I was in London recently for business. I had never spent much time there, so I decided to add a few days to the trip to wander around, eat and drink, and decompress after a busy, stressful week. I found a few gems worth noting in case you have a London trip in your future.
One of my favorite finds was a "gastropub" hot spot in Victoria called The Phoenix located on a backstreet a stone's throw from Buckingham Palace. This charming, airy pub features over 42 wines, and 16 of them available by the glass! But, I wasn't drinking wine at The Phoenix. Instead, I enjoyed sampling delicious beers and ales on tap, including Sharps' Doom Bar Bitter and Deuchars IPA. Go for the beer, stay for the food, like grilled baby squid with tomato, pancetta and basil, and warm tossed salad of smoked trout and potatoes. I was all about the fish and chips, though, which was light, crispy and served in a newspaper, as it should be.
Another gem was a great Spanish tapas bar called El Pirata, right off of Park Lane in Mayfair. All the classics were spot on - octopus with paprika, anchovies in vinegar, salmon croquettes, garlic prawns and mushrooms, and a wonderful cheeseboard of manchego, majorero, mahon and cabrales. And, a nice wine selection by the glass. I had a crisp Martin Codax Albarino, which had hints of orange, almond, and apricot that highlighted and complimented the sweetness and lemony zest of the fish tapas.
Wandering along the South Bank, I ended up taking in the Dali exhibit at the Tate Modern. At the top of the museum is the Tate Modern Restaurant, a great place for lunch or a glass of wine, with a breathtaking view of the River Thames and St. Paul's. The food was good, the wine was great. I had the grilled swordfish on toast with cherry tomatoes and basil mayonnaise, paired up with an interesting St. Chinian from Chateau la Dournie. Brick red in color, this '04 blend of Syrah, Carignan and Grenache has distinct nutmeg, raspberry, and orange peel bitterness, which actually worked well with the rather heavy grilled fish and basil mayonnaise.
What would a stroll along the South Bank be without a visit to Vinopolis? I had heard mixed things about the "wine museum," but I don't think I was prepared for what I found. Vinopolis is billed as "London's unique wine tasting attraction and conference and events venue." The concept is fun: a series of rooms with a self-guided audio tour and multimedia, educational presentations about wine producing regions, including France, Italy, Australia, California, South Africa, even Thailand and China, all culminating in a tasting where you can sample wines from the various regions. Unfortunately, I think wine geeks (like me) might be a little disappointed by the experience. It's highly commercialized (even for me) and folds a liquor store, two Bombay Safire bars, a whiskey spirits room, and beer tasting room into the wine tour. I'm fine with it, but should just be billed as a "liquor emporium," or something. The historical picture was lightweight and without any real opportunity to drill deeper into regional information or background on producers. The tasting was okay - tried a good '04 Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz blend from Carmel wineries (Israel). Lots of spice, chewy bittersweet chocolate, with blueberry and strawberries. I can imagine this one this one with a rich meal, steak or sharp cheeses. STAY AWAY FROM THE ABSINTHE!
If you have time, swing by the Charlotte Street Hotel for breakfast or the Soho Hotel for a late night mojito, or perhaps a champagne cocktail and a game of pool at The Sandrson. There's always the Kingly Club, if you're feeling really crazy. There really is just too much to do, see, eat and drink in London. I have found a very useful resource in Square Meal, London's leading restaurant guide, which also has a fun "Drinks News" section. I haven't even scratched the surface, but definitely hit a few gems during my days off in London.
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