Material Archive

Fall Bag Acquired: Mansur Gavriel Bucket in Flamma

See the whole lovely collection here.

This Fall's New It-Bag: Mansur Gavriel Bucket with Flamma Interior

 

 

Just ordered the black and flamma bucket and the tote with ballerina lining – perfect Fall bags!

Ladurée Obsession

Yup. As per usual – I went a little bananas in Ladurée.

And I know this is going to sound contro – but I really hope they don't open a location in the old TDot, because I like the fact that I can't have it that easily. Makes it more special, oui?

 

Mast Brothers Chocolate – The Factory Visit

 

Paid a nice little visit to see the Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory in person.

Even though their line of chocolate has become so popular now that you can get them everywhere, MB and I wanted to see their operation firsthand – as we love their philosophical approach to their craft.

I also think I love it because their packaging design is a tastament to the power of branding. There are countless organic, fair trade chocolate brands on the market that insist on presenting themselves in stereotypical heavy-handed "green" looks. But the reality is, while those brands may be a fit on other ethical / production levels, they don't appeal to the child in us that wants a beautiful treat. Mast has struck the perfect balance between creating a great product in an ethical manner, while looking hand crafted and artisanal and also, very importantly, delighting the eye. 

 

Catbird Jewellery in Brooklyn

I started following Catbird on Instagram a while ago and as I've said before, when that social network is used well, it's an amazingly powerful selling tool.

Case in point, it got me to venture to Brooklyn to see Catbird in person, as well as Mast Brothers and another shop, coincidentally called Bird.

If you love delicate jewellery, have a look at their site. They carry a broad selection of thin, gold bands like the one pictured above that I got, as well as diamond pavé pendants and tiny earrings.

Super cute store.

 

Today I bought: Stella McCartney Carroll Monogram Skirt

 

 

 

Score! 

See the full Fall 2012 Collection here.

Today I Bought: The Unknown Hipster Diaries

Love Jean-Philippe Delhomme. 

Only a 1000 copies of the book were printed, each numbered. Go to Amazon to purchase your copy. 

Today I bought: Barbara Briones Lip Flats

Obviously, my all-time favourite app is Instagram, for too many reasons to list here, but one thing I will wax on about is how great it has been for my exposure to new brands. Had I not been trolling through Paris Capsule Show hashtags, I would never seen the above photo from attendee @lyndsaymcgregor and pounced like a cat! 

Grab 'em here. 

 

Hotel Donna Camilla Savelli in Rome

(I did a crazy tour of Europe at Christmas – Paris, London, Berlin & Rome and it was wonderful. But as soon as I started back at work, my motivation to post about all the things I did became rather daunting. So, I'm going to post about individual things as they occur to me now versus being chronological. So bare with me if my posts seem to jump around!)

If you want a boutique hotel in Rome with the hot new restaurant and a cool bar scene, this is not your place. If you're looking for something decidedly more calm and peaceful – Hotel Donna Camilla Savelli is worth a look. It was the last hotel I stayed at during my tour and my most favourite. A converted monestary, it's a pretty little gem of a hotel with a beautiful courtyard filled with lemon trees. Located in the Trastevere neighborhood in the west bank of the city – south of Vatican City, it's in an area crammed with character thanks to the narrow cobbled streets lined by medieval buildings that house tiny shops and restaurants.

In terms of location, we basically walked everywhere we needed to go within 20 minutes, so we never needed to take cabs or transit, which was ideal.
 
Overall, a charming hotel that was just the right fit for a quiet little Christmas stay.

1 year later & still my favourite pair of shoes

I can't recommend these enough. They are pure awesome. Buying them in black tomorrow. Get 'em.

Finally got my dream bag: Hermes Constance

People, I have reached handbag nirvana. May I present to you, Miss Constance. Iconic perfection!

Marni for H&M: What I got

I was lucky enough to attend a Marni for H&M Preview shopping event last night but just barely survived it! As the fourth person in line, I had no idea what fury was behind me. No sooner was I finished looking through the first rack when a crowd decended and cleared the place out in mere moments.These particular VIP fashionistas were bloodthirsty! 

Luckily, I managed to get through with a few choice items unscathed physically. Unlike my dear friend "Janice" that was scratched and berated at an Hermes sale some years back by a fellow shopper. Women on a shopping mission are bananas.
 

Today I bought: Zoe Chicco Diamond Pave Necklaces

 

Buy them here and here.

Clare Vivier Weekender Bag

This lovely bag was my secret weapon during my vaca. I rolled it up like a cigar enroute to Paris and then stuffed it later with all my purchases for the remainder of the trip. It was a perfect carry-on size and because of the glazed finish, every additional scratch and mark just added to it's buttery worn-in patina.

 

Rings (the sparkly kind for your fingers) by Thames & Hudson

 

If you love antique jewelry as much as do, I highly recommend picking up this great Thames & Hudson book by Diana Scarisbrick.

The styles they span are comprehensive and the photography is nice and detailed. It kills any desire to buy a generic, assembly line Tiffany ring again!

European Tour: Le Comptoir – the hardest reservation to get in Paris

Le Comptoir was the first restaurant we ate at when we arrived in Paris and all I can say is that it was a fantastic way to kick off our European Tour!

There wasn't anything we didn't love about it – the food , the service, the location and the price.

 

Skip ahead to 0.56 sec to see where Bourdain talks about Le Comptoir

If you keep watching the video - you'll arrive at Bourdain's visit to Joel Robuchon's L'Atelier – which we also had the amazing fortune of getting a reservation at. More on that later...



Photographing food with an iPhone is tricky – it really doesn't do the dishes justice, so I'll only post a couple images and simply say, please do yourself a favour and go here – you'll love it!

 

European Tour: Ladurée, Paris & London

If it's not wildly obvious already, I am obsessed with Ladurée. Why? Where to begin... it represents everything I love: amazing pasteries & chocolates, beautiful branding & packaging and an authentic legacy of doing it exceptionally well for 150 years.

While In London and Paris – I sought out almost every location to sample something new I hadn't tried before. My new favourite item is pictured above with the rose petal – it's called the rose & raspberry Ladurée Saint-Honorés and is every bit as delicious as it is pretty.

Of course, I shipped home all of my empty boxes so that they could assume their rightful positions on my packaging wall.

 

Today I bought: Lytton Clutch from DVF

 

 

 

Pretty cute eh? Comes in a bunch of great colours.

Great dresses from Hatch Collection

Recently, I ripped the hell out of my favourite black silk Joie dress and haven't been able to find anything comparable on the whole interwebs, and believe me - I have looked! To my surprise, even though I am not expecting, the perfect dress for me was from The Hatch Collection. Finally a brand that can pull double duty for expectant moms and those who just like a loose fit! Nice job Hatch!

Two Weeks In New York City: Dinner at Corton

 

 

Knowing the backstory behind anything always makes it a richer experience, so it was a special thrill to eat at Corton so soon after enjoying A Matter of Taste at TIFF. You can see my previous post about Paul here.

WHERE: Corton at 239 West Broadway, New York

MOOD: The look of the room is cool and dark – bit cave like at night with the lack of windows. Vibe in the room is quiet, intimate, yet friendly – not stuffy at all.

PRICE: The 9 course tasting menu is $155

WHEN WE WENT: Saturday dinner

WHAT: MB and I both had the 9 course tasting menu.

TRY: Whatever they put in front of you.

SKIP: Maybe only the chocolates, jellies and macaroons at the end because you might be ill from consuming so much. I indulged so excessively that by the end, I felt positively intoxicated with food. But, to be fair, I must disclose, that I did eat at Jean Georges earlier that very same day – so not entirely this menu's fault! I am a piglet! ;)

SERVICE: Consistent and pleasant but hard to understand the food descriptions at times given some softspoken staff.

REPEAT?: Without question, I will be visiting Corton on every subsequent visit to New York. It is a must. Side note: MB and I were walking through Tribeca a day after eating at Corton and saw Paul Liebrandt walking right in front of us (see photo above). I loved our dinner so much that I wanted to grab him and thank him personally but knew it would come across crazy, so I kept my distance and just smiled.

MOST NOTABLE: Being consistently surprised with every dish and the wonderful sense of discovery you feel as you try to recognize and deconstruct your beautiful and at times, abstract food. Paul's unshakeable commitment to excellence and creativity is so deeply evident with every new course presented – you can literally taste the devotion and artistry. The man is a genius. Am I gushing or what?!

ANYTHING ELSE?: Pastry Chef Shawn Gawle created a dessert that was so spectacular that I almost felt like crying while eating it. I realize how absurd and pretentious that sounds, but it was that good!

Please note that my photographs do not do the food justice!

The beginning of a great tradition

This issue holds a special place in my heart. It was the first I ever bought myself with my allowance at the tender age of 12!

Two Weeks in New York City: Quickie Intro

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I recently spent 2 glorious weeks in New York shooting an upcoming campaign for a client. During my "free time" there, I took the opportunity to indulge in two of my favourite past times – shopping and eating – and what better city for it!

This post is just a little preview of some fun stops. In later posts, I'll get into more detail about the specifc restaurants I visited.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have literally seen Ghostbusters enough times to actually recite the majority of the film from memory. Heck, my Mr. Stay Puft action figure is watching over me right now as I compose this post! So, you can imagine the unique childlike thrill MB and I had when we randomly walked by the original fire station from the film, while strolling through Tribeca. :)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The new Uniqlo flagship store on 5th Avenue is ridiculously big. So large, that I actually was overwhelmed and felt lost on more than one occasion. Despite that, I still managed to find several great items to bring home. One of particular note was a great wool and cashmere trench coat.

Their prices are so reasonable, I really had to calm myself to not buy a whole other suitcase's worth of clothing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow – the Christian Louboutin store on Madison Ave is intense! When I arrived at 5pm on a Friday after work, I was greeted by a line-up of other patrons and a massive body guard! According to Mr.Big, a wait time to get into the store is a normal daily occurence. I noted that no other luxury retailer on the street had the same traffic.

When I got inside shortly after, I was met with an unusal scene. Picture: upper crust ladies who lunch, sitting next to hardcore rapper type dudes (all trying on majorly tricked out sneakers I have never seen the likes of before) and then working girls like me. A very odd mix indeed!

Regardless, all were very happy – especially this girl! Why? I had called ahead and secured the last brown Simple Bootie in size 40 anywhere in the whole bloody world after weeks of looking, calling and visiting every retailer that carries CL  – major shopping victory!

The staff were really great too and recommended that I get my soles reclad in red rubber – see below. That's one of them holding his colleague's boot to show the non-slip red rubber add ons. It's a brilliant idea, as the signature red does wear off pretty quickly in my experience.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had a pretty productive visit at Prada as well. A new winter coat, bag and wallet were amongst my newly adopted cohorts. :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some random snaps I took during breaks while working at the photography studio...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A quick visit the to the MET on the weekend recharged my creative inspiration batteries!

...

Coming up over the next several posts: reviews and photos of Jean Georges, Corton, Del Posto, BLT, Gramercy Tavern, Nobu, Lucali – amongst others!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

My visit to Ladurée New York

Well, let's be honest, it's not like being in Paris. But, it is nice to be able to get a quick Ladurée fix while trapped in North America ;)

The store sadly does not carry any pastries, chocolates or Langues de Chat (which I expressly came for), but, it's packed to the gills with macaroons, tea, candies and even ice-cream.

I left with the most glorious oval box filled with everything I could get my greedy mitts on. :)

Stuffing my face with delicious caramels as I write this...

 

 

More Nathalie Lété

I love Nathalie Lété's owl illustration so much that I broke my own rule and bought two instead keeping my collection singular. Get them at Anthro.

Miu Miu Glitter Booties: Indulge me

Ok ok, I know – it's a bit OTT to post so many photos of my shoes – but I seriously love them. They are currently sitting on my shelf as art – can't bare to put them away in their box... Every time I see them, they make me smile.

Penguin's Great Food Series

If you enjoy reading about food – this series should be on your radar. I just picked up several books from it and am in the midst of reading "Murder in the Kitchen" – which is more my speed since I enjoy a great story versus just straight up cook book. Here's a synopsis:

"In this memoir-turned-cookbook, Alice B. Toklas describes her life with partner Gertrude Stein and their famed Paris salon, which entertained the great avant-garde and literary figures of their day.

With dry wit and characteristic understatement Toklas ponders the ethics of killing a carp in her kitchen before stuffing it with chestnuts; decorating a fish to amuse Picasso at lunch; and travelling across France during the First World War in an old delivery truck, gathering local recipes along the way. She includes a friend's playful recipe for 'Haschiche Fudge', which promises 'brilliant storms of laughter and ecstatic reveries', much like her book."

 

Today I bought: Miu Miu Glitter Booties from Net-A-Porter

 

Snagged the last size 39! Major shopping victory.

High Tea at the Windsor Arms

Last weekend, a group of friends and I enjoyed High Tea at the Windsor Arms.

The Red Room we started out in was charming as all hell but very hot, so we had to move to a cooler area. Once re-seated, our tea arrived quickly and we were grateful! The rose tea we had was wonderful, as were the scones and Devon clotted cream. The sushi style rolled sandwiches were not remarkable though – a bit dry and flavourless. The petit fours were also not terribly inspired either, although pretty to look at. I would advise skipping those courses and simply focus your attention on what they do best – scones & tea!

Overall, a nice experience, with attentive service.

Next up for High Tea – MoRoCo & The Four Seasons!


P.S. There was a wealth of great art all around too – many great Charlie Pachters throughout the space.

 

Alexander McQueen : Savage Beauty

With an absolutely eerie and haunting cover of McQueen morphing from portrait to skull, Savage Beauty is a must own for any lover of fashion – a beautiful book.

Today I bought: Ports 1961 Perf Suede Booties

Saw these in the window at Ports 1961 on Bloor Street and decided I had to give them a good home...

My Custom Wildhagen Hat

I was out shopping one day 2 weeks ago when I saw a girl wearing the most charming hat. Usually, when I approach another woman about an article of clothing she's wearing, she'll tell me she bought it in Paris two seasons ago or at an antique market – leaving me with no chance of finding one for myself. Luckily, this particular girl, named Jade, proudly told me that she had made the hat herself and directed me to Wildhagen.

Already familiar with the brand after buying several hats from the Canadian company over the years, I beelined over and ordered a custom "Miniçoise" from Cheri Wildhagen herself. I chose the hat material and grosgrain ribbon and presto, a week and a half later, I picked up a made-to-measure (for my larger than average melon) lovely chapeau! A fun experience that I would recommend to all.

Barque has bite

I've been to Barque Smokehouse twice, once for brunch and once for dinner and here's what I have to say:

• Call ahead – it's always packed
• Be warned, the cocktails are strong – the mint julep I had was so potent I couldn't finish it
• If you must choose between going for brunch or dinner, choose dinner as they do not serve the BBQ sampler at brunch
• Order the babyback ribs – after having the sampler with chicken and brisket, which was all good, they were still easily the best item on the menu

Enjoy!

Creepers Acquired

Say what you will – some love 'em some hate 'em. I am firmly in camp number 1 and am thrilled to bits I landed a pair after they had been sold out for the last 3 months.

Bobbette & Belle: Go for the Whoppie Pie, Stay for Everything Else.

As mentioned in a previous post, Jules and I, (that's her in the first photo), popped into Bobbette & Belle last weekend to sample their macaroons, whoppie pies and raspberry lemonade – all of which were delicious! Toronto Life actually named their whoppie pies the best in the city – so I would recommend skipping the Starbucks versions and try a red velvet pie like the one I had above.

The shop's size and space is quite impressive and the decor is really beautiful – perfectly suited to hosting private parties, or having a gab fest with a friend.

Naoto Fukasawa: Designing Accessories with Paper

If you read this blog with any regularity, you already know that I love it when objects are designed with unexpected materials. I'm particularly fascinated with the idea of clothing or accessories made with paper. The items above were created by famed IDEO industrial design master Naoto Fukasawa – who is known for his collaborations with Muji, B&B Italia, Driade, Magis, Artemide, Danese and Boffi.

Here he has created a line of items called Siwa in collaboration with Onao, which are made with traditional Japanese washi-paper that can withstand moisture and over time becomes softer and takes on the patina of leather without the heat or weight. "Soft Naoron", as it's called, is a type of paper developed from wood and polyolefin fibres, which is derived from recycled polyester fibres, plastic bottles and repurposed textiles.

I recently bought the handbag at the top from Mjölk. Loooooooove it.

Mini Mac at 416 Snack Bar

Ok – so I was sad when I arrived at 416 Snack Bar tonight and saw that the Ribwich was off the new menu – but faith was restored after I ordered the Mini Mac! A tiny, and significantly less harmful version of the original Mickey Dee's variety, the Mini Mac is a new fav. Go try it! Order 2, because you'll want another immediately after.

Louis Vuittton Travel Guides: The Perfect Gift

 

 

 

 

 

Faced with finding a fun gift for a friend this weekend, I remembered an old stand-by that always pleases. Louis Vuitton City Guides are a fool proof option for friends that love to travel in style – concise, compact, reliable, useful and so pretty.

I bought my first set in 2000 and carried the Paris edition in my handbag the whole time I lived in France.

Found some charming video excerpts here about Paris & New York:

 

 

 

 

 

 

A visit to Mjölk

 

Yesterday, after wrapping a TV shoot in the Junction, I luckily came across Mjölk – a store I've been keen to see since it opened. I arrived just as it closed for the day but the manager Lauren was kind enough to let me sneak in and take a quick look around and snag a great bag by Naoto Fuksawa.

With a laser precision curation style, Mjölk carries lovely furniture and craft products from Scandinavia and Japan. In their own words, owners, John Baker & Julie Daoust talk about their vision for the store:

"We specialize in Scandinavia because the north enthralls us. Soft, quiet snowy forests and streets in the winter. Glittery, blinding sunlight on colourful buildings during the summer. Fika (coffee break) at the Konditori, with a kaffe and Napoleon pastry in hand. Trolling the Helsinki open-air markets for treasures. Aalto building tours. S.O.S. (Smör Ost och Sill = butter, cheese and herring). Swedish style. Grass roofs. Hot dog streetside snacks. And of course, the Arctic. These are a few of our favourite things."

 

 

 

  

Bakerbots opens in Bloordale

 

Julie and I had a busy day – we went to Bonjour Brioche for brunch, Bobbette & Belle for dessert, furniture shopping on Queen East, antiquing at the St Lawrence North Market and finally, ended up at Bakerbots for ice-cream sandwiches.

Rosanne, who has been creating custom cakes for the last two years as part of her Bakerbots catering business, decided to open a retail outpost recently so that the public could sample her marvellous cookies, croissant, macaroons and cupcakes as they puttered around Bloordale.

The place is utterly charming and the food is scrumptious. In addition to the delicious ice-cream sandwich I had made with the "everything cookie" and "sweet cream" ice-cream, I went home with a care package of cookies and cream cheese carrot cupcakes – which already have a substantial dent in them – they will not last!

 

Collecting: French Steel Cut Beaded Purses

It's probably pretty obvious by now that I like "things" and that I collect many different types of them.

One that I have a particular fondness for are vintage French steel cut purses. Something about the combination of sparkle, pattern design, handmade craftsmanship and the sheer heaviness of them, make them irresistible to me.

The above are some recent new additions to my ever growing collection.

Urban Outfitters: Nail Polish in HotTub & TanLine

I don't post about nail polish that often because most are good and pretty comparable to each other. Recently though, I was in Urban Outfitters and I was compelled to buy a bottle of their house polish because the colour was so pretty.

Well, not only was it pretty on, it went on perfectly with just one coat. And then... literally every girl I know asked me about it when they saw my hands. So – then I went and bought several bottles to give away and also a few other colours. The above is my haul and so far, HotTub and Tanline are awesome. Get'em.

P.S They are not listed on URBN.com – find them in-store.

Brunch at La Société

 
Last Sunday, the city was very quiet on Bloor Street, as all the ladies who lunch and their hubbies were in Muskoka for the long weekend. This provided my friends and I a rare opportunity to experience La Société sans "scene" and just focus on what's really important – good food!

In an effort to cleanse ourselves of a very indulgent series of rich meals over the previous few days, we skipped the Croque Madames and opted for the fresh seafood tower.

As we waited for it to arrive, I toured the new space and was very impressed not only with it's size, but the lovely attention to detail with the decor. The ceilings, the wood panelling, the beautiful floor are all evidence of Charles Khabouth's commitment to making La Société feel like an authentic French Bistro and it's fair to say, he has succeeded.

During my walk, I also came across a chef photographing the seafood tower he had just finished assembling for my table and I was delighted to learn that he loves to document his work. This pride in his craft was evident in the tasting that soon followed – we gobbled up all the oysters, prawns, tuna, salmon, lobster and crab with big smiles on our faces. Our dessert of macaroons, jellies and truffles were also delicious!

Will return for dinner soon and report again –

Angeline Tetrault's Hidden Animal Teacup

This post it is for Jaime, who was taken with the new teacups I bought for @itbitme at the Drake General Store.

I'm on a never-ending mission to find teacups large enough to hold the massive amount of tea @itbitme likes to drink in one serving. These hold a lot and are charming to boot.

Today I bought: Vera Wang Lariat

 

 

 

When I like something, no matter how many years pass, I never forget it. Vera Wang's 2008 Fall collection showcased a series of lariats that left such an impression. Today, I was lucky enough to find a brand new gold version to call my own – jumpy claps!

 

Today I bought: Coach Classics

 



I'm not even remotely a fan of new Coach – vintage Coach though, is an entirely different story. Over the last two years, I've bought several of these old beauties in various colours – tan, brown, bone, navy and recently – in red online at Net-A-Porter. They are the exclusive retailer of a reintroduced classics line by the brand. Coach has obviously recognized that there is some equity in the old designs and have relauched with these to get in on the action. For me, they are a timeless choice.

 

 

Ice-Box Cake at Parts & Labour

The main I had was waaaaay too salty to mention, but their dessert was another story. I have a serious soft spot for Ice-Box cakes and this one was an unexpected option, as most restos are still deeply entrenched in the donut craze. It was excellent – as was the strawberry shortcake. Now we need to get whoopie pies on menus and I'll be all set.

Cool Hand Luc: A Welcome Addition

When summer heat hits, I literally crave ice-cream daily. Thankfully a fun new ice-cream shop has opened on my route home from work on King West and I am pleased as ever about it. Cool Hand Luc is open nightly until 11pm to snare the after dinner crowd on the strip and I predict they will do well. The ice-cream is all from Kawartha Dairy and although not as distinctive in flavour concoctions as Greg's, still very satisfying! The best part of all though is that they intend to stay open all year round. Finally, someone that understands that ice-cream, although particularly enjoyable on a hot summer's day, is an all-year-round treat.

Visit to the Cheese Boutique

On Saturday, @itbitme and I were on a mission to buy the ingredients to make Spaghetti Amatriciana after having it at Campagnolo recently. Our very knowledgeable foodie friend @bloggerton suggested The Cheese Boutique as the place to buy guanciale – a not so easy-to-find Italian pork jowl bacon.

As a first time visitor to CB, I can say I liked it instantly. Not at all pretentious like Pusateri's, the staff were warm and friendly and the selection of fine foods was great and vast.

The most amazing part hands-down was the cheese vault that you can enter and explore. I stood in there for a few long minutes inhaling deeply... :)

 

Dinner at Campagnolo

WHERE: Campagolo 832 Dundas Street West (just west of Bathurst)

MOOD: Rustic & charming. It's not a hugely inspiring or beautiful space but it's comfortable. There was enough space around our table that we didn't have to listen to neighbors conversations – which was appreciated.

PRICE: $$ / $$$

WHEN WE WENT: Sunday evening

WHAT: The menu changes daily

TRY: If they have it, get the spaghetti amatriciana, the smokey grilled asparagus with fennel, the grilled nectrarine salad with escarole, the Hendrick's Tipple cocktail

SKIP: We didn't order as many dishes as we usually do, but, what we had, we really enjoyed!

SERVICE: Attentive

REPEAT?: Absolutely!

MOST NOTABLE: The spaghetti amatriciana was amazing. I could have easily eaten another helping and am salivating right now thinking about it. The pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauce was salted by crisp pork jowl bacon. I savoured every bite!

 

Wvrst: A Sausage Hall

My friend LadyB took me to her friend's restaurant Wvrst tonight. Described as a "sausage hall", the space and food were simple, comfortable and charming. I ordered a traditional Sicilian pork sausage with fennel which was served on a bun. MissB got a Kranjska sausage with sweet peppers which is what we were raised on as kids and so I was immediately reminded of home the second I bit in to it. In addition, they have a pretty varied game sausage selection – like guinea fowl, pheasant, venison, rabbit, bison, wild boar and even kangaroo.

We both also got the duck fat fries – which had great flavour, but were a bit too thick and not crispy enough for my liking. They did have a very robust selection of flavoured mayos as dipping sauces though – which helped. We shared a bottle of Plowman's to wash it down and felt perfectly content after.

We'll definitely be back. I can already tell this is a place that is going to get very loud quickly.