Lunch at Ritorno Chelsea

Guess what?  I've been editing photos!!!  It's been ages.  I was starting to think the blog had run its course and fallen by the wayside.  But change is in the air.  The lead up to the 1 year anniversary to the day the gauntlet fell on my marriage sucked!  So bad.  It stirred up so much shit for me.  But then, lots of self-love (cliche? yes. necessary? definitely), reflection and wrestling with the past.  I also took a really good look at where I am a year later and determined where I needed to make some changes as I move forward.  I feel like I've made it past a very important milestone.  I feel lighter and less foggy.  I feel excited about the future, more in control of my life again.  I've also felt editing photos and maybe even blogging some.   These photos have been sitting in draft form for a year now.  Last year, lovely Fiona from London Unattached invited me to Ritorno in Chelsea to sample their Chelsea Flower Show cocktail and have lunch.  Here are some of the pics I took that day.

The Savannah Bar & Restaurant London

Oh, how the days are flying by.  It's funny how the grass is always greener.  When I was working I just wanted to be at home.  Now that I'm home every day, I can't wait to get back to work.  Unfortunately, now that we're outside of London, getting out and about is a bit more difficult.  (I'm still working on that UK Drivers License and making slow progress.)  I was whining on Facebook that I'm going a bit stir crazy.  My friend Fiona from London Unattached invited me to join her for lunch in London at The Savannah Bar & Restaurant.  It was the perfect reason to get out of the house and back into London. 

Leicester House in London

There's this particular London PR firm that occasionally invites me to a blogger's table to review a restaurant.  I never say no to their invites because I know I'm going to be treated to a wonderful meal and great company.  They introduced me to both Gaylord London and Le Garrick.  They've also helped this picky eater get completely out of my comfort zone and try some wonderful dishes that I've always been afraid to try.  My most recent invite was to try some French Vietnamese cuisine at Leicester House. 

A French Dinner Party - Le Garrick

About a month ago, my friends Charles and Dominika invited me to the southwest region of France for a dinner party.  A large group of us gathered around the family table as dish after dish of rustic, authentic French food was put before us.  Charles explained that we had his wonderful mother to thank for these flavors and combinations.   She's taught him everything he knows about French cuisine and that special French way of celebrating food and life. Each ingredient had a story, every dish more special than the last.  The wine flowed and the hours passed in that intimate and charming way than can only happen around a dinner table.   

An Indian Feast at Gaylord London

Can you believe that my first experience with Indian food was just three years ago when I moved to London?  Up until then I'd never had Indian food.  Now I can't imagine a week going by with at least one curry night. Britain has a long standing love affair with Indian food dating back to their colonial relationship with the subcontinent.  Curry is as popular as fish & chips in the UK.  There are 9,500 Indian restaurants for the UK population of 64 million.  (Half of those are in London).  Compare that to 8,000 for the US population of 314 million and most Americans are missing out on some spicy special food.  

Frankie's Sports Bar & Diner

Facebook was very interesting last weekend.  The American contingency was all about the Super Bowl.  I didn't really pay attention.  Not because I wasn't interested, but because it made me kind of homesick.  As much as I love London I still often crave a little taste of home.  Some Americana to relax into.  We had the chance to do just that recently at Frankie's Sports Bar & Diner on Fulham Road. 

I love a cozy British pub, but this place really felt familiar with mirrors, 12 big screen TVs and Coors Light on tap.  When I saw pulled pork on the menu, I knew it was going to be a great night. 

Football, football and more football.  They had a Super Bowl party last weekend but unfortunately it was sold out. 

The brightly lit Jukebox held a place of honor right by the door. 

We ordered a beer and a wine and were mildly perplexed when two of each were set before us, until the bartender pointed to the happy hour sign.  Sweet.

Then is was time to get our grub on.  It happened to be Thanksgiving, so Matt ordered the Thanksgiving dinner burger.  Everything that you can squeeze into Turkey day squeezed into a burger.  He cleaned his plate and was craving a nap afterwards. 

I absolutely love pulled pork but I'm often reluctant to order it because it's never quite like it should be.  This was proper pulled pork on a soft warm bun and was perfect.  I also cleaned my plate. 

You can't eat at a diner without onion rings, now can you?

It felt good to get a little taste of home in London.  It's not a Sports Bar without a lot of mirrors. That's so you can see a TV screen no matter where you are sitting. 

Frankie's has all of the key sports channels and will show anything that is shown live. Just make a request and the staff will be happy to help.  

If you're tired of the pub and craving a bit of America just remember that Tuesday night is all you can eat BBQ.  Just sayin'.  

Where's your favorite American joint in London?

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 *We received a complimentary meal from Frankie's Sports Bar & Diner for the purposes of review.
All photos, writing and opinions are my own.
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.


You can find this review and many others in my
London Attraction Guide.

#ILoveBumpkin

Oh, how I needed today.  After a rough week and the cancellation of our annual Christmas Market trip, Matt found the perfect way to cheer me up...  brunch and a walk on a gorgeous, crisp London day.  I'm feeling so much better.  

I realize that hashtag blessed has become a bit of a cliche, but I am feeling blessed.  I have the sweetest friends.  They've done so much to lift me up... cards, flowers, messages, skype dates, links to hot-guys-in-kilts.  I had a good consult with a doctor yesterday and feel good about our plan of action.  Jessica and my family have been solidly there for me even though they are so far away.  And I've received so much encouragement and kindness from amazing people that I've connected with through this blog and social media.  I'm a very lucky (and appreciative) girl.

London was just showing off today, all blue sky, twinkle lights and festive music.  I went a bit overboard on Instagram, but I just couldn't resist.  We started our day with brunch at Bumpkin South Kensington.  I realize I might have a biased opinion as Matt works for the company, but it was so good.  The granola with yogurt and honey was ridiculous.

Bumpkin was nice enough to let me host another Blogger's Table a few weeks ago.  Earlier this year a group of blogger's sampled the Bumpkin summer menu.  This time it was to celebrate the Bumpkin Autumn Menu.   

Currently, there are four Bumpkin locations in London...  Westfield, Notting Hill (where we had our last blogger's table), South Kensington and Chelsea.  Chelsea was the location of our second blogger's table.  Each location has it's own feel.  The Chelsea location has undergone a recent refurb which I love.  They've brightened everything up with cheery yellow floors and the garden is my favorite.  Eating in a heated English Garden in the middle of autumn, you can't beat that. 

I'm always impressed with how they take care of us bloggers with the little touches and attention to detail.  But, that's how they take care of everyone.  They have a great team.

Ignite Group which runs Bumpkin also runs the world-class Eclipse Cocktail Bars and the famous Boujis, so you know the cocktails at Bumpkin will be top notch.  Check out what Frankie from The Mayfairy had to say about the night and the drinks here.   The Plum Pudding Martini was the stand out.

Bumpkin is the best of seasonal British fare and the cold weather menu is hearty and  delicious.   Here are the starters we had to chose from.  

Soup of the Day

Crayfish Cocktail, Virgin Mary dressing

Pan Seared Scallops, cauliflower Cream

Dressed Cornish Crab, English caviar, toast

Sloe Gin Salmon, English caviar, cucumber

Truckle Cheddar Cheese Pasty, salad

Game Terrine, honey poached cranberries

BBQ Baby Pork Ribs

Roast Squash, poached quail eggs, foraged mushrooms tender stem broccoli

Being a Texas girl, of course I couldn't resist the ribs which fell right off of the bone.  Next time I want to try the cheese pasty.  Matt says it's a gooey, cheesy wonder.

Manasi from In Her 30's declared the scallops the best she's EVER had.  The secret ingredient is a hint of white chocolate.  You can read her review of our dinner here. 

Then it was time to move on to our mains.  This menu is so very British. 

Bumpkin Ale Battered Fish & Chips

Salmon Wellington

Roasted Monkfish, mussels, light curry cream sauce

Dry Aged Charolais Steak & Bumpkin Ale Pie, mashed potato

Aberdeen Angus Burger, triple cooked chips

Roast Pheasant, skirlie, Bury black pudding

Roast Chicken to Share, stuffing, chipolatas, chestnut mushrooms, hazelnuts

Highland Venison, Savoy cabbage, crispy bacon, game chips

Slow Cooked Pork Belly, poached Granny Smith

28 Dry Aged Ribeye Steak, chips

Ox Cheek Hot Pot, aged fillet, chervil roots, spinach

Pearl Barley Risotto, foraged mushrooms, roasted chervil roots

Line Caught Seabass, caper & anchovy nut butter, samphire
 

I had the Salmon Wellington and could barely finish it, but it was so good.  Amanda from Rhyme & Ribbons raved about the venison.  Be sure to check out her review and see how the private dining room was decorated for Halloween. 

We shared a few sides and I agree with Mina.  The Mac & Cheese was my favorite.

Read her take from King's Road Rocks! here.

Triple Cooked Chips

Buttered Mash

Macaroni Cheese

Seasonal Garden Salad

Buttered Black Cabbage

After all of that you would think we would be full and we were.  But, then this selection was presented to us. 

Bitter Chocolate Tart, salted peanut crumble, caramel mousse

Baked Nutmeg Vanilla Custard, marshmallow snowball

Warm Vanilla Sponge, gooseberry jam, almond ice cream

Buttermilk Rice Pudding, honeycomb crumble

Selection of Ice Cream & Sorbet

Sticky Toffee Pudding, vanilla ice cream

Selection of Cheeses, chutney, biscuits 

It was another impressive and fulfilling meal at Bumpkin.  Roger is the manager at Bumpkin Chelsea and made sure everything was perfect for us.  He was also busy with a private party that evening so Nick, the manager from Notting Hill came over to look after us.  You'll remember him from the perfect wine pairings for each and every course at our last blogger's table.  He worked his magic once again suggesting the perfect wine for each course. 

They sent us home happy and full, dreaming of sugar plums and carrying marshmallows.  Elizabeth from The Mayfair Office Girl shared hers with a special furry friend.  You can read her review here.  

Thanks so much to the team at Bumpkin and the lovely bloggers that joined me for a lovely dinner.  Follow this link to read more about Bumpkin Christmas, Sunday Brunch, and the Seasonal Menu. 

Are you hungry now?  Can I take your order?

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I was a guest of Bumpkin for the purposes of review.
All photos (except where noted), writing and opinions are my own.   
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers. 
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  
 

Restaurant le Bercail en Avignon

It feels terribly self-indulgent to stretch out my time in Provence to so many posts.

A bit like making family and friends sit through a long drawn out slide presentation of my vacation.

But, I guess a travel blog is by definition pretty self-indulgent.

Plus, I’m enjoying remembering our wonderful trip.

I’ve told you about our island, our hotel and Avignon.
Today I’ll tell you about our favorite restaurant.

Restaurant Bercail is located on the island and sits right on the river across from Avignon.

With outdoor seating, pastel patio furniture, overflowing baskets of pansies and handsome French waiters

and views straight out of a travel brochure, it was the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely meal and pink wine.

Because it was so convenient and just a short walk from the hotel,

we tried it on our first night and were hooked.

I think we went back about four more times over our six days in Provence.

The food was wonderful and the service was authentically French
(charming with an eye roll thrown in here and there to keep us in our place.) 

 Once we discovered the goat’s cheese pizza and seasoned fries,

 that became our usual order with a bottle of rose and four glasses, thank you very much. 

  

 That pizza was absolutely divine!  Hand rolled thin crust, mozzarella cheese, goat’s cheese,

pecans, olives, olive oil and a magic drizzle of honey.  Perfection. I need to try this at home. 

They also have their own version of seasoned chili oil that we all agreed they should bottle. 

Liquid gold.  We poured it on everything.

 What do you think about goat’s cheese pizza with honey? 

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Masterful Cocktails at La Brasserie

I've always wondered if I should have been a bartender when I was younger.

I’ve heard they make great money and you can just imagine the stories.

Plus, at all future parties you can impress your friends with your mad pouring skills.

I got to get behind the bar recently to see how it actually feels to be a bartender.

Photo thanks to Melanie at Sunny in London

I met Melanie and Jess at La Brasserie for a fun evening of cocktails.

La Brasserie is in Chelsea and is London’s first all day brasserie serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It has the feel of the bar in that old American show “Cheers”, where everybody knows your name.

But with a distinctly Parisian twist. It was full of regulars laughing and chatting.

I stopped in for just a brief Cocktail Master Class with Alex.  

Four hours later, I was being waved out the door by a dozen new friends,

much later than I had anticipated on a school night.

But a fun time was had by all, I assure you. 

The master class is offered every Sunday night from 6 to 8pm and is fun and casual.

For only £10 you pick out the cocktail you want to try and when you’re ready,

Alex welcomes you behind the bar and walks you through the process.

It’s all completely hands on and I think I'm a natural.

Photo thanks to Jess at Love & London

I chose the Brasserie Julep which was kind of like a gin and tonic,

but made even more British with the addition of some brewed tea.

Gin, fresh lemon, mint, elderflower, earl grey tea, soda and sugar, all shaken together,

poured over crushed ice and served in the most wonderful pewter mug with a bumblebee on the side. 

Photo thanks to Jess at Love & London

Once you’re done with your creation you hold it up for a photo and cheers from your fellow patrons.

Then the best part, you get to drink it. It was very tasty,

made more so by the fact that I made it myself.

Their signature cocktail is the Brasserie Martini served in a stemless martini glass nestled in a bowl of ice with an oyster kicker on the side. I can’t wait to go back and try their food.

Luckily, we have signed a contract on our new place which is just around the corner at Sloane Square.

I absolutely love everything about it and can’t wait to get moved in.

I think La Brasserie will become a regular stop.

They also offer a lovely afternoon tea.

What's your signature cocktail?

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I was a guest of La Brasserie for the purposes of review.  All photos, writing and opinions are my own.   
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers. 
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.