Restaurant Reviews

A la Colthard / Il Vicolo

On the train to London yesterday I read an article in The Times about ‘In’ restaurants that blacklist you. As I have une horreur of fashionable restaurants, I had not known – let alone visited – the two mentioned: Dorian in Notting Hill Gate and Dover in Mayfair. (That Gary [...]

March 14, 2025 // 0 Comments

Ala Colthard/Signor Sassi & Jones Family Kitchen

Signor Sassi is one of those once fashionable Knightsbridge restaurants – you know, the sort where they have pictures of film stars and footballers on the wall? Situated in an alleyway off Knightsbridge it’s not the most accessible location but its signature dish of spaghetti all’ [...]

February 13, 2025 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard/Bocca di Lupo

The favourite Soho trattoria is something of an institution. Alice (Mansfield) told me that George Melly, best known as a jazz vocalist, used to meet fellow Surrealists at the Barcelona in Beak St; artists have long patronised the drinking clubs of Soho, notably the Colony Club – of which [...]

December 5, 2024 // 0 Comments

A visit to Wiston Wine Estate

British wines are on the up. Camel Valley in Cornwall produces an award-winning and much-rated sparkling rosé, the Chapel Down Wine Estate of Kent sparklers are similarly highly-acclaimed, whilst Sussex has a cornucopia of wineries stretching from West to East Sussex. One of the most famous is [...]

November 25, 2024 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard restaurant wrap-up

After visiting the Thyssen collection I suggested lunch at a restaurant El Rincon d’Esteban in a side street near our hotel and opposite the parliament The Cortes. In my experience politicians know their food though expect others to pay for it and apparently use El Rincon. We recced the [...]

November 18, 2024 // 0 Comments

First day in Madrid

Picking up where Nancy left off we arrived at Madrid’s Barajas airport without incident. I would note that security at Gatwick was oppressive with the staff delighting in confiscating liquid items such as Bob’s perspirants and shaving foam. I also noted that dress standards had dropped. Time [...]

November 16, 2024 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard/Tea at the Grand Brighton

In all the years I have been reviewing for The Rust I have never covered afternoon tea though it is now a popular though not inexpensive experience: Bob Tickler’s charming P/A Polly once paid £200 for tea at a high end London hotel. This may be as hotels are still recovering financially from [...]

November 1, 2024 // 0 Comments

Taste/Stanley Tucci: My Life Through Food (2021)

Stanley Tucci is a successful film actor who has made a second career of out his great interest in – and love of – food. I first became aware of this through his TV programmes travelling to different cities and reporting on their cuisine. He develops this in his book starting with [...]

October 17, 2024 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard/The Pig on South Downs

I have visited this restaurant several times and yesterday went there with an old friend in the advertising industry who knows his food and wine. From the moment we arrived at the attractive hotel in Madehurst near Chichester he was impressed. There was a mix up with the booking dates (my fault!!!) [...]

September 26, 2024 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard/Crab & Lobster (Sidlesham)

Yesterday I arranged lunch with an old friend – a scion of the advertising industry who is well used to fashionable London restaurants. So I was slightly apprehensive about how he would react to a gastro pub in Sidlesham to the south of Chichester particularly as it was raining. This did not [...]

July 16, 2024 // 0 Comments

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Sussex on top

April 22, 2025 // 0 Comments

Sussex now sit atop Division One – after predicting being at the other end of the table – having played Warwickshire, Somerset and three time champions Surrey, [...]
The Tanner Report: Fulham 1 Chelsea 2

April 21, 2025 // 0 Comments

Fulham missed the opportunity to do the double over their SW6 rivals. We simply do not have the spending power of Chelsea and that shows on the bench. Fulham introduced Tom [...]
Everyone Brave is Forgiven/Chris Cleave

April 21, 2025 // 0 Comments

This book came recommended on A Good Read. Presenter Harriet Gilbert opined that it’s essentially two novels – one a plotted novel – and the other a World War [...]
The Tanner Report: Bournemouth 1 Fulham 0

April 16, 2025 // 0 Comments

Once again Fulham lived up to their billing of beating a big boy (Liverpool) but falling short to a team below them (Bournemouth). The home side got off to the best possible [...]
The Masters

April 15, 2025 // 0 Comments

Since the media will be full of Rory’s Masters and joining the elite group of 4 Major winners, I feel free to give an independent view point on what was a magnificent [...]