Latest news with #Canteen
The Guardian
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The Fat Badger, London W10: ‘A set menu, yes, but a hearty, meat and two veg-type set menu' – restaurant review
Off to Notting Hill to the secret, exclusive dining room, pub and hidden speakeasy that is the Fat Badger. When it opened earlier this year, the place was invite-only, but has since relaxed its door policy to allow anyone who fancies the first-floor bar for ale, martinis and toasties or the set menu by a former River Cafe chef on the top floor. Nothing is more likely to rankle decent, upstanding Guardian readers than the notion that the Fat Badger was once invite-only, and in Notting Hill, land of the frittered trust fund, too! 'Eat the rich!' said Jean-Jacques Rousseau, apparently. Well, he'd have to find them first, because they don't make that easy here. This badger is tucked away above the much-lauded Canteen on Portobello Road, and access is down a side street via what seems more like the goods entrance. Head up two sets of stairs, and the Fat Badger's pub and dining room are elegant, olde-worlde, wood-panelled and candle-lit. It's all completely charming, of course, but crucially – and this is by no means a dig – and, despite the acres of hype because Margot Robbie and Jamie Dornan have been spotted here, it's also nothing remotely groundbreaking. In recent years, a new breed of London pubs such as the Hero in Maida Vale, the Devonshire in Piccadilly, the Knave of Clubs in Shoreditch and now the Fat Badger have been selling gen Y the concept of 'going to the pub' as if it were a deliciously edgy, new thing. People mill around, drink booze and talk! In real life! When the place opened, there was even talk that, gasp, they were selling single cigarettes behind the bar, to take to the smoking area. All the glorious grot that was once so commonplace is being rebranded as the epitome of decadence. That said, by the time I got round to visiting last week, those single ciggies were no longer available, no doubt because some miserable snitch had said it might be illegal. The food in the upstairs dining room, meanwhile, is really very good, which you'd maybe expect with the likes of George Williams (ex-River Cafe) and Beth O'Brien (Ballymaloe Cookery School graduate) at the helm. That comes with one caveat, though: this is a no-choice menu. That's not to say it's a fancy, itsy-bitsy tasting menu; instead, this is a hearty, meat and two veg with doughnuts for pudding-type set menu. Even so, there's no real warning of what's on offer – it's a secret, again – and it'll cost you £85 a head. We were asked what we liked and didn't like, and if we had any allergies. That was followed by a steady stream of, on the whole, delicious things that would delight even the most uppity eater. A soupçon of nettle soup, as thick as a puree, with fresh Irish soda bread and glorious salted butter. Then some gorgeous lobster in a light tempura served in a 'taco' made of thinly sliced celeriac. Salty trout belly on charred toast was intriguing rather than yummy, but a chunk of grilled pigeon on toast was earthy and rich. More trout appeared, this time chopped with olives into a fresh paté to smear across that salty bread. If the Fat Badger has gained an early reputation as something of a party palace for the Notting Hill set, that sells the cooking here very short. Next up on the mystery menu was a generous portion of scallop in a lobster gravy studded with fresh peas and pork jowl. The scallop was seared yet still yieldingly soft and the peas tasted as if they'd only just left their pods. Produce here clearly comes first. Anyone worrying that a secret menu of this kind might throw up a few curveballs would breathe a sigh of relief to see that fillet of beef with hasselback potatoes is the main event, with large chunks of rare beef, strewn with at least a dozen fat morels, a whole heap of potatoes and a steaming pan of warm bearnaise sauce. The clientele that night was almost 85% huddles of posh, thin, joyless women discussing society wedding calendars, but then it was a Tuesday evening in May in west London, so what else would you expect? Dessert was a huge portion of strawberry and basil sorbet, which challenged my belief that basil in a sorbet is nothing but an annoyance: it really worked here and was promptly inhaled. A freshly made sticky doughnut with apple sauce and a delightful spherical mass of apple crumble ice-cream rounded things off, with the crumble worked in flaky chunks through the rich vanilla ice-cream. The Fat Badger may have been sold to me as one of the naughtiest new places in London, but I think this wonderful, calories-be-damned ice-cream was easily the lewdest part of the entire evening. The Fat Badger is immensely likeable, and they'll now let you in even if you're not famous (or friends with them). Lucky you! The Fat Badger 310 Portobello Road, London W10 (no phone). Open Tues-Sat, dinner only, 5-9.30pm (last orders); Sun lunch, noon-3.30pm. Dinner, four-course set menu only, £85 a head; Sun, three-course set menu only, £60, all plus drinks and service
The Hindu
05-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
3,000 SHG women to operate 700 Trupti canteens in State: MA&UD Minister
Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Minister Dr. Ponguru Narayana on Monday inaugurated the first Trupti Canteen at Atmakur Bus Stand Centre in Nellore. He said that nearly 3,000 women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) will operate 700 canteens across the state and each woman is likely to earn ₹30,000 per month. The State government has initiated this programme under Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) with an aim to turn poor women into entrepreneurs and also to provide quality food at affordable prices. These canteens are a platform for SHG women to showcase their skills and contribute to the local economy, Mr. Narayana said. 'Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu's objective is to turn poor women into entrepreneurs. The programme aims to improve their living standards and help them become self-employed,' he said. The Minister along with State MEPMA Director N. Tej Bharat reviewed the new canteen. He said that as part of the Smart Street Programme, the first Trupti Canteen in the state was opened in Nellore with four MEPMA women in tie-up with the Sara Project. Nellore Municipal Corporation Commissioner Nandan, MEPMA Project Director Radhamma, and local public representatives were also present.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Lily Allen shares a glimpse inside her wholesome 40th birthday bash as she celebrates with close friends despite facing 'tricky circumstances'
Lily Allen celebrated her 40th birthday this week surrounded by her closest friends and family and gave a glimpse into her day on Instagram. The singer, who split from husband David Harbout late last year, snapped a picture of her gorgeous sprint-themed birthday cake as she thanked her nearest and dearest for helping her celebrate under 'tricky circumstances'. The cake was covered in white icing with 'Lily 40' piped onto the middle in light pink. The edges were decorated with berries, figs, passion fruit and flowers before it was dusted with icing sugar. She wrote: 'Thank you to all my beauty friends and family who showed up for me and made my birthday a special one under some tricky circumstances. Love you all'. Among the guests at her intimate party included fashion designers Kim Jones OBE and Katie Hillier, close pal and podcast co-host Miquita Oliver, Phoebe Oliver, Gracie Allen and chef Andi Oliver, Miquita's mother. Lily was seen setting up her wholesome bash as she laid out a stunning floral backyard table for the party. British painter Lucien Freud's daughter, Rose Boyt, shared snaps from the big day and one showed Lily in blue jeans, a shirt and a brown quarter zip jump as she stood in front of her cake with several candles on top. 'The birthday of my god-daughter @lilyallen. What a woman,' Rose said. 'Obviously at her christening when I stood there in the church with my fingers crossed behind my back and swore that I loved God and nobody smote me with their sword or whatever I had no idea that that small beloved child was going to turn into such a marvel. 'Still as beloved, still as beautiful, still as creative, imaginative and bold. So happy to be on her team.' On Lily's actual birthday, the Smile hitmaker took to her Instagram page to share her look for the day, which included a daring sheer strappy top. Lily showed off the results of her recent boob job in a sheer blue top as she posed for a number of selfies before heading out for brunch with friends. The singer looked incredible as she went braless under the daring strappy see-through number which she teamed with a pair of eye catching green trousers. Lily looked beautiful as she pulled on a chic green and lilac knitted cardigan and elevated her frame in a pair colourful patterned heels. Styling her red tresses loose, the actress toted her belongings in a leopard print handbag and rocked a pair of sunglasses as she enjoyed the British heatwave. Lily linked arms with a pal as she headed to brunch at Canteen in Notting Hill to celebrate her milestone birthday. 'Happy birthday to me', wrote the Dreamland star. Back in March, Lily revealed she had an 'incredible' boob job the month before and had been out buying sexy new lingerie to show it off. But while she loves the new boobs, she says they don't really match her then 39-year-old face. She told her close friend Miquita Oliver on their Miss Me? podcast: 'How do I feel about ageing? Well, I just got some additions to the family - don't know if you'd noticed?' Oliver told her: 'I noticed because you pulled your top off a month ago and showed them to me. I was like 'absolutely incredible'.' Allen continued: 'They look really incredible when I take my top off, and my bra off, but there's definitely a contrast in age between my breasts and my face 'I'm like 40, 18, 40, 18. 'I'm just thinking 'maybe I get the BBL (Brazilian butt lift) next'. I quite want the bum.' Lily added on her new boobs: 'There's a thing that happens a few months after you get them which is they drop and fluff. 'So they're still quite high and they're still quite hard. When they drop and fluff they feel like normal boobs. 'So I haven't got to drop and fluff yet, I'm very much looking forward to that. 'I feel like it's really fun. I'm like buying fancy lingerie that my boobs can actually fit in and taking pictures on my phone. 'Haven't sent them to anyone yet, but it will hopefully get there at some point. 'On my 40th birthday I'm going to drop and fluff.' It comes after Lily enjoyed a pamper day in New York last week while ex David Harbour was all smiles with his Thunderbolts* co-stars at the London photocall. The couple separated late last year after Lily speculated that David was using Raya and shortly after The Mail revealed the Stranger Things star, 50, had been having an affair for three years during his marriage. David has since returned to the UK for the first time since his split from wife Lily as he promoted his new Marvel movie. Meanwhile, in complete juxtaposition, Lily took to her Instagram Stories and revealed she was having a pamper day. Lily, who has two daughters with first husband Sam Cooper, wed David in Las Vegas in 2020 a year after they met on Raya. The couple moved from London to New York, where she enrolled her children in school. David bought a house in Atlanta, Georgia, last year to be closer to the Stranger Things set. The couple separated late last year after the singer, whose songs include the hit Smile, speculated that David was using Raya. The Mail on Sunday reported that she turned detective by joining the app herself, pretending to be 'looking for women', and allegedly found that he had set up a new dating profile. Lily, who met David on celebrity dating app Raya, was said to have been left in 'agony' when she discovered her husband had secretly rejoined the app.
Daily Mail
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Braless Lily Allen shows off her new boob job in a see-through blue mesh top while celebrating her 40th birthday
Lily Allen showed off the resuts of her recent boob job in a sheer blue top on Thursday as she stepped out in London to celebrate her 40th birthday. The singer looked incredible as she went braless under the daring strappy see-through number which she teamed with a pair of eye catching green trousers. Lily looked beatiful as she pulled on a chic green and lilac knitted cardigan and elevated her frame in a pair colourful patterned heels. Styling her red tresses loose, the actress toted her belongings in a leopard print handbag and rocked a pair of sunglasses as she enjoyed the British heatwave. Lily linked arms with a pal as she headed to brunch at Canteen in Notting Hill to celebrate her milestone birthday. The star waited patiently outside the restaurant and chatted to a fan who was walking his dog. Lily was seen checking her phone before holding up her thumb to her friend after securing a table at the busy establishment. Ahead of the outing, the Smile hitmaker took to Instagram to share a gallery of sizzling selfies in the racy mesh top. Lily relaxed in a chair as she snapped pictures from different angles and pouted for the camera. She accessorised the look by layering two long gold necklaces and wore a radiant palette of makeup. 'Happy birthday to me', wrote the Dreamland star. Back in March, Lily revealed she had an 'incredible' boob job back the month before and been out buying sexy new lingerie to show it off. But while she loves the new boobs, she says they don't really match her then 39-year-old face. She told her close friend Miquita Oliver on their Miss Me? podcast: 'How do I feel about ageing? Well, I just got some additions to the family - don't know if you'd noticed?' Oliver told her: 'I noticed because you pulled your top off a month ago and showed them to me. I was like 'absolutely incredible'.' Allen continued: 'They look really incredible when I take my top off, and my bra off, but there's definitely a contrast in age between my breasts and my face Lily linked arms with a pal as she headed to brunch at Canteen in Notting Hill to celebrate her milestone birthday 'I'm like 40, 18, 40, 18. 'I'm just thinking 'maybe I get the BBL (Brazilian butt lift) next'. I quite want the bum.' Lily added on her new boobs: 'There's a thing that happens a few months after you get them which is they drop and fluff. 'So they're still quite high and they're still quite hard. When they drop and fluff they feel like normal boobs. 'So I haven't got to drop and fluff yet, I'm very much looking forward to that. 'I feel like it's really fun. I'm like buying fancy lingerie that my boobs can actually fit in and taking pictures on my phone. 'Haven't sent them to anyone yet, but it will hopefully get there at some point. 'On my 40th birthday I'm going to drop and fluff.' It comes after Lily enjoyed a pamper day in New York last week while ex David Harbour was all smiles with his Thunderbolts* co-stars at the London photocall. The couple separated late last year after Lily speculated that David was using Raya and shortly after The Mail revealed the Stranger Things star, 50, had been having an affair for three years during his marriage. David has since returned to the UK for the first time since his split from wife Lily as he promoted his new Marvel movie. She accessorised the look by layering two long gold necklaces and wore a radiant palette of makeup. 'Happy birthday to me', wrote the Dreamland star He beamed for the cameras at the photocall which was held at The Corinthia Hotel. He looked suave in a courdory maroon suit, complete with a matching shirt and crisp white tie. David posed for snaps with Wyatt Russell, who reprises his role as John Walker in Thunderbolts. Florence Pugh, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah John-Kamen, Geraldine Viswanathan, Lewis Pullman and Jake Schreier, were also in attendance at the star-studded event. Meanwhile, in complete juxtaposition, Lily took to her Instagram Stories and revealed she was having a paper day. The Smile singer posed for a selfie in the mirror of the salon while dressed in a black stylist cape. It comes after David spoke for the first time on his shock split from Lily, admitting he is currently in 'a period of growth and is 'embracing change'. Lily has given her side of the split through her twice weekly podcast Miss Me? which she presents with best friend Miquita Oliver, and now David has broken his silence. Starring as the new cover of GQ, the actor, whose marriage breakdown coincides with the final season of Stranger Things, said: 'There's a lot of change – a tremendous amount of change'. It comes after David spoke for the first time on his shock split from Lily, admitting he is currently in 'a period of growth and is 'embracing change' The actor alluded again to his divorce when he was asked whether or not he was OK, 'It's not that things ending aren't hard, but it's just that I'm choosing to make it a period of growth. And I feel like having the opportunity to be busy and work is really good' She linked arms as she headed to a brunch spot to mark the occasion Lily turned heads in the colourful outfit 'You can deny this change, be afraid of this change, you can kind of be chaotic about it and, like, eat your way through – whatever you need to do.' 'Or you can sit with however uncomfortable, or weird, or new, it makes you feel. And then, for me, always the best thing that I can do is take all of that experience and pour it into work. And so that's what I'm doing.' He added that his life experiences over the years has meant he 'can go to these dark places,' in his work. The actor alluded again to his divorce when he was asked whether or not he was OK. 'It's not that things ending aren't hard, but it's just that I'm choosing to make it a period of growth. And I feel like having the opportunity to be busy and work is really good, and also to delve into this deeper spiritual quest,' he said. 'I think I'm good. It's less of a kind of triumphant good, more of a like…I'm learning how to swim in this – whatever it is. Learning how to float. Learning how to make it not about me.' As news of David and Lily's split was revealed, the Daily Mail was told David was romantically involved with a younger costume designer, whom the Mail chose not to name. 'David cheated on Lily,' an associate said. 'They met on a movie they did together.' The source, who witnessed their interactions on set, said: 'They weren't very secretive about their relationship.' So serious did the romance become that David paid for the woman to travel more than 400 miles to visit him while he was working on his hit Netflix TV series last year. 'David flew her to Atlanta while he shot Stranger Things to keep him company,' the associate said. Lily, who has two daughters with first husband Sam Cooper, wed David in Las Vegas in 2020 a year after they met on Raya. The couple moved from London to New York, where she enrolled her children in school. David bought a house in Atlanta, Georgia, last year to be closer to the Stranger Things set. The couple separated late last year after the singer, whose songs include the hit Smile, speculated that David was using Raya. The Mail on Sunday reported that she turned detective by joining the app herself, pretending to be 'looking for women', and allegedly found that he had set up a new dating profile. Lily, who met David on celebrity dating app Raya, was said to have been left in 'agony' when she discovered her husband had secretly rejoined the app.
