Light Breeze, Fifth Floor Harvey Nichols

The Fifth Floor is located in the Harvey Nichols department store in the Knightsbridge neighborhood of London. The Light Breeze was a bright refreshing mid-day libation in the middle of a tourist packed day. Next stop, perhaps LaDuree at Harrods for some French macaroons?

The Drink, Light Breeze, £5.50
Fresh raspberries, pineapple juice, lemon juice and grenadine

The Place - Fifth Floor at Harvey Nichols
London, Knightsbridge
Daily lunch, afternoon tea and dinner
http://www.harveynichols.com/fifth-floor-london-restaurant

Other Fifth Floor drinks
Lychee Wasabi

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Artesian Punch, Artesian Bar

The Artesian Bar is located in the Langham Hotel just off of Oxford and Regent Street in Central London. I just love this award winning bar with their award winning staff. The Artesian Punch is the signature rum drink found in the Rum De Luxe section of the cocktail menu ("Something special from the source of indulgence. Chic, sexy and deeply glamorous rum cocktails.") What a beautiful presentation along with the sugar cube on fire (can you see the light blue hue on the sugar cube?) As with all their cocktails at Artesian, there's a beautiful unique presentation to go along with the unique flavor of each of their cocktails.

The Drink - Artesian Punch, £16

Per the menu "Signature punch of the posest rum shack in the world, Artesian. A unique blend of Pampero rum, calvados and Poire William eau-de-vie with hint of cherry, freshly squeezed pineapple finished with dramatic float of dark & ovenproof rums."

The Place - Artesian Bar
London, Oxford Circus

Full bar, food

http://www.artesian-bar.co.uk/artesian.html

Other Artesian Bar drinks
Aromatic Randez Vous 
Summer in Paris 
Berry Foolies 
Cask My Thai
Silk Route
Oye Mi Canto

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Virgin Hakka, Hakkasan

Hakkasan is a modern Chinese restaurant which has several locations in London, Middle East, the US and India. With Hakkasan headed to San Francisco, I wanted to check out the food and more importantly the cocktails. Hakkasan Mayfair is located just around the corner from my old office in London. My research partner that evening couldn't make up their mind what cocktail (or perhaps what spirit) to start with and eyed the Virgin Hakka on the non-alcoholic drink menu. This virgin concoction is absolutely delicious! It's lychee all the way with coconut milk, lime and passion fruit. With bases like this, no wonder the cocktails are so good at Hakkasan. Can't wait for the San Francisco outpost to open later this year.

The Drink - Virgin Hakka, 6.50
Lychee Juice, lime, coconut, passion fruit

The Place - Hakkasan Mayfair
London, Mayfair
Daily lunch and dinner, full bar
http://www.hakkasan.com/

Other Hakkasan drinks
Rhubarb Margarita

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Oye Mi Canto, Artesian Bar

The Artesian Bar is located in the Langham Hotel just off of Oxford and Regent Streets in Central London, United Kingdom. I just love this award winning bar with their award winning staff. The Oye Mi Canto cocktail was not yet on the cocktail menu when I was there. They said they would make me anything if I didn't see anything I like on the menu. I must admit that this was never the case at the Artesian. In fact, there are so many intriguing cocktail on the menu, that it's difficult to choose just one to try on a short visit. When I mentioned I like tequila and mezcal, they said I had to try their new cocktail Oye Mi Canto. It was exactly what I was am hoping for!

Oye mi Canto translates to hear my song in English. You will definitely be singing many songs if you have one too many of this delectable cocktail!

The Drink - Oye Me Canto, £15

Per the cocktail menu, "Delight in the glass and very complex aperitif indeed, this is double award winning cocktail consisting of Don Julio Blanco infused with sweet tamarind, Chichicapa Mezcal, Rosato vermouth and mandarin bitters. Notes of young tequila and tamarind with raspberries, hint of spice and light smoky notes in the background with extensively long finish!"

The Place - Artesian Bar
London, Oxford Circus
Full bar with food
http://www.artesian-bar.co.uk/artesian.html

Other Artesian Bar drinks

Aromatic Randez Vous 
Summer in Paris 
Berry Foolies 
Cask My Thai
Silk Route
Oye Mi Canto
Artesian Punch

Love the glass!

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Three Seasons Daiquiri, DSTRKT

Dstrkt is a new restaurant just a few steps away from Piccadilly Circus in  London. I didn't know what to expect with a venue that cost £25 Million. The walk down the stairs past the lounge had a dark clubby feel which continued all the way downstairs to the restaurant. Is it a club, is it a restaurant, is it a bar? It's all three! It was dark, but luckily I managed to snap a few photos while there weren't too many people dining yet. The cocktail menu is an entertaining read with sections such as Refreshing, Bartender's Choice, Something for After, Fruity and Fun and Bubbly. I chose the Three Seasons Daiquiri for my research choice that evening. This cocktail teased me as soon as I read the three spices of cardomom, curry and caraway. I loved this cocktail, but wish more of the curry flavor and spices came through.

The Drink - Three Seasons Daiquiri, £8
Pampero Blanco Rum, curry infused sugar syrup and lime juice

The Place - DSKTRKT
London, Piccadilly Circus
Lunch and dinner daily, full bar
Lunch and dinner Tuesday - Saturday, nightlclub 10PM - 3AMfull bar
http://www.dstrkt-london.com/

Other DSKTRKT drinks
COCO Chanel

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Silk Route, Artesian

The award winning Artesian Bar is located in the Langham Hotel just off the Oxford and Regent Streets in Central London. The Silk Route Cocktail is from the Haute Coquetel section of the extensive list of Artesian Cocktails. What makes a Haute Cocktail? Per the menu, "Selection of exclusive, one of a kind and the very finest creations crafted by the Artesian mixologists." This cocktail does not miss a beat! I started thinking about an exotic tropical beach destination as soon as I found the Silk Route on the menu. With Batavia Arrack (an Indonesian sugar can based rum), Elements 8 Platinum (from Jamaica), and coconut, how could you not? You are also part of the mixology experience for this unique cocktail since you are given a pipette with bitters to make it your own personal Silk Route according to your taste. Absolutely fabulous and fun!

The Drink Silk Route, £15
The Silk Route description per the cocktail menu, "Incredibly smooth & delicious milk punch. Batavia Arrack and Elements 8 Platinum infused with sundried and roasted coconut shaken with lime, Pimento Dram and milk. Served over ice with pipette of bitters providing you with option of adding extra flavours. Coconut, allspice and creaminess enlightened with citrus." 

The Place - Artesian Bar

London, Oxford Circus

Full bar, food

http://www.artesian-bar.co.uk/artesian.html

Other drinks from the Artesian Bar

Aromatic Randez Vous 
Summer in Paris 
Berry Foolies 
Cask My Thai
Silk Route
Oye Mi Canto
Artesian Punch

More pictures from the visit

After adding some bitters to the Silk Route

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Champagne Afternoon Tea, Dorchester

No visit to the United Kingdom is complete without having a proper English tea. I received so many recommendations from friends on where to go. There are lots of choices from casual to high end. Since I've had afternoon tea at more casual places when I lived there, I opted for the decadent Champagne Afternoon Tea at the Dorchester in the exclusive Mayfair neighborhood of London. From the service to the drinks to the food, everything was outstanding.

The Drink - High Tea with Laurent-Perrier Cuvee Rose Champagne

The Place - The Dorchester Hotel
http://www.thedorchester.com/afternoon-tea-details?sid=17

***A big thank you to my favorite British born designer, Valerie Wills, for this fabulous recommendation.

Other pictures from the visit

 Love the champagne stemware

 My favorite British born designer in SF always flips over the plates

 A Pina Colada

 Savoury finger sandwiches

 Looking out to the tea room/lounge area

 Clotted cream and jams

 A passion fruit palate cleanser

 Tea

  Warm hot cross buns and scones

 

Platter of cakes and tartlets (top)

 Platter of cakes and tartlets (bottom)

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Lychee Wasabi Martini, Fifth Floor Cafe

The Fifth Floor is located in the upscale Harvey Nichols store in the Knightsbridge neighborhood of London. When I lived in London and had a client in Knightsbridge, I used to frequent the Fifth Floor Food Market and restaurants at Harvey Nichols. The Lychee Wasabi Martini contained the perfect combination of Asian influenced sweet and heat to re-energize me on a tourist packed queue filled day. Wish I could have stayed for another, but we had a post-lunch tourist agenda to keep to.

Harvey Nichols, just next door to Harrods, has several other dining establishments (Fifth Floor Champagne bar, Fifth Floor Restaurant, Fifth Floor Sushi) to get escape the hustle and bustle at Harrods.

The Drink - Lychee Wasabi Martini, 11.50 GBP
Lychee juice, lychee liqueur, citron vodka and wasabi

The Place - Harvey Nichols Fifth Floor Cafe
London, Knightsbridge
Daily lunch, afternoon tea and dinner
http://www.harveynichols.com/fifth-floor-london-restaurant

Other pictures from the visit

 Oyster Sliders

 Indonesian Shrimp

 Chicken Caesar Salad

 Fish and Chips

Lucky Charms for 7.50 GBP, nearly $10?

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Arbutus Aperitif, Arbutus

Arbutus is a restaurant located in the SOHO neighborhood of London. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when I found out my friends had made pre-theater reservations at a restaurant that only served wine and beer. I was resigned to the fact that I was going to have some wine at dinner when I saw their signature aperitif at the top of the menu. I'm so glad that I gave the Arbutus Aperitif a try. What a surprisingly elegant and refreshing cocktail with only 3 ingredients, blood orange, pomegranate and campari. I will need to give this a try at home.

The Drink - The Arbutus Aperitif, $8

Blood orange, pomegranate and campari

The Place - Arbutus

London, SOHO

Daily lunch and dinner, pre-theater specials, beer and wine

http://www.arbutusrestaurant.co.uk/

Other pictures from the visit

 Kingsdown Still Water

 Market Vegetable Soup (part of Pre-Theatre Prix Fixe)

 Steak and Potatoes

 

 Scottish Beef and Pappardelle (Part of Pre-Theatre Prix Fixe)

 

 Pork Belly and Lentils

 

Cheeesecake and Yorkshire rhubarb (part of Pre-Theatre prix fixe)

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Cask Mai Tai, Artesian Hotel

The Artesian Bar is located in the Langham Hotel just off of Oxford Circus in Central London. With Barrel Aged cocktails all the rave the past year, I wanted to see what this internationally award winning bar came up with with the Cask Mai Tai.  From the presentation with the edible garnishes to the smooth flavor, I could only say" Oh Mai My!".

There's no need to describe how good this cocktail is since the Artesian does an amazing job on their own in the cocktail menu. "Delicious, yet pungent twist on Mai Tai. Sweet notes of warm spices, orange peel and candy reminiscent of nutmeg, ginger and cocoa with freshness of mint and tart lime".

The Cocktail - Cask Mai Tai
Appleton Extra and secret blend of other ingredients matured in European oak cask.

The Place - Artesian
London, Oxford Circus
Full bar, food
http://www.artesian-bar.co.uk/artesian.html

Other drinks from the Artesian Bar

Aromatic Randez Vous 
Summer in Paris 
Berry Foolies 
Cask My Thai
Silk Route
Oye Mi Canto
Artesian Punch


***Congratulations to the Artesian and head bartender Alex Kratena who won Spirited Awards at the Tales of the Cocktail this past weekend in New Orleans for World's Best Hotel Bar and International Bartender of the Year, respectively.***

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Rhubarb Margarita, Hakkasan

Hakkasan is a modern Chinese restaurant which has several locations in London, Middle East, US and India. Before my trip to London in the Spring, I had read that Hakkasan was planning an outpost in my home city of San Francisco. So I knew during the London trip I had to check out Hakkasan's London location. It took quite a while to browse through the extensive cocktail and food menus. For their cocktail menu alone, the categories were Cocktails, Martinis, Bellinis and Non-alcoholic drinks presented over five A5 sized tall pages. There were plenty of exotic fruity concoctions on the menu which I was not in the mood for. I decided on the Rhubarb Margarita since I've never had one and it also had falernum and a chilli rim. It made quite an entrance in this long stemmed cocktail glass. Simply amazing. I can't wait for Hakkasan to open up in San Francisco.

The Drink - Rhubarb Margarita
Tapatio Reposado Tequila, rhubarb, lime,vanilla, falernum liqueur with a vanilla and chilli rim

The Place - Hakkasan Mayfair
London, Mayfair
Daily lunch and dinner, full bar
http://www.hakkasan.com/

Other pictures from the visit

 Potstickers

Egg Rolls 

Sweet and Sour Pork

Gai Lan

Salted Caramel Torte

Mozart Black Chocolate Liqueuer

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Coco Chanel, DSTRKT

DSTRKT is a restaurant and nightclub located just off Piccadilly Circus in Central London. It opened late 2011 with a £25 million renovation to the space. There are so many choices for cocktails and delicious food at this destination club/restaurant. Everything from the space to the cocktails to the foods grabs your attention. Just like the space, the Coco Chanel Cocktail was bold, stunning, elegant, and smooth all at once. You can not go wrong with a cocktail named Coco Chanel at DSTRKT. Dining in this glamorous, yet clubby atmosphere (especially the lights) was quite an experience. For £8 pounds for this cocktail in London, it was an absolute bargain!

The Drink - Coco Chanel, £8
Smirnoff Black Vodka, rose liqueur, rhubarb puree, pink grapefruit juice, apple juice, orange bitter and rose petals.

The Place - DSTRKT
London, Piccadilly Circus
Lunch and dinner Tuesday - Saturday, nightlclub 10PM - 3AMfull bar 
http://www.dstrkt-london.com/

 Burrata and Broccolini

 Lamb Riblets

 Gnocchi

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Ginger Margarita, Spice Market London

The Spice Market is located in the W Hotel in Leicester Square in London, England. It was my first meal in London since I moved from there almost 16 years ago. What a great way to celebrate my London return. One of my researchers is a fan of ginger cocktails, so when I saw the Ginger Margarita on the menu, I knew that's what I had to order. With tequila, ginger and ginger salt, this drink did not disappoint. This cocktail shines with the spicy pop of the ginger.

At the end of the trip, when my research companion and I went through all the different meals, we decided Spice Market was the best since all the dishes we ordered were spiced differently and were amazingly all delicious.

There are a few other Jean-Georges Spice Market locations (Atlanta, New York and Qatar). If you don't get to one, a link to the cocktail recipe is found below.

The Drink - Ginger Margarita, 11£
Sauza Hornitos Reposado Tequila, Ginger, Lime, Ginger Salt
Recipe
*Note, some of the at home researchers have made this cocktail at home. They note that although it's a bit labor intensive, that it's well worth the wait.

The Place - Spice Market
London, UK/Leicester Square
http://www.spicemarketlondon.co.uk/ 

Other pictures from the visit

 Pappadam Chips

 Crab dumplings

Bento Box

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