Rum & Sugar, West India Quays

Situated in an old Grade 1 listed warehouse in West India Quay, Rum & Sugar offers one of London's most extensive rum collections. Showcasing our Dockland history, this is exactly where rum and sugar was stored in London when it was shipped over from the Caribbean. Now reincarnated into a rum bar with a modern British menu, you couldn't get a better location.

Last week I was invited over to try out their new Spring menu and to try my hand at making some rum cocktails. Sounds pretty harmless, right?

We settled in with a little initiation to our evening with a cocktail made with rum, vermouth, apple and ginger. Some bar snacks including pulled chicken twists, chilli cheese fritters and sweet potato crackers. Anywhere with snacks before the main event is a winner in my books.

Then to actually start we had beetroot cured salmon, smoked potato salad with a beetroot and spiced rum purée. Beetroot has a natural affinity for salmon, perfectly earthy and great with smoked potatoes and the tang of the purée.

Next up, herb crusted cod, red pepper ragù with a peppered leak velouté. Deliciously tender cod with a fresh lift with the piquant ragù. Who needs fish and chips when you can have crispy leaks like this.

Sweet cajun glazed chicken salad: avocado mousse, crispy shallots, semi dried tomatoes, grilled baby gem and parmesan crisps. I'd eat salad every day if it could be like this one. 

And my absolute favourite, baked chocolate ganache, orange caramel, salted nut brittle and clotted cream. There's no doubt that I'm going to try and recreate this at home.

Suitably stuffed, we moved up to the bar to learn some cocktail making tips. It turns out that free pouring isn't as easy as it looks but great fun for giving generous measures! We started off with a dirty mojito made with Ron Barceló Gran Añejo, a dark rum aged for 4 years in an oak barrel and then passed through a charcoal filter. Mixed with equal parts of sugar syrup and lime juice, some slapped mint (a little trick to intensify aromas) and muddled with crushed ice.

Then onto another favourite of mine, Cosmos. Instead of the regular Cointreau we went for an apricot  white rum, shaken with two parts lime juice and one part cranberry juice. I may need to practice my Boston Shaker moves but my drinks cupboard is definitely going to be stocked with more rum now so I can recreated this at home.

My night at Rum & Sugar reminded me of a holiday in the Dominican Republic a few years ago, rum-soaked and full of great food. I shall most certainly return to try the rest of the menu. Its been a long time since I've been this excited by a restaurant in London.

Thanks to the fabulous Rum & Sugar team and Shy PR for inviting me and for their hospitality. All rum-soaked opinions are my own.

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Review: Galvin at Windows, Mayfair

Up on the 28th floor of the Hilton on Park Lane, Galvin at Windows offers awesome views of our fair city.  The contemporary style French menu from chef Chris Galvin is also as picture pretty as the views.

Both Neelam and Deena celebrate their birthday's within a few days of each other so we decided to book a table and celebrate. To start, we enjoyed Galvin's summer spritzer made with watermelon juice and Prosecco. 

Once seated we were offered some postcards to send to friends and family 'to make them envious of our view'. A nice touch from the hotel, who will send any postcard worldwide.

To start, I opted for a salad of heirloom tomatoes, watermelon, goats curd, black olive caramel and stem ginger. Light and refreshing, just what I needed after sitting in the park during the hottest day of the year.

Both N and D went for the fillet of sea trout 'mi-cut', peas, heritage radish and smoked trout pâté. Gorgeously presented, delicate fish with a scattering of pea shoots.

For mains, N went for the saddle of rabbit, pancetta, sweetcorn, liver, truffle and Madeira jus. Succulent, tender and perfectly balanced with the crunch of popcorn and the sweetness of the creamed sweetcorn. 

D enjoyed the roasted fillet of Cornish cod, brandade, samphire and red pepper ketchup. I'm already looking forward to recreating this ketchup at home, Heinz will never be the same again! Large white flakes of cod and crisp, salty samphire are the perfect pair.

And, in order to cover as much of the menu as possible, I had the tarte fine of summer vegetables, gorgonzola and basil pesto. The seasonal vegetables were perfectly presented on a thin square of pastry. It was perfectly crisp and buttery, but as a pastry lover, there could have been a little more. The pesto was a little on the rich side, but nothing another glass of wine couldn't balance!

For dessert, N had the apricot and cherry almond tart with verbena ice cream. A light sponge with baked in cherries and apricot dotted around the plate.

And my favourite, equatorial chocolate ganache, mint chantilly and earl grey tea ice cream. I'd have been more than happy to have taken a gallon of the ice cream home, such a great flavour with the rich chocolate ganache. 

To finish, our waiter bought over a selection of homemade marshmallows and chocolate truffles. Both N and D had never tried 'proper' marshmallows before and were well impressed with the strawberry and passionfruit flavours.

We all enjoyed our experience at Galvin at Windows, the impressive views and food. Although I do feel that prices were a little pricey, especially on the drinks front. We arrived early and was ushered to the bar to wait for our table to be ready. Most cocktails on the menu were around £17 so felt a little out of place not ordering anything whilst waiting for the table, however impressive they looked. A bottle of Pinot Grigio started at £34 too.

Our meal was part of a set menu for a Groupon voucher, two courses and a summer spritzer for £37. With dessert, water and service charge it was bumped up to £52 a head, with no extra wine/cocktails.

I look forward to trying a few things at home: the red pepper ketchup, earl grey ice cream and passionfruit marshmallows.



As mentioned, we paid for our meal and were not guests of the restaurant. All opinions are my own.