The vibe: A new authentic South East Asian restaurant specialising in street food dishes from Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong. Think: creamy curries, crunchy stir fries and oodles of noodles. What’s cool: A lot of attention has been paid to the décor in Ekachai, which gives the restaurant an authentic feel and transports diners fromContinue reading “Ekachai: South East Asian dining in Wandsworth”
Tag Archives: London
Shoryu: Japanese dining in Soho
The vibe: a loud sit-down Japanese restaurant famous for its generously portioned ramen dishes, located behind Piccadilly Circus. What’s cool: Shoryu’s menu includes a glossary on the last page, which helpfully simplifies the Japanese terms you find dotted through the descriptions. Plus, this particular branch has the largest selection of sake, shochu and umeshu, with over 130 toContinue reading “Shoryu: Japanese dining in Soho”
Croissant making at Bread Ahead’s baking school
There’s nothing more comforting than the smell of freshly baked goods straight out of the oven. I get so much satisfaction in whipping up a batch of cookies or a simple sponge – even if the results are sometimes a little hit-and-miss. It’s with that in mind that I signed on to a three-hour croissantContinue reading “Croissant making at Bread Ahead’s baking school”
Neapolitan café RossoTerrazza pops up on John Lewis rooftop
Escape the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street at the John Lewis roof garden, which is welcoming visitors back with Italian street food and cocktails this summer. Soak up the sunshine atop the flagship store, where you can enjoy a variety of small plates, wine, cocktails (£10 each), Italian desserts and gelato at the RossoTerrazza caféContinue reading “Neapolitan café RossoTerrazza pops up on John Lewis rooftop”
Hanging out in the Walkie Talkie’s Sky Garden
Taking in the city from high above usually comes with a catch… You’ve either got to queue up for ages, pay an entry fee or else spend loads on food and drink to compensate for a good view. But over at the new Sky Garden (located at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street, aka theContinue reading “Hanging out in the Walkie Talkie’s Sky Garden”
Hydro-spinning in Chelsea
Working out at the gym fills me with dread. I’m a self-conscious person, so the idea of exercising in front of others – while trying to look semi elegant as sweat drips down my forehead – really makes me cringe. So when I was invited to Chelsea’s Hydrofit spa, which offers an aqua spinning workout inContinue reading “Hydro-spinning in Chelsea”
Rock climbing in Bermondsey
A quick Google before we set off to The Arch Climbing Wall revealed bouldering to be “a form of rock climbing that is performed without ropes or harnesses.” *GULP*. What had I signed myself up for? I reassured myself with the fact that I’d be joining a group introduction session (£20) at one of London’sContinue reading “Rock climbing in Bermondsey”
Where The Pancakes Are: Hackney’s latest pop up
Guilt-free pancakes on Pancake Day? #Winning! Where The Pancakes Are – which specialises in serving up healthy pancake stacks made with gluten-free buckwheat flour and fresh, organic ingredients – has popped up for a quick stint in Hackney before its permanent central London residency later this year. The brainchild of self-taught cook and mum of two PatriciaContinue reading “Where The Pancakes Are: Hackney’s latest pop up”
I think I met a serial killer… Speed dating in St Paul’s
“Never again,” I’d decided after a nauseating speed dating experience three years ago. Where I’d expected cute, dateable men; instead I found a lot of desperate wife-hunters with mental checklists in tow. “Do you eat meat?”, “Are you religious?”, “Do you smoke?” were the sorts of questions fired my way, along with the bog-standard, “WhereContinue reading “I think I met a serial killer… Speed dating in St Paul’s”
Heading back in time for a medieval banquet in Tower Hill
I’ve never heard the word “Wench” screamed out loud as much as I did last night. I’ve also never witnessed so many people banging tables with their fists before – but at the theatrical, immersive dinner experience that is The Medieval Banquet, both are encouraged; this is part and parcel of the entertainment. “Wench” is the medievalContinue reading “Heading back in time for a medieval banquet in Tower Hill”
Ballin’: a pop-up ball pit for adults in Hammersmith
I’d always hoped that someone would invent a soft play area specifically for adults – you did too, right? Well, the clever folk over at creative agency Pearlfisher have sort of answered our prayers… They’ve created a ball pit for adults in London to frolic in. The 30-person pit is somewhere you can relive your childhoodContinue reading “Ballin’: a pop-up ball pit for adults in Hammersmith”
A festive afternoon tea at Lancaster London
Christmas movies are all over the telly, and I’m way over my self-imposed quota of one mince pie a day – but as we all know, ’tis the season to be jolly and indulge… After a busy morning of last-minute shopping today with my sister, there was nothing I wanted to do more than to eatContinue reading “A festive afternoon tea at Lancaster London”
Add a handmade touch to Christmas gifts
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! I’ve been busy crafting handmade gift tags and Christmas tree decorations – and I wanted to share the idea. The ornaments – a great way to add a personal touch to a gift, or to a friend’s tree – are made from salt dough; a simple mix ofContinue reading “Add a handmade touch to Christmas gifts”
A blissful Ayurvedic massage at Ayurveda Pura
The feeling of hot oil being trickled all over your body is like no other. The only comparison I can make is that of a chunk of Galaxy caramel slowly melting in your mouth. Mmm. It is in an ayurveda abhyanga (sorry for throwing these two words at you so soon – I’ll explain inContinue reading “A blissful Ayurvedic massage at Ayurveda Pura”
Getting into the Christmas spirit at Camden’s Tea & Crafting
You wouldn’t think you’d be able to find a place of such tranquility within the hustle and bustle of Camden Market, but Tea & Crafting, located within Camden Lock, is just that. A room where you can be creative and learn new crafts with the help of a lovely teacher, Tea & Crafting is intimate and hands-on. IContinue reading “Getting into the Christmas spirit at Camden’s Tea & Crafting”
Cosy up for Pillow Cinema
When the cold, dark nights draw in, there’s nothing better than snuggling up indoors to watch a movie. The makers of Hot Tub Cinema have timed their latest invention – Pillow Cinema – correctly then, as they invite Londoners to settle in for movie nights complete with comfy beanbags, pillows, blankets and snacks, at theContinue reading “Cosy up for Pillow Cinema”
Icing with the experts at Biscuiteers
When you hear the word ‘biscuit’ what’s the first thing that comes to mind? A digestive? A cookie? Perhaps a good old HobNob or gingerbread man? I’d always thought of the humble biscuit as a comfort food, something to satisfy my sweet craving or to dunk into my tea, but when I discovered Biscuiteers, aContinue reading “Icing with the experts at Biscuiteers”
Twenty things 90s kids will remember…
Remember the days when Safeway still existed, and the best phone around was a Nokia 3310? I’ve been feeling nostalgic lately, and it’s got me thinking back to the old-school days. If you’re an 80s or 90s kid, prepare for a throwback. Back in the 80 and 90s… 1. Patterned fabric wrapped around a piece ofContinue reading “Twenty things 90s kids will remember…”
Secret Cinema: things to know before you go
Approaching Hackney Wick station on the Overground, we’d noticed a few people dressed up like us – felt fedora hats draped over men’s knees, and women with headbands and vintage circle skirts were the giveaways. We gave each other the eyes and a nod. Our stop arrived, and as we disembarked the train, that’s whenContinue reading “Secret Cinema: things to know before you go”
Munching through the East End
9am. My stomach was growling so I wolfed down a bowl of cereal before rushing out the door. Big mistake. Arriving in Spitalfields Market an hour or so later, I was greeted by Ollie, my friendly and amusing guide for the morning. We were joined by 9 lovely others – a family of four fromContinue reading “Munching through the East End”
/// The Curious Londoner 