FOOD DRINKS – Page 4

March 18, 2016 by: Sunny London

5 Places to Buy the Best Chocolate in London

Where would you go for the best chocolate in London? The quest to find the best piece certainly could be a treat to try. However, you can start with this list that I have prepared through delicious, extensive research while living in London as an American expat.

In my experience, British people are very particular about their chocolate. Most of them prefer chocolate made in Belgium. I can’t say I disagree too much with that philosophy. Many of the chocolate shops on this list use Belgium chocolate.

So, let’s take a look…

The Best Chocolate in London: Hotel Chocolat

This company doesn’t play by the standard chocolate rules. First, they actually grow their cocoa. They do this on Rabot Estate plantation in Saint Lucia. Yep, they’re one company I picked that doesn’t import from Belgium.

Further, instead of making Easter eggs that are thin and have chocolate candy around them, Hotel Chocolat makes ‘ridiculously thick shells with all of our chocolates hidden inside for extra excitement’.

Mr. Sunny and I had the opportunity to enjoy a Chocolate Tasting Adventure class at the Hotel Chocolat in Covent Garden. As a side note, it’s an excellent date night idea.

They also gave us a box of chocolate to ~~devour~~ eat at home. It didn’t last long.

They have locations throughout London. We took the class at 4 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9HB.

You can even stay at their hotel, which is set among the cocoa groves, in Saint Lucia.

My favourite chocolate item here is the Billionaire’s Shortbread.

Best Chocolate in London: Hotel Café Royal

Last year I was invited to learn how to make and a chocolate Easter egg at Hotel Café Royal. During the evening I not only had the chance to many other London bloggers, but also learned quite a bit about the hotel’s chocolate making process from their Executive Chef.

I didn’t win the decorating contest for the egg. This meant that when I got home, I didn’t feel any remorse eating the egg I created. The taste of the silky, creamy chocolate erased any ‘artistic sentiment’ that might have existed. So worth it.

My favourite chocolate item here is: their annual Easter Eggs of course!

You can find the hotel at 68 Regent Street, London WCB 4DY.

Best Chocolate in London: Choccywoccydoodah

I frequently visit Choccywoccydoodah in Carnaby Street. One of the first blog experiences I had in London featured visiting their Bar Du Chocolat for a chocolate lunch.

Another blog highlight was when I received a golden ticket to travel to their Brighton location for Halloween. The fun, flavourful afternoon featured decorating a solid white chocolate skull. The pain I suffered carrying it on the train home to London (during rush hour) was quickly forgotten when it came time to eat my treat.

Although, I will admit that Mr. Sunny had to involve his colleagues to break it in to pieces. I believe some type of jack hammer was used. It really was a solid chocolate skull.

If you’re ever in the Carnaby Street area of London, this is a must see and eat. If you can’t afford the calories, at least tease yourself with the gorgeous images of their seasonal displays and products.

They also have a Secret Room that’s available for small party bookings.

If you can’t make it in to the Carnaby Street Choccywoccydoodah while in London, you can watch their chocolate cake making adventures via their reality show.

When I emailed them to let them know I was once again raving about their chocolate creations, they responded with a gorgeous photo of their hottest product this season.

For Easter, they are proud to present a small collection of enormous chocolate Faberge inspired eggs featuring Unicorns and Dragons. A trio of eggs, as featured, weigh in at around 100 kilos and cost £25,000. The eggs are entirely handmade, hand sculpted and painted, all in chocolate and are available to order only, with 3 weeks lead time required.

Where to Buy the Best Chocolate in London- Choccywoccydoodah Easter Eggs

Photo courtesy of Choccywoccydoodah

Alternatively, you can indulge in their handmade fantasy eggs in an egg box. They include 5 handmade chocolate eggs, filled with praline and caramel, sitting with a cheeky hatchling chick. They are £25 a box. These are available either at the London or Brighton shop or Choccywoccydoodah online.

The Faberge inspired Dragon collection can be seen in the London Flagship, 30-32 Fouberts Place, Carnaby, London W1F 7PS.

My favourite item at Choccywoccydoodah is the: toffee popcorn bars. However, I wouldn’t say no to a Faberge egg from the Dragon collection if you wanted to send me one, Sunny friends. 😉

Best Chocolate in London: Godiva UK

Americans seem to have a stronger knowledge of the brand Godiva. Londoners, surprisingly, don’t recognise it as quickly. They have a location on Regent Street and last summer sold chocolate ice cream that was, in my words, ‘Go-Die Vor’! It was deeee-licious!

Just like Choccywoccydoodah, I always make a stop in the store when I am shopping or passing by because it’s so damn Instagrammable! It’s at 141 Regent Street W1B 4JA.

My favourite item here is the chocolate covered strawberries, which are nearly always on display.

Best Chocolate in London: Cocoa Bijoux

Through Twitter, I discovered this specialty chocolate shop in West Hampstead in 2011 while I was planning for a trip to London prior to living here.

Cocoa Bijoux is a secret treasure because it isn’t showy on the outside and isn’t in the heart of Central London. However, if you can make a trip to this North London location in Zone 2, it will be well worth the extra effort. It’s just around the corner from both the West Hampstead Underground and Overground stations. Inside, you will find chocolate jewels.

The owner’s inspiration for his chocolate products started early in his childhood. Since he’s always been a foodie, he prides himself in making sure every product he offers is fit for perfection as it shines on his shelves. With over 60 different chocolate bars, each brought in for a specific reason, Cocoa Bijoux truly is the chocolate store in London with the best hidden story.

Not only do they have seasonal specials for you to entertain your dark indulgent dreams, but also they’ll dazzle you on any given day with what is rumoured to be the best hot chocolate in London. Chick out some of their Easter chocolate surprises…

Cocoa Bijoux concentrates on full flavour and beautifully designed chocolate. I can’t wait to share with you the full story about this very special London location in an upcoming blog feature.

You’ll find Cocoa Bijoux at: Broadwell Parade, Broadhurst Gardens, London NW6 3BQ

My favourite item here is the Peanut Butter Truffle.

Best Chocolate in London: Final Thoughts

Perhaps you can wander the city for hours just eating chocolate to gather your own opinions?

Ha Ha! You know where I am going with this, right? Why of course there is a tour for that type of adventure.

I haven’t been on any of the chocolate walking tours in London. However, as I prepared to write this blog I stumbled upon the Chocolate Ecstacy Tours website. Now, my big foodie problem is trying to decide which of their tours to take! They offer a chocolate tour in Mayfair, Chelsea and Notting Hill. And that’s just a few off their extensive list.

While I figure out which tour to check off my chocolate in London bucket list, I’d love to see your thoughts about my choices and challenge you to add your picks in the comments below…

June 9, 2015 by: Sunny London

A Sexy Night at Noir W1 in London

Popping in to London’s latest lounges is always a fun thing to do, especially when they’re in a great area of town.

This is why I was very excited to visit Noir W1, a fairly new nightclub in Marylebone.

It was a familiar location to me, as it’s exactly where the club Après used to be. In fact, if you can find Selfridges, you can find Noir W1. They’re gorgeous neighbours.

Noir’s makeover is a head turner. Now, I don’t mean like a Bruce Jenner double take on Vanity Fair kind of cranial whip, but the lounge should get a serious look over from my night owl readers.

As the name would suggest, the interior is dark. If you remember the previous Après lower level, here’s what’s in Noir now…

The night I visited it was being prepped for an exclusive event.

Noir’s menu has several yummy options for you.

My selections included the Beef Carpaccio and the Seared Tuna with Wasabi Mash and Chimichurri.

I regret Mr Sunny couldn’t join me because it would have allowed me also to sample the Truffled Mac and Cheese. It sounded delicious. I don’t think I ever met a truffle I didn’t like.

Noir’s cocktail list, however, is the real attraction. It’s a bit naughty. But what would you expect from a lounge named Noir?

For my first drink, I sipped on the Kiss Me Deadly.

A real charmer, isn’t it? {giggles}

It’s a blend of mandarin and lavendar shrub, gin and Champagne. Now, if you think about it, this drink is perfect for a champagne loving Florida girl who now lives in London. The orange flavour of the ‘Sunshine State’ paired with a quintessential British liquor and topped with bubbles really could be my kiss of death. I was careful to pace myself!

The second drink I tested at Noir W1 is the PPC Cocktail, which has Portobello Road gin, sushi ginger and grapefruit bitters.

I give both drinks two thumbs up. And you can see from their creative presentation, Noir W1 really makes an extra effort to make their drinks fun.

I would suggest Noir W1 for a place to go with a group of friends if you’re near the Marylebone area after work or later. Being so close to Selfridges, I can imagine it attracts a fashionable crowd around happy hour and certainly in to the evening hours.

My visit was around 6:30pm on a Thursday. I’d love to hear about your experience at Noir W1 later in the evening. It seems like it would be a great place for a little dancing, good food and great cocktails.

My delicious drinks and food were complimentary for the purpose of a review. This does not affect my opinion of the cocktail bar.

Where is your favourite hot spot in Marylebone, Sunny friends?

May 11, 2015 by: Sunny London

The Scoop on Godiva Ice Cream in London

What’s one food item I miss as an American expat living in London? Godiva Ice Cream. It’s available in many American grocery stores, right next to brands like Ben and Jerry’s, Haagen Dazs and Breyers. Plus, when I moved to London, I assumed Godiva Ice Cream would be something I could find fairly easily in places like Tesco.

Not so much.

You see, in America you can find Godiva chocolate many places. For example, there’s usually a selection of their chocolate bars on counters at Macy’s and Hallmark stores. While it’s still priced as a luxury chocolate, it’s much easier to find in America than in London.

It wasn’t until I received an invitation to attend The Taste of Summer launch party for Godiva Ice Cream that I learned why I can’t find it here.

If you follow me on Twitter and Instagram, you know I frequently pop in the luxury chocolatier on Regent Street. Since, that is my favourite area to shop in London, I can’t resist stopping in Godiva every time I am there.

They always have such gorgeous displays of delicious chocolate! For this reason, I wasn’t surprised when I arrived at the launch party and found tables full of tasty toppings for their Godiva ice cream summer debut.

As party guests were teased with these visuals, we had the chance to enjoy some standard Godiva dessert delights.

During this time, I also chatted with the very, very lucky Godiva staff.

I learned that Godiva is marketed differently in the US, UK and Japan. That’s why it was so easy for me to have access to one of my favourite treats in America. It is very exclusive in the UK. I found this suprising since it’s a Belgium company. If you read my Eurostar from London to Brussels feature on the blog, you know Belgium is just a few hours away from London.

The soft ice cream collection is only out in London for the summer and is seriously cool enough to warrant its own hashtag. Prices to enjoy this summer sensation begin at £4.50.

It’s available in Godiva’s London stores. This is what’s involved for the bespoke soft serve Godiva Ice Cream…

Taste of Summer: Godiva Ice Cream

– Select one base, either a waffle cone, small cup or large cup
– Choose vanilla or dark choclate Soft Ice Cream (or both together!)
– Add a topping (milk, white or dark Crispy Pearls, chocolate syrup, chocolate flakes or bresilienne)

It’s that simple to create your order from the Godiva Ice Cream Menu!

Here’s a small taste of what I had that evening…

You can learn more about the luxury company from Belgium at Godiva Chocolates UK. I also have a guilt free feature on Belgium Chocolate and a Trip to Brussels, if you’re ready to see endless photos of sweets.

And, if you just want a daily dose of calorie free indulgence, be sure to follow GodivaUK on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook too! You may even see a sneaky repost of my frequent trips integrated in to their chocolate feed…

Sunny friends, don’t forget to pop in for a cone or two this summer. And, if you go to America, grab a pint at a grocery store. Specifically, I recommend Godiva Ice Cream with Milk Chocolate Hearts. That’s right, nearly every bite of the chocolate ice cream features a solid heart made with love by the luxury Belgium chocolate company.

April 2, 2015 by: Sunny London

Hotel Cafe Royal- How to Make Chocolate Easter Eggs

What would you do if one of London’s most glamorous hotels contacted you to spend an evening learning how to make chocolate Easter eggs? If you’re like me, you accept that invitation from Hotel Cafe Royal with a super fast, ‘YES, Please!’

If you remember back in the Autumn, I had a chocolate week on the Sunny in London blog. I decorated a chocolate skull for Halloween, took a chocolate making master class, and featured an entire post on eating chocolate during my trip to Belgium.

What I didn’t know was around that same time during Chocolate Week in London, Hotel Cafe Royal launched their own ‘Profile 66’ chocolate created by Executive Pastry Chef, Andrew Blas. It’s called ‘Profile 66’ because it features 66% pure chocolate. For Easter, they are showcasing this exclusive recipe with a range of hand-painted eggs, chocolate treats, themed menus and a Golden Ticket competition.

Naturally, when I received an invitation to have an inside look at how to make a chocolate Easter egg, I couldn’t wait!

To start the evening, a group of London’s most excited food, fashion and lifestyle bloggers gathered in the cafe of Hotel Cafe Royal, which is on Regent Street. That’s where you can find the chocolate eggs that Chef Andy Blas has carefully crafted. We were whisked through the divine smelling kitchen of the hotel to a secret chocolate making room where we got to see the chocolate being created. Then we each received drinks made of chocolate, Drambuie and raspberry foam.

The Executive Chefs taught us the details of what makes the Hotel Cafe Royal chocolate so extraordinary and then started to show us how to make chocolate Easter eggs that we could keep. These are samples they showed us to motivate our creativity.

The Hotel Cafe Royal- How to Make a Chocolate Easter Egg Steps:

– First, we used cotton balls to wipe thoroughly the large eggs molds.
– Chef Andy Blas explained that we could use brushes and our hands to add the vibrant colours to our eggs and had numerous tools ready for us to handle. This included gloves because the colour is pretty powerful.

* Mr Sunny wants you to know that is not his toothbrush featured above. However, since I visited Hotel Cafe Royal, he feels like he is starting each morning with chocolate minty breath. 😉 (Shhhhh, don’t tell the hotel!)

– Next we chose our colours for the egg’s chocolate shell. Chef Andy explained that we should chose the colour we wanted accented the most first, because all other colours would fill in behind it. Naturally, I picked a bright, sunny yellow and put my ‘Super Sunny’ initial on my Easter egg.

– Chef Andy carefully demonstrated the next step which involved filling our egg molds with chocolate, removing air bubbles from the mixture, pouring off the interior, and scraping off the excess. He emphasised that it’s important to make neat edges for the shells because if they dried outside the rims, they might break the entire shell when you snap them off later.

We then had the chance to fill our chocolate Easter eggs and put them on trays to dry for a few minutes. Not a bad way to spend an evening, eh?

– While our Easter eggs dried, Chef Andy showed us how to temper chocolate and then gave us a giant bowl of jellied candies to toss inside our ~~mouths~~ eggs.

– Finally, we carefully removed our chocolate shells from the molds, put them on empty egg crates, and delicately placed handfuls of candy inside them. I think if my drink below hadn’t been empty, I may have had my ‘S’ for Sunny facing the right way on my Easter egg.

I guess you can say that second drink just made me ‘S backwards.’ 😉

We then quickly melted one side of the egg and placed the two halves together to form our chocolate Easter eggs.

Hotel Cafe Royal- Chocolate Easter Egg Making and Decorating Experience:

– I loved meeting all the staff at the hotel and thank them (especially Chef Andy) for a fantastic evening of chocolate fun.
– You can have a chance to enjoy this opportunity also. Chef Andy has made chocolate eggs that are available in the Hotel Cafe Royal cafe for just £7. Five of these eggs contain not only jellied candies but also a ‘Golden Ticket.’ Those who find these tickets in their Easter eggs will win a day in the chocolate room. This experience will include a full master class of teaching, tempering, and of course, tasting chocolate. And who doesn’t want to play in chocolate all day?

If you simply can’t wait to get your hands on the exclusive Profile 66 chocolate from Hotel Cafe Royal, you can visit one of the hotel’s bars and restaurants for their numerous cocoa-centric menu options.

I can’t wait to visit this historic and five-star hotel again to enjoy these tasty treats or a night of luxury travel. I hear they offer an amazing afternoon tea also. Who’s enjoyed it? Would the #LDNBloggersTea group want to give it a go for one of our quarterly afternoon teas?

What’s everyone have planned for Easter? Surely, you’ll celebrate with one of these decadent eggs… and maybe even a golden ticket!

March 26, 2015 by: Sunny London

Vapiano- Pizza, Pasta and a Party

If you like music and women, do you know where to go in London for both? It’s Vapiano! And let me tell you why…

Just when I thought I had eaten everything on Wardour Street, I discovered Vapiano. It’s a contemporary Italian restaurant built on the concept of self-service with face-to-face interactions with chefs. Vapiano has three locations in London, and two of them feature live music nights (free of charge) once a month.

Mr. Sunny and I showed up very curious and hungry the night we visited. When we arrived, we each received a smart card. With this payment system guests ‘tap’ for each item they order using their card. When you leave, you pay at this same desk. This would have been perfect for me back in my college days when I was studying at Florida State University’s study abroad centre just a few streets away. When dining in groups, especially as a university student, paying the bill without separate checks can be tricky.

Mr. Sunny and I were a bit overwhelmed at first as to what we needed to do. We learned that guests order pasta, pizzas, antipasti and salads directly from the chefs at individual stations within the restaurant.

There were so many, many options that sounded delicious!

All of the food is prepared fresh each day and dishes are prepared in front of you when you order. Here’s a sneaky look at the pasta machine in the back that works all the carb-a-licious magic…

Our big eyes and empty stomachs made decisions that proved to be challenging. Here’s what we picked to start…

Vapiano Menu: Antipasti and Insalate

– Carpaccio (finely sliced beef fillet, cipriani sauce, Grana Padano D.O.P., mushrooms, rocket)
– Piatto Antipasti (prosciutto tipo Parma, salami, pepperoni, roasted vegetables, pesto, Grana Padano D.O.P. buffalo mozzarella, bruschetta)
– Insalata Caprese (cherry tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil, rocket)

We actually had to make several trips with our trays to carry everything to our table. When we finally sat down, I stared at the food and said to Mr. Sunny, “This much food is crazy!’

Mr. Sunny quickly corrected me with his usual wit and said, ‘No, sweet heart. It’s… caprese!’

We tackled all the food and still managed to order a second course. With all the interesting options on the menu we chose:

Vapiano Menu: Pasta and Pizza

– Rucola Raviola (ravioli with rocket, ricotts cheese filling, butter and pine nuts)
– Capricciosa (ham, mushrooms, artichokes, olives, tomato sauce, mozzarella)

Here’s a few shots of the ravioli I enjoyed.

As I started to eat my main course, Mr. Sunny waited for his pizza pager to buzz. He felt the beer selection (both Italian and German) was good. I have to admit, the White Tea Elderflower Mint I sipped was a sneaky show stealer.

I highly recommend the tea. It was a really refreshing surprise and was so smooth and lovely. When Mr. Sunny’s pager went off, he travelled upstairs and returned with this ginormous platter pictured below.

We battled through all the beautiful, beautiful flour-filled food. (As a side note, I don’t think this is the place for my gluten-free Sunny friends.)

Even though we really had no busines pushing ourselves further, I couldn’t get the dolci (dessert) selections off my mind. Since Mr. Sunny and I both go goo-goo for tiramisu, we just had to find room for the little treat.

The atmosphere when we visited Valpiano was calm and everyone was very eager to help us enjoy the experience. Many thanks to the Manager, Fran, who was visible and informative throughout the time we ate our food and enjoyed the experience. He and the rest of the staff moved swiftly through the restaurant all evening, making sure everyone was happy.

We went to Valpiano on a Monday around 5pm in an effort to avoid the crowds. The restaurant spans two floors, and we had plenty of options for seating on both floors.

However, don’t be decieved. This place gets packed! We left around 6:45pm and the queues were getting long at the various food stations. It’s a popular place to be in Soho. If you’re really looking for fun, you need to go to one of the live music nights at either their Soho or Bankside restaurants to celebrate #PastaWithSoul.

For one night only, Vapiano Soho and Vapiano Bankside will host a young, unsigned act looking for an audience to test brand new exclusive material.

On April 7th in Soho and the 8th in Bankside singer/songwriter, Stephanie McCourt will perform.

Vapiano Fast Facts:

– Top-selling pizza = Calzone and Pesto con Spinaci
– Top-selling pasta = Carbonara, Scampi e Spinaci and Salsiccia con Fichi
– Pizzas take 8 minutes to make.
– Simple pasta dishes take 3 minutes to make.
– Social media indicates that 64% of Vapiano’s guests are women between ages 18-34.
– A large portion of guests work in the music industry.
– The London locations serve an average of 27,000 customers a week.
– Great Portland Street guests consume the leaves off of 300 basil pots a week.

Based on the above facts, you could be cheeky and conclude: If you’re a guy who likes to consume ‘pot’ leaves and is looking for a girl who loves to eat carbs, listen to music and update her status with foodie pictures on social media- check out Valpiano. 😉

Oh my!

Seriously, Sunny friends, I think Valpiano is the perfect place to party with a group of fun friends seeking freshly made food, a contemporary atmosphere and an easy way to pay the bill. For the West End, this restaurant offers very reasonably priced food and service that satisfies beyond expectations.

Vapiano is open: Monday-Thursday 11am-11pm; Friday and Saturday 11am-midnight, Sunday 12pm-11pm.

Our experience at Vapiano was complimentary for the purpose of a review. This did not influence my opinion of the experience. However, could I really disagree with 27,000 customers a week? 😉

February 26, 2015 by: Sunny London

El Patron Restaurant- It’s Where to Party in Putney!

What kind of Florida girl in London turns down a party at a Mexican restaurant in London? Not this hot little tamale! Last Thursday I had the chance to pop in to El Patron restaurant in Putney and had a blast.

Well, ok, I actually didn’t have a total blast. Since battling the flu for two weeks, I’ve been on super slo-mo for way too long. But, I didn’t let that stop me from checking out El Patron restaurant.

It’s very tough to find Mexican food that rocks in London. While the range of international cuisine that is available is huge, Mexican just isn’t high on the list of great ones. So when I received an invitation to check out Putney’s newest place, I made it happen. And, I’m really glad I did!

Even though I’m not a tequila fan, their 60 different tequila options at El Patron Restaurant are impressive. Like really impressive. It was then that I suddenly realized that every tequila-loving drinker in the country was probably here. It was clear that they wanted to try their hands at these concoctions too. I reckon some people even bought fake ids purely for this occasion, who wouldn’t? Especially if you love tequila as much as the next person and want to try their 60 different options. Ay caramba! If that doesn’t give a tequila lover one muy grande headache in the morning, I don’t know what will. 😉

When I arrived for the special party, I was immediately greeted and taken to the ground floor which features a fantastic bar.

But, if you ask me, El Patron restaurant is more about the personality behind the bar…

Usually when I break out the camera for an event as a blogger, the people at the venue run and hide. Not this guapo guy. Hola amigos!

Even though I wasn’t feeling too well, I wanted to try one of their original cocktails. And, with a funtastic offer from our ‘Jose Cuervo specialist’ above, I had this glorious sunny drink in my hands before I could hang up my coat. You’ll never guess what it’s called…

That’s the ‘Donkey in Love.’

The El Patron restaurant cocktail menu has tons of crazy choices like: Poncho, Conquistador Cooler, Pablo’s Fizz, The Scorpion, Del Porno, Siesta y Fiesta, Amigos, Professor Plum, PiÑata and JalapeÑo and Blood Orange Margarita. The Donkey in Love seemed like a refreshing drink full of Florida type love. It’s a mix of Vanilla Infused Arette Blanco, Guava, Pineapple, Orgeat and Peach.

I sat at one of the informal wooden tables and began chatting with the other fiesta guests.

We were gathered there to celebrate El Patron restaurant #tashonthursdays event. Our table had a party box full of Mexican props and moustaches for us to enjoy the evening. On Thursdays, the best moustache selfie of the night is awarded with El Patron’s famous sharer cocktails.

As we waited for our crowd to gather, we were treated to some spectacular Mexican street food.

That hit the table first. It features the El Patron restaurant secret guacamole. Can you guess what it is? Here’s a closer look:

I’ll leave you wondering, Sunny friends.

Next, this absolutely amazing mango and avocado salad sailed under our sombreros.

And that wasn’t all. We watched with drooling eyes as all these plates appeared too.

Ay yi yi! Where to begin?!

I wish I could tell you I had a bit of everything, Sunny muchachos. But, since I had been not feeling well for a while, I decided to wait and let everyone else scoop up all the Mexican love first.

The array of food includes tacos made of: Chicken, Fish, Carnitas (beef), and Salpicon de Res (pork). Finally featured above are numerous quesadillas: Mushroom and Cheese, Spinach and Feta, and Chicken and Cheese.

After giving everyone what I thought was a fair shot at all the food, I grabbed an entire quesadilla for myself. Maybe I should regret that, but I don’t. I love me some quesadillas! So, since no one had taken a few bites of one of them, I figured it was free for the taking.

I ate it super fast so no one would notice my greed. But, how could they with these two comedians showing off…

I'm loving my 'tash while @makenewtracks looks less enthused! @elpatronlondon #tashonthursday pic.twitter.com/vNeOa9Mzcn

— Kasha Dubaniewicz (@KashaCapeTown) February 19, 2015

Those are my blogger friends Kasha and Chris. They’re travel bloggers and their sites are: Lines of Escape and Make New Tracks. Kasha was the winner of the Fortnum and Mason Afternoon Tea Giveaway I hosted on my blog in September 2014.

These two really provided tons of entertainment at the late-night Mexican bar, especially since I was under the weather and needed a boost. You should check out their blogs! Kasha’s most recent post is titled ‘An Adrenaline-Fuelled Date at Thorpe Park.’

Just as DJ Handlebar started spinning at El Patron restaurant, I had to head home. I wish I could’ve stayed to see who won the #tashonthursday competition. But, I felt dancing on a few tables that night might not have been the best street to recovery.

El Patron restaurant in Putney is full of fun and flavour. I think it would be perfect for informal parties, if you’re in that area. It has two floors and has a house band on Friday nights and resident DJ’s on Saturday.

So, Sunny friends, what tricks would you perform for tequila? Any other great Mexican food suggestions for this Florida girl?

January 11, 2015 by: Sunny London

Byron Burger Review- Who’s Your Burger Daddy?

Byron Burger has been hot on my ‘must try list’ ever since I hit Shake Shack in Covent Garden earlier this year. It seems American burger joints have ignited all over London. Queues often stretch around buildings for hot new places in high traffic areas.

Once I blogged and raved about Shake Shack, I hit Five Guys in both America and London to do a little comparison. Then, it was brought to my attention through tweets, emails and conversations that Byron Burger should enter my burger mouth arena. They’ve been in London since 2007 and bill themselves as ‘proper hamburgers.’

I figured when the right time presented itself, I would give Byron Burger a go.

On a beautiful sunny day in London, Mr. Sunny and I decided to explore the beautiful Christmas holiday decorations in town. Late in the afternoon we hit our starving point and turned the corner to see this at 24-28 Charing Cross Road…

He suggested we test out their burgers, but I declined. My reason- it wasn’t the real Byron Burger. The building just didn’t look like all the other grey ones I had seen, so I thought this place was an imposter. Mr. Sunny explained that we were most likely standing in front of the original location. He showed me the ‘proper hamburgers’ label on a menu.

Once I agreed to go inside, we sat at one of the small tables. The space is tight, as tables are practically inches from each other. We placed our food order with a server and quickly received our drinks. Beer and red wine. Big surprise for us, right?

After a few sips, the manager nicely approached us about moving to a different table. Apparently a large party of men, who had likely just left a drinking session lasting a few hours in pubs, wanted to eat at Byron Burger also. The staff wanted to push all the tables near us together to seat them by us.

We were happy to move, because we didn’t really fancy sitting near this potential circus. But, I made a cheeky request for a complimentary dessert if we did relocate. Nervy, huh?

Now back to my beef.

Since I wanted to have the original burger for a genuine report on the blog, I ordered the Byron.

It’s dry cure bacon, mature Cheddar, shredded iceberg, tomato, red onion and Byron sauce for £9.50.

Since Mr. Sunny was treating me to dinner, he got a little festive and fancy with his choice, the Holy Cheesemas.

His burger was bang on beautiful. It’s two 6oz hamburgers, American cheese, Monterey Jack, mature Cheddar, Red Leicester, dry cure bacon, red onion, shredded iceberg, pickles and Cheesemas sauce for a whopping £12.95. Ok, ‘whopping’ is a bit dramatic, especially when you consider Burger and Lobster offers their burgers for £20. But, it is the most expensive burger of the menu items we’ve eaten at Shake Shack and Five Guys.

Anyhow, Mr. Sunny had no problem digging in to his holy meatness. He says it was the first time he’s ever had a burger that was actually cooked the way he wanted it- Medium Rare.

And, since Mr. Sunny was feeling extra generous, he also greased up our dinner with loads more food packed with chubby calories.

Yep. French Fries, Macaroni Cheese and Onion Rings.

I inhaled my burger, but made sure to save a bit of space for the last food treat, Caramel and Honeycomb Blondie with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

So, how did Byron Burger measure up in the American burger in London department? When comparing it to Shake Shack and Five Guys, it has some strengths:

Byron Burger Advantages:

– Great beef cooked right.
– No over the counter service. You have a server for your meal.
– They have a varied Drink menu. (Red and white wine, craft beer, bottled beer and cider, bourbon, ‘pink and fizz’, spirits, and milkshakes.)
– Four salads are on the menu. However, if you’re reading this, you’re probably not the kind of person who goes to a burger joint and orders green.

Who’s Your Burger Daddy?

While I enjoyed the experience and thought the complimentary dessert was super cool, I’m still going two thumbs up on Shake Shack. I can’t fault Byron Burger for anything. It’s just that the sauce on the Shake Shack burgers makes my knees go all silly.

Now, what I haven’t done yet is eat at Dirty Burger. I’m certainly entertained by the name. Because face it, there’s nothing pretty about putting your hands and mouth around a big juicy burger. They also have my full attention with the breakfast burgers featured on their menu. I can fantasize that their combination of sausage and egg in the morning is something that would definitely get me out of a warm bed on a cold winter day.

What are your thoughts, Sunny friends? Who’s your London Burger daddy?

December 18, 2014 by: Sunny London

Harrods Restaurants- Where You Can Eat the Stars!

Where can you go to pair exquisite dining with superior shopping in London? Harrods restaurants. And for the next two months, there’s a simply fabulous Italian pop up restaurant located on the lower ground floor. At the tables, you can eat the stars.

Yes, that’s right. 13 stars to be exact.

Curious how that math works and what it means?

In Autumn, Harrods restaurants opened a pop up collection titled ‘Stelle di Stelle’. It features contemporary Italian cuisine from the finest seasonal ingredients. Each month a different chef from five of Italy’s best restaurants takes up residency. The total Michelin star collection among them is 13.

Imagine 13 Michelin stars swirling over your tastebuds! Ok, ok, it’s not all at once. I hear you. But, the night I ate at Harrods restaurants, I tasted three. Today I’m sharing all the divine details!

Having coordinated the dinner via Harrods request, I invited some bloggers who truly know luxury and Italy. My guests included: Catherine from Lux Life and Chiara from Ma Che Davvero.

Back in the Spring I had a chance to experience the Marchesi Cafe, another one of Harrods restaurants with a pop up residency. This prepared me for the incredible quality of food and service offered in the luxury retail department store.

Arriving about 15 minutes ahead of our table booking gave me time to capture some photos of the restaurant for you. Unlike the crowded shopping streets in Knightsbridge, Harrods restaurants offer a spacious and quiet atmosphere. The oasis of Stelle di Stelle certainly fits this standard.

While waiting for my guests to arrive, I sipped on some beautiful dancing bubbles and let my eyes begin digesting the menu. I learned the chef each month chooses a special edit of his/her signature dishes and creates a four-course menu. This menu can be paired with Italian wines and beers. There is one lunch sitting (£110) and two dinner (£160) sittings each day at 6:00pm and 8:30pm.

December’s lineup includes Cheg Giorgio Pinchiorri and Annie Feolde. They represent Restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri (three Michelin stars), Giorgio Pinchiorri and Annie Feolde’s famous Florentine dining palace.

Once my guests arrived, they were immediately poured some wine, and we were all quickly served a tasty treat of Italian ham and cheese.

Then, we had a starry eyed surprise when the evening’s chef make a guest appearance at our table. It was a true delight meeting such a star and being able to learn more about how he landed in London at one of Harrods restaurants.

Our first sample of our dazzling dinner is this blooming dish with a tiny flower rimming the top. It’s Chestnut Mousse, Pancetta, Pine Nuts and Rosemary.

When I learned it was paired with Ferrari Maximum Brut Trento Doc, I felt a fast and furious attempt to finish it was only fair.

The flavours met each other in such an interesting combination in my mouth. I loved it.

Next, I found the Octopus cooked in olive oil with pumpkin cream, coffee pearls and watercress sprouts sprawled across my plate.

This is paired with Rosso di Montalcino Doc San Polo 2012. Catherine and I thought the seafood selection was simply gorgeous. Chiara had a vegetarian dish that she thoroughly enjoyed in place of ours.

Moving on, we each experienced the bliss of truffle coating our next treat. This is the fantastic Poached Egg with Alba White Truffle and Grana Padano Cheese Fondue paired with Giulio Ferrari Trento Doc 2012.

I felt my heart ooze a little when my fork broke the yolk.

The next dish is the one on the menu which made me anxious. It’s the Fusilli al Ferretto with Artichokes, Scampi and Liquorice Powder. It’s shared with Birra Moretti La Rossa. I’m a pasta fanatic, but the issue intimidating me was the Liquorice. It’s a taste and scent I can’t stomach. Further, all Sunny readers know that I rarely drink beer.

AH-MAY-ZING! Yes, Sunny friends, this one gets the most gold stars from me for the night. I have no idea where that liquorice powder went. All I could focus on was what seemed a buttery texture twirling around every twist of the fusilli.

I enjoyed several sips of the beer so as not to offend the chef or staff. In all honesty, I would’ve finished the entire glass, but as you can see, the drinks kept coming steadily.

We made sure to share the glorious experience on our social networks and take more pictures to swoon over later.

Chiara tried to keep up as Catherine sat amazed at all the drinks poured on to our table.

For some reason, we couldn’t figure out why none of the glasses in front of my place setting were full. 😉

Our fantastic feast finished with these two courses:

Sunny friends, that is the Rack of Lamb topped with Garlic and Thyme with Polenta and Cavolo Nero served with Poggio Al Tesoro Mediterra IGT Toscana 2011. The final photo is Bread, Chocolate, Oil and Salt with Giovanni Allegrini Recioto Della Valpolicella Classico Docg 2010.

The end was grand indeed.

I fully endorse this Harrods restaurant menu to anyone looking for either a shopping sanctuary or treat during the holidays.

For January Chef Enrico Crippa will dazzle dinner guests. He represents three Michelin stars from Milan. His credits include: Restaurant Piazzo Duomo, 39th on the World’s Best Restaurants 2014.

The Harrods restaurants event is sponsored by Consorzio Tutela Grana Padano, Acqua Panna-S.Pellegrino, Lavaza, Birra Moretti, Ferrari and Molino Quaglia. Further, it’s presented in association with Identita Golosa, a culinary organisation.

To book a table, call 020 7893 8700. More information is available at Harrods.

December 16, 2014 by: Sunny London

Places to Eat in London- All You Can Eat on One Street!

‘Where are the best places to eat in London?’ is a question I get all the time as a blogger and American expat living in London. In truth, since there are so many restaurants in mayfair as well as all the other areas of London, you could argue that it is impossible to have a definitive answer. However, I not only have my answer, but I had a Brit verify it for me!

When I was at the World Travel Market conference in November, I went to the Visit Florida stand to network with my home state peeps. One of the conference presenters I met was on her first trip to London. We talked about her experience. Then, she asked, ‘So where are the best places to eat in London? What pubs do you recommend?’

Since I’m asked these questions often and eat at some of London’s top restaurants regularly, I said, ‘You can honestly find everything you need on one street.’

A lifelong Londoner was also part of this conversation. I indicated that I was willing to give the street name, only if he he would candidly agree or disagree when he heard my answer.

‘Charlotte Street’, I said.

And he, without hesitation, agreed.

There’s nothing like getting a British stamp of approval when you’re an expat attempting to offer advice about a place you haven’t lived your whole life.

You know the game, ‘If you were stranded on an island and could only bring…’? Well, here’s a twist. If I were limited to eating at restaurants on one street for the rest of my life, I’d pick Charlotte Street. And I’d like it.

Actually, I’d love it.

I love Charlotte Street because of its variety and West End location just inches from Goodge Street Underground Station.

While everyone will have an opinion about what constitutes ‘best’ when it comes to food, I am going to make my definition for this blog post clear. I pick Charlotte Street for the ‘best places to eat in London’ winner because it features something for everyone.

When you’re traveling with a group of people, family or just need a central location to make sure you can get delicious food, Charlotte Street is where to go.

The street is literally lined with restaurants. They are from nearly every cuisine in every price range. Here’s a break down of the major food venues by categories:

Places to Eat in London: Charlotte Street- Snacks

EAT– features a daily changing menu which includes coffee, soups, salads, sandwiches.
Reynolds– ‘Great coffee, fresh food, nice people.’ Let’s face it, we all like nice people 😉
Yog– offers fat free, probiotic, natural frozen yogurt.

Places to Eat in London: Charlotte Street- American and British

Bubbledogs– serves Champagne with gourmet hotdogs. For more details, check out my Bubbledogs review.

Charlotte Street Hotel– part of the exquisite Firmdale Hotels. This location has the afternoon tea in London which I feel offers the best quality of food for the price. You can learn more about it in my review. It also has a gorgeous bar which is popular for happy hour and late evening cocktails.

Places to Eat in London: Charlotte Street- European

Andreas Restaurant– a Greek restaurant with a modern setting. They have highly nutritious dishes on a vast Greek and Mediterranean menu. Mr. Sunny and I ate here during my pre-blogging days so I don’t have a formal review or pictures. However, I can say it was an excellent meal, and I would love to return. I highly recommend it!

Cote Brasserie– a modern interpretation of the many famous bistros of Paris. It’s open early every day for breakfast, through to lunch and dinner.
Elena’s L’Etoile– ‘a legend among French bistro restaurants.’ Taste Card also offers a 50% off discount as well.
Obika Mozzarella Bar– has locations in Italy, United Kingdon, USA, Japan and Dubai.

Pescatori– also located in Mayfair. It’s an Italian Seafood restaurant.
Pizza Express– located throughout London. It accepts the Taste Card without advance table bookings. Be sure to read my review of their pizza, which can be ordered gluten free.
Zizzi Ristorante– ‘local, affordable Italian food’

Places to Eat in London: Charlotte Street- Pan-Asian & Indian

Dim T– with other locations in Hampstead, Highgate, London Bridge, Victoria and Winchester, Dim T offers a variety of the most popular Oriental dishes and a wide range of Chinese teas.
Palms of Goa– the first Goa restaurant in the West End. It features a South Indian cuisine. Palms of Goa has excellent reviews from London’s Daily Mirror, Evening Standard and Time Out.

Roka– award winning restaurant serving contemporary Japanese food. Also located in Canary Wharf, Mayfair and Aldwych.
Siam Central- a Thai restaurant with outstanding reviews from London’s foodie community.

Places to Eat in London: Charlotte Street- Mexican

Wahaca– it’s a well known fact that London’s Mexican cuisine isn’t top on the ‘must have’ list. However, in my Wahaca review, I outline why Wahaca offers the best selection of Mexican market eating that I can find in London.

Places to Eat in London: Charlotte Street- Pubs & Wine

Fitzroy Tavern- a public house currently owned by Samuel Smith Brewery.
The Draft House– also has locations in Seething, Tower Bridge, Westbridge, Northcote, Bump Caves and Birdcage. It’s a small group of Public Houses ‘which aim to do for beer what our culture has done for food and wine over the past twenty years.’
Vagabond– a wine bar which ‘prepares shockingly good charcuterie and cheese platters, as well as other tasty and artisanal nibbles.’

Places to Eat in London: Honourable Mention

Kua’Aina– located on Goodge Street, this Hawaiian burger restaurant is one of my favourites in London. I reviewed the Carnaby Street location and loved the legendary burger and Sandwich Grill, which is also one of President Obama’s favourites too. I know it’s not technically a Charlotte Street restaurant, but it’s on the corner and simply too good to leave out!

I hope you have the chance to enjoy many of the restaurants and food venues on Charlotte Street so you can see why I vote it #1 for the best places to eat in London. If not, well, I guess I’ll just have to eat my words. 😉

Places to Eat in London: Final Thoughts

For specific restaurants, be sure to see my restaurant review category of the blog. There’s also a listing of Pub Crawls. These are designed by my husband, a lifelong Londoner and ‘professional beer drinker.’ He and his father purchase the Good Pub Guide each year and can 100% vouch for its quality. And of course, if you plan on drinking beer here, you can’t miss these tips from Mr. Sunny and me…

If you’re visiting London for the the first time you’ll want to pin this: ‘Guide to London for Americans Visiting the First Time!’ and subscribe to regular emails with London news. I’ve also recently created a YouTube video and blog post with maps of 5 Foodie Streets in London.

August 25, 2014 by: Sunny London

Dean Street Townhouse- A Bloggers’ Review

In the midst of all the Soho fun in London, is the Dean Street Townhouse. It’s a 39 bedroom hotel which features an all day dining room. Recently, I met up with two bloggers you often see on Sunny in London. That’s Mina from King’s Road Rocks and Angie from Silverspoon London.
The three of us have not been together since late Spring, so this lunch was extra special. Of course, it also lasted nearly three hours because there was loads for us to share. Weddings, new jobs, baby birthdays, it was non-stop chatter!

I thoroughly enjoyed the food and service at Dean Street Townhouse, aside from enjoying listening to my two blogger buds. They started with champagne cocktails.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t participate in that part of the celebration because I am experiencing some seasonal allergies. My lunch drink was simply a giant pot of English breakfast tea.
Not too exciting, eh?

A freshly baked bread and ginormous sunny slab of butter arrived as our centerpiece to tempt us as we chose our food items from the menu.

Although it looked really fabulous, I didn’t actually try any.

All three of the Starters we picked were scrumptious! Angie stayed healthy with the Home-cured Salmon, Pickled Cucumber.
Mina selected the Girolles on Toast, Duck Egg.
And, I picked the Twice-baked Smoked Haddock Souffle, which I really loved.
The flavours blended together perfectly. It wasn’t too rich, and the consistency was beautiful.

Next, we each ordered a Main. I experienced a bit of turmoil because I was very tempted by the afternoon tea. However, I decided to be healthy and chose the Chicken, Bacon, Avocado Salad.
I don’t know that it turned out being too healthy, but it sure was delicious. The only hesitation I would have about ordering it again was every so often I had a big bite of rock salt. I’m not sure why that is a food trend right now, but if I ordered again, I’d pass on the salt.

Also ordering a salad, Mina enjoyed her Dorset Crabs, Prawns and Fennel.
Finally, Angie ate the Sea Bass, Clams and Fennel.
We debated dessert for several minutes, but then opted to just say no. However, a little truffle teaser landed in front of us just as we requested the bill.
Ohhhhhh yummy! I just love a chocolate truffle, or two, or three. Come to think of it, I may have eaten four 😉

The Dean Street Townhouse dining room offers a menu for breakfast, brunch, a la carte, afternoon tea, theatre, vegetarian and Sunday Roast. The cocktail menu is extensive. Maybe if you just have a few minutes and are in the Soho area of London, you can pop in and try a few? I really would like to visit again to enjoy the afternoon tea. The several that passed me during lunch looked divine!

So, Sunny friends, have you been to the Dean Street Townhouse yet? Have you had their afternoon tea?

Soho is packed with restaurants. What are your favourites?