The Magazine

Malaysian living in London, UK. This is a personal blog containing a mixture of food, travel, and things that I love in life. Email: feliciatys@yahoo.co.uk. View my complete profile. You're Never Too Old To Dream. "You gotta dance like nobody's watching,. Love like you'll never be hurt,. Sing like there's nobody listening,

I think I may have been overdoing it on the blogging recently, but I just came back from a lovely restaurant that I really wanted to tell you about. Plus, it's very exciting to be able to concentrate on doing more blogging rather than thinking of weddings, diets and everything else!

The Magazine at the Serpentine Sackler Gallery is a work of art in itself! Just check out that cool futuristic exterior: 

And the light, airy interior. 

Set in Kensington Gardens, it was the perfect way to make the most of the last days of summer. I even got one last wear out of my white dress
We were meeting close friends of ours, Lauren and Dave who were soon to be parents for the first time. So for once a non-alcoholic cocktail is making an appearance in my blog: a cucumber cooler. 

The menu at The Magazine is largely Japanese as chef Oliver Lange or 'Ollysan' is European, but passionate about Japanese food and culture. 

Though Japanese contains a lot of raw fish, and not the first choice of venue for a pregnant lady, there were plenty of options for Lauren. We started with a platter of sushi: 

Including spicy hamachi, Scottish salmon, tempura softshell crab and surf and turf rolls. Unfortunately it took a while to come, we were hungry, it was a late lunch and we'd all just been to the gym... but when it turned up it was worth the wait. 

Main courses were also from the sea: 

Sea Bass with white bean and smoked clam sauce.

Roasted monkfish with coconut and lemongrass, 

Hamachi sashimi ceviche style with mango and scallop crisp,

We ordered scallops with cauliflower and ginger for Lauren but unfortunately they weren't cooked enough for her, though the rest of us very much enjoyed them. 

And a pregnancy-friendly parsnip soup for Lauren. 

To compensate for the wait we'd had, a round of free desserts were given to us.

Poached apricot with a butter financier,

A kind of deconstructed banoffee pie with roasted tea ice cream,

And my favourite: beetroot, blackberry and yogurt which tasted really light and healthy. 

All mopped up a deliciously decadent chocolate brownie! 

Though the food had been slow (an hour's wait) everything was very much worth waiting for. Totally tasty dishes, in a very beautiful setting. Ok...I promise no more blogging til Monday n

The brand new Sackler gallery which is a converted, derelict 18th century gunpowder store has just opened in Kensington Palace Gardens. And not only is it one amazing space showcasing some fantastic art, but it has a shiny new restaurant designed by architect Zaha Hadid, named the Magazine (which doesn't need explaining i hope). It looks like a spaceship has crash landed down the side of the gallery. When it comes to restaurants in london, The Magazine can rest assure it has a stunning restaurant, in a stunning setting which feels as though you've been transported 50 years into the future.

I definitely think that these semi permanent structures which can be dismantled and erected with ease will be the thing of the future - just think of the locations they can be set in. When we arrived at the Magazine there was a little confusion to the set menu which was offered on the website - it was not available on saturdays (even though the website said so). The staff of course honored the offer and were very pleasant and attentive throughout our meal.

The chef here at this beautiful restaurant is German born Oliver Lange, who previously worked for the eponymous Pret A Diner events. For lunch mon-fri (not Saturday) you can get yourself three courses for £25 - a bargain if you ask me. We started with some light and airy bread (which would have been nice if served warm) but the whipped butter with black salt was absolutely delicious and i could smell it on its journey to the table.

We started with the soup, something i'm always disappointed by but Mr Lange has certainly changed my attitude towards it. A butternut squash soup with honey and pumpkin seeds arrived, looking immaculate. The soup had a such a lovely flavour with a nice sweetness. The honey very light indeed and not overpowering, while the sees gave a little texture to it all. A sort of pea and mint powder was served on the side which congealed when wet and was a lovely little touch. A revelation of a dish for the humble soup.

The main of cod, cauliflower and ocean herbs looked, and smelt very inviting on the plate. The cod was cooked on the cusp of being raw - some serious talent to cook fish this well, though i wouldn't have complained for a bit of charred crust to it. Some toasted nuts and seeds, crunchy cauliflower and delicious creamy sauce were on hand to bring this dish together. A very tasty dish, but dare i say it was lacking in a little seasoning.

Hungry? Read more - http://www.londonfoodaholic.co.uk/2013/11/the-magazine-sackler-gallery-kensington-gardens-review-london.html

Lovely restaurant/cafe in the middle of Hyde park. Situated next to the serpentine in a beautifully designed modern building. Has both indoor and outdoor seating. Limited menu for brunch but enough to visit a couple of times. Very tasty food and heat coffee and hot chocolate on offer plus an extensive cocktail menu. All in all a lovely place and the only reason for the stars was service was a little slow, food arrived before our drinks and I’d say it’s a normal thing to provide butter with your toast or mayonnaise with your fries, but it took the young lady a good 10 minutes to find it. Might be better for butter to be supplied rather than the staff having to run around looking. Would definitely return though!

Had a great brunch in a cozy and modern surroundings. Prices are correct. The shakshuka was amazing with tons of flavors and great texture!!! Highly recommend if you want to go to the next door exhibition or to just take a break during your walk.

We had a wonderful meal today in a restaurant in a wonderful location. My wife had the smoked mackerel pate, an espresso Martini and a yoghurt panna cotta. I had the shakshuka, seaweed seeper and a yoghurt panna cotta. The restaurant is adjacent to the Serpentine where we saw a gorgeous swan, a blue heron and a Henry Moore sculpture “The Arch.” The staff are very friendly and the vibe is chic modern.

Had a splendid afternoon in this delightful restaurant. The design of the place is wonderful and the service staff is par excellence. Lovely young waitress Bruna served us and presented fantastic customer service. All in all, 5 star recommendation if hungry or in need of a coffee when in Hyde park!

Beautiful place, the staff is amazing and very careful to every detail, but i really want to let everyone know that I've met the best manager I've ever seen, Simone. He is such a beautiful person, professional and smart. Is not easy to find people like him. I suggest to everyone to give a try, the food is so fresh and tasty in a wonderful environment, I've been welcomed in the best way.