We are moving!!

We have been a bit quiet (which is apparently very unlike us), but only because we are moving...over to Tumblr. 

Why, do I hear you ask? 

Simply because we were recommended that the site is better for sharing photos. 

So we are just moving our things over in Tumblr, decorating, adding our finishing touches to it and making it nice and homely for all of you!! 

We thank you for your patience and ask you to continue to do your thing and most importantly:

Keep Calm and Be Twinspired

Love, Amor, Pyar, und Liebe, 

Sukhman and Hernoor

and a dog. We love dogs!!

Portobello Road

Home to all things vintage and antique (not forgetting the Hummingbird Bakery), Portobello Road Market is the place for all your non high street buys.

Sukhs and I decided to take advantage of this fine day by visiting this famous market in search of a few vintage items for The Great Gatsby nights at the Hyatt Hotel in London.

I think we would look really cute driving this car but £6000?! Isn't that how much the new Fiat 500s are?

Joey from friends-this is what it means to be nonchalant. 

Ya damn right!

Good place for vintage teapots, saucers and mugs and also sells random things from the times when Brittania ruled the waves. 

Although a few things did catch our eye, we didn't buy anything- (not even a cupcake from the Hummingbird Bakery would you believe). Actually, Sukhs bought some a few bits and bobs and a really funky oyster card holder.

If only payday was on a Tuesday.

Next stop for our vintage inspired look-Spitalfields Market!

Don't just be inspired, be twinspired

Hernoor

Re-live the roaring 20's at The Hyatt Regency, London

Oh hello Leo. 

To celebrate the release of The Great Gatsby, The Montagu at the Hyatt Regency in London is hosting 'The Great Gatsby Night's' every Thursday this May.

Live jazz music, a 1920's inspired three course meal and a chance to win a three night weekend stay at the Grand Hyatt New York! This is an event not to be missed.

Something tells me the release of the movie is gonna see a revival of the flapper trend on the catwalk. Bobbed hair, feather boa's, colourful bow ties and striped jackets are all gonna be making waves this summer. Mystic Meg ain't got nowt on me!

Apart from the 1920's fashion and the fact that Leonardo Dicaprio is in the movie (he is too cool for school),  I'm excited to see Big B in it aka Amitabh Bachchan! This is big news for Bollywood. An actor like Big B working alongside Leonardio Dicaprio ain't no joke! You go Big B!

Anyway, if anyone else is excited about this and The Great Gatsby Nights at the hotel then check out the link for more info:

http://london.churchill.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/greatgatsbynightsintheMontagu.html?src=agn_ecm_em_outlet_cmpgn_LONCH_en_20130426_hope27_O-31583904

I am so excited about this and will definitely be going. Time to get me some vintage clothing and accessories!

Who would have thought it? From Sholay to Mohabbatein to The Great Gatsby. What a ledge.

Don't just be inspired. Be Twinspired. 

Hernoor

If you love Waffles, you will love The Waffle House

If you are a Waffle Lover, you need to check this place out! The Waffle House is based in St.Albans by a small river (kinda looked like a canal if I'm honest) and is a really nice place for  waffles :) 

It has a really cosy house/cottage-like interior with wooden beams and a real blazing fire in the fireplace! I could have ordered (but obviously not have eaten) everything on the menu because it all sounded too good to be true! They had savoury waffles and sweet waffles - score!! I love waffles, so I ordered and ate both a savoury and sweet one followed by probably one of the best hot chocolates I have had to date. 

Tomato and Cheddar Cheese Waffle!!

Butterscotch Sauce, Pecan and Whipped Cream Waffle!!

Look at all them Waffle-making machines

Nice and frothy

Slabbed flooring, wooden beams and a little fire - nice!

All the milk, eggs and flour used is organic so if you are into all of that, this place would really be ideal. Writing about The Waffle House is making me hungry and I really could do with that Tomato and Cheese one right about now :(

Dont' just be inspired, be Twinspired, 

Sukhman

Alchemy Festival @ Southbank Centre: Talvin Singh and the Not So Silent Movies

So last week I went to see Talvin Singh and Roopa Panesar at the Southbank Centre in London, which is host to the annual Alchemy Festival which celebrates the music, dance, literature (and food!) from India, UK and South Asia.

At the festival.
Me and Bollywood-we're like peaches and cream. 

The event titled 'The Bombay Talkies' was a really fun and interesting display of live musical scores to two classic silent movies of Indian Cinema. 

The silent movies were projected on a large screen behind the musicians. There was cello, drums, bass and violin and of course Talvin Singh on the tabla and Roopa Panesar on the sitar. The way these instruments brought these silent movies to life was pure genius! It just goes to show how 'instrumental' (excuse the pun!) music is in adding to the drama of the storytelling.  

We didn't get to see the first movie ('Raja Harishchandra') because we were a teeny tiny bit late but the musicians played the original score so that would have been something to see. 

The second silent movie 'Devi' had Sharmila Tagore (Saif Ali Khan's mum if you don't know!) as the main actress and her acting as a women possessed by Kali was made all the more convincing with the live score, especially the sitar. Watching this film made me realise how forward Indian Cinema was at that time because the acting and the cinematography was all on point.

Overall, it was a uniquely clever and impressive event! In other words 'kya baat!'

Don't just be inspired, be twinspired!

Hernoor 

Afternoon Tea: A memorable experience at Radisson Blu Edwardian Leicester Square Hotel

This was (again) a very last-minute idea. To be honest, I booked this the night before and was sure of this place for two reasons; the food on the menu looked really appetizing and it was fairly priced for Afternoon Tea.  This place is a 5-7 minute walk from Leicester Square station and tucked away nicely down a quiet avenue, free from the congestion of human traffic and club promoters (which is now a familiar site of Leicester Square).  The restaurant is finished with a marble floor, cream leather seats and each table is set with a small potted green plant, giving the place a contemporary and stylish look. This is an ideal place if you are looking for a chic and intimate environment without feeling the pinch on your pocket.  

Check out this link if you want to book a table: 

http://www.radissonblu-edwardian.com/london-hotel-gb-wc2h-7hl/gbpastor/hotel/dining/leicester

I've always had a thing for that type of plant!

The service on the day was impeccable and on-point. The waiting staff were really friendly and attentive (without being intruding). I was literally astounded with how quick the tea came out once we had ordered it! I think it was just under ten minutes and the really lovely staff member confidently explained what was in all the sandwiches. She came back after fifteen minutes to check if we required anything else. The jam came out in small little pots which I liked because they looked really cute! Just a heads up for anyone who isn’t a fan of raisins and sultanas – these were in the scones! But because everything else was amazing, I didn’t mind sitting there picking them out with my knife. I definitely wouldn’t be doing this if I was in The Ritz, so that gives you an idea of how you can just feel right at home in this restaurant. (Mind you, the scones at The Ritz were raisin-free). We were there for about two hours and during this time, three different staff members  all treated us with exceptional service making us feel really welcome. The portions of food were just the right amount for us but if you want to take any of it home, they do let you pack the food. 

Perfect Portions!

I was impressed with everything from the moment we walked through the door. We walked away with good vibes from this restaurant and it ticked every box from service, quality of food and ambiance  Dining isn’t just an experience for the palette – for me it should include all the senses and so I appreciate restaurants which play background music, especially on the piano. This restaurant had music tinkling from the overhead speakers which added to the already chilled out atmosphere. This is a really nice place to unwind with two people or even a group of friends. I will be going back here again, especially since they mentioned that the seafood is a speciality of this restaurant. 

 Overall, we just had a really good day :) 

Our experience of this restaurant has left a lasting impression, which is always a good thing. They did good. They did really really good. 

Don't just be inspired, be Twinspired :)

Sukhman 

Mughal India Exhibition: Art, Culture and Empire

If you are a fan of the Art, Culture and Empire of Mughal India, then this exhibition is definitely worth your time. Head down to the British Library on Monday 1st or Tuesday 2nd April 2013, as these are the last days of the Exhibition. 
Click this link for further information regarding this exhibition: http://www.bl.uk/mughalindia/

We happened to visit this exhibition twice; the first time on it's opening night way back in November and quite recently too. It took us around two hours to read everything on the information blocks and inspect the artefacts at our own leisure. 

The opening night of the Exhibition, when we both fell in love with that huge poster. 

The dress of the Royal women of Mughal India are an inspiration to us 

The exhibition analyses the rise and fall of the Might Mughal Empire as well as taking a look at the lives of the King's, their wives and their pass-times. The gift shop was a highlight for us because there were books on Sufi poetry, books with recipes from the Royal court and really nice postcards with Royal Mughal Women on it. We spent a good half an hour in the gift shop and felt right at home surrounded by pens, bags, books and jewellery inspired by this important period in India's history. If you too are like us, then we would highly recommend you guys check it out quick-time! 

Don't just be inspired, be Twinspired!

Sukhman and Hernoor

Afternoon Tea: Catching up at Criterion Restaurant

  'Timeless Opulence in the most spectacular Dining Room in London' - words taken from website below
http://www.criterionrestaurant.com/

This is Criterion Restaurant, and I came here to catch up with a friend over Afternoon tea. Check out the elegance of this place! It is exquisitely designed - not pretentious at all but almost subtle in it's elegance in comparison to The Ritz.  Having said that, I don't get the choice of the chair colours - burgundy and mustard - these chairs look like something out of the 1970's and clash with the Neo-Byzantine architecture.

Check out that ceiling!

As soon as I walked in, I got a feeling that the architecture was influenced by 'Russian elegance' of some sort and after researching about the history of the Criteron, I found out that the restaurant was influenced by a 'neo-byzantine' style of architecture i.e. mosaics  archways and marble - we learn something everyday people! As described on the website of the restaurant, 'Lush extravagant and utterly compelling, the interior seduces you with the glint and wink of gold and marble. Look around and absorb the gilded ceiling, the grand windows and imposing arches, the fascinating recesses and mirrored walls.' They definitely took the words right out of my mouth. 

Check out the menu for Afternoon Tea:
http://www.criterionrestaurant.com/sites/default/files/Afternoon%20tea%20Menu%202012%20September_0.pdf

I really became a fan of the box in which the little jars of tea came presented in. I thought it was a really nice idea for us to get an idea of which tea we wanted to drink by getting a whiff of the aroma.

So I went for a '2nd Flush Assam' because I like the full-bodied earthy flavour.  Check out this link for further information about 'flushes of tea'
 http://twinings.co.uk/about-our-tea/twinings-tea-tasters/second-flush-
assam-tea-twinings-tea-tasters

'2nd flush Assam' and a little-lemon-flavoured-yellow-creamy-pot-thingy. I thought it was a palette cleanser but since no-one explained what it was, I ate it all (because it was actually really tasty).

One cupcake?! Nah mate. 

I had a really good catch-up with my friend but I was actually disappointed with the quality of the food and service. The tea came out almost an hour and a bit after we ordered it  and the scones were really hard to slice, almost rock hard. The selection of desserts was not great and there was only one cupcake between the two of us! How can you share a cupcake? Come on! It wasn't even that busy on the day we went but for some reason, the waiting staff seemed to be really unattentive. It is possible that maybe they were having an off day of some sort. 

Thumbs up for the interior, the box in which the tea came in and the creamy-yellow-lemon flavoured-pot-thingy.  I have heard that this is a nice place to have dinner, so I will be trying that too one day soon.

Disclaimer: This is simply my opinion of the restaurant based on my experience that day in February. Its April today so perhaps things have changed since then. Life is about hearing what people have to say about something and ignoring them anyway, or something like that!!

Don't just be inspired, be Twinspired :)

Mucho Te Queiro, 

Sukhman 

The Land of the Rising Sun: Japan (1)

So we thought we'd share a few of our travel experiences on this blog too i.e. places to stay, things to see and do, things to eat and not eat but all from our perspective because everyone knows that four eyes are better than two! Keep your eyes peeled for posts on the following: Cancun (Mexico), Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), Rome (Italy), Seville (Spain) and Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan (India). 

We'll start with our most recent trip to Japan. 

What happened when Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda went to tea

Well I don't know what happened when Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha and Miranda went to tea-but I do know what happened when Lavi, Savi, Soni and Noorie went to tea...

This is afternoon tea- Sex and the City style!

When you're as busy as Carrie and her friends, the best way to catch up is over tea, sandwiches and scones. That's why the Hyatt Regency in London have created the 'Sex and the City' inspired Afternoon Tea. It's flirty, fun and fashionable! What more could a girl want?

We booked the 'Sex and the City Afternoon Par-Tea' as a surprise for Lavi's (our eldest sisters) birthday back in November. We made the reservation pretty last minute and so we were lucky that there was a table for us. We had booked it for 4.30pm but in true Carrie style, we arrived fashionably late at 5.30pm.

Could there be any other way to start a fashion inspired tea party...?

The celebrations started with a bottle of the old bubbly (on the house) but it kinda went a bit down hill after that. You might say they committed a few tea party faux pa's!

The tea took a very long time to arrive but I reckon this is because we had the champagne so they probably assumed we would want to wait before we were served tea, but either way the staff (although quite nice) didn't seem attentive to our needs.

So what do you do when you're dressed up and waiting around for your tea? Well, you take pictures of yourself of course!

Okay so you take pictures of yourself and the place.
This is where we were sat, by the kitchen where we had the perfect view
of the hold up with our tea!

Such posers honestly. 

Oh hi birthday girl! Happy birthday! 

Bubbles make you fly...

The tea and food FINALLY arrives
How can you not take a pic
 with the jelly inspired martini glasses?
I mean how cute are they!

Oh and that would be me with the big sis. Howdy peeps.

Naturally, by the time we had finished being self obsessed the tea and food had arrived. Maybe fashionably late too?

You can choose from four types of teas from the menu, each which reflects the personality of one of the girls. I picked the Organic Silver Needle White Tea inspired by Carrie, which was a nice winter warmer.

A mixture of sweet and savoury treats, here is what you can expect to get at a Sex and the City inspired tea party at The Hyatt:

New York inspired savoury treats which include pastrami on rye,
smoked salmon New York bagel, mini hot dog and mini burger.

Word of warning. The menu described the hot dog as being 'lightly drizzled' with mustard...
Oh my god! Lightly drizzled but very lethal-it burned our lips!

Where's Savi...? 

The lower tier, as seen in the picture is the cold food, the middle tier the hot food and the top tier for the sweet treats-each also inspired by one of the girls' personalities. For Carrie, they have created a strawberry flavoured chocolate pink stiletto; for Charlotte, a pink strawberry cupcake; for Samantha an apple flavoured jelly martini (appletini) and for Miranda, glazed doughnuts.

How cute is the chocolate stiletto
and the mini apple martini jelly!

This strawberry chocolate stiletto was just too sweet for me to finish and that is not a comment any chocoholic should make but it really was pure sugar. None of us could finish it. One bite of the heel  was all we could handle. I guess some things are just nicer to look at.

Personally, neither of us (apart from Savi) are fans of jelly, but surprisingly, I really liked the appletini jelly. Did it have the wobble factor? Yes. But not too wobbly, which is good because I'm not a fan of wobbly things you see. Who remembers wibble wobble jelly on a plate?

I've mentioned before in an earlier post how afternoon tea can fill you up that you don't need to eat dinner, but that wasn't the case this time round. After each working our way through the 3 tiers, we found that we were all still hungry and so ordered another round of tea from the classic tea and scones menu and then we ate and ate until we just could not eat another bite and with that we decided to pack the goodies in a doggy bag and call it a night.

Was it a good night? Yes. Would I go again? Probably not. The waiting around and the tiny portions was a bit of a let down (sorry girls!) and so I award the Sex and the City tea par-tea a stylish but not so swanky 6/10.

Don't just be Inspired. Be Twinspired. 

Noorie 

The Christmas Posts: Recipe for Christmas Pudding Cake Pops

Welcome Back people! In this episode, we'll be showing you how to make Christmas Pudding style cake pops. These really are time consuming, but hey, the Mayans got it wrong so we got plenty of time to play with now. 

The only Christmas Pudding I'm eating this year. 

Equipment

Electric mixer 

Mixing Bowl

Craft knife (or just a really sharp knife)

Chopping board (or a surface which you don't mind scratching)

Rolling Pin 

Lolly sticks

Baking tray

Grease proof paper

Ingredients

200g Madeira Cake

140g-160g White Chocolate

300g Milk Chocolate

Ready-to-Roll icing (festive colours)

To make the Cake Pops

1) Pulse the Madeira cake into a mixer until the cake resembles fine breadcrumbs. 

2) Melt the white chocolate in a microwave for 1-2 minutes or in a bowl over simmering water. The chocolate must NOT bubble. It should be a smooth consistency. 

3) Combine the chocolate and crumbs together using your hands. 

4) Roll the mix into 10 small balls using the palms of your hands. Place them on a grease proof lined baking tray and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

6) In the meanwhile, melt the milk chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over simmering water.

7) Once the balls are set, insert a lolly stick (or any other firm stick) into the melted milk chocolate and insert into the balls, one at a time. Once done, return to the fridge to set for another 5-10 minutes. 

8) Once set, take one ball on a stick and dip into the melted milk chocolate. Make sure you cover the ball evenly, rotating the stick around so the chocolate is covered all over the ball. Place them in a glass, polystyrene or cake pop holder to keep them apart and to prevent from sticking to one another. 

9) Roll out the white icing to make the drizzle on the Christmas Pudding effect. Cut out the shape and place on top of the cake pop once the cake pops are completely dry and set. Roll out the holly shape from the green and red icing and finish. 

The fun in making these cake pops actually comes when you are decorating them. They were a pain in the ass to make, but definitely worth it because they looked so cute! 
If you like Cinnamon Biscuits, then you may like our next post on how to make them. Hasta Pronto Amigos!

Don't just be Inspired. Be Twinspired. 

Hernoor aka Noorie

The Christmas Posts: Recipe for Christmas Cupcakes

Holidays Are Coming! Who doesn't love the Coca Cola advert?! It is just too magical and nostalgic. One thing that I never understood as a child was who in their right mind would drink an ice cold drink in the Winter? Anyway, this time of year is so amazing because it means time to spend with family and friends, feeling like a kid again and being inspired by all the festive lights. It is a magical time full of optimism and glad tidings. Enjoy it while it is here, because as a month, 'January' sucks the most. It signifies the end of the the twinkling fairy lights and the beginning of all things bleak, grey and miserable. Merry Christmas, by the way! 

We've been busy baking and shopping for Secret Santa gifts. In the coming posts, we'll be sharing recipes for cupcakes, cake pops and biscuits.

Christmas Pudding Cake Pops, Festive Cinnamon Biscuits and Festive Cupcakes. 

Vanilla Flavoured Christmas Cupcakes

Makes 12

Equipment

12-hole muffin tin

12 muffin cases

Electric mixer (or there is no harm in the trusted 'wooden spoon and elbow grease')

Mixing Bowl

Wire Rack

Craft knife (or just a really sharp knife)

Chopping board (or a surface which you don't mind scratching)

Rolling Pin 

For the cakes

125g/4oz Self-Raising Flour

125g/4oz Caster Sugar

125g/4oz Unsalted Butter (must be room temperature) 

1 and a half teaspoon Baking Powder

2 medium eggs 

2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract 

3 tablespoons Semi-Skimmed Milk

For the Icing/Decoration

Ready to Roll icing (festive colours)

Edible snowflakes/silver balls

White Writing Icing tubes

To make the Cakes

1) Pre-heat oven to 180c/350f/Gas Mark 4 and line the holes of the muffin tin with muffin cases

2) Add the butter, caste sugar and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and mix together for 5-7 minutes until light in colour and creamy in texture. 

3) Add one egg and mix for 1 minute. Add the second egg and mix for another minute. 

4) In a seperate bowl and using a metal spoon mix the flour with the baking powder. Sieve into the mixing bowl and mix together until well incorporated. 

5) Add the milk a few tablespoons at a time and mix for a further minute. 

6) Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases (the mixture should drop softly from the spoon into the cases). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until springy to the touch. To check if the cakes are well baked, insert a knife or toothpick into the center of the cake. The knife/toothpick should be clean when removed from the cake. 

7) Remove the baked cupcakes and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. 

To make the Festive Shapes

1) Lightly dust a clean surface with icing sugar.

2) Roll out your desired Ready-to-Roll icing onto the dusted surface as flat as possible. 

3) Using the craft knife, create your desired festive shapes. 

4) Place any unused icing in cling film to prevent it drying out. 

And...here's some we made earlier...(The cupcakes were made by Savi and I, but the awesomely amazing icing skills was all crafted by our talented elder sister, Savi Grewal). 

Attention to detail: Check out Snowman's hat! It's got a little Holly Sprig on it made from icing sugar of course. 

Voila! Festive Cupcakes!! The Icing was all 'glued' into place with white writing icing to prevent the shapes from sliding off the cakes.

Here is Savi aka Santa's little helper getting into the festive spirit with hat, complete with real tinkling bell.       

In the next episode, we will show you how to make Christmas Pudding style Cake Pops. Stay tuned folks. In the meantime remember to wrap up warm, hold the doors open for those carrying bags or loads on their mind and don't ever forget that Santa Claus used to wear a green outfit!

Don't  just be inspired. Be Twinspired.

Sukhman aka Soni

Bollywood Night Out

If you don't already know, Noorie and I are are 'into' all things Bollywood. The costumes, the songs, the dances, the dialogue, and Aamir Khan looks really good these days. I just need to mention how amazing Hrithik Roshan looked in the film 'Jodha Akbar', especially in one particular scene where he is wielding his sword during a practice session, while Aishwarya Rai secretly looks on in awe (and clearly being turned on too). Ladies and Gentleman, check it out below, it is only a short clip but well worth it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM0jULCmOVY

Wow, I got majorly distracted! Ok, back on track now, haha! 

So I've mentioned we like to listen to Bollywood songs, we like to sing them for fun and try to pick up one or two dance moves. For the record, there is one song that can be played over and over again and I just don't get bored of dancing to it. Check it out below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHsnF-XfsGo

We were looking to get our Bollywood groove on, so Noorie found this place called Apt Bar in St. Pauls where they host 'Kuch Kuch Nights'.

http://www.kuchkuchnights.co.uk/

The place officially gets 'live' after 10pm. It was quite empty at first and the crowd is a mixed crowd of young and old (whatever that means). There were some students, and the other type of student too. Just off the boat, if you catch my drift. I'm sure I saw a few Husband's and Wives out together too. I felt like I was at a Wedding Reception at times, especially when a fight broke out in the middle of the dance floor (further details below). 

The music was a mix of really old school Hindi songs from the 1970s and some popular current item songs too. Everyone seemed up for a laugh and the dance floor was packed. The bar staff were sooo cool! They were European but they were getting in on the fun too, smiling and dancing away whilst pouring drinks. Just to let you know, they don't charge for water. How refreshing for a change. I was disappointed that they didn't play my song (the one in the link) and that really set my mood for the whole evening - I kid you not. 

Noorie poses while she waits for the DJ to warm up and for the place to fill up with more people. 

The highlight of the evening was when a fight broke out in the middle of the dance floor right next to us - I actually felt like I was in a Bollywood movie, 'Dusham Dusham' style. For our non-Indian friends, 'Dusham Dusham' refers to the sound when one guy throws a punch at the other guy in an Bollywood movie. 

As mentioned above, I felt like I was at an Indian Wedding Reception too. For our non-Indian friends, sometimes a fight usually breaks out right at the end of an Indian Wedding Reception Party for no reason other than the fact that the men get drunk and suddenly feel they can take on any guy in the room who looks at their sister/wife/cousin/female friend. This particular 'fight' was one of those fights where one guy was purposely dancing next to another guy's girlfriend. Both guys were trying to be so macho under the influence of alcohol but it was actually embarrassing to watch.

Mehar and I can't contain our excitement. It looks empty, because it was. It got live and kicking around 1am. 

Personally, I wouldn't go again unless I had to. I like to dance to a mix of Bhangra, Bollywood and R&B and this was obviously a pure Bollywood night. Noorie, on the other hand, had a blast. She had a freakingly awesome night out and said she would love to go back. So if you're like me and like to mix it up Bombay Halwa style, this may not be your cup of chai but there's no harm in checking it out. If you're like Noorie, this is defo up your galli (street) so put on your dancing shoes and 'Show us your Jalwa!' (This loosley means, 'Show me your charisma/moves'). If you're not like either of us, then that's actually very normal so don't worry.

Don't just be Inspired. Be Twinspired. 

Sukhman aka Soni

Ponti's -Italian Kitchen

5-7 John Princes Street, London. Home to 'Ponti's' - an Italian Kitchen. 

I like the idea they have called it a 'Kitchen' because that is what it feels like. To really give you a sense of what type of eatery this is, here are a few lines from whoever wrote the 'About' section on the Ponti's website:

''Our open, theatre style kitchen with its wood stove oven, creates a sense of theatre with dramatic displays of Salami, Coppa, Pancetta and Prosciutto Crudo suspended from meat hooks, surrounded by platters of large creamy balls of Mozzarella di Buffala, fresh green Italian olives on ice, punnets of juicy vine ripened cherry tomatoes, fresh Focaccia, Altamura and crisp bread from Italy''. 

Really, that is the best way to describe it. I would like to credit the person who wrote it, but they left no name. So all I can say is good job to the unknown author from Ponti's website! Check the link for more information about Ponti's:

http://www.pontis.co.uk/jsp/pontis.jsp

Most of the staff were really friendly, except one, who looked like she was waiting for her shift to end. But that was our experience on the day we happened to go. She's probably feeling festive and a lot better than when we dined there. On a separate note, I dunno about you guys, but the way a restaurant leaves a lasting impression on me is not just the service, food or staff but also how the Restroom/Toilets are maintained and the overall appearance of it. Here is a pic of what seemed to be a waiting area just outside of the actual toilets.

A place to wait if the toilets aren't vacant? Not sure what the purpose of this area is but it looks funky.
Loving the mirror and random dry plant too.

The Menu

http://www.pontis.co.uk/menus/PIK_main_menu_latest.pdf

To begin, I had a Focaccia with Sea Salt & Rosemary and for the Main, a Caprino Pizza. I do love Goat's cheese. Thank You Goat, I love the cheese you make. Well, the milk that you make for the cheese. Thanks man.  This cheese was melting in the mouth and had a tart taste to it which I like. But the sunblush tomatoes were too tangy for me. The Focaccia was crusty in texture and it was a challenge to eat it, even with my rabbit teeth. To wash all that down, I went for the Cranberry & Mint Cooler juice. The lime slice left a mildly citrusy aftertaste on my tongue. Thumbs up. Noorie went for Hot Chocolate as a drink and the Thick Cut Chips as a side. Can't go wrong with chips and hot chocolate if you're on a budget! We shared the pizza. We share a birthday, so sharing a pizza made sense too. 






Of course we saved room for dessert, people! 

The Dessert Menu

http://www.pontis.co.uk/menus/PIK_dessert_menu_latest.pdf

I went for the dessert with a wicked name: Bomboloni di Ricotta. This is a stodgy dessert, but I actually enjoyed eating this. The warm dough ball themselves were not sweet, rather it was the Acacia Honey which was drizzled over them which gave it a light sweet taste. It wasn't too overpowering in terms of it's sweetness. The vanilla ice-cream was cold, but it's milky consistency made a good accompaniment.

Noorie went for the Italian Lemon Cup Cake. She chose this desssert because she needed something light and 'zesty' after munching on a pizza and chips. Sadly, the cupcake wasn't 'zesty' enough for her. 




If you are heading down to Oxford Street and looking for great food and a place to unwind after your Christmas shopping, then give Ponti's a go. The Kitchen is warmly decorated in time for the Festive season and it is an ideal place if you are looking to eat somewhere a bit 'Christmassy' looking. 

Don't just be Inspired. Be Twinspired

Sukhman aka Soni