Osteria Basilico

With my parents we used to travel a lot to Italy as we had family there. Mostly in the Toscana region, one of the best known for its incredible food. Last year I visited Roma and Venice for the first time and as always I was impressed by the quality of dishes in any Trattoria! The simplest pasta plate is always incredibly tasty!

Italian food is internationally known but unlike in Italy not every Italian restaurant abroad is a good one.

I love Italian products and it is important for me to find everywhere I go a nice place with Italian certified products well prepared. When I used to live in Switzerland I found my Italian Trattoria and it was definitely my favourite restaurant in the whole city. So, naturally when I arrived in London I searched for its sister.

Luckily, I live just a block away from the Italian street in Notting Hill and so, I tried the Osteria Basilico which was recommended by one of my friend.

After just putting one foot inside I was already falling in love with the place. An authentic Italian Trattoria! Small, cosy, noisy with old wooden furniture and of course an Italian owner and Italian waiters! It felt like just by opening the door I passed through a vortex taking me in less than a second directly to Italy.

And the food! What a delight! While making your choice you will be eating the most delicate rosemary bread, warm as it just came out of the oven with real flavoured olive oil. I almost filled myself with it as I couldn't stop eating!

The Burrata is exactly like in Italy, juicy and tasty, served with a hint of olive oil and Parma ham, the best Burrata I've had since Roma!

Pasta and pizza are traditional too. The ingredients are responsible for the quality of the food, fresh or directly imported from Italy.

You won't be disappointed by the wine list neither, a large choice of Italian (and French) delicious wine.

I can only recommend Osteria Basilico. Since the first time, I've been going there regularly and introducing it to most of my friends. 

Please try to book in advance and go with an empty stomach!

Carpaccio

Burrata and Parma Ham

Seafood Pasta

29 Kensington Park Road
Notting Hill Gate
London
W11 2EU

020 7727 9957

Dare to Wear

Last Wednesday I happen to found myself in the most puzzling, colourful and mysterious exhibition opening of the year. The flyer description set the tone, overloaded with images, colours and self-described by these perplexing questions: What should we wear on the way to the afterlife? Will flamboyance set you free? And will wearing beige really kill you? How many kilos of weird jewellery are correct to wear on any given day?

Welcome to Dare to Wear !

Picture this, you first arrive on the St Pancras Church parking where some lookalike monks will welcome you with a music hard to qualify. The surroundings are dark and some light spots will help you get to the improvised bar where you can nicely enjoy a fresh glass of wine while observing the population surrounding you. The red carpet is filled with queuing onlookers waiting for their turn to penetrate the crypt. Because, yes, the exhibition takes place in the darkness of St Pancras Church Crypt.

While you wait quietly you think you are starting to get what is going to happen inside just by looking at the crowd's outfits. Some might define it as eccentric and it actually is. Colourful, original, personal and perfectly in line with the exhibition's name.

The explosion of imagery, shapes and colours that you'll find inside is overwhelming. Fashion and art mixed by 27 artists brought together thanks to Sue Kreitzman.

Sue is a very elegant lady who started her career as a successful food writer whom one day woke up in an urge of painting and creating art crafts. The result is something completely raw that feels like it came out of her guts. Inspiration may vary between tribal art, religious imagery, old toys and feminine icons (from Frida Kahlo to Medusa).

Twenty-seven artists exploring "profound wardrobe conundrums", as stated by Sue. Conundrum is the correct word for what you experience inside the crypt as the borderline between art and fashion is very confusing. As for myself I would definitely NOT dare to wear any of the accessories shown, so I would consider them as pieces of art. But that was not the case of many others visitors who were actually already wearing some of the necklaces exposed. So I guess that for them it is just about unconventional fashion.

But isn't it what fashion is all about ? Trying to develop new styles ? Pushing conventions as far as possible ? Just think about the first time a woman started wearing pants...

I truly believe that Dare to Wear is mostly trying to convince us about how boring we all look, wearing the same shaped clothes, following the nowadays fashion dictat. Its purpose is to thumb one's nose at fashion and yell out loud that something else is still possible.

The opening offered us a performance by Marnie Scarlett and Mr Pustra. Sue Kreitzman described the show as being the perfect description of Dare to Wear spirit. After beeing a little puzzled by Mr Pustra and his mirror and by Marnie Scarlett and her green feathers I was wondering what it was all about and I found my answer talking with some of the guests: the performance was the exact representation of a bigger meaning, the simple act of Daring to Exist.

Representation of Marnie Scarlett

Marnie Scarlett performance

The exhibition is on for a month, so please go have a look, you won't be disappointed !

Dare to Wear

From October 10th to November 4th

St Pancras Crypt, St Pancras Church

Euston and Duke Rds, NW1 2BA

London

Yummyatcha

After having some bubbles at a friend's gallery in Mayfair last Friday, I braved the rain for a romantic dinner at Yauatcha in Soho.

I think you remember how was Friday night in London, the worse weather we had in weeks.

So we arrived at Yauatcha completely soaked... After spending quite a while doing my rebellious hair, this was a complete defeat!

Thankfully, I could quickly order my favourite cocktail, the Nashi Momo. A rich and savoury mixture prepared with Belvedere vodka, peach liqueur, nashi pear, coconut and guava juice. It looks so much like a milkshake that I could have some for breakfast anytime!

Nashi Momo

It wasn't my first time at this one-star Michelin restaurant. So when the menu came I handled the ordering.

I always go for the Dim Sum, it is easy to share and it lets you the chance to try a bunch of them. Pointless to say that each one is tastier than the others and that you will definitely have to go back to try them all.

I have honestly not try anything that I didn't like! The star is well earned! As for the staff who is always nice, effective and who will guide you through the never-ending choices in the menu.

My date and I are big fans of seafood so we took many of the prawn and scallops choices. And of course the Crispy Duck Roll which is A-MA-ZING. The Sweet Potato Mushroom Mei-Si Roll is a vegetarian dish winner, this crispy roll soaked up in a little of soya sauce is an explosion of textures in your mouth.

But the most interesting one is the Dim Sum with soup inside (impossible to remember the name). You will have to wait till it cools down a bit and then put it entirely in your mouth. And then the magic happens, mouth filled with a delicious liquid, and you wish there were more of them in your plate.

I can't wait till the next time I'll go to Yauatcha. It is on the top of my favourites Chinese restaurant list, and every time I go it never disappoints me. It feels like an old friend, you know that even if you haven't seen him for a while you will always feel at ease and be happy discovering the new stories he has to tell.

Soup

Rice paper prawn and mango roll

Soup dim sum

Sweet potato mushroom mei-si roll

Pan-fried turnip cake

Crispy duck roll

To finish this tasteful diner I ordered a last cocktail which was also my dessert: the Lady Penelope.

I almost forgot to talk about their iced teas! The most incredible ones I have ever tasted. Made with jasmine tea and flavoured with any kind of fruit, there are extremely refreshing and a good compromise for non-alcoholic beverages.

Lady Penelope

Don't forget to book your table in advance and enjoy this delicious Chinese diner in a very modern environment, aquariums all around you and stars on the ceiling. It can sound like a quiet atmosphere but the music and the buzz going on around you recalls every Chinese restaurant but way more glamorous!

Monday – Saturday : 12 noon – 11.30pm

Sunday : 12 noon – 10.30pm

15-17 Broadwick Street

Soho, London, W1F 0DL

+44 (0) 20 7494 8888

Reservations@yauatcha.com

Case solved at Evans & Peel

Everybody has a mystery case unsolved, as is my neighbour a serial killer? Is my wife having an affair with the Tesco cashier? I need to know the name of my stalker so I can stalk him back. Is my pilates trainer trying to kill me to keep the money of the 20 courses I've already bought?

Well Evans & Peel, detective agency in Earl's court will happily help you solve your case. Book in advance your appointment and make sure you bring enough evidences (such as photographies of the missing sock that disappeared last week, or finger prints of the suspect) and information about the case.

Be quiet when you arrive, ring the bell and state your name. And then... I won't tell you anything else! This place is all about mystery and secrets and explaining you how it works will spoil the adventure.

The only thing I can say is that cocktails are really creative (and strong), portion of food are disappointedly small (but you come here for the atmosphere, not really for the food) and this place couldn't be cooler than it already is!

As you already know I am a big fan of speakeasies and I am completely in love with anything related with the prohibition ambient.

So if you like being surprised, this bar is made for you!

But shhhhh, it's a secret!

310c Earl’s Court Road

Tube: Earls Court

+44207 373 3573

Small peek inside:

Favourite brunch in Notting Hill

Have you ever been to Raoul's? It's a restaurant in Notting Hill where I use to drag myself on Sundays, usually after a big night out. I love the place, first of all because it is not far from my flat, and second (and most important of all) because brunchs there are incredible!

As I'm usually brain-dead when I arrive I spend way too much time trying to choose. But it is also because the menu is too big, and everything looks so tasty!

I mostly try to find inspiration in the plates of the people surrounding me but I finally end up picking something from their daily specials.

Smoothies are perfect for hang-over as the taste is yummy and it also feels so healthy! I definitely recommend their Eggs Florentine and the Greek Yoghurt with honey and nuts.

It is always full but I never had to wait more than 10 minutes to be seated as they offer two floors.

 

Eggs Florentine

Potato Cake

French Toasted Croissants with maple syrup and berries, yu-mmy !

Greek Yoghurt

Croissant with butter and jam

All this food pictures are making me hungry! So have a nice lunch everybody!

105 - 107 Talbot Road, London W11 2AT

Tel +44 (0)20 7229 2400