FOOD DRINKS

August 5, 2023 by: Sunny London

Galvin Bistrot and Bar Review

If you’re a London foodie, you know the name Galvin. The Michelin starred Galvin brothers Chris and Jeff hit the London food scene in 2005. Since then, their restaurant group has made a significant contribution to food in London. This is why Mr Sunny and I were beyond excited to receive the invitation to visit Galvin Bistrot and Bar.

Galvin Bistrot and Bar Review: The Food

My mission for the visit was to enjoy the Taste of Summer menu. It was easy to accomplish!

We decided that Mr Sunny should have different items so we could maximise the experience and have more images to share with you.

The first entrée on the Taste of Summer menu is the Andalusian Gazpacho, shown above. It’s the second time in my life that I’ve had Gazpacho because the first wasn’t too impressive. I understand now that if it’s done right, this soup can be spectacular. It’s a great start to a menu based on sipping on sunshine in the summer.

Mr Sunny had the Mushroom Croquettes with Pickled Walnut. The consistency was soft and moist. The flavour equally as rich. I certainly stole a few bites.

For the sake of being able to write a solid restaurant review, of course! 😉

Next, the Fish Course on the Taste of Summer menu includes Grilled Mackerel, Apple, Radish and Kohlarbi Salad. Again the presentation, texture and flavour hit all high the marks on this dish.

As you can see, it is plated beautifully along with the stunning prawns that Mr Sunny chose.

For the Meat Course, the Confit Pays de Basque Chicken, Stewed Peppers and Onions is served. And be ready to just watch the chicken fall from the bone as you tap it lightly with a fork.

Mr Sunny picked the Gloucester Old Spot Pork Ribeye, Mushroom Velouté, Tarragon. Both of us remarked how delicately the hint of tarragon accented the dish without overpowering the other ingredients.

Finally, the last course we consumed is the dessert. While all dishes were equally as impressive, the dessert serves as a delicious bow of sugar wrapping this menu together.

The Taste of Summer Menu includes Buttermilk Pannacotta, Oakland Farm Strawberries and Pistachio. And Mr Sunny chose (because I strongly suggested it would be great for sharing) the Valhrona Chocolate Mousse, Raspberries and Hazelnuts.

Galvin Bistrot and Bar Review: The Service

All food and wine as exquisite as we had anticipated. Our service was also five stars. Gwen suggested the most beautiful wine pairings to all of Mr Sunny’s courses. Her knowledge and attention to detail fit what one expects at a Galvin restaurant. However, her humour, energy and approachable attitude made the meal even more memorable.

We probably stayed longer than they had planned for us to be at Galvin Bistrot & Bar, especially since we were one of the last tables to arrive for lunch service. But between our lovely chats with Gwen and taking our time to savour each bite of the chef’s carefully prepared dishes, we just couldn’t bring ourselves to leave.

Galvin Bistrot and Bar Review: The Location

If you are in the Spitafields area of London, Galvin Bistrot and Bar should be somewhere you visit for lunch at least once. I hear their dinner service is equally as enjoyable and know people who have experienced it.

Galvin Bistrot and Bar is also the perfect place for a business lunch, should you work in that area. But, I’m guessing if that’s you- this isn’t new information.

Galvin Bistrot and Bar Review: Final Thoughts

We had our lunch outside. Once our meal was complete, Gwen gave me a quick tour of Galvin Bistrot and Bar’s interior.

The enormous space inside leads me to believe this London restaurant does quite well during the holidays too, so it’s something to consider booking far enough in advance for a Christmas work do.

Mr Sunny and I feel this lunch is easily one of the best we’ve had in London. We can’t wait to try the other three Galvin restaurants in London. And knowing our love of pubs, we’ll probably venture out to their Essex pub location too.

If you’d like to see this London restaurant through a video, you can watch our TikTok video sharing the experience.

September 4, 2022 by: Sunny London

M Restaurant Canary Wharf Review-Bottomless Brunch

In early September we were invited to press launch of the new M Restaurant in Canary Wharf. Specifically, we had the chance to enjoy the St Tropez Bottomless Beach Brunch. Overall we had a great time and definitely recommend the experience, based on what we had at this event.

M Restaurant Canary Wharf – Location and Atmosphere

Foremost, the opening of the Elizabeth Line made our trip from North London much easier. Previously, we would not have been very excited about the journey to Canary Wharf. We actually haven’t been to the area of London in several years due to this. Additionally, we’ve had the perception that there’s nothing there to do on weekends because it’s ‘just a financial hub’ like The City.

Once we left the station, we quickly realised how much has changed in the area.

M Restaurant Canary Wharf is a short walk from the Underground Station and overlooks the Middle Dock. The views are spectacular, especially on a sunny day in London.

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The smell of lavender greets you when you enter. It reminded me exactly of my stay at the Venetian in Las Vegas. I distinctly remember this scent in the common areas of the hotel.

M Restaurant Canary Wharf offers spacious dining in a location that is quite airy. For me, this is a big bonus in London since so many restaurants seem to stack tables on top of tables.

On the afternoon of our visit there was a DJ, which adds to the vibrant and fun atmosphere of a bottomless brunch. Most of the staff wore some shade of pink either to match the concept of a St Tropez atmosphere or the vibe of the entire restaurant. I’m not sure which it was.

M Restaurant Canary Wharf – Bottomless Brunch Food

On the St Tropez Bottomless Beach Brunch menu you choose two courses and have unlimited cocktails for ninety minutes. Portion sizes are the same regardless of how you ask them to arrive. You just need to indicate which you want as a ‘Starter’ and which served as a ‘Main.’

We had a tough time deciding because all of them sounded intriguing. After a little negotiating between us, Mr Sunny and I ordered four different items. However, we both wanted the Crêpes Suzette.

Since I was going to be the writer and video editor of the experience, I won the debate. However first I chose to have the Lobster Beignet.

Both are pictured below. They were unique and very flavourful. I especially liked the way the squid ink aioli was featured in the Lobster Beignet. Sometimes this ingredient can truly overpower a dish.

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Mr Sunny chose the Waffle Sandwich and Entrecôte. He joked with the server that he would’ve happily ordered two plates of the Entrecôte. To be honest, if we had been paying I think he would’ve done it. But we didn’t want to seem cheeky at a press opening.

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M Restaurant Canary Wharf – Value for Money

The St Tropez Bottomless Beach Brunch at M Restaurant in Canary Wharf makes every effort to transcend you to the French Riviera in London.

The service we experienced was outstanding.

Mr Sunny was disappointed that beer was not an option on the brunch menu. So he made a sincere effort to drink every cocktail that is offered in the bottomless brunch. He literally downed them like shots!

Our favourite is the Melonade. This cocktail had Mirabeau Dry Rosé Gin, Melonade Aperitivo, Elderflower Cordial, Prosecco and Double Dutch Watermelon & Cucumber Tonic. But, we noticed it came with different additions each time we ordered it. For example, mine arrived with swirled slices of cucumber. Mr Sunny’s had lime.

I also had several glasses of the Mirabeau, La Folie, Sparkling Rosé. The partnership with Maison Mirabeau works well.

The M Restaurant Canary Wharf St Tropez Bottomless Beach Brunch is currently £65 per person and is every Saturday from 12pm-3pm. We would’ve preferred larger portion sizes. However, if you’re attending with a group of besties for a catch up brunch and are seeking elegance in a beautiful setting, you will be happy. Mr Sunny and I tend to over indulge, so consider that in this review too.

M Restaurant Canary Wharf – Final Thoughts

We would really love to go back to this restaurant in Canary Wharf. They also have a private dining area you can book as well.

Our only feedback to offer is that our food was served at room temperature. This is tough to assess because the restaurant hadn’t officially launched when we attended. I’m always a bit forgiving when visiting a location during it’s initial opening phase. There really needs to be a chance for the kitchen staff, servers and greeters to learn the rhythm of their new location.

I would love your thoughts on that though. Do you feel it’s fair to give a little flexibility on a restaurant review when it’s in the opening period? If you read this after visiting the new M Restaurant Canary Wharf location, can you add your feedback on the experience in the comments too?

June 21, 2022 by: Sunny London

Mezcalito Bottomless Brunch Review

Two huge trends are happening in London’s food and drink scene at the moment- The Bottomless Brunch and Rooftop Bars. Mr Sunny and I have a diary full of brunch engagements over the next few weeks. What’s exciting to see is that every range of cuisine in London is making a huge effort to differentiate its brunch offer from the others.

Our latest brunch adventure was to Mezcalito in Chelsea. This restaurant met its target of offering a Mexican themed brunch and atmosphere when we visited on a Saturday. Their sign outside which simply has the word ‘Mexico’ with an arrow pointing to the entrance and the words ‘Real Life’ with an arrow to the street accurately captures the vibe of the venue.

Mezcalito Bottomless Brunch- Ambience

We were one of the first guests to arrive for a 12pm booking, which is their opening time. It’s located just off the King’s Road at 119 Sydney Street, London SW3 6NR.

After a quick introduction and clarification that we were there on an invite via the restaurant’s PR company, we were seated at our table.

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By just glancing around at the seating arrangements, we could see that the restaurant had many large party bookings that day. One striking difference in the room where we sat is the physical structure of the seats. Patrons sit on low cushion seats that are placed around circular tables that are similar to sofa end tables.

You can see more of this on the TikTok video I published of our experience.

@sunny_in_london
A Day in the Life of London – Bottomless Brunch in London #londonlife #london #londonfood #brunch #bottomlessbrunch @sunny_in_london @sunny_in_london @sunny_in_london
♬ Calabria (feat. Fallen Roses, Lujavo & Lunis) – Strange Fruits Music & DMNDS

We could’ve sat in a more traditional booth in another room. However, that room had very low-lighting because it was where the DJ would play all his sets in the afternoon. Had I not been responsible for video and photograph for the review, I would’ve chosen those seats. But I needed to be near as much natural light as possible.

The energy was high once more guests arrived and the restaurant quickly filled. Across from us was a group of about 8 girls and behind us seemed to be 5 young couples celebrating someone’s life event.

The popularity of Mezcalito was quickly obvious. The vibrant decor does make you feel whisked away to Mexico- as promised with the sign outside. It’s quite a savvy strategy for the restaurant, given so many of us might avoid holiday travel this summer due to the hassles created by the pandemic.

Mezcalito Bottomless Brunch- Quality of Experience

It’s always interesting to see what happens with a bottomless brunch in terms of how the staff responds when you ask for a top up or new drink. At Mezcalito, it seemed drinks whizzed by us constantly and we also quickly received our next round when we were ready.

Mr Sunny started with a frozen margherita and I enjoyed Prosecco throughout our time there. It’s important to note that the £35pp of the Bottomless Brunch is for the 4 specific drinks. Those are frozen margheritas, Corona, Prosecco and Rosé wine.

The tequila menu is extensive, and I showed it in my TikTok video. However, cocktails like that are separate from the Bottomless Brunch offer. That’s the same with the food.

This is a good price if you are able to drink a lot in the 90 minute time slot you are given. However, if 2 drinks make you tipsy, you might want to just get them separately.

Mezcalito Bottomless Brunch- Food

We ordered the nachos as a Starter. Next, I chose to have the Chorizo a la Mexican quesadillas. They include Chorizo sausage with onion, chilli habanero & melted cheese. I really enjoyed them but since they aren’t very photogenic, they’re not here. Check that TikTok video to see it all.

Next, Mr Sunny selected the Pollo Al Achiote tacos and the Camaron Baja Style tacos. I was saving room for dessert.

I had identified that I wanted to try both desserts on the menu when we viewed it before arriving. So- I selected the Platanitos Fritos AND the Churros Rellenos to end my feast. Both were delicious.

Mezcalito Bottomless Brunch- Final Thoughts

The atmosphere and ‘tapas’ style of food makes Mezcalito a great restaurant for meeting mates for a catch up or casual celebration. To be honest, when we left around 1.30pm the DJ had just really started getting his musical groove going. I wish we had arrived later so I had more time to enjoy his sets. The vibe was incredible.

We found the staff to be really hustling through all the tables. It didn’t seem like our service was any different from any other group. The people working were doing a great job of getting everyone’s drinks to them and kept the food flow steady. This is commendable given the lively guests and their requests. Clearly, they had a system for their busiest day and weren’t overwhelmed by the packed restaurant.

If you aren’t in the Chelsea area or want a meeting place in North London, you can visit their newly opened Islington restaurant. If you do, please let me know how it goes.

There’s more about food and pubs in London below. But, if you want regular updates about what’s happening in London, subscribe to the weekly Sunny News.

What to Know about Eating Out in London– Restaurant Differences US vs UK (YouTube)
Food Travel Things to Do Culinary Activities & Events in London (YouTube)
Cooking Tips for Making a Full English Breakfast
Best London Pubs for Food Riverside (YouTube)
What You Must Know About Eating Traditional British Food
Best London Restaurant Guide for Foodies
Tips for Food to Eat When Visiting London (YouTube)
The Best Hidden London Pubs (YouTube)

Adios, Sunny amigos!

June 7, 2022 by: Sunny London

Botannika Review – Brasserie in High Barnet

When a new food hotspot opens and has a gorgeous interior, you hope that the food and service match the expectations that the design implies. Although it wasn’t flawless, my visit to Botannika brasserie in High Barnet, London ticked all the right boxes and lived up to the images and standard that I anticipated.

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Botannika Brasserie- Atmosphere

I arrived around 5.45pm on a Friday evening to have a catch up with a friend who is also an American in London. We are passionate foodies who generally visit both the trendy and well-established restaurants in Central London. In fact, we met just days after restaurants reopened in April 2021 when we were dining next to each other at La Goccia in Covent Garden.

We meet up locally, since we both live in North London. A big part of our conversation includes exchanging thoughts on all the foodie spots we’ve hit separately since our last meeting.

Botannika was her suggestion, since she had had a positive experience there midday and wanted to try their Evening Menu.

It was nearly empty when I arrived, which was surprising given the local hype it has had since opening. But, to be fair- 6pm was a bit early to judge.

I requested an outside table that paralleled the High Barnet high street because the weather was a lovely sunny Spring night. While waiting for her arrival, I couldn’t resist the fun cocktail menu and selected a Blood Orange to sip on.

This mixture of vodka, Elderflower Liqueur, Blood Orange Juice, Fresh Thyme and Tonic Water can best be described as silky smooth. I could’ve easily had several.

As I waited for my friend’s arrival, I felt the decor and ambiance lived up to its promise. Botannika brasserie’s website indicates its aim is ‘to restore the zen through serving healthy, tantalising dishes that can be enjoyed within a space that enables an escape from the daily hustle.’ Had I been seated inside, this would’ve been entirely true.

However, it’s tough to ‘escape’ when you’re facing a neighbourhood high street. Had I chosen to sit inside, the full impact of the zen like atmosphere would’ve enveloped me. It’s stunning and simultaneously tranquil.

Botannika Brasserie- Food Quality

Once my friend arrived we gave the Evening Menu a good examination. We chose the Calamars Frits Starter and a bottle of red wine to share. Both were lovely.

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For my Main, I made an unusual decision and chose the Beetroot Gnocchi. This was a surprising leap for me because I am not fond of beetroot. The ingredients were listed as ‘textures of beetroot, mint hazelnut and pesto.’ Individually, I don’t like any of them, so I don’t know what drew me to the dish. My mind was set- I was taking the gnocchi bet.

The gamble paid off because the Beetroot Gnocchi is exquisite. It’s not something I would randomly crave in the future, but it is delicious enough to create a reason for me to return to Botannika brasserie with my husband.

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My friend didn’t have as much luck with her dish. She ordered the Poussin Chicken and when it arrived, she didn’t feel it was cooked entirely. The staff was swiftly accommodating and returned it to the Chef. However, upon its second arrival she said it still had a couple bits that were slightly undercooked.

I don’t have any experience cooking Poussin Chicken, but my husband indicated when I got home that it’s quite difficult to get right.

Botannika Brasserie- Service

Our service throughout the evening was great. I think this is why the Poussin Chicken episode didn’t affect our evening too much. The restaurant was extremely apologetic and brought my friend the house mixed olives to eat during the interim of waiting for the chicken to return.

The staff was friendly and attentive and truly seemed to care about our enjoyment of our evening. From what I hear, Botannika Brasserie is quite bustling during the week and brunch on weekends. I would be curious to hear from others if the service is any different during those times.

That being said, my friend and I agreed perhaps our next catch up would be to return to Botannika brasserie during one of those times.

Botannika Brasserie- Final Thoughts

With the rising cost of petrol and well, basically everything, it is tough for restaurants to maintain reasonable prices. I found the drinks menu and evening menu to be very fair for Greater London. Should people be able to continue their pre-Covid lifestyles with the rising costs of utilities and day to day life, I think Botannika brasserie will be around for a while in the High Barnet area.

It offers a colourful environment and great selection of organic, healthy items. I will look forward to trying their coffee, healthy shakes and freshly pressed juices in the future.

Botannika brasserie is located in The Spires at: Unit 1 The Spires, 111 High Street, Barnet EN5 5XY.

February 27, 2022 by: Sunny London

Issho-Ni Bottomless Brunch Review

You would think that every restaurant in London has jumped on the bottomless brunch trend that has exploded here over the past few years. However, at this time, of all the Japanese restaurants- only one offers it. For this fun and delicious experience, you need to visit Issho-Ni, a Japanese restaurant and cocktail bar just outside the Shoreditch area.

Issho-Ni Bottomless Brunch Review- Atmosphere

Not too far from Brick Lane you’ll find Issho-Ni which bills itself as a ‘friendly neighbourhood’ restaurant in London. After spending 90 minutes in this food and drink venue, we can say it honestly lives up to this tagline. And we weren’t just influenced by the gorgeous sunny weather on the Saturday we visited.

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Located on 185 Bethnal Green Road, it is easy to find. Once inside, you will find colourful decor and loads of natural light, which makes blowing up your Insta with their food super easy.

Tables are a nice distance from each other and the overall vibe matches the trendy, hipster expectations one has of the Shoreditch scene.

We paid careful attention to the activities of the tables around us, and other guests seem to be enjoying their experience as much as we were. Perhaps that flowing Prosecco had a little to do with it?

Issho-Ni Bottomless Brunch Review- Service

As part of the Issho-Ni Bottomless Brunch offer you can have Prosecco and/or a Bloody Mary for your drink. We both chose the Prosecco, as we’ve never been fans of the later.

You need to know that there was never a minute that our glasses weren’t topped up with more bubbles once their quantity reached less than half full. We never had to ask, and the tables around us experienced the same activity.

As a London food blogger receiving complimentary meals, I have to be careful to make sure my published food review matches what anyone can expect if they choose to follow my recommendation. Therefore, I can say in my opinion, it appeared that everyone visiting on the Saturday afternoon between 12pm-2pm was just as pleased as we were. Their service was equally as swift and as efficient as ours.

As noted, the Issho-Ni staff was incredibly attentive to fulfilling the ‘Bottomless Brunch’ concept in terms of drinks. And they were equally as enthusiastic about meeting this expectation with their food too.

Issho-Ni-Bottomless-Brunch-Review-London-Japanese-Restaurant — Maki Rolls

After quickly being seated, the process for how the offer works was clearly explained to us. We were able to have as many sharing plates as we wanted from the ‘Snacks and Sushi’ starters section of the menu and allowed one main course each. The main course had to be ordered at the start of our experience, which was set to last 90 minutes. And, just as scheduled, we were notified when our last top up happened.

Issho-Ni seems to have a solid operational process for delivering what they promise. However, they never crossed the line of appearing to be ‘militant’ in their affect and attitude. Every encounter was indeed friendly and bubbly. Our time there was enjoyable and the food was lovely.

Issho-Ni Bottomless Brunch Review- Food

Our Edamame, Chuka Seaweed, Kimchi and Wasabi Peas hit the table not long after we submitted our order. Additionally, the Sashimi and Maki Rolls arrive promptly.

My Sunny took the Edamame and Wasabi Peas for himself to enjoy, and I grabbed the Chuka Seaweed and Kimchi. We didn’t share because of our personal taste preferences. I actually have never had Kimchi before this, so I have nothing to offer in terms of a comparison. But, I thoroughly enjoyed my first time consuming this very popular and healthy dish.

The seaweed was simply divine. I could eat it several times a week, if given the opportunity.

We found the sashimi fresh and enjoyed all of the Maki Rolls. We had the chance to reorder, literally seconds after our sharing plate was empty. Mr Sunny and I opted for one row of the Salmon Avocado and one row of Prawn Tempura, even though we could have had two rows of each.

With all the flowing Prosecco and anticipation of the main courses, we wanted to make sure we weren’t wasteful. It proved to be a good move. We chose these two because we just aren’t huge vegetarian dish fans and I tend to avoid food with too much spice. Please know I’m a complete lightweight when it comes to flavours with a real kick, so there wasn’t anything wrong with the Spicy Salmon they gave us.

While Mr Sunny’s Chicken Katsu Curry wasn’t winning any ‘Most Photogenic Food’ awards, he felt it was utterly delicious. My Salmon Teriyaki was cooked perfectly and had excellent flavour. I wouldn’t change a thing with it and would happily have it again soon.

Issho-Ni Bottomless Brunch Review- Final Thoughts

I would be excited to return to Isshho-Ni, which means ‘together with’ in Japanese. Their Bottomless Brunch offer is £36 per person. You add another £17 to take advantage of the unlimited drinks element. We felt the Prosecco seemed to be what you would find in a supermarket for around £7 a bottle. It’s not what we would buy ourselves, but it makes perfect sense for a bottomless offer in terms of restaurant efficiency and price mark up to maintain profit. We felt the overall price of Issho-Ni Bottomless Brunch is fair, even though ours was gifted.

We arrived right around when they opened at 12pm. There were three other tables seated at the time. However, just like the flow of the Prosecco, the other tables filled quickly around us. Should you choose to pop in for the Issho-Ni Bottomless Brunch experience, you would be smart to book a table in advance.

The crowd demographics was a nice mix of girlfriends having a Saturday brunch catch up and couples like us. I don’t think this is the place you should pick for a family get together with young children or babies. But, you probably already sussed that if you had common sense about what a ‘Bottomless Brunch’ involves.

We recommend the Issho-Ni Bottomless Brunch experience without a doubt! If you go, let us know your thoughts below. If you have other brunch recommendations around London- add those too!

November 20, 2021 by: Sunny London

Christmas Afternoon Tea on a Bus in London

Sunny friends, the Brigit’s Bakery Christmas Afternoon Tea on a Bus in London is the trifecta for London food lovers during the holidays!

This unique bus tour around London could tick all the boxes for a person who loves London, delicious food and Christmas.

Along with 29 other travel bloggers, I was invited to attend a special trip around London for the purpose of previewing the Brigit’s Bakery Christmas Afternoon Tea. For quite some time, I have wanted to take an afternoon tea tour on an iconic Routemaster bus with this company. When they first launched in 2014, I was a bit wary because I am not the most coordinated person. And while you wouldn’t think a lot of agility is needed to eat food, the thought of taking pictures and reviewing it at the same time is intimidating. But the more I saw the variety of tours they offer growing, the more I realised that the idea of a travelling tea was a smashing hit with people in London.

So this is how the experience goes…

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Christmas Afternoon Tea on a Bus in London- The Food

This is the first category I want to tell you about because it is the biggest surprise for me. I rate the food 5 stars and this is why…

Not only is everything super tasty, but also it is really fresh. It is always disappointing when you go to a luxury hotel for afternoon tea and are served stale bread. No matter how decadent the pastries are during the last course, that crusty impression from the sandwiches stays with you.

Honestly, I had low expectations of the food going in to this afternoon tea. It didn’t seem probable that food could be prepared and transported on a bus to Victoria Station and maintain it’s original intent for quality and taste. Brigit’s Bakery has masterfully defeated this obstacle.

When we stepped on to the bus, all of the tables were beautifully set. This includes every food item except the basket of scones that we were served about half way through the journey.

To me, that’s a Christmas afternoon tea miracle!

Christmas Afternoon Tea on a Bus in London- The Journey

This is where the experience could get a bit dicey, Sunny friends.

I had a blast on the journey and created a highlight video on my Instagram for you to see more of the experience.

However, there are a few things you need to consider before determining if this experience is for you. Foremost, let’s consider that you will be drinking.

We had complimentary Prosecco and several top ups each. This could be problematic for some people. While they advised us that we could enjoy the Prosecco before the tour started, it came with a disclaimer about the bus not stopping once it got rolling.

Do some quick processing about what that means, Sunny friends.

Next, there were cupholders at each place setting for guests to put their plastic Prosecco glasses, coffee or tea. They are there for a reason. The ride is bumpy and many times the bus stopped quickly, because that’s normal for busses navigating through London streets. I used a DJI Osmo Mobile Smartphone Gimbal which is on my UK Amazon Gear List (US Amazon readers find it here). I also applied Stabilisation effects while editing the video.

A few bloggers ended up with Prosecco on their lap at different times in the evening. I am not sure if it is because they were busy taking selfies and forgot to put their glasses in their cup holders or were just careless. But, I didn’t have any issue with spilling my drink. And, I had three glasses.

To be honest, since I have lived in London for 6 years and have reviewed nearly every attraction (check my trip planning guides if you are visiting London), I wasn’t that focused on sight seeing during our early evening trip. If this is your primary goal, the combination of afternoon tea and touring London might not be for you. Because the food is so good, you might be distracted away from the London landmarks.

Further, in a moving bus you won’t get the best focused pictures of these iconic locations. This is especially true if you are on the bus at night because you will catch some serious glare from the windows.

However, if you want to say you did something truly unique in London- riding a Routemaster bus while eating the most iconic meal in the UK- this afternoon tea is a must do!

But, if you think the journey would be too shaky, at the very least you can stop by their Covent Garden location. I walk by it all the time and it’s quite popular!

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Afternoon Tea on a Bus in London- The Length

Another huge bonus of this afternoon tea on a bus in London is the fact that there is a clear end time. Assuming you don’t get stuck in any unusual traffic, you will know when your experience ends.

My biggest ‘negative factor’ with afternoon teas in London is their length. I have been held captive at luxury hotels for nearly three hours for this food experience. After indulging in a carb fest of sandwiches, scones and pastries, I generally feel uncomfortable and lethargic. Americans, when I say I feel like a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float, you know what I mean!

If I could change anything about the traditional afternoon tea, it would be to speed up the process. So, being on the afternoon tea tour bus with Brigit’s Bakery for 90 minutes was a dream come true for me.

Afternoon Tea on a Bus in London- Other Options

The Brigit’s Bakery Afternoon Tea Bus Tour is the first brand to do this type of bus tour in London. The best news for those who can’t go to the Christmas Afternoon Tea is that they have TONS of other options during the year. Some of them include:

Gin Lovers’ Afternoon Tea
Halloween Bus Tour
Cinco de Mayo
Mother’s Day
Valentine’s Day
Chelsea Flower Show
St Patrick Day
Movie Themed
Chinese New Year

They have these dietary options available:

Traditional Afternoon Tea
Vegan Afternoon Tea
Vegetarian Afternoon Tea
Halal Afternoon Tea
Gluten Free Afternoon Tea

For those living and/or working in London, they have delivery service as well!

Christmas Afternoon Tea on a Bus in London- Final Thoughts

For the menu, prices, tour options and gift vouchers, it would be best to visit the Brigit’s Bakery website.

What do you think, Sunny friends? If you love food, travel and the holidays, would you put the Christmas Afternoon Tea on a Bus Tour in London on your list for Santa? What other unique food experiences have you had in a city?

And please, drop me any questions you have about my evening as a guest with Brigit’s Bakery too!

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October 22, 2019 by: Sunny London

Fire Bar and Yuu Kitchen Review London

Guess who’s back? You might remember recently Mr Sunny and I hit ICEBAR London for a night of cool drinks and fun off Regent Street. Unfortunately, the night we chose to visit, Yuu Kitchen was booked for a private event. Because checking out their menu was high on our list of things to do, we made the effort to go back. And this is what we thought, Sunny friends.

Fire Bar and Yuu Kitchen: The Atmosphere

Once again, we grabbed drinks at Fire Bar to kick off our foodie adventure. Within a few minutes, our cocktail server indicated our table was ready downstairs at Yuu Kitchen and whisked us away.

Just like the atmosphere of Fire Bar, Yuu Kitchen is low-lit and sexy. It’s spacious enough to be great for a date night or gathering with office colleagues.

While the lighting is dim, the walls are colourful and vibrant. This adds to the energetic and lively atmosphere.

Fire Bar and Yuu Kitchen: The Menu

I love when a menu is compact enough to fit on one page, even though I generally let Mr Sunny do most of the ordering.

Yuu Kitchen suggests you order 3-4 plates per person since it is similar to a tapas style experience. Mr Sunny and the server worked together to choose 10 items for us to enjoy. Yes, it was probably too much. But, it did give us a really good opportunity to try a lot of the food in different sections of the menu at Yuu Kitchen.

I was keen to express some thoughts on certain food items I heard mentioned in their conversation. Things like pork belly and ribs did not sound appetising to me so I didn’t want to be counted in on those dishes. In fact, I don’t think I have ever eaten a rib in my life. It’s not because they don’t look delicious. I just do not enjoy eating with my hands, especially if the dish is particularly messy. Do any of you feel this way about using your hands for food?

Fire Bar and Yuu Kitchen: The Food

Our food was ready quickly and covered most of the table. For our dinner we chose these plates:

Bites: Steamed Rice, Grilled Cauliflower
Raw: Spicy Tuna Tostada
Bao: Crispy Soft Shell Crab, Sory & Buttermilk Crisp Chicken
Grill and Work: Baby Back Ribs
Crunch: Baby Octopus Karaage
Pinoy: Chicken Wings with Filipino Style Stick Adobo Sauce, Chicken Inasal, and Lechon Kawali

Overall, if you aren’t a fan of spicy food, this might not be the place for you. However, if you clicked on this review with the headline “Fire Bar”, I am guessing hot foods don’t deter you.

Our absolute favourite dish of food was the bao. Yes, this includes both of them. I could’ve easily had two instead of the chicken wings. Again, that’s due to my lack of interest in handling messy food with my hands.

The tuna tostadas were really good, and I enjoyed the octopus quite a bit. A few times on the blog we’ve written about ordering octopus and Americans have expressed hesitation. What do you think, Sunny friends? Do you fancy octopus when it’s on a menu?

Fire Bar and Yuu Kitchen: Final Thoughts

If you pair the ICEBAR with Fire Bar and Yuu Kitchen you really do run the spectrum of sensory experiences. Chilling temperatures and frosty champagne drinks paired with spicy food and hot cocktails makes for a fun night in London.

This is best for a date, night out with colleagues, or activity when visiting London.

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October 15, 2019 by: Sunny London

The Best Pubs Near King’s Cross London

Mr Sunny and I never thought to share a King’s Cross Pub Crawl with you until this past summer. Generally, the King’s Cross and St Pancras International Station area is where we change trains or get trains. For example at these two stations it’s common to take either the East Midlands Railway Link, Eurostar, Southeastern or Thameslink.

This means that Mr Sunny and I don’t spend much time in the actual neighbourhood because we are likely just to have a drink at a pub or bar before or after a trip and then head to our travel destination.

For people visiting London for the first time, the British Library would be the only iconic place of interest in the immediate King’s Cross area. It is not a neighbourhood I would suggest getting a hotel if you want to be centrally located near many attractions or great shopping.

However, it is great for those taking a trip on the Eurostar to France, Belgium or the Netherlands before or after staying in London. Or, people planning additional trips within the UK to York or Edinburgh might want to stay close to the stations if they have an early train to these destinations.

So, what happened this summer that made us think you would want to know the best pubs near King’s Cross London?

Train delays and cancellations!

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Pubs at King’s Cross and St Pancras Station

On a few nights during the summer in 2019 all trains were cancelled from King’s Cross. This caused thousands of people who commute to London for work to either be stranded for hours, or even worse for them, stuck in London overnight.

If you know British culture, you know that the solution to being delayed is to wait in a pub with a pint. Or two. Or three…

Therefore, Mr Sunny felt it his moral obligation as an Englishman born in London to ‘help out humanity’ by preparing a list of the best pubs near King’s Cross. He recommends you have this list in your pocket so it is ready to help you cope with severe train delays at Kings Cross or St Pancras international station.

Perhaps the easiest pub to find at these stations is the Betjeman Arms, which is in St Pancras International Station on Euston Road. It is the poshest pub on our King’s Cross pub crawl.

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The Grand Terrace at the Betjemen Arms has a great view of St Pancras Station and the famous The Meeting Place statue. In fact, that’s probably why I have had drinks there a few times. It is really easy to find because you can just direct people to meet you at the ‘pub near the statue at the station.’

This Geronimo Inns pub is open early for breakfast. The British menu changes seasonally, and they have craft beers and moreish wines from around the world.

Of our two pubs at the stations, King’s Cross Wetherspoons (AKA The Barrel Vault) is the top pub that Mr Sunny recommends. He chooses Wetherspoons because it is known for its cheaper prices. They also offer a good English breakfast. He is pretty sure that you can get it as takeaway too, if you are in a rush to catch a train. The Barrel Vault pub also is closely located to screens displaying train times, which is smart to keep your eye on while you are waiting.

Best Pubs Near King’s Cross- A Short Walk Away

If you leave either station and make a right on Euston Road, you will find O’Neills on 73-77 Euston Road. It is technically located in Marylebone.

O’Neills is an Irish Pub and Bar chain in London. This specific location is closed for a remodel until 21st October. We’ll be sure to include an update when the doors open again.

best-pubs-near-kings-cross-london-oneills-pub

Not too far down the road you will find The Euston Flyer at 83-87 Euston Road. Mr Sunny says this pub near King’s Cross is a great place for watching major sporting events. It is a lively location and is part of the Fuller’s pubs experience. Avid readers of Sunny in London know that we love their food and have reviewed many Fuller’s pubs.

Mabel’s Tavern is just around the corner on a side street off of Euston Road. At 9 Mabledon Pl, London WC1H 9AZ this tavern is allegedly haunted. Mabel’s Tavern is a traditional alehouse with a wide variety of superb beers and freshly prepared food on the menu.

At Mabel’s Tavern you will find commuters and tourists plus local office workers at lunch time. Crowds gather at this pub near King’s Cross in the evening to watch live sports events.

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Just when Mr Sunny thought he had been to all the pubs in London, we discovered The Dolphin the day we did our final research for our list of the best pubs near King’s Cross and St Pancras stations. It is a straight shot from Mabel’s Tavern and is on 47 Tonbridge Street.

He loved it because he feels it is a “proper old traditional pub.’ Mr Sunny said The Dolphin and the next stop on this pub crawl are probably the last of the pubs that can be considered ‘local pubs’ in the King’s Cross neighbourhood because so few people can afford to live in Central London now.

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You might call the Skinner’s Arms an old London boozer. What caught Mr Sunny’s attention the day we visited is the “saloon” insignia above the door frame. He explained to me that back in the day, a saloon bar was separate from the public bar. It was an area for those deemed more elite and had better seats and drinks. The public bar was cheaper and an area where working class would mainly just get drunk.

The Skinners Arms has a friendly atmosphere for all. inside and outside you will regularly find London’s working commuters and visitors. The pub is located in Judd Street WC1, just far enough away from the hustle and bustle of Kings Cross station and Euston Road.

Best Pubs Near King’s Cross- Food

With all this beer, we feel it would be best to give you some food tips to soak up the alcohol. Mr Sunny gravitates to burgers or steak to compliment cold beer. He is a huge fan of Five Guys, which is just outside King’s Cross Station. My favourite burger joint in London is Shake Shack, which has locations in Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Victoria Station.

Another burger place near King’s Cross that we know is good is Honest Burger. Many of Mr Sunny’ mates who work in the area go to The Big Chill for after work drinks. It’s a laid-back bar club with basement and roof terrace, hosting busy and eclectic DJ programme. The Big Chill is on 257-259 Pentonville Road.

For a stronger meal, we recommend Bar and Block. They have great deals, so it’s worth following them on social media to know what’s on offer.

However, if you are on the run, The Kiosk is an independent takeaway kiosk offering deli-style roasted-meat sandwiches, plus iced teas and coffees that is right inside St Pancras station.

Best Pubs Near King’s Cross- Final Thoughts

Please let us know if you visit any of these pubs, because we are always interested in feedback. Plus, if you have any experiences at pubs in the King’s Cross area that you can add, that would be great!

To be honest, if there ever is an occasion when Mr Sunny hasn’t been to a pub in London, he relies on the Good Pub Guide. If you are in America you can get it either as a hard copy or the Kindle version on Amazon here.

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October 9, 2019 by: Sunny London

1947 London-Modern Indian Restaurant Review

Sexy, sumptuous and savoury. 1947 London has proven in its launch as a modern Indian restaurant in London to attract diners with discerning palates.

It is an exciting new venture from the founders of the Chai Thali restaurant group. Protege of Michelin-starred Vineet Bhatia, Chef Krishnapal Negi created a menu which nods to recipes that evolved out of the movement of people and culture during the 1947 Partition.

1947-london-modern-indian-restaurant-london-review-food

1947 London- The Menu

On a Monday evening in October, just two weeks after 1947 London opened, Mr Sunny and I had the opportunity to review this modern Indian restaurant. We looked forward to the evening as soon as the review invitation hit my inbox. Mr Sunny, who has far more experience and knowledge about Indian food, combed over the menu. His enthusiasm for trying many dishes at 1947 London drove our anticipatory conversations prior to our date night at the restaurant.

Intentionally short and easy to navigate, the menu features dishes from a Tandoor oven and Robata grill for theatrical cooking in view of diners.

We had many conversations about the menu with servers and managers throughout our evening. I learned that out of the hundreds of desserts they can offer, they choose to keep the selections limited to a handful so as not to overwhelm guests and to give the restaurant clear focus on exquisite taste and excellence. This also gives them flexibility to rotate items frequently, which will mean 1947 London will surprise and delight guests upon every visit.

Is the proof in the pudding?

Keep reading, Sunny friends.

Sample menu items at 1947 London include:

Nano Plates
Beetroot Masala Uthappams £6 and Avocado Bombay Bhel £8
Small Plates
For example, Wild Mushroom Tikki & Chickpea Masala £9 and Crispy Cheese Kebabs £9
Sharing Bowls
Including Punjabi Lamb Masala £14 and 1947 Dhaaba Murg £14
Sides
Including Pomegranate Raita £6, Asparagus and Sugar snaps with Fresh Coconut £9 and Daal Tadka £8
Briyanis & Rice
A selection from Steamed Basmati £5 to Lamb Dum Biriyani £24
Breads
Such as Caramelised Onion & Cheese Nan £6 and Butter Naan £4.
Desserts
Made in-house by pastry chefs include Kulfis in Pistachio & Rose and Mango £7 and Phirni, a cardamom-flavoured rice pudding £7

1947 London- Atmosphere

Perhaps competing with their experienced Chef’s training as a unique selling point is the decadent atmosphere. This modern Indian restaurant is no where to dine by yourself. And judging from the tables filling up with couples and crowds on the Monday night we visited, that message is in place.

The shimmering rose-clad doorway ushers guests in to an exotic night in low light. Once you plunge down the copper-toned staircase and turn the corner overlooking the dining room, you immediately transcend in to a world of glamour and opulence. This environment is best enjoyed with company.

1947-london-modern-indian-restaurant-fitzrovia — Photo credit: Jon Ashford

Unlike many of London’s cramped food experiences, 1947 London has giant circular dining tables which offer plenty of space. The walls are copper, gold and green. These colours combined with the overhanging globes containing micro L.E.D. lights and myriad of candles infuse the room with a subtle glow.

And let’s not forget the velvet.

From the velvet drapes in crushed purple to the crushed velvet cushions, 1947 London just plain feels sexy.

1947 London- Drinks

Our first order of “business” on our sexy date night included ordering our cocktails.

When I blurted out that I would like the “Indian Rose”, our server thought I had prior experience so knew exactly what to order. I confessed to him that while Mr Sunny had focused on the food, I had poured over their cocktail menu prior to our arrival.

The Indian Rose is a cosmopolitain with an Indian twist. It features a mixture of vodka, Contreau, Rooh Afza, orange juice, rose syrup and lime.

However, Mr Sunny’s “Hello Lassi” really got my attention. My drink had more visual sex appeal, but Mr Sunny’s “pina colada with no pina nor colada” stole the drink show. It features mango lassi, Baileys and white rum. It is luscious.

The cocktail menu and bar are impressive not only for what you see and taste, but also for the price. I have had equivalent cocktails in London’s posh bars and paid double what 1947 London charges.

1947 London- Food

You have probably already guessed through the atmospheric description and drink summary that 1947 London doesn’t hold back on flavour in their dishes.

For Small Plates, Mr Sunny and I chose the Baby Squid with garlic and green chilli. Next we had the Maharaha Prawns (jumbo praws lightly marinated in a blend of spices and cooked in a clay oven).

Finally, we picked the grilled lamb chops (rack of lamb marinated in Kashmiri chilli and selected homemade spices served with green herb chutney. Mr Sunny scored the prawns the highest. I couldn’t resist picking my winner to be the lamb chops, which were lit on fire as they were brought from the kitchen to our table.

I am a sucker for theatrics. We can safely say the lamb chops got flare. 😉 However, to see some of these dishes in motion, you had to have watched my Instastories from the evening.

For our Main courses, we of course had Naan bread and Mini Poppadums. I dined on the Malabar Lamb and Pulao Rice.

Mr Sunny strayed from his normal Indian restaurant selections and had the Lamb dum Biriyani. This dish is an aromatic basmati rice and pieces of tender lamb, cooked in a dum style served in a pastry sealed pot with a burani raita.

I am not accustom to as much spice as was in my lamb, but I have only been eating Indian food a few years. Plus, I was desperately trying to save room for the cheesecake.

Dessert dazzled us. The presentation of the “1947 Choice of Kulfi” gets a gold star. Would you ever have guessed the dish on the left is ice cream? That’s Mr Sunny’s salted caramel. Its mix of salty and sweet taste rolled beautifully over the tongue. My cheesecake didn’t disappoint either!

Given those two experiences, I can only wonder how gorgeous the Kulfi can be in the other flavour offers- rose and mango.

1947 London- Final Thoughts

Since taking over the address 33 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia W1T 1RR this Modern Indian restaurant has caught quite a bit of attention. The reviews I have read on various websites match our experience.

So, while we enjoyed our night as a complimentary review, our feedback is consistent with the other guests who have rated it “absolutely outstanding” and declared it an “amazing place.”

1947 London offers an excellent evening for a couple’s date night. However, there were large tables of people who appeared to be work colleagues present while we ate too.

My advice… find someone you know, and give 1947 London a go!

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October 5, 2019 by: Sunny London

The Ice Bar London Review

Literally the coolest thing to do in London is go to the ICEBAR London. Mr Sunny and I have been to this venue just off Regent Street in Mayfair twice. We still think if you’re looking for something unique for a date, out of office experience with colleagues or night out with the girls, then keep reading.

Back in 2011 we hit ICEBAR London for a super fun few hours. That’s because we combined it with their restaurant experience. It was pre-blog days but since I had some pictures I wrote about it as one of my first food reviews on Sunny in London.

We went on a Christmas holiday evening. Mr Sunny had booked our time well in advance. It was crowded.

While I nearly always prefer to avoid crowds, this is one of the rare times I advocate for going to a location when it is busy.

On the last Monday night of September 2019 we were nearly the only ones in the ICEBAR London at 5:45pm. Yeah, it was nice not to wait in a long queue for drinks. But, have you ever been on the dance floor by yourself at a club or wedding?

Not ideal, right?

We literally got our drinks, took our photos and returned our capes. I think we were in the actual ice bar for 15 minutes.

They offer a range of ICEBAR experiences, and you must book in advance. Basically, you get a cape and gloves to keep you warm plus your first ice cocktail on entry. You are welcome to stay inside the bar for up to
40 minutes from the start of your session.

While you might be concerned about the chilling temperatures and your ability to withstand them, it’s not anything that would impair your ability to have fun. In fact, during the most recent visit I had my gloves off for most of the time because I was filming video and taking pictures. Below is the 45 second highlight video I published on my Instagram of our night at Ice Bar and Fire Bar.

View this post on Instagram

Have you ever sipped from a cup of ice? This week Mr Sunny and I hit the @icebarlondon for cocktails. Since the last time we visited they have added a Fire Bar. It’s sexy and the perfect date location. Take 45 seconds to see why in this video…

A post shared by Sunny In London☀️🇬🇧 (@sunny_in_london) on Oct 2, 2019 at 7:09am PDT

Included in our complimentary experience was only snacks from Fire Bar on the patio because Yuu Kitchen was closed for a private event. We were informed that Yuu Kitchen isn’t open for food on Monday nights. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to return in the future to try the food because that was one of the highlights from our first Ice Bar experience.

I absolutely loved my White Satin, which was Absolut Raspberri vodka, lychee, orgeat and apple juice. It really was so silky smooth that the name does says it all. Literally, I would put it in my top five cocktail experiences ever. The list includes my all time favourite- which was an aloe martini I had in a Toronto bar. Second is a “Peanut Butter and Jelly” creation that a bartender made me once in Hollywood. I told him I liked Chambord and requested a cocktail that wasn’t just another French martini.

Mr Sunny told them to surprise him with their choice of a cocktail and they brought him a Strawberry Crush. He said it was pretty tasty.

Sitting on the patio was a nice experience until it started to pour rain, which caused us to end our evening a bit early.

What you might not know if you have been to the Ice Bar London previously is that they annually change the theme of the sculptures. Currently it features Norse myth and magic that comes alive inside the frozen Hall of Odin.

Valhalla Calling is the ICE BAR’s latest ice art installation and their second collaboration with the creative team at PSD Ice Art. Yes, as huge Game of Thrones fans, Mr Sunny and I each took a chance to sit on the “ice throne”.

The concept draws its inspiration from the myths of the Norse Gods, Odin, Loki and Thor, the monsters of Ragnarok, the final war at the end of the world, and the fabulous hall of Valhalla where Odin feasts every night with the bravest warriors who have fallen in battle.

So, Sunny friends, would you take the deep freeze plunge for cocktails literally on ice? What’s been your most unique cocktail bar experience?

Please note, the IceBar closed in early Spring 2020. This post was updated on 14 April to reflect this.