Tag: London

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND AT THE DORCHESTER, LONDON

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It’s a Christmas Wonderland at The Dorchester Rooftop in London, with the hotel’s first ever festive pop-up in full sway this holiday season. Inspired by the Frost Fairs that were held on the frozen River Thames between the 17th and 19th centuries when the river froze over, yesteryear Londoners celebrated the season by building markets, playing games, and cooking hearty dishes on its icy surface. It is not surprising that the hotel chose a historic theme for its traditional festivities this season, given it has an extraordinary history of its own.

It is hard to believe that the grand dame of London, The Dorchester hotel in Mayfair (the Money Mile as I like to call it), was once just square miles of strawberry fields. The area began to take shape in May 1686, when King James II granted permission for a fortnight of festivities. The festival ran for another 78 years and thus, born the name May Fair. The origins of the hotel go back to 1792 when the Earl of Dorchester, Joseph Damer, bought a house, and named it the Dorchester House. By 1910, the house had evolved into the American Embassy, as well as a hospital during World War I, before being demolished in 1929. It was then rebuilt into the world’s first hotel to be constructed with reinforced concrete, when it opened its doors on April 20, 1931 as the hotel we all know and love, The Dorchester.

The rooftop terrace, overlooking Hyde Park, has three Winter Globes for pod-style dining. With a choice of two set menus – a party menu of shared delights and a three-course Chef’s menu, both of which include a glass of Veuve Clicquot Champagne, given the pop-up is in collaboration with LVMH.

“We have created tantalising plates inspired by the finest flavours of the Frost Fairs including Lobster Stockings, Vacherin Fondue, Alpine Salad, Smoked Trout with Warm Potato Salad, Venison Wellington and Chestnut Mandarin Baked Alaska that is flamed table side, to name a few. The Winter Globes have been incredibly popular so far. People are excited to cosy up with friends and family with great views and traditional food this festive season,” says Martyn Nail, Culinary Director at The Dorchester.

You either get cosy or cosy up on the Dorchester’s rooftop, but there’s a warm inside too. Inviting hot drinks, a nibbles menu and wintry cocktails are available along with live entertainment, whilst you enjoy a cigar on the smoking terrace, sip on whiskey and port pairings, and savour classic cocktails with a twist such as a Bourbon Espresso Martini, Islay Hot Toddy, Hot Buttered Brandy and a Rosemary Negroni. Frost Fair themed cocktails like Thames Mead and the Golden Elephant will pique your interest – apparently, an elephant was seen on the Thames as a highlight of the very last Frost Fair (this elephant sure wasn’t treading on thin ice by the sound of it)!

The Christmas Wonderland remains open through to New Years and can be booked till January 3rd, 2023. You can also see the very first festive celebrations filled with holiday decorations by in-house designer florist Philip Hammond, within the transformed Promenade of The Dorchester and the new Artists’ Bar after an expansive renovation by designer Pierre-Yves Rochon.

The best time to go to the Christmas Wonderland is at sunset to watch all of London come alive with the holiday decorations and lights – the twinkling night scape is breathtakingly beautiful.

©Rubina A Khan 2022

Hindujas Repurpose Winston Churchill’s OWO With £1.2 Billion Into Raffles London Hotel

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The Indian industrialist brothers – Srichand, Gopichand, Prakash and Ashok Hinduja, of the Hinduja Group, a multinational conglomerate with interests in oil, automobiles, banking and real estate, are making acquiring historic and heritage properties in London a game of Monopoly, buying not where the die rolls, but where their eye goes. In 2006, they bought 13-16 Carlton House Terrace, built in 1831, spread over 67,000 square feet in the City of Westminster, with Buckingham Palace close by, for £58 million from the Crown Estate and spent another £50 million in renovations before they could move in and call it home in 2011.

The brothers have since gone on to purchase Britain’s Old War Office (OWO) at Whitehall, for £1.2 billion in 2014. Designed by British architect William Young and originally completed in 1906, the OWO is a Grade II* listed building that has witnessed innumerable world-shaping events. The OWO’s 1,100 rooms and four kilometres of corridors, were used by Winston Churchill during World War II, leading Britain to wartime victory. Grand in size and stature both, with classic Edwardian baroque interiors, the OWO has since been renovated for over five years, in keeping with the rich legacy and the historical architectural elements of the building by the Hinduja Group at the helm of the 5,80,000 square feet redevelopment that cost a Gross Development Value of £1.2 billion. Interestingly, James Bond, the fictional MI6 icon of espionage, was conceived at the OWO when writer Ian Fleming worked in Britain’s Naval Intelligence Service, acting as key liaison with the department, overseeing Operation Goldeneye. As a result, the OWO has made starring appearances in 007 films like Skyfall, Spectre, License to Kill, A View to a Kill, Octopussy and No Time To Die over the years. 

Once the planning approvals came from the Westminster City Council in July 2017, Britain’s former Old War Office went from being a government building, to a mixed-use building with a 250 year lease from the date of acquisition. After being closed to the public for more than a century, the OWO, now repurposed into a luxury hotel called Raffles London at The OWO, is all set to open in the spring of 2023.

“The OWO is my greatest legacy to London for future generations to enjoy,” says Gopichand Parmanand Hinduja, co-chairman of the Hinduja Group. 

The 120 rooms and suites that comprise the OWO hotel, including a Winston Churchill Suite, have been designed by French architect and interior designer, Thierry Despont, known for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty in New York as an associate architect in the 80s and transforming landmark buildings like The Getty Centre and Maison Cartier. The 85 branded residences, a first for Raffles in Europe, come with a heady mix of history, mystery and royal glamour set in an enviable location, making them the most expensive in London to date. They are priced upwards of £7.1million for a two-bedroom residence, £10million for a two-bedroom residence designed by Albion Nord and £14.25million for a three-bedroom residence designed by Angel O’Donnell, with prices including fixtures and fittings, but not the artwork. A four-bedroom residence 5.02, on the fifth floor, is an ode to the espionage history of the building. It is accessed through the Spies Entrance, a door used by MI6 staff after covert missions, and the name has been retained from 1909 when the British Secret Service Bureau was established as a department of the War Office. It still makes for discreet arrivals and departures, but not without the 24/7 monitoring by on-site security. 

The OWO residences seem to have outperformed the Prime Central London market, with a new record for values achieved on a price per square foot basis, within months of their launch. A new benchmark of over £11,000 price per square foot was achieved on one of the unique turret residences, a four bedroom duplex. It is safe to say that the OWO residences, located in an unparalleled and iconic part of London, serviced by the Raffles team, are a coveted buy. 

Not only is the OWO the Hinduja Group’s first foray into the hospitality business, but it is also the first Raffles hotel in London, and the first Guerlain Spa in London, exclusive to the Raffles London at The OWO too.

Philippe Leboeuf, Managing Director at Raffles London at The OWO confirms the opening of the hotel, “This staggering piece of British history will be open to the public for the very first time from Spring 2023, thanks to the Hinduja’s tireless work in sensitively conserving this significant address, partnering with experts including English Heritage, MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) and EPR Architects. This beacon of British heritage and modern craftsmanship will also be home to Raffles first hotel in the city, Raffles London at The OWO and it’s a once in a lifetime project for the Hinduja family which will become a new icon of global hospitality. Since acquiring the OWO, the Hinduja family have overseen the meticulous restoration of Britain’s former Old War Office with a vision and commitment to preserve its heritage, all the while breathing new life into the landmark.”

The acclaimed Italian-Argentine Chef Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur (three Michelin stars) a modernist cuisine restaurant that he opened in 2006 in Menton, France, will be creating unique dining experiences set within the OWO’s most storied rooms, driven by a commitment to seasonality, local procurement, and sustainability. Chef Mauro was awarded the rank of Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur in the 2022 honours list by the French government. 

“Chef Mauro is undoubtedly one of the world’s most recognised chefs, with a phenomenal  reputation and we’re excited to see him bring his experience to Raffles London at The OWO with concepts that are tailor-made for our well-travelled guests,” says Stephen Alden, CEO of Raffles & Orient Express. 

Out of the nine restaurants and bars (including a rooftop restaurant and bar with expansive views across Whitehall, The Mall and Buckingham Palace) slated to open at the OWO, Paper Moon, a family-run Italian restaurant founded by Pio Galligani and his wife Enrica Del  Rosso in Milan’s fashion district in 1977, is the first independent restaurant to have been announced so far. Paper Moon is located in a space overlooking Horse Guards Avenue. There are plans to open restaurants serving Indian, Japanese and French cuisines which are still under negotiation.

“These vibrant new restaurants will be part of the dynamic dining offer which will place The OWO as a new epicentre for London’s culinary scene, and sets the stage for an entirely new hospitality experience for visitors and Londoners,” says Madani Sow of Westminster Development Services. 

This hospitality venture is the first of its kind in scale, spend and historical relevance, with an Indian business family restoring the history of a British landmark. It remains to be seen if the billions that The OWO has been bought, acquired and repurposed for, tempts the Hinduja family enough to make hospitality another key business for their group. 

This feature first appeared in Hindustan Times on November 27th, 2022

©Rubina A Khan 2022

RUBINA’S RADAR | FRIEZE IN LONDON, PUMPKIN SPICE SEASON IN NEW YORK AND BESPOKE BUSINESS IN MUMBAI

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RUBINA’S RADAR

It’s time to Frieze in London. Nicky and Robert Wilson, co-founders of the Jupiter Artland Foundation are hosting a cocktail at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London tomorrow, October 4, to celebrate ten years of the Scottish sculpture park and the launch of their anniversary publication, The Generous Landscape: Ten Years of Jupiter Artland at Frieze 2018. Artists Phyllida Barlow, Charles Jencks and Antony Gormley will be toasting to the Wilsons’ artistic decade alongside Maria Balshaw CBE, the first female Director of the Tate art museums and galleries since January 2017 and Iwona Blazwick, Director of the Whitechapel Gallery who discovered Damien Hirst in the nineties, the UK’s richest living artist today.

Jupiter Artland

Jupiter Artland

It’s pumpkin spice season in New York and Meera Gandhi of the Giving Back Foundation hosted an afternoon soiree on September 22 in honour of HRH Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, at her Park Avenue townhouse, more famous as the erstwhile historic home of former US First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. The guest of honour, Prince Edward, tenth in line to the British throne, was in the United States to promote the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award that supports physical fitness, mental strength and advances sports amongst the youth. Gandhi’s foundation works with empowering women and children with education and investing in their well-being, so it was an advantageous meeting between Prince Edward and her, with the future of the youth dominating the conversation.

HRH Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex and Meera Gandhi
Giving Fragrance by Meera Gandhi
Meera Gandhi and HRH Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex

“It was indeed a big honor and privilege for my family and my guests to receive Prince Edward at my home. It was a wonderful gathering, enjoyed by all the guests who attended like Marla Maples, Jill Zarfin, Peter Brown and many more,” said Meera from New York. Aside from her philanthropic endeavours, Gandhi has been creating a fragrance in France called Giving with notes of Sicilian Bergamot, Myrrh Oil Nambia, and Sandalwood from Mysore that she launched only recently.

Hasleen Kaur, Miss India Earth 2011, is a regular on fashion runways. But she took on a new avatar recently turning into a master of ceremonies at the Tissot x Virat Kohli Chrono XL launch. Looking statuesque and beautiful in a midnight blue Pankaj and Nidhi dress, Kaur compered the evening with a congenial flair that is quintessentially her. “I was very nervous as it was my first time compering an event. As a model, I am paid to walk the ramp, but this was fun getting paid to talk on stage. It’s another dimension of my personality that I can now explore,” said Kaur.

Hasleen Kaur | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Virat Kohli x Tissot Chrono XL | Photo: Rubina A Khan

Kaur is also a big proponent of returning clothes that she wears for work events, which is rare in the entitled times we live in. “I truly don’t think one should keep the garments that stylists pull for you for events because it’s a loss of revenue to the designers and brands and I’m not comfortable with that. And honestly, even if I were to keep the clothes, I probably would not wear them again and then where would I keep all these garments anyway with my overflowing wardrobe?” It’d be a fashionably sound world if the gratis brigade would just talk and walk like Kaur.

Disclaimer: Any part of the content on the rubinaakhan.com website cannot be reproduced without prior permission and crediting the website and the author.

©Rubina A Khan 2018

My Favourite Restaurants In London

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Rubina A Khan reviews the top eight new restaurants in London, UK: “led by some of the world’s most celebrated culinary artists and some fascinating new chefs challenging the old order in Britain that I love.”

If there’s any city in the world that has mastered the art of food coquetry with the relentless zeal of an amorous lover, it’s undeniably London. The city’s endless flirtation with culinary inceptions from across the world has everyone enthralled with its constant quest for epicurean excellence. From Michelin-starred restaurants to pop-ups to secret chef tables to food trucks to old-school British lunchrooms to supper clubs, tasting master classes to chef-driven restaurants; London’s tempting insatiable appetites with culinary artistry across the board.

CUT | 45, PARK LANE

Austrian born-US based celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s first foray on European terrain, CUT, is a contemporary steakhouse, located inside the imperious Thierry Despont designed interiors of the 45, Park Lane, a Dorchester Collection hotel on London’s Money Mile in Mayfair. Wolfgang is a culinary artist extraordinaire and is the only chef to have won the Outstanding Chef of the Year Award twice. Executive Chef, David McIntyre, an integral member of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group since 1998, who has worked at Wolfgang’s most high-profile Los Angeles restaurants including Spago, CUT and WP24 at the Ritz Carlton, moved to South West London from the US to launch CUT with Wolfgang in 2011 and leads the culinary team here.

Raw Steak Cuts | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Cut | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Bread | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Dorset Crab & Lobster Louis | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Butters | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Japanese Wagyu Steak | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Baked Alaska | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Chocolate Mousse | Photo: Rubina A Khan

The restaurant, by day, is ebullient, with the Psalms, a collection of 16 Damian Hirst paintings lending an artistic edge to its walls, but by sundown, it turns into a seductive dining destination, with spangled flecks of light dancing off the ceiling, that add to the allure and mystery of the night ahead. CUT has a world-class selection of steaks, grilled to perfection to your exacting preference – USDA Prime, Black Angus Beef from Kansas, aged 35 years, South Devon Angus from South West England, aged 28 days, Wagyu / Black Angus Beef from Queensland, Australia, and True A5 Japanese 100% Wagyu Omi Beef from Shiga Prefecture, Japan and a tasting of New York Sirloin, which is a fabulous way to try out three distinct cuts. CUT is the only place in London that’s serves Japanese Wagyu and it’s worth every pound for that little medallion of a steak on your plate! The cuts are brought out to your table, to choose from, in a manner most theatrical – prime cuts of raw steak, stacked up high on a massive plate, with the server outlining each cut, helping you make an informed decision on what goes on your plate. This sui generis process, exciting as it is, is quite overwhelming at first, but once the steak’s on your plate, with Tempura Onion Rings, Smoked Paprika Saffron Aioli and the Desiree Potato Puree, nothing else matters!

Hand crafted cocktails like the vodka infused Show Me Love and the vintage Negroni and Old Fashioned add to the heady evening in the fascinating ambience. The Dorset Crab and Lobster Louis Spicy Tomato Horseradish is brilliant as are the Mini Wagyu (Australian) Beef Sliders in brioche Buns with sweet pickles and hand cut French fries with herbs. Breakfast here too is just as marvelous, with my favourite being the Salt Beef Hash Cake, Poached Organic Eggs, Crispy Leeks with sauce béarnaise, reading the Sunday Times, looking up occasionally to watch London go by from the windows overlooking Hyde Park. It is unquestionably, my most preferred restaurant in London. The exceptional service at CUT is perhaps unrivalled yet, but for its legendary counterpart across the street, the old guard of The Dorchester.

PLUM + SPILT MILK | GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL

This is an absolute delight of a restaurant, ensconced inside the historic Great Northern Hotel, right in the heart of King’s Cross St Pancras, that first opened in 1854, as the world’s first railway hotel, designed by Victorian master builder, Lewis Cubitt. Taking its name from the distinctive livery worn by the dining cars the Flying Scotsman first pulled out of King’s Cross, Plum + Spilt Milk offers an elegant, yet relaxed dining experience, with floor-to-ceiling windows and hand-blown glass light bulbs warming up the classy space magnificently. Every dish on the Plum & Spilt Milk menu, under the able culinary direction of Mark Sargeant, an Englishman, formerly head chef at Gordon Ramsay’s Michelin starred restaurant in Claridges’, is spectacular! He has created a menu based on beautiful British ingredients cooked simply, but with a definitive creative bent. The Devilled Lamb Kidneys on toast is incredibly delicious as is the Plum + Spilt Milk pudding! The Fish Pie and Braised Peas is as deliciously British as it gets and the Kentish Strawberry Eton Mess is whipped delight of summer in a bowl. Almost all the drinks here are fascinating – New Etonian – Hayman’s Old Tom Gin stirred with Lillet Blanc, Cointreau Amaretto and Orange Bitters, Suntory Negroni – Yamazaki 12-year-old stirred with Antica Formula and Campari and the Northern Sour – Pink Grapefruit and Lemon Shaken with Hayman’s Gin, Cointreau and Rhubarb Bitters and Egg White.

Buckwheat Crepes | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Quinoa Porridge | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Devilled Lamb Kidneys on Toast | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Fish Pies & Braised Peas | Photo: Rubina A Khan
St Pancras Station | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Kentish Strawberry Eton Mess | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Plum+Spilt Milk Pudding | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Plum+Spilt Milk | Photo: Rubina A Khan

The restaurant is extremely busy and almost always abuzz with birthday celebrations, romantic dates and jet-setting travellers, given its location. The breakfast menu here is very nutritious and anything but nondescript – it is imaginatively healthy with a nourishing Quinoa Porridge with Soya Milk, Blueberries and Almonds being the best way to start a wonderful day in London as is the Crab and Avocado with tomato and chilli on granary toast. And if you still want your breakfast sugar fix, the delicious Buckwheat Crepes with Strawberries and Agave Syrup and Lemon balm is just the treat for you, with a dash of health. You have to try out P+SM’s amazing food the next time you’re in London.

MIRROR ROOM | ROSEWOOD LONDON

Forget English Breakfasts and Earl Greys and Italian Roasts! Imagine starting your day with Baked Eggs with Asparagus and Truffle on exquisite Limoges china and a flute (or more!) of Perrier Jouet Grand Brut or Belle Époque for breakfast? Yes, breakfast! It is an exceptionally luxurious experience first thing on a rainswept London morning with the lovely Louis as your server. This is just one of the most decadent and delicious dishes from the à la carte menu that the beautifully designed jewel box of a dining salon, the Mirror Room, at the Rosewood London Hotel on High Holborn offers it’s discerning patrons, alongside a vast array of other exquisite delicacies on their breakfast buffet. Whoever said champagne only sets nights on fire has absolutely no idea how it lends its glamorous sparkle to your day, especially on weekends! In moderation of course, and definitely not if you’re driving to work! In any case, who drives to work in London really?

Mirror Room at the Rosewood London | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Baked Eggs with Asparagus and Truffle | Photo: Rubina A Khan

Born in Paris, Jerome Voltat began his culinary career in 1994 at the two Michelin-starred Le Manoir Aux Quat’Saisons in Oxford, where he was a Commis Chef and in 2014, Jerome brought his exceptional passion for simplicity, taste and fresh produce to the position of Head Chef at Rosewood London’s Mirror Room, working alongside Bjorn van der Horst, Director of Food & Beverage at the hotel. Dishes like Crabcake, Poached Egg with Smoked Haddock and Hollandaise and the Soft scrambled Eggs, Sea Urchin with Oscietra Caviar tell you how meticulously the menu has been crafted and executed in the kitchens to give you a taste of heaven. A friendly sommelier is always on hand to guide you with wine pairings from a list focused on organic and biodynamic wines from both the Old World and the New. This is the place in London for a decadent breakfast!

HOLBORN DINING ROOM | ROSEWOOD LONDON

A grand brasserie, also inside the historical 1914 Belle Époque building that is the Rosewood Hotel today, the Holborn Dining Room serves up seasonal, locally sourced British cuisine in a lively dining salon. Combining reclaimed oak with antique mirrors, red leather banquettes with tweed detailing, and two patina copper-topped bars, this is where you laugh out loud with friends over relaxed meals or a spot of local lagers and burgers – whatever you’re in the mood for. Drawing on a wealth of culinary experience, Calum Franklin, whose career began working with a Michelin-star restaurant, Chapter One in Kent, is the Head Chef in charge here, whose main focus has been British cuisine for the last eight years. He is passionate about using the best produce the country has to offer and feels that British food needs to be championed so that diners “can be wowed by ingredients as well as cooking.”

The Deli Dessert Table | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Crab Hash with Basil Mayo | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Shrimp Burger | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Fish & Chips with Mushy Peas | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Caramel Pudding | Photo: Rubina A Khan

The menu, comprises of traditional British dishes made from the finest locally sourced ingredients, and is divided into eight sections: Bar Snacks, Cold Counter, Hot Counter, Grill, English Kitchen, Sides, Sandwiches and Afters. The Fish and Chips with Mushy Peas here is the best I have ever had in London – it is truly exceptional and smacks of the flavours of a local chippie, despite being served up in a ritzy diner. The Dressed Cornish Crab, Shrimp Burger (a first for me!) the Mushroom and Spelt Rissotto, the Crab Hash with Basil Mayonnaise will just wow you with their scrumptious taste, turning you into a glutton du jour! And the Deli Dessert Table is a little sweet heaven in itself with the best selection of cakes, tarts, crumbles and all things British!

TING / GŎNG | SHANGRI-LA AT THE SHARD

Chinoiserie design and a contemporary setting make for the destination restaurant, TĪNG, that serves up modern European fare with Asian influences, on the 35th floor of the newly-opened Shangri-La Hotel at the Shard. Overlooking the Thames and almost all of London’s iconic landmarks like the Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Maritime Greenwich and the counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex, TĪNG offers the most sweeping expanse of the city and the best lunch table on a sunny afternoon. The culinary expertise of Executive Chef Emil Minev, a native of Bulgaria, who moved to London in 2002 to study at Cordon Bleu, and subsequently trained with London’s best restaurants whilst his academic pursuits took him the Alain Ducasse Formation Center in Paris and three Michelin-starred restaurant, El Bulli in Barcelona, is visible in the food experience here. The food here is good, especially the Foie Gras – Duck, Cherry, Pomegranate, Grue and the wine pairings are just exceptional! But it is the breathtaking view of London that makes for the magical allure of dining here really.

Cocktails at Gong | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Foie Gras | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Cheers! | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Photo: Rubina A Khan
Chocolate Garden | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Jasmine Tea | Photo: Rubina A Khan

And if it’s sunset cocktails and celebratory cheers are what you desire, then it’s GŎNG, on level 52, that you need to be at – London’s never looked as spectacular as it does from here. Well, unless you flew over in a chopper earlier, but now all it takes is an elevator ride up to the bar and a cocktail of your choice to take in the London view. The bar derives its name from ‘dougong’ – a unique structural element of interlocking wooden brackets, used in traditional Chinese architecture that’s featured in the bar. The venue’s modern Asian design was inspired by the mythical aspect of cinnabar – a mineral that has been used historically to create the ‘dragon red’ found in the walls of Chinese Imperial Palaces. The drinks at Gong are just as stellar as the views and the staff is very friendly and ever ready to snap your pictures as Selfies are just tedious here as they cut out the background completely. And even if you do manage a good shot, by the time you get the light and angle right, you’d look a bit looney to the rest of the cool crew. And it might be a tad disrespectful to your waiting drink on the table too. You’ll be flying on those tangy and sour cocktails, but the question that remains unanswered though is, how high will YOU get at London’s highest bar?

APERO | SOUTH KENSINGTON

This quiet little Mediterranean, all-day brasserie in South Kensington is like a flash of Greece in bustling London. With leather snugs, Spanish tiled floors and exposed bricks, this intimate London restaurant and bar is where South Kensington chic meets Mediterranean zest. Chef Chris Golding is all about creating unpretentious food packed with colour and fresh, seasonal ingredients over stuffy gastronomy. His easygoing menus are perfect for a relaxed meal from breakfast to supper. Apero’s bar is a vibrant place to enjoy quirky cocktails like the Tintoretto or L’Oiseau de Feu, that are inspired by the art collection at the Victoria and Albert museum a short walk away.

UnBeetable Burger | Photo: Rubina A Khan
UnBeetable Burger & Fries | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Turkish Style Poached Eggs, Yogurt Chilli & Avocado | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Toffee Banana Bread with Toffee Sorbet | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Tipi’s Tiger Cocktail | Photo: Rubina A Khan

Apero is perfect for a weekend brunch, over an UnBeetable Burger that comprises of a beetroot burger bun, patty with stracciatella cheese and beet mayonnaise and a Tipi’s Tiger cocktail, named after Tipu Sultan. Turkish style poached eggs with yogurt chilli and avocado, Coconut Porridge with Caramelized Banana, Wild Mushrooms and poached eggs on grilled seaweed bread with hollandaise and the Toffee Banana Bread with Banana Sorbet are my hot favourites here. Apero is the ideal brunch place where you can hold as intimate or raucous a conversation, depending on the happenings of the night before.

HAM YARD AFTERNOON TEA | HAM YARD HOTEL

No trip to London is complete without a languid Afternoon Tea experience, faux British accent et al in the process and the Ham Yard hotel’s Orangery is just the place for it. A weekly changing afternoon tea menu that comprises of tea, cakes and scones (plain or with golden sultanas) with clotted cream and jam, Black Pudding, Bacon Scotch Duck Eggs, mini sandwiches like Avocado on rye and crushed tomatoes, Hamyard rarebit, baby watercress and a flute or two of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Champagne NV Magnum or a classic Veuve Clicquot Rose NV Magnum is just what you need from all the shopping in the city!

Ham Yard High Tea | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Ham Yard High Tea | Photo: Rubina A Khan

The Ham Yard hotel, a Firmdale property, opened in June 2014 and is set on a three-quarter acre site, and is a riot of colours designed by owner, Kit Kemp, in her fun and distinctively modern British style, that gives off a cultivated “urban village” vibe with its lush garden, bang in the midst of bustling Piccadilly Circus and Soho.

BERNERS TAVERN | LONDON EDITION

Located in central London’s Fitzrovia, the glamourous and opulent Berners Tavern is housed in a historical building that dates back to 1909. Using the building’s elegant, landmarked architecture as a backdrop, Ian Schrager, of Studio 54, and his design team, created a visually arresting space now called the London Edition hotel, that is fast gaining an iconic status in design circles. The location, Berners Street, was named after Josius Berners, who purchased land there in 1654. Later it was used to build five conjoining houses in the classical style, which were converted in 1909 into a luxury hotel. During the Edwardian years the Berners Hotel, as it was named, enjoyed a dazzling reputation at the heart of London nightlife, playing host to King Edward VII as well as Carl Fabergé and other luminaries of the age.

Berner’s Tavern | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Lobster Salad | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Photo: Rubina A Khan
Berner’s Tavern Bar | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Creme Brûlée | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Berner’s Tavern | Photo: Rubina A Khan

Led by Michelin-starred Executive Chef Jason Atherton with a menu entirely sourced in the UK, Berners Tavern opened in the autumn of 2013 and already has a reputation for being the most difficult table to get in London, with a minimum waiting period of 3 months! I think this is mainly to do with an extremely smart publicity machine and not as much as the food. Atherton started out working alongside great chefs including Pierre Koffmann, Marco Pierre White, Nico Ladenis and Ferran Adria at El Bulli, before joining the Gordon Ramsay Group in 2001 and his flagship restaurant, Pollen Street Social opened in April 2011 in Mayfair and was awarded a coveted Michelin star within just six months of opening.

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Berner’s Tavern | Photo: Rubina A Khan

The Ironbark Pumpkin Risotto with Truffled Goat Cheese, Cobbnut and Watercress is exquisite as is the Whole Dover Sole with Roasted New Potatoes, Burnt Butter and Capers and the Native Lobster and Prawn Cocktail. The Crème Brulee came highly recommended and it was worth every word of praise from the charming GM, Lionel Lacheze, also a proud member of the UK Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. The Southside cocktail, created by the wizard of cocktails, Robert, is out of this world! The contemporary British food here is great, but definitely not worth the painful wait for over three months to get a reservation! But once inside, you’ll be blown away by the stunning design of Berner’s Tavern, almost akin to sitting inside a Fabergé egg!

This feature was first published in the July-September 2015 issue of Upper Crust magazine.

©Rubina A Khan 2015

London’s Top 5 Luxury Hotels

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“What good is money if it can’t buy happiness”, questioned British author Agatha Christie, in the thriller The Man in the Brown Suit and rightly so. London’s most luxurious modern hotels swear by that very question, albeit discreetly. The olde order of luxury in London is being challenged by a new league of modern luxury hotels where it’s all about whetting your desires and going to unimaginable lengths, realizing bespoke experiences for you. While it’s not decorous to talk about money, it’s fashionably cool to spend it in London where your money can buy you total exuberance, not just happiness!

Rubina A Khan reviews the top five hotels in London that are redefining luxurious living, irresistibly:

Rosewood London – A historical 1914 Belle Époque building on 252 High Holborn that used to be the Pearl Assurance insurance company, has shifted shape in a manner most luxurious under the direction of Tony Chi to give way to the Rosewood London, that has even the most seasoned jetsetter enthralled with its relaxed elegance and vintage charm. The central carriageway entrance and dome open into a grand Edwardian courtyard, that lead you into the hotel. Through the contemporary rose-bronze doors, you take in live finches and budgerigars chirping contentedly, inanimate British bulldogs that don’t bark, the exquisite art on the walls that’s set off with seductive lighting and staff walking about in Savile Row suits, making for a theatrical first impression of the Rosewood. The value of the seven kinds of rare marble like Swedish Green and Statuary, used on the seven-storey Renaissance staircase is £40million! The interiors of this Grade II listed heritage hotel are fitted out with Cuban mahogany and the 262 rooms and 44 suites reflect High Holborn’s history, culture and sensibilities, in line with the Rosewood philosophy of “A Sense of Place”.

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Rosewood London | Photo: Rubina A Khan

The shower rooms, yes rooms, are heavenly and designed to make every bathing ritual a sensual one, even more so after a Swedish massage by Yarmila at the Sense Spa. The champagne breakfast, with Baked Eggs, Asparagus and Truffle at the Mirror Room is the most delicious way to wake up and seize the day. Cabaret performances, held every alternate Sunday evening at the Scarfes Bar, lined with illustrations of artist Gerald Scarfe, including an adorable one of Prince George of Cambridge, over endless flutes of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut and Lobster Momos are an excellent way to enjoy some risqué British culture after a day at the British Museum close by. The most memorable feature at the Rosewood is sheer excellence with the staff and butlers exuding genuine warmth, bereft of the faux made-to-please smiles. Nightly rates for a Deluxe Room here are upwards of £360 (Rs 36,000) and a Grand Premier Suite costs about £1,800 (Rs 1,80,000). If money is no object, then the Grand Manor House Wing, with its six bedrooms, three living rooms, a private elevator and entry, and the only suite in the world to have its very own postcode, should be your choice at £25,000 (Rs 25,000,000) at the Rosewood London!

45, Park Lane – The grandeur and exceptional service of the legendary Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane is unrivalled in London. But seconds away from the old guard, stands the Dorchester Collection’s grand and imperious 45, Park Lane, an art deco hotel, designed as a private residence, on London’s Money Mile in Mayfair, with suites facing the verdure Hyde Park. The 46-room hotel beguiles guests into its luxurious and contemporary confines designed by New York based designer, Thierry Despont, with exemplary service and dazzling glamour. The Park Lane Suite has my heart! Minutes from Bond Street shopping, and a hop across Hyde Park, it is undeniably the most fashionable temporary address in London, with every little wish of yours being fulfilled by the Park Lane team. If you so desire a dress from Harrods, a hotel runner will speed off and get it back for you in time for your dinner date whilst you soak in the satin dreaminess of the Dorchester Spa.

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45, Park Lane London | Photo: Rubina A Khan

“The most extraordinary demand we have ever had to date was to fit a washing machine in one of our suites!” says hotel manager Christophe Hilty. For a brisk ride in Hyde Park, you can borrow one of the hotel’s Brompton bicycles or bike around the streets of Mayfair. It’s on site restaurant, CUT, which is Austrian born-US based celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s first foray on European terrain, is world class. It’s the only place in London that serves Japanese Wagyu and it is worth every pound for that little medallion of a steak on your plate! CUT is also home to the Psalms, a collection of 16 Damian Hirst paintings in the hotel. Rooms start at £595 (Rs 59,500) and the extravagant Penthouse Suite on the ninth floor is yours for £8,995 (Rs 8,99,500) a night!

Ham Yard Hotel – The Ham Yard, a Firmdale property and their eighth in London, owes its name to an early 18th Century public house called The Ham. This boutique hotel, set on a three-quarter acre site, is a riot of colors designed by owner, Kit Kemp, in her fun and distinctively modern British style, that gives off a cultivated “urban village” vibe with its lush garden, bang in the midst of bustling Piccadilly Circus and Soho. With a 190-seater movie theatre on the property and its very own Dive Bar, you don’t need to battle frosty London on movie night; it’s just an elevator ride away. An original 1950s four-lane bowling alley, shipped in from Texas, replete with backlit bowling balls and vintage bowling shoes, a 13-store shopping enclave, a rooftop garden and a Soholistic Spa make the Ham Yard a unique hotel choice. The hotel has the best-stocked mini-bar and amenities kit, including Kinky Knickers, in case you packed really light and didn’t carry any! The Ham Yard breakfast-to-go service is an absolute delight in a brown bag when you’re catching an 8am flight from Heathrow! Prices for a Superior Room start at £372 (Rs 37,200) per night and the Terrace Suite is yours for £4,080 (Rs 4,08,000) a night.

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Ham Yard London | Photo: Rubina A Khan

Great Northern Hotel – This boutique hotel right in the heart of King’s Cross St Pancras, first opened in 1854, as the world’s first great railway hotel, designed by Victorian master builder, Lewis Cubitt. The splendidly refurbished 91 rooms here, named Couchette, Wainscot and Cubitt, which is the largest room, echo the vintage glamour of the building’s iconic past. Awash with abundant natural light through ceiling to floor windows and cut-glass finishes, the Great Northern boasts of a luxury every traveler desires – location and quietude! It is central to the largest transport intersection in London and is a mere 25 metres from the Eurostar Terminus and a second away from King’s Cross that makes for seamless travel to and from all Londonairports. It is steps away from the beautiful British Library. It has one exceptional feature within its glamourous boutique designs – a very comfortable Hypnos bed that also makes for great romantic interludes! Sleep is the quintessential luxury that sometimes gets lost in translation in some of world’s most famous hotels, and it is absolutely uncompromised at the Great Northern. Plum & Spilt Milk, the hotels’ on site restaurant, under the culinary direction of Chef Mark Sargeant, is spectacular! The exquisite food, atmosphere and service here are enough to extend your stay at the GNH, if not the bed alone! Rooms start upwards of £160 (Rs 16,000) here.

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Great Northern London

Ampersand Hotel – The design of the luxuriously appointed Ampersand Hotel on 10, Harrington Road, right by the South Kensington underground, is inspired by the Museum District it’s located around, through the five themes of botany, music, geometry, ornithology and astronomy. The Ampersand opened in the summer of 2012 as a modern incarnation of the Norfolk Hotel that was built in 1889. The Victorian values of discovery and wonder, alongside a modern sense of whimsy define all 111 rooms of the refitted Ampersand rooms and suites; from the V&A’s costume collection, to the Science Museum’s planets and phials, from the Natural History Museum’s ornithological drawings to the drama and ceremony of the Royal Albert Hall. And no, that doesn’t make it a dull and boring hotel. The atmosphere is exuberant and fun, with splashes of colour and sparkle to add to the relaxed vibe of the property. Knightsbridge and Chelsea shopping awaits you, yes, Harrods too, once you’ve had your fill of the museums and the astounding array of world cuisine being served up in the cafes and restaurants on every expensive retail space of South Kensington! Room prices vacillate anywhere between £170 (Rs 17,000) to approximately £550 (Rs 55,000) a night.

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The Ampersand London | Photo: Rubina A Khan

Michael Bonsor, Hotel Manager, of the Rosewood London, sums up the avant-garde London luxury order rather succinctly, “No requests are too outlandish or difficult to accomplish. True luxury is not just about remarkable quality; it is about making someone feel special in an extraordinary environment.” Indeed!

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@Rubina A Khan 2014

The Most Decadent Breakfast In London Is At The Mirror Room At The Rosewood London!

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Mirror Room at the Rosewood London | Photo: Rubina A Khan

Forget English Breakfasts and Earl Greys and Italian Roasts! Imagine starting your day with Baked Eggs with Asparagus and Truffle and a flute (or more!) of Perrier Jouet Grand Brut for breakfast? Yes, breakfast! It is an exceptionally luxurious experience first thing on a rainswept London morning with the lovely Louis as your server. This is just one of the most decadent and delicious dishes from the à la carte menu that the beautifully designed jewel box of a dining salon, the Mirror Room, at the Rosewood London Hotel offers it’s discerning patrons, alongside a vast array of other exquisite delicacies on their breakfast buffet. This is undeniably a HUGE favorite of mine, as you can see I’ve woken up to quite a few of these Mirror Room breakfast mornings in London!

Baked Eggs with Asparagus and Truffle | Photo: Rubina A Khan
Photo: Rubina A Khan
Perrier Jouet Champagne | Photo: Rubina A Khan

Whoever said champagne only sets nights on fire has absolutely no idea how it lends its glamorous sparkle to your day, especially on weekends! In moderation of course, and definitely not if you’re driving to work! In any case, who drives to work in London really? Get on it!

©Rubina A Khan 2014

Taking In London From The Highest Bar In Town, Gong, At The Shangri-La!

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London has never looked as spectacular as it did from the 52nd floor of Gong, the bar with THE view at the Shangri-La hotel at The Shard that opened in May earlier this year. Well, unless you flew over in a chopper earlier, but now all it takes is an elevator ride up to the bar and a cocktail of your choice to take in the London views, right from the St Paul’s Cathedral to the Big Ben to the London Bridge. The drinks at Gong are just as stellar as the views and the staff is very friendly and ever ready to snap your pictures for you as selfies are just tedious here as they cut out the background completely. And even if you do manage a good shot, by the time you get the light and angle right, you’d look a bit looney to the rest of the cool crew. And it might be a tad disrespectful to your waiting drink on the table too. Everyone was flying on those tangy and sour cocktails, but the question that remains unanswered though is, how high will YOU get at London’s highest bar?

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Photo: Rubina A Khan

©Rubina A Khan 2014