The Rib Room Knightsbridge

It's my Birthday, hurrah! What better time, then, to treat myself for dinner at somewhere new and interesting. I did a good bit of online research, primarily on Opentable.com, to find the best deal for my swankier-than-usual Tuesday evening meal. After shortlisting a few places close to work, I opted for the £29pp deal for 3 courses and a glass of champagne. After all, it is my Birthday!

I've hopped on the bus from work which drops me a short walk from the restaurant, incorporated within the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel. After a moment's brief confusion looking for an entrance on the terrace, we locate the restaurant's reception tucked at the end of the hotel lobby. Slightly more confusion as the receptionist looks for our reservation  (she was looking at the wrong day) and we're seated in a comfortable booth by the window. 

Presented with menus and a fancy electronic wine list, we are offered water and champagne (Tattinger), which we happily accept. The set menu isn't huge, with 4 options for each course, but as an unfussy eater it still takes me a while to decide which appeal the most. We both opted for the braised pig cheek to start, then I went for the roasted sea trout for main, with my other half choosing the roasted rib of beef, with a portion of minted jersey royals to share. After chuckling at the £7000 wine available, we select a South African Stellenbosch Syrah at £39 - we're both not so keen on white and my usual choice of a Pinot Noir was waaaay over budget!)

We're given bread and butter, which is a little disappointing - the crust is slightly tough rather than crispy. It's only a little thing but I am a huge fan of good bread and butter, and I am trying to write an honest review! Luckily, the starters that follow more than make up for the not-quite-perfect bread offerings, elegantly presented and deliciously aromatic before we've even taken a bite. The pork itself is tender and succulent, with the rich bacon jam and sharp sweetness of the apple working exceptionally well together. Interestingly, the artful combination of flavours on the plate also compliments the taste of the champagne, which was a little sweet on its own.

Our plates are cleared and water refilled as we wait for our mains. The service is relaxed but professional - we're given ample time to digest between courses but the waiters are attentive and polite without being intrusive. I tend to drink a lot of water when I eat out, so I'm particularly thankful for my never ending glass of iced water, topped up regularly and subtly throughout the meal. There's often a worry that restaurants attached to hotels might be lacking in character or identity, but I don't feel that here. The decor is traditional, verging on dated in style and quite dimly lit overall, but the seating, table positioning and general atmosphere are pleasant and enjoyable. 

The mains arrive, cleanly and simply presented, with the gravy for the beef and razor clam broth for the fish being added by the waiters at the last minute, which is a nice touch. I'm not actually sure how much this affects the flavour of the food or whether it's just for show. Food critics of the world - can you enlighten me? The beef was on the medium side of medium rare according to my partner, but the meat was tender and full of flavour nonetheless. The rib was served with a traditional Yorkshire, but it was the minted potatoes that really stood out for him as an accompaniment, with the punchy fresh mint perfectly complementing the rich flavours of the meat and gravy. My trout is tasty, although noticeably overcooked. The crispy skin works very well with the sweetness of the chargilled Grelot onions and spring vegetables but is a touch under-seasoned. Since the broth was very tasty and not too salty, a bit more of a rock salt crust on the trout, and a little less time roasting and my main would have lived up to the high standard set by the starter. As it was, the fish was sadly a little dry, and I also found the Jersey Royals slightly floury, although the powerful mint worked well with the flavours of my dish.

The main course plates are cleared, our table is brushed down and we are presented with the menus for our dessert choice. I'm not a big fan of heavy puddings, but the blueberry & violet souffle with yogurt sorbet sounds too tempting to pass up. My man opts for the traditional custard tart with poached prunes in Armagnac. The menu states that the souffle has a 15 minute wait, which is totally fine as we've still got half a bottle of wine left. The wine is tasty, coincidentally. It took a little while to breathe, but was full of the typical full body and deep fruity, spiciness of a New World Syrah. 

We're still sipping away when the puddings arrive, which look consistently neat and classic, in keeping with the other courses. My souffle is standing proud, risen high above its ramekin and a bright violet colour. I'm so excited to tuck in that I forgot to take a picture, so you'll just have to imagine what our puds looked like. The souffle is wonderfully flavoursome, although I could've sworn it had a sharp raspberry rather than blueberry acidity along with the rich egg, floral violet and sugary sweetness. Either way, the yoghurt sorbet is a welcome counterpart to the warmth of the souffle and I savour every morsel. The custard tart is tasty too, with rich vanilla standing out against the boozy prunes. 

We finish our wine at a leisurely pace and are presented with a selection of truffles - lime, salted caramel and peach. It's a nice gesture - the half empty tray is even replaced as we finish off our wine. the truffles aren't quite to my taste - there's a lot of thick liquid / jelly inside a thin shell and I'm not overkeen on the texture. But as a complimentary treat after the meal I can't complain. Service is added to the bill, so the total including service, wine and the side is almost exactly double the cost of the deal. That's the one thing to watch with any restaurant deals - the moment you add aperitifs, sides, coffees etc can effectively cancel the saving made on the food itself. We've been mindful of this though and I would definitely say that the overall cost is excellent value. 

To sum up - The Rib Room Knightsbridge served well presented, traditional food with great flavours and and impressive wine selection to match. The starters and desserts were the highlight, and it's a shame that a few minor faults with the main courses slightly lowered the high quality of what was, overall, a very tasty, reasonably priced meal. I'd recommend the Opentable deal for anyone looking for a special meal on a limited budget in one of London's most affluent areas. 

Bank Holiday Music weekend - ASIWYFA / Palm Reader.

3 days off work, so what better way to spend it than having my ears assaulted by 2 excellent bands accompanied by 1 good friend?

First up is Belfast outfit And So I Watch You From Afar, more often depicted as ASIWYFA,  presumably because they've too frequently run out of space on posters and flyers for their full name. A band I discovered a few years ago whilst venturing into The Cave stage at 2000 Trees festival in the rolling hills of Gloucestershire. Back then, I wasn't hugely familiar with the post rock genre, but I'd say ASIWYFA were probably one of the first bands to really spark my interest in all things post / math rock and beyond.

Tonight's venue is Islington Assembly Hall, a location I've not visited before, and one which is helpfully described to me by my friend as having "a lot of wood." To be fair, it's a pretty accurate description, with the main room, floor and ceiling all decked out in classy wooden panelling. It's a far cry from the dingy basement clubs that so often play host to the smaller bands I like. It's entirely opposite, in fact, to the venue I'll head to for the second leg of my Bank Holiday gigging adventures. But we'll get to that in a bit.

We arrive just before ASIWYFA are due to take the stage, having grabbed a quick drink in the nearby Hope & Anchor rather than shuffle in during the support act. It's a slightly older crowd than some rock bands would pull, groups of people standing around chatting as opposed to seeing how many shots they can down in the break between bands. The lights change to indicate the imminent arrival of the headline act and everyone's gaze shifts to the stage.

There's some brief atmospheric lighting and synth and they break into the upbeat "Run Home"- the opening track from the new album "Heirs" - to open the show. The next couple of tracks from the new release follow, leading into a quieter section in the middle of "BEAUTIFULUNIVERSEMASTERCHAMPION" from the 2011 "Gangs" EP. This brief downtime allows us to quietly discuss our appreciation for the post rock genre, and confirm our mutual admiration of the aforementioned woodwork and generally decadent decor. Surroundings aside, ASIWYFA are one of those acts who can really capture an audience's attention. From high octane technical riffs to almost silence within one track, the anticipation of the next soaring stanza is palpable in the quietness of the pauses.

A few more tracks from "Gang" are followed by the high energy "Like a Mouse" from the band's second album "All Hail Bright Futures." The sound fills the room with electric riffs and technical drumbeats, mixed up with a melee of electronic beeps and off-beat rhythms. With a large number of instrumental post-rock artists, one might worry about a lack of wordy vocals, that there might be something missing from the music. There is certainly nothing whatsoever lacking in ASIWYFA's performance tonight. The melodies are so complex, and the noise they make so complete, that there's no need for lyrics to convey the power of the tracks. 

"S is for Salamander" and "A Beacon, A Compass, An Anchor" precede "A Little Bit Of Solidarity Goes A Long Way"; the first offering tonight from the band's eponymous debut album. There's an element of rawness to this earlier material that's a noticeable change from the polished sound of the newer tunes, but it blends seamlessly into the set, the energy, focus and clever musicality every bit as accomplished as their newer writing. Finishing the main set with the emotive "Tryer, you" from the new album, these Northern Irish guys have given us a belter of a show, the new material along with the old going down a treat with the fans.

An encore consisting of 2 more tracks from the first album and 2 from the second, including the ever popular "Set Guitars To Kill" finish the evening on a familiar high, the soaring riffs and energetic beats leaving a buzz in the air and a very satisfied crowd.

ASIWYFA are a band I would 100% recommend to anyone who appreciates musical skill and passionate performances. I'll be catching them back at 2000 Trees in a few weeks, if you see them playing at a venue near you, do go along and check them out. I'm pretty sure you won't regret it.

In a complete change of venue and genre, the second of my Bank Holiday gigs is Palm Reader at the Windmill in Brixton. I've not been to this venue before either, and it couldn't really be much more different to the lavish interior of Islington Assembly Hall. Tucked down a residential side street up Brixton Hill, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the Windmill for some sort of community space or social club.

It's 4 o'clock in the afternoon and I'm running a little late. Odd time for a gig you might think, and you'd be right, if it weren't for the fact that this is gig 3 of 5 for the Palm Reader boys, who decided to play at 5 venues in and around London in one day aptly entitled "5 shows; 1 day; no fucks" to promote their new album, "Beside The Ones We Love".

If Wednesday is "hump day" because it's day 3 of 5 in the working week, you might expect this to be the the "hump set" which looks all kinds of wrong written down. I mean that the energy might be flagging, the voices going. Oh gods no. As I'm a little late, they've already broken into the ferocious "I Watch The Fire Chase My Tongue" from the new release. Their characteristic energy is there from the off, with heavy riffs and screaming hardcore vocals. It's a tiny venue and we can barely see the stage, although it transpires that this is partly due to the space being given by the small but excited crowd to allow the frontman Josh to expand from the stage and get in amongst the fans.  

Next up is "Stone's Blood", also from the new record, which is relentless in terms of sheer noise and brutal guitars. "Spineless" from the debut album follows, the crowd swaying to the pounding rhythms with a sense of familiarity.

"Sing Out Survivor", with its melodic and slower paced, emotive breakdown, and "Stacks" follow from the second album, finishing with the brilliant technical guitars and powerful vocals of "Seeing And Believing Are Two Different Things" and pure hardcore assault on the ears that is "Smack Hound" from the debut offering; "Bad Weather".

I manage to catch up with guitarist Andy after the show, who is still in high spirits despite working up a good sweat, and facing two more gigs before the day is out. These guys are finally getting some decent recognition since their formation in 2011, and you can tell it's the hard work and passion they put into their music that has got them to this point. They have time for a quick drink and a couple of merch sales and it's back into the van in the fading light of early evening towards Kingston for gig number 4. If you like hardcore, or even if you don't,  do check these guys out if you get a chance. Their talent and sheer energy on stage is clear, and I hope they will continue to gain the popularity they rightfully deserve.

So there you have it. 2 totally different bands, 2 totally different venues, but a wholly enjoyable experience and a most excellent way to celebrate an extra day off work.

Once again I was too busy enjoying myself to take any pictures, so you'll just have to go and see these bands for yourself to discover what they look like giving it their all on stage.

You can check out ASIWYFA here and Palm Reader here to find out more.