London Town; Summer in the City

Happy Sunday babes! I can’t believe it’s already the final day of July… where is summer going? This Saturday me and my boyfriend took a little day trip into London town to make use of our Buy A Gift vouchers we had for a Thames river cruise and the London Eye.

We started the day with a quick browse on Bond Street before heading to Carnaby Street for lunch at Kingly Court. We had our favourite vegan burritos in town from Club Mexicana, a fully vegan Mexican restaurant chain which even meat eaters will love.

From Westminster Pier we then caught a City Cruise boat for a tour down the river. It was great to see the city from a different perspective on the river and the live tour guide commentary was very interesting and actually quite amusing too.

Despite it being overcast, it was in fact a very warm and pleasant summers day in London. Following our cruise down the Thames, unfortunately we didn’t make it in time for the London Eye which to our surprise, closes at 6pm! So instead we went to Between the Bridges on Southbank for pre-dinner drinks, naughty chippies and some live music.

For dinner I booked us a table at Cote located at Hays Galleria with a terrace over looking London Bridge. It was lovely warm summers evening perfect for an al fresco dinner riverside.

I had my favourite Paillard Salad served with chargrilled chicken breast, French beans, endive, lettuce, hazelnuts, croûtons, tarragon and caper dressing. My boyfriend had the classic minute steak served pink with garlic butter, peppercorn sauce and frites. As usual the food at Cote was divine and service was fantastic, French cuisine at its finest!

I couldn’t resist a cheeky Espresso Martini to finish my meal. We had a long train journey back so this was more than necessary and the perfect way to end our summers day in the city, as those stunning golden hues showered the sky at sundown ❤

For the Foodies; Local Gems

Being a self-confessed foodie, I always like to try new places for weekend date nights and dinners with friends. Having visited some great restaurants recently, I’m glad to have discovered some local gems just a short drive from our house.

With an extensive menu of pub classics, I was keen to try The Waterwitch pub in Odiham. I opted for an old favourite, caesar salad and it didn’t disappoint. Fresh baby gem lettuce, homemade sourdough croutons, Italian hard cheese, free-range boiled egg, anchovies and a chargrilled chicken breast, this was one of the best caesar salads I’ve ever had…and I’ve had a fair few to compare to!

This weekend we tried Menu Thai in Fleet having heard great things from my sister and her partner. As my boyfriend’s favourite cuisine, we were eager to sample this place for ourselves in hope this will become our local spot for Thai food. I had the vegetable green curry whilst my boyfriend had the chicken penang curry with coconut rice.

Authentic, wonderfully tasty and served steaming hot, this is Thai food done to perfection. A cosy restaurant with excellent service and a buzzing atmosphere too, they even deliver to our postcode. No doubt we will be visiting again very soon as well as making use of their delivery service to satisfy those Thai cravings at home.

It’s always nice to try somewhere different and even better to be supporting local businesses. Going out for dinner is something I used to take for granted before Covid, now I’m even more grateful to be able to indulge in wining and dining freely once again – Cheers to that!

Lakeside; Dinner with a View

Al fresco dining is always such a wonderful luxury this time of year, so I’ll always opt for a table outside at the pub when the sun does decide to show up here in the UK. Whilst I do love a classic English pub garden, nothing quite beats a good view and a spot over looking the water.

One of the best destinations in the Hampshire area for a beautiful backdrop has to be Heron on the Lake in Fleet. Their outdoor terrace right on the water is stunning and made for the perfect Friday night dinner date this week. The atmosphere was buzzing as the pub filled up with locals winding down after the working week and the late summer sun slowly set over the lake. I enjoyed a few glasses of vino with my boyfriend and we had a delicious dinner with top service from our waiter too. I had the summer salad containing a mix of asparagus, cucumber ribbons, peas, radish, pomegranate seeds, green leaves, a lemongrass dressing and a chargrilled chicken breast on top. Light and delicate with a fresh assortment of seasonal vegetables, this was an exquisite dish.

We continued to enjoy our drinks whilst taking in that beautiful view and soaking up the social atmosphere once more. It sure does feel good to be wining and dining again, the way a Friday night should be spent.

Cheers to the weekend babes!