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ARTESIAN BAR AT THE LANGHAM

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THE ARTESIAN BAR AT THE LANGHAM

THE ARTESIAN BAR

The Artesian Bar at the Langham isn’t just another London hotel cocktail bar. It’s a special place serving award winning, well thought out drinks and high quality food in a sophisticated but accessible setting.

The word Artesian

The word Artesian in Artesian Bar literally means flowing from underground to the surface, that’s where artesian wells get their name. But interestingly there is a cocktail kitchen laboratory complete with thermomix, sous vide, dehydrator and even a centrifuge machine in the basement. This laboratory  serves to generate the cocktails in the Artesian bar up above on the ground floor. So there is a flow from underground to the surface here too.

What is my favourite cocktail at the Artesian Bar?

Definitely the Gentiane Grey Goose vodka with rhubarb sparkling wine. A light pink, icy drink served in a wine glass. It tasted fizzy, slightly spicy but was incredibly smooth and a bit summery all at once. Interesting to note, as I never choose to drink vodka based drinks at all, but this was and will be an exception. I would definitely have this again. The rhubarb sparkling wine is not an English wine but sourced from Latvia and tasted amazing as an alternative to champagne.

DoinDubai The Artesian Bar Fave cocktail

…Brilliant for a special occasion or for whenever you need to feel better about your situation in life.

Food at the Artesian

We were surprised at the variety and quality of the bar food menu. You could almost say our snacks comprised of a mini meal that perfectly accompanied our drinks. Expect plump chicken gyozas, bite size ham and cheese toasties and specially cured gravadlax salmon on rye bread.

 

The Artesian Bar at the Langham DoinDubai Cured salmon on pumpernikel bread
Bar Snacks at the Artesian

Meet me at the Artesian Bar

Get a feel of the vibe of this place. 

Prices at the Artesian

Chicken Gyozas  9 pounds

Whiskey cured salmon on pumpernickel bread 9 pounds

Ham and Cheese toasties with tarragon 10 pounds

All cocktails are 20 pounds.

There are non alcoholic versions available too.

snacks are served from 5.30 to 1.00am

Location

where is the Artesian Bar

very near Oxford Circus tube

This review was written in conjunction with the Langham Hotel London. Would I spend my own money for a cocktail and a snack here? Yes absolutely, without a doubt, and I would highly recommend the experience. Thank you to the Langham for introducing me to the Artesian.
Monica Kapila
as seen at the Artesian

Passing shot

If you want to know what it would be like to stay at the Langham, then read our review of a stay at the Langham in London.

Note: They also have a cookery school called Sauce where you can learn the building blocks of excellent cooking. 

Thank you Monica.

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RADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON now THE NOBU PORTMAN SQUARE

Radisson Blu Portman hotel London

UPDATE AUGUST 2021 

This hotel has now become THE NOBU PORTMAN SQUARE

we’re very excited to visit hopefully next month. So all the location factors remain the same. 

Did you know the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London is five minutes away from Selfridges? But there are other factors to take into account apart from just location.

Often we need to combine work and pleasure while we travel but how do you find a hotel that allows you to do just that? Your reporter had to unexpectedly visit London to deal with some complicated issues and was in a conundrum about where to stay for the most part of the trip.

Location is always key but then so is comfort and functionality and did I mention price? Luckily I decided on the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London in Portman Square and I think I found a gem!

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON DoinDubai Bedroom

I hadn’t stayed there before so in all honestly I was a little skeptical about what to expect. I needn’t have worried as all my fears were allayed on arrival and my experience just improved as time went on.

The accommodation at the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London

I stayed in an executive room that was spacious and fully equipped with everything you might need in a hotel room.

The little things really make a difference to me so the kettle could be plugged in to a socket on a proper table. You still had ample space to actually make your hot drink at any time.

Real milk was provided for your tea or coffee as were any number of bottles of mineral water I asked for.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON TEA

The room could be arranged with a king bed or two singles however required, but the important thing was the beds were supremely comfortable with high quality linen. I had a large sliding door window that gave me a good view over London and some of Portman Square that was a pleasure to wake up to. But importantly I could open the window to let in the fresh air at night, but I had the air conditioning on during the day.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON DoinDubai room view

I also really appreciated the White Company toiletries in the bathroom. There was an ironing board and iron but I didn’t need to use them.

The food at the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London

I had breakfast a number of times in the Portman Grill (previously known as the Portman Corner) and was impressed with the quality and range of food on offer.

Do try the poached smoked salmon along with whatever style of eggs you like. They will make them fresh according to your order. The waiting staff got to know us quite well and always asked how our day was going.

It was easy to stay healthy with the breakfast offering here but still feel nourished and fuelled for the day.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON DoinDubai Breakfast

The same restaurant also serves dinner in the evening and again I was very happy with our meal, which offered good quality British food that was very well priced bearing in mind the area we were in.

It was a great comfort to simply walk up stairs to sleep after a long, tiring day, but it was also easy to walk out to any of the good cafes and bars nearby to have a late night coffee or drink after dinner too.

London has long daylight hours in summer so it’s nice to be in a location that allows you to walk freely in the evenings.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON PORTMAN GRILL DINNER DoinDubai

We liked the Grazing Goat a few minutes walk away for a drink or snack.

Pop Ups are all the rage in London now and the pretty terrace outside the Radisson SAS Portman Square hosted a special Portuguese themed pop up with street food and drink from Lisbon!

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON lisboa jardim pop up

The Location at the Radisson Blu Portman hotel London

Location is key for any trip but especially when you’re combining work and pleasure, so Portman Square was perfect with Marble Arch tube station just a few minutes walk away.

Hyde Park is also very near but then again the buzzy Edgware Road area with well known Middle Eastern restaurants is just a few minutes walk or a short taxi ride in the other direction and open quite late into the night.

All the shopping of Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street are very nearby and let’s not undervalue the convenience of having a huge Primark five minutes walk away from your hotel!

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON LUGGAGE TROLLEY

Last but not least, the lobby of the hotel is large and very welcoming and makes for the perfect place to arrange to meet people in a relaxed atmosphere so you can avoid going to often cramped and expensive restaurants.

Image ofRADISSON BLU PORTMAN HOTEL LONDON Lounge Lobby

It may not be the poshest hotel in Portman Square but it worked perfectly for me.

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LONDON’S BEST NEW CAFES

London’s best new cafes

Whilst in London recently I visited a couple of  London’s best new cafes and will share them with you now. I also found a hidden gem of a place that’s going to open a Dubai branch soon. So if you’re heading back to Blighty this summer, you may want to check out these on trend eating places.

London's Best cafes Regent street flags

One of London’s best new cafes is Hemsley and Hemsley

Have you heard?

You may have heard of H & M,
but have you heard about H & H?

It’s healthy eating all the way as far as London is concerned at the moment. We’re on the 3rd floor of the iconic Selfridges department store, eating at the instagram inspired Hemsley and Hemsley café or H & H.

Find it on one side of the enormous Body Studio unveiled in April 2016, so  it’s brand new.

London's Best Cafe's H and H

Expect to eat miso quinoa vegetable broth, cauliflower tabbouleh and coconut buckwheat porridge.

Run by Jasmine and Melissa, 2 young, home cooks whose philosophy is to use whole food, nutrient dense recipes that are free from grains, gluten, refined sugar and hydrogenated vegetable oils. That doesn’t mean it’s vegan or even only vegetarian though!

Onions are fried in ghee. Salmon burgers with home made spicy Sriracha sauce are also on the menu.

London's best Cafes Feta and bean burger DoinDubai

I tried the feta and black bean burger served with lime slaw and probiotic ketchup. In fact I was inspired enough to make a version of these when I got home to Dubai. Recipe coming soon!

We also had the prettiest beetroot and mung bean hummous with crudités I have ever seen; tasted good as well. I will try a version of this soon.

London's Best Cafes 800 H&H Beetroot Mungbean hummus

This restaurant serves alcohol (anyone for gluten free ale?) and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but you can’t book, so be prepared to wait at busy times.

The feta and black bean burger meal cost UK pounds 12.50, about AED 80. Filtered water is free but cold pressed juices are around UK pounds 7.00 that’s AED 42.

Can you imagine a healthy Bounty Bar? Well H & H has come up with one, it’s called a Paradise Bar. The ingredients include coconut, honey and chocolate readily available here in Dubai so I may try to recreate these too.

Do you have a Recipe?

If you have a recipe for a bar like this using Dubai based ingredients then please send it in. I’ll try it and then publish it on the site giving you the credit.

 Good + Simple
The probiotic ketchup is on page 278. It is fermented for some probiotic goodness.

Gingernut biscuits made with almonds and ground ginger are missing from the cookbook but my pal in the UK saw them being made on channel 4 and they have been in constant demand since.  The Cinnamon Banana Cake that looked so delicious being made is also missing from the cookbook, for good reason – the how to is on their website.

A link to Channel 4 TV in the UK – Eating Well with Hemsley & Hemsley  Watch the series on demand.

The Mae Deli

Another one of London’s best new cafes

Deliciously Ella’s newest venture is The Mae Deli.

This café is based at 21 Seymour Place, just a short walk away from Selfridges. The café is big on vegan cuisine. The café is quite small, and is all self service with a very homely, almost cottage feel about it.

Ella is followed by hundreds of thousands of loyal people on instagram including many of my daughter’s friends here in Dubai.

London's Best New Cafes Mae Deii DoinDubai

Fresh bottled blended juices cost UK pounds 7.00, that’s about AED 42, a little steep considering you serve yourself.

We visited on a Saturday morning, it was full.  We waited almost 20 minutes for a table but then left, so we didn’t actually try the food here apart from the very tasty peanut, cocoa slice that we sampled on the way out.  I would go back hoping for a quieter time.

Ella’s food philosophy is to focus on plant based goodness so there are plenty of hot and cold salads and vegetable dips, but they also serve marinated chicken and salmon. Expect to eat chia pudding or porridge bases with nut butters and berries, granola and seeds for breakfast here.

Their cacao and almond energy balls cost one pound each! Try making DoinDubai’s energy balls at a fraction of the price.

A favourite from this book are the Gooey Black Bean Brownies (page 201)  Deliciously Ella Every Day: Simple recipes and fantastic food for a healthy way of life

A favourite from this book are the Granola Bars (page 75) but make half the quanity, its plenty for just two for a week. Deliciously Ella: Awesome ingredients, incredible food that you and your body will love

Hidden Gem – Dukes Hotel in Green Park

I’ve lived in London for most of my life and thought I knew most of the hidden gems in central London, but this time we experienced the champagne tea at Dukes in Green Park.

Come out of Green Park tube and walk into the park. With the park on your right hand side, turn left into the first narrow alley you come to and walk a couple of minutes till you find Dukes Hotel on St James’s Place. (number 35)

The building itself is over 100 years old and was a favourite of British nobility, the lift is one of the oldest in London and it’s even got a leather banquette seat in it!

London's Best Cafes Dukes entrance with Bentley

The hotel was recently awarded a World Travel Award in 2015 and I really liked the location, the history and the uniqueness of the rooms. We had tea in the very elegant, duck egg blue drawing room that opens out onto a sort of covered majlis/tent!

We drank Perrier Jouet champagne and had tea and warm scones and sandwiches. But we could have sat in the very feminine Perrier Jouet room itself or had a martini mixed especially for us at our table on the ground floor bar. Expect to wait at busy times.

London's Best Cafe's Dukes Mirror Selfie

I am really glad to have found this place and love the sound of their tea in the park deal where a member of staff will personally pack a hamper for you and lead you to a secret place in the park, lay out your tea and then clear up and bring back your things! So a picnic in the park without the fuss, ideal if you’re on holiday! Cost is UK pounds 35.00 a head, about AED 200, great for a special occasion in London.

Or you could just have a pot of endless tea and fresh warm scones in the Drawing Room for just UK pounds 14.00 about AED 70.

Best Cafe in London Dukes Majlis

I’m really excited that Dukes is opening a branch here in the Oceana building on the Palm and is bringing an old favorite restaurant of mine from Mumbai, the Khyber restaurant, I will report from there in October 2016.

The Cavendish

Neighbourhood restaurant on New Cavendish Street off Marylebone High St

Run by Andrea, an Italian in London who knows a lot about food and the executive chef is Douglas Santi.  This restaurant looks like it would be expensive but it isn’t! I think it’s the formally set tables with white linen table cloths and silver ware that make you think it’ll be pricey but don’t be put off.

We sat outside in the sun and had a lunch of burrata salad and tuna tartare to start with and a fresh trout with perfect mustard mashed potatoes followed by a pistachio creme brûlée.

London's Best Cafe's The Cavendish bar mat 800

The sea trout with accompaniments was 14 UK pounds so around AED 84 for quality you’d expect from a top Dubai hotel. The pistachio dessert was more than enough for 2 to share and cost UK pounds 6.00 so that’s AED 30.

Great for an evening drink too, half pints of Peroni or Asahi in a very contemporary setting cost just UK pounds 2. 60 that’s about….AED 16.00 !

London's Best Cafes Burratta at the Cavendish

We will be back. I suggest you have lunch here and wander down Marylebone High street. Pick up the Eat Dirt book by Josh Axe from Daunt Books if you’re serious about healthy eating, or have another drink at The Cavendish instead!

London's Best Cafes Daunt books

Happy Holidays wherever you are.

If you discover a hidden gem in London leave us a comment, we’ll publish your review and give the best hidden gem review a prize of a meal for two in Dubai in September.

Follow us on Twitter  Instagram and or Facebook for the latest updates from DoinDubai travels.

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More to come: the results (recipes) of having been inspired by London’s best new cafes. Or will it be one of your recipes? Challenge me to make one of your recipes and I will publish the most delicious.

And here are the podcasts to accompany this post

PODCAST  Talking about Hemsley and Hemsley and the Mae Deli

PODCAST Talking about Dukes Hotel and a tip for Tea at the Shangri La at the Shard!

 

Thanks Monica

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