Thirsting for new flavours this January?
FITNESS FOODS
If you are still on that January health kick, bike over to Andina, the Peruvian restaurant in Shoreditch. Harry Jameson, a health and fitness guru, has collaborated with chef/owner Martin Morales to come up with their “Replenish” menu, which aims to put right some of the damage done over the festive period. The nutritionally packed options,which include protein-filled dishes, smoothies and juices, sit alongside the regular Andina menu. This also offers vegetarian, vegan and g l u t e n - f r e e dishes and South American superfoods such as maca, amaranth and quinoa. The Replenish menu is available all day, every day, until the end of March.
DRY BUT NEVER DULL
Those of you who have gone dry for January but fancy more than lime and soda on a night out may want to seek out a mocktail at one of London’s top cocktail bars. Royal China restaurants have come up with the exotic-sounding Bubble Pearl — which comes in a rainbow of fruit flavours such as lychee, passion fruit and Morales ( and Jameson
Bubble tea at Royal China strawberry, also helping you towards your five a day. Alternatively, you will find the Virgin Vera — muddled fresh lime and raspberries with aloe vera water and guava juice over crushed ice — at The Arch London.
Just along Hyde Park at the Lancaster Hotel’s Nipa Thai, you can order a non-alcoholic pina colada, made with fresh pineapple, pineapple juice and coconut ice cream. Sure to make January fly by.
WAITING FOR GODO
For those working in the City, Canary Wharf or Mayfair who find themselves too busy to leave their desks, new opening Godo might be of interest.
The service, accessed via an app, delivers Italian lunch dishes which include Mediterranean pasta and pasta with Prà basil pesto in smart glass jars, which have been developed to keep the food to optimum temperature and texture.
No shabby scooters in sight, these takeaways arrive in a customised Fiat 500 or Vespas, with drivers in bespoke Italian outfits.
BEE GOOD
Canary Wharf workers seem to have all the fun. Plateau restaurant has partnered with Mudchute, a London City farm, to offer a dedicated honey menu. Until the end of February, the Honey Menu Gourmand (using honey from the beehives on the 32-acre East London farm) will be served alongside paired wines, with £1 per diner donated to Mudchute Farm.
Dishes include a spiced butternut velouté — with honey lightly drizzled and tossed with truffle crème fraiche — and a dessert entitled The Hive, a light honey parfait with ginger sponge, dark chocolate and malt mousse.
You also get a mini honey jar from the farm to take home.
At £55 per head (£75 with the wines) it’s not cheap but, if one of your resolutions for 2016 was to look after the environment, this is a delicious way to fit the bill.
COFFEE BREWING
Closer to the north west London heartland, Golders Green High Road has seen a couple of exciting openings.
Machiato Bar is the latest offering from Tomer Vanunu, owner of the popular restaurant El Vaquero. From the same stable — or perhaps garage — as the Lamborghini café in Brent Cross, Machiato Bar serves superb coffee in trendy modern surroundings.
The coffee aces it and, to soak up the caffeine, you can choose from the short menu — the shakshuka got a thumbs up from my panel of tasters — or from the display counter, which includes pastries, pasta bakes, toasted bagels and sandwiches.
HUMMUS SPREADS
The second new opening replaces the late King Georgie on the other side of the High Road. Hummus Bar has already caused a buzz on social media.
The place is so new we’ve yet to poke our noses in, but the schnitzel, crumb-coated cauliflower with sweet chilli dipping sauce and falafel come highly recommended. Friendly staff also get a shout-out.