Food 'n' Drink – Food and Drink news |

Time Out has published the results of its 2011 Eating and Drinking Awards, detailing the best places to eat and drink in London.  The winners and nominess are as follows.

Best New Bar

Winner: Worship Street Whistling Shop  (Victorian-themed basement bar, City)

Nominees: Booking Office (Hotel bar, St Pancras Station);  Experimental Cocktail Club (speakeasy-style cocktail bar, Chinatown);  Zetter Townhouse (Quirky hotel-style bar, Clerkenwell)

Best New Cheap Eats

Winner: Manchurian Legends (Dongbei Chinese, Chinatown)

Nominees: Ariana II (Afghan, Kilburn);  KaoSarn (Thai, Brixton);  Meza (Lebanese, Tooting)

Best New Design

Winner: Massimo (Italian)  designed by David Collins Studio
Nominees: Nopi (Pan-Asian);  Riding House Café (Brasseries); Spuntino (North American)

Best New Fine Dining

Winner: Pollen Street Social (from chef Jason Atherton)

Nominees: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal;  Hedone; Medlar

Best New Local Restaurant

Winner: Malina (Polish, Chiswick)

Nominees: Brawn (French, Bethnal Green); Corner Room (Mod European, Bethnal Green); Kateh (Iranian, Warwick Avenue)

Best New Restaurant

Winner:Hawksmoor Seven Dials (British steakhouse)

Nominees: Kopapa (Kiwi brasserie);  Morito (Spanish);  Spuntino (New York style no-bookings)

Best Park Café

Winner: Lido Café (at Brockwell Lido, Brixton)

Nominees: Fulham Palace Café;  Lido Café (Serpentine, Hyde Park); Pavilion Café, Highgate Woods

Best Sushi Bar

Winner: Yashin  (modern Japanese sushi, Knightsbridge)

Nominees: Atari-ya;  Dinings;  Sushi of Shiori

Many people, when bemoaning the prices that they are paying in different establishments, fail to comprehend the hidden costs behind the scenes. The largest bill by far, after staff wages and any rent on the property, is for energy. It isn’t only domestic electricity prices which are soaring, it is also business power costs, and some establishments, such as restaurants, have to either absorb these costs or put their prices up.

There is a huge north/south divide in business electricity prices, so those restaurants in London who are trying to keep their heads above water in an already fragile economy must feel like crying into their woks every time their energy goes up. Businessmen, just like domestic customers, should make the time to shop around and find the best deals they can for their business electricity.

It is possible to lower your electricity bills if you are restaurateur in London, and finding the best deal you can could mean the difference between your business staying open or becoming another casualty of the crumbling economy. One of the best ways of doing this, and the quickest, is to use an online comparison site that specialises in commercial electricity.

There are just a few simple steps to doing this, and you could end up spending just a few minutes to save yourself a lot of cash. By inputting your current supplier and you will get a list of options up showing you the different tariffs offered by alternative suppliers. Your current supplier will obviously want you to renew with them and may offer short term incentives, so it’s important to balance these against the long term gains from changing supplier.

You shouldn’t be surprised to find that your current supplier has lower tariffs than you are already on, they are in business to and it’s no different to offering a customer in your restaurant an omelette when they are happy to pay for a fillet steak.

If you are happy with the service from your provider just not the cost, have a chat with them first to see if you can change your contract, if these lower rates are just for new customers then it will be worthwhile switching. This process is very simple and can also be done online. Once you have selected the provider and the tariff you require just follow the prompts to change supplier.

Once you have done this you will receive a confirmation email of the switch and also the contact details for your new supplier. You should get a resource transfer date within 4 weeks of applying for your switch, and on this date you should take your last meter reading and send it to your supplier.

There will, of course, be no interruption to your service, and before you know it you will be cooking away to your hearts content and be safe in the knowledge that you aren’t paying through the nose for your electricity. Now you can concentrate on feeding the hungry diners in London instead of worrying about your energy bills.

Eating out can be a real treat, however sometimes it’s hard to find the money to eat out as often as we’d like. People now have less disposable income to use on such luxuries, so eating out at a nice restaurant may be down on your list of priorities. This article aims to give you a few ideas on how to cut the cost of your food bill when you do treat yourself to a nice meal. Bon appétit!

Use vouchers

Since the start of the recession, discount vouchers have become more and more popular in the eating out industry. Because people have less disposable income, yet still want to treat themselves to a meal out, discount vouchers have become a staple in people’s wallets. You can now get some fantastic vouchers which entitle you to a percentage off the cost of your meal, free drinks, starters or deserts, 2 for 1’s and buy one get one frees. Most of the national chain restaurants regularly offer vouchers to keep custom coming in, but a lot of local restaurants have joined the vouchers bandwagon too. Make sure you do a search for a voucher for the restaurant you’ll be going to, or search before you decide where to go to get ideas on where you can save some money.

Early bird deals

Many restaurants offer special set menus for customers who choose to dine just before their busiest periods. Many restaurants are busiest between 7-11pm and can be quiet between 5-7pm. You can save a lot of money by choosing to eat before the ‘rush hours’, and may get good deals on two or three courses for a set price. Although there will probably be limitations on what you can order, you can save yourself a packet by simply eating out a little earlier. Ask your favourite restaurants whether they accommodate for the ‘early bird ‘customer base if they don’t already advertise it.

Weeknights

Restaurants tend to be busiest towards the end of the week and the weekend, so try to eat out on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesdays. These are generally the restaurant industry’s quietest days and you may find some really great promotions on at the start of the week. You could get a good deal on one or two courses, get a free drink or get buy one get on free on certain dishes. It’s important that restaurants pull in custom early on in the week which is why you’re likely to find a delicious deal.

Loyalty scheme

If you have a few favourite restaurants which you visit frequently, log on to their website and see if they have a loyalty scheme or an online community. By joining an online community, such as their Facebook or Twitter campaign, you are more likely to be notified of upcoming offers and discounts, as well as be offered exclusive discounts which are only given out to its members. You will also be kept informed about any special events the restaurant will be having in the future, and can plan your outings to accommodate them.

BYOB

Sometimes it can be very expensive to enjoy a bottle of wine with your meal in a restaurant, never mind a desert wine, a night cap and then a coffee to round it all off! Some establishments allow you to bring your own bottle (or other choice of beverage) on certain nights, or some restaurants don’t have an alcohol licence at all. This can work out great, because you can stop off at a shop on the way and buy a bottle of wine for your meal for a fraction of the price. Drinks can make your overall bill creep up when ordering a few, so look out for places who allow you to bring your own. You’ll definitely notice the difference when the bill comes!

Written by the Vouchers team at moneysupermarket.com

Restaurant vouchers are now becoming as popular a search term as cashback sites and coupon cutting. All of them helping you spend less when buying every day food / items / goods etc…

We are living in a fast paced environment where the world is online 24/7/365. Everyone has a voice and businesses have a very low cost way of promoting themselves without the overheads of print, marketing and advertising. They simply can update their website with a voucher code / printable voucher and voila.

Great news for businesses but even better news for us. It means that, online, we have an array of ways to save money. Restaurant vouchers are not new but suddenly people have realised that they can buy meals and get another for a friend, partner, husband, wife etc… for FREE – or buy their own meal and the kids eat free.

So far this year alone, restaurant voucher sites – such as Restaurant Vouchers Now – have helped their visitors find:

- 40% Discount Voucher at Yo Sushi!
- Buy One Meal Get One Free Voucher from Las Iguanas
- 2 Pizzas at Pizza Express for £12 voucher
- 2 meals for just £5 voucher
- Free bag of Cadburys Chocolate – (bonus)
- Lots lots more

To find a whole host of restaurant disocunts head over to Restaurant Vouchers . Vouchers and discounts are updated reguarly and includes a listings of over 200 UK restaurants – perfect when you need some inspiration.

Resturant owners are discovering the power of the internet to help fill the empty seats in today’s times. Printable restaurant vouchers are here to stay, so may sure you don’t pay full price – get out there and see how the internet can save you!

Article from – Restaurant Vouchers Now

Everyone loves the chance to take it easy for the night and eat out to eliminate hours of prepping, cooking and of course piles of dishes and clean up after the meal.  Other people enjoy eating out as a social activity that allows them to relax after a long day.  Still others simply love to head out for a meal when there is good news to celebrate.  However, regardless of the reason behind ones’ choices to head to a restaurant with everyone’s’ budgets a bit tighter eating out may no longer seem as practical.

The good news is that there are many voucher sites that allow you to actually save on your meals at top rated restaurants the same way that you would save on clothing purchases with a voucher.  These websites include both traditional favourites, pizza joints, and even a few upscale restaurants that previously you would not have thought you could afford base on your budget.  However, when you start to factor in what you can save using the vouchers you may be able to move up to a nicer restaurant, or eat out a bit more frequently than you have been settling for.

For example, you can head online to voucher sites and find all types of ways to save money on eating out with the voucher coupons from popular restaurants such as Henry’s Café bar, Pizza Hut, The Living Room, Apres Bars, Caffe Uno, Bella Italia, and plenty of additional options.  In fact, as well as the likes of Pizza Hut vouchers you may even find some vouchers for restaurants you have never tried before allowing you the chance to get a little adventurous and try out new restaurants each week as a way to find new favourites while still saving quite a deal on the expense of eating out.

Voucher deals change on a regular basis so it is hard to narrow down which restaurants offer the best meals and deals because every week someone else will be at the top of the list.  However, some of the most popular deals include savings such as 30% of an entire food bill and as much as 50% off with a prearranged purchase total.

With savings such as these eating out on some nights might be even cheaper than eating in or attempting to entertain guests on your own.  Add in the stress of entertaining and the clean up and time that is required and you actually stand to save a lot more than just on the cost of food.

Other popular voucher deals for restaurants that you can find if you take the time to browse a little bit are deals that offer two meals for the price of one or group discounts which can be great for large groups and just two people in need of a romantic night on the town.  Regardless of what you have in mind for dinner, there is a good chance that a voucher coupon is out there waiting for you to take advantage of it and save a few dollars for next time.

Following the success of the British Asparagus fortnight back in May, Gary Rhodes’ Michelin starred fine dining restaurant, Rhodes W1, is hosting an exclusive Truffle fortnight to celebrate the start of the new season.

Launched on the 12th October 2010, Head Chef and Gary Rhodes’ protégé, Paul Welburn, is treating guests to a fabulous four course menu from just £55.00 per person or seven courses for £75.00 per person.

The delicious menu includes ‘Truffled Jerusalem artichoke soup partridge and chestnut’, Truffle and pine nut crusted halibut celeriac and confit chicken wing’, ‘Beef Rossini’ and ‘White chocolate custard truffle sorbet’ for dessert.

Head Chef Paul Welburn says: “I worked closely with Gary to design this delightful menu in order to surprise people with something that they wouldn’t necessarily expect. This is going to be our first annual Truffle fortnight and we hope you will enjoy it as much as you enjoyed our British Asparagus menu.”

Designed by Kelly Hoppen, with beautiful antique mirrors draped in plush velvet, stunning Spina crystal chandeliers and original French chairs printed with Gary’s own handwritten recipes, Rhodes W1 is at the height of dining sophistication. Influenced by Gary’s style of classic British cuisine with a modern European twist, guests can enjoy award winning food in a luxurious setting.

Rhodes W1 Restaurant is located within the Cumberland Hotel at Marble Arch Station. For further information or to book a table visit www.rhodesw1.com or call 020 7616 5930

For many diners, second sittings can be something that can ruin a meal. More and more restaurants are booking second sittings, and it appears that more and more customers are becoming very annoyed with this practice.

Second sittings can allow restaurants to make extra money by kicking out diners who are finished with their meal then a second set of customers enters the restaurant. This is also commonly known as table-turning in the business.

Restaurant enthusiasts are very much against table-turning, and in surveys, it is often cited as one of the most annoying things that a restaurant might do.  This is especially true for those diners who do not have large amounts of money and are looking for good value in eating out at restaurants.

Many diners also complain regularly about poor service, waiting extensive amounts of time for the bill, and mandatory service charges on their bill. There are quite a few of these statistics in the Plate of the Nation Report that was released today.

Two thousand diners from Britain were questioned, and many said that they were annoyed with wobbly tables and closely packed spaces. The majority of the diners stated that being asked to leave when others were waiting to eat annoys them greatly, while over 15% of restaurants admitted that they turn tables when the restaurant is busy.

The practice of table turning means that diners pay more for every minute that they spend dining. For example, Hakkasan in London will allow only two hours for each party, and they charge an average amount of £148 for their meal. Setting time limits for diners is not uncommon, and experts suggest that diners do research on specific restaurants before deciding to dine out.