Berry Bros & Rudd has reported its best ever year for internet sales. London's 300 year old wine retailer and vintner to the Queen sold over £25 million of wine through www.bbr.com and Berrys’ Broking Exchange (BBX) during 2011. The 2011 figure was 72% up on 2010 and was the company’s best ever online performance. The retail site now lists over 3,000 wines and saw sales of £12.0 million in 2011, up 7% on 2010.
“Gourmet takeaway pioneer” Housebites.com is launching “Brunch on Wheels” weekend breakfast and brunch menus from 11 and 12 February. Menus will be available on weekends only from 9am to 1pm and will feature dishes such as bacon and egg empanadas, white chocolate and raspberry muffins and Nutella and mascarpone crepes. Housebites chefs are located across London “from Dulwich to Dalston, from Clapham to Clerkenwell and from Fulham to Finchley”. See our review of Housebites' delivery service here.
On 15 February, the Draft House Tower Bridge and Budvar will host The Great Czech South Pour - a
dinner and beer-tasting to celebrate Budvar’s brewing heritage. Budvar’s experts - Adam Broz, Budvar’s Master Brewer, and Josef Tolar, who stepped down two years ago after holding the post for 24 years – will talk guests through the history of the Budvar brewery. Roger Protz, the UK’s leading beer writer, will also be guiding guests through the beers and dishes on offer. Hosting the evening will be Charlie McVeigh, founder of The Draft House. Tickets are priced at £25 for four courses with matched Budvar beers and can be purchased online. The event will run from 6.30pm-9.30pm.
Newbie Brazilian barbecue restaurant Cabana (Westfield Stratford City and St Giles Piazza) is hosting its own “Carnaval” in honour of the Rio Carnival from 15 to 21 February with free shots of Sagatiba Cachaca, new dishes on the menu and a search for the ‘King or Queen of Carnaval’ with prizes such as free t-shirts and meals.
Hyper Japan is an event dedicated to the love of all things contemporary and Japanese. The third Hyper Japan will be held in West London at Earls Court Convention Centre from 24 to 26 of February. A key component of Hyper Japan is Eat-Japan giving attendees an opportunity to “eat, drink and discover the tastes of Japan”. Eat-Japan will hold three events exploring the “flavours, textures and diversity of Japanese cuisine.” The three events will be the Sushi Awards, the Sake Awards and a Taste Discovery Zone. They will also be hosting a spin-off “Original Sushi Competition” event. For a full list of Hyper Japan events, more details on how to book and lots more information about Eat-Japan have a look at www.hyperjapan.co.uk.
Vivek Singh is to open a third restaurant, Cinnamon Soho, this March. Together with head chef Ramachandran Raju, the executive chef of Cinnamon Club and Cinnamon Kitchen has created an all day menu that combines modern Indian cuisine with British classic cooking. Dishes will include sticky desi pork back ribs; seared sea bass with aubergine-potato crush; and vindaloo of ox cheek as well as a range of Indian-inspired “balls” such as crab cake and Bangla-Scotch egg and exotic pies such as Keralan seafood and rogan josh. Curious? There's already a Facebook page: facebook.com/cinnamonsoho.
Photo/Stephskimo
