Sweet Overload: The Diner in Carnaby

There are not a lot of things that can get me quite as excited as a plate full of pancakes (one day I will dedicate a post to the other things that get a place on this list). So, obviously I had The Diner on my list of places to visit for quite some time. Those yummy instagram photos of huge burgers, chili cheese fries, french toasts, and stacks of pancakes, had me infinitely scrolling down and down and down my feed, getting hungrier with the progression of the pics, and more and more jealous of the people who got to eat those sublime portions of American-style comfort food.

My love for pancakes met its match in The Diner Soho one very sunny Spring afternoon in May - just in time for their new menu (this post has been long overdue obvs). So here is what me and the Boy ended up having.

First off the drinks: I opted for a Snickers Milkshake because I love a good Snickers and this is my all time favourite chocolate bar hands down. On a similar note, have you ever tried a divine scoop of Snickers ice cream? You should.

What I got was a traditional milkshake glass full of this chocolate/Nutella/peanut butter concoction plus a shaker filled with even more of this lovely drink. Needless to say I needed my boyfriend's help to finish that one as the sweetness overload was something I could not handle, especially not when I mixed it with....

Just look at those pancakes! American, flufy, sweet, gorgeous, buttermilk pancakes topped with maple syrup and whipped butter! If you don't know how obsessed I am with pancakes smothered in maple syrup than you know nothing, Jon Snow, because this has to be my most favourite breakfast thing in the entire wide world. And The Diner ones? They tasted like pure heaven - divine softness meets gentle sweetness and they have a crazy party in my mouth (okay enough of this, you can imagine how great the whole experience was).

If those pancakes are wrong, I do not wanna be right

What about the Boy? He was going to have the same but decided to opt for the Cholla French Toast  with custard, honey butter and maple syrup instead. I tried it, too, and I thought it was good as well although not nearly as good as the pancakes. He enjoyed it at first but then found it way too sweet and heavy and did not end up finishing it. Ultimately,  he regretted he did not get the pancakes. Well. tough luck, my darrrling!

Is it time for a cheeky little outfit pic? Here is what I wore for our casual diner-date ;)

Leather jacket Betty Barclay/Top Maison Scotch/Jeans Pepe Jeans/Nike Sky Hi/ Bag Michael Kors

Final thoughts? We are definitely going back to The Diner and I am keen to make it a regular thing. The prices are pretty good especially considering we are in London. Will definitely go back to try the burgers and the famous chili cheese fries, but I do not know how I will handle the temptation not to order pancakes again. Well, I guess next time I can actually share them as a dessert treat with the Boy - surely we can handle both burgers and a stack of pancakes? Will keep you posted on that one!

Have you been to The Diner yet? What is your favourite American style comfort food? Do let me know in the comment section below :)

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Dreamy Date Night with a French Twist: Closs Maggiore

For our second anniversary my boyfriend surprised me with a lovely dinner at Clos Maggiore - a gorgeous restaurant offering contemporary French cuisine, situated in the heart of Covent Garden.

What makes Clos Maggiore the perfect restaurant in my eyes, is the fact that it combines Italian and French style in a most satisfying fine dining symbiosis. Inspired by the French Provence and sunny Tuscany, the restaurant mixes the best of both worlds, resulting in an utterly gorgeous setting for your dinner. 

Apple blossoms and a glass rooftop? This place embodies the kind of romance you read about in books. You can easily imagine your favourite heroine finding her peace and quiet in a hidden between the blossoms table, sipping on a lovely Beaujolais, and dreaming of her man - a late-arriving Gatsby, or a proud count of Monte Cristo. 

However, even the most stylish of atmospheres cannot help if the food is not on par with it. And in this case, the food is spectacular. We opted for the Honey Glazed Breast of Goosnargh Duck, beautifully accompanied by roasted red plums, Endive Meunière, and a ruby port sauce. The result was simply orgasmic (there is no other way of putting it) - the duck was cooked to perfection, and it was quite easily the best one I have had (and this is my usual go-to main, so I have tried quite a few).

As for desserts, again we went for the same one, as none of us wanted to go for anything else but the perfection that was the Grand Cru Valrhona Milk Chocolate ‘Mille Feuille’ with Pecan Nut Ice Cream. Quite honestly, when it comes to French desserts, I am a sucker for a good Mille Feuille. This one was delicious - from the presentation to the final taste, everything on the plate was heavenly dancing together in the most harmonious of manners. My most favourite part of it though? The pecan nut ice cream - I would quite gladly just had a big bowl of that, and still be very satisfied with my dinner.

Another thing that makes Clos Maggiore unique is the wine list. Oh, the wine list! Boasting over 2,500 selections (2,500!), this looks more like a wine book. It has a wine for every taste and there is no way you wouldn't find the right one for you.

What did we have? Actually we went for cocktails this time (I know, we absolutely do have to return even if just to share a bottle of wine), and they were stunning! Old Fashioned for the Monsieur and a lovely mix of Prosecco and peach for me, and we were in seventh heaven! 

Clos Maggiore is a very good choice for a special occasion and I do recommend it if you want to splurge and indulge into a lovely dining experience, Especially if you want to go to the theatre afterwards, I cannot think of a better date night right now.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this little lifestyle post. I do feel like a book blog does need a bit of the macaron side of life to it :)

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Cosy Time In: Winter

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.” ~  Edith Sitwell

As I previously shared with you how I like to spend my October Sundays, I thought it would be a good idea if I turned this into a series of posts. Personally, I do consider winter time as the cosiest time of the year, so I really hope you enjoy this cosiest of posts.

Pampering

No Sunday post of mine would be complete without a bit of pampering. Certainly not one that is dedicated to cosy winter days in. This January I have chosen to rely on the Body Shop - this rich Vanilla Brulee shower gel from their Christmas collection is simply divine. I am a huge fan of vanilla scents, plus I happen to love Crème brûlée, making this one the perfect shower gel for me (the only downside being it makes me very hungry for a dessert). Add to that a Peach Vineyard body scrub and a delicious chocolate lip butter, and my day is totally made!

The Food

Speaking of sweets, I definitely indulged into this sweetest part of life over the Holidays...When desserts talk, words are unnecessary. So, here is what I enjoyed most...

Some lovely herb tea with lemon and a homemade cake (my grandma spoiled us as always!).

Homemade 'peaches', courtesy to my other grandma (the honey and lemons in the background prove we did, indeed, have lots of tea).

The first dessert I had in 2015 is officially this lovely biscuit cake - I am sure you do understand that sugar was much needed after the heavy celebrations?

The Drinks

 To me, winter just screams wine and hot chocolate...sometimes both at the same time.

Also, I got to try this lovely hot chocolate+biscuits concoction...

The Book(s)

Ah, the scent of new books on a Sunday morning! As I was shopping the other day, I picked up those two beauties: Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist and Liane Moriarty's The Husband's Secret. Both books turned into bestsellers, both were really hyped about last year, both are into my hands now. Naturally, reviews coming up as soon as I finish them...

The View

As me and my boyfriend were back at mine for the holidays, we got to experience both the warmth of the sun and the coldness of the snow. Here is what Bulgaria looked like, when we went there over Christmas:

So, what about you? Do tell me how you like to spend your cosy winter Sundays in (or out?).

P.S. Yes, this post made me hungry.

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