I left London for Somerset, but realised Soho is the real home of 'village' life
When I lived on Manvers Street, I knew half my block, and was especially friendly with the sex worker next door who kept the same antisocial hours I did, so we'd often collide falling home with boys, or go to each other flats begging for Rizla. Or I'd pop in to see Ivan Massow on his house on D'arbly Street as I was walking home from Heaven. Or run into Howard Jacobson – or another Soho characters like the dapper George Skeggs, lifelong Soho-ite Tim Lord, or the tailor Mark Powell. It's so different to country life which can be so cliquey and unspontaneous.
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Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Is this £12 toastie REALLY the best takeaway in the UK? We tried Deliveroo's most popular order to see if it's worth the hype
RAW VIDEO: RAW 3450971 MailOnline tries Deliveroo's top order to see if it's worth the hype Few meals are as universally satisfying as a good sarnie - but would you pay for £12 for one? It would appear that the answer is, overwhelmingly, yes, for many Britons - who voted a trendy toastie vendor as the Independent Restaurant of the Year UK & Ireland at the Deliveroo awards. The winners of the food delivery platform's annual accolades were announced last week, based on 160,000 customer votes and the verdict of a panel of judges; founder Will Shu, food critic Jimi Famurewa and Tilly Ramsay. Taking the crown for one of the categories was Crunch - a viral foodie spot with locations in London 's Soho and Spitalfields Market. The brioche bread pop-up shop is particularly beloved for its £12 Patty Melt, promising a filling of 'truffle beef patties, red Leicester cheese, crispy onion marmelade and black truffle mayonnaise'. I was cynical on my approach to the stall in East London, broadly feeling that the endeavour will essentially end up in me eating a glorified burger sans the soft bun. What's more, I was hesitant about the structural soundness of framing your brand around crispy slices of toast, which could so easily fall apart go soggy. Deciding to also sample a veggie options for the less carnivorously inclined, I opted to taste-test their £12 Buffalo Cauliflower sandwich, which featured 'deep-fried florets, ranch coleslaw, butter-buffalo sauce and a rich parmesan cream'. Upon first bites of both, I was quickly humbled by how incredibly well crafted a toastie could be - and deeply baffled by how anyone could achieve such witchcraft. It was about 15 minutes after me purchasing the sandwiches that I was actually able to sit down and eat them, so they were also sternly subject to 'delivery' conditions - and I was blown away by the (for lack of a better word, crunchy!) bite. Starting with the Patty Melt - a saucy endeavour that packed two juicy, well-cooked meat patties as well as other adornments - I was ready for the impact of wettened bread. Instead, the perfectly buttered brioche tasted as if it had just popped out the toaster, while still staying springy and not dry at all. The individual elements themselves all sang in harmony, never feeling too overpowering. And yet everything was tasteable, from the fragrant truffle to the sweet onion jam. It was far from a burger rip-off, but instead felt to me like what all burgers should now be doing, to deal with the consistent issue of soggy bread melting into the filling. I've paid well over £15 for over-hyped smashed, double stacked and ornately-decorated burgers in London; so £12 felt to me like a more than fair price for not just the quality of the ingredients but the craftsmanship presented. While the Patty Melt truly is a bestseller for the brand (and was the most popular dish on Deliveroo) they're also known for their creative veggie options. Tucking into my cauliflower I once again braced myself for disappointment - this time not only the bread was at risk but the frying batter could easily become too soft, covered in condiments, around an already tender vegetable. But science-defying culinary mastery won over, as I bit into a perfectly crispy concoction that had held up perfectly. What's more, unlike being a token meatless option offered at many other vendors (particularly smaller ones, like Crunch) it was not only one of a few on offer but was absolutely delicious in taste. I found myself torn between going to the Patty Melt and back to the cauliflower sarnie, finding both equally impressive. More incredulous to me as well is that the florets - which are 'marinated overnight in the same buffalo butter and a bunch of spices' - usually part of a typically bland veg on its own, were packed so full of flavour. I struggled to find a single flaw in the meal, and would happily splurge the £24 on them once again. Deliveroo last week revealed the top takeaway restaurants in the UK which along with Crunch, included high street bakery Gail's. Winners were split across five different categories including independent businesses on both national and regional levels - and a new category sponsored by darts sensation Luke Littler who uncovered the nation's best kebab. Competing against Crunch for the crown, were restaurants who'd already picked up regional awards, including a Leeds cake shop and Bristolian fast-food chain. Each were judged by the panel on brand personality, food quality and value, packaging and presentation, customer reviews and loyalty, innovation, and going the extra mile. After being crowned the International Restaurant of the Year for Greater London, Crunch went on to battle against the other regional winners before winning the national category too. The self-described 'experimental' eatery, which opened in 2022, amassed a cult following on social media, with the trendy bap makers were praised for their string of five star reviews, and by judges 'for creating a new era of game-changing sandwiches and their fearless approach to cooking'. Regional categories were won by a mixture of pizza, cake and salad outlets. In Belfast, health food restaurant and burrito bar, Seed, won the Independent Restaurant of the Year for Ireland. Serving acai bowls, superfood salads, burritos and smoothies, health conscious Seed won the hearts of the Irish. Scotland preferred pizza over salad, with the nation nominating Big Manny's Pizza as their winner. The Aberdeen-based eatery serves a range of decadent cheesy pies and is famed for their unrivalled meat specials and 18-inch pizzas, available by collection only. Bristol won on burger and chips with the city's Oowee Diner located on North Street, winning the area for its burgers, tasty dips and loaded dirty fries. Get Baked, a cake shop and bakery located in Leeds, took home the crown for Manchester and Leeds. The eatery has amassed a cult following online, in particular for its Bertha cake, a huge layered chocolate cake that was inspired by the Roald Dahl tale Matilda. Leeds was also the destination for the winner of the Luke Littler x Deliveroo Best Kebab Award, with the city's Sqew Shawarma Bar nabbing the title. The darts prodigy shortlisted ten 'Litter-approved' venues, all of which went to a public vote with Sqew Shawarma Bar, coming out top. Sqew's Khobez kebab with chicken, salad and sauce, was a notable mention. Additional awards were granted in acknowledgment of other hospitality strengths, including Deliveroo's Above and Beyond awards. Divisive high-street bakery, Gail's, was also given a Heart of the Community award across the nation, a win that will no doubt come as a surprise to those who have accused the chain of 'gentrification'. The bakery was at the heart of fierce debate last year, as locals in a number of locations, including Worthing and Wandsworth, fought back against plans to build new outlets on their high-streets. Others in the category included the Environmentally Sustainability award, given to Bujo in Dublin, the Customer Obsession award, which went to Burger Me Up in Birmingham, and the Rider Love award given to Thunderbirds, a chicken restaurant with various outlets across London. The Icon awards also showcased the talents of UK restaurant owners, with Naeem Aslam, Director of Aagrah Leeds winning the Lifetime Achievement, and Rich Myers, Founder of Get Baked scoring the Changing the Game award. The Rising Star award went to Enrico Pinna, Co-Founder of Ad Maiora, in Manchester. The Role Model award was given to Tim Vasilakis, Founder of The Athenian, which boasts multiple locations across the UK, including in London, Bristol and Sheffield. Reflecting on the overall winner of this year's Deliveroo awards, Jimi Famurewa, food critic and Deliveroo restaurant awards judge, said: 'It's an honour to be a returning judge for Deliveroo's UK & Ireland restaurant awards, and I was blown away by the passion and talent on display at the Independent Restaurant of the Year cook-off. 'Each finalist brought something unique and delicious to the table, making the final decision incredibly tough for us. 'However, Crunch from London stood out amongst the fierce competition, showcasing immense creativity, fine dining-level technique and mindblowing flavour that impressed us all.' Michael Medovnikov, Co-founder of Crunch said: 'From our humble beginnings in a Shoreditch pub to winning Independent Restaurant of the Year for UK & Ireland with Deliveroo in just a few years – it's an absolutely surreal and incredible feeling. We poured our hearts into every single sandwich we've made for our customers, so this award is for our amazing team and all the customers who've supported us from the start of this wild journey. Thank you to Deliveroo and everyone who voted for us to receive this amazing recognition!'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Ronnie Wood, 78, rocks a pair of custom-made Rolling Stones trainers as he steps out with wife Sally, 47, for an event celebrating 50 years of the iconic band
Rock icon Ronnie Wood slipped into a pair of his own custom made Rolling Stone shoes as he enjoyed a night out in central London on Thursday. The I Can't Get No Satisfaction hitmaker, 78, was pictured strolling arm-in-arm with his wife Sally Humphreys Wood, 47, on their way to dinner at The Ivy in Soho. Ronnie seemed in great spirits for the occasion as he cracked a smile for the cameras while donning the eye-catching red trainers. The high-top leather shoes - believed to have been custom made for the Rolling Stones legend - feature the band's iconic tongue and lips emblem printed on their front. He also showed off the famous logo with his choice of trousers for the evening, with Ronnie sporting a pair of black joggers featuring the emblem on their thigh. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop While Sally, the rocker's third wife, wore a vibrant red T-shirt to match her husband's footwear along with a pair of flared blue jeans. After their dinner, Ronnie and Sally headed over to Carnaby Street for a special celebration marking 50 years of the Rolling Stones - which perhaps explains the 78-year-old's outfit of choice for the evening. Held at the Rolling Stones Official Store, the event showcased an exhibition of Ronnie's original artwork, iconic guitars and stage-worn costumes from his time with the band. The star, who appeared thrilled to be celebrating the group's success, posed in front of three portraits of his old bandmates - Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Mick Jagger - after his arrival. After removing a brown jacket he was snapped wearing earlier, Ronnie revealed he and Sally were sporting matching T-shirts for the occasion. The couple married in 2012, exchanging vows during an intimate ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel in London following a six-month romance, with Rod Stewart serving as best man. The pair met at her place of work, the Theatre Royal, nine years beforehand. They went on to welcome daughters Gracie Jane and Alice Rose in 2016. A couple of months ago, film producer Sally opened up on her life with the rock legend. After their dinner, Ronnie and Sally headed over to Carnaby Street for a special celebration marking 50 years of the Rolling Stones - which perhaps explains the 78-year-old's outfit of choice for the evening 'We spend a lot of time together - we get on really well,' she told The Mirror. 'I feel we're very lucky, because we love being at home with the girls and watching telly and going to nice restaurants. We do all of that anyway.' Meanwhile, Sally told that far from living a rock and roll lifestyle, the couple love nothing better than staying up late to read books and watch the TV, adding that they're 'night owls'. Sharing a candid glimpse into their day to day lives, she continued: 'I take the girls to school every day, but Ronnie at 2,3,4,5 in the morning, goes to sleep. 'I think because he's so programmed to go on stage until 10 or 11 o'clock at night, so he has to wind down after that. I've always worked at night in the theatres. We're just naturally night people. Normally Ronnie gets up at midday.' Before tying the knot with Sally, Ronnie was married to two previous women - Krissy Findlay from 1971 to 1878 and Jo Wood for a more than a quarter of a century until 2011. Ronnie and Jo, who share two children together, split after the rocker had an affair with a 19-year-old cocktail waitress called Ekaterina 'Katia' Ivanova. Earlier this year, Jo revealed she's written a 'sexy and shocking' novel based on her experience of recovering from her divorce from the Rolling Stones icon. The fiction story, titled The Resurrection of Flo, is set for release this summer. The 70-year-old told the Mail: 'The book is about how not to be a victim after a marriage. And how to pick yourself up and get out there - and have fun, and experience life fully as an older woman. 'Breaking up with your husband... I know what that feels like', Jo said. 'Many women know what that's like, where the man you love has run off. They say you have to write from experience. 'My friend read it and said, ''Oh Jo, I could imagine that's what happened to you when you and Ronnie broke up.'' It's fiction, and the story is about Flo, but of course I'm going to put my feelings into it.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Jourdan Dunn flaunts her jaw-dropping figure in a sexy cowgirl outfit as she joins Stormzy's star-studded celebrations to mark the first anniversary of his House Party
Jourdan Dunn topped the star-studded guest list celebrating with Stormzy the first anniversary of his House Party nightclub in London's Soho on Thursday. The British supermodel, 34, set pulses racing as she flaunted her jaw-dropping figure for the bash in a sexy western inspired ensemble. Jourdan wore a strapless fringed top and tight suede trousers as she showcased her incredibly toned abs while dancing the night away. The stunner completed the look with a cowboy hat and boots along with a statement necklace and flawless make-up. Meanwhile rapper Stormzy, 31, who looked stylish in all black, was in great spirits and blew out candles on a huge cake before performing for his guests. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The club resembles a typical at home rager with beer pong, red cups, table football and even a tattooist in the bathroom. American star Nelly also took to the mic to close the night as he clambered up onto the kitchen island to belt out his hit Hot In Herre. House Party is seven-storey townhouse concept on Poland Street, created by Stormzy and Cream Group, with other VIPs attendees included Love Island's Samie Elishi and DJ Mary Charteris. Fresh off the back of shows from homegrown artists Mike Skinner and Katy B last month, Stromzy's guests were served ice-cold Kronenberg beer, hot NY pizza. The rapper said: 'We just wanted to throw parties like we used to. Real ones. Real fun. Mad how many people felt the same. Year one was about getting it right in Soho'. 'But the messages we get "when you coming to my city?" from LA to Dubai to wherever... we see them all. Let's just say we're not trying to keep this energy in one postcode forever.' Last month Maya Jama shared a rare insight into how she dealt with her split from Stormzy after he declared he'd 'met his wife'. The Love Island host, 30, and the rap star announced their shock second split in July after taking to Instagram with a joint statement, stating: 'We fell madly in love in 2014, broke up in 2019, and then spent five years manoeuvring life apart.' The British supermodel set pulses racing as she flaunted her jaw-dropping figure for the bash in a sexy western inspired ensemble Jourdan wore a strapless fringed top and tight suede trousers as she showcased her incredibly toned abs while dancing the night away They confirmed the breakup was 'final' after previously going their separate ways following a five year relationship in 2019 and reconnecting August 2023. Now, taking to her Instagram Stories on Thursday, Maya has revealed just how she dealt with their breakup. She first posted a snap with rapper K-Trap as they posed for a selfie in a recording studio. Surprised by the fan reaction to her post, Maya went on to explain in a second video how his music helped her during a tough period of life. Speaking to the camera as she walked the streets of London, she said: 'Not some of you getting excited that I'm going to start my rap career. 'To be honest, if you have been following me for a while you will know that his EP got me through some tough times in 2019. 'Girlies, if you're ever feeling sad about a breakup or anything like that, don't listen to love songs, listen to K-Trap.' Following her first split from Stormzy, Maya dated basketball player Ben Simmons in 2021 – and they were believed to have got engaged over Christmas a few months later. Maya moved over to America, where the NBA player is based, but returned to the UK full-time when they split in August 2022. Her post comes after Stormzy declared he's off the market and ready to marry after sharing the surprise news he's dating a new mystery partner. The grime superstar made the admission in his brand new track Sorry Rach! which he released on Wednesday. In the song, the lyrics share that Stormzy is ready to start a family with his new partner, before noting she is eerily similar to his exes Maya and Victoria Monet. Stormzy raps: 'I told the boys I think I met my wife. Baby if you have my baby then you're set for life.' He went onto added: 'I think I've got a type, she's like the two before.' Following his split from Maya, Stormzy was pictured kissing US singer Victoria Monet in October. In January, Maya was asked whether she and Stormzy could ever rekindle their romance, but the presenter – who is dating Man City player Ruben Dias – insisted that this truly is the end for her and Stormzy. She told The Guardian: 'No, I think we're happy in this friendship zone.' Commenting on the attention their romance attracted, Maya explained: 'I think it's nice that people love him for being cute and love me for being cute, and when two people you like come together then people get excited by it. That's just what happens in the celebrity world, don't you think?' She went on to add that 'anybody' she dates is going to 'be a thing', thanks to the public and media fascination. While it was thought the couple split after disagreements over when to settle down, with Stormzy more of a homeboy and Maya more career driven, last month she confirmed this wasn't the case. After photos emerged of the rapper and his new girlfriend Victoria Monet, Maya took to Instagram to take the opportunity to say that the narrative 'that I don't want to settle down and have kids is a lieeeee.' Indeed, the star – who was recently announced as a new judge on The Masked Singer – confirmed during her interview that she does want to retire and have children one day, but it has to be with the 'right person'. She shared: 'I also more want a family than just want children. Because of the way I was raised and it being all over the place, I'm very conscious that if I'm going to start a family I want it to be with the right person. I want it to be one that lasts for ever. But yeah, I do imagine myself with kids one day.'
