THEGAYUK

Category: Lifestyle

  • FEED YOUR PENIS: Amazing recipes to help with Erections and Sex Drive

    FEED YOUR PENIS: Amazing recipes to help with Erections and Sex Drive

    If low libido or erectile dysfunction is a problem for you then do consult your GP in the first instance. I have designed these recipes around various nutritional elements that have been effective in many areas of a man’s sex life & drive.

    The beauty of these recipes is their simplicity. Simple things like salsa, salad, smoothies and even chocolate truffles can be tailored using readily available ingredients to relieve various sexual concerns. Regardless of low libido or wanting the hardest of hard-ons, these are really lovely and easy to follow recipes that can be enjoyed by anyone!

    If you do want to utilize food as a natural remedy, then look for foods high in Arginine, Nitric Oxide, Ecdysterone, Bromelain and Boron.

    Factors such as not smoking and regularly exercising obviously play a vital role in optimum performance.

    Sex Salsa

    (Food trend 2015! Sweet & Fiery) |  Serves 4 | Prep 15 mins | No Cook

    Pineapple contains the enzyme Bromelain, which can improve libido in men.

    Pomegranate increases testosterone levels, believed due to its array of antioxidants. Also shows an increase in Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS), which is essentially the same function as medication like Viagra etc.

    Garlic a potent testosterone booster, and again increases NOS.

    Onions as with garlic, contain allicin that thins your blood and thus improves circulation.

    Chilli Capsaicin promotes circulation and endorphins for the feel good factor.

    Parsley more antioxidants and a great odour neutraliser for the onion and garlic!

     

    Ingredients.

    • ½ pineapple, in small chunks
    • 1 pomegranate, seeds of (around 80g)
    • 1 red onion, finely chopped
    • 1 bunch (30g) parsley, chopped
    • 1 large red chilli, thinly sliced
    • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
    • 1 lime, juice of

     

    Method.

    1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl, season and serve alongside grilled or barbecued meats or vegetables. Alternatively, go for prawns as these pack Arginine which will increase your NOS levels. Store in an air-tight container for up to 24 hours.

  • RECIPE: Filipino Chicken

    Filipino Chicken

    Serves 2 (or 1 if you minimise / leave out the wild rice)

    Prep 10 mins

    Cook 25 mins

    Quick, Super Easy, Minimal Ingredients

    The soy, garlic and spring onions could imply this dish being of Asian origin. However my Filipino chicken is based on a sauce referred to as “Adobo” (literally meaning sauce or marinade), and has Hispanic heritage. It’s method of cooking is used widely in the Philippines and involves stewing poultry or meat in a sauce with vinegar. Trust the amount of vinegar here, you simmer it for 25 minutes so it does take away a lot of the vinegar’s acidity.

    I have added red chilli into the mix as I fancied a meal with a kick tonight. If you’re not keen on chilli then leave it out- it’s just as good! The flavour of this dish is a wonderful meeting of sharp and mellow with a lovely garlic undertone running through it. For using such simple minimal ingredients, this really gives you back so much more than you put in!

    I served mine with wild rice, tenderstem broccoli, sugar snap peas & asparagus.

    APPLE CIDER VINEGAR- Only 3 calories per tablespoon, and array of health benefits. I actually take 1 ½ tablespoons of it with a tall glass of warm water every day to utilize it’s health properties. Apple cider vinegar has been found to lower blood sugar levels (great for diabetics), lower cholesterol levels, potentially reduce blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and some research has displayed promising results as to killing cancer cells and shrinking tumours (SOURCE: http://authoritynutrition.com/6-proven-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar/ )

    Ingredients

    2 chicken breasts, chopped

    2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

    2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal

    1 bay leaf

    1 chilli, finely chopped (it’s really up to you how much you add or leave out, I hold some back for the final decoration of the dish when serving)

    ½ tsp salt

    ½ tsp pepper

    ½ tsp garlic granules

    60ml apple cider vinegar

    60ml light soy sauce

    60ml water

    Serve with 150g wild rice and 200g vegetables of your choice

     

    Instructions

    1. Mix the chicken pieces in the dry spices.
    2. Fry the chicken in a wok with 1 tbsp oil on a medium heat until browned.
    3. Add the chilli and chopped garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute.
    4. Add all the liquids along with the bay leaf, bring to the boil, and reduce to a fast simmer for 25 minutes.
    5. If you are cooking wild rice then put this on now as it takes 25 mins.
    6. Remove the bayleaf, and transfer the chicken with it’s sauce and serve with scattered spring onions and chilli.

     

  • RECIPE: Vegetable Soup With Parsley And Turmeric

    Vegetable soup with parsley & turmeric

    Serves 4 (or 2 people & 2 lunches worth)

    Prep 10 mins

    Cook 40 mins

    Vegetarian

    Can be frozen

    You are certainly on your way to 7-a day  if you incorporate this super healthy soup into your day.

    PARSLEY – I tend to put parsley on everything. It’s versatile, tastes great, it’s cheap and it’s health benefits are amazing. The vitamin C content is higher than oranges. It’s packed full of antioxidants and can help neutralise carcinogens. It’s also great at neutralising garlic breath!

    TURMERIC- The turmeric gives the soup great warmth so would be perfect for taking to work in a flask to keep you toasty! There has been much press coverage around turmeric and it’s benefits of late. Turmeric can rapidly increase the antioxidant capacity in your body, which will really work along side the sweet potato, carrots, and parsley in the dish.

    Turmeric contains curcumin which has been linked to prevention and possible treatment of cancer. For anyone that suffers with depression, curcumin was also found to be as effective as Prozac.

    RICE BRAN OIL – A great cooking oil alternative. Containing no cholesterol, including plant sterols, and antioxidant rich vitamin E.

     

    Ingredient

    3 cloves garlic

    3 carrots

    3 celery

    3 onion

    3 tbsp parsley

    1 ½ tbsp turmeric

    1 sweet potato

    1 leek

    1 bay leaf

    1 vegetable stock melt / cube (made up with 1ltr water)

    1 tbsp rice bran oil

    1 tsp herbes de provence

     

    Instructions

    1. Prepare your vegetables by chopping them finely. Keep your carrots, celery, and onions together as we will begin by frying these first in rice bran oil on a medium to low heat for 10 minutes.
    2. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the parsley. Increase the heat so the soup reaches boiling point, then reduce and simmer for 20 minutes.
    3. Take off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
    4. At this point I then use my hand blender, but you really could use a blender or food processor if you do not have a hand blender. I got mine for a fiver from my supermarket. Blend until smooth. Stir in the parsley, and serve.

     

    Time Saver – The base of this soup uses 3 stable ingredients that should always be stocked in your kitchen. Onion, celery and carrots form the base for many sauces, ragus, gravy and soups. To reduce your chopping time, most supermarkets offer a frozen bag combined of these 3 useful ingredients.

    Experiment – If you have a surplus of veggies that you need to use up, go ahead and chuck them in this versatile soup. It may change the colour and consistency, but will enrich this already super healthy soup even further.

     

  • PRODUCT REVIEW: Russell Hobbs Purifry Health Fryer

    The Purifry cooks by circulating & blasting hot air onto food. The manual suggests it cooks vegetables, meat, and even cakes. Hang on… this is sounding very much like an oven isn’t it?

    The cooking basket has a 2 litre capacity and requires no oil in order to cook food (some of their recipes suggest a teaspoon of oil). It can reach 200c and I found upon setting the heat, it was ready within five minutes – very quick, albeit noisy.

    Firstly, I used the Purifry for sweet potato chips. Ready in fifteen minutes, they were marginally superior to those from an oven. They came out slightly charred, crispy but soft inside. Following the manual I made onion rings – appearing nothing like usual onion rings, but were crunchy with no grease.

    Initial cake making in the Purifry was highly unsuccessful. It erupted coming out looking more Mary Scary than Mary Berry. I was already dubious when the recipe stated to dent the center of the batter- riddle me this, how can you make a dent in liquid?

    Not one to be defeated, I tried again once I’d stopped sulking post-failure. Second attempt was just as awful, so abandon the cake making and in turn due to an overall underwhelming experience, abandon the Purifry altogether.

    It sits on your worktop looking like Eve from Disney’s Wall-E, with the name “Purifry” but essentially being an oven, even the product doesn’t know what it is. The design wants to be “minimalist” but is chunky, not ideal for small spaces, and despite its price (RRP 149.99), looks cheap.

    Chips and onion rings were a pleasure to eat from the Purifry, yes – but I hardly ever cook these normally.

    The outcome is not substantially better for me to change my cooking dynamics and use the product any further, and my oven/hob method with meat & veg is already successful and healthy.

    This product would probably benefit those that need chips and need them now. As a home cook I am uncertain of an instance I would require the use of the Purifry. Ever.
    PROS
    Minimal use of oil (0-1 tsp)
    Faster heating & cooking than an oven
    Safety timer with auto switch off

    CONS
    Identity issues (fryer or oven?)
    Cake calamity
    It’s hideous.
    http://uk.russellhobbs.com/
    RRP £149.99 (although available from £82 if you shop around)
    http://uk.russellhobbs.com
    RRP £149.99 (although available from £82 if you shop around)

  • PRODUCT REVIEW: Magimix Le Mini Plus

    Magimix products always provide a neat combination of style and ultimate utility. Most of their products are available in bright popping colours, with smaller versions of the appliance available for those that have limited worktop space, but still maintain a professional spec. The Le Mini Plus is no exception.

    Unpacking the contents of your new toy can be daunting when you spot how many extensions and accessories come with the food processor. However, with a glance over the glossy guide that comes laden with simple step by step instructions and pictures provided for each of its functions, along with 70 recipes to get you started on the new venture that will literally change and improve the dynamics of how you create in the kitchen.

    Recipes stretch from basic essentials such as home-made mayo, shortcrust pastry, Victoria sponge etc. to some interesting international dishes like; artichoke & parmesan carpaccio, and aubergine caviar.

    There are even some cocktail/mocktail ideas in the back such as the ice-cool blackcurrant and kiwi, and the pear and honey nectar. Recipes are clear, highlighting the relevant instruments of the appliance you will need to use.

    So let’s talk about the instruments. There is the main blade (chopping / kneading), a blender mix (soups etc.), egg whisk, slicer, grater, citrus press and it also comes with a spatula. Despite the word mini being in its name the Le Mini Plus is big on functionality and techniques.

    The recipes in the back suggest a serving yield of four people so this is a perfect appliance for small households (its main bowl has a 1.7 ltr capacity: 600g of chopped veg or 500g pastry or 600ml in soup, as examples).

    The slicer and grater blades alone have collectively saved me hours in the kitchen of tasks that were tedious to have previously done manually- grating a kilo of courgette for fritters by hand, never again. Another good attribute of the appliance is its fitted “failsafe”, meaning the unit will not turn on until all the correct parts of the product are in the right place.

    The machine is also very quiet when in use, which is always nice. All removable parts can go in the dishwasher and will take up minimal space so any kitchen aftermath goes unnoticed, even when cleaning by hand.

    The Le Mini Plus is by far my most favourite item in the kitchen. It looks cool, it saves me time, and can be used across a huge range of dishes; batter, pastry, bread, pizza dough, cake, icing, meringue, souffle, soup, pate, tart, pie, fishcakes, crumble, milkshakes, cocktails etc. etc.

    In my opinion, every kitchen should be kitted out with one of these. The price range is £119.99-£152.99 from John Lewis, but do shop around. I feel the pricing is totally fair with the product and should be considered as an investment. Whether novice or expert, this product is relevant and you will find yourself using it at every available opportunity.

     

    Good to know bits of info are any plastic materials are 0% BPA, three year guarantee included, along with a thirty year motor guarantee too.

     

     

    PROS

    Multi-function heaven

    Looks great on your worktop

    Comes with a great and handy bible of recipes

     

    CONS

    Sometimes had to blend in batches due to its smaller capacity.

     

     

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Ember Yard Soho

    Ember Yard Soho is Timeout’s number two destination restaurant at the moment. Chiltern Firehouse is their top-of-the-pops. Leaving the reservation arrangements to the last minute meant THEGAYUK had more chance of interviewing Banksy than securing a table a Chiltern. Ember Yard could squeeze, literally, a table for two in at 9.45pm. Leaving plenty of time for pre-dinner sharpeners.

    A busy gentleman greeted us with beaming pearly whites and led us to the table. It’s a good job neither party was of a large persuasion. We were wedged into a corner table, thus making lav trips a bit like putting ya fave skinnies on after they’ve been washed.

    Our waitress Gabriella appeared at all the appropriate moments, guided us through the menu and suggested all our tapas. Gabriella had an air of landlady about her, she was natural and knowledgeable.

    The venue has a cosy, contemporary loft-apartment feel with dark wooden floors, pillars, beams and grey walls. There’s a mixture of seating, from high stalls and counters to tables, chairs and banquettes. All warmly lit by bulbous exposed light bulbs dangling from pipes on the ceiling.

    The place was full of diners that could no doubt walk, or jump in a rickshaw home.

    We went straight in with vino and opted for the Mas Macia Blanc Catalunya 2014. One word in the description pulled us towards this minerally, ripe-apple-enriched number: honeyed. We should have been shooing bees away once the cork was popped.

    Ember’s cuisine is inspired by Spanish and Italian chargrill methods of cooking. The menu is broken up into bar snacks, tapas and a couple of larger dishes to share.

    Each plate arrived as soon as it was ready.

    First up, burrata with chargrilled ciabatta, heritage tomatoes and wild garlic pesto. Gabriella’s favourite. It was like cutting into a chocolate fondant with a melted centre. The mozzarella outer layer hides a buttery smooth core. A great balance of crunch and creaminess all elevated by a right hook from the pesto.

    Next to appear, applewood-smoked bream carpaccio with pomegranate, coriander and bottarga. The sea bream was slightly overpowered by the salty fish roe and coriander. Zesty, delicate and enjoyable.

    To follow, courgette flower stuffed with goat’s cheese and drizzled with honey. If you’re going to clog your arteries with fried food this is the way to do it. The strong flavour from the cheese lifts the courgette while the honey brings a floral element to the dish. The three amalgamate like a pair of Grenson brogues, a crisp-white Burberry shirt and slim-fit Nudie indigo jeans.

    And then, roasted and chargrilled Ibérico pork ribs with quince glaze and celeriac purée. Once we’d tackled the charcoal, fig-like-flavoured crispy shell the meat slid off of the bone. The textures worked. TGI’s should come and take notes.

    The last dish, smoked and grilled beef burger with pickled courgette, chilli jam and scamorza. Perfectly formed. The chilli jam, or chelly, left a sweet but fiery undertone.

    If you need an excuse not to don ya frilly apron and turn the oven on, Ember’s burrata will suffice. We ordered a second.

    Pud came in liquid form.

    One glass of Finca Antigua Moscatel. The first sip unravels a silky layer over the tongue, followed by a sweet frill.

    And a glass of Lazio Shiraz. A peppery and berry perfumed little tinker. Reminiscent of those cherry-liqueured chocolates you get from M&S at Christmas. But much more palatable.

    The bill was a reasonable £106.16. Chiltern Smiltern. We still had enough in the kitty to swing around a pole at The Village, hit the Shadow Lounge and spill into an Uber home.

    Reviewed by Thabian Sutherland
    Ember Yard
    60 Berwick Street
    London
    W1F 8SU
    Tel: 0207 439 8057
    info@emberyard.co.uk
    http://emberyard.co.uk
    STAR RATING: ★★★★ (explained)
    PRICE: £££ (explained)

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | L’Escargot

    With a rather grand welcome from the fabulously loud front of house, we were taken to our seats giggling as he continued to tickle us with his wit.

    The grand element continues, taking in our surroundings. It’s a posh crowd- a mix of business bods and rich romantics (one couple in particular really should have hired one of L’escargot’s private rooms). The lights are dim, and I find myself sinking into the comfy seat whilst admiring a lot of classic décor touches that surround us.

    We were brought a selection of warm, homemade crusty breads with a moreish tapenade- being advised that the selection of tapenades and bread accompaniments often change seasonally. After forgetting completely where I was and asking for Prosecco in a French cuisine restaurant, we asked the sommelier’s recommendation on the Roses available. Rose has gained a better reputation recently and there are some lovely varieties out there now. We went for the Bandol Rosé, Dom. La Suffrene, C. Granvier, 2013 (£38.00). Which you have to try- fantastic. Their wine list is ridiculously extensive so you have plenty to suit your taste!
    To start I went for the Foie Gras with kumquats & brioche (£18). Despite this being straight from the fridge kinda cold, the quality coming through was great, and they had not messed around with the dish at all- Foie Gras in it’s simplest and best form. Even the word kumquat makes me want to gag so these were left at the side of my plate.

    My friend went for the Six Snails with garlic & parsley (£12). The snails were plump and came easily out of their shell. Great garlic flavour and the oil in the dish made an amazing dip for the bread, of which we were offered more of at this point.

    After our table was “crumbed down”, our mains shortly followed. Clearly I had the taste for suffering that day as what followed my Foie Gras was a huge slab of Veal (£18)- a massive portion of well cooked meat in a light lemon breadcrumb. With the menu being a la carte we ordered a few sides that I found on the small side for their price.

    Green beans cooked in garlic (£5) – perfectly cooked. Dauphinoise (£6) – there is never enough dauphinoise, but this portion of creamy garlic potatoes and cheese was minute. New potatoes (£5) cooked with herbs, these had slightly too much bite for my preference, but I always say rather al dente than mush with vegetables.

    The other main we ordered was the Sea Bass – crispy skin and succulent flesh served with a sauce vert- lemon, cream, parsley. This really was a lovely dish and I’m not normally a fan of sea bass but the execution was flawless.

    So very much looking forward to the desserts at a fine French restaurant, I was not disappointed. Cream cake extravaganza. The tarte du jour (£6) was an almond galette. Uber rich and uber tempting to re-create that Smack The Pony sketch with, where they face plant the dessert tray whilst slurring jibberish-French lingo.

    Double teaming the cream cakes we also took on the Paris Brest – made with choux pastry, hazelnuts and bursting at the seams with cream. So simple but so good my favourite of the two. My love for praline is insatiable.

    The food is very simple, but very well done. For me this is a restaurant serving fantastic food with seasonal changes, and a lovely professional (but humorous) team. I personally feel that the pricing is a little over, but L’escargot has been regularly voted one of the best French restaurants in London, so I would encourage you to take a look and experience for yourself.

    An extra star goes for the venue itself. The venue of L’escargot is huge (four floors). You don’t quite realise being sat in the restaurant how many more levels and rooms there are to the place. With six rooms for hire, I feel this really gives L’escargot a unique edge.

    The different rooms are named simply after the colour of them (Blue, Violet, Red etc.). There is also an upstairs exclusive club which you will need to contact L’escargot for more details on. But it is rather swanky up there, spotting some Versace home ware pieces as we walked through. Ask for the grand tour.

    If you were to become a member it means you can take advantage of exclusive hire of any of their rooms, free of charge. Dinner packages are available pre and post-theatre (2 or 3 courses – £17.50/£21.50).

    They also have a dog-friendly club policy offering complimentary food & treats for your pup.

    REVIEWED BY: Jordan Lohan
    ADDRESS: L’Escargot, 48 GREEK STREET, LONDON, SOHO, W1D 4EF
    WEBSITE: http://www.lescargot.co.uk
    STAR RATING: ★★★★ (explained)
    PRICE RATING: £££££ (explained)
    TIPPING POLICY: There is a discretionary 12.5% service charge added to your bill.

  • Putting The 2015 Ford Focus Through Its Paces

    The common or garden hatchback has had a bit of a rough time of late. With everyone and their dog all after a high-riding SUV like the Nissan Juke or a ‘premium’ hatch like the BMW 1-Series, mass market offerings such as the Focus can be overlooked. The question is, should you ignore the current trends and give one of the old favourites a chance?

    First impressions are very good, the new corporate Ford grille has been criticised for looking a little bit too Aston Martinish (is that really a problem?) but here it’s handsome with just the right amount of aggression.

    Our test car was also painted a striking metallic blue and shod with some tasty 18” alloys wrapped in low profile rubber. Climbing inside this top spec Titanium X model, you are welcomed by a chunky leather steering wheel, half leather seats and Ford’s Sync 2 combined navigation and infotainment system, something you can read more about in June’s tech special issue of The Gay UK Magazine. There’s plenty of nice squishy plastic although premium car fans won’t be impressed by some of the cheaper plastics on the centre console and lower reaches of the dashboard. You can tell the range starts at less than £14k that’s for sure. Nevertheless, there’s plenty of space, everything is clearly laid out and not unattractive either.

    Keyless go means you don’t have to insert a key, just have the fob on you and thumb the starter button.

    The 2.0 diesel fires quickly and settles into a subdued idle, you still know it’s an oil burner but refinement has come a long way even in the last 5 years. Our test car came with Ford’s Powershift dual clutch automatic gearbox, similar to VWs DSG system and promising similar benefits. In almost all situations it smoothly shuffles between ratios with a noticeable shortening of shift speed in sport mode. There’s a built in ‘creep’ mode like an old school auto which makes manoeuvring easy with the car even holding you on the brakes for a hill start. Economy should be as good if not better than the manual too.

    The only fly in the ointment is if you go from pottering about to suddenly needing a burst of acceleration, something that can make the gearbox hesitate for a moment before delivering the performance you need. It never actually caused me an issue but does knock your confidence in pulling out onto a busy roundabout or carrying out an overtake. Sport mode helps but does tend to leave the car in too low a gear while the manual control buttons on the shifter don’t feel particularly intuitive. I get the feeling the optional wheel mounted paddles would be the ideal solution and make you feel like Lewis Hamilton to boot.

    The Focus has always been renowned for its handling so I had high hopes for this latest model even as a diesel estate. As with most new cars these days, the steering is electrically assisted. It’s nicely weighted and gives some feedback of what the road is doing but does feel a little gloopy just off the straight ahead like the wheels are turning in treacle. It’s a minor gripe however and one that most people wouldn’t even notice. In terms of fun and balance, I found the car hampered by having too much grip. This may seem like an odd thing to say but you have to be going seriously quickly to feel the inherent balance of the chassis.

    Once I had found my testicles and chucked it into a bend at speed you could feel the chassis working hard at both ends, resisting the urge to plough straight on and putting a very big grin on my face. I think smaller wheels would not only mean you can have more fun more of the time but you’ll also save a few quid replacing tyres and get a comfier ride. Although the Focus coped well with larger bumps and undulations, sharper ridges could thump through the cabin thanks to those skinny sidewalls. For the majority of people on the majority of journeys though, the Focus would prove to be a safe companion that you’d have to do something very stupid in to get out of shape round a bend.

    Overall the Focus made a compelling case for itself. It looks good, handles well and was very well equipped. It was also incredibly practical with plenty of room for 4 passengers and luggage with even more space if you folded the seats down.

    It did disappoint slightly with regards to economy though, being sensible I averaged around 43 mpg with a mixture of A-road, dual carriageway and town driving. Although this would no doubt improve as the engine loosened up (it was delivered to me with less than 1000 miles), I was still hoping to see better fuel consumption. My biggest complaint however was price. Admittedly I did ask for a fully loaded test car for the tech issue but even still, £29,615 for a Ford Focus diesel did surprise me.

    Personally, I’d be tempted by a lower spec model with a few choice options to bring the price down. At around £20-£22k and optioned with the adaptive headlights, Sync 2 and with less bling the Focus would be very tempting.

    Pros

    Handles well

    Punchy yet refined diesel

    Styling

    Cons

    Low rent interior plastics

    Worse than expected economy

    Price

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The House of Ho, Soho, London

    Bang on Old Compton Street lies The House of Ho (and according to a rather comical page on their menu; “We might be called Ho’s but we are, at least, classy ones”.

    Hos aside, the restaurant was busy for a Tuesday 7pm. Our initial welcome was lukewarm from a waiter clearly feeling the burn of “suicide Tuesday”, but this was swiftly rectified by the lovely waitress that hadn’t lost the will to live, could actually speak, and presented us with the wine list & suggesting some edamame beans and Asian crackers for the table.

    Bobby Chinn owns the restaurant, as well as another in Hanoi, and has a successful TV series “World Cafe Asia”. Bobby is clearly a man who knows his food but also how to have fun with it. Both food and drinks menu include a page bound to make you giggle; “Duct tape is available for hyperactive children”, and Bobby’s “10 Stages of Drunkness”, my favourite being number 4: Clairvoyant.

    The décor is far more serious, showcasing some dramatic red drapery, low lights, grey tones, and brushed steel. An odd pairing of artwork, being sat adjacent to a painting of people with no heads, and tables decorated with a couple of token touches of copper via candle votives.

    Their drinks menu is extensive, some fantastic and relevant to the Vietnamese theme including ingredients; lemongrass, coconut water, cucumber, lychee, Vietnamese coffee etc. Loving some of the great rose wines out there now, I opted for the Terra Vecchia Rose 2013 (£29), a really light, clean tasting and fresh wine- a great paring for the robust and fresh flavours we were about to enjoy.

    Ho serves food in the same manner as tapas, there are no strict starters/mains etc. They recommend 3-4 dishes per person, and left it in our waitress’ hands to decide what we had, to great success across 7 dishes that was the perfect amount of food for two.

    Bobby’s Warm Duck salad (£10.50) a touch disappointing after being advised of its spiciness and the heat being a little underwhelming. It was however lovely, light and crispy, although coriander’s presence was overpowering. The Grass Fed Angus Fillet Rolls (£6.50) were a triumph. My friend had visited Vietnam and said the flavours of this dish enchanted fond memories of his time there. Light rolls filled with fresh mint that complimented the rich wok tossed beef perfectly, with a little bit of sweetness in there too from some crispy onions- one to try.

    Seafood Ceviche (£12.50) – prawns, sea bass, and scallops combined with mangosteen (a fruit with amazing health benefits, a joy to see on the menu), nestled amongst peppers and avocado in a light coconut fresh lime jus – fresh to death! A lovely dish to have alongside the crispy 7 Spice Vietnamese Squid (£8.50), where its real winner was the dip accompaniment; perfect proportions of sweet & fiery with interesting flavour layers.

    The next dishes were the ones that made the meal. Shaking Beef (£12), 30-day grass-fed Angus beef. Ridiculously tender bite-size morsels. Plain in its seasoning with a strong peppery flavour. The meat speaks for itself here. Griddled Duck (13.50), in my notes I actually cussed against this dish it was that good. Only a little pink, and the notoriously fatty element of the duck almost going undetected it was cooked so well. Another bringer of ‘nam memories for my friend. Heavy smoky flavours, and comes served with a cabbage leaf stuffed with black rice. The stuffed cabbage was very plain and verging on under seasoned, but as an avid fan of both black rice and cabbage, I loved its purpose on the plate.

    The richness of both duck and beef dishes would require something light like a salad next to it. Our waitress had decided that we would receive Morning Glory (£6) – cooked spinach and toasted shallot oil with peanuts, a great simple side- but would have preferred a raw element at this point of the meal.

    With always room for pud, we chose the lemon scented crème brulee (£5.50) – lovely strong citrus, and overall a good brulee, but it came fridge cold which I’m not a fan of, believing it should always be served a little warm, even if it’s room temp to take away the image of bundles of brulees sat in a fridge.

    Also chosen was the trio of homemade gelatos- keen to see what varieties would be served due to the restaurant’s constant compliance to a Vietnamese theme. Apparently, a lemongrass was served but I could not identify between this one and another that only appeared through apparent pods, to be vanilla. A chocolate was also served and despite the gelato in their consistency being superior and luxuriously creamy- the flavours lacked any identity. I would have loved to have seen some flavours like on their cocktail menu. A Vietnamese Coffee Gelato sounds lovely!

    In my view, there were a few errors with a couple of instances involving overpowering flavours, and where the flavour lacked altogether- the dishes otherwise had clever composition. The House of Ho offers stylish dishes packed with exciting and fresh flavours that would definitely make me come back to explore the rest of the menu.

    The restaurant will also now be open till 1 AM on Fridays & Saturdays for “Late Ho”, with a resident DJ and Vietnamese bar snacks.

    Reviewed by @lohanjordan
    ADDRESS: 55—59 Old Compton Street, Soho, London, W1D 6HW
    PHONE: 020 7287 0770
    PRICE: ££££ (explained)
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  • Rugby Must Change To End Homophobia

    In what is believed to be a world first, international rugby stars from three countries are joining together in publicly condemning homophobia in sport. English star James Haskell and Welsh star Alex Cuthbert as well as Australian Rugby Legend John Eales have all backed a statement specifically calling for an end to homophobic language, the most common form of discrimination.

    They join other sport stars speaking out about discrimination, including Gareth Thomas and David Pocock as well as openly gay rugby referee Nigel Owens who says homophobia has been tolerated for “too long.” This all comes after the first international study found widespread homophobia in UK and international sport.

    – 77% of UK participants in the study had ‘witnessed or experienced homophobia’ around sport

    – Verbal slurs such as ‘faggot’ or ‘dyke’ as well as jokes about gay people were the most common forms of homophobia reported

    -70% thought youth sport in the UK was not safe or welcoming to lesbian, gay and bisexual people.
    (Nearly 9500 gay, lesbian, bisexual and straight people took part in “Out on the Fields,” the largest study ever conducted on homophobia in sport. Nearly 1800 were from the UK. It was reviewed by a panel of seven academic experts from six universities. Full UK results: www.outonthefields.com)

    In repose to the study, Dublin-based World Rugby (formerly IRB), reaffirmed its recent, historic commitment to ‘eliminate’ discrimination from the game. It is the first ‘world sport’ to make such a bold pledge and quite a contrast to the position of FIFA.
    Meanwhile, the three international rugby stars – Haskell, Cuthbert and Eales – have all backed a formal statement and will be promoting anti-homophobia messages through social media this Sunday, 17 May which is ‘International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia’ on 17 May.

    The statement backed by the players says:

    “Everyone should be able to play and enjoy sport without fear of discrimination. Homophobic language can be harmful to those struggling with their sexuality and it makes people feel unwelcome to play sport. We want to send a strong message to everyone involved in sport that homophobic language and behaviour is not acceptable.”
    England’s James Haskell, 30, said he decided to back the statement because he was alarmed by the extent of discrimination discovered in the UK and other countries.

    “I feel bad for anyone who struggles to be true to who they are and feels the need to live a lie because they are worried about being rejected. I think homophobic language is still too common in sport. Even if the jokes and banter you sometimes hear are not meant to be harmful I think it creates an environment where gay people don’t feel very welcome,” said Haskell.

    Haskell’s views on the effects of discrimination reflect the experience of openly gay Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas. He says he kept his sexuality secret and nearly committed suicide because language created a hostile environment.

    “I am one of those who hid my sexuality for years because this kind of language created an environment where it seemed impossible to be accepted as a gay man. The good news is I don’t believe most people making these jokes and using these slurs are being intentionally homophobic. After I came out of the closet, many of my greatest supporters were teammates who, in the past, had made the most jokes about gay people,” wrote Thomas, in a foreword for the “Out on the Fields” study.

    Welsh rugby star Alex Cuthbert, 25, says Thomas has helped people understand why this issue is important, “I think Gareth Thomas’s story has helped us all become more aware of the effects of homophobic language and banter. Society has changed and I don’t think this kind of language has any place in sport or anywhere else anymore.”

    Meanwhile, former New Zealand All Black Josh Kronfeld says homophobic language is common among spectators, “The biggest issues would probably be driven by the fan base. There are dumb and ignorant people around.” Australian Wallabies star David Pocock has called the extent of homophobia discovered by the study “awful” and wants “more education through all levels of the game.” Pocock recently complained to a referee about homophobic slurs during a match, leading to a player being fined $20,000 by the Australian Rugby Union.
    In Ireland, rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll and current players Cian Healy and Peter O’Mahony also back an end to discrimination against gay people. All three have urged people to vote ‘yes’ in their country’s upcoming same-sex marriage referendum.
    Rugby legend John Eales, the most successful Wallaby captain in Australian history, is proud so many rugby players around the world are taking such a strong stance on discrimination against gay people. He also praised the commitment by World Rugby (formerly IRB) to “eliminate” homophobia from the game. (www.worldrugby.org/news/59705)

    “I think we were all surprised by the extent of homophobia that was found by the study but I am glad rugby is leading internationally on this issue. I think World Rugby’s commitment to eliminate homophobia from the game is very powerful. It will help end the problem because it sends a strong message to everyone involved in sport that homophobic language or any behaviour that makes people feel unwelcome is no longer acceptable,” said Eales.

    Jeff Wilson, the London based Chairman of International Gay Rugby, signed the recent agreement with World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset to “work together to educate and eliminate homophobia in rugby.”

    “Unfortunately there are still alarming rates of discrimination in sport and I think we have a lot more work to do than we expected. However, despite its tough and macho image, I think rugby is very well placed to become the most inclusive and tolerant sport in the world. We are very grateful to have such strong support at all levels of the game, from the players up to the international leaders. I’m hopeful that rugby’s success will inspire other sports to also rid their games of discrimination,” said Jeff Wilson.

  • The Nation Has Voted, Fish And Chips Tops The List

    All hail the local chippy – as fish and chips has been voted the nation’s favourite British dish, says new research.

    A poll of 2,000 Brits revealed the traditional seaside fare to beat the roast dinner, Victoria Sponge and the Cornish Pasty to come top of Britain’s favourite meals and snacks.

    Bacon butties, baked beans and Shepherd’s Pie also ranked highly in the list of 40, along with buttered crumpets and a cream tea.

    A proud 43 per cent of the adults polled even said British cuisine is the best in the world.

    Tom Lowes, Marketing Manager at Sykes Cottages who commissioned the survey for the ‘Discover Cornwall’ food and drink guide, said:

    “Over the years the nation’s tastes have become increasingly international when it comes to food.

    “We want to try flavours from all over the world, and it’s great that it’s so available to us.

    “But we Brits are undoubtedly spoilt when it comes to great local cuisine, and the results are proof that we still get excited by it.

    “The top three are firm British favourites, but the list demonstrates that regional delicacies whet the nation’s appetite too.’’

    The research showed seven in ten of the adults to rate a fish supper as the top traditional British meal – preferably straight out of newspaper at the seaside.

    The traditional roast dinner complete with gravy and Yorkshire puddings came second, ideally eaten at Sunday lunchtime in a decent British pub.

    While a full English breakfast usually consisting of bacon, sausages, baked beans and fried eggs made up the iconic top three.

    One in eight said fry-ups are most satisfying on a Sunday morning – other food made tastier by an event included a hot pie at a football match, and strawberries and cream while watching tennis.

    Those with a sweet tooth voted apple crumble, Victoria sponge and a classic Bakewell tart into the top 40 list, as well as pub favourite Sticky Toffee Pudding and custard.

    While some quintessential English snacks such as buttered crumpets, sausage rolls and Scotch eggs also featured in the list.

    Regional grub including Scotland’s haggis and tatties, London’s jellied eels and the famous Cornish pasty were deemed great examples of British fare, said the poll.

    And the chippy was shown to be a trove of Brit favourites, as the list also featured the Northern picks of mushy peas and chips with gravy.

    While further pub classics appeared in the form of bangers and mash, ham, egg and chips and a Ploughman’s lunch.

    When it came to washing it down, the top drink was unsurprisingly revealed as a cup of builder’s brew.

    For 13 per cent it was a pint of real ale that epitomises Britain, while one in ten said a tall glass of Pimms was their chosen Brit classic.

    Adults are patriotic when it comes to food – as 43 per cent said British food is the best in the world, with the West Country nabbing the crown for the best regional cuisine.

    But a Sunday lunch was most brag-worthy, as half admitted they would serve up traditional roast dinner to international guests, followed by a fruit crumble and a cheese platter.

    Tom Lowes of Sykes Cottages said,

    “When travelling, sampling local food is a great way of getting to know the local area.

    “And we should remember that this is as relevant in Britain, as it is with international holidays.’’

    BEST BRITISH FOOD

    1. Fish ‘n’ chips

    2. Roast dinner with Yorkshire pudding

    3. Full English breakfast

    4. Bacon butties

    5. Apple crumble

    6. Strawberries and cream

    7. Bangers and mash

    8. Cream tea

    9. Shepherd’s Pie

    10. Crumpets

    11. Ham, egg and chips

    12. Sausage rolls

    13. Cornish ice cream

    14. Baked beans

    15. Victoria Sponge

    16. Toad in the hole

    17. Sticky Toffee Pudding and custard

    18. Cornish Pasty

    19. Steak and kidney pie

    20. Pork pie

    21. Bakewell Tart

    22. Ploughman’s lunch

    23. Chips and gravy

    24. Rhubarb and custard

    25. Scampi

    26. Prawn cocktail

    27. Mushy peas

    28. Marmite

    29. Cheese and pickle on crackers

    30. Scotch eggs

    31. Cornish fudge

    32. Spotted Dick

    33. Irish stew and dumplings

    34. Chelsea buns

    35. Eccles cakes

    36. Pea and ham soup

    37. Cucumber sandwiches

    38. Haggis and tatties

    39. Cockles and mussels

    40. Jellied eels