A secret liquor bar in Fulham

A Second Serving reviews Below The Cut in Fulham Broadway... 

This gorgeous little liquor bar is tucked away beneath Hanger sw6, a steak restaurant in Fulham. If you were passing by, you wouldn't know even know it was there - but you should! The secret bar is a fab drinking den and serves some serious cocktails alongside a small plate menu that encompasses a bite size version of the restaurant upstairs. You can snack on salt beef croquettes, mini steak sarnies or Parmesan chips, to name but a few. While the bar has only very recently opened, they'll be hosting live music nights from acoustic evenings to DJ sets in the future. One to watch!

Why go? 

This would be the perfect date place. You can have tasty but affordable food upstairs followed by cocktails and small bites down below. The bar has a blue, brown and grey colour scheme and is packed full of leather sofas, creating a very chilled out vibe. During our visit there was a guitarist playing live music which really added to the atmosphere and made it all feel very intimate. The cocktail menu is concise but that doesn't matter when the concoctions are so delicious. My fave was the Royal Lady – a fierce combination of vodka, prosecco, home-made rhubarb syrup and a twist of lemon. This was incredibly easy to drink and certainly cleansed my palate.

Downsides? 

You wouldn't know it was there - so people need to shout out about it!

Location? 

461 North End Road, Fulham, London, SW6 1NZ

Hot dogs in Hammersmith

A Second Serving reviews The Duchess of Cambridge in Hammersmith...

The Duchess of Cambridge, a traditional pub in Hammersmith, has teamed up with Banger Bros to create a brand new menu featuring gourmet hot dogs and delicious burgers. Nom nom nom! But, if hot dogs aren't your thing, they still have a huge menu with offerings such as bad-boy burgers and Sunday roasts. They also have an extensive range of British gins and a selection of ales and lagers to wash it all down with. The pub, which is just a four minute walk from Stamford Brook station, is light and spacious with a beautiful outside courtyard.

Why go?

Once I'd been told there were hot dogs on the menu I knew it would be rude not to give them a try. After much umming and erming (because there was so much damn choice!) I went for the Continental, made up of a Bockwurst, gherkin, remoulade, mustard and crispy shallots. You order at the bar, then get your food served at the table. There's a dining area on one side of the venue and more of a generic pub on the other. The hot dog, when it came, had been gently steamed then chargrilled to bring out all the flavour and there was a lovely crack as I bit into the meat - perfect. It came snuggled up in a soft, toasted brioche bun with pickles and sauce... and all for just £5.50. To finish, I had a serving of south street gelato-style ice-cream in a gorgeous lime and coconut flavour. It was quite different to anything I'd tried before - very sweet but refreshing, and went down a treat.

Downsides?

The hotdog bun was just slightly overdone for my liking. 

Location? 

320 Goldhawk Road, London, W6 OXF

A snazzy new garden cafe in south London...

A Second Serving reviews Brother Marcus in Balham...

Brother Marcus is a brand new garden cafe in the heart of Balham - the brainchild of three 20-something best friends from London who have a background in catering, coffee and street food. They serve brunch, coffee and cocktails, and it feels like the kind of place where you can start in the morning and stay all day... my kind of venue then! The menu is simple and they're still mixing it up with new additions, but what they do have is VERY good. Just don't try and tot up the calories. They do some mean cocktails as well and there's also a great garden space outside for those who want to linger.

Why go?

This is the place to go if you're after tasty, filling food, in an easy, relaxed atmosphere with friendly staff and brilliant food. The big boy loaded buns come with quirky names such as the Notorious P.I.G. which is well worth a try if you're visiting. Made up of slow roasted spiced pulled pork, crunchy apple and rocket salad, lime yoghurt and a dirty Mexican sauce, the addition of crispy corn adds a cheeky extra dimension and is super more-ish. A bargain too, for just £9. The Salty Wench - 14 hour braised salt beef, two fried eggs, shredded potato chips and gherkins with a delicious smokey paprika sauce - is also a must try. As soon as you read those list of ingredients together you just know it's going to work. Nom nom nom! We also had a side of mac and cheese balls (standard) and sweet potato chips, which both went down a treat. The four cocktails on offer are all £8 and really pack a punch. Mrs Robinson, made up of gin, prosecco and lemon, was delish, as was the Negroni. All in all, Brother Marcus is well worth a visit if you're in the area.

Downsides?

It's very hard to find anything wrong with this place - the atmosphere was chilled, as I like it, the food, great, and service very friendly. The only thing I'd really have liked is a longer cocktail menu - so I can work my way through it!

Location?

9 Chestnut Grove, Balham, London, SW12 8JA.

The perfect 1920s Low Tea...

A Second Serving reviews The Luggage Room in Mayfair..

The Luggage Room is an intimate cocktail bar located at the side of the Marriott Hotel. You have to knock on the big black door to be let inside and then you're led through to the bar which is really oozing with style and elegance. There's a tiled floor and dark leather studded wood on the walls and this really draws on the spirit of the roaring twenties. We went to try out the Low Tea, which we soon learnt was first created by the Duchess of Bedford after she began the habit of taking tea and biscuits on a low side table to staff off hunger late afternoon. I like her thinking! Our food was served in a quirky brown box, in keeping with the era, and the lovely waitress also helped us pick a favourite tea by holding a 'tea sniffing' and telling us all about the different blends.

Why go?

If you feel like being indulgent and are after some fantastic service, this is the place to go. Even if you don't fancy trying out the Low Tea, pop in for a quirky cocktail to start off your night as they're really delicious and the barman was super friendly. I kicked things off with an Alfonso cocktail - a blend of champagne and orange bitters (served long) and this was just what the doctor ordered (even on a hangover!)

Before long, our Low Tea had arrived. It came in a big brown box with three different sections. The crème fraiche and horseradish vol au vents were rich yet light and disappeared in seconds, so we moved straight onto the wild boar sausage roll with mustard sauce - amazing. The cheddar and sage scones were full of flavour and the scotch egg had been cooked to perfection as it was perfectly runny inside. There was also a quirky little pot of tea infused salmon. My faves from the sweet section were the carrot cake, the beautifully sweet meringue and the trifle that came in a jar. We finished with a Punch a la Romaine cocktail - a fancy rum infused sorbet that you pour champagne over. From start to finish, the whole experience was fantastic and I really do need to find an excuse to go back! Great value too as it's £48 for the Low Tea and you can add £10 on for a glass of champagne. This was afternoon tea with a twist, and a really personal experience.

The champagne sorbet cocktail

Downsides?

It's super hard to fault this place as everything was so amazing! But, if I'm being really, really picky, we could have perhaps each done with an extra plate on the table to make it easier when going from savoury to sweet. Desperate, right?

Location?

84-86, Duke Street, London, W1K 6JP.

The BEST steak down South...

A Second Serving reviews Arlo's in Balham...

When I heard through word of mouth that a new steak restaurant had opened in Balham, where I live, I was keen to find out what it was all about. Although there are a few steak places in the area, most of them are pretty pricey, so I only visit on special occasions. But this is where Arlo's is different - they serve steak but it's actually AFFORDABLE! The restaurant, which is just a few minutes walk from the station (and conveniently close to my two favourite drinking haunts - the BBC and the Hagen) has a short and seasonable menu - but that's why it works. Stick with what you know and do it good, I say. They have a ridiculously good value set menu Monday to Thursday from 12-6pm where you can get two courses for £13 or three courses for £15, and they've even designed a fantastic 'Little Arlo's' menu for your little ones. Arlo's feels like a fantastic addition to the Balham dining scene - and I'm definitely one of their biggest fans!

Why go?

So you fancy going out for dinner, in a nice, chilled restaurant, with decent food that doesn't cost a bomb... give Arlo's a try. They offer two main cuts of steak, an option of trying them both, a huge rib-eye sharer and some salads. What more do you need? I went for the Bavette, France's favourite cut and Arlo's signature steak. It came sliced up, was juicy, full of flavour and beautifully seasoned. They serve all their steaks medium rare, unless you ask otherwise. I found mine to be a little on the rarer side - but didn't care as it tasted so good. I had the peppercorn sauce which cost an extra pound and this was a very generous portion. My boyfriend went for the Picanha cut for £12. This is a kind of sirloin/rump cross and came with a big thumbs up from him. We shared a portion of handcut skinny chips (amazing) and macaroni cheese which tastes just like your mum has made it... and poured extra cheese on top. Yum. The Oreo chocolate tart for dessert is also a must! It was smooth, rich but not too sickly sweet... the perfect end to a lovely meal. All in all, excellent value for money.

Downsides?

While Arlo's is clearly all about the steaks, there could perhaps be one or two more choices in the dessert section. Saying that, I always prefer a limited menu that's done well. This place is definitely one to watch!

Location?

1 Ramsden Road, London, SW12 8QX.

The Royal Albert Hall!

A Second Serving reviews Coda restaurant in the Royal Albert Hall, South Kensington... 

Coda, the concert hall's upscale dining spot, offers a menu of seasonal and modern British cuisine. Inside the grey and mauve-coloured restaurant there are huge Swarovski crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and large, open windows. With seating for 65 guests, Coda really maximizes the unique views of the Prince Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens. Guests to the Hall can go to Coda two hours ahead of shows and return to their tables during intervals to continue to enjoy drinks and desserts. Although the staff have to work to a really tight schedule (everyone needs to be served in time for the performance that day), service is still very impressive. 

 Why go?

If you're off to a performance at the Royal Albert Hall then you really should give this place a visit beforehand. They offer a two course menu for £35, or three course for £40 and both include a glass of sparkling wine - fantastic value considering the quality of food on offer. To start, I went for the tuna tartare with spiced avocado, soy and yuzu and this was fresh and full of flavour. I continued the fishy theme in my main as I had the roast Cornish cod, which came with Austell muscles, buttered leeks and sea vegetables. It was gooey, garlicy and beautifully presented. I couldn't fault the service either - our waiter, Gianpier, recommended dishes without coming across as pompous or overbearing. For dessert I had the mango and passionate fruit cheesecake (if there's fruit in it, there's no calories... right?!) which came with crunchy oat cookies and a super smooth coconut ice-cream. I genuinely couldn't fault it. Even though I was stuffed, I couldn't help but feel jealous of my boyfriends lemon and red fruit tart with toasted meringue and raspberry sorbet - I may also have stuck a sneaky fork in!

 

Downsides?

It was a hot day so which meant it was a little on the warm side as the windows are sealed shut.

Location?

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AP.

Dinner with a fabulous view

A Second Serving reviews Burlington's at The Beech Hill Hotel & Spa in Windermere, Cumbria...

Burlington's restaurant, which is part of the Beech Hill Hotel & Spa, is situated on the east shore of Lake Windermere and offers truly breathtaking views across the lake. As well as the main restaurant, there's an outside terrace you can have drinks on before and/or after your meal to really soak up the view. The menu consists of French and English cuisine and is sourced almost exclusively from local suppliers. They offer a choice of two, three or five course selections and we went for three at a very reasonably priced £34.95.

Check out that view!

Why go?

If you're after tasty food (and decent sized portions), with a superb view of Lake Windermere then this is the place to go. Service is attentive and friendly and your food will be served quick. They take your order in the main bar beforehand, so you're not left waiting long between courses. I started my meal with the shelled muscles mariniere, which came with garlic, herbs and Chardonnay-in baked tomato. I was expecting to get my hands dirty wrestling the muscles out of the shells, but I didn't need to as they came already prepared in a little silver pot. The flavour of the sauce was spot on and there was a lot of it so I could soak it all up with the crusty bread on the side. For my main I had the duck and this came with sweet potato and greens. It was well cooked but could have perhaps been a little better seasoned. The presentation of the food was however very good. My partner had the roast salmon main and he said this was very fresh. To finish, I went for one of my fave desserts, crème brulee, and this one came with a citrus shortcake. I have to say it was very good - it had a good crunch on top and was creamy and delicious underneath. Nom nom nom! My OH opted for the trio of desserts - a mini crème brulee, a strawberry posset and a dark chocolate mousse - all of which I sampled and all of which tasted bloody damn good!

Me tucking into my main!

Downsides?

While the views really are to die for (pretty much wherever you sit in the restaurant), the rest of the hotel seems a little dated and old fashioned. Perhaps, however, this is just down to personal taste.

Location?

The Beech Hill Hotel, Newby Bridge Road, Cumbria, LA23 3LR.