The week in pictures

Henry Brett and Oscar Mancini take over ‘M’

Hot on the heels of London’s Owl Café and upcoming micro-pig picnic, ponies and international polo players took over M Restaurant in the City of London this week to mark its partnership with Chestertons Polo in the Park in June. Their visit comes ahead of a planned ‘Meet the Polo Players Dinner’ which will take place at the restaurant on 21 April. Ponies were available for stressed-out executives to pet, feed carrots and even take a ride around the Square Mile on.

db was treated to an evening high above the London skyline at SushiSamba on Tuesday to celebrate a recent partnership between the Brazilian-Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant and Bruno Paillard Champagne. The exclusive partnership will see a range of nine Bruno Paillard Champagnes made available at SushiSamba – the largest selection of Bruno Paillard at any restaurant in the UK.

On what was the hottest day so far of the year, the views across London from Sushi Samba’s terrace on the 39th floor of the Heron Tower were sensational.

Sitting down to dinner, guests were treated to a selection of Champagnes that included the 1996 Bruno Paillard Brut Assemblage and 1999 Bruno Paillard Brut Assemblage. A particular highlight was the 1999 Bruno Paillard Brut NPU NEC plus ultra, made from only the best vintages from Grand Cru vineyards and matured for 12 years in the cellar, followed by two years in bottle.

We were invited to MASH this week to try out some of the cocktails in its new menu, including the Mad Hatter, which blends Bulleit Bourbon, tea, peach, Maraschino, hibiscus, vanilla, ginger and lemon. Inspired by the madcap character in Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland, the cocktail is served warm through a funnel, melting the ginger and lemon underneath. We recommend it for anyone suffering a cold as it has elixir-like healing properties.

We also road tested the Little Italy, inspired by one of the bartender’s trips through the country and the sweet, sour and savoury flavours found there. The cocktail fuses Martini Rosso with apple brandy, Amaro, bitters and porcini, resting atop it is an invigorating cherry and parsley granita. 

We also made the most of this week’s unseasonal sunshine at the launch of the Hendrick’s botanical garden at Mr Fogg’s bar in Mayfair, where a selection of Hendrick’s-laced cocktails were on pour. Winning our vote was the Passepartout, a twist on a gin sour named after the manservant in Jules Vernes’ Around the world in 80 Days, which Mr Fogg’s takes its inspiration from. Declaring the garden open was Hendrick’s global brand ambassador, Duncan McRae.

 The quirky interior of Mr Fogg’s, inspired by the travels of Jules Vernes’ fictional character, Phileas Fogg

Carrying on the night, it felt like we were on the film set of Casablanca, when we descended into the bowels of Momo on Heddon Street through secret lantern-lit passageways past a fez-wearing coat attendant into new bar Black Dice, which plays host to raucous live music sets.

Heading up the bar at black dice is Ben Clarenn, whose bold concoctions pack a serious flavour punch. Among our favourites were the Black Flag, which blends Bulleit rye with Punt e Mes, amontillado sherry and charred pineapple; and the rhubarb and ginger Negroni, made with Botanist gin, Martini Rosso, Campari, and rhubarb and ginger jam.

The signature sip at Black Dice is the Inked Daiquiri, which tastes very different to how it looks. Made with Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, noisette and lime, the key component is Demerara charcoal, which is becoming a hot ingredient to play with in cocktails.

Never one to turn down an invite to dine, we were excited to be invited to Japanese restaurant Yashin Ocean House this week to try out its revamped menu alongside different sakés, paired to complement the flavours in the dishes. With theatre at the forefront of the chef’s agenda, a vivifying grouper ceviche was served in a pink salt bowl, which seasoned the dish once the iridescent sheet was removed – the longer you leave it, the saltier it gets. Also on the menu was a divine selection of sashimi served with billowing dry ice.

Guiding us through the restaurant’s impressive saké selection was charming saké sommelier Hiroko Nishintani, who explained that the magnum format is the best size for storing and ageing saké, with the less polished examples offering punchier, more umami-rich flavours and the more highly polished styles lighter and more floral in character.

Continuing with the theatre, our wagyu dish came with a cloud of candy floss that dissolved with the addition of sweet soy. The night ended on a (sugar) high with a yuzu cheesecake, which was light and fluffy as a cloud with its signature lemon scent. It also looked pretty as a picture with the addition of yuzu macaroons and edible purple pansies.

It’s harvest time at Bouchon Family Wines in Chile’s Maule Valley, where the ever keen Sophie McLean of Bancroft Wines (right) has been spending the last week getting down and dirty with the grape pickers bringing in the Cabernet Sauvignon and hopping in and out of the fermentation tanks with newly appointed winemaker Felipe Ramirez.

35 floors up on a glorious day offered db an unparalleled view of London earlier this week for the Famille Hugel tasting. Hugel Schoelhammer. The irrepressible Etienne Hugel was on hand to present a flight of wines from the producer’s portfolio, including new single-vineyard wine “Schoelhammer”.

Alongside the new Schoelhammer, two very special wines were presented, the 1983 (almost Etienne’s first vintage) and the 1953 (Etienne’s father, André Hugel’s, first vintage).

Ruinart cellar master Frédéric Panaiotis presented a vertical tasting of rosé Champagne at the Carpenters Workshop Gallery on Albemarle Street in the heart of London’s Mayfair. 

Pol Roger Portfolio MD James Simpson MW announces the official unveiling of the Pol Roger Land Rover Defender last night at Bonham’s Restaurant on New Bond Street. One of the last ever Defenders to be produced, Pol Roger has had the four wheel drive customised to include a pop-up bar, and will be taking the vehicle to this year’s London Wine Fair.

Details include customised seats and grab handles containing a map of the Champagne appellation (above and below).

Scotland’s “first” single estate Scotch whisky distillery, Ballindalloch, was officially opened by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. Billed as Scotland’s first single estate distillery, Ballindalloch crafts whisky using barley grown on the estate and water sourced from the same land, only outsourcing yeast. Distillation began toward the end of last year with the first bottling of Ballindalloch Scotch due to take place in the next eight to 10 years.