FOOD DRINKS – Page 9

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.

December 8, 2014 by: Sunny London

Can a Photo Booth Face and Johnnie Walker make you a star?

Sunny friends, just when you thought my £150 afternoon tea giveaway was a golden opportunity for you, another one has hit the blog for December! It’s a chance so golden it could make you a superstar…

Ok, ok, before everybody gets too drunk on possibilities, let’s drop the hype and get to the facts.

Here’s the real scoop- I’m not personally offering any chances for stardom. In fact, I’m just the messenger. Last week I had the chance to screen test a golden opportunity that you can have and definitely take to a higher level than me.

From now until January 2nd, you can enter the Rising Star Competition via Johnnie Walker by popping in to the photo booth in the ground floor of M Restaurants.

If you haven’t heard of this new hot spot for food in London, the pictures above probably caught your attention. The venue actually houses two gorgeous restaurants, M Raw and M Grill. It’s a quick walk from Bank station and is located at 2 & 3 Threadneedle Walk, 60 Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8HP.

Both menus look fantastic, so perhaps you might want to give one a try when you also make your Johnnie Walker photo debut that could catapult you to fame.

If you’re a photo booth pro, the contest is quite simple. My guess is there’s quite a few Sunny readers that meet that criteria.

Johnnie Walker Rising Star Competition details:

– Pose for a round of four pictures in the photo booth at M Restaurants.
– Upload them to Instagram with the #GoldCelebration hashtag.
– Wait for a link to enter from Johnnie Walker as you share the picture with your friends.
– Hope you have one of the five most liked entries by the closing date in February. These five will be shortlisted as a Rising Star.

One thing is clear, Sunny friends, you won’t have to worry about me being any competition. My night at M Restuarants was in fact my first photo booth experience.

While sipping a stiff, and I mean STIFF, Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Christmas cocktail, I watched my blogger buddies Laura, the star of Heroine in Heels, and Helen the stylish doll of HelenHaben.com plan their pretty face snapshots. And, then with some coaching from ‘Catherine Lux-Life– I am the Master GIF Collector’ and Katie ‘the country girl gone London’, I gave it a shot.

Would you believe I had practised my super model face for hours that day?

Blue Steel, all the way!!!

Despite wanting to win a photoshoot with Rankin and a starring role in the online Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve campaign for March 2015, I don’t think I’ll be the person they pick. Really, I’m just glad I didn’t break the camera in the photo booth.

Let’s face it, my distorted ‘duck face’ would even have Derek Zoolander running the other direction!

However, I’m guessing if you aren’t heading to the photo booth to be a contender, then one of the glam starlets I hit the town with that night could be.

For more on our scandalous night of ‘what happens in the photobooth stays on Instagram’, check out the fabulous blogger beauties I mentioned above. We’ll just have to see if Rankin selects one of them or you as a lucky duck! For now.. I’m just the messenger.

For more on the Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Rising Star competition, read here. Best of luck, Sunny superstars! I have a feeling there’s going to be a whole lot of girls’ nights happening at M Restaurants over the holidays… May the best ‘duck face’ win 😉

December 1, 2014 by: Sunny London

L’eto Caffe- Where the Carrots Come from Oz!

L’eto Caffe really crushed me with their launch party a few weeks ago. To celebrate the opening of their Brompton Road location, they hosted a champagne and cake filled evening that was simply fabulous. Except I couldn’t eat anything.

Yes, Sunny friends, it was really poor planning on my part. You see, that afternoon I hit a hotel to review an afternoon tea that registers a £150 bill for two. Exquisite yes. Filling- very much so. Did I love it? Every morsel.

And that was the problem. By the time I made it to L’eto Caffe on Brompton Road, I felt like a Macy’s Day Parade balloon about to burst.

When I approached the glass windows of the caffe, it hit me. This was going to be painful. There were rows and rows and rows of dessert magnets screaming my name!

I stayed for about a half hour. I sipped a bit of champagne and stared longingly at all the delicious food I just couldn’t manage to squeeze in. It was torture.

And then, it was as if Harry Potter’s owl delivered an invitation to me for the Christmas Party at Hogwarts. An email popped on to my monitor while I was working a few days later…

It was an invitation to enjoy dinner at L’eto Caffe. Yessssss!

Mr. Sunny and I had a gorgeous meal there the evening we celebrated our one year wedding anniversary. It was incredible. We checked in to the Lancaster London and hit Winter Wonderland just long enough to work up an enormous appetite.

We immediately toasted our anniversary with glasses of red wine.

Next, we devoured our Starters. Mr. Sunny chose Blackened Bluefin Tuna, Pineapple, Crispy Onions and White Mango. I had a few bites, and I felt as if I transcended to Hawaii.

As I savoured the bites, images of palm trees, the ocean and sandy beaches swirled in my head. It was actually kind of funny as I sat in London across from Winter Wonderland.

I chose the Burrata, Heritage Carrots, Olive Crumble, and Basil Oil. Prepare yourself for some absolutely museum worthy images here, Sunny friends.

Ok, now I wasn’t talking about my photography skills. This dish is a blaze of colours. From every angle it is a piece of art work. And the taste…. THE TASTE!

I could get all up in your grill with alliteration and fancy metaphors, but I won’t. I’ll just say The. Dish. Rocked.

Since I was technically on the outer border of Winter Wonderland, I was curious if I had actually stepped in to Oz. The carrots of so many unusual colours made me feel like Dorothy discovering the Horse of a Different Colour.

Next is the tricky part. Mr. Sunny and I both desparately wanted the ‘Allen’s of Mayfair’ Beef Fillet, Ceps, Selection of Onions, Crones and Rosemary Jus.

I almost pushed Mr. Sunny in to the Boneless Grilled Dover Sole, Sea Herb Butter, Quinoa and Fennel for his Main Course so we could have more pictures for you. However, the week before he had some extremely overcooked fish at a restaurant just around the corner. (The review never made it on to the blog).

Since it was our anniversary, we decided we would just pick what we both wanted. We were verrrrry happy with our decision!
Now that’s one piece of meat to dream about, don’t you think? How could we deny each other that hunk of beefy love for dinner?

Making sure to save room for dessert for this visit, I let my Prince Charming choose for me.

That’s my gluten free chocolate fudge cake. And, yes every ounce was delicate, moist and divine.

Mr. Sunny picked a profiterole. He said it was perfect.
Before we left, we sipped on a few after dinner drinks to get ourselves ready for more wild rides at Winter Wonderland.

But just before we hit the door, I had to make sure you could see a little more of this fabulous new food opportunity on Brompton Road just inches away from Harrods in London.

Get ready. Get a fork. Goooooo…

Easy does it. Save room for dessert!!!

Now, wasn’t that just amazing?

L’eto Caffe is located in Belgravia, Fulham, King’s Road, Mayfair and Soho. They serve an a la carte menu for lunch and dinner at King’s Road and Belgravia. There’s also a brand new breakfast menu at both those places too. The Brompton Road L’eto Caffe has a private dining room downstairs that is a fabulous place to host a dinner for a group of friends or colleagues.

You can follow L’eto Caffe on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or, you can just visit yourself. In fact, I think they just cut a piece of cake for you…

Our meal was complimentary for the purpose of a review. That doesn’t change my opinion of the experience. I’m still wondering how they got me to be so excited about having yellow and purple carrots for dinner.

November 17, 2014 by: Sunny London

Absolute Taste- Why I travelled 3 Hours for Cake!

Would you ever travel three hours for a piece of cake? I did the day I went to the Absolute Taste Dome Café. The reason why is probably because of you.

That’s right. And, I’m going to explain why.

As a London blogger I get invited to a lot of events. I wish I could attend them all. It’s just not possible. Some are scheduled the same times as others. Some aren’t a good match for what the Sunny in London readers want to see.

The invitation to the Absolute Taste Dome Café was one of the best I have received. Like a few others you’ve seen me accept (White Mulberries Cafe- A Tale of Twitter Fun), it came through the almighty Twitterverse.

Apparently, I was the 5,000th follower of the Absolute Taste Twitter account in September. The irony of this is that I also hit 5,000 followers the same week, while I was in Florida. It was a Twitter match from the virtual gods, for sure.

Absolute Taste invited me to celebrate with them over a piece of cake at the Dome Cafe. Here’s the prize…

Yes, I travelled 90 minutes one way from North London on several different trains to have this cake. Why?

I knew it would make a damn good story.

If you read Sunny in London often, you see that sometimes I receive complimentary meals and items. It’s not about the free stuff though. It’s about the experience. That’s how I decide where I’ll go and what I cover. Sometimes it doesn’t turn out as I had hoped, but being a blogger means you’re on a constant learning curve.

Visiting the Absolute Taste Dome Café was totally worth it. First, I learned about the Design Centre in Chelsea Harbour, where the Dome Café and Design Café are located.

This is a gorgeous hub for designers in London.

The Dome Café is on the ground floor and is an extremely popular place for these professionals to grab a quick, delicious lunch.

I arrived around 2pm, after most of the lunch hysteria. That also meant I missed great shots of their food. Everything was nearly gone.

However, the assistant manager Charlie sent me these a few days ago…

Photo courtesy of the Dome Café

He is Absolutely Amazing. I enjoyed my red velvet cake at my ‘We are the Twitter Champions Party.’

More importantly, I learned that Charlie is very devoted to making the experience for customers at the two food venues great. I was very impressed when he said that it means the most to him that customers are treated with manners and that both locations have a neat, clean appearance.

We’re going to of course assume that he’s 100% dedicated to quality food as well. 🙂

Photo courtesy of Dome Café

Facts about Absolute Taste Dome Café:

– Food is baked fresh at the Absolute Taste headquarters each morning and delivered around 10:30am. The fresh pastries usually sell out by 12pm.
– Types of sandwiches rotate on a weekly basis.
– Serving stops at 3pm.
– It’s been located at the Design Centre for about 9 years.

The Absolute Taste Design Café is also located in the Design Centre. It’s a full restaurant for lunch and closes at 5pm. There’s a charming bookstore next to the café that features books for design clientele.

Facts about Absolute Taste Design Café:

– Because it’s mostly used for business lunches, the alcohol selection is limited. In fact, they usually sell a total of one bottle of wine each day. Further, they just have bottled beer, no draft.
– The menu changes seasonally. The most popular item is the smoked haddock and fish cake hake. The Design Burger is always a hit too.

Being a blogger in London means you have a lot of doors opened for you that most people don’t experience. I’m always grateful for these opportunities.

So, I’ll end this feature by saying thank you to Absolute Taste and my 5,000 tweeps. I appreciate being lucky enough to have my cake and Twitter followers too.

Have you ever had the Twitterverse reach out to you? Please do share your experience, Sunny friends!

November 5, 2014 by: Sunny London

How to Catch Champagne at London’s Andaz Hotel

Andaz Hotel’s Catch Champagne Bar makes sipping luxury super easy. Mr. Sunny and I gave it a go recently and had a really lovely time.

I can just hear you saying righ now, ‘Sunny, did you ever meet a glass of champagne you didn’t like?’

Well, no, actually I haven’t. I love them all. The big and the small. 😉

And, I really love when a restaurant or bar makes the whole experience fantastic. Don’t you?

So, what’s the catch, literally, at the Andaz Hotel Catch Champagne Bar and Lounge?

Ambiance and service.

Starting with the location, I loved the convenience. Inches from the Liverpool Street station, the Andaz Hotel is super easy to find, especially if you’re looking for their champagne bar. Further, the inside had a gorgeous, ‘bring a little funk’ kind of vibe.

Mr. Sunny and I were keen to call ahead and get a survey of the crowd. We were told to wait about an hour to avoid a packed champagne bar. So, we arrived around 7:30pm on a Tuesday.

If you’re an avid Sunny in London reader, you’re probably curious why the restaurants and bars I visit are always empty. I wonder the same thing when I watch Made in Chelsea. Unlike the scripted reality show that stages everything, I intentionally visit restaurants when they’re empty as much as possible.

Why?

I don’t like bothering other people, especially if my meal is complimentary for a review. It’s not nice to distract other people with all the camera flashin’ silliness that is required to write a blog. Plus, I don’t know how to blur people’s faces in Photoshop. Spot healing reduction talent that gives a faux Botox facial finish, however, is my speciality.

So, Mr. Sunny and I asked our server for his drink suggestions. I need to give a big high five to Mr. Sunny for taking one for the blog team and forgoing a beer. Hey paisan, when in a champagne bar…

That’s right. He let the server make a whiskey cocktail for him.

I decided to jiggle it up a bit with some not-so-nice pre-Christmas juice. My cocktail was the Naughty Nuisance. It featured a mixture of Crème de framboise, raspberry puree and Prosecco.

Both drinks were yummy.

Next, Mr. Sunny picked out the Charcuterie, olives, freshly baked bread, balsamic and olive oil for us.

I love a good ‘antipasto’ tray. The meats were unbelievable. The quality, texture and temperature were spot on.

My favourite part of Catch Champagne Bar and Lounge at the Andaz Hotel was the atmosphere. I think it gets quite swanky after work hours.

The music was exactly what I prefer in a lounge. Electronic and full of funky beats. We had a voucher for £50, so we were careful to stay close to it. Living in London (especially while job searching) isn’t easy.

The voucher covered three drinks and the antipasto tray. Mr. Sunny did sneak in one beer after our bubbly beverages.

The rest of the menu is limited, but I really wouldn’t expect too much more from a champagne bar. What mattered to us was the fun drinks, swanky vibe and stellar service.

If you’re in the Liverpool Street area, don’t let the Andaz Hotel’s Catch Champagne Bar and Lounge get away from you!

November 2, 2014 by: Sunny London

5 Reasons to go to Bunnychow- NOW!

I made a huge mistake a few weeks ago when Bunnychow contacted me to stop in for their launch party. At the time, I was in Florida so I couldn’t attend. But the mistake was that I didn’t immediately go there when I returned.

It wasn’t until a few days ago that I hit Bunnychow. Quite simply, I loved it for a lot of reasons. So, I’m going to spend a little blog time today convincing you to get your bunny down there for some chow as soon as possible, Sunny friends.

Bunnychow Now Reason #1- Price

The food is priced perfectly. I went with my friend from Florida who is currently working on her PhD in London. Since I’m job searching and she’s on an international student budget, we like things reasonably priced. Nearly everything on the menu is between £4-£8.

My friend indicated she was very excited about sharing the menu with other students because they’re always searching for fun, quality food that is cultural yet affordable. It’s also nice to get food in this price range that is fairly healthy.

Bunnychow Now Reason #2- Concept

Literally a ‘Bunnychow’ is South African fast food dish. It involves hollowing out a loaf of bread and filling it with some type of curry. Bunnychow in London began as a food truck and then was a pop up in Shoreditch. They opened in Soho about a month ago.

Actually, part of the reason why I didn’t rush to the food spot when I returned to London is because I thought it was a food truck located on Wardour Street. I’m not a fan of street food, so this wasn’t appealing to me. However, since my friend and I wanted something very casual and different, I suggested Bunnychow.

We were both thrilled when we arrived at the address and saw it was an actual space in a building.

But, be warned there’s only one more table and set of bar stools there besides the one featured in the photo above.

It’s also very easy to arrive and grab take away.

Bunnychow Now Reason #3- Quality

The food is phenomenal. Everything except the bread is made fresh there each morning. The bread is made fresh at a different location and delivered each day.

We started with a salad. They have three: White, Green and Red. We ordered the White Salad (smoked haddock, boiled egg, tarragon bean salad, mustard dressing).

The Green Salad has basil, chicken, quinoa, spelt, rocket, watercress, walnut and pesto dressing. Here’s a shot of the Red Salad:

Next, we ordered from the Originals menu. We loved the Monkey Gland Bunny (meatballs, peppers and monkey gland BBQ). I found it super spicy, but my friend didn’t notice any substantial kick. I’m such a light weight!

Equally as delicious is the Bunny Chow’der which has haddock, spring onion, quail’s egg and chowder sauce.

We didn’t stop there. The fact that they had a ‘Full English’ which features egg, bacon, sausage, beans, black pudding, mushrooms and tomato had us drooling. We ate that from the Breakfast Bunny’s menu too.

And, just in case you’re wondering how delicious everything is under that egg, I snagged this quick shot of this bunny’s insides for you too…

Oh! And don’t let me forget their healthy juices! Here’s my cucumber mojito and my friend’s plum and mint.

My uni friend got a little sassy with her second juice cocktail. She leaned over to me and said, ‘Sometimes when I’m in London I like to pretend I’m a spicy girl.’ And then she chanted as she ordered her drink, ‘Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want…”

You should see the two of us when we actually have alcohol. 😉

Bunnychow Now Reason #4- Staff

The staff at Bunnychow is simply amazing. Aside from being super friendly and knowledgeable, sometimes they even stand outside the restaurant’s doors and distribute samples.

They gave me so many opportunities to take pictures of their food. For example, I caught received this photo op of the Saltimbocca, which is from the Baked Flats menu. It has salami, chicken, mozzarella, sage and tomato.

They also are extremely active on social media. That high engagement is very important to me. They’re on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even Pinterest.

Bunnychow Now Reason #5- Location

I think Bunnychow is probably the hottest thing going right now in Soho. Located on 74 Wardour Street, it’s very popular for many different crowds. It’s open seven days a week from ‘early to late’ as well.

While I was there, another one of my blogger buddies saw my tweets about the restaurant and hopped over to say hello. She’s already eaten there a few times. Yeah, it’s that good.

Bunnychow NOW, a Final Word about Desserts

We were super full when we finished all the food you’ve just seen. But, we managed to snag some goodies for on the way home. I grabbed a bag of Bunny Bites. They’re muffin balls mixed and dipped with chocolate. Yep, those baby bunnies melted in my mouth when I got home.

My friend was fixated on the double chocolate mint buffin. She had nothing but love for that experience too.

So, at this point, Sunny friends, I just have to say that you had better get off your little buffin, and hippity hoppity on over to Bunnychow…. NOW!

Our food at Bunnychow was complimentary. This did not affect my opinion of the experience. However, I may have used a bit of profanity while running a few extra miles the next day to remove the leftover bunny balls.

I will definitely return to Bunnychow soon with Mr. Sunny. He was very jealous when I got home and showed him the pictures. These were especially curious to him… Let me know what you think of all these food shots, Sunny friends!

October 20, 2014 by: Sunny London

Our Deck Down Under, a secret Daytona Beach hot spot

Did you know that Daytona Beach has some secret locations that only locals know? They’re not as invisible as London’s ‘Platform 9 3/4’ but restaurants like Our Deck Down Under register high on the locals only list.

I’ve always found Daytona Beach similar to Honolulu with regard to the attitude locals show each other. By this I mean, when you grow up in a highly transient, tourist area, you tend to favor those who are around all year and have a sort of ‘Omerta’ with them.

As I mentioned in what it’s like to grow up in Daytona Beach, things got pretty crazy in the town during the Spring Break days when MTV visited us. With so many places being utterly packed with tourists, we really treasured our own areas.

Londoners, you do the same when you skip venues and pubs near Trafalgar Square, Covent Garden and Piccadilly Circus at certain times.

So, during my recent trip to Daytona Beach, I made a mad dash to a local restaurant, Our Deck Down Under.

The mere location of this casual seafood restaurant always makes me giggle. It’s practically under a bridge. Talk about sneaky! So, maybe you could say I just had to get my Daytona ‘troll on… 😉

Sometimes I think Daytona Beach residents make the special trip under the bridge just so they can park their cars in the shade while they eat. Have you ever opened a car door in 95º Florida temperatures plus humidity? Hot damn! Notice how nearly all the spots under the bridge below are taken first…

They’re not the closest to the restaurant. Our Deck Down Under is actually behind where I stood to take this picture. Those cars for sure belong to some smart locals.

And, now I want you to follow me on a little virtual tour of this extremely popular Daytona Beach food and drink destination! Here’s a few shots of the outside…

No, it doesn’t have views of the Atlantic Ocean or beach like I showed you in my blog post on Racing’s North Turn. It does have docks for boats and a full bar inside.

Our Deck Down Under is located on the Intercoastal. If you’re a local, you probably call it the ‘Halifax River’, knowing full damn well it isn’t a river.

Nonetheless, on a sunny day, the water views are still soothing. And, seeing a few dolphins or porpoises is very likely and fun. I saw a few during my visit, but I couldn’t photograph them fast enough for you.

The inside of Our Deck Down Under certainly reflects the very casual atmosphere of Daytona Beach. In fact, the menu is on the wall, and there’s a roll of paper towels most tables. Check it out…

Yeah, I’ve made ‘that’s how we roll’ jokes before regarding the race car and Harley Davidson culture of the town, but there’s also another way we roll. Affordable and not pretentious. No Michelin stars for us. And it works just fine!

I went with my mother, godfather and another close family friend. We were there at 3:30pm on a Friday in October, so don’t be deceived by the empty tables. You wouldn’t be able to get a table or parking spot anywhere near the place a few hours later. Trust me.

The food at Our Deck Down Under is good and ridiculously affordable. They had a Fried Fish Dinner, Grilled Fish and Crab Legs.

Oh yeahhhhhh! You know those are some seriously huge crab legs! They were $13.99. That’s about £8.70 to my British mates.

Now, for me, I pulled a sneaky local trick. I ordered a seafood wrap. It’s not on the menu. It’s neither healthy nor photogenic. But it’s heavenly! It’s stuffed with shrimp and parmesan cheese.

However, what I’d like you to notice the most is those two things in the back. Those are hush puppies and are incredibly popular for Southern folk in America. My godfather ordered an additional batch for me to eat and to show you Londoners.

They’re deep fried savory treats. They’re made from cornmeal batter and are popular at seafood restaurants. I’m sure Paula Deen has a recipe or two, or three, for them somewhere. Rumor has it Jamie Oliver might too. 😉

If you haven’t had one and aren’t heading to Florida any time soon, here’s an insider’s view…

I can’t put in to words for you how scrumptious they are! Mr. Sunny found the pictures very curious and is eager to try them when he visits Florida with me for the first time.

So, there you have it, Sunny friends. Our Deck Down Under is local treasure in the Daytona Beach area. You’ll have to Google it for the exact location. I have to stay a bit loyal to my peeps. In all seriousness, you’ll definitely find tourists and non-Daytona Beach residents there. We’re not that guarded. However, here’s a tiny secret…

They’ll all be the ones waiting in line. Daytona Beach residents know exactly how to walk in to Our Deck Down Under and avoid the queue. But, I just can’t give that little tip on how we do it away to you. Well, not today… I’m just not that kind of troll. 😉

Are there any local places that are coveted in your neck of the woods? What secrets do your town’s people have?

October 12, 2014 by: Sunny London

Carluccio’s and big Christmas news!

While trying to keep my cool at Carluccio’s, I had an epic vision for Sunny in London.

You see, on the last Saturday of September a company invited me to go on a shopping trip outside of London. I was literally at lunch on this trip and mid swallow on a mushroom rice ball (Arancini for you foodie folk) when it hit me…

‘Hot Damn! Sunny in London is going to celebrate its first anniversary in a few days!’

Well, that’s sort of true. I think.

If you’ve read How to Create a Blog that ROCKS!, you saw that I was a bit sneaky starting Sunny in London. I bought the website on October 1, 2013. However, I didn’t move to London until the middle of January 2014. For three and a half months I secretly blogged from across the pond.

I used pictures from previous times I had lived in London. These are the some of the stories I published:
– The Charles Dickens Museum and a Curious Conversation with Nan
– Curious what the Harry Potter Studio Tour involves?
– How to make Winter Wonderland wheely fun!

Actually, my move to London was delayed so I could be with my father, who was battling cancer. In the posts, I didn’t claim to be in London.

So, as I munched on my deep fried mushroom, risotto balls with tomato sauce at Carluccio’s, I had an idea- and it’s nothing but festive. For me and YOU.

Right now you should grab yourself some vino and get ready for some happy holidays.Because the ‘birthday date’ for Sunny in London will always be a bit cloudy, I have to make the celebrations for it very clear. And what a better way than the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

That’s right, Sunny friends. Starting this Friday, I’ll be kicking off #FaLaLaFriday on Sunny in London. Keep reading and you’ll learn all the fa la la fun details.

First, I want to show you what inspired me to deck the balls. Oops. I mean halls!
Ok, so I wouldn’t go hanging them on any proper Christmas tree, but you have to admit that shot has a bit of a mistletoe glow to it, doesn’t it? 😉

I ordered them from the Menu Fisso- Fixed Price Menu at Carluccio’s. For several years I’ve wanted to try this Italian restaurant. I was thrilled when my shopping guide Belen picked it for our mid-day food break on the exclusive shopping trip.For £10 you can get two courses, and for £3.50 more you can get three. This deal got me thinking about how much people love a great deal, especially around the holidays.

Belen ordered the Pate di Fegatini di Pollo (homemade smooth chicken liver pate, toasted ciabatta bread and onion relish).The other blogger who joined us picked the Brushetta (fresh ripe tomatoes, roaster peppers, basil and oregano on garlicky chargrilled ciabata).All three of us picked the Milanese di Pollo (flattened chicken breast, bread-crumbed and fried with rocket and baby gem) for our Secondi.I loved this Carluccio’s location, as it was seaside. But, for now I can’t disclose where it was exactly. That will be unveiled on Friday.

In September, I ran a Fortnum and Mason afternoon tea giveaway sponsored by Zomato. I received over 500 retweets on Twitter in the five days I ran it.

This triggered even more companies to contact me to sponsor giveaways and to attend events. The holiday timing couldn’t be better for you.

Starting this Friday, Sunny in London will feature a #FaLaLaFriday Christmas themed post every week until December 26th. There will be giveaways, event information, Christmas lists and shopping guides.

And, also coming up on Sunny in London soon will be the news about the next #LDNBloggersTea, as well as exclusive blogger events I’m planning.

It’s going to be a fun start to the second year of this lifestyle and travel blog, so stay tuned and keep your eyes on the Sunny in London Twitter account for more details!

And of course, if you’d like to receive information about the #LDNBloggersTea, you can subscribe to this blog or leave a comment below. I’ll be sure to include you on the email list!

October 10, 2014 by: Sunny London

Racing’s North Turn- Guess Who’s Back!

When I saw the Facebook update for Racing’s North Turn on a Sunday evening in July, my heart stopped. It indicated a huge fire had erupted overnight in the restaurant’s kitchen. They were grateful no one was hurt but shattered that the famous beach bar in Ponce Inlet, Florida had experienced substantial damage and would be closed.

The loss of this establishment wouldn’t be a little drag. The end of Racing’s North Turn would be historically and culturally devastating to Daytona.

Why?

Let me tell you…
Back in 1936 car racing had its humble beginnings on the flat, compact sands of Daytona’s beach. Participants started at 4511 South Atlantic Avenue and raced two miles south. Then they returned to the North Turn. Here, race fans and competitors were fed at the Sandpiper restaurant.

In 1959 Bill France created the race track, which is several miles inland. This moved the races away from the sand to a defined, physical structure. It also officially launched NASCAR and stock car racing in America.

Even though the actual races moved, the beach venue kept its tradition of a race themed location. It has had different names and owners. But, for the past sixteen years it’s been ‘Racing’s North Turn’, and the proud owners are Walt and Rhonda Glasnak. During this time, it has been a well oiled engine and attracted a loyal local crowd, as well as people from all over the world. However, the iconic venue came to a screeching halt on the morning of July 13.

Despite fire departments from Ponce Inlet, Daytona Beach Shores, Port Orange and New Smyrna Beach arriving to assist in the crisis, the physical damage was extensive.

Walt and Rhonda pressed forward to make a speedy recovery and were thankful for the local businesses who helped by hiring some of the beach bar’s 70 employees for interim work.

On September 15th, Racing’s North Turn officially restarted their cooking engines.So, when I made a trip back to my hometown Daytona the first week of October, a visit to my favourite beach bar was the front runner on my list of things to do.

On your mark… get set…. GO!

I wasn’t surprised to see a trio of Harley’s shining in front of Racing’s North Turn.

‘Hallelujah!’ I thought, as I stepped closer to worship these wheels.

You see, one thing is damn certain for Daytona natives- we’re a full throttle breed of people. Don’t be fooled by our flip flops, the lazy ocean breeze and our Southern twang. We like our wheels to move fast and with furious thunder. An engine’s roar, whether from two wheels or four, makes us come alive. In Daytona, life is about how hard and loud you roll.

Near Racing’s North Turn’s entrance is a replica of a car that was raced on the beach.
The reconstruction temporarily has patrons entering through the gift shop.
And, thankfully, both the inside bar and outside bar are open. 😉So, don’t you worry all you die hard Bloody Mary fans! You can still grab one of their signature drinks and sip it there between A1A and the Atlantic ocean.
My mother, godfather and three close family friends joined me on this cloudless, sunny Florida afternoon. All but one of us is originally from Pittsburgh, so our 12:45pm arrival was strategic. You see, at 1:00pm the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars football game was starting.

Racing’s North Turn is a popular place to watch NFL games, and it has a live band every night after 6:00pm.We were promptly greeted by our server, Chris. He explained that they’re operating from a satellite kitchen. Therefore the menu is a bit limited. For right now, they’re doing their best to make the most popular items for people. My mother and I ordered the Fish Reuben, which is their #1 most requested meal.

Whoa! What a catch!
I think I inhaled mine. You be the judge…
When I asked Chris what else was in the food race, he said the burger was rounding the corner for a possible tie.
Yummy. Yummy. I see why.

Aside from my godfather’s order of clam chowder, our table pretty much stuck to the Fish Reuben and burgers. At one point, we added another fish sandwich. Chris informed us the ‘pop up kitchen’ had just waved a caution flag on production time because the crowds were building at the restaurant. We appreciated the update and were happy to wait patiently for food while enjoying the game. I mean really, would you complain about watching football with this backdrop?
After I finished my food, I had the chance to talk exclusively with the owner, Rhonda. She gave me a tour of the area that previously was the kitchen.

Rhonda made numerous mentions of the community’s outreach during the restaurant’s recent time of need. She and Walt have tremendous gratitude for everyone who has helped. Again, I wasn’t surprised with Daytona’s supportive reactions, but it sure was great to hear.

During our conversation, Rhonda emphasised how either fire or water damage destroyed nearly all of the memorabilia and everything in the gift shop. International Speedway Corporation made a substantial effort to help them get back on track by donating many racing items.She said they were keen to rebuild and opened quickly with what they felt people cherish the most.

Just like all the previous times, I had a wonderful afternoon at this iconic beach bar in the Ponce Inlet are of Daytona. I didn’t really care that I wasn’t eating on real plates. And I don’t think anyone else minded either…We were also very relieved to see that our ‘Big Big’ (#7 Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers pictured below) triumphed over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
But more importantly to us was seeing that our server Chris and the rest of the pit crew at Racing’s North Turn have risen from the ashes and are still in the driving seat of Daytona’s lead venue on the beach.Like a strong phoenix, the restaurant will continue to thrive, thanks to the fabulous owners, staff, community and loyal patrons.

I can’t wait to bring Mr Sunny here when he visits Daytona with me some day. Until then, he’ll enjoy the shirt I bought him from the gift shop. I wish I could bring him a delicious fish sandwich, but I’m guessing it might not make the long trip across the pond to London.If you’re local, please spread the word that Racing’s North Turn is refueled and on the move. And if you know of any racing memorabilia that needs a good home, I can definitely suggest one to you 😉

Be sure to visit Racing’s North Turn website to learn about all their exciting annual events. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Special thanks to Mike, AKA ‘Captain America’, who is also a Pittsburgh native. I appreciate you letting me have your back for the picture above. Cheers! 😉

October 3, 2014 by: Sunny London

Manhattan Grill and a semi-paid bill

Holy beefcakes, Sunny friends! Have you been to Manhattan Grill in Canary Wharf?

It’s no secret the Mr Sunny and I have an open relationship when it comes to our carnivorous loves. Perhaps you’ve read my reviews on Burger and Lobster, Carnaby Burger Co, Shake Shack and Five Guys?

So, when a voucher arrived to our flat for Manhattan Grill, we were both individually sharpening our teeth on the steak house’s online menu.Move over, Dracula! There’s something meaner! American friends, that joke was totally for you. 😉

After my epic day long shopping trip (that post is on its way), Mr. Sunny met me at West India Quay for our date night at Manhattan Grill.

This is the third time in my life that I’ve been to Canary Wharf. Quite honestly, the first time I lived in London, people rarely ventured from Central London to this area. Well, at least not without a passport. Hahaha!

However, over the years it’s become an international financial Mecca. I find it now to be a blend between lower Manhattan and Toronto.

For this reason, it’s most populated during the week. That was particularly appealing to Mr Sunny and I because we like to enjoy our meat fest at a restaurant with no distractions.

We both had a fairly good idea of our orders, so that didn’t take long. We started with our standard adult beverages, beer and wine. Stella and Rioja.
As we waited for our starters, we loved watching what arose from the kitchen.
In fact, after multiple burgers passed under my nose, I ran over to get this sneaky shot of someone’s burger-licious dinner for you.
And then our starters arrived.

Mr Sunny and I shared the Seared Black Pearl Scallops and Baked Blue Swimmer Crab Cake.

Like I said, previously, we have an open food relationship. So, this threesome that Mr Sunny and I ordered to join our Mains was not intimidating. It is the Mac ‘n Cheese with Lobster, Manhattan Onion rings, and Fries.We shoveled these comfort foods in to our mouths as we enjoyed the gorgeous views of Canary Wharf from the restaurant. I enjoyed seeing the trains pass by as the London sun began to set.
Then our steaks arrived.

Here is my fillet from the Creekstone Kansas USDA Black Angus menu. Medium rare, of course.My thoughts on this ruby red Kansas delight is, ‘Surrender Dorothy!’ It completely defeated me. I finished it, but I was hoping that it would be possible to click my heels three times to get home. It was one of those post-Thanksgiving, ‘I need rolled on to a couch, STAT!’ food coma moments.

Mr. Sunny had the same sensation with his T-bone steak from the Scottish Aberdeen Angus menu.
In fact, at one point he said, ‘For the love of England, I have to finish this!’

We both tried some deep beef breathing exercises when our plates were cleared. And, we both dreaded the one hour plus journey back home to North London.

At that point, we received a bill for around £28. This really surprised us because we had reviewed the restaurant menu in advance and knew what to order to stay within our voucher allotment.

When we inquired about the charge, we learned that alcohol was not covered in our voucher. We were told it’s listed in the fine print of the Terms and Conditions. I still think Mr. Sunny and I would’ve had two drinks each regardless. However, I think Manhattan Grill could’ve communicated that alcohol wasn’t covered to us when we were seated and gave them the voucher. We did follow the guidelines and tell them we had a voucher when we booked the table.

We actually never received a copy of our food bill. When I asked how much we had actually spent, I was told we had enough for one, maybe two desserts.

Mr. Sunny declined. I, however, accepted the challenge.

As someone who lived in New York for 12 years, I’m not afraid of pushing boundaries. So, I asked that they throw a Manhattan Cheesecake in a take away box for me.
Every single morsel of food we ate at Manhattan Grill in Canary Wharf was truly fantastic.

When we left, we enjoyed a short walk through the area to soak in the sights of South London.

Mr. Sunny made me giggle when we passed this little area near the docks. As he listened to me yap about having to pay that separate alcohol bill, he had an idea.

‘Sweetheart, take a picture of those two, and call your title your story ‘Meat the Semi-circle of Trust.’He’s so funny sometimes. 😉

Manhattan Grill is located at 22 Herstmere Road, London E14 4ED

You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Google+.