The taste of a good punch

Winter + flu = missing a lot of fun things. And darn I missed the Danish Bombay musical before Christmas. But still in the mood for the Bollywood atmosphere I went to Dishoom. The name refers to the sound of a good punch in Bollywood film and it is also slang for mojo.

This first Bombay Café in London certainly has the mojo. The décor is in line with the urban style du jour – white tiles, modern furniture, open kitchen and the quirky Indian touch with old film posters and framed newspaper articles covering the walls. The food is tasty, spicy and fresh and it’s difficult to pace yourself when ordering all these scrumptious dishes that ranges from the house signature black daal to mango lassi. Persians coming to Indian founded the Bombay Cafés in Mumbai, so the menu is based on the traditional mix of these two countries cooking.

I tried to joggle all the small plates and bowls with my nine-month-old daughter on my lap. Naturally she tried to grab everything except the steamed rice ordered exclusively for her. My other lunch companion was luckily patient with my half sentences and constant interruptions – perhaps because she was so busy enjoying tender chicken Biryani, Naan bread and spicy lamb chops.

Actually we fitted right in and just added at bit of baby buzz to the already busy restaurant. It’s cosy, relaxed and the sort of place, where you would also like to hang out for breakfast or have a fun meal with a bunch of friends in the evening. A friend of mine recommended it after one of those nights, when long waiting in line turns into a magical evening and makes you a bit tipsy and high on life. Dishoom can certainly hit you with a great feeling.

And there is more to come. Check out Dishoom Chowpatty Beach Bar – a pop up beach bar on South Bank in the summer (opens 13th of May).

12 Upper St. Martin's Lane, London WC2H 9FB 
www.dishoom.com

Dixon's design paradise

Another great place worth visiting on a sunny day (as well as any other day) is Tom Dixon’s very cool kitchen and design studio. It’s right on the canal in Ladbroke Grove between Notting Hill and Kensal Rise and makes you think of the Otis Redding’s song Sitting on The Dock of the Bay. The restaurant The Dock Kitchen offers a new lunch menu every day and it’s inspired by season and the mood of the staff. The last part ought to add some surprises on the plates.
The front of the building is designed with huge windows creating a stunning effect, when the cool building reflects in the water.
While visiting you should check out the famous designers own design or Piet Hein Eek, Danish Made A Mano or Copenhagen Lab among others. If you are interested in design this is the place to go right now.
Should you find this too expensive or too design glam, you could follow the track of a local artist. When I visited him across the street from Dixon’s design temple, he took me to a local cafe just a few steps down the street and ordered jacket potatoes with baked beans and cheese.
That’s British style with a much more traditional touch than Tom Dixon.
You gotta love them both!

www.tomdixon.net
www.dockkitchen.co.uk

For your nose only

Luxury is no longer in your face and over the top bling-bling. Real luxury is something you don’t find on each corner. But you can find it in Le Labo. This übercool brand offers high-end fragrances for very picky noses. The perfumes are so ”one of a kind” that the stores around the world each have their own unique scents. Even if you are not buying you should pop by to look at the cool shops decorated with romantic, old factory interior. The London shop is just off the great shopping and restaurant street Marylebone High Street, which just keeps becoming better and better. In New York you can find Le Labo in Elizabeth Street in NoLiTa – also surrounded with great shopping.
I can’t mention all the location. But it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that the Paris shop is located in Colette – the queen of cool concept stores.

www.lelabofragrances.com

Rose Bakery - a treat on the top

I passed by the Rose Bakery on Rue des Martyr in Paris a week ago. It was completely booked and my friend and I were too hungry to wait. But this week I made it up to another friend, who came to see me in London.
Rose Bakery is hidden on top of the avantgarde Dover Street Market (owned by Comme des Garçons), which has taken shopping to a whole new level with exceptional and very expensive labels such as Lanvin, Danish Camilla Skovgaard and Alexander McQueen .
It's a tiny cafe, which serves rustic organic tarts, vegetables and a carrot cake worth ordering with your other food. Just to be on the safe side. On busy days they seem to run out of several dishes on the menu. But that is not a part of the charm and the feeling of being in a country kitchen.
Think home made hearty food with a view of roof tops in the middle of London and of course COMME des GARÇONS T-shirt in the shop. Certainly one of the best, charming cafes in London.

www.doverstreetmarket.com

Dover Street
London W1S 4LT