The honey-stone walls of Oxford city centre conjure all kinds of wishes and whimsy – and each time that I’ve stayed overnight in Oxford, it’s like slipping into an architectural Narnia. Disclaimer: On this visit I was an invited guest of Mercure Hotels and Experience Oxfordshire, but all thoughts and laboured literary metaphors are very much my own.
Oxford is one of those cities that seems unaffected by the passing of time.
“For me, the food I like to make is the food I can enjoy all the time anytime. It’s not too calculated or technical.” Daniel Boulud. But, what this quote doesn’t mention is the clever skill – and at Bar Boulud in the Mandarin Oriental hotel demonstrates just that. Disclaimer: We were invited for lunch at Bar Boulud – not long after enjoying lunch there as paying guests (read that review here.)
We met for lunch on a snow-filled day, one of those winter ones where your cheeks are rosy and you nestle as far into your scarf as you can.
I’ve always maintained that a good meal is worth making an effort for, so I decided to gather together 5 of the best lunches worth travelling around the world for – the noonday repasts that I have loved and would happily travel again for.
There’s a real combination in this list- from 2-Michelin starred luxurious hotels to simple, delicious treats accompanied by the fresh sea air – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
We booked our 72 hours in Gibraltar without any expectations. If I’m entirely honest, I didn’t know very much about Gibraltar other than the history as a disputed territory, that there are a lot of monkeys, it has a huge rock and it’s a perfect place to catch some winter sun.
I’m becoming more of a spontaneous traveller – my friend and I booked the destination on a whim, and that ended up being the theme of the trip.
“Brunch you say? Well, there are several places on my (neverending) list that I fancy, can I tempt you to Bar Boulud at the Mandarin Oriental? It looks lovely for a weekend lunch? Ok, cool, all booked. Yep, already! See you there!”
If only all life decisions were that easy. It was a grey old January Saturday, so with our scarves snugged tightly in around our earlobes, we met at our corner table in Bar Boulud at the Mandarin Oriental hotel. At the edge of Hyde Park and Knightsbridge, Bar Boulud is a delectable, cosy bistro by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud and sister restaurant to Bar Boulud in New York. Perfect for a leisurely lunch catch up.