Critics’ Choices: Everywhere We Reviewed in April
In now time honoured style, here’s all the places that we went to in April, and what we thought! You’ll also note that we’re putting more travel reviews out, which is because we’re now covering travel as well as food and drink. So double whammy for you all!
Tamburlaine
Mixed feelings from Emily
Emily spent boat race weekend in Cambridge the one weekend that all the super-bright students will have been down in London lining the banks of The Thames playing human pooh sticks. After giving some likely story about why she didn’t get into Cambridge (only a mystery illness on interview day separates her from Stephen Hawking) she reviews the hotel and seems to have liked it, albeit with a couple of grumbles: Mattress good (she was staying with her boyfriend…), view bad and restaurant a bit of a mixed bunch.
Click here for the full review…
Where: 27-29 Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2FB
Website: www.thetamburlaine.co.uk
Stoke Place
Emily hits the road again
You can’t keep Emily away from the open road, it seems, because she’s been jaunting off again, this time to boutique country hotel Stoke Place. A sort of poorer sibling to the imposing Stoke Park, it still looks pretty impressive. She was a bit sniffy about the breakfast and service, but things hotted up in the evening after Emily and her boyf had roadtested the four-poster “passed full marks in my testing” and had a a slap up dinner and she seems to have left with a smile on her face.
Click here for the full review…
Where: Stoke Green, Slough, SL2 4HT
Website: www.thecairncollection.co.uk
CUT at 45 Park Lane
Wolfgang Puck Doesn't Disappoint
Legendary American chef Wolfgang Puck has one European restaurant, CUT at 45 Park Lane, and Emily was there to chomp her way through the menu. We think this is the first time she mentions her boyfriend in print, so, y’know, a big moment. And it sounds like a big meal too, Mac’n’Cheese and Steak. Low point was getting mustard in her eye, the rest sounds like it was the high point. Result!
Click here for the full review…
Where: 45 Park Lane, Mayfair, W1K 1PN
Website: www.dorchestercollection.com
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane
Let's Get Physic-al
Emily got her teeth into some afternoon tea at Four Seasons Park Lane who have partnered with Chelsea Physic Garden and based their latest tea around the flora and fauna found there. Amazingly it didn’t come across as gimmicky and she thought it was genuinely good. So thumbs up.
Click here for the full review…
Where: Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London, W1J 7DR, United Kingdom
Website: www.fourseasons.com
Omar's Place
Mediterranean In Pimlico
If you’re sick to the back teeth of hearing about all Emily’s amazing dinners, here’s some light relief; Fenella went to Omar’s Place. Brainchild of restaurateur Omar Shabaan, the Mediterranean restaurant in Pimlico is awash with colour and flavour. Fenella’s normally rather a harsh critic, but this time she had only praise (except for a cocktail that ‘tasted like medicine’). So we should probably all head down to Omar’s Place immediately.
Click here for the full review…
Quinta do Lago
Sporty Fun Abroad
You may have noticed, or maybe you’ve not, but we’ve got an all-new travel section at The Handbook. It’s rather nifty, and it also means that we get to go to nice places (hurrah!) and it was Charlotte’s turn to head to sunnier climes, specifically to Portugal’s Quinta do Lago, a massive sports resort on The Algarve. It looks incredible and (a DVD extra for you that’s not in the piece) Tim Henman’s brother gave her a tennis racket. Actual Tim Henman (‘s brother).
Click here for the full review…
Where: The Algarve, Portugal
Website: www.quintadolago.com
