I have always loved this time of year as a Londoner: the post-Glasto, Wimbledon fortnight has always felt like it offers the very best combination of seasonal ingredients, sunshine, and much-longed for holidays within touching difference.
Personally, I'm making the most of the summer haze by heading to both The Sportsman and The Ritz to celebrate an impending birthday (well aware of how lucky I am), and as a team, we're looking forward to letting our hair down a little (lot) at the Tonic summer party.
Days at their longest and evenings at their most convivial offer no better reason to ditch being at home and head out for food and cocktails. Read on to find out where you should be visiting... happy July!
Frances x
5 refreshing dishes you need to try this summer
We're at the whim of our cravings at the best of times, but when the mercury rises, sunny days have us longing for foods that refresh and revitalise. Sometimes that's a sub-zero dessert, other times it's the crunch of a zingy salad or the fragrant waft of light and bright seasonal ingredients. Take a look at the dishes we'll be eating on repeat this summer.
Bespoke sundae at The Colony Grill Room
Build your dream dessert at The Beaumont this summer with The Colony Grill Room's Bespoke Sundae. Guests use a tick sheet to make their selection from myriad ice creams, sorbets, toppings and sauces to create their own masterpiece. Choose from the likes of stracciatella or hazelnut ice cream, with toppings including macadamia nut brittle, lemon meringue, and dulce de leche. Book your table here.
Florence Knight's clam and wild garlic udon special at Koya Ko
As part of Koya & Ko., the first ever collaboration series from udon connoisseur Koya, diners at its Hackney restaurant can now enjoy rotating summer specials from top London chefs. Kicking off the series at Koya Ko is a clam, wild garlic and roasted tomato udon by Florence Knight (Sessions Arts Club), with upcoming dishes from the likes of Max Rocha (Cafe Cecilia), Ben Chapman (Kiln) and Mitshel Ibrahim (Ombra).
Lahpet's Myanmar Sling slushy at Pastaio
Pasta supremos Pastaio are keeping it cool this summer with a series of boozy slushies created in collaboration with top London foodies. In July, Burmese restaurant Lahpet's Myanmar Sling combines gin with pineapple, custard and masala-infused syrups, while the following month will see cocktail bar Three Sheets serve a frozen twist on its Palo Santo Margarita. Book your table here.
Summer rolls at Rosa's Thai
When the heat turns up, we all long for fresh bites, and these don't come much fresher than the summer rolls at Rosa's Thai. Soft rice paper sheets are wrapped around crisp shredded vegetables, fresh herbs and a tangy tamarind sauce, served with a spicy chilli dip and crushed peanuts. Enjoy these alongside the restaurant's scintillatingly spicy Thai green papaya salad for a veg-packed smorgasbord that packs a real punch. Book your table here.
Shuko Oda's trout and pickled magnolia kebab at Oklava
Shoreditch restaurant Oklava is hosting the ultimate barbecue all summer long. Its Kebab Series has already seen chefs Anna Hansen and John Chantarasak contribute special kebab-inspired dishes to the menu, while July will see Shuko Oda's (Koya) zingy trout kebab with bitter leaves, kimizu yolk and pickled magnolia take to the grill, followed by Philip Juma's (Juma Kitchen) lamb shawarma. Book your table here.
Latest news
Former Palomar chef Tomer Amedi launches Pascor in Kensington
Pascor, the fire-focused new Levantine restaurant, is now open on Kensington High Street. The latest concept from Tomer Amedi (former Head Chef & Co-founder at The Palomar) serves explorative wines by the glass and Levantine small plates, with a menu that puts over-fire cooking – from smoky flavours to seared textures – at the heart of every dish, with plates including burnt aubergine with black tahini, pine nuts, pickled tomatoes, mint and capers and Medura (campfire) style potato with ‘Butter of the Gods’ (bone marrow and egg yolk), merguez gremolata. Read more here.
Cin Cin brings la dolce vita to Fitzrovia with new terrace menu
Acclaimed neighbourhood Italian restaurant group Cin Cin has launched a new, al fresco summer terrace. Having opened in Fitzrovia last summer to critical acclaim, the bright and buzzy, south-facing terrace has this year had a seasonal makeover with increased, cafe-style street seating and a dolce vita twist. A special terrace menu by Cin Cin's Jamie Halsall includes dishes such as Crispy Calabrese chicken wings, garlic mayonnaise and parmesan, and an Arancino of white crab with brown crab aioli. Book your table here.
Native, Decimo and Trivet win big at the National Restaurant Awards
A huge congratulations to the, not one, but three Tonic clients named in the National Restaurant Awards' prestigious list of the top 100 restaurants in the UK. Decimo at The Standard, London climbed 10 places from last year's list to come in at 76, while Michelin-starred Trivet and the sustainability champions Native both made their debuts on the list at 86 and 50 respectively.
Tonic is hiring: Account Managers, we want you!
We're excited to share that Tonic Communications is looking for a new Account Manager, or Senior Account Manager, to join our amazing team. We're looking for an enthusiastic and experienced individual to help us spread the word about our incredible clients (including the fantastic Dai Chi). For more information on the role, and to find out how to apply, read more here.
Introducing Thumbprint, the clothing brand supporting women from low-income communities in India
We just wanted to take a moment to share our support for some friends of Tonic doing something amazing for a great cause. From hospitality consultant Ed Francis and co-founder Evgenia Baydikova, Thumbprint is a new apparel brand working to break cycles of poverty by actively supporting the people who make its clothes.
Working with women from low-income communities in India, Thumbprint will not only provide them with training and employment, but will donate £1 from every sale to grassroots education programmes for local girls.
For more information visit their website, and make a donation to their crowdfunding campaign here.
Chef Spotlight: Ben Boeynaems
Ben Boeynaems is Executive Head Chef at The Beaumont hotel in Mayfair.
Boeynaems started working in kitchens even before he left school, but in the years since his career has taken him from Petrus and Claridge’s for the Gordon Ramsay Group; the Capital Hotel with Eric Chavot; The Bingham in Richmond and The Goring Hotel, where he was Head Chef. Before starting in his current role, Boeynaems was Head Chef at The Zetter Group.
At The Beaumont, Boeynaems oversees the food in The Colony Grill Room (including on the restaurant's intimate summer terrace), as well as the superlative snacks at Le Magritte cocktail bar, afternoon tea in The Gatsby Room, and all private dining and room service.
Boeynaems's food at The Beaumont follows the hotel's American-inspired aura, channelling the glamorous 1920s New York atmosphere of The Colony Grill Room into refined transatlantic plates, such as steak tartare with pickled egg yolk and mushroom ketchup, and Gigha halibut with clam chowder and sea vegetables. To try Ben's food, book your table here.
Psst... next month's Tonic Grapevine will include news of Italian bites by the seaside and new openings set to wow the West End.
See you guys in August x
