Friday 02 May 2025.

Friday 02 May 2025...5.45pm to 9.15pm... PERMIT ROOM - preview - 168 Portobello Road, London W11. Dishoom Permit Room open their fourth all-day bar-café. Brighton 𐩑 Cambridge 𐩑 Oxford 𐩑 Portobello. A salute to the permit rooms of Bombay. Ground floor and first floor are for the food and drinks , and the top floor is for lodgings The area is totally buzzing with tourists. We are seated upstairs by the window. The venue itself is totally lively. Moreish curries, seriously good bar snacks, plates for sharing (and a handful of best Dishoom favourites). Breakfasts too. And of course, cracking good cocktails to wash it all down with. The cocktails are pre-mixed , which is usually a bad sign , but here they are total quality , when they arrive in bottles, along with a glass of ice. We had lots of complimentary food and drinks. We had a couple of plates of snacks and nan bread . Chicken Korma Spicy Prawn Masala Tandoori Chicken Lamb Curry Along with sides and yummy desserts. We had five different cocktails each . The staff were great . What they say.... To eat… At Permit Room, there’s round-the-clock deliciousness. Breakfast Naan Rolls and Marmalade Mimosas kick-start the day. Lunch is light, or long. Fresh salads and crispy Chaats, maybe some Chicken Pick-Me-Ups for the afternoon. Picky-snacky-crunchy Chakli and Peanut Masala go well with local beers. Then wrap your teeth around select Dishoom favourites like Chicken Ruby with a side of Chilli Butter-Bhutta. Stay for late-night cocktails and tasty Sweets Things, too. ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------ Thursday 01 May 2025....7.15pm to 10.30pm. FORTNUM & MASON FOOD and DRINK AWARDS at Fortnum & Mason , The Royal Exchange , Bank, London . Celebrating and encouraging excellence in food and drink writing, publishing, broadcasting and photography since 2013. The 7pm opening time was delayed for some reason. A big crowd of over 300 guests , who are gathered around Fortnums stunning oval shaped long bar . At 8pm for 30 mins were the awards. The hosts were ANGELA HARKNETT and ANDI OLIVER. GYLES BRANDRETH presented a special award to DAME MARY BERRY. Others here included JAY RAYNER and STUART WATTS Top celebrity photographers ALAN CHAPMAN and RICHARD YOUNG were here. Lots of complimentary food and drinks , including Fortnum & Mason champers , gin cocktails, wines , beers along with lots of tasty Fortnums canapes, including a seafood selection ,including oysters and caviar ice-cream. All guests got a goodie bag with three Fortnums food items.

Posted 1st May 2025