A French Indian Masterclass From A Master Chef

While I’ve enjoyed the delights of award-winning French Indian restaurant La Porte des Indes before, after seeing the contestants on Masterchef battle it out in the La Porte kitchens under the tutelage of executive chef Mehernosh Mody, I wish I was better with food so I too could have that amazing experience. Well now I can and all without the pressure to deliver to discerning diners. On the final Friday of every month, Mehernosh hosts an unmissable masterclass during which he demonstartes how to recreate La Porte des Indes’ fabulous dishes at home.
If you’re keeping up with the London food scene, you’ll know that ‘pop-up’ bars and eateries are so on trend right now. But with such a temporary existence, you can blink and they’ll be gone again.
To celebrate the launch of the Gallo Film Club, the perfect way to enjoy great wine and a great film in the company of family and friends, Gallo Family Vineyards is hosting a celebrity-filled, Hollywood-styled night to remember in the heart of central London.
It is not often us girls get excited about a new car launch (seriously guys if it drives smoothly and holds our drink, that’s good enough for us!). However when we discovered that the Citroën DS5 was offering the chance of having a five-course meal designed by Masterchef 2011 winner Tim Anderson at a pop-up restaurant we thought it was worth finding out more.
While a girl’s night out is fun, a girl’s night in is so right now. And let’s be honest, while a night of kicking back the slippers and sinking into the sofa can be right on the cards, sometimes a girl’s night in under a five star roof can be even better.
What’s happened to us? Each summer, more and more festivals spring up all over the country. What’s more, they display an amazing level of diversity and originality. Here Lola Borg from Reader’s Digest picked out some of the best:
The Magic Loungeabout
If you conjure up an image of traditional Italian dining, you might visualise red checkered table cloths, huge canvases of the Roman coliseum, and giant peppercorn mills standing by pots of shaved parmesan. But how would you visualise a classy fine dining Italian joint in Mayfair? Not sure? No, neither were we when we ventured to the restaurant with no name at 5 Pollen Street in Mayfair.
The Playboy brand and all that comes with it certainly divides the opinion amongst us ladies. Are the fluffy tail and bunny ear outfits degrading to the sophisticated modern woman out there? Or are they a nostalgic reminder of a playful and glamorous 60s era?
Spring is perfect for light, fresh food full of flavour and since sushi opened our palates (and heads) to the idea that raw fish could be tasty, South American dish ceviche has become increasingly popular. Celebrated Argentinian restaurant Gaucho has had this cured seafood dish on their menu for ten years now and is having a ceviche dinner at Gaucho Piccadilly to mark the occassion. ‘Ceviche is the ideal summer dish as it has a perfect balance between the oily fish and the tartness of the citrus,’ Fernando Trocca, executive chef of Gaucho Grill says. ‘The trick is to use the freshest and best quality fish you can find. Once you’ve got the hang of the traditional recipes you can then start experimenting with twists on the classics – I’ve really enjoyed creating original new recipes with more unusual ingredients for the new Gaucho ceviche menu – it’s such a simple dish but there is so much you can do with it.’
There is a new festival on the block and they are kicking off early. The-Hiff is the place to be for the last weekend in April. No it’s not some new fandangled dance the kids are doing, it’s the Henley International Film Festival and it’s perfect for sentences such as, “Oh, we’re off to The-Hiff this year.” 




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