‘“Nose-to-Tail-Eating” means it would be disingenuous to the animal not to make the most of the whole beast; there is a set of delights, textural and flavoursome, which lie beyond the fillet.’ So writes Fergus Henderson (below) — oracle of offal, high priest of ‘umbles, and the chef behind London’s legendary St JOHN restaurant — … Read more
The Gay Hussar was a resolutely old-school Soho institution that served up hearty portions of traditional Hungarian food to various Labour grandees, sozzled hacks and Laurent-Perrier Lefties (as well as the occasional damp Tory). It was a place fuelled not only by lashings of Bull’s Blood, that mighty red from Hungary’s Eger, but by whispers … Read more
What are you comfortable spending on a dinner for two? A special one. £200? £250? Okay, let’s say £300. Including wine? £350, then. Right, we’re looking at… did you say you wanted fine dining? This scenario has played out often since I joined Country Life this year. Friends who wish to take their partner or … Read more
The direction in which we travel is often a response to the headwinds we’re facing. At present, the geopolitical gusts feel as blustery as they’ve ever been; it’s all rather End Of Days. In times of uncertainty, comfort is found in the familiar and nowhere is this more true than in restaurants. Chefs are downing … Read more
For almost 100 years, the Bantham Estate in Devon — 10 miles from Salcombe, one of the jewels of the South Hams AONB, and boasting one of the best beaches in Europe, according to Lonely Planet — had a pretty quiet time of it. It was bought in 1922 by Lieutenant Commander Charles Evans, whose … Read more