A Meal at Scott's

Situated in swanky Mayfair, 164 year old Scott’s has played host to the likes of Simon Cowell, Bill Clinton, Cheryl Cole and Tom Cruise, so I was expecting big things.

The restaurant’s exquisite exterior is well-suited to the rest of the businesses that make up the road’s selection of shops, cafes and eateries. Although it appears quite corporate, it is complete with sparklingly clean doors, cheery doorman and an alfresco dining area with outside heating for the typical weather conditions of the capital.

The kitchen & oyster bar

The impressive marble floor foyer has a gorgeous statue on one side and a complementary cloakroom on the other. It almost has a feel of a classy hotel as you are greeted by courteous staff waiting to seat you. It is recommended that you book at least a couple of weeks in advance due to the popularity of Scott’s but the waiters are incredibly accommodating throughout the experience.

When my boyfriend and I arrived, we were a little early and were offered the option of enjoying a drink or two at the bar or being seated immediately, but as my stomach was rumbling profusely, we decided to sit down to eat straight away.

I was delighted with how comfortable the seats were and how quaint the atmosphere was. It also managed to be busy without being noisy or hectic, perhaps due to the great design of the main room with its various sections and beautifully-decorated pillars.

The kitchen and wonderfully arranged oyster bar are situated in the centre of the room for all customers to see and witness the experience of their food being prepared. They are right next to the bar so there is a collective feel.

Smoked eel served with rosemary potatoes & crispy bacon

Almost as soon as I sat down, I was offered a glass of water while I perused the menu- and not just tap water; I was asked to choose between tap, still, sparkling or bottled still water, with or without ice and with or without a slice of lemon. After deciding on still water with ice and slice, my boyfriend and I asked our waiter to recommend a couple of wines that complemented the food we wanted to order. 

As Scott’s is renowned for its seafood, we were both planning to have fish-based dishes and the waiter was only too happy to recommend a few wines, even giving us a sample of each to help us decide. We opted for a crisp white (£42) that was exquisite and placed on ice for the entirety of our meal. Staff were courteous enough to refill our glasses whenever they spotted them to be empty, as well as our water.

I ordered girolle mushroom, pea and Gorgonzola risotto (£14.75) which was lovely and creamy and exactly what a starter should be- satisfying without being too filling. My boyfriend chose smoked eel served with horseradish potatoes and crispy bacon (£14.25) and although it is an usual dish, all the flavours complemented each other really well and both dishes were impeccably presented.

Lobster

We both selected lobster for our main course (both £42)- I chose grilled lobster served with veg and lightly seasoned fries and an exquisite garlic butter. My boyfriend chose lobster thermidor, which involves taking the lobster meat from the shell and serving it with a beautiful brandy and egg yolk sauce- a posh omelette! He chose mashed potato as a side which was served in a tiny pan which was a delightful touch to such a sophisticated meal. The portions were hearty and just like the starters, presented breathtakingly on the plate.

We were so full from out first two courses that we didn't have space for a third, but the dessert menu looked just as fantastic as the others.

The best thing about Scott’s is how well-cooked, promptly served and delightfully arranged the food is as well as how the entire experience is high-class without being pretentious with snobbish staff and minuscule portions. The ambience was outstanding and staff were attentive and obliging. Highly recommended- you may just have to penny-pinch before you go!

5/5

Dinner at Richmond's Newest Steakhouse

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I were lucky to spot one of the best and most well-hidden eateries I have ever been to. This restaurant is a hidden gem if ever I saw one!

Situated in one of Richmond's tiniest crannies, this restaurant boasts immaculate wood-inspired décor, great service, and most importantly, spectacular food.

Now any foodie knows that if you're after steak when eating out, you're expected to pay a fair price for good quality meat cooked to your personal specifications; but this restaurant not only provides the latter, but also charges a fairly reasonable sum for such a great plate of food. (Prices ranging from £15.50-£148 for steaks- £148 being a 2kg steak. Wow.)

As I like my steak medium rare, I was delighted to discover that when my meal arrived, it was wonderfully cooked and teamed with the most beautifully seasoned chips I have ever eaten. Topped with rosemary and garlic, the crispy fries were presented in a small metal bucket so as not to be mixed with the steak too much.

Although I had to fork out an unexpected couple of pounds for a scrummy sauce to accompany my dinner, it was utterly worth it as the cheese sauce I chose was perfectly thing and very flavoursome without being overpowering. I highly recommend a visit to this place if you're ever out and about in London.

5/5

Warped Tour Comes To London

     For Rock, Alternative and Pop Punk fans across the Atlantic, the U.S’s Warped Tour line up has been a dreaded time for Brits since its inception 14 years ago. But in November this this year, Warped Tour will be gracing our shores!

      With no word with regards to line-up as yet, it is Warped’s incredibly successful reputation fans are trusting, and who can blame them with past tours involving the likes of All Time Low, Of Mice and Men, Yellowcard, Lostprophets and Rise Against it cannot be missed!

     Details are being kept under wraps for the time being, but head over to www.vanswarpedtouruk.com and register for any updates. Perhaps it won’t be too long until Warped Tour blasts its way through the entirety of the UK

The Blackout @ Camden Roundhouse, London (06/11/2011)

     The Blackout, from Merthyr, Tydfill in South Wales played their largest London show to date last night to a crowd of over two thousand fanatics at Camden’s Roundhouse in London. With support from Page 44, Canterbury and We Are The Ocean, the stage was set for a night of earth-shattering sound.

The Blackout at Camden Roundhouse last night

   

     Although I am sure Page 44 played a great show, I did not arrive to the venue until after their setlist was complete, and am therefore unable to comment on their performance. However, the Roundhouse was packed with people, suggesting that they had enjoyed the band enough to stay, which can only be a positive thing. In fact, three bands is usually sufficient enough to please audiences and bands alike, as artists are able to play more material in a longer period of time, giving the audience more of a taster of what they can do.

 

     Canterbury are a phenomenally good looking foursome from Hampshire who were formed in 2005. They released their debut album ‘Thank You’ in November 2009 as a free download, allowing them to spread their music to as many people as possible. Canterbury brought the venue alive with a sound as chirpy and bouncy as ‘Jimmy Eat World’. With brilliant harmonies, crowd pleasing choruses and musical variety, they played an excellent set. They were also very humble towards the crowd who seemed to adore their rhythmic sound a great deal.

Canterbury

      The people and lights, the dingy decor of the Roundhouse sparkled and its acoustics are so pristine, they would be certain to make the likes of Bring Me The Horizon sound half decent. Final support from We Are The Ocean was welcomed to a rapturous response from the crowd, particularly for a support band. Their two strong singers illustrating their flawless call and response style blend of screamo and conventional vocals, they proved they are very well rehearsed in polished live performances. After being formed in 2007, We Are The Ocean have come along leaps and bounds with regards to their musical style and sound. Their second studio album was released in April this year to a great response from fans, foreshadowing their flawless performances to come, including this year’s Reading Festival on the Main Stage. Roaring out hits including ‘Nothing Good Has Happened Yet’, ‘The Waiting Room’, ‘What It Feels Like’ and ‘Confessions’, they also proved their awesome abilities as variety ridden songwriters.

We Are The Ocean

 

     When The Blackout finally begun, they took to the stage with all the confidence of an arena-filling rock band. As soon as they started, sound and crowd alike were bouncing off the walls, warmly welcoming a loud, sweaty and electrifying set. With an unusual mixture of fans from about the ages of twelve to one hundred and twelve (this may or may not be a slight exaggeration), The Blackout depict how appealing their music can be to many different types of people. Commencing with ‘This Is Our Time’ from their new album ‘Hope’ which was released on the 4^th April, the band rapidly prove the worth of their new record and slight sound variation. This was followed up by a single from ‘Hope’, ‘Ambition Is Critical’ which had the audience screaming lyrics at the top of their lungs.

 

    Of course, the apparently timeless issue of illegal downloading was brought up by the band several times during the show, as they jokingly accused those who did not pay for their album as the reason they are poor! Classic crowd pleaser ‘Save Our Selves (The Warning)’, which is usually played last, brought a wonderfully new dose of surprise to The Blackout’s set arrangement. After releasing a second album, let alone a third, it can be tremendously difficult for band’s to construct a setlist illustrating all that they have to offer. But The Blackout manage to complete the task admirably and convey a wonderful mixture of old and new material. Followed by tearjerker ‘It’s High Tide Baby!’ and new single ‘Never By Your Side’, their chosen setlist proves their worthiness of tonight’s venue, and that they are certainly heading in the right direction with regards to progression.

 

     ‘The Devil Inside’ portrays The Blackout’s retention of their darker side, as well classics such as ‘This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things’, ‘Children of The Night’, ‘Said & Done’, ‘Spread Legs Not Lies’, ‘I’m A Riot? You’re A Fucking Riot!’ and ‘ShutTheFuckUppercut’. New tracks ‘Not Alone’ and ‘The Storm’ conveyed the success of the band’s latest release and their thumping abilities blew the audience away. Their senselessly passionate fans were given the gift of a stunning rendition of ‘The Last Goodbye’ and a beautiful opening to ‘Hope’. But this was not before frontman Sean Smith preached his traditional ‘anyone can do anything’ speech, which is of course not true, but it is a sentimental start to the song. ‘Hope’ broke out into The Blackout’s ear ringing sound and perhaps it was just because the band were having the show filmed for a DVD released in the near future, but the audience were incredibly energetic throughout. This was despite the fact that they did not require much encouragement or crowd interaction techniques to entice them, reflecting that moshing and general movement is almost a natural reflex to The Blackout’s music.

The Blackout's Latest Album 'Hope'

 

     After spontaneously performing ‘Higher & Higher’ twice, the band exhibited their talent flawlessly, aside from one drumming mishap for a bar or two from drummer Gareth ‘Snoz’ Lawrence. But it was recovered from so rapidly that it almost went unnoticed. The show’s overall success has been followed up by many any appreciative tweet from members of all the bands involved, and with regards to the headliners, it conveys that they still have their feet firmly on the ground and their future aspirations in the clouds. They were wonderfully humble throughout the show, with The Blackout’s vocalist Gavin Butler stating that it was ‘the highlight of (their) career so far’.

 

     The Roundhouse brought The Blackout their most epic, humble, expensive and energetic show to date. With the band’s uncommon characteristics and remarkable flair, it was also their best performance to date, proving that a little hard work (and fantastic musical talent), can go a very long way.

 

5/5