Restaurant Review

Cheeseburgers. That was our final meal on a recent visit to Madrid. My defence, apart from mild sunstroke, is that it was a Saturday night, and I had failed to prepare. It got later, the restaurants...

Private jets, penthouse suites, top of the podium. Champagne always seems to be drunk at altitude. People at ground level can keep their tepid beers and hot drinks, as they need to stay warm while...

If you’re looking for a book about diet and nutrition, 613.2 is your Dewey Decimal System number. I used to work in a library. Shelving and cataloguing were two of my least favourite jobs. Date stamping...

I am a survivalist when it comes to filling up on nibbles. At an evening event, 14 canapés are the rough equivalent of dinner. Stand near the kitchen, don’t chat or network (apart from with the waiting...

  I once set my hair on fire while guising.   For some reason, the 10-year-old me thought it’d add extra drama to my costume if I was carrying a candle (loose, not even enclosed in a neepy...

Teenagers, what are they like? Growing up, socialising and generally being infuriating. That is... if they are not busy quite literally, trying to save the planet like Greta Thunberg. This pint-sized...

I’m always a bit nervous about reviewing any of the Contini family’s operations. I edit Carina’s monthly recipe in The Scotsman Magazine. If I had to criticise any of their restaurants, which include...

I saw Damm27 once. They were supporting The Sex Pistols, back in 1978. Their lead singer fell into the mosh pit, while she was performing their hit song, Causewayside Riot. I don’t think there are...

Glacier, XXX strong, and the fluff-covered Polos at the bottom of your bag. I love them all, so it should be easy, I thought, to find the new pizza chain Franco Manca. Just follow the toothpaste smell of...

What does one wear to an izakaya? Since it’s a Japanese version of a gastropub, something casual might be in order. However, if you’re visiting Mikaku, you could always invest in the blonde spiky wig...