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LGBT History Month To Tackle Religion And Sexuality
In 2016 LGBT History Month aims to focus on religion and sexuality.
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RESTAURANT REVIEW | Ametsa with Arzak Instruction, at The Halkin Hotel.
The restaurant is situated in Belgravia’s Halkin hotel. The Halkin is one of the hotels belonging to the prestigious COMO group (boasting utter gorgeousness globally).
The “Arzak Instruction” was established by a team of five from Arzak restaurant (who hold three Michelin stars) to deliver the philosophies of a unique and unforgettable cooking style to the Ametsa (currently holding one Michelin star).Rooted in the traditions of ‘New Basque Cuisine’, pairing earthy flavours and techniques of Spain’s Basque region with modern, surprising twists. Fresh, locally-sourced and organic produce from land and sea are Ametsa’s building blocks.
I really recommend you opt for the tasting menu to sample a little of everything that the creative and flavour geniuses have to offer. The tasting menu (£105 pp / £154pp with wine pairing) will have you and your table ooh-ing, ahh-ing with at every dish and with every mouthful inducing your eyes to roll in the back of your head. This is beyond food porn- harnessing invention, elements of nostalgia, exploration and of course, a bit of drama.
To start, a little amuse bouche in the form of a tomato and strawberry chilled soup, served in a shot glass- as tempting as it is to down in one from something in a shot glass, please don’t, far too pretty and tasty to be over so quickly.
The Onion Rock with Marinated Anchovie for me was one of the most visually enchanting dishes, and as an appetizer really does set the tone for the continuing flawless presentation and intricate skill applied to each dish. The “rock” element appearing bizarre in black and tasting like mellow yellow onions, with a coiled anchovie atop soft, silky- exquisite textures against one another.
The Sunflower Seed Cracker with Duck was something like the finest version of a pate on toast, even the crackers appeared to have some form of architecture to them.
A little fruity “pasta” parcel containing the Chistorra – a sweet chorizo-type sausage meat was light and mousse-like leaving you with a tangy tongue.
Scallops at Home- for me this was one of the highlights of the highlights. Served with a seaweed cracker with tiny edible flowers filling its crevices, again the attention to detail is transcendent, and the dish also flashed a nod to the realm of “superfoods” coming with a sweet creamy goji berry sauce. I don’t think a dish has ever made me smile the way that this one did.
The Langoustine on a Bed of Lichens- for me on paper does not conjour any feelings of excitement, especially as a lichen can also mean a skin ailment. However upon delivery of the dish, the langoustine with only its fleshiest of fleshy part (no ugly whole headed aliens on the plate), served with a perched cracker made with crab looking something like a Philip Treacy hat- sweet & stunning.
When you book for the tasting menu, your table is likely to receive different plates / menus from one another when you get the fish and meat section. This was great as we really did get to try a bit of everything, and sharing is definitely caring here.A little minx of a dish, the seductive and smoky Tuna with Cinnamon arrives in all its pinky handsomeness with a glass dome atop the plate encompassing a cinnamon myst. The dome is lifted and savoury woody aromas surround you. The table is also presented with a smoking cinnamon stick- sensory explosion.
For my friend dining, her highlight was the Red Emperor with Beans, with the fish (snapper) cooked ridiculously well and an earthy well seasoned white bean sauce. The plate was decorated with more edible flowers, this really was a regal winner.
The Suckling Pig on Carob Crumbs was a hunky platform of pork with some cracking crackling. An amazing bit of meat, but I did find the dish as a whole far too rich for my palette at this point of the meal. Also I have always had an aversion to anything carob. But as we had been served different meat dishes, it gave us the opportunity to share.
The Beef Fillet with Green Tomato, was another outstanding dish, the meat served as it should be medium-rare, with a light green tomato mousse encompassing the essence of everything fresh. Its flavour can only be described as clean and green. I’ve never tasted anything quite like it and would have quite happily been served the mousse on it’s own.
Before we were served dessert, a little delight came along in the form of a shot glass containing flavour elements of sangria (peel, berry etc), with popping candy. Topped up at the table with Sangria you then delve in with a spoon. I really liked this idea, it brought another fun element and also a little nod to childhood via popping candy. My friend didn’t get on with the Sangria shot and within minutes an alternative had been sent out in the form of homemade gelato which was very well received. All your needs are catered for here.
Clove Custard, Toasted Milk and Pineapple Ice Cream – utterly aromatic and warming flavours making the cooling, light ice cream an intriguing, clever, and undeniably moreish dish. The toasted milk shards (much like a thin wafer) were crisp and reminded me of the chocolate Caramac’s flavour, delicious against the piquant pineapple ice cream.
The service, much like its food is absolute. A flawless stream of perfectly timed new dishes to the table and topping up / changing of the wines to pair each plate. The service does feel orchestrated, and I have seen others refer to it as robotic. However, the tasting menu is a show and I can only applaud these masters of precision and perfection.
It’s worth mentioning Ametsa with Arzak Instruction also offer a set lunchtime menu for £27.50.
Reviewed by @LohanJordanADDRESS: 5-6 Halkin St, London SW1X 7DJPHONE: 020 7333 1234PRICE: £££££ (explained)
STAR RATING: ***** (explained)
TIPPING POLICY: http://www.comohotels.com/thehalkin/dining/ametsa-arzak-instruction/reservations
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TECH REVIEW: Majority Titan Speaker
The publicity for this speaker makes a bold statement about the dock based speaker systems being back, and back with a vengeance.
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Man “Exposes” Himself Before Shouting Homophobic Slurs At Passenger
The police are hunting a man who exposed his penis to another man before hurling homophobic abuse from an incident that happened in April.
British Transport Police officers have releaed an image of a man they wish to speak to following a sexual incident at London Bridge Underground station on the 10th April 2015.
According to the BTP the man approached the tail end of the platform when he saw another man at the far end of the platform shouting homophobic language and exposing himself.The man redressed himself and boarded a southbound train.
Investigating officer PC Leslie Dunnett said:
“I’d like to speak to the man in the CCTV image as I believe he may have vital information which could help with the investigation. People have the right to travel on the rail network without being made to feel uncomfortable or intimidated.”
Anyone with any information should contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text us on 61016 quoting crime reference number T-SUB/B2 of 17/11/15.”
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Charlie Sheen Reveals His HIV Status
Actor Charlie Sheen has become the highest profile person to publicly reveal he is HIV positive.
The Two And A Half Men actor spoke about his HIV status in an interview with NBC’s The Today Show. The interview took place days after The Sun’s Dan Wootton attracted criticism for the way in which his article spoke about an unnamed actor with HIV, causing Hollywood ‘HIV panic”.
In his interview the 50-year-old actor said,
‘I am here to admit that I am in fact HIV positive,’
‘I have to put a stop to this barrage of attacks and sub-truths and very harmful and mercurial stories that are about me that threaten the health of so many others,’ he said. ‘[It] couldn’t be farther from the truth.’
He told the Today Show that he was diagnosed roughly four years ago and has tried to keep his status out of the public arena since then.
According to the heterosexual actor, he has paid out ‘millions’ to people who have blackmailed him threatening to reveal his status, which he has known about for four years.
He did not reveal how he contracted the virus.
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Daytime Hero Phillip Schofield Bares His Bottom NSFW
Phillip Schofield, 53, the silver-haired daytime king has bared his bottom for a rather cheeky promo.
We’re not going to lie, we’ve often wondered what Phillip’s behind might look like and now we know. The cheeky stalwart daytime presenter bared his bottom as he parades through the This Morning studios with just his Christmas jumper on, until his co-presenter Holly Willoughby, 34, asks him if he’s forgotten something. The spot was for a promo for Text Santa, a charity set up by ITV.
However before we get too excited Schofe has a bottom double. He told the Mirror,“I thought about getting my own bum out, but then I was offered a bum double and decided that I’d follow in the footsteps of David Beckham and spare Holly the view from the front.
“Even though we’re best friends, some things don’t need to be shared.”
Either way, bare bottom used for charity ad… double win we’d say.
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RESTAURANT REVIEWS: The Narrow, Limehouse
Cussy-Chops’s (Gordon Ramsay’s) hard graft has been decorated with numerous Michelin stars since 1993 – the Gordon Ramsay group currently own 25 restaurants globally.
For Cussy-Chops, running a nosh-house is much like Karl Lagerfeld designing a red-carpet dazzler – a natural. His top table, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road London, is one of only four eateries in the UK that currently hold three Michelin stars.
Last month THEGAYUK were invited to sample Ramsay’s culinary fare, minus reality-TV cameras, to see if there is ‘Hell’ in The Narrow Limehouse London’s ‘Kitchen’.
In 2007 The Narrow’s doors were first flung open, and it’s clear that was the last time the interior received any TLC. She’s neatly situated by the Thames – from the conservatory, your view to the left is the financial hub of London, and to the right, the Shard beams at you in all its phallic glory. Despite this sophisticated location, there’s a feeling that you could be visiting your great-grandma in her residential home – sun-bleached blue sofas and a complete lack of attempt to hide the B&Q-style window frames.
The gastro pub’s toilets matched the standard of a Wetherspoon’s during the World Cup. Cussy-Chops and his Kitchen Nightmare team should get back on the road and head to Limehouse and address his own flagging decor.
We were seated in the Nana’s glass-house and offered an apéritif – cocktails seemed appropriate.
Devil in Disguise: Leblon Cachaca, Green Chartreuse, Martini Bianco, white Cacao and lemon. A slight undercurrent similar to tequila with herby notes. In the description, the Devil boasts: Our creation to expose chocolate and lemon magnificent compatibility – hm. Got the lemon, maybe they overexposed the chocolate. Refreshing all the same.
Internacional: Bacardi Superior, apricot-infused Martini Rosso and Kümmel. If you could drink a Cuban version of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle, this is what it would taste like. An original, heavily-scented imbibe that jabs with potency and flavours of cumin.
Good service in a Ramsay gaff is like buff, topless bar staff at Ku Bar – totally expected. We weren’t disappointed. NoF Words passed our lips – the staff were knowledgeable and treated us as if we were regulars.
To oil the food devouring, our waiter chose a bottle of Gouguenheim Valle Escondido Malbec, Mendoza 2014, from Argentina. A deep red, rich and forceful number – aromas of currants chocolate and cherries with a lasting finish. Malbec-n-marvellous.
To start, from the specials’ board: goat’s cheese and spinach ravioli. Al dente and piping hot – the goat cheese’s strong flavour didn’t overpower but gave a notable presence. Delicious.
Our other starter: Potted salt beef with apple, pickle and sourdough. Think pastrami minus the pepper. A decent pub potted meat.
For a Tuesday night, Gordon’s gaff was simmering with locals who’d come straight from the office or schlepped from their Limehouse pied-à-terres, giving the riverside eatery a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
For our mains: Wye Valley duck breast with port sauce, confit garlic and sautéed potatoes. The duck was succulent and pink in the middle, verging on the sweet side, beautifully mirrored by the rich sauce.
commendation: the 10oz Aberdeenshire ribeye with peppercorn sauce. Ribeye can be riddled with fat, thus spoiling the consumption. This was a quality cut of beef, tender and without a fat infestation. The sauce was light, not too creamy – the corns liquified on the tongue.
We shared a couple of sides: creamy spinach and rosemary hand-cut chips. The spinach was fluffy and the chips were crisp, but seemed to have detached themselves from the rosemary.
Belt loops by pud time were feeling the pressure – but we soldiered on.
We shared a banana sticky toffee pudding with Purbeck salted caramel ice cream and, from the specials, a vanilla creme brûlée. Our waiter, who had a slight touch of the Robert Downey Jr’s about him, urged us toward said sticky pud – we were jolly pleased he did. The velvety sponge brimmed with banana and flattered the premium south-west ice cream.
The brûlée slipped off the spoon like gazpacho – it wasn’t set. A good crunch to the head and the vanilla pulled through.
Finally, a couple of espresso martinis to aid our navigational system for the journey home – more ice-lolly than flat-white – lush.
Dear Cussy-Chops, take some spondoodles out of your ever-expanding bank account and spruce up The Narrow- one facelift and you’ll have yourself a pretty respectable gastro pub – just sayin.
REVIEWED BY: Thabian Sutherland
ADDRESS: 44 Narrow Street, London, E14 8DP
TELEPHONE: +44 (0) 207 592 7950
EMAIL: thenarrow@gordonramsay.com
WEBSITE: https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/the-narrow/
RATING: ★★★★ (explained)
PRICE: ££££ (explained)
Tipping Policy: A discretionary service charge of 12.5% will be added to your bill.
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34 Per Cent Of Young Lesbian Gay And Bi People Tried To Commit Suicide Last Year
A new report from LGBT mental health charity PACE shows that 34 per cent of young LGB people have tried to commit suicide in the last year.
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12 Mistakes Gay Guys Make On Dating Profiles
Not getting the responses you want from your dating profile perhaps there’s something you’re doing wrong.We asked our readers what where the most common mistakes they found on guy’s profiles on dating sites and hook up apps.
Sponsored by:
1) Too Much, Too Soon.
Nothing says, “I’m serious about dating and maybe actually finding love online” than a picture of you, a sling and four of your most intimate friends using a power tool you could dig up pavements with. A bit of showmanship never hurt anyone, but laying it all out like it’s on a butcher’s block doesn’t scream “I’m all about the exclusivity” does it?
2) No Fats, Femmes Or Rice.
I mean just who do you think you are? Say what you like in a man, not what you don’t. Start the conversation positive rather than flood your online space with negativity. Plus don’t be a racist, fatist, internalised homophobic douche.
3) The Game Stops Here.
Don’t play endless games, it’s no longer the 90s. Throw away the dating self-help books that tell you, a) not to call after 6pm, b) not to accept dates the day before, and c) to only ever show him the bedroom after the wedding day. Not only is it a massive waste of your time but let’s be honest it’s time when you could actually be jumping each other’s bones. Playing games is manipulative and no one is looking for a nasty lover, unless of course you’re Janet Jackson.4) Be Yourself.
Honesty is the best policy. Shane Greene from dating site AllMale says, “Do not try to be something you’re not, just be yourself. The possibility of finding a match online leads some men to detach from what makes them who they are offline. Many men new to online dating “beef up” their profiles with details that aren’t true hoping to somehow be better than they already are naturally.”
This may seem like a cool idea but these men quickly realise they will be attracting men who are interested in their online persona and not who they really are. You want someone who is interested in what you actually are. That requires you to be honest and accurate about yourself from the very start.”
5) I just can’t deal…
No one likes a killjoy – stop complaining that you can’t find at date / don’t earn enough / what a douche your ex is / even your cat hates you. A dating profile is an advert. It’s about selling yourself as someone who is a stable, coherent, fun-to-be- around, loveable guy. Be smart, funny and tell us the good things about you.
6) Spellcheck.
Dear god, does a little spell check hort? If you can’t get the little details right what on earth are you going to be like at the other stuff?
7) Are we dating you or her?
We don’t care if you and your bessie had a crazy night in Blackpool. Take a picture with just you. After all we’re not going on a date with her as well – and if we are, we might need to revaluate this whole thing.8) Torso To Be Or Torso Not To Be.
If you can’t show your face but you can show your torso/cock/butt then we have to consider your priorities. If you’re looking for love then show your face, your eyes and your smile.
9) Hi-di-Hi!
Come on, be original. First words count so don’t waste them with a “hi” or “hey”. Try adding some vocab, you know, like words. Not sure what to write? Try something like, “hi, nice profile pic – where was it taken?” Or, “Hey, I like your T shirt, where did you get it from?” – get the conversation flowing with open questions, those questions that lead to a conversation, questions that can’t be answered with a “yes” or a simple “no”.10 )Don’t Fall In Love After Two Days Of Messages.
- We’ve all done it, fallen hard for someone we’ve only just met 2 days ago online but have both shared a sunset, sunrise and Lorraine on ITV. Spending hours on hours getting to know someone online is okay, but the magic happens in the real world. As Cher said, it’ll be in his kiss – not his keyboard.
11) Top To Bottom.
Spell it out; you’ve got to make sure you’re compatible with your sexual preferences. If you’re a top – say so, if you’re a power bottom 2.0 then say so. Nothing worse than spending lots of time chatting to someone only to find that you both point north – of course, if you’re both not into penetration then this is cool – but the likelihood is that sex and sexual roles will play a massive part in any future relationship.
12) Don’t Over Share.
Be careful what info you put on your dating profiles and what you tell people before you really get to know them. Personal data, such as home address, bank sort codes and your mother’s maiden name aren’t things you should be sharing with anyone. An online date is just like your bank, they should never ask for your password.Promoted by AllMale.com (what does this mean?) -
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Tapas Revolution in Grand Central – Birmingham
Last night, I went on a palatable trip to Spain with Tapas Revolution in Grand Central – Birmingham, restaurant of which was started by the passionate and Spanish food enthusiast Omar Allibhoy.
Tapas Revolution has been around since 2010, with three existing restaurants in London, and now Tapas Revolution Birmingham has made a grand opening in the second city, and boy – what a gem it is!
Specialising in Spanish food, in particular Tapas – food that is prevalent in most regions of Spain where various dishes are displayed to share and sample at leisure, this restaurant combines tradition and modernity within a contemporary setting, with an oval-shaped bar where you can grab a sneaky dish, to a spacious dining area with view to the whole of Grand Central, adorned with quirky wooden features, that made you feel at Spanish home. In this space, we had a table to fit all of our Tapas choices.
I went along with my Spanish friend, who was slightly dubious about authentic Spanish food situated in Birmingham, but with a warm welcome from the service team, and a later introduction from Omar himself, we succumbed to the pleasant atmosphere. My partner’s face lit up as soon as he saw La Socarrada on the menu which is a beer renowned for its rosemary and honey tones, but it was a close match between that beer or the ‘er Boquerón’ famous for using sea water during the brewing process, so after all this, I knew he had been won over.
We ordered few Tapas, all of which were priced below the £6.00 mark, and in fact all Tapas come under this price, which makes it flexible to have fun and be unashamedly creative when choosing different combinations. We went for: Torreznos con mojo dulce (crispy belly pork, with spicy sauce), Croquetas de Bacalao (béchamel croquettes with deep-fried cod), Pulpo a la Gallega (steamed octopus with paprika potatoes) and Patatas Bravas (deep-fried potatoes with spicy tomato and alioli). All dishes were sublime and tickled the taste buds: the winner for me was the crispy belly pork in spicy sauce which was perfectly cooked and seasoned to the point of being able to order five dishes of Torreznos.
When our Tapas arrived, we were greeted by the friendly and bubbly Omar who took pride in asking us about our thoughts and took time to share his story of how Tapas Revolution came about. The most surprising fact learned was that Tapas Revolution is the only restaurant in Grand Central to have cooks start at 6am to have the finest food prepared and made for the opening time.
I was so impressed with the whole experience, from the atmosphere, the service, and was extremely inspired by the Omar’s hard-work and dedication to his restaurant, as he told me that he comes up and down on a weekly basis to cook, manage and serve Tapas to the highest standard and at a very modest price.
I am already forcing my colleagues to go and visit, and picking dates on my diary to go back!
Reviewed by: Alex Da Silva | @AlexMDaSilva
Address: Tapas Revolution –Grand Central, 68A East Mews, Birmingham, B2 4XJ
Website: http://www.tapasrevolution.com
Star Rating: *****
Cost Rating: ££
