Critics’ Choices: Where We Reviewed In July
July zipped by in a haze of Love Island and intolerable heat. So how do we deal with office temperatures that peaked at 32 degrees (with the AC on!) here at The Handbook? Go out and eat in some of London’s best restaurants, of course, oh and travel. Here’s all the places we enjoyed in July.
Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa
Just very sly...
Okay, so I’ve wanted to go to the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa since I was about 11 years old. Genuinely, proper bucket list stuff. Couldn’t afford it for my honeymoon but would have totally been first choice. So quite how Emily managed to slip into the hotel I have no idea. Kept that one sly. All done on the DL. Very sneaky. Wish she’d gotten bed bugs, but yes, it was totally incredible. Obviously.
Where: 16 Royal Crescent, Bath, BA1 2LS
Website: www.royalcrescent.co.uk
Beyond Bread
Shootin' that gluten
If you’re the sort who thinks there’s just far too much gluten in the world, then take your gluten-hating self down to Islington’s Beyond Bread. Which is exactly what Charlotte (New Charlotte, not Original Charlotte) decided to do one Saturday for bread without any pesky gluten in, plus the best coffee she’s ever had (probably).
Where: 267 Upper Street, Islington, N1 2UQ
Website: www.beyondbread.co.uk
By Chloe, London Bridge
By Chloe again, by Jove
If you’re thinking, ‘gosh didn’t By Chloe literally just launch in Covent Garden?’ you’d be right, but it seems that the whole vegan thing is travelling fast and the American ‘fast-casual restaurant’ is expanding. In real terms this means that Charlotte’s been eating again (Original Charlotte, not New Charlotte, I’m going to stop putting that, just guess and 50% of the time you’ll be right). She loved the food, but I suspect felt a little aggrieved at having to trek to London Bridge to eat it.
Where: One Tower Bridge, 6 Duchess Walk, SE1 2SD
Website: www.eatbychloe.com
Forsthofalm, Austria
A few of Charlotte's favourite things...
The hills are alive, with the sound of Charlotte eating vegan food up an Austrian mountain. Forsthofalm is a “wellness hotel”, and if the sound of such a thing doesn’t make you shudder then absolutely check out her review. If, however, you’re the sort of person still scarred by doing PE in your knickers and vest, check it out anyway because the views, pool and spa might just be enough to sway you.
Check out Charlotte’s review here…
Where: Hütten 37, 5771 Leogang, Austria
Website: www.forsthofalm.com
The Savoy
Kaspar's, the friendly waitress
It doesn’t get more swanky than The Savoy (except perhaps the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa – still smarting about that), and Emily presumably donned pearls and her best bonnet to visit the hotel’s renowned Kaspar’s restaurant. The food was predictably excellent and the waitress was so brill that Emily would like to see her name up in lights, if only she could remember it. Her review will forever stand as a lit candle at a strange hospitality version of the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Where: The Savoy, Strand, London, United Kingdom
Website: www.fairmont.com
Namaste Kitchen
Charlotte says Namaste to Namaste Kitchen
Charlotte and her beau left Namaste Kitchen “with more energy than Jack Russell puppies”, apparently. So forget those online herbal Viagra adverts, presumably we should all head down to this Primrose Hill Indian. The place sounds excellent and achieves the near unbeatable accolade of being nearly as good as some local curry house in Lymington. So there.
Here’s what Charlotte actually wrote…
Where: 64 Parkway, Primrose Hill, NW1 7AH
Website: www.namaastekitchen.co.uk
ROBINSON Club Camyuva
Definitely not a Turkey
Charlotte’s WhatsApps from her trip to ROBINSON Club Camyuva, an upmarket all-inclusive resort in Turkey, are slightly at odds with her measured, some might even say sober, review. From what we heard back in the office you should just skip to the ‘What we drank’ sub-heading.
Catch Charlotte’s review here…
Where: Çamyuva Mahallesi, No 2, Turizm Blv, 07980 Kemer/Antalya, Turkey
Website: www.robinson.com
Merchants Manor
Nothing foulmouthed in Falmouth
The Handbook office seems to be obsessed with Cornwall. Emily’s been about three times in a month, Charlotte’s been, Elly even had a baby there while I listed it as a ‘bucket list destination‘ yesterday! What’s going on? Well Merchants Manor in Falmouth’s what’s going on, it would appear, as Emily decided to check out. Hot tub on the balcony? Doesn’t mind if she does.
Where: 1 Western Terrace, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4QJ
Website: www.merchantsmanor.com
Dalloway Terrace
Bloomsbury set and match
Emily must have a season ticket to Dalloway Terrace because she’s been to the Bloomsbury restaurant yet again, this time to sample their summer menu. She seemed to purr her way through it so I’m guessing that it was a success.
Where: 16-22 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3NN, United Kingdom
Website: www.dallowayterrace.com
Pizarro
Mythically good
José Pizarro shouldn’t mind that Charlotte just called him a ‘myth’ in her opening paragraph, because I’ll take him over The Tooth Fairy any day if it involves a meal half as good as Charlotte’s dinner down in Bermondsey. Going by the not-actual-NHS-advice aphorism ‘eat a big breakfast, have a bigger lunch, have a light dinner and you will live a long life!’ the restaurant certainly has my attention.
Where: 194 Bermondsey Street, Bermondsey, SE1 3TQ
Website: www.josepizarro.com
Radisson Blu Hotel London Stansted Airport
Not quite plane sailing
I mean, who would have ever thought that Stansted Airport wouldn’t be an amazing place to stay? Charlotte’s not going to tell a lie, she wasn’t a huge fan of Radisson Blu Hotel London Stansted Airport. Living the life, Charlotte.
Read her online ‘harumph’ here…
Where: London Stansted Airport, Waltham Close, CM24 1PP
Website: www.radissonblu.com
Café Forty One
La Sweet West
Charlotte must’ve been into Café Forty One like a rat up the proverbial drainpipe given it opened about a fortnight ago and she’s already published a review. As a fan of all things vegan the appeal was obvious, London’s first vegan French patisserie at La Suite West. Sweet.
Where: La Suite West – Hyde Park, 41-51 Inverness Terrace, W2 3JN
Website: www.lasuitewest.com
