Tag: 5*****
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A Christmas Miracle at The Granary Club
Picture the scene: it’s the office Christmas party. You know the type. The “celebration” where enthusiasm is proportionate to the amount of Pinot Grigio consumed, and nobody really wants to be there except Sandra from accounts (until she’s crying in the corner). The buffet is a fluorescent homage to beige, the wine a choice between…
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Review: Graft Graffiti Workshop, Bristol
Let’s face it. Corporate team-building activities are, more often than not, the stuff of nightmares. You know the drill: you’re lumped in with colleagues you actively avoid in the office, sent to a field in the middle of nowhere, and made to build a bridge out of twigs or solve a “problem” no one cares…
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Twice Blessed at Bentley’s: A Week of Unimaginable Indulgence
There are weeks when the heavens part, the stars align, and the gods of gastronomy beam down upon you. This, dear reader, has been one such week for me. Not once, but twice I’ve graced the hallowed halls of Bentley’s in Mayfair. First, hosting a client Christmas lunch in the Mersea private dining room, and…
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Shaken, Stirred, and Cloaked in Mystery: Manetta’s Bar Unveiled
Tucked away in London, where cobbled streets and whispered secrets meet, lies Manetta’s Bar. You know the type. One of those subterranean jewels you have to “accidentally discover,” as though stumbling across Narnia through the back of a wardrobe. No natural sunlight, of course. Carpet so thick you immediately reassess your own home’s threadbare offerings.…
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Fujiyama, Nuremberg – Sushi in a Sauna, Drama on a Platter
Travelling is all about discovery, isn’t it? Those moments when the unfamiliar beckons, and you step off the beaten track into something extraordinary. That’s exactly how we found Fujiyama, a sleek little sushi spot tucked into Nuremberg’s old-world heart. It was one of those nights when the chill seeps through your coat, and the only…
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NIRI Abu Dhabi: A Lively Spin on Japanese Cuisine That Packs a Punch
Japanese restaurants have become what Italian restaurants once were—the go-to option when you’re not quite sure what you’re in the mood for. They’re everywhere, from boutique city corners to plush hotel dining rooms, and always seem like a safe bet when the indecision kicks in. NIRI in Abu Dhabi is no different, except that it…
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TOTÓ Abu Dhabi: Italian Glamour Worthy of Champions
What do Rafael Nadal, Cristiano Ronaldo, and I have in common? Well, it’s not sporting prowess—my golf swing is as hazardous as a toddler with a cricket bat. It’s not the money either; I wore trousers last night that last saw the light of day when Oasis was still topping charts. No, the answer is…
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Blacklock: A Glorious Return to Real Life
In a time when half the population seems to avoid anything with a heartbeat on their plate, and drinks are mostly oat milk lattes or craft kombucha, the simple joys of steak and wine can feel like relics of a bygone era. But then, you walk into Blacklock on a Monday night – that’s right,…
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The Church Pub: A Glorious Return to Proper British Pubbing
One of the great, unheralded delights of life is walking into a pub with zero expectations and being utterly floored by what you find. And, let’s be honest, in an age where chain restaurants and the ghastly Wetherspoons have sucked the soul out of so many British high streets, such a discovery feels almost miraculous.…
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Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental
Ah, Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental. Well, if you’ve ever wondered how the other half live, allow me to spoil the surprise: they live in palaces. Real ones. Not those “we slapped a few chandeliers up and called it a palace” palaces, but the sort where you half expect a sultan to wander past, polishing a…
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The Travel Critic 