Tamburlaine Restaurant and Bar – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 02/09/2017 by One Two Culinary Stew

UPDATE: The Tamburlaine Hotel is under new ownership and is now known as Clayton Hotel Cambridge.

Cambridge’s Tamburlaine hotel opened last March to a lot of fanfare, particularly their launch party (which I missed due to illness). There was a great buzz about the place, bringing some life to the developing area by the train station.

The hotel’s stylish rooms and venues certainly have the wow factor. It’s a gorgeous place to visit and I did pop into their stunning bar a while back and really enjoyed their cocktails.

I had read conflicting reports about the restaurant so Paulo and I decided to try it for ourselves. We visited on a Wednesday evening without a reservation. There was no need as the restaurant was fairly empty. We were warmly welcomed and given a choice of nice tables by the window, near the open kitchen.

The Brasserie-style dining room is elegant and quite large, almost a little too large for any kind of warm ambience. Still, additional people in the room would have made for a more intimate experience but it looked like the other diners were lone hotel guests who didn’t feel like venturing into Cambridge’s busier areas.

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Browns – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 13/05/2017 by One Two Culinary Stew

Browns has been a Cambridge institution since it opened its doors in 1987. The beautiful building was part of the old Addenbrooke’s Hospital originally built in 1766 and the outpatients department, with its majestic columns, was built as a memorial to King Edward VII in 1914.

I visited Browns a few times when I moved to Cambridge and I have to admit it was looking a little tired and the spaces didn’t flow. Browns has now been completely transformed thanks to an extensive interior refurbishment. It’s contemporary and luxurious with a touch of glamour in every area, from the sweeping bar and its grand piano to the various purposely designed spaces for public, semi-private and private dining. Ideal for parties, family gatherings, business meetings and romantic dinners, there are sections for every occasion.

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1H+K – Vaasa (Finland)

Posted on 09/02/2017 by One Two Culinary Stew

Once in a while you stumble upon the perfect little restaurant that has it all: great food, ambience and service. 1H+K is that place, although it happens to be in Vaasa, Finland so I’m not able to pop in nearly as often as I’d like. However, I did make the most of my short stay and enjoyed dinner at 1H+K twice.

1H+K stands for one (1) room (huone) + kitchen (keittiö) and that’s exactly what it is, although there is a private dining room available (they call it a cabinet). The restaurant (ravintola) is tucked away on the first floor above the Pentik shop but it isn’t part of the store. It’s completely independent and is accessed through the main entrance with its own staircase. However, you can spot the restaurant from inside the shop.

Its relatively hidden premises is part of the charm. It’s like discovering a secret location for those “in the know”. It certainly feels as though it’s the type of place only locals know about, as there is no English version of their website. Fortunately, I was able to find their main menu on their Facebook page that included the English translation. The dishes feature local produce and seasonal cooking, which means that the menu changes a few times a year and remains small (as it should be) with 4 or 5 items per course.

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Steak & Honour Restaurant – Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 03/02/2017 by One Two Culinary Stew

I’ve been raving about Steak & Honour for years and have been ~~stalking~~ tracking their burger van since it first hit the streets of Cambridge a few years ago. It was so popular, a second Citroen H van was added to keep up with the demand for their delicious gourmet burgers. In January 2017, Steak & Honour launched the long awaited restaurant on Wheeler Street, next door to the Corn Exchange.

Cambridge is burger heaven with Steak & Honour’s two vans trading at various locations as well as the bricks and mortar site. There is even a handy Steak & Honour app to keep track of their daily schedules and receive restaurant offers and rewards.

The restaurant reflects the street food experience with its open kitchen so you can see the chefs in action while you are queueing or waiting for your meal. There are about 40 seats spread out over three floors, mostly on the first and second floors up the colourful stairs.

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The Crown & Punchbowl – Horningsea, Cambridge (UK)

Posted on 05/03/2016 by One Two Culinary Stew

I was honoured to be invited by Cambscuisine to enjoy a meal at their latest venture, The Crown & Punchbowl in Horningsea, Cambridge. Having undergone an extensive refurbishment, it’s another great addition to Cambscuisine’s impressive list of restaurants. I admire how Cambscuisine always get it right in terms of food, service and ambience. I’ve written about some of their other establishments: The Cock in Hemingford Grey (here and here) and SmokeWorks (here).

Photo courtesy of The Crown & Punchbowl

I was impressed as soon as I saw this lovely country pub and restaurant. It’s an old 17th century coaching inn with traditional features such as brick fireplaces and original timber beams. It’s been extended over the years and sympathetically restored.

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Back to the Garden – Letheringsett, Norfolk (UK)

Posted on 25/02/2014 by One Two Culinary Stew

Happenstance…something that happens by chance bringing about a good result. This isn’t a word I use on a regular basis but it describes perfectly my visit to Back to the Garden, a farm shop, café and restaurant in Letheringsett, near Holt. My husband Paulo and I were on our way to Holt and Back to the Garden’s clean, modern signage from the A148 caught my eye. I have a penchant for visiting farm shops so we decided to stop and have a look.

I was immediately impressed by the majestic barn and its double-height windows set against traditional barn doors, which give the illusion of being flung open.

Everything about the building said “come on in”. You can’t get a better welcome than that.

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A Bubbling Cauldron of Food Experiences

Tag Archives: restaurant

Tamburlaine Restaurant and Bar – Cambridge (UK)

Browns – Cambridge (UK)

1H+K – Vaasa (Finland)

Steak & Honour Restaurant – Cambridge (UK)

The Crown & Punchbowl – Horningsea, Cambridge (UK)

Back to the Garden – Letheringsett, Norfolk (UK)