HIDE Set Lunch Menu

London, the city of endless surprises, doesn’t just have a rich history and a buzzing culture; it’s also a playground for food enthusiasts like me. Recently, I had an amazing lunch at Hide Restaurant, right in the heart of Piccadilly. Let me tell you, it was an experience that turned dining into an art. With one Michelin star to its name, Hide offered not just a meal but a journey through elegance, aesthetics, and exceptional gastronomy.

The Ambience, Cool Vibes and Artistic Decor

From the moment I stepped into Hide, I was captivated by its aesthetic charm. The restaurant exudes an air of sophistication, with a décor that seamlessly blends classic and contemporary elements. But what truly caught my eye was the stunning carved wooden staircase that spirals gracefully, connecting the various levels of the restaurant. It leads upwards to private dining rooms and downwards to an underground cocktail bar, promising an array of experiences within the same venue. Even the restrooms at Hide hold an element of luxury, with Le Labo toiletries that add an exquisite touch to the overall experience. Attention to detail is clearly a hallmark of this establishment.

An Exceptional Dining Experience

The highlight of my visit, of course, was of course the food. Hide’s set lunch menu, priced at £54 for three courses, and presented a delightful range of options. To begin, I opted for the Burrata with Caramelized Figs and Pistachio Pesto. The combination of creamy burrata and the sweetness of caramelized figs, with the nutty richness of pistachio pesto, was a true testament to the chef’s artistry. My friend chose the Lamb Tartare, a fresh and flavourful dish enhanced by the addition of mint and broad beans. Sharing this starter was a wise decision, as it allowed us to savour a variety of flavours in one course. Moving on to the main course, I had the pleasure of indulging in Poached Cod. The delicate flavours of the perfectly cooked fish were complemented by a symphony of accompanying elements. My friend savoured the Veal, which was equally impressive in its preparation and presentation. To end our culinary journey on a sweet note, we both opted for the Peach Melba Sundae, a dessert that embodied the essence of summer. The fruity, creamy indulgence was the ideal conclusion to a sumptuous meal. Hide’s wine list is extensive, with options ranging from £60 to £500 per bottle. A sommelier guided us in selecting wines that perfectly matched our meal preferences and budget. This thoughtful service ensured that we enjoyed wines that enhanced our dining experience without breaking the bank.

 

Sippin’ on Dreams

After our exquisite meal, we descended into the underground cocktail bar, where I enjoyed one of the finest martinis of my life. The skilful mixology and attention to detail carried through into the bar, reaffirming that Hide’s commitment to excellence extends beyond its dining room.

 

In conclusion, my visit to Hide Restaurant was nothing short of extraordinary. It offered not just a meal but a symphony of sensations – from the captivating décor to the impeccable service, and, of course, the outstanding cuisine. So, if you’re in London and seeking an unforgettable dining experience, Hide is a destination that promises to leave a lasting impression. It’s a place where culinary artistry and aesthetic perfection come together to create an evening you’ll cherish for years to come.

Wolf and Gypsy Jewellery

WOLF AND GYPSY {gifted item}  A huge thanks to Wolf and Gypsy for the lovely Sixpence necklace! It’s an original 1914 sixpence coated on gold vermeil and is reversible so you can wear it on the side of choice, these guys have a lovely range of gold and silver designs to suit all tastes and styles and at the heart of the brand is a really important message!

Wolf and Gypsy love sentiment and history and the sixpence itself has been a symbolic gift of good luck since the 1500’s. As a brand they have a really strong ethos and strive to be ethical and sustainable! Check out these brand statements taken from their website ⭐️????

 

➳ Eco-Friendly Packaging // FSC® Certified, recycled

& biodegradable.

➳ Conflict-Free Gemstones // Handpicked for quality & unique features.

➳ Recycled Precious Metals // 14ct gold, gold vermeil & sterling silver.

➳ Hand Made & Designed // by Tori Shay & in our ethical work-shop.

➳ Committed To Positive Environmental Change // Member of 1% For The Planet, donation made for every sale.

The fashion landscape can be really confusing and to be conscious about where you source your pieces from can be really confusing when brands don’t have full transparency about how your pieces are sourced and made. Wolf and Gypsy are totally transparent about the product journey and you can wear with a smile knowing your piece of jewellery has been made with a conscience. Have you checked out Wolf and Gypsy? Head over to wolfandgypsy.com to shop now and use the code misshollyp for 10% discount!

Style and design bang on trend with the knowledge that your piece can be worn with pride ???? ???? ♻️ ???? 

Hestia Aesthetics- Anti Wrinkle Injections

After a lot of heartbreak and trauma this year I really wanted to do something to make myself feel better. Anti wrinkle injections AKA Botox is something I had considered for a while and after the final nail in the coffin with my ex and an extra large dose of worries and frowning, I felt a bit ropey and weathered and it gave me the push I needed to book myself in for 1 area of botox. Now I’m not saying this is for everyone, nor am I telling you to go and do it, I just wanna share my personal experience and my personal thoughts on the results. 

So Botox anti wrinkle injections are a treatment where an injectable solution is administered and this takes up to 14 days to activate and it basically ‘freezes’ the muscle movement, smoothing lines and preventing future lines from forming. Results do vary from person to person and last from 2-6 months. Reactions are highly unlikely but if on the rare occasion this did happen, the skin would likely react then and there so help is on hand and it would likely be a localized reaction. I only mention this as it is something on instagram I was asked multiple times and I know is a concern to many of you.

I didn’t know where to go for my treatment as the cosmetic sector is now such a competitive market with more and more people offering this treatment but after doing a bit of research Hestia Aesthetics just stood out for me. The team of Costas and Lauren have an extensive medical career and full aesthetics training, the language on the website really stood out to me as it seemed less daunting and more approachable than other places- I mean, lets face it, this stuff is a bit daunting, confusing and can be really intimidating too. 

I booked my appointment online for 1 area and paid a £30 deposit, the total treatment price is £180. The area I wanted to go for is the forehead as this is definitely the area for me where life takes its toll! We came to the agreement that I would help get the word out as this is very new business they would do me a package so I had a little more in other areas too! 

I visited the clinic on a Sunday morning. I arrived with no makeup on and a little nervous. I was invited into the room and greeted by the guys, they are a lovely team, so friendly and put me straight at ease. The appointment starts with a consultation when you will be asked about the treatment you have selected and the desired results, you will then be talked through how it works and a little about the anatomy of what you are having done. Once you are both happy with the selection you will move over onto the bed and you will be marked up, this is done with a liner and is to make sure you have your botox applied evenly, then once done, they will inject. I promise, this does not hurt, unless you have an incredibly low pain threshold. Some of the injections I could barely feel!

After the treatment you are left with a little redness but totally manageable and I would really recommend having his done when you have no plans as you don’t wanna be putting makeup on for up to 24 hours ideally. 

The areas which I had done were the forehead and a brow lift. You can also have amongst other areas- crows feet, frown line, bunny lines, hooded eyes, tear trough, dimpled chin, marionette lines, smile lines, underarm. The team also do a range of other treatments too including filler and cannula treatments.

So… the results! Obviously what we all want to know about! So you’re appointment includes a 2-week follow up appointment to check the results and includes a top up if required! Costas on my follow up appointment also gave me a little extra in my frown lines, smile lines and bunny lines to share with you guys.

 

Lifting my brows before and after full activation

For me; I will never look back, after having botox I have gone through such a traumatic event in my life and normally that would take its toll in my face, honestly, I look fresh as a daisy! My skin looks smooth, polished and healthy and I just feel so much more confident in myself even though the changes are subtle. My requested result was the desire to have a ‘freshen up’ that is exactly what I got, I look natural and not over enhanced but I feel the BEST I have felt in years!! 

Lauren and Costas are so friendly and knowledgeable and would be so happy to talk you through anything if you are considering a treatment. 

The clinic is highly professional, sterile and clean but still feels extremely relaxing and it is based at Rowan House in Hethersett. 

I can not rate my experience enough, I’m so pleased, honestly I feel the most confident I’ve ever felt in myself and that feels wonderful. Thanks so much guys for making me feel like me again!

 

If you would like more info or to book, click here

 

Thanks for reading, H x

Gyre and Gimble Bar and Distillery

Have you heard of Gyre and Gimble? Gyre and Gimble is a cocktail bar, gin academy, distillery and now has its own house brand of gins and spirits. Situated above The Strangers Tavern and right by the historic Strangers Hall, Gyre and Gimble takes is name as a nod to the weird and wonderful world of Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carrol and with the ‘strangers’ location, it seemed a fitting title! Curiouser and curiouser!

Duo team Craig and Rory have transformed the former Gin Palace (which also had a brief stint being called Door Eighteen) into one of the newest hot spots on the Norwich cocktail scene. With exposed brick, botanical accents from draping plants and industrial fixtures the décor is perfectly fitting to the trends we are leaning towards and will suit all tastes and styles. The team are currently operating an offer of ‘Drink out to help out’ with a selection of £5 cocktails every Wednesday evening and serving up grazing platters to enjoy while you drink. Their cocktail menus have a host of different drinks, they have the largest spirit selection on offer in the city and they are always working on new drinks to surprise and delight. Look out for the next menu launch which is focused around sustainability and no waste

There is an on-site ‘Gin Academy’ which you can book to enjoy a gin making experience where you will learn about the history of gin, the process of how to make and the chance to design, create and take home a bottle of your very own gin! The session last’s for 2.5 hours and you will enjoy cocktail tastings during your distiller for a day experience and all of this is £85. A great treat and lovely gift too.

With all of this at their fingertips and with the teams knowledge and expertise they have now branched out and developed their very own brand of gin and very special it is too! They have developed 3 blends and have a strong mission of sustainability at the heart of their brand, with bottles being 95% recycled glass (most have a max of 60%), wax seals so no plastic lids or seals, and recycled paper labels, the journey of the development is about as green as it gets.

The 3 different blends are all inspired by Lewis Carrol….

Callooh Callay Coastal Gin- 45%- blended with samphire, seaweed and Norfolk Lavender. The most gorgeous illustrated walrus and carpenter logo label and a percentage of sales go to Friends of Horsey seal protection charity. Inspired name from The Jaberwocky

Nohow- This is a classic London Dry coming in at 42.5%, with notes of aromatic pink pepper, citrus and spices, Nohow is named with a nod those crazy twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum

Queen of Hearts Cherry Gin- 40%- A cherry gin which a rich and layered deep taste of cherries throughout. The colour and label is inspired by the famous Alice in Wonderland character, The Queen of Hearts.

These are all available to buy now and available in the bar by the glass!

All the labels of the gin are bold and bright colours with strong typeface and illustration logos, which are reminiscent of the ever growing world of craft beer.

 

So what are you waiting for? Go and visit Gyre and Gimble! You can eat, drink, chill and create!

 

Thanks for reading,

 

H x

Cocktail Delivery Services

In lockdown we have seen some great things came out of small businesses. As most of you know I am a seasoned cocktail lover and occasional low key alcoholic (joke) and many cocktail delivery services have become available so I’ve put together a list with some short roundups of what’s available in and around Norfolk and many nationally too!!

With the 10 pm curfew putting people off either going out at all or making it very difficult to carry on the party, organisation is key these days if you want to get your groove on past 10:15pm. You can find out below where you can get your favourite cocktails premixed with fresh and quality ingredients and deliver to your door so you can carry on your party all night long with top quality, bar grade drinks.

Arboretum- The weird and wonderful Norwich bar/ antique shop with dead and living animal menagerie are offering selections of the unique, old world cocktails for collection, local and national delivery! Locally delivery can be the same day if ordered before 6pm- for the spontaneous among us. To collect this will be organised during opening times of the bar, be careful as you may leave with more than anticipated as everything in this crazy place is for sale, so a penchant for antiques and taxidermy might get you shopping!  These guys offer the service Tuesday-Saturday. Your drinks menu comes in select boxes, choose from…. gin box, scotch box, sour box, mixed box, sweet box, Navy rum, English vodka, berry, floral, wine and non-alcoholic. 3 x 200ml bottles of curious drinks to be consumed within 3 days. Prices start at £14 per box! Huzzah- check in our here.

Tipsy Jar- The lovely team of Laura and Ellie have created a lovely business of mixologist designed and premium quality cocktails which deliver locally and national. With a menu which is constantly being updated with fresh ideas and flavors to suit the seasons, the loyal and regular customers will never get bored if you like to mix it up and try new things! The design of the concept is that you receive you jar and your garnishes, including ice, you shake in the jar and serve to perfection in your favourite glass. The national format differs slightly where your liquid will be in a sachet and of course ice would melt in the post but these gals have thought of it all, whether you are drinking locally to Norfolk or further afield. They aim to ship all orders with in 2 working days, expect delivery within 3-4 working days. Any orders placed after 12pm Thursday will be shipped Monday to maintain freshness and delivery nationally in £6.50. If you are local, local being post codes NR1-NR14 then delivery is just £2.50 to your door! Tipsy Jar are operational Tuesday to Saturday and you can even order up to 5pm for same day delivery! As soon as you’re ready to drink follow the instructions and enjoy! Drinks can be stored for up to 7- 14 days! I have sampled many and I love the twists on the classics for a signature style. Fancy this one? Tip use code 3FOR30 Browse and order here

Edmunds- Edmunds are a stunning Suffolk based brand, with a belief that you can enjoy a top quality cocktail from home with minimal effort. These are available nationwide for £3.95 delivery. Pick from 1 litre of your fave cocktail for a party or night in, a mixed box of 6 x 100ml bottles or 6 of the same! These babies are bottled and made with sustainability at the forefront of their ethos and at £23.95 for a box of 6. You get the garnishes in the beautiful little box with the drinks, all you will need is a cocktail shaker and ice! Because of how this brand is packaged I really feel it would be a lovely gift, it’s extremely tasteful with a neoclassical design and looks really artisanal. Click here to take a look!

The Globe Trotter  This team started off with their beautiful horse box bar which is available for event hire and to be honest were probably the first people I came across locally offering fresh, mixologist quality cocktails, made ready for home consumption. They offer a selection of classics and originals in variable sizes from 500ml all the way up to the big daddy 5 LITRE – GIMME GIMME- If orders come in for Uk deliveries they send out the next day after ordering and that usually is a 4-5 working days delivery time, although next day can be an option. Local deliveries can be booked in and often they accept same day deliveries if placed in the morning. Locally there is a £5 delivery fee on anything Nr14 and further. The super strong cocktails over 20% you can keep for up to 30 days unopened and the lower % drinks up to 2 weeks, drink within 4 days once opened, posted Mon-Sat (the following day after you place the order), local delivery is  Thursday – Sunday! I sampled the Vanilla and Passionfruit Martini which is delicious and also the super strong Lychee Martini which was must to my liking at 22%. Thirsty? Order here

Cocktail Canaries-  Another great local business which I’ve not actually had the pleasure of trying personally but I have gifted to a friend, these guys offer a local delivery service of fresh bottled cocktails from 6 classics and 1 Norfolk special with a delivery radius of Norfolk (NR1-NR14, NR24-NR28 Surrey (KT1, KT10, KT12, KT13) which the heritage Norwich canary as their namesake, but this team have now branched out into bottled cocktails for national delivery and postbox cocktail pouches too! I’m loving the sound of the Jaffa Cake Negroni and the Honeycomb Old Fashioned! delivery from £3.50 for standard and more for next day and guaranteed and local delivery is free!!! Boom- get it here!

So who loves cocktails? They make a night right? So whatever tier you’re in, get an order in and plan you next great night in!

Thanks for reading,

H x

*Tipsy Jar, Arboretum, Edmunds and The Globe Trotter previously provided PR Samples to try not connected to this article.