FOOD & BOOZE NEWS
BEACH PARTY AT THE GORING
Having got the Royal Wedding out of the way, the Goring Hotel in Victoria – base camp for the Middletons during those heady days in April – is letting its hair down by creating a beach and bar in its garden. Basil Charles, who has spent a lifetime serving the finest cocktails to the jet set at Basil’s Bar in Mustique, will be present to oversee things, and there’ll be coconuts, battered old fishing boats, a bar with a polished driftwood counter, and a lot of sand. And the good news for upper crust beach bums is that it’s open all summer. Basil’s on the Beach, the Goring, Beeston Place, SW1W 0JW. www.thegoring.com
BEACH PARTY AT THE GORING
Getting a table at restaurants like the Ivy, Le Caprice and Scott’s isn’t always the easiest thing – but why bother when they can come to you? A service titled the Ivy To You has been launched by Urban Caprice, the events arm of the Caprice Holdings group of restaurants. On offer are chefs, designers, and technicians for everything from cocktail parties to gala dinners, with dishes from the famous restaurants on the menu as well as napkins, tableware and other design touches. For more information go to www.urbancaprice.co.uk
THE KRAKEN AWAKES…
Associate rum with lightness and sunshine and fresh summer cocktails? Think again. The Kraken rum is an altogether feistier beast, a black spiced rum that’s newly available here in the UK. It’s got a deep, mysterious taste full of cinnamon and cloves and caramel, and comes in a wonderfully handsome bottle – a talking point in any drinks cabinet. £22.99 from Selfridges and Majestic.