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Restaurant Reviews

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

A la Colthard/The Arlington

As the saying goes: “If it’s not broken, don’t fix it …” The Arlington has the same location, decor and menu as La Caprice – the only difference is the name and ownership. It’s the latest venture of Jeremy King, late of the Wolseley. When I went there last Thursday I felt I [...]

May 18, 2024 // 0 Comments

A la Colthard: José Pizarro and the Brass Rail

I was in London last weekend and checked out two restaurants with an ethnically gastro theme. The first was José Pizarro at the rear of the Royal Academy. His schtick is Spanish cuisine. I like Spanish cuisine and tapas has created the idea of the shared platter. I invited Alicia who generously [...]

April 28, 2024 // 0 Comments

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