Valentines day at The Hundred of Ashendon a review

The Gastro Pub Top 50 is a publication that I suggest you all take a closer look at. It details a list of establishments that you certainly have a better chance of enjoying than any Tripadvisor reference review you care to mention. Yes it’s utterly arbitrary, yes the winners are awarded by a hidden judging panel that is un-democratically appointed and almost certainly mostly comprised of members of the white middle-class male persuasion. And yes, it will have missed plenty of worthy contenders but when you are looking around for an independent British pub dinner, it’s still as good a sure thing as you are likely to get so my advice is to get it learned.

Chocolate Dreams of Out of Office Coffee and Cocoa Runners: A Mrs P. and The Child takeover

Shivering, I walked out of a biting sub-zero winter night, seeking shelter in a bright and warm coffee shop. Welcomed by smiles, a hot drink and piles of different chocolates laid out over all the tables I might well be in a favourite dream. But no, better than a dream, Mr P has been called away on business and I have skilfully talked myself into taking his place on the latest tasting event that Out of Office Coffee have to offer. #awesomes! You might well remember Rob’s favourable introduction to Out of Office Coffee, but since opening they have quickly become a favourite midday hang out for Mr P. They take getting a decent cup of coffee (or tea) very seriously and their passion for top quality products shines through. As such, they have a range of premium, single origin, craft chocolate to tempt you and tonight ladies and gentlemen, in the latest round of their evening events, I was to be spoilt by getting to try them all in a chocolate tasting extravaganza hosted by Spencer from artisan chocolate supplier Cocoa Runners!

A review of Rocksalt Rooms and an unwanted introduction to Brian’s shaved testicals

When you travel for work as much as I do, you get used to a specific type of hotel room. It’s not the Ned, the Grosvenor or even the Fairmont. It’s a Travelodge, Premier / Holiday Inn or Best Western if you get lucky with the booking (although I have stayed in some properly dodge Best Western’s in my time, the one in Tiverton particularly stands out for all the wrong reasons – and the time I suffered through three days there is another, very specific, story). So it’s rare that I come across the odd one that I walk through the door and immediately call Mrs P. to say that I’ve found a cracker. But that’s what happened when I got to the Rocksalt Rooms and it always means we’ve got something special .

A surprising request to review Jamie’s Italian, Covent Garden.

In the past, I have had my fair share of issues with Jamie Oliver. I love his recipes, but despite multiple attempts, I’ve never managed to see the connection between the ethos behind his family orientated, ‘bish-bash-bosh throw it all on a board’ style of TV chef cookery and the over contrived wideboy-cockneyfied presentation of the restaurant chain. It all seems too trite. However, by virtue of me having this blog that you lot still seem to be reading (thanks very much!), they keep inviting me in to eat there and because I’m nothing if not universal in my acceptance of a free meal it was with the glorious abandon that only the promise of a free lunch can provide, that Mrs P and I strolled into Jamie’s Italian Covent Garden.

A review of Tsumbay Sport wireless headphones. They may be terrible but I love them

I want to make sure that I don’t mislead anyone with this review. So I’ll take this opportunity to make it perfectly clear; I loved the Tsumbay headphones. Loved them. Despite the fact that I am a man known across the globe for my sarcasm, there is none of that here. Not even a trace of irony or even any trivial mockery, I promise. Just to underline the point once again in case anyone is confused: I think the Tsumbay wireless headphones are BRILLIANT.

However it must also be said that as functioning headphones they are also absolutely dreadful. At best they are not bad and at worst totally rubbish but I hope you’ll give me the opportunity to explain, there is so much more to them than these simple descriptions.