THEGAYUK

Category: Lifestyle

  • The Gay UK Motoring Honours List 2020

    The Gay UK Motoring Honours List 2020

    2019 was a busy year for us at THEGAYUK motoring section and I’d like to thank all the manufacturers and PRs who helped make it possible. We could not do this without their continued support. 

    It was easy to pick my joker card for the car I’d have if I had the funds this year. It will comes as a surprise but I’ll explain why later. The number 2 position proved far more difficult for me to select. There were many cars to choose from with a few manufacturers making it more difficult because they had more than 1 in the firing line. You couldn’t see the carpet in the library for all the pictures.  In the end I settled it over a vodka based cocktail and a blast of Mel and Kim F.L.M.

    So let’s start with The Gay UK’s New Years Honours list.

    3 Citroen Berlingo £24,925

    It had to happen and I’m sure you all expected this so don’t start rolling your eyes at me for this. Simply put, there isn’t a vehicle out there that can match the Berlingo for space and comfort for 5 or 7 with the extra length model at this price.

    That space also has added visibility to swallowing huge loads and the low boot lip is a boon over an equivalent SUV. There is a compromise with the Berlingo and that comes from its van origins. You can’t escape these and it shows in the handling. Not that you’d think this was a problem judging by how fast you see the van piloted around. 

    Add it all together and it makes for a satisfying long distance cruiser that can also become everything you can think it could and it will. 

    2 Lexus LC500 £87,885

    This was the tricky one and in the end, I wanted to feel a million dollars without actually having to fork out a million. 

    V8 5 litre petrol power, growling exhaust, the ability to cruise in comfort and its looks are what those on the outside will see. Those fortunate to see inside will be well placed in a cockpit meticulously put together by Lexus Takumi masters.  

    A large small volume coupe is a difficult car to make and manufacturers have to go all out like Audi and new comers Polestar and they then also charge you a fortune for it. 

    Here the Lexus LC500 manages it so well and despite it costing almost £88,000, it is great value without the cost cutting compromise. It would be so easy for Lexus to fit switchgear from its parent company and it hasn’t.

    The extra cost option that comes with the Lexus as standard is that people will let you out in traffic. You can’t put a price on that.

    1 Suzuki Jimny £19,149

    The Suzuki caused a bit of a riot and ruined my otherwise planned honours list. Arriving as it did at the end of 2019, I didn’t expect to be sitting here, just after I’d written awful things about its flaws saying that it’s my number 1 choice for 2020. But there we go, nowt queer as a gay motoring journalist!

    And why? Its possesses human qualities that make the Jimny almost become anthropomorphic. You can’t help but melt at its cute looks and this makes you talk to it. You are never alone in a journey in a Jimny.   

    It never lied either at what it was and with that, it never pretended to be anything other than an honest little workhorse that would give you all it can and then some to get you were you needed to go.

    It’s the classic Grant Mitchell look. Heavily flawed with good intentions but cover him in the right clothes and he’s a winner.   

    If It Was My Money

    My must have is the Jaguar F Pace SVR. It only had one competitor with us this year and that was from Alfa Romeo. While the Stelvio Quadrifoglio was a mighty beast to drive, it was on the go all the time. And when it wasn’t, the cockpit quality let it down. This made the F Pace SVR all the better. To use both cars gung-ho powers all the time isn’t possible. About 80% of your time would be just normal driving and it’s that 20% of wild fun that gets over thrown by a cockpit and luxury feel that won the day. 

    And let’s not think the F Pace SVR is all about looks. What it lacked over the Stelvio in power prowess, it more than made up for it with being an absolute scream to drive at its limit and then beyond when the screaming gets louder. 

    Stuart

    xx 

  • CAR REVIEW | Ford Fiesta Trend 1.1 Ford’s City Fiesta

    CAR REVIEW | Ford Fiesta Trend 1.1 Ford’s City Fiesta

    What Have We Got?

    Cars are complicated pieces of machinery so Ford have selected a Fiesta model with simplicity its main focus point. 

    And this model, the 3 door Fiesta Trend was a hit with the reviewers at the recent SMMT drive it day and I’ll tell you why.

    Driving

    I hadn’t read the spec sheet for this new Fiesta. At times I like to just jump in and go to see if it wows me. And I can say that it did. 

    The simplistic appeal to this Fiesta comes from its 1.1 litre 3 pot engine. Just when every little engine in a biggish car is fitted with a turbo, this little engine leaves that at home on the table. 

    Performance figures are amiable and with just 85PS of power from a free revving engine, it manages to trundle along quite nicely. With no turbo, throttle inputs are met with immediate action except when nearing its peak of performance or when there is a hill to climb.  This will also be why there are only 5 gears. 

    With the chassis being very communicative, making it a fun car to drive, hustle it through the gears to keep the engine at its peak and it’ll reward you with a dash that is both driver licence safe and exciting.

    Inside

    From the drivers point of view, the Fiesta Trend has all that you could want in a nippy city car. The 8” touch screen was easy to use, reasonably quick to function at the touch of the finger and the graphics are easy on the eye.

    Plastics feel good quality and the choice of seat fabrics is both sophisticated and business like. For such a base model, it would in this case, seem out of place. Trend is its name but Trend it does not set. I don’t think a little funk would go a miss in here with a smattering of colours to lift the well fitted cabin. 

    Living With It

    Fords NCAP pack comes as standard. This gives you extras like lane keep assist, speed limiter and tyre pressure monitoring. The electronic stability programme also comes with hill assist. So it all stacks well in its favour as a reasonable specced car for the money. 

    Is being a 3 door a hindrance? Not really. The front seats fold forward enough to allow easy entrance and a 3 door hatch always looks sporty over the 5 door. 

    The Verdict

    The Fiesta Trend was a bit of a runaway hit at the SMMT drive day. There were not many bad words to be said about it. It was universally liked. And you can see why. It’s well put together and for a small car of £15,995, you weren’t left feeling short changed. 

    The drive is both engaging and without sounding detrimental to Ford, so simple and uncomplicated, that it makes it a drivers car without it costing the earth.

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Ford Fiesta Trend 1.1 TI-VCT 5 speed manual

    Price – £16,495 (as tested)

    MPG – 44.8 – 48.7mpg (WLTP lowest-highest)

    Power – 85PS

    0-62mph –  13.8 seconds

    Top Speed –  105 mph

    Co2 – 114(g/km)

    All pictures Stuart M Bird

  • Drawing Cars | Jaguar allowed US to draw one of its cars

    Drawing Cars | Jaguar allowed US to draw one of its cars

    Jaguar UK invited THEGAYUK to the Design Museum in Kensington for an exclusive “interactive exploration of designing an electric car” before opening it to the public. 

    In essence it was popping into Kensington and having a nosey around the new Jaguar i-Pace in both metal and clay forms. It also gave us a chance to interact with the design teams involved. 

    Sam Day Photo

    Before the jollies commenced with the sweat and anguish of picking up a pencil and drawing a Jaguar, I got to look close up around the clay models. I’ve only ever seen them in books and often wondered if they clay was set. The answer is no. It pretty much stay soft for most of its life. And this gave me an opportunity to have a go with the sculpturing tools. If you do see an i-Pace with a gouge in the near side rear door, that will be my work and you can thank me when you see me.   

    Directors of designer, Alister Whelan (interiors) and Dominic Najafi (exteriors) were on hand giving out advice as we all sat down to draw an i-Pace. It’s safe to say that the last time I sat down to draw in a school like setting was during my GCSE art and that too was the last time I also picked up a pencil to sketch.

    Apparently it’s not in the wrist but the arm. Alister and Dominic were able to tell who didn’t heed their advice and drew from the wrist. I tried. It’s harder than you’d think.

    Add some shade, depth in details, swoop here, swish there and you have an i-Pace. Or in my case, a Toyota Prius. 

    We were then asked to draw a car close to us like a first car or a dream car. I chose a Seat Terra. It’s a van based on the Seat Terra and apart from the wheels, it lacks curves so I should be OK.

    Sam Day Photo

    It just so happened that it wasn’t that bad. We all had to put our scribblings up on a wall and have Alister and Dominic comment and see if they could identify the car. For my effort and the only van drawn, they scored me an 8 out of 10. They guessed it as some sort of Fiat derived product and I can’t really split hairs. It pretty much was. 

    Sadly I wasn’t able to stay for the interaction with the panel on discussions on how new technologies, sustainable materials and changing customer desires are impacting the future of car design. Judging by the press pack that arrived after the event, it was well attended. 

  • The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: The Peugeot 307 2001 – 2008

    The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: The Peugeot 307 2001 – 2008

    The Good, The bad and the Ugly, The Peugeot 307 2001 – 2008.

    An irrelevant look at a random car.

    I’m a big fan of Peugeots. I’ve owned 5. I’d own another because I have no problem with owning a French car. I won’t, however, own a Peugeot ending with a 7. The 7 was not a lucky number for the maker of coffee grinders, salt and pepper grinders and cars.

    The 306 was phased out in 2001. It was a sensation to drive and a family car that was hard to beat for driving dynamics and style. We waited with anticipation for its replacement. We had seen what Peugeot could do when they launched the 206 in 1998. Their new car was to win the 2002 title of Car of the Year.

    To the horror of the world, Peugeot released a car that visually resembled a potato. It was overweight, lacked style and was more embarrassing to be seen in than watching a home video of you making out with your mate’s 73-year-old grandmother at a barbecue where you got drunk on 2 plastic cups of homemade wine. The critics who didn’t award it CotY were less kind.      

    The svelte lines and delicacies of the 306 were thrown out of the window. The 307 was an all-new sheet of paper design. Since the late 1960s, Peugeot had designed their cars with the “Peugeot face” The 307 didn’t have a face. It didn’t look like the 206 in any way and that was bad.

    It was the size of a whale and drove like one. Fat arsed and blobby, it didn’t really have the panache of its predecessor. The inside was around 7 years out of date and for some inexplicable reason, the floor pan had this chinky box thing taking up foot space.

    It did come in a body style to suit all types. There were hatchbacks, estates and a metal folding roofed CC. Peugeot even tried to rally it with a CC fleet with appalling results. It signalled the death of the mid-sized 3 door hatch from Peugeot. The doors on the 3 door model were impossibly large to open anywhere other than in a field. 

    Peugeot knew they had made a duffer. At launch, they tried to disguise their anguish, their embarrassment, their shame and their dignity by hiding behind a smiley face mad of the numbers 3 0 7. It didn’t work.  

    Did anything good come from the 307? They made it in a nice shade of metallic green from launch and you could scrap the thing if you owned one.

    Which was a nice thing to do. It was also phased out in Europe in 2008 which was even better for us. Better that is than the poor souls of Argentina and China where it carried on until 2011 and 2014 retrospectively. 

    I couldn’t even be arsed to look for a press photo for this. I found one in its rightful place, a scrapyard. The Peugeot 307. Drive it into a wall or something.

  • CAR REVIEW | Lexus LC500; big, striking and value for money

    CAR REVIEW | Lexus LC500; big, striking and value for money

    ★★★★ | Lexus LC500, Lexus Coast to Coast Cruiser

    The Car

    What’s limited to 168mph, does 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, feels like nothing from its sister company and available at a rather affordable OTR price of £87,885? I’m talking about the Lexus LC500.

    The LC500, a 2+2 coupe, is the flagship model from Lexus. From a company that celebrates its 30th year in 2019, it seems quite a nice way to join the party and be given the keys to this. Lexus, sort of, came from nowhere. A subsidiary company with humble groundings, they set out to take on the finest from Europe. There was talk that they couldn’t do it. There was laughter from the power houses in mainland Europe. The laughter stopped. Now they are back with another attempt at making a luxury grand tourer.

    When I say back I am of course referring to the original 2001-2010 SC300/400 model. A luxury 2+2 with a retractable roof. It had the luxury appointments fit for a Lexus but sadly failed as a grand tourer. Fit for the time, it wasn’t able to take on Europe. The SC was a Boulevard cruiser of American tastes.

    With parent company pioneers in the field of hybrid drive systems, it’s pretty much impossible to find anything on their press fleet that doesn’t have that set up so I was pleasantly surprised and somewhat excited to be pointed into the direction of the all petrol LC500. And what a petrol model it is too. A normally aspirated 5 litre V8 packing 458bhp through a 10 speed automatic gearbox to the rear wheels. This has 4 valves per cylinder, 4 high lifting cams, VVT-i and VVT-ie and a redline at 7300rpm. On paper alone, this has almost super car potential. 

    Add that power to the striking looks that turn as many heads as the super powers from Stuttgart, Ingolstadt and Sant’Agata Bolognese and you’re rubbing shoulders in some high class company. But does the LC500 really have what it takes to mix with this crowd or is it an outsider?

    Playing to the Crowd

    It’s a bit yes and a bit no. I’ll start with the negatives first because there are plenty of positives. The handling is a mix of comfort and grand tourer. With 21” alloys, it’s surprisingly good in the comfort area but as an all-out sports car it isn’t quite good enough and belies its super car looks.

    Its mix of settings from comfort to sport are deceptive and not clearly different. On the one hand, the LC500 and all its power will cosset you on the motorways or entertain you on the fast B roads. Just be careful down those narrower lanes because the LC is wide at almost 2 metres!

    That cosseting comfort comes from the quietness of the V8 up front. Depending on how you feel, it can either be quiet and subdued or vocal but never brash. And that vocalisation doesn’t really alter when you select the drive modes, eco, comfort, normal, sport and sport +.

    Try using it as an all-out gung-ho sports car and until you switch the traction off (it never truly turns off) it will satisfy. Pulling away with a howl from the V8 engine and some kick out from the rear. The limited slip differential curtailing wheel spin from the loosest wheel. But you won’t use it like this all the time, it just doesn’t engage in this kind of behaviour. And that’s down to the many good things Lexus has bestowed upon it in terms of luxury.

    The 10 speed auto box changes gears with frightening smoothness and yet you are never left wondering if the gear selected is the correct one. Easy to use paddles allow quick up and down changes and considering its 399 Ib/ft of torque under 5000rpm, using the paddles allows blasts of power to be released quickly. And thankfully they do come quickly because the gearbox (in most modes) tends to keep the engines relaxed at under 2000. 

    That’s not really a hardship when the power surge is lag free thanks mainly to being normally aspirated. Where the LC500 does excel is being just that little it fun and cheeky. The limited slip differential does its job well in reducing spin from the wheel with the least grip but that doesn’t stop it from spinning the wheels when the throttle is pressed hard. And all this for a car that indicated 18-28mpg. Not bad in my book for such a large engine.

    There Are Some Problems

    If there are niggles to be picked at they are purely aesthetically challenging ones and I’m not talking about the design. While the angular grill looks somewhat a bit too much on the long faced SUV range, on the LC it looks just fine. What throws your eyes are the gaudy textured chrome plastic surrounds on the rear lights. It really doesn’t need to be there. 

    Likewise, carbon fibre and faux carbon fibre used on the door kick plates doesn’t suit the car in its application here. Yes the roof is carbon fibre and I’m OK with that, but not on the inside. Thankfully once you shut the door, you no longer see it. 

    I like the infotainment system. It contains everything you’ll need and responds quickly. Thankfully it does because it’s all controlled via a finger pad in the centre console. Where it falters is even on the less sensitive setting, it’s just too sensitive and wrong things were selected. 

    Paying Attention

    I’m happy to say that the interior is well laid out and the controls ergonomically placed and nicely weighted. There is incredible attention to detail in the fit and finish inside. It’s actually above and beyond anything Lexus has made in the past. The skills and fastidiousness of the Takumi master craftsmen is evident in the cabin even down to the often difficult to cover sharp angles on the door cards. It’s not often apparent unless you go looking for it. Textures and stitch work are seamless.  

    Night time comfort is exceptional. Complimented by footwell illuminations and lighting effects near the clock on the dashboard, the white neons running through a sculptured curve in the doors heighten a sense of luxury for those up front. Those in the rear are less well catered for. The seats, while generous in the ample size of the seat squab, are somewhat hampered by headroom or rather the lack of it for anyone over 5 foot tall. You do feel that the rear seat might have been better removed and the ample 197 litre sized boot space increased.

    There is a lot to like about the LC500. It’s big, it’s striking, it’s expensive but affordable. As a GT it makes such beautiful sense. I’ll leave you with the words of Miki Matsaburu who sums up the car in one of her songs, it’s so creamy.

    Love

    Serenity of the cabin

    Comfortable ride 

    Striking looks

    Loathe

    Rear seat room

    Drive modes difficult to differentiate in normal driving conditions

    Infotainment control pad over sensitive

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Lexus LC500 Sport + Pack

    Price – £87,885 (as tested)

    MPG – From 24.4 mpg

    Power – 458bhp

    0-62mph –  4.7 seconds

    Top Speed –  168 mph

    Co2 – 265 (g/km)

    (C) All Pictures Stuart M Bird

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | PF Changs, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | PF Changs, London

    ★★★★ | PF Changs, Central London


    There are two words that I would use to describe PF Changs Asian Table restaurant – absolutely delicious.

    Serving authentic pan-Asian food, and it is, no doubt, one of the best of these types of restaurants in town. Let’s get right to talking about the food. My main course – Grilled Asian Marinated (for 24 hours) Rib Eye was the star dish of the evening – and was great. Perfectly cooked, nicely-sized portion, uniquely sliced with a delicious side of wasabi mash, it was good enough to make a grown man cry – it was that good (and reasonably priced at £19). We were also given a mistake dish – a dish we didn’t order but somehow landed on our table – the Chinese BBQ Pork Ribs – and they were simply divine!

    Four pork ribs – slow-braised, with a nice slather of savoury BBQ sauce, absolutely moist and tender and finger-lickin’ amazing! Sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with a side of garnish, they were succulent – an excellent mistake dish (a great deal at £11.25)!

    My dining companion had the Grilled Asian Salmon – served on a bed of asparagus with red pepper slaw. It was a moderately-sized chunk of salmon, but a bit dry where the marinade did not come through in the flavour and served with a grilled lemon, (£14.25). To go with our main courses we had the Wok-Seared Tempura Cauliflower – slightly undercooked but still good and excellent value at only £4.25.

    Our starters were quite amazing as well. I had to have The Original Dynamite Shrimp. There were ten or so tempura-battered shrimp in a spicy Sriracha aioli with a sprinkle of spring onions. The texture was amazing as they were crunchy and were nicely presented in a large cocktail glass – but were a bit too spicy for me – which the menu nor the waiter mentioned. My friend opted for the Handmake Pork Dumplings (£8.50) – four which came with a drizzle of soy & chili mash. They were very good.

    We started the night off with cocktails. My Asian Mojito was refreshing as it contained a mix of pineapple juice, honey, lemon and sparkling green tea – ah – a very very nice combination (£7), and it came with a never seen shisole leaf. They, unfortunately, didn’t have my first choice – the Pink Paradise Cooler. My friend had the Tom Collins – an old-style drink with Gin, Lemon Juice, Sugar Syrup, Soda and Lemon Oil (£10). Lots of other drinks on the menu that I will try next time I visit (yes, I will definitely go again). And I will go back not just for the main courses or starters but also for the desserts – they were amazing!

    The Kaya French Toast was absolutely stunning! Brioche bread topped with caramelised pineapple, maple syrup, kaya jam and whipped coconut cream – it’s better than it sounds! We were so full but we managed to finish most it! Dare I say it is a bit better than the American version of french toast – there I said it. Also pretty amazing were the Banana Spring Rolls. A bit hard to describe – they were four puff pastries with vanilla sauce and a smattering of berries along the edges with caramel drizzled on top, with ice cream (or sorbet) smack dab in the centre. The presentation on this was gorgeous and the taste even more so. Both desserts get five stars from me.

    It really helps in deciding what to eat or drink as the menu comes with pictures. I wish every restaurant would adopt this idea.
    The location of PF Changs couldn’t be more central – a minute’s walk from Leicester Square and the tube station. It’s not a massive restaurant – and the night we went (on a Sunday), the place was packed all the time. Even after ten p.m., people were still coming in – on a Sunday night! A mostly youngish Asian crowd all seemed to be very much enjoying their meals and their time there. I have to say it’s a fun place to be at and the hostess was absolutely lovely and cheerful. I highly recommend a visit.

    ADDRESS:
    10 Great Newport Street

    London

    WC2H 7JA

    OPENING TIMES:
    Sunday – Wednesday : 11am – 11pm

    Thurs – Saturday : 11am – midnight

    https://www.pfchangs.co.uk/

  • CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Astra Elite: “The engine is current darling of the motoring world”

    CAR REVIEW | Vauxhall Astra Elite: “The engine is current darling of the motoring world”

    Here we have the 7th generation Vauxhall Astra. It’s been with us since 2015 and as a result it is still very much a Vauxhall designed product under General Motors. In 2017, Vauxhall was bought by PSA Groupe.

    There are 8 models to choose from in the Astra range, priced from £18,905 to £26,295. The mid-range Elite starts at £23,95 before options. 

    From the outside, the Astra is a good looking 5 door hatchback. As you would expect, it is an improvement over the previous generations and is now less nondescript than ever. Of note is the size of the boot opening. Finally it has become a bit more square at the bottom. Doesn’t sound much, but as practical hatchbacks go, having a narrow bottom on your opening can hinder loading and unloading. 

    It’s around the back that you notice a design faux-pas. The stylish kick-up in the rear doors stretches into the 3/4 panel. Here sits a triangular piece of plastic. To be honest, I’m not a fan of this. It feels cheap and doesn’t serve any purpose whatsoever. 

    As well as a heated steering wheel, the Elite model also gives four heated leather seats and the leg room is comfortable all round, even for those sitting behind 6 foot tall drivers. There is even a touch of opulence with an attempt at illuminating the door cards. It’s a nice try and just needs a bit of work. Like many others, the rear doors are void of any such niceties though they do get largish rear door bins. 

    The hottest item in this Astra Elite is the engine. The small capacity turbo is the current darling of the motoring world. Powering through 3 cylinders with a turbo, the engine makes for an interesting topic of conversation. You don’t need to rev the engine to its redline to get the maximum 145PS of power from it for it to feel sprightly and useful. In the day to day running around you also won’t need to use 3 of its 6 gears either. 

    And here is the strange driving style this Astra has to offer. The engine is its shining star. It surges forward with quite a lot of likeable charisma. Gear changes are effortless and ignoring the change up indicator, makes for an engaging power unit. Power delivery certainly doesn’t feel like that from a little engine. The only giveaway is the thrum emitted by the 3 cylinders. 

    There is also enjoyment to be had with this when added to the chassis. The suspension set up is nothing out of the ordinary and it allows for enthusiastic driving. The chassis, while not being the most compliant in the ride department but not hard in an over sporty set up, whizzes along with aplomb. It’s quite sad then that when it gets to the twisty bits, the steering totally lets it down. 

    This steering is the Astra’s Achilles Heel. In the straight line, it feels wooden. Give it a few flicks and it won’t inspire much confidence and it’s this confidence that takes sometime to build on because the level of adhesion from the 225/45 17 Conti’s is exceptional. With just a bit more feel, it would make for an inspiring drivers car wrapped in a simple hatchback body. Something you can’t say about many of today’s popular SUV’s.

    And therein lies many of the Astra’s problems. It’s just a little too safe even down to the usual over paranoid parking sensors that seem to be inflicted on the Vauxhall owner. 

    As cars go, the Astra Elite, in the cold light of day, is one of the best allrounders. It’s like a friend. You know the friend, the one who can be a little curt in conversation. The one you go to when you want to be told the truth. No bullshit, no messing, just straight up honesty. There is no fooling around. Trouble is, you don’t always want to be with that friend.

    Love

    Engines lively behaviour

    Weight of the controls

    Chassis balance

    Loathe

    Wooden steering

    Dark interior 

    Rear 3/4 trim

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Vauxhall Astra Elite Nav 1.2 Turbo

    Price – £26,210 (as tested)

    MPG – 51.4/54.3 mpg (WLTP low/high combined)

    Power – 145ps

    0-62mph –  8.8 seconds

    Top Speed –  137mph

    Co2 – 99 (g/km)

    All pictures (c) Stuart M Bird

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Circolo Popolare, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Circolo Popolare, London

    ★★★★ | Circolo Popolare, Central London

    Circolo Popolare is one of the hottest newest restaurants in town, with people without a reservation queuing outside in the hopes of getting a table. If they ever get inside, they’ll be enveloped in a room full of warmth and colours so alive they’ll feel like they’ve stepped into a restaurant in the Mediterranean.

    Walking into Circolo Popolare is a wow moment. Hundreds of liquor bottles line both sides of the walls in the main room – which is very vivid and bright. Tea lights and greenery hang from the ceiling, while past the kitchen towards the back there is another beautiful room to explore – with an olive tree in the centre. Circolo Popolare has to be one of the most beautiful restaurants in London. But how’s the food?

    Me and my dining companion had a very hard time choosing what to eat, and while it’s not a huge menu, we just didn’t know what we fancied. The cocktails were an easy choice – we could’ve ordered several but stuck to just one each. The Lemoncello Spritz was absolutely divine. With just the right amount of Absolut vodka, a couple dashes of Limoncello Amalfi, Prosecco Cinzano, maracuja, and peach, with lemons aligned on the sides of a large wine glass – it was stunning and delicious, and I highly recommend it (£7). My friend had Look Me in The Eyes – a drink served in a cheeky novelty mug and held a blend of three rums, almond hibiscus syrup, Triple Sec, lime, and maracuja. It had a kick thanks to the rum but it also had a sweet fruity flavour (£9).

    Of the 8 antipasti starters on the menu, we ordered two. We thoroughly enjoyed the Crudo Crocante – 3 small lettuce cups with Cornish sea bass, confit tomatoes,  dehydrated olives, lemon, baby herbs. The menu states they are a must – and they are. Nice and chilled – with a delicious vinaigrette dressing sprinkled over – it was a nice combination of food in a dish that’s not too filling and a bargain at £7. We also tried the Pizza Fritta Montanara – a smallish dough bread stuffed with tomato sauce with Parmigiano sprinkled on top. Delicious and moist, and it complemented the Crudo. The Frittatina (Mac and cheese bites) looked interesting – but seemed too cheesy, The Sam Daniele Ham and the Magic Mushroom Bruschetta looked like other very good choices.

    And choice is the keyword for the main course options. Pizza, pasta and hot skewers of meat or fish (Dalla Griglia) are there. The pizza selection is not super sexy – I opted for the Animal Lover pizza which happened to be cheeseless. It was moist and had a healthy topping of aubergines, mushrooms, red peppers, vegan pesto, and taggiasche olives, but there was nothing really special about it. My friend had the Straccetti di Vitello Dalla Griglia – one very large skewer loaded with veal, sweet potato and mushrooms served over nicely browned potatoes and grilled courgettes – at £17 it’s definitely worth its weight and was very good though the veal could’ve been cooked a bit more. My friend did not finish it which I took as a bad sign.  Pasta choices on the menu include lots (perhaps too much) creamy and cheesy dishes, but I hear the Crab me by the Paccheri is the best one (Thick-cut home-made paccheri pasta with crab, red gurnard, mussels and tarragon – £20).

    For dessert almost everyone seemed to be having the Circolo Sundae – a huge sundae with XXL gelato, cookie chunks, churros, brownies and home-made whipped cream – and it is large and comes adorned with a sparkler on top – it better with a £16 price tag!

    I opted for something a bit more simple – the You Make Me Crumble – basically apple crumble – but it was served cold which I wasn’t expecting. Was is pre-made and had been scooped right out of the refrigerator? It was not worth £7. My friend had the Banoffee Pie which was a much better choice. The mascarpone whipped cream on top was luscious – a divine dessert at £8.

    The dishes are served in beautifully coloured plates full of different patterns, while the staff are as nice as  they can be, managing the crowds who are constant on the weekends, and some people come in just specifically to take pictures – though not many are able to sneak past the two (!!) check-in counters.

    The menu is quite colourful as well, and special attention must be paid to the Big Boy French Toast on the breakfast menu. It sounds absolutely wonderful (fluffy brioche, raspberries and raspberry coulis with mascarpone whipped cream) and a steal at £9 – which I am very much looking forward to eating later in the year. The French Toast is also served on their brunch menu, along with their other breakfast items Eggs Alla Fiorentina and Ricotta Pancakes.

    Circolo Popolare, which can be rightly described as a sunny Sicilian trattoria, is a lovely place to while away the time pretending you’re in sunny climes (not many windows in the restaurant help with this fantasy), but main dishes could be a bit more tasty and fulfilling.

    Circolo is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch with friends, and dinners under the starry ceiling.

    https://www.bigmammagroup.com/en/trattorias/circolo-popolare

  • BAR REVIEW | The Lost Alhambra, London

    BAR REVIEW | The Lost Alhambra, London

    ★★★★ | The Lost Alhambra, London

    Step into place – a place worlds away but right in the heart of very very busy Leicester Square. Step right into The Lost Alhambra.

    The Lost Alhambra is a basement cocktail bar right between a pub (The Moon Under Water) and TGIFridays. Once you go downstairs it’s like another world – a space very unique, dark, and a but forbidden. Beautiful yet futuristic interior, succulent lighting to set the mood, and a cocktail menu that will knock your socks off.

    Open for only one month, The Lost Alhambra is setting new heights in the cocktail world. Part of the Adventure Group (which also owns themed bars The Escapologist and Blame Gloria, among others), this venue was literally lost, when known as The Alhambra Theatre, and 100 years since it closed its doors, the space has been revived into one of the most progressive bars in London. And the cocktails – all very different and unique on their own merit.

    A multi-page cocktail menu will make it very hard to make a decision. But try the Razzle Dazzle. It’s literally sparkling (thanks to the glitter) and is very sweet thanks to the ingredients of passion fruit liqueur, peach schnapps, triple sec, and also includes lemon juice, vodka, and fresh egg white. And it’s a beautiful looking drink. Another sweet one is the Pisco Inferno. Made with pisco, passion fruit, peach liqueur, vanilla, ginger ale, the catch here is that it’s served in a disco ball – Disco Inferno time! The blend is delicious (though I wish the disco ball would’ve been bigger!).

    If you want something fiery – go for the Flaming Zombie – because it literally arrives to your table on fire! With two types of Bacardi Rum, with triple sec, mango, fresh lemon juice, and pineapple juice, it’s got quite a kick to it – and while it’s a strong drink, the pineapple soothes the flavour.

    How can you miss with the Porn Star Martini? It’s everything you always wanted in a drink – and The Lost Alhambra knows how to make it! The apple juice and passion fruit blended with the vodka makes it a passionate and tasty drink – and there’s the requisite shot of Prosecco to go with it – your choice to mix it in or drink separate – my companion preferred it separate – but it’s up to you!

    Also up to you is whether to have a non-alcoholic choice – and The Lost Alhambra has many choices. The aforementioned The Matinee Porn Star has all the same flavours as the one above but without the Prosecco and vodka; while the Matinee Espresso Martini also has no vodka (it’s got a nice foam top to make it go down easy), while the Matinee Bellini strawberry and rhubarb with non-alcoholic Prosecco was yummy!

    When you go to The Lost Alhambra (and trust me you’ll definitely want to go) – seek out Zsofia the Assistant Manager. She knows all the drinks very very well and if you can’t make a decision she’ll guide you! Or if not her than any other member of the international staff.

    I definitely can see this place become the new go-to cocktail bar in the west end. And while the drinks are at West End prices (£10 to £11.50 for the alcohol drinks while £6 each for the non-alcoholic drinks and beer and cider), the venue is great (there’s even a lighted ceiling), and more importantly the drinks are superb. Go on….get lost in The Lost Alhambra.

    http://www.thelostalhambra.co.uk

  • Quick Drive. Toyota Corolla Excel 5dr 2.0 Hybrid

    Quick Drive. Toyota Corolla Excel 5dr 2.0 Hybrid

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    What Have We Got?

    Toyota and their never-ending array of hybrids brings back an old name with a modern twist. The Corolla is back. And back with a bang it would seem. We take one out for a drive around the lanes of Basingstoke.  

    Driving

    First thing that becomes apparent with the 2-litre petrol engine mated to the hybrid drive system in the Corolla is its normal driving ability. Only recently have I started to like the CVT gearbox system Toyota use. The Yaris showed a big improvement over the previous system. 

    Therefore I wasn’t sure what to expect in the Corolla. Not to get too complicated in describing it, I’ll say that for the most part, it felt like a normal automatic gearbox. It changed up and down like a normal auto box and this, in turn, made it rather nice to drive.

    And its “normal” behaviour could be had for much longer than any hybrid drive I’ve experienced from Toyota to-date. Only when you press on with the throttle to the floor does the CVT traits come through with the engine revving away upfront in a subdued vocal fashion. 

    This all goes in its favour too. The chassis is compliant and quiet and able to carry the Corolla around quickly. One thing that is missing is excessive body roll or body roll at all for that matter. It feels very planted to the road.

    Inside

    The cabin, nicely styled in a normal design from Toyota was pleasant to be in. Plastics where it mattered felt much better than previous models have shown. This it would seem was Toyota’s attempt to catch up with the market leaders from Europe and finally, they seem to have worked out what the Europeans want and where to place the quality materials. This is something Toyota haven’t always done well. 

    Living With It

    It would seem Toyota have a lot of high hopes for the return of the Corolla. In bringing it back, it looks like there is a new design language being adopted that is suited to European tastes. Its looks are both stylish and sophisticated. Despite its big grill and angled light units, it’s nice to see a softer-looking face to a car. 

    The hybrid drive systems are easy to use and altogether it feels a much better car.  It raises the theory of hybrid drive systems being good to actually being very good. It’s taken some time but finally, Toyota has made a better way.  

    The Verdict

    It comes at a price and this time Toyota are not messing around. For £29k, they have made a car that challenges some of your preconceived ideas of Japanese cars and turns them on their head. It’s still a Toyota so expect it to be more reliable than anything else out there, it’s just now it has a more familiar feel to it that you’ll greatly appreciate. The Corolla of the 70s had Europe worried.

    Once again, the Europeans are going to be on the run.

    The Japanese have done it again.    

    The Lowdown

    Car –  Toyota Corolla Excel 5dr 2.0 Hybrid

    Price – £29,075 (as tested)

    MPG – 50.43 – 60.62 mpg (WLTP combined)

    Power – 178bhp (total output)

    0-62mph –  7.9 seconds

    Top Speed –  112 mph

    Co2 – 89 (g/km)

    All pictures (C) Stuart M Bird 2019

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Hunters Moon, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Hunters Moon, London

    ★★★★ | The Hunters Moon, London

    A restaurant and pub that immediately makes you feel at home is The Hunter’s Moon in Fulham.

    With its rustic and inviting front pub and the warm and cozy restaurant in the back, The Hunters Moon has comforting food and good drinks to match its vibe. Founded by Oliver ‘Ollie’ Marlowe and  Hubert Beatson-Hird, and only open for over a month, the word is out and The Hunters Moon is filling up on sundays because of its very delicious and very affordable Sunday roast. It’s excellent value for the money because the roasts (Butter Roast Cornfed Chicken, Stuffed Gloucester Old Spot Pork Belly, and the Treacle Cured Sirloin of Beef) come with a sizeable helping of roast potatoes, a massive Yorkshire pudding, green beans and gravy. The Pork Belly was plentiful, nesting and curled up on the plate waiting to be eaten. The Beef was cooked to perfection and was very good – with a dollop of carrot purée and horseradish, with cabbage – and at £18.50 and £21.00 respectively great value for the money. Visually and tastefully impressive.
    We tried a couple of the starters because they sounded very unique – and they were! The scallops were simple divine. Sitting on ponzu dressing (very citrusy), with radish and ginger and whipped avocado, it was the dish of the evening – a beautiful lush color and a perfect blend of ingredients – served cold – and unique and absolutely delicious! And at £10.50 worth every penny. Also treat yourself to the oysters (6 for £16.00). Mouth watering, taste of the sea, and very good. Both starters were very light and were perfect for the big meal ahead.
    There are four sides you can order if you’re really hungry, I would recommend the stuffing – sage, onion and chicken liver – was just divine – and complemented the roast (£7.00). Also good was the smoked bacon and cabbage – a great combination and not too heavy (£7.50). The carrots were wonderful as well, nice and soft and the sprinkled with thyme on top to make them extra special.
    And for dessert, if you have any wits about you you’d order the Lemon Tart. It’s wonderfully tasty and thankfully not big in size – but every bite of it is ecstasy. Highly highly recommended.
    We decided to try something different to drink with our meal. We had the Digby brand of their lavender pink Brut. I have never seen this on any menu before and it was sweet and not too bubbly – excellent quality – all for £11.50 a glass.
    People are raving about The Hunters Moons Roasts – but there are other items on their other menus, where they geniusly keep it simple, with Cod, Grilled Plaice, and Beef Wellington and Veal Chop (to share), and of course burgees at lunchtime. The meat here is of the finest quality and comes from the local source of Macken Brothers Butchers of Chiswick. But must importantly, and besides the food, you feel like you’re at a home when at The Hunters Moon – it’s just so cozy and warm, and the food so delicious, and the staff very very friendly, and if you meet Ollie you’ll instantly like his boyish charm and personality.
    Whether you’re brunching, lunching, dining a deux or hanging out with friends over after-work drinks, The Hunter’s Moon is the place to be and to be seen this autumn.

    86 Fulham Rd
    South Kensington, London
    SW3 6HR

    02039042270
    info@huntersmoonlondon.co.uk