London Travel Guide: Eat at The River Cafe

The River Cafe

An oldy but a goody...

I have wanted to visit this restaurant for a very long time after hearing excellent review, after excellent review, so when I popped along for lunch I was not disappointed in the slightest!  It is relaxed and it is cool, with the glass walled room overlooking the lawns and on to the river, I could have stayed all day long sipping bellini's and eating the simple and uncomplicated food.   It has been described as a canteen for the well-heeled and this is after all the restaurant where Jamie Oliver learnt his craft.

Most gripes with this restaurant is with the prices.  With starters from £15 and a main course costing between £30 - £40, it is on the pricey side.  However, in return you get impeccable Italian food in the surroundings of effortless style.  A trendy warehouse vibe which compliments the relaxed feel of the restaurant.  

The army of chefs in the open kitchen add an extra buzz to the dining experience, with the infamous domed fire oven on display.  

The menu changes daily so here is a link to today's offering.  Yum. 

The River Cafe = Satisfaction pretty much guaranteed.   We love.

London Travel Guide: Eat at the Hawksmoor

London is by far one of my favourite cities.  Whenever I am there it strikes me how lucky we are to have such an amazing capital, it's something that we probably do take for granted.  I have been meaning to write a Butterfly Lane London Travel Guide for some time now, so with the worldwide buzz surrounding the city at the moment, with Fashion Week kicking off  last Saturday and after hosting the biggest sporting event, like,  ever, what was I waiting for? 

There is just too many amazing things to do in London Town but I don't want to rival a Lonely Planet with options, however for my own sanity, I'm going to split my Travel Guide in to What To Do, Where To Sleep, Where To Shop...and of course Where To Eat.  

Now, I am partial for a good restaurant and London is full to the brim, so this week I will bring you a daily dose of Butterfly Lane's favourite eateries.

Here is the first Butterfly Lane London Where to Eat instalment. Enjoy.  

Hawksmoor

The boyfriend has a trusty restaurant of choice in London which has certainly rubbed off on me too.    Whether for business meetings or dinner with friends the Hawksmoor is such a great option.  It is quite simply a meat lovers paradise and the Hawkmoor steaks are often called the best in London.  A steakhouse, come cocktail bar (an element of girly pleasure in between all the meat), with a stella selection of top-notch British beef and gorgeous accompaniments.  But it's more than just a steak house, with a mouth-wateringly good selection of fish for starters, the Dorset oysters are incredible and did I mention that the cocktail list is to die for!  The staff are amazingly clued-up and help you choose the perfect cut of meat and give a helping hand with the extensive wine list.  One tip...arrive hungry!    

As for the interior, think a very stylish gentlemen's club, lots of dark wooden panelling , luxurious leather upholstered seating and glazed bricks.  Elegant, old-school and timeless.

What we ordered:  

Chateaubriand to share, with sides of grilled bone marrow (got to try it to love it!), triple cooked chips, heritage tomato salad and cream spinach.  All served with bone marrow gravy.

What we drank:

One for the boys!  Shaky Pete's Ginger Brew:  Gin, homemade ginger syrup and lemon juice, topped with London Pride.

Champagne Charlie:  Gin, lemon, homemade Seasonal Fruit Syrup, charged with Champagne.  

Restaurant locations:  Spitalfields, Seven Dials, Guildhall

Please try this restaurant, you'll love it I'm sure.  

Travel Guide: Salcombe, Devon

I have just returned from a rather lovely break in Salcombe, Devon.  It was a complete wash out with lots of rainy days which prompted many a log fire burning in our barn in the chilly evenings!  Not what you really expect in June, but hey ho, we made the most of it.  Therefore, I cannot give you a run down of all the stunning beaches as I only managed to visit a mere few!

North Sands, Salcombe

North Sands is a rustic cove with a small beach which was full of surfers when I visited.  It has a great beach front cafe called The Winking Prawn, this casual eatery is a must if you like a good quality summer BBQ.  


Blackpool Sands was by far my most favourite of beaches in the area.  With the countryside literally rolling in to the sea, and thatched cottages along the coast line (one was painted in pink and was the most stunning beach retreat imaginable), it was idyllic to say the least.  It was cold, drizzling and windy when I stood on this pebbly beach at dusk, yet it was still breathtakingly gorgeous and peaceful.  I just wanted to stumble back to one of the cottages all windswept to light a fire.   

Blackpool Sands, Devon.  In the sunshine!

It in intermittent dry spells, we managed to do a bit of shopping in Salcombe, where there are some great home ware shops and lots of interesting boutiques.  The Salcombe Trading Company has some great finds if you like a nautical look in your home.  Also, Jack Wills first ever shop was, and still is, in Salcombe along with lots of other boaty brands like Crew, Musto and Henry Lloyd.  The array of shops certainly kept myself, and my credit card, occupied for many hours, and was a great distraction from the rain! 

We also went on a few boat rides, which are a must in Salcombe to get you from place to place to avoid an extremely long-winded car journey.  I was completely surprised that my little westie Maggie loved the sea air and being on board - she is known as being a complete wimp, so you could imagine our surprise!

Dartmouth, Devon

Of course lots of eating was carried out...cream teas, hot chocolates and crab sandwiches.  When in Rome and all that! 

Take Away Chips and Thai Fish Cakes 

The Salcombe Sands Boutique Hotel has just had a refurb and is in the tranquil setting of South Sands, which is just a short boat trip to the buzz of Salcombe town.  It has a great restaurant and afternoon tea selection.  I highly recommend a visit and a sit on these fabulous Lloyd Loom chairs...and what a view from the restaurant!  When the sun shines you could easily feel like you are on the Cotes d'Azur. 

The Crabshell Inn, Kingsbridge, Devon. 


My favourite restaurant that we visited on my trip was The Crabshell Inn in Kingsbridge.  I fabulously relaxed quayside bar, come restaurant, with incredible views.  Unfortunately for us it was (of course) raining so we couldn't take advantage of the outdoor restaurant, but instead managed second best with a table by the window with amazing views over the water.  I was in a complete daydream with the idyllic setting, imagining living in the perfect water front house which was just in my line of sight.  It was a nautical themed white and blue cottage, and rather dreamily had a matching white and blue boat moored on the bank.  Bliss!  

View from the restaurant - the perfect water front house with nautical blue and white theme

Matching boats

Now, to the food!  The menu had a vast array of seafood dishes as you would expect, but also accommodated the non fish lovers too.  I opted for the mussels in a white wine sauce, which were divine, with crusty warm bread and of course an obligatory side order of very thin fries!   

Mussels at The Crabshell Inn

The interior is simple, wooden tables, minimal accessories, definitely beach shack chic!  The music was a fantastic mix, and really complemented the evening perfectly. 


I definitely recommend a visit if you are in the area.  


If you have any recommendations of things to see, places to go, restaurants to visit in the Salcombe area please let us know, as I'm sure I'll be going back soon for more south coast adventures.  

Let's Cook - Top 5 Cookery Books

So, I have a slight addiction.  One that even exceeds my Anya Hindmarch handbag collection.  Cookery books.  Yes, you heard it right, I cannot stop buying cookery books!  It stems from my mothers extensive collection of recipes that she has collected over the years and now I’m getting quite the collection myself.  Also, I have a partner in crime; the boyfriend is as bad as I am!  Admittedly we are both foodies, not in the snooty fine dining sense (even though we love to partake), but just in a food sense.  Good quality, tasty food!  Whether it is buffets, comfort food, a Sunday roast or a light salad, together we seem to have a book for every occasion.  

At the moment we are in the process of planning, in my opinion, the most exciting part of the house renovation – the kitchen.   So I am trying to find a home for our growing collection of cookery books, which are currently sprawled in boxes, here there and everywhere.  In unopened boxes at the house, at my parents home, and at the boyfriends pad in London.  

We are lucky enough to have a gorgeous Georgian marble fireplace in our kitchen, so I am thinking about converting the alcoves either side of the fireplace in to a dedicated cookery bookshop…we just require some shelves, a joiner and to retrieve all the books from their hiding places!

I long for the day for when I will have the time to cook from each and every recipe book, however until this day comes I will simply have to use my time at the weekends more wisely and begin to crack open the summer inspired books to create an al fresco feast or two. 

Here are Butterfly Lane’s top 5 cookery books from my collection…at the moment!

English Food by Jane Grigson

Invest in a classic

‘’A selection of traditional and modern recipes as well as informative, evocative discussion on the orgins of all kinds of British food.’’

This book can be classed as your cooking manual.  It covers all food and prefers quality to quantity, and the writing is just sublime.  Think soups, hot crossed buns, roast dinners, everything that is British and fabulous. 

Thai Food by David Thomas

The modern choice 

This book is the bible of all things Thai food.  With his extraordinary knowledge Thomas brilliantly captures the essentials of an entire cuisine.  Covering one of the most complex, wide ranging cuisines in the world.  Let your taste buds go in to over drive and invest in this book.

Bocca

The Restaurant Cookery Book

Bocca di Lupo is London’s premier, award winning Italian restaurant in the heart of Soho and the accompanying book by head chef Jacob Kenedy allows you to bring the experience in to your own kitchen.  Kenedy travelled the length and bredth of Italy over the course of a year, gathering his favourite recipes, many of them obscure and slightly bizarre but all absolutely delicious.  The chef declares, ‘’be warned – this is a cookbook with teeth’’.  The recipes are accompanied by a stories from his travels, which not only makes this book is a must read, the restaurant is a must visit too, and his recipes…well, you must recreate! 

Voluptuous Delights by Sophie Dahl

The obligatory celebrity cookbook

I fell in love with Sophie Dahl’s whimsically and poetic take on cooking during her BBC cookery series, and I equally love her book.  Full of enchanting stories and gorgeously indulgent recipes.  Divided in to the seasons, the book is clear and the recipes easy to recreate.  In fact a few of her recipes are in my ‘cook everyday’ repertoire, including her punchy tomato and red onion soup, a flavorsome shepherd’s pie and her orange victoria sponge recipe with homemade jam, which I use for every birthday cake I make.  Don’t be put off by the ‘model turned chef’ element of this book, the essence is amazing food by a genuine food lover. 

Complete Traditional Recipe Book by The National Trust

For the Aga Owners

Now that I rely on an Aga for all my culinary requirements, this book is great as every recipe is converted in an Aga format, which is very handy for an Aga novice like myself.  Jam packed with over 300 traditional British recipes:  Apple Crumbles, Bread and Butter Pudding, Lancashire Hot Pot, Bubble and Squeak,  oh my mouth is watering as I type!  Including sections on preserves, drinks and confectionary, along with a background knowledge on key dishes, this is a definite for your collection, even if you don’t have an Aga!

My Wish List: 

Modernist Cuisine:  The Art and Science of Cooking by Nathan Myhrvold (and team)

Wow, this collection of six books is definitely on my wish list.   It is virtually an encyclopedia of cooking with 1500 recipes of scientific, laboratory inspired creations.  The main pull of this book to me is the incredible photography.  Everything is photographed with a cross-section perspective, with incredible results.  However, with the £400 price tag these books are very expensive, maybe one to save for!

Amazing images from the book


If you have any cookery books that you cannot live without please get in touch and let Butterfly Lane know, as I always need an excuse to add to my collection! 

Happy cooking everyone…X 

Travel: J'aime Paris!

It’s true, I love Paris.  A city of beautiful architecture, gorgeous food and super chic people.  I will even put up with the obligatory Parisian pomp for a weekend in this fabulous city.  I have visited Paris more times than I can remember for both business and pleasure, and each stay I have had a wonderful time.  After every visit I return home to Blighty with a distinct desire to become more ‘French like’ both in my outlook on life, with my fashion choices (throw me a Hermes scarf and Chanel 2:55 pronto!), and also with my desire to only eat teeny tiny food potions and to stay away from carbs completely!  How Parisian women stay looking so svelte and fabulous whilst there is a Laduree on most corners is beyond me.  It must come down to self-discipline, which I am definitely lacking when it comes to cakes, macaroons and anything in between.  However this desire to become more ‘French like’ usually disappears as soon as I return on to our fair shores and dive in for a Chinese take away and Kitkat Chunky on my route back home.  However it is lovely to dream…

Paris is definitely a city in which I can wander around for hours, resting frequently for a Café au Lait whilst watching the stylish folks glide by.  Bliss.  Here are Butterfly Lane top picks for a fabulous break in the city of lights…

Where to stay?

Mama Shelter

I most recently stayed at the uber cool and modern Philip Starck hotel, Mama Shelter.  As you would expect from a Starck design, it is extremely quirky.  Batman masks as lamps, stylish artwork hanging on the wall and installation art hanging from the ceilings.  Along with the funky interior design it is high tech too.  With Apple Macs everywhere, even on the ceiling in the bathrooms showing silent black and white movies!   It was so refreshing to stay in such cool boutique hotel without any pretentiousness; the staff are so friendly and welcoming.

The bar and restaurant inside the hotel is one of the best in Paris, so be aware you must book in advance to secure a table.  People travel from all around the city to eat there.  The cocktails are divine (great bar snacks too!) and I would suggest ordering the well presented fish and chip….just amazing!  Although the whole menu is completely tempting.  There is a great outdoor terrace too to enjoy on summer nights...

Villa D’Estrees, St Germain

Now if it’s location that you’re after then this stunning boutique hotel is for you.   This chic hotel lies on a cute Parisian cobbled street, walk outside the front door; turn to your right to see the Seine, and turn to your left to walk in to the hussle of stylish St Germain.   With decadent Parisian interiors, dark furniture and gold gilted walls, this small hotel is a feast for the eyes. 

Tourist Spots:

I normally hate to stick to the usual tour guides and dislike heading to the obvious attractions (a trait that I have picked up from the boyfriend, he is a stickler for ‘going off the beaten track’ to say the least), but in Paris it is silly to miss out on anything.  Every corner you turn has a stunning building or piece of history, and I would have been devastated to miss out on my favourite two Parisian tourist hubs. 

The Eiffle Tower.  No matter how many times I see the Eiffel Tower it still send tingles down my spine, as it is such an iconic landmark.  It looks especially beautiful when twinkling with thousands of fairy lights in the evening.  So why not grab a bottle of Prosecco, find a spot on the gardens and watch the light show!  Just magical. 

Le Louvre, the home of Paris Fashion Week past and present, the Louvre is a spectacular sight, just stunning.  The glass pyramid that protrudes the courtyard may have Parisians divided, but I think it’s a wonderful contrast to the historic surroundings.  Remember to pop in to Le Café Marly, that overlooks the courtyard for brunch, it is particularly special.

The two afore mentioned tourists spots are unmissable but Butterfly Lane has to suggest the following touristy visits as well:

A walk down the Seine looking at the street art whilst eating baguettes

Ice cream at Isle de Cite

Shopping in Le Murat

All a must!  

Butterfly Lane’s favourite part of town: 

This might well be a obvious choice but I just love St Germain.  The cobbled streets, chic shops, Cafe Flore, need I go on?  In my 'fashion buyer' days this was the area where all the fashion houses head offices were, Herve Ledger, BCBG, Paul Smith, so this area has fashion running through it.  Head there for a stylish day out.

Shopping:

Flamant

Pop in to Flamant for some beautiful home accessories, their products are simple, chic, and without any fuss.  We love!

Le Cedre Rouge

We love this shop!  Full of amazing kitchen ware, dining sets, and decorative accessories, it screams French chic.  A real must when you are in the city.

Colette

For top-notch fashion you must pop in to Colette.  The price tags are high but it’s just lovely to walk around this stunning boutique and admire the creations.  From clothing to books, make-up and so much more, Colette is the premier shop for fashion design in Paris.  They are always looking to push the next best thing, it’s super hip and you can find some really unusual pieces.

Finish your busy day of shopping and sight seeing with some amazing food and cocktails…

Restaurants

Le Chateaubriand, 129 Avenue Parmentier

This restaurant was voted in the top ten in the world in 2011, so firstly, you must book in advance.  The boyfriend booked a table weeks in advance and we arrived excited to eat the famous 'deconstructed' cuisine.  Unfortunately, when we arrived there was a mix-up, something to do with a Mr Davies in New York and my very own Mr Davies, our table had gone!  I must say that the staff were amazing (they must have seen the disappointment slapped across our faces), so we sat in the buzzing bar next door and devoured a bottle of vin, until they could squeeze us in. 

It was so worth our wait, we opted for the tasting menu, nine courses of amazing food, along with a drink to match every course.  We were there a long time, and all-in-all it was fabulously decadent!  The self-taught Basque chef, Inaki Aizpitarte, runs the stylish restaurant with the adventurous menu.  The restaurant is all about the food, no fancy soft furnishings, wooden tables are all you're getting.  Along with amazing food and great service, that's what Le Chateaubriand is all about.  No pomp or ceremony on the menu!  I seriously recommend this restaurant and you might just be able to do a bit of celeb spotting too!

Pershing Hall

Pershing Hall is one of Paris’s hippest hotels, with a fashionable restaurant, full of fashionable diners. Stood swankily in the centre of the Golden Triangle, it makes powerful first impression. You enter through a dramatic colour-changing tunnel leading to a luxurious lobby dominated by an amazing floor-to-ceiling garden, which really makes this restaurant stand out. Eat simple gourmet dishes or in the afternoon the patio becomes a place for afternoon tea, coffee and decadent desserts. Come nightfall, the cosy bar buzzes with ubercoolness.  I suggest that after dinner; stretch your legs and wander down the street for cocktails at the Plaza, with the Eiffle Tower twinkling in the background.   What a night!

By Day

By Night 

If you have any Paris travel, food or shopping tips, let us know!  We always want to discover new things!

Bon Voyage…X 

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From Stockholm With Love...

Stockholm is fast becoming one of my favourite cities, not only for the seasonal perfect weather and clean air, the constant tread of beautiful people and the truly amazing food (more on the food later, but I must point out that fish for breakfast has not tickled my fancy since returning home surprisingly!).  However, I love Stockholm last but not least for their stand out homeware brands, and I don’t mean Ikea!  I have always been a fan of Swedish fashion design, Acne is right up there on my must-have list and other Scandinavian designers such as Malene Birger are my go to brand for any occasion, so here at Butterfly Lane we were not disappointed with what this city had to offer in the homeware design stakes either.

We visited the abundant homeware stores, and trawled around the large, and the small, of what the city offered and we found the selection at NK (the Swedes equivalent to our Harvey Nic’s) to be truly wonderful and vast.  My favourite discovery was the ceramic specialists Paradis Verkstan who make amazing vases, bowls and candle sticks in pretty and neutral colours.  The pumpkins and onions are my stand out choice; they would look amazing sat on a kitchen worktop or dresser.  

Images:  Paradis Verkstan 

After a hard day interior design shopping I cannot recommend the Sturebadet Spa enough.  It’s the cities luxury pool, gym and spa and was once the haunt of Greta Garbo and is still a favourite of the rich and famous today.  The pool and spa area is so luxurious and steeped in history; it’s a real treat.  

Image:  Sturebadet Spa Pool

Food is always in the forefront of my mind and Stockholm has so much choice, I could have easily had an eating tour of the city that lasted for months!  But here are Butterfly Lane’s two favourite restaurants that we tried and tested during our visit.  All the restaurants were so inspiring for their interior design concepts, I hope they inspire you too.

Restaurant B.A.R:   This cosmopolitan eatery was a buzz of energy.  The brain child of the two award-winning chefs and gastronomic visionars Henrik Norstrom and Peter Johansson, their philosophy is simple:  the closer the producer, the fresher the produce.  The fresher the produce, the better the taste experience.  I particularly liked how they have a fish market within the restaurant, so you choose your fish, chat to one of the chefs about how you want it cooked and five minutes later it arrives at yor table.  Amazing!

Matthias Dalgren at The Grand Hotel:  Ok, so this was a real treat, voted one of the top restaurants in the world, located in the stunning Grand Hotel, the restaurant is split in to informal and formal dining.  All I need to say is that the food was incredible and the service was perfect, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.  Even though it has been awarded two Michelin stars it lacked the portentousness and stuffiness that I hate, please go if you’re in the city!  I would also recommend finishing the evening with cocktails at the hotels Cadier Bar, it’s old school decadence at its best.

The café culture in Stockholm is brilliant and the cakes are to die for!  Here is an image of the mouth wateringly gorgeous selection I tried to resist, but failed miserably every day!  It’s a very good job that Stockholm is a great walking city, as I needed to burn off the extra million calories I devoured during my trip!

Image:  Design Sponge

I suggest walking around the Djurgarden Canal at Gardet, it is so beautiful and peaceful and has a wonderful restaurant Villa Kallhagen on the water’s edge (here I am talking about food again!), with stunning water views, open fires in the winter, a stylishly neutral interior (very Butterfly Lane) and an incredible Swedish buffet, what more would you want?  This is really family friendly, laid back and well worth a visit. 

I loved the Swedish cake selection so much that I bought a wonderfully traditional Swedish baking book at the airport on my way home to bring some Swedish cuisine in to my own kitchen.  It’s aptly titled Swedish Cakes and Cookies by Sju Sorters Kakor and has some amazing, indulgent recipes.  My favourite and fool proof recipe is for the divine and traditional Appelkaka (Apple Cake).  The book is available on Amazon for £8.00 and I highly recommend it for some Scandinavian treats!  X