Only a few weeks ago, Rotunda at Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square unveiled its Crown Jewels Afternoon Tea, and we have been lucky enough to experience it!

Overlooking the Tower of London, which houses the royal jewels of past kings and queens of England, Rotunda at Ten Trinity Square will celebrate the most visited artefacts in Britain with its new afternoon tea. For the ultimate luxury experience, guests can book a private roof terrace where they can enjoy the quintessential British pastime with a view over the iconic landmark and the River Thames.

On the menu, traditional finger sandwiches created by Rotunda’s Executive Chef David Greenhill celebrate British classics including egg mayonnaise with truffle oil, coronation chicken and the classic minted cucumber. Inspired by the world-famous Crown Jewels, Executive Pastry Chef Sylvain Nicolas has created a selection of pastries including a griotte amarena cherry and liquorice macaron topped with a silver jewel; Yorkshire rhubarb, jasmine tea, chantilly and strawberry combawa confit adorned with a crown; a citrusy lemon meringue choux with hazelnut streusel and lime jelly; and finally, a single origin Madagascan Manjari chocolate tart with sansho berry and fresh raspberries, topped with gold leaf. No British afternoon tea would be complete without freshly baked homemade scones with seasonal jams and Devonshire clotted cream, all served on the handcrafted bone china heritage tea service designed by prominent British designer Richard Brendon.

Paying homage to Ten Trinity Square’s past incarnation as the hub of Britain’s trading routes, the Crown Jewels Afternoon Tea includes some of the world’s top teas from the foothills of the Himalayas with the finest darjeeling from Makaibari to Earl Greys from Satemwa Estate in the highlands of Malawi, while British-grown brews include Cornish peppermint tea and Cornish manuka brought to the Tregothan Estate in Cornwall more than 200 years ago from New Zealand. Champagnes will include Delamotte Brut, Charles Heidsieck and AR Lenoble Rosé available by the glass.

“Afternoon tea is such a staple of British culture, so we wanted to honour that with a traditional menu inspired by the royal Crown Jewels just a short walk away from the impressive building at Ten Trinity Square. We have aimed to celebrate the best of British, highlighting some of the best teas and produce from around the country,” says Executive Chef David Greenhill.

The Crown Jewels Afternoon Tea is served in the Rotunda daily between 2 and 5 pm.

• Crown Jewels Afternoon Tea - GBP 35

• Champagne Afternoon Tea - GBP 38

To enquire about booking a private terrace, contact the team directly on +44 (20) 3297 3799 or visit Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square for more information.

101-111 Kensington High Street, London, W8 5SA Telephone: 020 3971 4646

High Street Kensington is a quintessentially English place, but there is a small part that bucks that trend, just next to High Street Kensington tube station, namely Japan House, as it promotes all things Japanese.

As you enter Japan House, it has a similar feel to a well known mobile phone brand store, as it is all white, minimalistic and there isn’t a product out of place. Japan House is the new cultural home of Japan in London and showcases the very best of Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, and technology. The gastronomy side is why we found ourselves in Japan House, as it houses their Japanese restaurant Akira, which is situated on the first floor.

The restaurant is named after Chef Shimizu Akira, and shows off all that is best in Japanese food, including its presentation.

A restaurant experience is based not just on its food but also its welcome, and the ambiance at Akira ticks all these boxes with its understated, elegant design and the omotenashi welcome (for the uninitiated, which included me, a shouted greeting from the chefs when you enter the restaurant). The design is unassuming with wooden chairs and tables separated from the bar by a simple latticed black wooden screen, and the room is dominated by the open kitchen where the skilled chefs weave their magic.

Choosing off a Japanese menu is, for me, a daunting experience, as the selection is always extensive and everything sounds wonderful. For that reason, my eye always looks for a selection or set menu, and Akira has a section called Omakase (the literal translation is “I’ll leave it up to you”), which includes a selection of 3 or 5-course menus. There is a Robata Omakase, which includes meats flamed on the Robata grill or the Sushi Omakase, for the sushi lover, and both are split between 3 (£60) and 5 (£75) courses.

We selected the 3-course Robata Omakase and our meal started with a wonderful appetiser of fresh blue fin tuna, caviar balls and crunchy rice all blended together with a slightly sharp sauce. The flavour explosion was intense and the mixture of textures inspired, and all this was served in a hollowed-out rock stimulating all of your senses, especially your sight. The next course was the sashimi which included an assortment of sashimi, Japanese osozai side dishes and a vegetable selection. In keeping with our dramatic experience so far, these dishes were served in a wooden box split into 15 identical compartments. Japanese style traditionally abhors different flavoured dishes touching each other on a single plate, so this was a novel way to adhere to the old ways and etiquette. The box contained wonderfully fresh sashimi of eel, salmon, and tuna, along with tempura prawn, an arancini ball, potato salad and crunchy vegetables. The best dish however, was a strip of smoked mackerel on a bed of steamed spinach which had been marinated in a punchy sauce.

The main course was brought on a hot rock and included tender wagu beef, succulent lamb chop, chicken skewers and tempura vegetables all served with a rich miso soup. According to Japanese custom, the solid ingredients in a good miso soup are chosen to reflect the seasons and to provide contrasts of colour, texture, and flavour, and here strongly flavoured ingredients were mixed with delicately flavoured ingredients to provide a warming miso soup.

Japanese food is healthy and prides itself on always using the freshest seasonal ingredients, and Akira is true to these principles, but it doesn’t just provide a great meal, it provides the diner with an overall Japanese experience which elevates your evening to a new level.

You’ll find Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant and market in the historic London ‘Trocadero’ building, just a few minutes’ walk from Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square. We have always had a great time as the atmosphere is lively, the food is good and the interior quirky. It is always busy, and the day we visited was no exception. Our two teenage children were excited to join us for the first time, enjoying the buzz you feel upon entering the restaurant. Many of our fellow diners were evidently celebrating a birthday on this busy Saturday evening of our visit – there were groups of families, friends, and couples spanning the generations, all enjoying the party vibe.

If you haven’t already worked it out, the restaurant is a tribute to the movie ‘Forrest Gump’ and features a menu of comfort food from the American South that reflects the film’s setting in Alabama. The fact that there are now 40 Bubba Gump’s worldwide, is testament to its success. We first encountered the chain whilst on holiday in Monterey, California some 5 years ago - it turns out this was the first of the restaurants to open back in 1996.

The speciality here is shrimp, but there are a wide variety of alternatives on offer. The friendly waiting staff are on hand to give useful advice and steered us towards the ‘Run Across America Sampler’ (£22.50), a starter to share that is ideally suited to families or groups wanting a taste of several different starters without committing to just one! Our starter included Grilled Shrimp, Mama Blue’s Fried Shrimp, Spicy Chicken Strips and homemade Tortilla Chips. This large platter was served with delicious dips including Bubba’s Far Out Dip. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Other starters include a great range of favourites including Mama Gump’s Garlic Bread Basket, Best Ever Popcorn Shrimp, Frizzled Onion Rings, Shrimp Mac & Cheese, and Cajun Shrimp. The kids’ favourite among those we sampled were the Spicy Chicken Strips, whilst us adults preferred the grilled shrimp.

There is a mouth-watering selection of Entrées, including Soups, Salads, Burgers, Sandwiches and Jenny’s Catch (fish options). Of course, we were keen to go for the Shrimp Options in a Shrimp restaurant (their shrimp is sustainably and ethically sourced, certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council)! The Shrimp dishes are priced from £18.50. Myself and my eldest son (both ready for a feast) chose to share a couple of restaurant favourites – Forrest’s Seafood Feast and Lt. Dan’s Surf and Turf. The Seafood Feast (priced at £20.50) offered us more of Mama Blue’s Fried Shrimp, hand battered Fish & Chips and made from scratch Seafood Hush Pups. This meal was served with delicious Cajun seasoned Fries and their homemade Dippin’ sauces – Tartar, Cocktail and Remoulade – all sublime, and easy to see why this platter is voted the #1 Guest Favourite. Lt. Dan’s Surf & Turf (£25.95) offered their award- winning Dixie Style Baby Back Ribs, slow roasted to perfection with succulent Grilled Shrimp and Cajun seasoned Fries, another large platter, and the sweet sauce of the Ribs perfectly complemented the rest of the meal. My youngest son who sometimes has eyes bigger than his belly was keen to give the Shrimper’s Heaven a go. This meal (priced at £24.50) included Hand Breaded Coconut Shrimp, Grilled Shrimp, Crispy Golden Shrimp and Tempura Shrimp – heaven indeed, providing you like shrimp! The platter also came with Cajun seasoned Fries served with their homemade Dippin’ Sauces – Tangy Asian, Cajun Marmalade and Zesty Cocktail. He ended up sharing this with my wife who enjoyed her Classic Caesar Salad (£13.25; adding Grilled Chicken £2.99), knowing that she would get invitations to try all the Shrimp we had ordered!

There are many good other menu options to choose from, including Dumb Luck Coconut Shrimp, Shrimp & Veggie Skewers and some tasty looking fish dishes. I also contemplated Mama’s Southern Fried Chicken and that classic Southern dish ‘Jambalaya’- something I’ve always been intrigued to try after hearing The Carpenters sing about it in the 70s - I guess that’s one for my next visit. There is also an extensive Kids menu, a Pre-Theatre Menu and separate menus dedicated to Gluten Free and Vegetarian options.

‘Smoothies’, ‘Quenchers’ and ‘Hand Shaken Margaritas’ are some of the drinks offerings - we chose instead to enjoy a bottle of red wine with dinner, whilst the boys chose ‘Secret Mango Sparkler’ and a pineapple juice.

I knew we would have to save some room for dessert - we had promised the kids after all! The dessert list offers a selection that includes Key Lime Pie, Mama’s Bread Pudding, Mama’s Best Strawberry Shortcake (Mama had a sweet tooth evidently), Alabama Brownie and a Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae to share, which we marvelled at as we spotted it delivered to other diners! Again, our friendly waiter was on hand to point us in the direction of the sharing option known as ‘The Best of The Best Sampler’, so we could enjoy a taste of 3 of their most popular desserts. As it turned out the portions were huge! The (supposedly) smaller portions of Mama’s Cinnamon Bread Pudding, Strawberry Shortcake and the Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae priced at £11.95, represented comfort food at its best ... homemade, sweet and delicious.

Service throughout was actually really good for a restaurant of this size, and seems to work as a well-oiled machine. Staff are cheerful, pleasant and helpful with menu choices, as well as catering really well to the kids. Take note though, you may need to brush up on your ‘Forrest Gump’ knowledge as each table is given a trivia quiz by their waiter - just for fun, of course!

During the meal, we were entertained by the fun, casual atmosphere around us - there is a lot of memorabilia from the movie displayed on the walls and around the wooden shack-style eating booths, including some fabulous quotes from the movie itself (which incidentally plays continuously on screens dotted around the space) our favourites being “Stupid is as stupid does” and “Life is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you gonna get”. Every so often the waiting staff would break out in a birthday rap to celebrate diners’ birthdays with everyone nearby joining in. This is a fun venue, offering more than just a restaurant, and if you want to check out what nearby Piccadilly and Leicester Square has to offer then you can take advantage of the all-day parking for £17.50 (if you dine and book online).

If you haven’t yet visited, add it to your list – either book before or get there early, as the queues can be long. We did of course have to watch the movie as soon as we got home, which reminded us why this is one our favourite movies and an all-time classic worthy of 40 restaurants!

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. 13 Coventry Street, London W1D 7AB, Telephone: 0203 7635 288, www.bubbagumpshrimp.co.uk

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Chinese food and that I have a very sweet tooth, so how excited was I to be invited to China  Tang in The Dorchester Hotel to review their newly launched Afternoon Tea, aptly named Tea at Tangs!

You know you are in for a treat when you enter China Tang through it’s beautiful blossom arch. The Afternoon Tea is served in The Bar, which oozes 1930s Shanghai glamour and we thoroughly enjoyed the four delicacies in our Steamed Dim Sum basket (one each), as well as the Butterfly Prawn Toast which was packed with prawn and fried perfectly, the Vegetarian Spring Roll and the Gai Lan Cheung Fun (gai lan, crispy dough rolled in rice noodle sheets). The savoury selection of the Afternoon Tea was served with two dips, and we only wished we could have had double of everything as we enjoyed it so much!

The sweet section of the Afternoon Tea however, is just as delicious, and we again wished we had more of the Chocolate Dumplings, Classic Fried Chiu Chow Dim Sum, Traditional Hong Kong East Custard Tart and Mandarin Delight, which was a slice of sheer heaven!

Complementing the food offering, China Tang is serving a carefully curated selection of teas from a menu devised by Jade Tea, ranging from Jasmine Supreme (a vibrant and lively green tea layered with fresh jasmine flowers) to Silver Needle (the champagne of white tea, with notes of sweet sap and honeydew melon) and Rare Orchid (oolong tea with notes of fig and elderflower).

From the bar, guests can also enjoy an optional glass of Heidsieck or select from three Tea-based Cocktails - Tang Teapot (Rum, Chrysanthemum Tea, Yellow Chartreuse, Lychee & Rose Bitter), French Tea (Pothecary Gin, Champagne Syrup and Lavender Tea) or Cosmopot (Grey Goose Orange Vodka, Cointreau, Cranberry Juice, Pomegranate Syrup and Bergamot Tea).

Tea at Tangs was launched in January 2019, and pays homage to late owner Sir David Tang, and is expertly prepared by Executive Chef Chong Choi Fong. Served from Monday to Friday between 2.30pm-4.30pm, Afternoon Tea costs £46. Tea at Tangs can be accompanied with a glass of Champagne (from £17) or a cocktail (£16) and for large groups, China Tang can also accommodate tea parties in their stunning Private Dining Rooms - Ping, Pang and Pong, which can be booked in advance.

Chinese restaurants aren’t commonly known for their desserts and sweet selection, but I have to say China Tang excels in this area, and this was my favourite Afternoon Tea ever, so if you are looking for Afternoon Tea with a difference, and you love Chinese food, off to China Tang you go!

‘Tea at Tangs’ Afternoon Tea China Tang, The Dorchester, 53 Park Lane, Mayfair, London, W1K 1QA, Telephone: 020 7319 7088

When I was a child I went on holiday with my Mum and Dad to Las Vegas, and two of my most endearing memories are firstly, nearly being  thrown out of one casino as my brother and I (at the tender age of 14 and 16) were caught telling Mum and Dad what buttons to hit on the slot machines, and secondly, that there were restaurants offering all the food you could eat for just a $1! It was ‘pile it high’ and of dubious quality, but at a $1 what was there to complain about?

Casinos, I am sure, have changed considerably in the interim years, but I only realised how much they have changed when I left the hustle and bustle of Berkeley Square and entered the Palm Beach Casino in Mayfair. First impressions to me are always a good indicator of what to expect, and here the décor and ambiance oozes class, and the welcome was friendly, warm and ultra-efficient.

We were guided to the Cocktail Lounge that wouldn’t be out of place in a plush hotel, with its low leather tables surrounded by luxurious red plush seating, and started the difficult choice of what to drink from their extensive cocktail menu which is reasonably priced (unfortunately inflation had clearly increased the price up from the $1!). My wife chose for the first time ever, the wonderfully named Porn Star Martini, which was served with the champagne on the side, so she had the choice of mixing it or drinking the ingredients separately. She tried both versions and personally preferred them separately, and I have a feeling it won’t be the first time she chooses this tipple! What I didn’t realise is a Porn Star Martini doesn’t follow the usual Gin and Vermouth ingredients but instead has a wonderfully fresh and fruity passion fruit and vodka combination which almost make the drink feel non-alcoholic!!

The Palm Beach Casino has two wonderful choices for diners - one an informal Bar and Grill, and the other a more formal (but not too formal) restaurant. The relaxed Bar & Grill offers, all-day dining and coverage of the world’s major sporting events on the large TV screens overlooking the bar, and its menu reflects that less formal environment just next to the gaming area. Dishes are designed to appeal to the casino’s international clientele and traverses the globe, including as well as Zaman’s signature Asian dishes, choices such as the Palm Beach Burger with gherkins, onion rings and fries or the succulent 10oz grilled ribeye with peppercorn sauce and sautéed potatoes. The restaurant is a little more formal and is an eclectic mix of styles. Art deco mixes with modern and old school style and if I hadn’t been there and seen it with my own eyes, I would have said these styles wouldn’t mix, but they do, and make a perfect place to enjoy the delights that come out of the kitchen.

As I am sure you are realising the Palm Beach is a wonderful mixture of styles and its main restaurant is now exception and is opulent and elegant. Diners are transported back to a bygone era and are treated to dishes from around the world by award winning executive chef Mahmud Zaman’s extensive menu, which offers dishes from the Chinese, Indian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean menus. Choices are so difficult to make we actually selected 3 starters! A beetroot and goats cheese salad quickly disappeared as the sweetness of the beetroot complimented the rich and gooey cheese. The other choices (we really couldn’t decide between them) were Chinese chilli prawns and squid. The batter on the meaty prawn was so light it melted in your mouth and resembled one of the best prawn dishes we have had in a Chinese Michelin stared restaurant, and the squid was accompanied by a chilli sauce giving off just enough heat to complement the fresh squid. The quality of all three dishes was of the highest standard, as was the mains we chose. My wife chose from the Indian menu and enjoyed a mild king prawn curry with rice and a delicious paratha, whilst I opted for a perfectly cooked steak with chips that were crisp and chunky. For dessert we were offered a selection of dishes that were all beautifully presented and we can highly recommend the apple tarte tatin.

Although Palm Beach Casino is a casino, the restaurant is outstanding, and worthy of a visit for the cuisine alone. The service was also outstanding, with several diners being warmly greeted by staff who almost seemed like family to the guests, and I can understand why they would have so many regular clients in the restaurant.

Following our fantastic dining experience we did head to the gaming tables and enjoyed a few rounds of roulette, but luckily left before we lost too much money!

Palm Beach Casino is a fun night out, and even if you don’t enjoy gambling, you will enjoy the Cocktail Bar and restaurant.