Dessert Restaurant by Sarah Barber at Hotel Cafe Royal

We paid a little visit, which turned out to be a huge visit in terms of waist band (and pocket), to the Hotel Cafe Royal on Regent Street when we heard about the first ever dessert restaurant.

That's not entirely fact - they have savoury dishes so you don't 'overdo' it (highly impossible).

To be honest though, I haven't got a sweet tooth but I just couldn't resist. We were a group of 4 - 2 of us were sweet people, 2 of us not so much, so we had a good equal mix amongst us at the table.

There is a choice of 2 menus - the 3 course sweet OR savoury, the 4 course pick 'n' mix and the all out 5 course Sarah in Wonderland, named after the chef. All comes with wine pairing for a hefty price.

I decided on the spot that I would go for the 'all out' menu - 5 course WITH wine pairing - I'm only going to come here once, let's be honest, so I might as well - as my new motto goes.

Heritage beetroot and Golden Cross - goat’s cheese, wild honey, beetroot snow with Pinot Blanc “Les Barriques”, Domaine Ostertag, Alsace, 2012. I'm not the biggest beetroot fan but mixed with the goat's cheese - it was a match made in heaven.

Wye Valley asparagus - green asparagus, quail egg, truffle mayonnaise with Pouilly Fumé La Rambarde, Domaine Landrat-Guyollot, Loire, 2012. This dish was by far a favourite for us on the table. It was fresh and light and combined perfectly with the mayonnaise. The wine was also very good - we were given two wines for the dish which we weren't too sure about but both were very refreshing. 

Yuzu yoghurt - lemon curd, lemon sherbet, meringues with Côteaux du Layon, St Aubin, Domaine des Forges, Loire, 2013. This created a stir for many diners as the presentation of lego was just too much to take in. How could anyone not be excited by this dish?! However, the overall dish was slightly disappointing - the mousse texture somehow made this taste quite bland and perhaps needed something a bit more - or maybe bigger lemon meringues?

Peach Melba - raspberries, almond custard, peaches with Château Roumieu, Sauternes, 2012. The almond custard came in a squeezy tube which was fun, but the whole dish was rather bland, the textures together just didn't quite work for me and there was not enough almond. I was also not a fan of the sweet wine, even eating the dessert, the wine was just too sweet - it was almost like drinking pure syrup. I think this was the point where I was peering over the edge...

Wham Bam Pow - chocolate box filled with an olive oil biscuit, passionfruit and ginger pate d’fruit, chocolate pop with Akashi-Tai Shirome Ginjo Umeshu, Hyogo, Japan. This was a rather exciting last dish - everything edible and the popping candy is always a fun idea, however, at this point I was almost about to explode and so I just couldn't get through the chocolate mousse (again, what's with the mousse)? The Japanese sweet wine was also quite interesting - it tasted of prunes which was strangely addictive.  

As a bonus, you get these cakes (yes, these are edible) when you pay the bill - if you hadn't had enough sweet stuff already. A good old fashioned victoria sponge but the marmalade was just too much and I could only manage a bite. 

On the whole, it was a fun experience. It's definitely a place you go to for a special occasion and the staff are very friendly and helpful. My 5 course with wine pairing came to £70 which, for me personally, is quite a big dent in my purse for what I had. Don't get me wrong - it's not the quantity that is the problem, but the concept as a whole. It was perhaps a bit too much sweet stuff - and that came from the diner friends who liked the sweets too. The ideas and the themes are great but think the course could be rearranged slightly to allow diners to enjoy the last few dishes more (as opposed to forcing it down because you're almost nearing the end). The lasting thought from the table was that everyone preferred the savoury asparagus dish as the favourite - which tells you that maybe an individual doesn't need all that dessert after all...

Are you the Ideal Christmas Cake Decorator of the Year?

Start Moulding the Marzipan for the ‘Ideal Christmas Cake Decorator of the Year’ competition!

Entry deadline 2pm Thursday 15^th November 2012

Judging at 3.00pm

Prize Giving Ceremony at 3.45pm on the Christmas Craft Theatre

After the success of ‘The Ideal Cake Decorator of the Year’, The Ideal Home Show at Christmas is introducing the competition with a Christmas twist.  
This year’s competition will see aspiring cake decorators from around the country decorating stunning Christmas cakes for the chance to be crowned this year’s ‘Ideal Christmas Cake Decorator of the Year’.
The highly anticipated cake decorating competition will ask entrants to create a cake that reflects their ‘Ideal Christmas’.
Whether its big or small, cupcakes or multi-tiered masterpieces, we’re looking for the most novel, exciting and fun Christmas cakes of 2012.
Entrants to the competition are asked to bring their creations to the show’s Christmas Craft Theatre by 2pm on Thursday 16^th November.
The cakes will be entered into the competition to be in with the chance of winning a fantastic range of prizes, and the accolade of the ‘Ideal Christmas Cake Decorator of the Year.’
The cakes will then be judged by our esteemed judging panel, including Tarek Malouf from the Hummingbird Bakery.
The cakes will remain on display for the remainder of the day and prizes will be awarded in a dedicated prize-giving ceremony hosted on the Christmas Craft Theatre at 3.45pm. Contestants are welcome to take their cakes home with them after the award ceremony
The winning entry in the competition will win a £500 M&S Gift Card, a cupcake making master class at Hummingbird Bakery, a 3 course tasting lunch at Gregg Wallace’s Winter Restaurant with two glasses of champagne, a selection of signed cook books and a pair of tickets to the Ideal Home Show 2013!
All entrants will receive free entry on the door for themselves and a guest*  to the Ideal Home Show at Christmas, as well as gaining automatic entry into the competition once their cakes have been delivered to the judging area. 
If that doesn't get you preheating the oven, I don't know what will!


* No refund will be applied to pre-paid tickets. Up to two free tickets per home-decorated cake presented upon entry. Media 10 reserve the right to withdraw this offer at any time without notice.

TICKET AND BOOKING INFORMATION:
Tickets can be booked either online or by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0844 209 7330, or for further information visit the website http://www.idealhomeshowchristmas.co.uk/
Follow the Ideal Home Show on Twitter http://twitter.com/ideal_home_show

Come on down to Chinatown...

For the best looking, and best tasting cakes I suggest Chinatown.

Nothing beats it.

Not too sweet, not too sugary.  No icing.

Light, fluffy.

Pretty.

Simply heaven.

This little piggy went straight into another piggy's mouth...

Cookery Book News: Squires Kitchen Guide to Iced Flowers

Squires Kitchen Guide to Iced Flowers by Ceri DD Griffiths...piped and stencilled sugar flowers for cakes, cookies and desserts.

The author, Ceri DD Griffiths trained as a Master Baker and Confectioner at the South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education. After three years of study he achieved his City & Guilds certification, obtaining distinctions for all cake decoration and design qualifications. Ceri’s creations won several categories and acknowledgements at competition level.

This September, Ceri will be releasing his new title; Squires Kitchen’s Guide to Iced Flowers (RRP £12.99). This guide is the perfect introduction to creating floral designs with royal icing. From delicate daisies to pretty poppies, learn step-by-step how to ice 13 impressive decorative flowers.

This comprehensive SK guide provides all the steps needed to help you achieve successful iced flowers, with full-colour photographs and templates throughout. As an experienced tutor, all sugarcrafters will appreciate Ceri DD Griffiths’ clear and easy to follow step-by-step instructions.

Ideal for beginners, this SK guide also offers a wealth of inspiration for even the most experienced of sugarcrafters. From contemporary cake pops to flawless macaroon favours, this guide includes 11 creative

projects that will beautifully showcase your iced flowers. With something for every season and every occasion, Ceri’s guide offers an array of beautiful floral decorations that will never leave you short for inspiration.

Squires Kitchen Guide to Iced Flowers will be published this September and is available from the Squires Kitchen online shop, where you can also get inspiration and lots of innovative baking and cake decorating accessories at www.squires-shop.com. We can't wait to get our hands on it!