Dining: Royal Lancaster Style

Food and Drink Dining: Royal Lancaster Style

London holds much allure, for many. The different areas – be it East End, West End, North or South Bank of the River Thames and whether ancient, historical, pageantry or more modern is of interest, there is something for all ages. Culture, entertainment and sports are further attractions of the capital, which inspires all year through.

Always good, is a break in the time, if a day visit is planned. If a short trip (maybe romantic) is envisaged, a recommended restaurant could be welcoming. The area around Lancaster Gate, a mid-19th century development, has Kensington Palace and Gardens, plus Hyde Park. Also, Mayfair and Knightsbridge are in the vicinity, so thoughts of some ‘retail therapy’ may arise! I found the 5 star Royal Lancaster London Hotel, with its restaurants and bars, opened during 1967, to be a venue that has great attraction. This multi million pound renovated, 411 bedroom hotel, has views of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, plus the immediate area. Different, outstanding restaurants, are located within the hotel and, depending on cuisine preferences and requirements, each is equally inviting. The Afternoon Tea can be an ‘invitation’, too. The Island Grill Restaurant is very popular and offers dishes for all tastes. From the menu, starters include Crab Salad (Endive, seaweed crisp, oyster mayonnaise) and Wild Mushroom options. Royal Lancaster Smoked Salmon (Horseradish cream, beetroot, sourdough) has excellent presentation and, with complementing accompaniments, is very flavoursome, making a superb commencement to the dining occasion. Main courses have an array of meats, plus fish choices and more. All beef is organic, British and aged for 35 days. Grilled Free-Range Chicken (seasoned with English mustard and tarragon) is perfect with French fries and choice of sauces. With grilled tenderstembrocolli, suggested to accompany, this warrants, ‘Compliments to Chef’ – absolutely! Desserts impress too and Dark Chocolate Fondant (Salted caramel ice cream) does not disappoint, oozing chocolate, with great flavour. High-quality wines/drinks, from worldwide origins have something to satisfy all palates, including some fabulous pairings with cuisine. Gift vouchers are available.

Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts Island Grill Restaurant and Bar Royal Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, Bayswater, London W2 2TY Tel: 44 (0) 207 551 6000 Tel: Island Grill: 44 (0) 207 551 6070 Email: info@royallancaster.com www.royallancaster.com As always, Enjoy! Trevor Langley

Registered Charity No 307534

SHUTTLEWORTH SWISS GARDEN

Shuttleworth is delighted to announce that our Swiss Garden has been awarded Royal Horticultural Society Partner Garden status. RHS members pay no admission on Thursdays*! Explore this outstanding garden, designed in the 1820s Regency fashion for creating landscapes in a picturesque alpine style. Find 13 heritage listed structures, wide range of interesting seasonal planting and our three resident peacocks. Tree and plant trails run throughout the year, with well-being workshops during the summer.

Shuttleworth, Old Warden, Bedfordshire, SG18 9EP | 01767 627927 | enquiries@shuttleworth.org *Excludes ticketed event days Groups very welcome - ask about discounted group entry! WWW.SHUTTLEWORTH.ORG/SWISSGARDEN ENHANCE YOUR VISIT WITH OUR DIGITAL GARDEN GUIDES @Swiss_Garden www.shuttleworth.org/swiss-garden-app

Has Your Double Glazing Steamed Up? advertorial

Established for over a decade Cloudy2Clear windows have become a leading company for glass replacement. Issues with double glazing can often be gradual and may only be noticed during a clear sunny day or during the winter. A failed glass unit may no longer provide you with the protection you need or be energy efficient. Why not spend a few minutes checking your home to see if you have any failed double glazing? If you act now you can avoid these problems. Now, you may think you need to replace the whole window including the frames and all the hardware, however Cloudy2Clear have come up with a simple and cost saving solution… Just replace the glass!! If you see condensation in your windows just visit our website or give us a call on 0800 61 21 118. We will send out our highly experienced engineers for a free no obligation quote. A Cloudy2Clear quote takes on average no longer than 20 minutes. Once the quote is completed, we will sit down with you and explain the problem and tell you how we can fix it. With years of experience Cloudy2Clear have a wealth of knowledge and are recognised as a Which Trusted Trader, plus our work is backed by an industry leading 25 year guarantee. Cloudy2Clear also replace faulty locks handles and hinges on all windows and doors. Your friendly local Cloudy2Clear specialist is Stephen Moon and he services Stevenage and surrounding villages. So, if your windows are steamed up, broken or damaged give Stephen a call for a free quotation on 0800 61 21 118.

Cloudy2Clear GUARANTEE All Customers That An Average Quote Will Take No Longer Than 20 MINS!!!

Cloudy2Clear Windows... Service With A Smile!

WIN a PAIR of TICKETS to see MARK THOMAS at CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION, on 30th MARCH 2020

In his new show 50 Things About Us, Mark Thomas combines his trademark mix of storytelling, stand-up, mischief and really, really well researched material to examine how we have come to inhabit this divided wasteland that some of us call the United Kingdom. Mark picks through the myths, facts and figures of our national identities to ask how we have so much feeling for such a hollow land. Who do we think we are? It is a show about money, history, songs, gongs, wigs, unicorns, guns, bungs, sods of soil and rich people* in the vein of The Manifesto-meets-sweary history channel. An unstoppable force both on and off-stage, Mark has stopped arms deals, created a manifesto and brought the winning policy to parliament, walked the entire length of the Israeli wall in the West Bank, set up a comedy club in Jenin, had six series on Channel 4 alongside several television documentaries and radio series, written some books, grabbed a Guinness World Record, toured sell-out tours, won numerous awards, nabbed himself a Medal of Honour and succeeded in changing some laws along the way. 50 Things About Us is also a podcast. *(not the adjective Mark has chosen) We have a pair of tickets to give away for Mark’s Cambridge Junction tour date on Monday 30th March. All you have to do is send in the answer to the below question!

For a chance to win tickets simply answer the question and complete the form below and send to: Mark Thomas Competition, Villager Publications Ltd, 24 Market Square, Potton, Bedfordshire SG19 2NP. Deadline: 16th March 2020

Name: Tel: MARK THOMAS COMPETITION ENTRY How many Channel 4 series did Mark have?

Email: Address:

Hitchin’s multi award winning plant based health food cafe. We are open 7 days a week providing you with the very best fresh organic handmade food as well as smoothies, juices and coffee. Follow us on Instagram @chianaturallyhealthy and Facebook to be kept up to date on our exciting plant based nutritional events too. 8 Market Place Hitchin, SG5 1DR Tel: 01462 656961 www.chianaturallyhealthy.com

Do you now spend more time looking in the mirror because your hair loss makes you self-conscious? Start being more hair confident. Our qualified hair and scalp specialist will advise on the treatment options available to you. Book a FREE consultation today. GP referrals welcomed, but not required.

01462 670900 trichologistdeon@gmail.com www.trichologistsolutions.com Trichologist Solutions The Letchworth Clinic 17 Station Road, Letchworth SG6 3BB