, grilled vegetables and pita bread. Another hit was the Jerusalem teller with tender grilled strips of chicken with spices, fresh herbs, humus, Har Bracha tahina, bell pepper, onion and pita bread.

The chicken had just the right level of spice and there was a generous amount of velvety humus, plus plenty of fluffy pita bread to scoop it all up. If only we’d found some room for dessert, as the Knafeh and Halva looked pretty tempting.

Breakfast

In the morning, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the hotel’s Heimat Küche+Bar. The generous breakfast buffet had everything you need to start the day well – mini pastries, freshly-baked rolls, cereal, yoghurt, porridge with cinnamon sugar and excellent scrambled eggs and bacon. All items were high quality and I liked the special touches such as pots of loose-leaf tea and a wide choice of jams, nut butters and seeds to sprinkle on top. It’s definitely worth adding breakfast to your stay, as Heimat Küche+Bar is a destination restaurant in the area.

Location

To help you explore Hamburg, you can test-drive a MINI for free and rent bikes from the shop next door, and try a cycling tour curated by bike professionals for the hotel. The hotel is also conveniently close to the iconic Elbphilharmonie concert hall, National Maritime Museum and the Speicherstadt redbrick warehouse district, which was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015.

25hours Hotel Hamburg HafenCity takes an imaginative spin on a modern lifestyle hotel with plenty of cool design features but also comfort and high standards. Its HafenCity location is peaceful compared to boisterous St Pauli and it’s easy to get to the city’s main attractions (as well as the cruise ship terminal). Following such a great stay, I’m keen to check out more of the 25hours Hotels, especially the upcoming opening in Paris.

Discover the best places to eat, drink and see in my guide on the Top Things to do in Hamburg.

For more information and booking, visit: www.25hours-hotels.com

Chérie City was a guest of 25hours Hotel Hamburg Hafencity

All photos by Chérie City

Bars, London

A Great Lunch at Hackney Church Brew Co.

June 17, 2018 by cheriecity

This weekend saw the opening of Hackney Church Brew Co, a new taproom and kitchen at the far end of Bohemia Place at Hackney Central. Tucked away under two railway arches just off Mare Street, it’s an impressive space featuring a brewery, bar and dining room, open kitchen and beer garden.

Co-founders Luke Scanlon and brewer Ryan Robbins had the idea of creating a local social space that brings people together through world-class beer, great food and music. Named after the parish church on Lower Clapton Road, the socially-conscious brewpub is reviving the church’s long-forgotten brewing tradition – there was previously a brewery on-site a few hundred years ago.

Beautifully-designed by Red Deer (Lina Stores, Smokestak and Bourne & Hollinsworth), it retains its industrial warehouse feel while paying tribute to the church with restored pews, wooden beams and long candlesticks.

Since it’s conveniently on our doorstep, we dropped by for an early Saturday lunch and happened to be their very first customers. While I usually think it’s fairer to give new places a chance to settle in, it was fun to be part of the opening excitement and the 10% opening day discount was very welcome.

I ordered a Lindeman’s Kriek cherry beer that had a refreshing sweet and sour taste while Steven went for a pint of their own brewed American pale ale with floral notes of chamomile and pineapple. We sat in the glorious beer garden watching the trains go by to a chilled-out soundtrack while waiting for our meal to arrive.

Emilio Stavrou helms the kitchen with Ela, a Greek-Cypriot concept of small plates and grills, inspired by his favourite kebab shop in his family hometown of Nicosia, Cyprus.

Everything arrived piping hot from the barbecue and it was the perfect feast to go with our cold beer in the sun. The Devonshire pork kebab was succulent and juicy with a generous amount of meat tucked inside fluffy pitta with cooling tzatziki, finely-chopped lettuce and spring onion. The Devonshire chicken skewer was also tender and high quality with subtle seasoning (not at all spicy) and a char-grilled finish.

Bulgar with sun-dried tomato was light and springy with pieces of vermicelli noodles and fresh parsley, while the Cypriot potato chips were crispy and seasoned like the ones you’d find in a traditional taverna. We also loved the incredibly moreish Smoked aubergine dip, topped with jewel-like pomegranate seeds and parsley. Everything looked quite dainty presented on the tray, but those black terracotta dishes were deceiving, as the portion sizes were substantial and we ordered the right amount for a filling lunch.

The highest price is just £7.65 for a hearty kebab and most dishes are under a fiver, so you can try a few different bites. There are also decent amount of vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu.

St John at Hackney Brewery is already shaping up to be a local hit and there’s a lot to like about it. The staff are genuinely friendly, prices are competitive for the quality and it’s all done with care and soul. As they say on the beer mats, it’s a place for ‘all sorts’.

For more information and menus, visit: www.hackneychurchbrew.co

All photos by Chérie City

London, Market

Eating Out at Vegan Nights Street Food Market in London

June 5, 2018 by cheriecity

Vegan food in London is getting more and more creative and accessible and now pretty much every popular dish can be reimagined without meat, fish or dairy. However, it wasn’t until I went to Vegan Nights that my eyes were opened to the range of vegan street food and the culture around the scene.

The popular monthly night market brings together some of London’s best plant-based food vendors, DJs and musicians at 93 Feet East on Brick Lane. Spread across two warehouses and a spacious yard, it has a real festival vibe, plus you can bring your kids and dogs along.

When we visited, the food line-up included What the Pitta, Biff’s Jack Shack, Spicebox, Arancini Brothers, Dee’s Kitchen, Orang Utan, Hai Dozo, Pomodoro e Basilico and Vida Bakery, among others. Vegan Nights founder and Instagram food star King of CookDaily curated the entertainment and was also serving up sticky teriyaki chickn bites.

We started at Lazy Boy Kitchen and shared a big plate of Barbecue brisket with mac and cheese, jalapenos and ‘bacon bits’, washed down with a refreshing pomegranate cocktail and Brewdog Punk IPA from the rather jazzy bar. The brisket was so tender and satisfying with a rich, sweet glaze and the mac and cheese (made with cashew cheese sauce) had a subtle, creamy taste and wasn’t overpowering or too grainy. Vegan comfort food at its very best!

After a wander around, checking out DJ sets from Benj + Teaboyz, Jessica Skye and Melody Kane, it was time to eat again. The queue for stone-baked pizzas at Little Leaf Food was reassuringly long and we took that as a good sign. We ordered the seasonal pizza with roasted aubergine, cheese, red pesto, lemon, rocket and pickled red onion. The dough was chewy and nicely blistered and the toppings were well-balanced and full of flavour. The only thing I wasn’t so sure on was the vegan cheese, which I can only describe as ‘slippery’.

At the end of the night, we picked up some vegan treats from Cupcakes & Shhht to graze on at home. The Peanut butter brownie was an indulgent delight and we also loved the slightly more virtuous Peanut butter caramel slice. They also have a cafe at Elephant & Castle that I can’t wait to check out.

Vegan Nights is such a friendly event with a really inclusive atmosphere and everyone we met was there to party and have fun. Whether you’re a committed vegan or simply curious, it’s a cool place to catch up with friends and make the most of the summer in London.

The next Vegan Nights is on Thursday 7th June, from 5pm-11pm at 93 Feet East, Truman Brewery. Tickets are priced from £7 per person.

Chérie City was a guest of Vegan Nights

All photos by Chérie City

Brunch, London

An Amazing Brunch at Nobu Shoreditch

May 31, 2018 by cheriecity

Nobu Shoreditch has been on my wish list since it opened last year, so I was super excited that Steven had booked us in for brunch on my birthday. Nobu may already be a London institution, but there’s something a bit special about its Shoreditch sister.

Nobu Hotel Shoreditch is the first European hotel by the global brand’s inimitable founders, actor Robert De Niro and master chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Tucked away on Willow Street it certainly has a striking look and features 148 guest rooms, spa, fitness studio, the famous high-end Japanese-Peruvian restaurant and a new relaxed Nobu Café in the lobby.

It was hard to predict whether brunch would have a chilled or party vibe on a warm bank holiday weekend (there is a DJ booth after all), but the restaurant felt calm with most guests basking in the sun in the outdoor courtyard. We were kindly given a choice of tables and opted for a cool and cosy booth, strategically in view of the open kitchen.

Weekend brunch at Nobu Shoreditch is a luxurious affair and includes one main dish each as well as edamame and unlimited access to a bountiful brunch and dessert bar. There’s a generous choice of dishes to choose from and I was thrilled to see Nobu’s signature Black cod den miso as an option, especially as it’s a cool £42 on the a la carte menu.

Matcha waffle and chicken with smoked maple tosazu and pecan miso butter was a spin on a brunch classic that actually worked really well. The chicken was succulent and crispy with a well-seasoned panko coating while the waffles had an intense matcha flavour and were complemented by the sweet butter and tangy, piquant sauces.

The brunch-size portion of Black cod den miso was tender and perfectly-cooked with sticky, caramelised miso edges – possibly the best I’ve ever tasted. Other tempting main dishes include rock shrimp tempura, beef tenderloin with scrambled eggs and the indulgent Matsuhisa Benedict.

The sushi counter was managed meticulously with an impressive selection of high-quality cold bites constantly replenished. Beef tenderloin ‘new style’ was very moreish (I lost track on how many pieces we ate) and we loved the melt-in-the-mouth Salmon sushi, California rolls, Shrimp tempura rolls, chilled Yellowtail sashimi and the artfully-presented Mushroom sushi. There was also a fresh salad station with assorted leaves and dressings, Crispy rice cubes and Spicy prawn served in decorative shells.

Filling up on sushi is all too easy, but it’s worth leaving some room for the excellent Japanese patisserie. Highlights were a velvety chocolate matcha tart, decadent matcha profiteroles and exquisite full-size macarons in a trio of flavours – sesame, matcha and wasabi miso. We also enjoyed lemon raspberry tart, matcha dorayaki, strawberry mousse with sake jelly and a variety of freshly-baked muffins, mini pastries, cookies and fresh cut fruit. If only we had space to squeeze in a slice of Nobu cheesecake – that will definitely haunt me now!

Brunch at Nobu really surpassed expectations and I was impressed by the offering of high-end dishes, efficient service and attention to detail, from the gorgeous tableware to the well-curated soundtrack. Dinner at Nobu can be eye-wateringly expensive, but the brunch poses good value, as you can graze on a number of the restaurant’s greatest hits and leave feeling more than satisfied. I’ll definitely be back soon to try the Nobu Cafe too – on the way out I spotted a rather fabulous dessert trolley and matcha soft serve!

Weekend brunch at Nobu Shoreditch is served from 11.30am to 3pm and is priced at £45 per person, including one main dish and unlimited access to brunch and dessert bar. For £55 you can add a glass of wine or Champagne and £75 gets you unlimited Prosecco, Aperol Spritz or Lychee elderflower martini for the duration of 2 hours. For more information and booking, visit: www.nobuhotelshoreditch.com

All photos by Chérie City

Cafes, London

Benk + Bo Cafe and Creative Space, London

May 14, 2018 by cheriecity

I’m always on the lookout for great new cafes in London and one of my favourite recent discoveries is the brilliant Benk + Bo.

Opened at the beginning of the year, this friendly neighbourhood spot is many things all rolled successfully into one – a cafe, bakery, yoga studio and co-working space. It’s surprisingly big but with an intimate feel, set across three storeys of a Brutalist building in a rapidly-developing part of Aldgate and just a short walk from Spitalfields, Brick Lane and Liverpool Street.

Owners Antony Burger and Mariell Lind Hansen (from fashion and architectural photography backgrounds respectively) established Benk + Bo to bring together creatives from all disciplines and provide a peaceful place to collaborate and share ideas. Indeed, its memorable name means ‘workbench’ and ‘a place to live’ in Norwegian.

The concept is influenced by the DIY community spirit of the rural Norwegian island where Mariell grew up and has naturally evolved since opening. As such, the style is Scandinavian-meets-London with well-chosen, homely touches such as woven tapestries, cosy armchairs, mood lamps and 1950s wood furniture that they lovingly restored by hand.

The members-only lower floor is like a secret garden of flourishing plants and you can watch the chefs at work in the kitchen. Meanwhile, the upstairs features a spacious, beautifully-renovated yoga studio, a tranquil piano practice room and a shower room modelled on an original mid-century Barbican bathroom.

The heart of Benk + Bo is its bijou cafe (open to non-members) and grocery store selling gourmet products from artisan producers, many of them London-based. However, what makes it really stand out from the London crowd is the in-house bakery, helmed by Head Baker Julien Valmier, formerly of The Savoy hotel, Le Cordon Bleu, Peyton & Byrne and Pain Blanc in Nagoya, Japan.

While produced in small batches, the selection of patisserie is truly impressive – I spotted a tempting Tarte Tropézienne, Paris-Brest in a variety of flavours, loaf cakes, Danish pastries, cookies and slightly more virtuous energy balls. Many of the pastries are vegan and Benk + Bo supply them to other cafes across London, including my favourite I Will Kill Again in Hackney.

I enjoyed the most delicious Pistachio Paris-Brest with exquisitely light choux pastry and velvety crème pâtissière. For an even greener treat, I paired it with an Iced matcha latte with oat milk – the best I’ve ever had!

I was also excited to see that Benk + Bo uses beans from east London roastery Dark Arts Coffee as standard and couldn’t resist buying a box of their ‘Weightless Again’ Ethiopia Yirgacheffe coffee to take home.

So far, Benk + Bo has hosted art exhibitions, book launches and supper clubs by the likes of Farmdrop, 26 Grains and The Caspian Kitchen, and it’s exciting to see what they will come up with next.

Benk + Bo is such a soulful place that leaves you feeling uplifted and part of it all. Many independent cafes lack the friendliness that makes you want to return, but Mariell, Antony and their team are so hands-on and really care about welcoming everyone who steps through the door. I can’t wait to go back and try some of their new brunch dishes and work my way through the pâtisserie.

Membership begins from £110 per month and access to fibre optic broadband, unlimited yoga classes, cafe discounts, free booking of meeting room and piano studio and a private locker. For more information, visit: www.benkandbo.com

All photos by Chérie City

Food, London

Norigami Pop-Up at Sourced Market, London

May 9, 2018 by cheriecity

Lunch ‘on the go’ just got a little bit more exciting with the arrival of Norigami at Sourced Market in St Pancras Station.

This new pop-up is dedicated solely to ‘onigirazu’, a Japanese snack that’s a cross between sushi and sandwich – the best of both worlds. French founder Arthur discovered this popular food trend on his travels and brought the idea back to London, drawing on his experience in the tech industry to launch a start-up.

The little pockets of sushi rice are wrapped in fresh nori and filled with a choice of four different flavours. They also happen to be free from wheat, gluten and dairy, which make them ideal for families (mothers in Japan often prepare them for their kids).

I tried the Vegan curry Norigami – a punchy mix of spicy Sri Lankan-inspired potato curry, sweet and sour pickled carrots, crunchy onions, fresh coriander and parsley. The heat from the spices was intense, but it was also satisfying and packed full of authentic flavours.

The only Japanese recipe on the menu was Miso roasted salmon with sesame seeds, pickled cucumbers and green beans. The generous amount of salmon was tender and fresh and worked well with the green vegetables. It also had a bit of a heat kick from the marinade.

Norigami make a great snack and are good value at just £2.99 each, but you’ll probably need to order two for a filling lunch. While the pop-up is just running until 11th May, Norigami HQ has some interesting plans to bring more sushi sandwiches to London, so watch this space.

For more information, menus and online ordering, visit: www.norigamihq.com

All photos by Chérie City

Afternoon tea, London

Afternoon Tea at Le Restaurant de PAUL

May 8, 2018 by cheriecity

French bakery PAUL is my ‘go to’ lunch spot when I’m craving a taste of Paris, whether it’s a classic Croque Monsieur, Éclair or one of their perfect little Canelés.

Le Restaurant de PAUL in Covent Garden, however, takes it to the next level with a brasserie menu of regional dishes, sharing boards and classics such as Entrecôte, Duck confit and Coq au Vin. The bakery leads on to an elegant, relaxed dining room with cosy velvet banquettes and wall murals that remind me of Angelina in Paris. Interestingly, the Bedford Street restaurant was also the first branch of PAUL to open in the UK 18 years ago.

Bringing an extra touch of indulgence, Le Restaurant de PAUL has just launched a new Bottomless Afternoon Tea – a French twist on the English classic with plenty of bubbles. I enjoyed a preview of the afternoon tea in the restaurant’s cosy conservatory and was greeted with a typical apéritif of Kir Royale.

Our afternoon tea was served on a traditional three-tier stand with a glass of aromatic, refreshing sparkling vin mousseux from Ky Procco by Alain Gayrel. Starting with the savouries, the trio of lightly-toasted sandwiches were simple and high quality – Poached salmon and horseradish, creamy Camembert and my favourite smoky Chicken with tomato, mustard and mayonnaise.

I was initially hesitant about the replacement of scones (a time-honoured afternoon tea staple), however the fluffy, buttery sweet brioche was just as satisfying, especially when smothered liberally in whipped cream and strawberry jam.

The sweets were a real highlight and the selection was perfectly-chosen. The Gâteau aux carottes was moist and nutty with a smooth cream cheese ganache and I loved the delicate and light Fraisier with Genoese sponge, mousseline cream and fresh strawberries finished with bright green marzipan – a perfect dessert for spring.

As a fan of PAUL’s mini macarons, I was pleased to see them make an appearance on the afternoon tea in six different flavours – we enjoyed chocolate and lemon.

Afternoon tea at PAUL is a real treat if you love classic French patisserie and it’s great value, particularly with the free-flowing sparkling wine. It’s definitely one to add to the list for a decadent teatime in Covent Garden.

Afternoon tea with free-flowing Ky Procco by Alain Gayrel at Le Restaurant de PAUL Covent Garden is priced at £24.95 per person and Afternoon tea with a hot drink of your choice is priced at £14.95. Served from 2.30pm to 5.30pm on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information and booking, visit: www.paul-uk.com

Chérie City was a guest of Le Restaurant de PAUL

All photos by Chérie City

London, Theatre

Ethiopian Dreams by Circus Abyssinia

April 16, 2018 by cheriecity

The start of the summer always feels close when the Underbelly spiegeltent arrives on the South Bank. In fact, this year is rather special, as Underbelly celebrates its 10th anniversary with its biggest programme yet, including an impressive four international circus shows.

Underbelly is a six-month long festival celebrating the best in new circus, comedy, cabaret and family entertainment. The showground has the feel of a secret garden on the South Bank with whimsical flowers and lanterns plus gourmet street food stalls and bars, so you can really make a night of it.

Kicking off the season is headlining show Ethiopian Dreams by the acclaimed Circus Abyssinia. Written by Cal McCrystal, this joyful, vibrant show tells the autobiographical and fictional story of two young Ethiopian brothers, Bibi and Bichu, who have a shared dream of joining the circus.

The opening scene transports you to Ethiopia with an uplifting mix of traditional African dance, rhythmic music and typical ankara print clothes. The characters of Bibi and Bichu are first taken on by talented youngsters Ezera Nigusse and Alemayehu Mulugeta, who show off their acrobatic skills, hand-vaulting from the outstretched arms of their elders.

As they journey through circus life, they encounter two girls who perform a mesmerising snake dance, mirroring the naturally slinky contortions and nonchalant characteristics of the flexible animal.

Another highlight of the show is a colourful cloth-spinning number, where the girls balance on each other’s hip bones. It’s also impossible not to be charmed by the hapless tight-rope-walking clown and enjoy the comical audience participation.

The young boys grow to be world-class jugglers, as the real-life brothers Bibi and Bichu Tesfamariam take centre stage, performing a slick juggling act with a swinging jazz soundtrack. The show ends with one big party, as eight of the guys climb the vertiginous double Chinese pole and tumble down with their own unique style to thumping Ethiopian club music.

Ethopian Dreams is a sunny, gleeful show with more than a few jaw-dropping moments and unbelievable stunts. While some circus productions can be quite conceptual and arty, Circus Abyssinia’s show is family-friendly and accessible – simply joyful from start to finish.

Ethiopian Dreams by Circus Abyssinia runs until 20th May at Underbelly Festival, Southbank Centre, London. For more information and tickets, visit: www.underbellyfestival.com

Chérie City was a guest of Underbelly Festival

Photos courtesy of Underbelly – by Andrey Petrov, Matilda Temperley and Andy Phillipson

London, Restaurants

A Great Dinner at Ekachai King’s Cross

April 12, 2018 by cheriecity

Ekachai is quite a foodie institution, bringing the flavourful dishes of South East Asia’s hawker stalls to five stylish casual restaurants across London.

Its Hong Kong-born founders opened their first outpost inside the Liverpool Street Arcade in 1999 and the independent family-run small chain has developed a loyal following ever since – a real local success story. The latest opening at King’s Cross is conveniently located just behind the train station on up-and-coming York Way and is a cosy spot with an open kitchen.

What makes Ekachai so appealing is its overlapping cuisines – being able to choose authentic street food dishes from Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong all in one place. As such, the well-edited menu is full of the owners’ childhood favourites, offers tempting small plates, noodle soups, wok stir-fries, fried rice and noodles and curries.

We started with a basket of everyone’s favourite dumpling – Xiao Long Bao. These little dumplings were exemplary and some of the best we’ve tasted in London – generously filled with well-seasoned pork and a comforting broth. They are so delicious that you might want to order a whole portion for yourself!

Soft shelled crab was also a treat, with a meaty centre and crunchy legs enrobed in crispy batter and served with a mild sambal dipping sauce.

I can’t resist Pad Thai and Ekachai’s was very substantial with lightly smoked sautéed chicken, a generous amount of plump fresh prawns, silky flat rice noodles with beansprouts and golden egg, covered in a well-balanced, sweet and citrusy sauce. I also liked the meticulously neat garnishes of crushed peanuts, dried red chilli, lime wedge and fresh coriander.

Beef Rendang, a traditional Malay/Indonesian curry, was fragrant and punchy with tender, flaky slow-cooked beef and prominent flavours of roasted coconut, galangal and lemongrass. It went perfectly with the delicate, aromatic jasmine rice with a buttery, griddled roti for scooping up the sauce.

Ekachai doesn’t serve dessert, but really it wasn’t missed, as our dishes were so filling and satisfying. However, if you’re in the mood for something sweet, order a refreshing Mango lassi or a Kaffe Thai lon – the famous Thai white coffee with sweetened with condensed milk.

Every main dish at Ekachai is under £10 (apart from the Crispy duck salad), so you can eat very well for a good price, or make a feast of it. Service is also friendly and efficient and the new King’s Cross restaurant keeps that family-run vibe that keeps people coming back. I’m tempted by another visit soon to work my way through the menu, as well as getting a Xiao Long Bao fix.

For more information and menus, visit: www.ekachai.co.uk

Chérie City was a guest of Ekachai King’s Cross

Photos by Chérie City (interior by Ekachai)

Berlin, Theatre

FINALE at Chamaeleon Theatre, Berlin

April 6, 2018 by cheriecity

Chamaeleon Theatre in Berlin is one of my favourite travel discoveries and I recently had the fortune of visiting a third time for a performance of new show FINALE by Analog Group.

Each show that I’ve seen at this timeless, jewel-box theatre in Mitte’s historic Hackescher Höfe has been vastly different in style and narrative. Underart by Sweden’s Cirkus Cirkör was highly-conceptual and emotive while Company 2’s Scotch & Soda was a raucous, Aussie boozefest, so I was intrigued to see how this young Berlin-based troupe would approach circus.

The Show

FINALE begins off-stage with a humorous see-saw scene with Creative Director Florian Zumkehr and acrobat Richie Maguire competing for attention – a theme that runs through the show. The narrative is quite loose, as it’s mostly just about having fun, but I noticed a few references to teenage nostalgia, from a library scene to a sweet love duet.

The Cast

Gradually we’re introduced to each member of the cast and their unique acrobatic talents are revealed. We all fell in love with the talented singer-songwriter Ena Wild – a star of the Berlin club scene – mostly for her smoky, heavenly vocals but also her spectacular outfits, meticulously changed with every scene. In fact, she composed the entire score with writing partner and live drummer Lukas Thielecke.

Perhaps the most unforgettable scene was New Yorker Richie Maguire sharing his obsession with Jean-Claude Van Damme and performing some extreme Van Damming while eating a banana in a gold sequin thong. That image doesn’t tend to leave your mind!

I was also mesmerised by Manda Rydman’s aerial hoop solo and nail-biting rope performance that saw strands flying as she tumbled down from a height. Another highlight was Carlos Zaspiel’s slick spinning pole piece using a large prop that he actually developed during his acrobatic training.

By the end of the show, you’re transported to a proper Berlin rave, in a flurry of colour, neon lights, cool electronic music and the cast jumping through a hoop. With the incredibly catchy music and charismatic performers it really feels like a party, making the thrills of the circus even more joyful. It’s definitely a show that’s not to be missed!

The rest of the weekend was ours to explore the city and recover after a late-night lock-in with some of the cast. Here are a few more places for your Berlin ‘to do list’…

SEE

East Side Gallery

It’s hard to comprehend, in this age, that the Berlin Wall divided east and west Germany for over 28 years and that part of it can still be seen today. The open-air East Side Gallery features 105 murals painted directly on a 1316m long remnant of the wall in Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg in 1990.

The murals are united by their messages of peace, hope and anti-fascism and include the famous Fraternal Kiss capturing the historic embrace between Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and East Germany’s Erich Hoenicker.

Alte Nationalgalerie

Museum Island, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a real treat for Berlin visitors with six renowned state museums set across a picturesque island in the Spree. You can buy a ticket for 18 Euros that allows access to all museums in one day, but as time was short, I focussed on just one – the Altes Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery). This impressive museum, founded in 1861, houses a collection of Neoclassical, Impressionist and early-Modernist works by mostly German but also European artists.

It’s a well-curated collection, with a few quirky talking point pieces, and it’s a pleasure to delve into the works of artists such as Karl Blechen, Adolf von Menzel, Max Liebermann and Caspar David Friedrich.

EAT

Spreegold

This all-day casual restaurant near Alexanderplatz became a bit of a blogger hangout on our trip. On the first night in Berlin, we indulged in enormous burgers and ‘stacks’ of avocado, bacon and poached eggs on sourdough, and then returned for iced lemon black tea and banana bread before our journey home.

The Store Kitchen at Soho House Berlin

For a chilled-out lunch in Mitte, head to The Store Kitchen on the ground floor of Soho House Berlin (no membership needed). The kitchen is set across an open-plan concept store filled with stylish homewares, books and magazines, fragrances and covetable designer brands such as Off-White, Vetements and Balenciaga. There’s also a live DJ to complete the ambiance.

I enjoyed a healthy lunch of Avocado toast and poached eggs with lime and a fresh red chilli kick, plus a potent matcha latte for a caffeine fix – highly recommended!

Princess Cheesecake

This bijou tea salon and patisserie is one of my favourite spots in Berlin. It serves an impressive range of cheesecake, from traditional German poppy seed to proper New York cheesecake, and they are always to die for.

STAY

Park Inn by Radisson Berlin Alexanderplatz was my base for two nights, where I had some great views of the iconic Fernsehturm (television tower) from my room on the 26th floor of this huge tower hotel. Alexanderplatz is central, convenient place to stay, particularly for first-time visitor to the city, and the hotel is just 13 minutes walk from Chamaeleon Theater.

The lobby was constantly busy (the hotel has a whopping 1012 rooms and suites, after all) but the rooms were calmer – contemporary and simple with a comfortable bed and powerful shower. I was particularly impressed with the quality and service at the buffet breakfast in Spagos Restaurant and enjoyed fresh scrambled eggs with herbs, a variety of excellent German bread rolls and even cheesecake.

Are you a fan of contemporary circus? Have you been to Chamaeleon Theatre?

FINALE runs at Chamaeleon Theatre until 19th August. For more information and booking, visit: www.chamaeleonberlin.com

Thanks to Chamaeleon Theatre and Park Inn Berlin Alexanderplatz for a great trip to Berlin.

All photos by Chérie City