Best Restaurants for Late-night Dining in London

Published on Europe Up Close on 24th July 2015:

Balans Cafe by Qin Xie

New York might be the city that never sleeps, but London follows pretty close behind. At least that’s true when it comes to its late night dining options. Now you can enjoy a meal at some of the best restaurants in London… 24 hours a day! This wasn’t always the case, of course. Historically, if you were hungry after a night out, you’d have to rely on private member’s casinos, kebab vans or hotel restaurants. Thanks to the 24 hour licensing laws which came into effect in 2003, allowing alcohol to be served around the clock, many bars have extended their opening hours.The result? The increase in hungry revelers has led to a growth in late night dining options. Here’s my picks for the best restaurants for late night dining in London.

Read more at Europe Up Close

Latest London lunch: Prison food

Published on CNN on 28th February 2014:

Your phone’s confiscated.

Your fingerprints are taken.

You’re going to prison.

But don’t worry, it’s just for lunch.

The Clink Charity opened its third restaurant this week inside Brixton Prison in south London.

The meals are cooked and served by actual prisoners at restaurants located inside prison walls as part of a training and qualification program to help them prepare for life on the outside.

Read more at CNN

London’s dash to ‘toilet restaurants’

Published on CNN on 15th April 2013:

Also published on CNN Espanol on 24th April 2013

When the first toilet-themed restaurant, Modern Toilet, opened in Taipei in 2004, public reaction was mixed.

Was it weird, funny or just plain unsavory?

Whatever the answer, the concept’s popularity quickly became obvious — the chain now has successful franchises across Asia.

London, however, has put a new spin on the business.

Read more at CNN

Ten facts about Bo London

Published on Life in Luxury on 10th February 2013:

  1. Bo London is the first restaurant outside of Hong Kong for Alvin Leung, the chef/patron of the two Michelin starred Bo Innovation.
  2. The Mill Street site, based in the heart of Mayfair, reportedly costed Leung £1m to lease and fit.
  3. Wood reclaimed from renovations of the Bo London site has been fitted to one of the two semi-private dining rooms. The wood is protected behind glass made to the same shade as Leung’s glasses.
  4. Instead of an image of Alvin Leung, like outside Bo Innovation, Bo London has one of Leung’s hand holding his custom made knife.
  5. There are two kitchens. A classic Western-style one, including a pastry section, and a Chinese one with woks and steamers.
  6. There are two views into the kitchens – from the pass upstairs or the viewing window at the pastry section downstairs.
  7. For lunch, there is a selection of dim sums as well as the newly introduced ten course “Chefs” tasting menu. For dinner, there is only the 12-course “Ode to Great Britain” (comprised mostly of reinterpretations of British food) or the 14-course “Chefs” tasting menu (includes select dishes from Bo Innovation).
  8. The most famous dish on/off the menu is “sex on the beach”, Leung’s creation to raise money for AIDS charities.
  9. Abby’s sauce is made according to a recipe created by Leung’s wife.
  10. Those interested in trying the Chinese spirit baijiu will find a premium selection of three at the bar. As well as of course in the dessert by the same name.

La Mancha, Putney

Published in Scout London Magazine October 12-21 2012 Issue number 12:

La Mancha, Putney, Scout London

Running for some 20 years in Putney, this locals’ favourite has had a menu overhaul of late. There are now more than 50 tapas dishes on the menu, plus mains, sides and desserts. And if you thought tapas were small plates then think again. Here, the portions are generous enough to share happily – five dishes are recommended for two people. As a strangely large amount of the food is fried, things can get a little greasy, especially when it comes out faster than you can make room for it. But that’s nothing a cold sherry, icy Spanish beer or a frozen daiquiri can’t fix. A drip-feed of Jamon Serrano with pan al ajillo (that’s garlic bread for those of you whose grip on Spanish is less than basic) will keep you chatting for hours over those cool drinks, and you’ll probably feel like a siesta afterwards. Go on, take it easy – there’s always mañana.