Friday 2 February 2024

A touch of Japanese elegance and deliciousness this Valentine's with the Japan Centre

To celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, Japan Centre has come up with what we at That's Food and Drink think is certain to be a surefire edible winner.

The Japan Centre has launched its limited edition ‘Love at First Bite’ mochi donuts at £3.99 available throughout the month of February until 29 February, in fact. 

And as it's an ancient tradition that Women can propose to the love of their life on the 29th of February, why not buy some of these 'Love at first Bite' mochi donuts to help with the proposal?

The delicious strawberry glaze mochi donuts are carefully and lovingly decorated with pink hearts and sprinkles.

The Valentine’s Day Mochi Donuts can be found at Ichiba Westfield London & Japan Centre Leicester Square

To learn more about the Japan Centre please visit them here https://www.japancentre.com/en.

Foodies will be clamouring for the wonderful gift boxes from Womersley Foods

Womersley Foods have an absolutely lovely range of beautiful gift boxes that will make a great gift for any foodies in your life.

As the weather gets warmer, lighter refreshing meals replace our hearty, warming winter favourites. Womersley’s delicious fruit vinegars are perfect for sprucing up salads, bakes or cocktails this spring!  

Great Taste Award Vinegars (contains Strawberry & Mint Vinegar and Orange & Mace Vinegar) best for dressings and additions to cocktails. Price: £21.76 

Womersley’s award-winning vinegars are made by hand in England using only the finest of all natural ingredients.

Sweet, tart, complex, and packed with a real punch, Womersley vinegars are perfect for uplifting your springtime salads, soups, cakes and bakes. They can even be added to a cocktail or G&T for a unique sweet-and-sour twist!  (That's Food and Drink says "I would never have thought of that. What an absolutely brilliant idea!)

Womersley’s beautiful packaging encapsulates the essence of spring. A delicious luxury product to bring to the kitchen.  

Womersley’s vinegars and jams are available on Amazon (https://rb.gy/rk315h), Wholefoods and Womersley’s own website https://womersleyfoods.com

Want a Flight of Fancy on the boards this Valentine's? Then please read on!

Flight Club has reimagined darts for the 21st century, giving guests an unforgettable experience. Think fast-paced, high-energy fun in a stunning environment, topped off with delicious food and drink to fuel your competitive nature.

All Flight Club venues are gorgeously insta-worthy and uniquely designed with a nod to the heritage of their location, the fun of the fairground, where darts has its origins, and the tradition of the British pub. 

First launched in 2015 in London’s Shoreditch, Flight Club now has 12 venues across the UK: London (Shoreditch, Bloomsbury, Victoria, Islington), Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Edinburgh and Glasgow. 

Book here: https://flightclubdarts.com

Electric Shuffle combines a sleek, stylish bar, serving up tasty moreish bites and mouthwatering tipples, with a high-tech version of the classic game of shuffleboard, adapted for more modern times. 

It's like nothing you'll have ever seen before, Electric Shuffle’s modernised version of shuffleboard uses state-of-the-art camera technology to track the position of every puck and automatically keep scores for up to 350 players in one game. 

First opened in London in 2019, Electric Shuffle now has three venues: London (Canary Wharf, London Bridge), Leeds. 

Book here: https://electricshuffle.com/

Celebrate your friends and mates too this Valentine’s?

If you’re single or attached this Valentine’s Day, but just want to celebrate the love of friends, Flight Club and Electric Shuffle have launched a Galentine’s Brunch – available for one weekend only. 

On arrival, you and your besties will receive a bottle of Prosecco (yes, a whole bottle!) and a complimentary mini bottle of Chambord, thus absolutely perfect for creating your own Bellinis. And, from start to finish, you’ll be topped up with unlimited pizza (eight delicious options to choose from) to ensure you leave both full and happy.  

At this two-hour brunch session, you and your BFFs will get 60 minutes of epic puck sliding at the shuffleboard (Electric Shuffle) or an hour at an oche battling it out at the throw line (Flight Club). The second hour will be spent toasting your champion around a table, soaking up the atmosphere of the spectacular bar. 

What better way to celebrate the unconditional love between friends this Galentine’s than by sinking a few beverages, filling up on pizza and enjoying a bit of healthy competition? 

Price: 

From £35 per person 

Date: 17th

 and 18th February 2024 at all Flight Club UK locations and 10th

 and 11th February 2024 at all Electric Shuffle locations 

Time: Two sessions - 12:00 – 14:00 and 14:30 – 16:30 

Book here: 

https://electricshuffle.com/

 and https://flightclubdarts.com/brunch 

 FACTFILE: 

Flight Club brings friends together for an unforgettable experience. Social Darts. This concept, developed by the Red Engine team, combines darts reimagined for the 21st Century with seriously good food and cocktails in a stunning bar setting.  

First launched in 2015 in London’s Shoreditch, Flight Club now has 20 venues across the UK, United States and Australia. Since opening, Flight Club has welcomed more than 5M visitors and seen 500M (and counting) darts thrown. 

Electric Shuffle has transformed the game of shuffleboard, adapting this classic game for modern times and housing it in a stylish bar setting serving up top-notch food and cocktails.  This high-tech

 version of shuffleboard uses state-of-the-art cameras to track the position of every puck and automatically keep score. At Electric Shuffle, shuffleboard can be enjoyed by up to 350 players in one game. 

First opened in London in 2019, Electric Shuffle now has five venues across the UK and United States. 

Electric Shuffle is the creation of the Red Engine team, and is the sister brand to Flight Club, which launched in London’s Shoreditch in 2015 and now has 20 venues across the UK, United States and Australia. 

Want a neat way to celebrate with your Valentine? Bar + Block have the perfect answer

At their various locations across England, Bar + Block are running a Valentine's Bottomless Brunch this February. It's the perfect spot for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day celebration. 

Bar + Block is a contemporary steak and cocktail specialist. And Bar + Block is really going all out this Valentine’s season. 

Celebrating a Galentine’s or Valentine’s? Bar + Block promises you a memorable experience with a Valentine’s Bottomless Brunch.

For just £36 per person, guests can enjoy two courses, featuring everything from a mouthwatering Steak Sandwich to a delicious Plant-Based Burger, alongside a tasty starter or pud. 

Sip on bottomless prosecco or ice-cold beers if that's your fancy, with the option to upgrade to bottomless cocktails for an additional Fiver, featuring classics such as the Pornstar Martini or a deliciously refreshing Limoncello Spritz. Non-alcoholic options are also available.

There’s no better way to express love than sharing delicious food, clinking glasses, and spending quality time together. Book now to treat your loved ones to a celebration to remember. https://www.barandblock.co.uk/en-gb/valentines-day


Thursday 1 February 2024

Welcome to Hokan New Sea Green plastic free stoneware bowls

Hokan is the veritable home of sustainable, stackable, stylish, stoneware bowls.

Hokan (保管) is the Japanese word for safekeeping.

The Hokan innovative, sustainable, stylish, stoneware bowls and lids are oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe.

For a sustainable, BPA-free household, Hokan offers cooks at home a unique alternative to storage solutions with potentially harmful pollutants. 

Stoneware is dense pottery fired at high temperatures making it non- porous and, consequently, odour and stain free. Which can’t be said of plastic alternatives.

So you can say goodbye to plastics.

The bowls heat evenly and retain heat efficiently. Cooking and baking with the lid on keeps moisture in and the temperature stable. Taking the lid off allows the top surface area to crust or brown. The range is perfect for all one-pot wonders including stews, curries, pasta, gratins, soups, risotto and individual pies, the list goes on.

Hokan isn’t just a pretty face. Robust enough for every day food prep, the bowls and lids are brilliantly stackable, eliminating any fear of toppling or spilling, saving space in the fridge when storing leftover or pre-prepped food for your next meal.

Beautiful enough to be taken straight from the oven to the table, fridge or microwave to the table, a dark cupboard is no place for these culinary works of art. Kitchen shelves and counter tops will be pleased to display them.

Whether buying for yourself, friends or family, you can be assured Hokan bowls will offer a durable, and rather lovely, lifetime of cooking and use.

The volume of each bowl is determined by its height, which keeps all of the lids the same size for each bowl, so no need to search through the kitchen for the correct lid – they all work. You can also use the lids as a side dish!

Hokan Bowls in New Sea Green have a RRP £80 for a set of three or individually:

    • Small: 400ml, RRP £24

    • Medium: 600ml, RRP £27

    • Large: 1000ml, RRP £30

Available from hokanbowls.com

Hokan are proud to partner with The Felix Project who help to feed local communities in London by rescuing surplus food from suppliers and redistributing it to over 1,000 frontline charities and schools. For every small bowl sold, Hokan donates 1.5 meals; for every medium bowl, 3 meals; for every large bowl, 4.5 meals; and for every set of three, 9 meals.

hokanbowls.com @hokanbowls | #hokanbowls

FACTFILE: Hokan was established by film producer Alistair Donald. As a father of two sons, it quickly became apparent to him that he needed to be more efficient in the kitchen to avoid unnecessary food waste. 

He swapped the leaning towers of cling-filmed bowls and plastic boxes for a practical, plastic-free solution that could be used to cook, bake and serve and then store and save food. 

The unique, contemporary design of Hokan bowls come in three sizes with a one-size fits-all interlocking lid design for ease of storage.

Badiani has new delicious products for Valentine's Day

Indulge in the sweet magic of Badiani this Valentine's Day at any of their boutique shops in London, Brighton, Windsor and Lakeside. 

Known as a prestigious luxury gelato producer since 1932, Badiani, founded in Florence, presents an exclusive Valentine's collection from the first week of February. 

Crafted by award-winning gelato maestro Paolo Pomposi, the limited-edition delights include heart-shaped Pinguinos featuring Badiani's signature Buontalenti gelato encased in dark or white chocolate. 

These adorable treats, priced at £5 for one or £8 for two, make for a perfect gift, especially your own sweet Valentine, who'll certainly feel all the sweeter after indulging in their Badiani goodness!

 Badiani, the renowned luxury gelato producer, is set to captivate hearts In London, Brighton, Windsor and Lakeside this Valentine's Day with an exquisite selection of delectable treats designed to infuse your celebrations with un-cone-ditional love.

Discover the enchantment at any of Badiani's fourteen charmingly instagrammable boutique shops in the capital, as well as Lakeside, Windsor, and Brighton. This exclusive Valentine's collection, available from the first week of February, promises a tantalising array of limited-edition delights to make your heart skip a beat.

Founded in 1932 in Florence, Badiani has earned its reputation as one of the world's most celebrated gelato producers. Crafted by the award-winning gelato maestro Paolo Pomposi, each recipe is born in his secret lab, where flavours are meticulously mixed and measured to achieve the ultimate alchemy for amore.

Heart-Shaped Pinguinos (£5 for one or £8 for two)

Embrace the frozen heart you've been longing for this Valentine's Day with Badiani’s dark and white chocolate heart-shaped Pinguinos. A must-have adorable and cheeky gesture, perfect for gifting from a new beau, a secret admirer or treating a cherished mate.

Encased in either a white chocolate or dark chocolate shell, Badiani's signature Buontalenti flavour gelato transforms into a stunning gelato heart-shaped lollipop. Handcrafted with love by our gelato masters in Badiani's London lab, each Pinguino is a unique creation, available from the first week of February.

Buontalenti, Badiani's renowned gelato flavour, is the star of each Pinguino. Originating in the 1960s, this world-famous flavour pays homage to Bernardo Buontalenti, the Florentine inventor of gelato, and is crafted with only four high-quality local ingredients: milk, cream, sugar, and eggs.

As Valentine's Day approaches, all that remains to be said is Buon San Valentino, Amore Mio, courtesy of Badiani.

The collection will be available starting on February 3rd.

92 years of gelato perfection!

Find their shops here: https://www.badiani1932.com/badiani-gelato-shops

From 3rd of February they will be available for delivery here https://www.badiani1932.com/gelato-delivery

Indulge your loved one and yourself in a Valentine's Afternoon Tea at Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve

Port Lympne Hotel & Reserve are offering a Valentines Afternoon Tea, running from 10th to 17th February to take the pressure out of having to go out on the one night, and also offers more of an experience/day out.

Book here: https://www.aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne/restaurants/valentines-day-afternoon-tea

What better way to indulge your loved one over the Valentines period, than with a lusciously refined afternoon tea in the grand environment of Port Lympne’s mansion, bathed in a glow from a crackling log fire?

Settle down to enjoy this quintessential British classic in the historic surroundings of one of England’s finest Grade II listed country houses, once a favourite retreat for royalty, aristocracy, prominent politicians, authors and playwrights.

The hotel’s masterful pastry chef has designed an utterly delectable menu, featuring savoury delights including egg mayonnaise and spring onion and smoked salmon, lemon and caper butter sandwiches, salt beef, dijon mustard mayonnaise brioche roll, accompanied with sweet romance themed sensations such as sugared doughnut with passionfruit curd and white chocolate love letter, raspberry and vanilla battenburg and Adam and Eve cinnamon and apple mousse. 

Accompanied by a wide selection of specially selected loose-leaf teas and coffees, or of course, a glass of fizz.

The Port Lympne Valentines Afternoon Tea launches on 10th February and runs until 17th and can be booked online at the above link.

And after your delightful Afternoon Tea why not make a day of it and explore the wild animal park and reconnect with nature and your loved ones in the heart of the Kent countryside surrounded by over 900 rare and endangered animals?

Included in your day tickets are free seats on the iconic Port Lympne Truck Safari that takes you round African and Asia to get up close and personal to giraffes, camels, rhinos, zebras and many more besides.

 

Get Sette for Valentine's Day

Sette is for Lovers, this Valentine’s Day, at Sette, Knightsbridge

This Valentine’s, Sette by Scarpetta will be offering diners a delicious set menu to celebrate the occasion. The bespoke Valentine’s menu will include a five-course set menu with a glass of Ruinart Brut on arrival. The menu highlights the restaurant’s Italian and New York influence with dishes such as the Scallop Crudo served with Caviar and finger lime, and the Ravioli Cacio e Pepe with black truffle. Pair the meal with a bottle of wine or one of the Valentine’s cocktails which have been specially created.

The Valentine’s menu will be available on the 14th February and costs £135 per person.

https://www.settelondon.co.uk


The Meat & Wine Co. 

Fall in love with the ‘Raspberry Beret’ at The Meat & Wine Co. this Valentine’s

The Meat & Wine Co. Mayfair will showcase its love to foodies this Valentine’s Daywith an offering that is all about irresistible meats and delicious sides alongside a complimentary Raspberry Beret cocktail… it’s on the house. Throughout the week, The Meat & Wine Co. have a special offering that promises guests to leave head over heels for steak. Enjoy the A La Carte menu with a complimentary Elephant Gin cocktail.

https://themeatandwineco.co.uk


COYA Mayfair:

Celebrate love with Peruvian elegance at COYA Mayfair

This Valentine’s Day COYA Mayfair is embracing love with a touch of Peruvian elegance through a Valentine’s Day set menu and bespoke cocktail. 

For a memorable evening of exquisite food, romance & delicious cocktails, COYA Mayfair’s Valentine’s Day menu at £120 pp includes a selection of specially crafted dishes & half bottle of Veuve Clicquot Rose.

The Valentine's Day set menu will be available on Wednesday 14th February for dinner only. For guests who want to add that bit of something extra, COYA Mayfair’s talented mixologists have created the “Love Reviver no.3’ cocktail, crafted with; Lilet Blanc, Framboise, Cherry syrup, Srawberry puree, egg white, strawberry juice and lemon juice. 


Nobu Hotel London Portman Square 

Celebrate with someone special at Nobu Restaurant at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square this Valentine’s Day. Chef Michael has created a bespoke menu for the evening to be enjoyed by two (£250 per couple). With eight delicious courses to share, the evening is set to be filled with romance and gastronomy. 

Enjoy a selection of Nobu favourites including Yellowtail jalapeño with caviar to start before moving onto classic Black cod miso and Beef tenderloin with anticucho. Want to make the night extra special? Why not indulge with a bottle of Laurent Perrier to accompany your meal?

 https://london-portman.nobuhotels.com/valentines-day-at-nobu

Celebrate Love Languages this Valentine’s Day at Bill’s in partnership with Passoã Passion Fruit Liqueur

Passoã, the original passion fruit liqueur, has partnered with Bill’s restaurants to put the va-va-voom in your Valentine’s Day dining. 

Whether you’re celebrating the big day by diving in head first on a first date, out getting loved-up with your long-term sweetheart or gathering the girls together for Galentine’s, this Bill’s and Passoã collaboration offers a divine date experience to get you in the groove.

Lovers of love are invited to enjoy a taste of temptation with Bill’s Valentine’s menu and Passoã cocktail pairing. 

Each dish has been carefully designed to speak your ‘love’ language, so whether you're wide-eyed for words of affirmation, passionate for physical touch, aching for acts of service, wanting quality time or gearing up for gift-giving, Passoã x Bill’s have all your bases covered.

The Passoã Valentine’s activation will be available across all Bill’s locations (England and Wales from Friday 9th February to Saturday 17th February 2024. 

The seductive set menu includes a starter, main and Passoã cocktail pairing for just £29.95. Here, you can choose Spiced Aubergine Fritters to ignite the start of something new, and Peppercorn Steak Frites, Pan Fried Salmon & Saffron with lemon cream sauce, roasted chestnut and butternut bake or Truffle & Parmesan Mac & Cheese for that main character moment. 

Can you put a price on love? As guests can also add a dessert for an additional Fiver, the sweet treats will win hearts over with the likes of the Valentine’s Sharing Dessert (must be ordered by two people ordering from the Valentine’s menu) with white chocolate and passion fruit mousse, triple chocolate brownie truffles, cinnamon doughnuts, strawberries, and topped with chocolate sauce; sharing is caring after all!

For the more selfish of lovers, treat yourself with a Banoffee Pie Sundae or Valentine’s Brownie for one (there’s no judgement here).

Valentine’s Day isn't complete without a toast to love and to your loved one! 

Cocktails include the Passion Fruit Martini (£9.95): Passoã passion fruit liqueur, vodka, passion fruit puree and pineapple juice, and the Passoã Margarita (£8.95): Passoã passion fruit liqueur and tequila shaken over ice and a tangy blend of citrus juice. 

Both cocktails are included in the set menu price of £29.95, and also available as 2 for £12 for those wanting to continue enjoying the unmistakable taste of Passoã’s intensely stimulating flavour. 

Made with real passion fruit and with no artificial flavours whatsoever, Passoã adds passion to any cocktail: adding an exotic passionfruit twist to most cocktails. (Might be worth booking a room for the night nearby or booking a taxi to take you home?)

Booking in advance is advised to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved ones at Bill’s restaurants nationwide. To book, visit www.bills-website.co.uk/events/valentines-day

Love is definitely in the air! And it's all down to Gü Desserts

Gü has launched some very special and utterly lovely limited edition puds as part of their latest Love Is campaign.

Gü Desserts has announced the launch of its  "Love is..." campaign. In response to a notable decline in Valentine’s Day celebrations during recent years, Gü hopes to inspire UK couples to find small ways to show and say "I love you" in the run-up to the 14th of February. 

Gü is determined to add a sprinkle of sweetness and spoonfuls of humour with a campaign encouraging us all to find the little things that keep love Güing.

Gü will help shoppers make small, sweet gestures by featuring loving messages on its promotional packs. The range includes indulgent desserts such as "One in a Zillion", Zillionaire cheesecake, "You Melt My Heart", Chocolate Melting Middle, and "You're the Zest" Spanish Lemon cheesecake.

Gü will also offer shoppers the chance to win prizes and romantic treats, including an ultimate 'big night in' gift hamper, perfect for planning a dreamy date or a snug night in.

Gü Valentine's packs will be available with special promotional pricing nationwide from mid-January, ensuring a small Valentine's gesture is affordable for more consumers.

And on their website https://gudesserts.com you'll find more information plus chances to win 1,000s of prizes!