THEGAYUK

Author: Tim Baros

  • Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Fest begins!

    Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Fest begins!

    Fringe! returns for its eighth year with a diverse, provocative and outrightly political programme of film screenings alongside workshops, panels and parties, transforming venues across East London over six days.

    Founded in 2011 as a community-led response to cuts to arts funding and the detrimental impact on LGBT+ art and cultural production, the festival is committed to celebrating the best in queer filmmaking, from the DIY to the high budget. Fringe! remains entirely volunteer-run and not-for-profit, whilst having become a landmark cultural event in London’s queer calendar.

    Highlights:

    Fringe! 2018 opens with powerful and effervescent documentary When the Beat Drops, which charts the development of ‘bucking’, an energetic and competitive form of dance, through the ambitions of a group of black gay men in Atlanta.

    In what can sometimes feel like dark political times, Fringe! burns bright with a focus on activism in film. Criminal Queers is an astute comedy, taking aim at the prison industrial complex in the USA with a tongue in cheek charm, complete with cameos from prison activists Angela Davis and CeCe McDonald. In Obscuro Barroco, we meet an icon of Brazil’s queer subculture, Luana Muniz, who guides us through a contrasting world of protest and beauty.

    A decidedly literary theme runs throughout this year’s programme. Closing night film Wild Nights with Emily offers a comic reimagining of Emily Dickinson’s rumoured sapphic encounters, with Molly Shannon playing the famously reclusive poet and cameos from the likes of Genevieve Turner. The UK Premiere of The Rest I Make Up revisits the life of Maria Irene Fornes, arguably one of the most influential and yet least known playwrights of the 20th century as well as being Susan Sontag’s lover.

    In a new partnership, Fringe! has worked with Hackney based LGBT+ youth support group, Project Indigo, to curate a free shorts programme which will be screened at festival hub, Hackney House. Over the course of four months, a group of 13 to 25-year-olds worked collaboratively with Fringe! to create a selection of eleven shorts from over 400 submissions.

    Other highlights include a screening of 1978’s The Wiz which takes the festival’s regular late-night singalong slot celebrating campy classics from the cinematic past. This often overlooked cult gem is at turns mesmerising and downright strange, offering a magical urban reimagining of the 1900 children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. With a notably entirely African-American cast, The Wiz stars Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and Richard Pryor among others, and is screened in partnership with BlackOut UK .

    As ever, Fringe! boasts a broad array of free events from zinemaking workshops to performance nights, live podcasts (including from female-focused film podcast Broad Appeal ) and queer pottery! All this in addition to eleven free short-film programmes ranging from the experimental to the sexy, and more! 

    For more information and schedule, please click here;
  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Tom, Dick and Harry’s, Loughton

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Tom, Dick and Harry’s, Loughton

    ★★★★ | Tom, Dick & Harry’s, Loughton

    Tom, Dick & Harry’s are not people you work with, or people you went to school with or who met at the local pub last year. Tom, Dick & Harry’s are actually the names of the three escape tunnels in The Great Escape. It’s also the name of a restaurant and bar located in Loughton.

    With perhaps the nicest staff this side of Mile End, Tom, Dick & Harry’s (TD&H) is perhaps the place to be, and be seen, in and around the Loughton area. Just a few minutes walk from the Central Line, it’s also perfect for those who want to get out of London to try a new dining experience in an area where you’ve not yet been to. Granted, there is not a whole lot to do in Loughton, but visiting TD&H is definitely worth a visit.

    A beautifully designed restaurant, intimate and cosy while at the same time with a metropolitan feel, TD&H offers an all-day destination dining experience. And the food is cooked and prepared by real professionals, people with a passion for food, and served by people who have a passion for their customers, who want their customers to enjoy their experience.

    On the Sunday when we paid a visit, we were told by the chef that the menu changes daily, depending on what they can source from the local butcher or whatever is freshest and available each day. We were lucky to have on the menu the Sunday Roast club menu – for this is what my friend ordered. Roast Rump of beef (Angus crossbreed) was served with, of course, a Yorkshire pudding, horseradish, gravy, with the three C’s (cabbage, carrots and cauliflower), with huge potatoes – and it was a nice size portion. My friend absolutely loved it. While he enjoyed the meat dish, I had fish, which I hardly ever order – The Grilled Tuna Steak was very good. Perfectly cooked and sized, with spring onions, almonds, and greens – the Tuna was delectable, but it was the unusual, and extremely delicious tomato and pepper paste that won my taste buds over – wow! The entire dish was a perfect combination of everything, and with my side order of large potatoes, it was a perfect meal.

    The starters, or as TD&H call them Nibbleinis, where there were quite a few choices, but we settled for three of them. My spicy chorizo, tomato and chickpea stew, was, as expected, good, but not very hot. My friend had the Fried crisp Cornish squid with togarashi pepper with lime, and on the side was a strange looking small bowl of squid ink in mayo (and sesame, lime and fish sauce), which was an average portion. Warning, the squid ink isn’t to everyone’s liking! We also sampled the nice Burrata (glob of cheese), salsa verde, with pine nuts, it was a bit heavy, but the pine nuts made it stand out. All the above were high priced at £8 each. TD&H also cater to larger parties where the price of carvery will vary according to size.

    The dessert selection was all about creams, chocolates, and dairy dairy dairy. I had the Vanilla cream pears and blackberries dish, but the cream was too much – I wish there had been more berries and pears.  However, the dark chocolate mousse, candied peanuts, with ice cream was very tasty. Both desserts were £7 each.

    Have a read through their Signature cocktails menu. Specifically designed for the restaurant by its manager and drink connoisseur Gabriele, he has assigned names to various drinks. We had the Tom Hardy – “I liked you better when you were drunk” – which almost perfectly matched the actor’s personality. It was unexpectedly sweet what with vodka, grapefruit lemon, basil and brown sugar – muddled & stirred (£12). The Sex Bomb (Tom Jones) was just superb, with honey, honey cognac, lemon, and champagne, served in a wine glass (£14) – refreshing and went just right with the meal.

    Wine must be taken with the meal, and TD&H have an amazing, but not quite overwhelming, wine list which includes whites, reds, champagnes and an amazing selection of Roses – wine that goes practically with every meal.

    The early Sunday evening we were there the restaurant remained jam-packed, with a lively piano player off to the side playing very nice mellow tunes.

    Everyone at every table looked happy – probably because the food and ambience were so good (even the man celebrating his 50th birthday party in the back looked happy!). But also credit to the staff, they were very attentive, took their time, were patient when asked questions, were always smiling, and were even concerned when the table next to us left more than half their food on their plate. It’s the kind of service that’s hard to find in other restaurants. Perhaps being in Loughton the staff are not as rushed and cold as most staff in restaurants in London are? Who knows. But TD&H may not particularly attract a London crowd, but it’s perfect and just right for the people of Loughton and it’s surrounding areas.

    https://tomdickandharrys.co.uk
    Open Saturday from 10:00 to 00:30
    Open Sunday from 12:00 to 22:00
    Book online or call 0203 327 3333 for reservations
    153 High Road
    Loughton
    IG10 4LF
    T. 0203 327 3333

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Old Compton Brasserie, Soho, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Old Compton Brasserie, Soho, London

    ★★★★★ | Old Compton Brasserie, Soho, London

    Old Compton Brasserie, in Soho, is in a space that’s been a bit of bad luck for previous tenants. Leon, the healthy food chain, lasted only a couple of years. Next it was Muriel’s Kitchen, which was a light and lively mama’s style restaurant with comfort food – but at high prices, perhaps this is why it didn’t last. But Old Compton Brasserie will more than succeed. Why? Because it’s fabulous!

    Old Compton Street is one of the few streets in London that is constantly busy. With its plethora of bars, restaurants, shops, and a few adult retail businesses, it’s never been a place where it’s hard to find somewhere to eat.
    Old Compton Brasserie is the new kid in town, sandwiched between two Balan’s Restaurants, and right next door to Cafe Nero, where the same people linger every single night for want of nowhere else to go. Old Comptons Brasserie is the place to go, designed to a high standard, and the minute you walk in you will feel, see, and hear the excellent vibe that emits, not just from the front bar, but also from the back where people are happily eating and socializing in an environment that is cool, hip and fun.
    But, you might ask, how is the food? It’s actually fantastic! From the starters to the mains and the desserts, everything was almost perfect the night me and a friend went. It was at 8:00 pm on a Thursday night and the place was jam-packed! Every table was taken, and every customer in the place was happy happy happy. And after eating the food, we understood why.
    The Kedgeree Scotch Eggs were just to die for. It was a Scotch egg in a beautifully-breaded crust (with peas mixed in) where every bite was just delicious (and at only £5.50 – an excellent deal). This dish was recommended to us by the lovely Samantha our waitress and she was right on – we loved it. The Tempura Prawn Taco was also very good, and it was served on top of a tortilla and included shreds of carrots, celery, onion with vinegar and mayonnaise slathered over, and for £8.50 it’s a big starter. My main was the Pressed Pork Belly – a perfectly cooked long strip of pork served over colcannon mash, with a dollop of applesauce on the side. The pork was – cooked medium well, along with the mash – was on top of a sea of gravy, and every bite was delectable – it was just superb – and at a superb price of £14.00. Fabulous! My friend decided to have the Steak Frites – by far the most expensive dish on the menu (£28). We tried to figure out why it was so expensive. Could it be because the quality of the 10-ounce steak was brilliant? Or because of the huge amount of chunky chips (not frites) or the delicious bearnaise sauce? Who knows why it cost so much but my friend enjoyed every bite! We also ordered sides which were really not necessary but it was more so that we could taste more items on the menu (surely you don’t blame us)! The Roasted Field Mushrooms and the Heritage Tomato Salad were both just about perfect – with the mushrooms perfectly cooked, and the salad topped with onions and chives in a delectable creamy dressing.
    How could Old Compton Brasserie get any better? Well, the desserts we ordered were delectable and delicious. My five star Strawberry Trifle was a winner – a massive glass dish with strawberries, crushed nuts, toasted walnuts and of course the trifle layered beautifully inside – it was divine. My friend had the Lemon Posset – a pudding-esque lemon dish that he enjoyed, but it was my trifle that was the winner.
    Old Compton Brasserie cleverly offers a ‘Faces of Soho’ cocktail menu where cocktails are named after people who were/are known to be ‘denizens of Soho’. Paul Raymond, Soho Pam, Francis Bacon and Ronnie Scott, among others, have drinks named after them. My friend had the Ruby Venezuela – which was berry vodka, rhubarb & apple Juice, rhubarb tea and prosecco Le Dolci Colline, with a swig of candy floss attached to the side. It was quite subtle, unlike the drag queen, it’s named after. There is also the Regina Fong, which is served in a disco ball – one that I will have to try on my next visit. Most of these drinks are £10 and under. I had an espresso martini. At £10, the glass was a bit small, but it was refreshing and perfect.
    The establishment recommends wine with the main courses, and ours, selected by the wine waiter, went very well with our meals. The Red Le Petit Syrah (from Spain) was light and woody, while the Pinor Noir went well with the steak.
    Old Compton Brasserie has food for everyone, from plant-based mains to fish and seafood to hamburgers and sandwiches and salads – all at very affordable prices, with a wine list that any restaurant in Soho would envy.
    When we finished our meal after 10:30 pm, the place was still rocking and very buzzy, with more people coming in (the after-theatre crowd). It looks like Old Compton Brasserie is here to stay –  an excellent restaurant that’s in a perfect spot for a perfect night out. 
    34-36 Old Compton Street, Soho, London, W1D 4TT  
    Tel: 020 7434 2214 
     
    Monday: 12pm – 11.30pm
    Tuesday: 12pm – 11.30pm
    Wednesday: 12pm – 11.30pm
    Thursday: 12pm – 1am
    Friday: 12pm – 1am
    Saturday: 10am – 1am
    Sunday: 10am – 11.30pm
     
    Email: bookings@oldcomptonbrasserie.co.uk

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Company, Gielgud Theatre, London

    ★★★★☆ | Company

    The stage legend that is Patti Lupone is gracing London’s West End with her presence in a new revival of Stephen Sondheim‘s Company.

    Lupone is not just a star, she is a STAR, having played Evita in the first New York City production in 1979 (Elaine Paige was the first Evita in London’s West End in 1978).

    In Company, Lupone is not actually the star and lead of the show, but every time she is on stage the audience seems to gasp and hold their breath.

    But Company is not at all about her character (an older wiser woman who doles out advice), it’s about Bonnie (played by Rosalie Craig, recently seen in the mega-critically acclaimed The Ferryman), who seems to live in a world full of couples (and of course in this modern society one of the couples is gay). All of her friends are in a relationship, but it’s her, who at her surprise birthday party (which is not really a surprise as someone tells her about it) at the tender age of 35), that she realises that she is single and alone in a couples world.

    Originally a musical about a single man (Robert), showcasing a single strong professional woman is just the message that is needed right now in this #metoo time.

    While Bonnie trots along, there are clever sets (by Bunny Christie) that float in and out of the stage like picture frames. And a scene-stealing moment takes place when, right before his gay wedding, Jamie (a superb Jonathan Bailey – give him his own show NOW), starts to hyperventilate and talk 100 miles a minute as to whether he will go through his wedding – it’s a brilliant turn.

    But the show stealer is none other than Patti Lupone; when she sings the classic ‘The Ladies Who Lunch’ you just want to lick your lips and savour each second. Sitting on a cocktail chair, she sings absolutely delicious, and when she says “I’ll drink to that,” you just want to melt. For me, her song is the most memorable part of the show, and it is an absolute gem.

    Marianne Elliott’s production of this 1970 show is as modern and up to date as possible, but please, more more more Lupone next. Here’s to the lady who steals the show!

    Company plays at the Gielgud Theatre until March 2019, Book tickets now (with no fees)

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Inheritance, Noël Coward Theatre, London

    ★★★★☆ | The Inheritance

    (C) MARK BRENNER

    Following a sold out and critically acclaimed run at the Young Vic theatre earlier this year, The Inheritance is back in a bigger venue with it’s still very long running time but with a cast who act their trousers off – literally.

    The Inheritance, to sum up its 6 hour and 45 minutes two-parter running time, is the story of a group of young gay men living in present-day New York City – a generation after the peak of the AIDS plague.

    These young men don’t really know what the previous generation before them went through; the suffering, the denials, the losses oh boy the losses. Seeing grown men withering away to nothing – one day at the gym and the next month dead, or disappeared and never to be seen again. Men, who were in their prime, who should’ve been living life to the fullest, all dying rapidly. The survivors buried and mourned, but mourning was a short-term process as it was time again to take care of someone else who was dying, and the cycle repeated itself. Yes, this was the reality of living as a gay man in New York City in the 1980s and early 1990s. The Inheritance overlays the gay generation of today with the gay generation of that time and weaves its story via a main central character.

    An amazing Kyle Soller (where did they find him?) is Eric Glass, happily living with his boyfriend of seven years Toby (Andrew Burnap) in a rent-controlled apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Also living in the same building is the older, and wiser Walter (Paul Hilton), who lives upstairs with his very rich but never home long-term partner Henry Wilcox (John Benjamin Hickey). Toby is a playwright who is in the middle of writing a play. One day he accidentally picks up the wrong bag at a bookstore and heads home, but is followed by the young and attractive Adam (Samuel H. Levine), the bag’s owner. After they exchange bags, Adam tells Toby that he is an actor – coincidentally. While Toby’s new script gets more and more attention (as does his new-found friendship with Adam), Eric is enjoying the time that he spends with Walter. Eric learns a lot from him, but also, and most important, is that Walter fondly, and longingly, reminisces about his house in upstate New York, a home that is very special to him and which turns out to be very special to others, which we learn more about at the very end of the first half.

    Fast forward and it is Adam who gets to play the lead role, and becomes a star, in Toby’s new play, while Eric and Toby’s relationship becomes fragile and doesn’t last; and surprisingly, after Walters passing, Eric follows his heart and marries Henry after very brief courtship that did not include sex. But Henry’s two sons strongly don’t want Eric to get any of Walter’s possessions, including the house which Walter actually bequeathed to Eric.

    The Inheritance author Matthew Lopez takes E.M. Forster’s gay novel Howard’s End and somehow blends it into this tale of gay men, a tale that, well, most gay men can relate to, whether young or old. Lopez uses a character by the name of Morgan (Hilton) – substituting him for Forster, to help with the narrative of the play. Was this really necessary? Personally, I don’t think so. The characters, all of whom when not on the raised center stage platform hang around on the edge, don’t really need this unnecessary plot device to help the story along. I wanted them just to get on with it. At times Morgan walks into the story to help it along, but I don’t think this works.

    The story of The Inheritance is strong enough (the meaning of The Inheritance is the passing of HIV from one man to another), and without the narrative 30 minutes could’ve been shaved 30 off. It’s an extremely powerful story, more powerful to some of us who actually lived in big cities in the 1980s and early 1990s and whom were affected, effected and infected by HIV and AIDS. But I actually dreaded (and looked forward to at the same time) spending a whole day at the theatre – it’s quite a long show to get through, and I could tell the friend I had invited to join me in this perhaps once in a lifetime experience didn’t want to stay for the last third of the second part (yes, there are three parts in part 1 and part 2). But the third part in part 3 pays dividends – the legend that is Vanessa Redgrave comes out in a powerful scene to help wrap up the story in an emotional, and very strong, performance.

    And this is what The Inheritance gives us – direction with ease and conviction by Stephen Daldry, very strong performances, an emotional and unforgettable experience, and a perhaps an all too real story. And would I recommend it? Yes, I would – both parts.

    The Inheritance is playing at the NOËL COWARD THEATRE until  January 19, 2019. Book Now.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | 42nd Street, Theatre Royal Drury Lane

    ★★★★★ | 42nd Street –Theatre Royal Drury Lane

    Seventeen months ago 42nd Street opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to rave reviews. And it’s still going strong – with a new lead!

    Bonnie Langford ably takes the lead (Dorothy Brock) previously held by Sheena Easton, Lulu and Steph Parry in the role as Dorothy Brock – a semi-ageing theatre star who, due to an injury (intentional or otherwise), is unable to go on with the show. So in comes Peggy Sawyer (a still amazing and wonderful Clare Halse, who is, lucky for us, still in this show) – straight off the bus from a small town and looking for a break, and she gets it! Unfortunately, it’s at Brock’s expense.

    Sawyer gets a job as a backup dancer in a show called Pretty Lady, and the Pretty Lady in the title is Brock. But Brock breaks her ankle, so after getting fired for causing Brock to break her leg, Sawyer is roped back into the show, this time as it’s lead, and she’s only got 48 hours to learn the part, to learn the dance moves, and is wooed and coddled by director Julian Marsh (Tom Lister – still in the role). But it’s Billy (Ashley Day) who really takes a liking to her. Will she be ready and rehearsed in time to open the show? Will the nerves get the best of her? I’m sure we can all figure out how it plays out – and plays out it does, much to our delight!

    But the storyline pretty much takes a back seat to the musical numbers. Songs such as ‘I Only Have Eyes for you,’ ‘Lullaby of Broadway’ and ‘We’re in the Money’ still have that wonderful toe-tapping feeling. And the sets are superb as well. Act 1 moves us from the stage of the 42nd Street theatre to The Gypsy Tea Kettle Restaurant and then on to Philadelphia, while Act 2 takes us from the dressing rooms to a Philadelphia train station – all realistically cleverly designed. And those dance numbers – wow! There is one amazing scene where a dozen or so female dancers are on the floor while a mirror hovers above them for the audience to see – it’s breathtaking! This cast is definitely the hardest working cast in town – from the opening number where they tap themselves to death to the finale where they all come down the amazing light-up stairs – it’s one singing sensation after another. Halse is superb (with an excellent voice) as the lead, Langford does a good job as Brock, and the rest of the cast is just as good. But it’s Halse, of course, who is the real star of this show, and of the show within the show. And Maggie Jones and Christopher Howell excel in their supporting roles.

    42nd Street is still a must show to see.

    42nd Street is playing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London and is booking until January 5, 2019.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Only Fools The (cushty) Dining Experience, Touring the UK

    The gang is all here in this new interactive show: Rodney Trotter, his older brother market trader Derek ‘Del Boy’ Trotter, the elderly and senile granddad, Trigger, and Cassandra. And if you don’t recognize these names, then perhaps this show is not the show for you!

    It’s the Only Fools The (cushty) Dining Experience. And just like the Faulty Towers Dining Experience, you get to spend a meal with a lively, and at times loud, and did I mention lively, group of characters from a highly popular British sitcom that’s still enduring to this day. Only Fools & Horses characters come to life right in front of you the minute you enter their sanctum – the Radisson Blu Edwardian Grafton Hotel – the London venue. A market stall, and a cash bar, are the first signs that you are no longer where you thought you were, you have now entered Peckham and the environs of our popular characters. After 15 minutes of ‘getting to know them’ (though if you don’t know them then hopefully you would have brought someone who can explain to you who they are), you are ushered into ‘The Nag’s Head’ where an episode of the show practically unravels right in front of your very eyes.

    And in between all of the cast’s shenanigans, a nice three-course meal is served, including Tomato Soup, a nice and tasty Chicken Kiev with chips, and an Eton Mess for dessert, but the mess starts way before the food is served. In true Only Fools & Horses fashion, it’s Del-Boy who leads the cast, guiding his younger brother through decisions that need to be made. The ‘audience’ is made to be a part of the show by taking part in a ‘quiz’ at The Nag’s Head, with points being given by answering various questions, but my advice is to not volunteer for anything! It’s all good fun at this two-hour show where the actors really make you feel that they are the characters! On the night we saw it, Nick Moon made Del Boy come to life, as did Joshua Plummer who is the spitting image of Rodney. Clare Buckingham and Daniel Hope rounded out the actors.

    For more information on the show, and it’s locations, please go to: http://www.interactivetheatre.com.au/onlyfools/index.html

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Richard Carpenter is Close To You, Touring the UK

    ★★★☆☆ | Richard Carpenter is Close To You

    Don’t expect to hear any Carpenters’ songs at the show misleadingly titled Richard Carpenter is Close To You.

    Why? Because this show does not have the rights to perform any of the Carpenters’ songs. Performer and writer Matthew Floyd does his best to not play more than six words of any of their songs otherwise he could be sued. And there is a disclaimer for this show: The affectionate but unsparing parody is not endorsed by the real Richard Carpenter.

    So what are we left with? A musical show that somewhat makes fun of Richard Carpenter, mocking him as the second fiddle to ‘the voice’ that was his sister’s – Karen Carpenter – for it was she, not Richard, who was the face, and of course the voice, of The Carpenters – the biggest selling American group in the 1970s (American groups versus other Non-American groups as Floyd states in the show).

    But poor poor bitter Richard. After the death of his sister 35 years ago (has it been that long already?), Richard is left to look for work in any way shape or form he can. He has an agent who pays him no mind, though she books him on the QVC channel where pushes his new remaster of last month’s remastered Carpenters Greatest Hits. He’s also trying to push his own new album but no one is having it and/or buying it.

    Richard used to be on top of the world (with his sister), though now he’s back at the keys of his piano and his sister’s legacy is still looming as large as ever. What will become of Richard? Will he be relegated to the not-so-famous group of famous siblings in heaven – such as Solange Knowles and Serena Williams? Go see Richard Carpenter is Close To You and find out! Every sha la la la la la la la la……..

    RBM COMEDY PRESENTS RICHARD CARPENTER IS CLOSE TO YOU UK TOUR 2018 DATES / INFO:<

    LONDON / 11-12 OCT
    HARROGATE / 19 OCT
    NORWICH / 27 OCT
    GRAVESEND / 1 NOV
    LYME REGIS / 2 NOV
    HEDGE END / 3 NOV
    EXETER / 4 NOV
    CARLISLE / 8 NOV
    SALE / 9 NOV
    GUILDFORD / 15 NOV
    READING / 16 NOV
    BANBURY / 17 NOV
    CAMBRIDGE / 23 NOV
    HUDDERSFIELD / 24 NOV
    SHEFFIELD / 25 NOV
    FAREHAM / 28 NOV
    BRIGHTON / 29 NOV
    MILTON KEYNES / 7 DEC
    BARTON ON HUMBER / 8 DEC
    Please click here for more information and to purchase tickets:
  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Jones Family Kitchen, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Jones Family Kitchen, London

    ★★★★ | The Jones Family Kitchen, London

    The best Sunday Roast deal in Central London, and perhaps in all of London, can be found at The Jones Family Kitchen and The Jones Family Project. But first things first.

    The Jones Family is two separate restaurants. The Project is in Shoreditch and The Kitchen is in Belgravia. The roast is luckily served in both places.

    For a mere £18.00 for two courses, or £25 for three courses – the offer is amazing. For your money you get a schooner of beer or a glass of house wine, a choice of starter (Soup, Smoked Salmon or Whipped Goats’ Cheese), the choice of Roast (Chicken, and of course Beef, or the vegetarian option of Nut Roast), and the dessert options of Gelato & Sorbet, Anna’s Brownie, or Amalfi Lemon Tart.

    A friend from NYC and I drifted in for a late Sunday lunch (3:00 p.m.) at the Kitchen (Victoria) in the recently renovated historic and hidden enclave that is the Eccleston Yards, a short walk to Victoria Station and an even shorter walk to the bus station. Luckily the location in the yards makes the bus station and the throngs of rolling suitcase tourists seem far away. We were greeted by the fabulous Olivia, who remembered me from my visit to The Project (Shoreditch – remember?) a few weeks before. She showed us to our elegant table in the back section of the restaurant which can only be described as industrial meets contemporary. With floor to ceiling windows overlooking the yards, there is plenty of light and character in the place.

    Now to the food. My starter of choice, the soup, turned out to be pumpkin – I really love pumpkin in any shape or form. And their pumpkin soup, very seasonal, was just divine. Thick but not too much, a bit puree-ey, served in an earth tone bowl, and just about perfect! My friend went for the Salmon starter – which came with pickles and sourdough, served on a bed of rocket lettuce and accompanied with tomatoes and peppers – nothing to rave about but good enough. However, when we saw, and tasted, the Roast – boy were we raving.

    Talk about an abundance of food. The portion was enormous! The Yorkshire pudding just about took half the plate (see photo), and it was warm and baked to absolute perfection. And the beef was superb. I asked for mine well done – and it was! Topped with a luscious BBQ sauce (and smelling delicious), the dish included roast potatoes, honey roast parsnips and carrots, greens, cabbage, broccolini, and some mash – we both thought Thanksgiving had arrived early at our table as these types of portions are served at Thanksgiving dinners. Needless to say, my friend could not finish his though I am happy to report I ate everything on my plate, and it was absolutely delicious.

    Dessert really had to be done, and I was very satisfied with my choice of the Amalfi Lemon Tart with créme fraiche. Small, yet deliciously sweet, and I enjoyed it. My lunch companion was semi-happy with his Anna’s Brownie. Nice tasting sorbet and the chunks of brownie were good but the bed of rice pudding had no taste and was not really necessary. He did, however, have an amazing Bloody Mary (for an extra £8), while I thought their coffee was just right. Mimosa’s are also £8 extra, or perhaps an Aperol Spritz (£7.50) or a Lost Negroni (£10). I had decided to have the Sangria Sunshine, which was white, and included Soave, orange and peach, and was just so refreshing, and my friend also had to have one! It was actually hard to choose a cocktail as there were so so many choices on the menu.

    Everything was just about perfect about our lunch, except for the service. It started out very very good, but since we had arrived at the near end of the Sunday lunchtime, as the time went on we noticed most of the wait staff tucking into their own Sunday Roast in the corner, which left one girl on the floor to wait on the quite a few tables finishing their meals.

    Needless to say, our dessert took quite some time to be delivered, while a table of 8 which sat down after us received their dessert much much quicker. But this is a minor quibble to a restaurant that’s got pretty much everything going for it; location (either Belgravia or Shoreditch), great value, and excellent food. Thumbs up to the Jones Family – think they will adopt me?

     

    The Jones Family Kitchen:

    RESTAURANT

    Monday– Saturday
    Noon – midnight
    Serving lunch: noon – 4.00pm
    Serving our pre-theatre menu: 5.00pm – 6.15pm
    Serving dinner: 6.00pm – 10.30pm
    Sunday
    Noon – 8.00pm
    Serving roasts and other dishes: noon – 6.00pm
    BAR

    Monday – Saturday
    11.00am – midnight
    Serving brunch & lunch: 11.00am – 4.00pm
    evening & bar snacks: 5.00pm – 10.30pm
    Sunday
    11 am – 8 pm
    Serving roasts and other dishes: noon – 6.00pm

     

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Wellbourne Brasserie, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Wellbourne Brasserie, London

    ★★★★★ | Wellbourne Brasserie, London

    There’s a hidden gem of a restaurant right at the doorstep of the old BBC studios in Shepherd’s Bush that’s still a bit undiscovered but well worth the effort to seek out.

    The restaurant is Wellbourne Brasserie, and the food is really really delicious, and very very unique. One look at the menu and you will understand why; you’ll know you’re in for something very different and very satisfying.

    Wellbourne Brasserie is steps away from the White City tube stop of the Central Line, which is also steps away from the western end of Westfield Shopping mall and the new John Lewis megastore. The trendy new Soho House is right down the street, as is the new buzzy Bluebird Cafe. But I recommend you continue walking up Wood Lane, past White City tube station, where you’ll see a small park and just beyond that park is Wellbourne Brasserie in a building complex called Westworks that still houses some BBC offices. There are some other cafes in this complex (Feast is one of them), as well as a Starbucks across the way, but it’s Wellbourne Brasserie that will want to be your destination.

    It’s well worth the visit for the food. I want to go back to re-experience eating the Vol-au-vents. They are small stuffed puff pastries, and for the bargain price of 3 for £6, you can have one each which include broad beans, ewe’s cheese & mint, salt cod brandade, and pulled lamb shoulder with violet mustard. They’re so unlike anything you’ve ever tasted; cooked with care and eaten with love – highly recommended. Me and my dining companion, in between sips of glasses of their refreshing Aperol Spritz (£6), asked each other ‘how can they top this?” Well, they did. The mussels, 15 for a mere £8, were served in a big bowl with two large pieces of sourdough toasted bread with vinaigrette dressing, were a mussels lovers dream. Also very good was the Lyonnaise Salade which came with a hen’s egg, bacon, and a divine dijon mustard vinaigrette – for only £7.50 a delicious starter. We also ordered ‘La Latteria’ burrata with white asparagus – it was a mozzarella and cream blob, and if that’s your thing, you will enjoy it (£8).

    I’m not exaggerating when I say I had the best duck I’ve ever had. Their duck leg confit is smashingly served over crushed apple and green lentils in a large bowl where I absolutely savoured every bite. The dish looked gorgeous and tasted even better. And for only £12, it’s perhaps the best bargain on the menu. My dining companion was very satisfied with her Whole lemon sole, which came with sea vegatables. The sole is boned, its a very light dish, and perhaps a bit pricey (£17), but with delicious and large sides of spinach (£3) and green asparagus (£6), she, and me, were fine. But It was the duck that spoke, not the sole, and it spoke wonderfully!

    Wellbourne Brasserie has an amazingly extensive wine list, too large to mention here. However, our courses were paired with the perfect wines. Our first wine was the lively white Australian Berton Vineyard wine – perfectly smooth, see-through – making it very light, and an excellent choice. With our mains, again I was elated with the Rose Groot Constantia from South Africa, as I didn’t fancy red so this rose was a perfect match, as was the Red Colomba Bianca which my dining companion highly enjoyed with her fish. I would be remiss if I left out dessert. We had the amazingly delicious and fresh Lemon Leaf Sorbet (£4) – a nice way to finish off our meal. If you prefer something a bit more substantial I say go for Summer pudding or the Dolce de Leche Ice Cream Sandwich (both £6).

    The team behind Wellbourne Brasserie have over 30 years experience running a restaurant. Ross Gibbens was most recently head chef of the popular Dabbous while Michael Kennedy comes from Bristol’s popular Wallfish Bistro. Between both of them, and an amazingly nice staff, both front and back of house, bring to us a restaurant, while minimalist in decor but at the same time sharp and clean, food that is cooked with care and that tastes absolutely wonderful. Wellbourne Brasserie is a quality dining experience in a relaxed brasserie atmosphere at reasonable prices. I hope the locals, and others, find this hidden gem as it offers an excellent alternative to the many chain and fast food restaurants at the nearby Westfield Shopping Centre.

    https://wellbourne.restaurant/whitecity/

    Westworks Building, 195 Wood Lane,
    London, W12 7FQ
    Telephone 0203 4174865
    Monday – Friday 11.30am-10pm
    Saturday – 11.30am-9pm
    Sunday – Closed

  • LGBT Films at Raindance Film Festival

    Here are the films that are must-see for us at the Raindance Film Festival, currently on until October 7, 2018:

    GEORGE MICHAEL: FREEDOM – THE DIRECTORS CUT

    “On Christmas Day 2016 we heard with shock and disbelief that our dear friend George Michael had passed away.” Kate Moss’s tribute to the legendary British pop star opens GEORGE MICHAEL: FREEDOM, Kate is the first of many stars telling their story of how they knew George as a musician and person. George Michael co-directed this documentary which, after his death, was completed by his close friend David Austin. Although spanning most of his life, it focuses on the formative years of the late Grammy Award-winner’s life that led to the making of his acclaimed album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. The film tackles George’s dilemmas with stardom and navigates how his personal and professional life became so intertwined that he had to fight to remain true to himself whilst at the centre of so much attention. This is shown by his High Court battle with Sony Music that led to his controversial decision to end his recording contract with them, believing they restricted his artistic independence. The Director’s Cut version of the film shows never-before-seen footage giving an intimate first-person account of the musician’s successes, losses, and his lasting impact on the music industry.

    Fri 5th Oct 20:30

    Sun 7th Oct 13:00

    3 SIBLINGS

    Three siblings with different gender identities and sexual orientations bring us into their world during São Paulo’s LGBT Pride Month. We learn about their relationships with each other, and how they work to overcome the rampant homophobia and transphobia that exists in Brazil.

    Sunday 7th Oct 12:45

     

    I HATE NEW YORK

    Comprised of handheld footage shot over a decade by director Gustavo Sanchez, I HATE NEW YORK is a vibrant and personal portrait of four of New York City’s underground artists and trans activists – Amanda Lepore, Chloe Dzubilo, Sophia Lamar, and T De Long. The film is made up of conversations filmed while applying sharpie for eyeliner in dressing rooms, riding in taxis, walking through the park, discussing art, gender identity, activism, and personal history, and as the film builds we begin to see how the lives of these individuals intersect. This intimate structure is the film’s greatest strength, along with an excellently curated soundtrack of artists including ARCA, Sharon Needles, and Ryuichi Sakamoto. A decade is long enough for major change to happen, but short enough that everything day-to-day is still recognisable. This is both personal and political, and not always positive – since 2011 gay marriage has been legalised in New York, but the lack of affordable housing and the pressure that puts on young artists and queer people has become more relevant than ever. I HATE NEW YORK highlights this change and leaves in its wake the question – what will it mean to be a young, trans artist in 2028?

    Mon 1st Oct 15:00

    RUMINATIONS

    A wander around the counterculture of the 1960’s and 70’s American west coast, in the company of raconteur, wit, and dedicated performer Rumi Missabu. Along the way, Missabu performed with Tina Turner, worked with Andy Warhol, and got to know Allen Ginsberg rather intimately. Even in physical decline, Missabu’s desire to entertain an audience is paramount. Robert Jackson’s feature debut is a generous, funny and joyful documentary about a larger-than-life subject. It serves two disparate purposes, showcasing the life’s work of a consummate performance artist, but also digging underneath the mischievous anecdotes and playful personas to get at the person behind these performances, James Bartlett. The film is also about the role of the archivist and archivism in extending the life of the kind of fleeting pursuits that the psychedelic theatre troupe The Cockettes were engaged with. Still busy in his dotage, Missabu has become dedicated to documenting the work and ethos of the counterculture. Jackson’s delightful documentary is a suitable postscript.

    Fri 5th Oct 15:10

    Sat 6th Oct 20:15

    DYKES, CAMERA, ACTION!

    This documentary presents the history of lesbian cinema from the 80s, 90s, and beyond, as told by the women who were there, interviewing pioneering filmmakers such as Barbara Hammer, Janet Baus, and Cheryl Dunye, to get to the bottom of what is so important and meaningful about queer films made for queer women by queer women. DYKES CAMERA ACTION! introduces and explores different facets of lesbian cinema, from arthouse to mainstream, discussing the importance of films such as BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER… and HIGH ART to the representation of queer women onscreen. DYKES, CAMERA, ACTION! is essentially the sapphic THE CELLULOID CLOSET, and it works perfectly as an introduction as well as an examination of American queer cinema through the female lens.

    Wed 3rd Oct 15:15

    Fri 5th Oct 20:15

    SHORTS PROGRAMME: QUEER

    An eclectic mix of short films exploring the lives of members of the LGBTQ+ community across the globe. We are taken on a journey from a theme park in Beirut to the gorgeously shot landscapes of Cork, and just about everywhere else in between.

    Sun 7th Oct 12:45

    KILL THE MONSTERS

    KILL THE MONSTERS glimpses into the life of three men in a polyamorous relationship. When Patrick begins to show signs of illness and drug addiction, their small heaven begins to crumble. Majestically bizarre, KILL THE MONSTERS defies norms of narrative storytelling. The story is woven in an impressionistic mosaic of moments: cutting rapidly between romantic squabbles, sex, vomiting and impromptu singing, the film presents a montage of the small, yet deeply relatable fragments of romantic relationships. Artful black and white cinematography sets this unconventional story in a framework outside of gender politics, and simply invites the viewer to witness the three protagonists’ most intimate moments. Money problems, staged interventions, and minor breakdowns ensue – in sickness and in health, they face the same issues as any couple. At times the film is charmingly self-aware, poking fun not only at its own characters, but equally at the little prejudices and archetypes among the LGBTQ* community at large. KILL THE MONSTERS bridges a crucial gap in cinema: it is a queer film that for queer and straight communities alike is a must-see.

    Sat 29th Sep 15:15

    To purchase tickets, please go to:

    http://calendar.raindancefestival.org