When I first saw the title of this book, ‘Investment Trusts’. I thought that it would be quite a dry read. I was very wrong. This is a well written and easy to read guide to investment trusts. A must read for investors and financial advisers.
John Baron presents an extremely compelling case for investing in investment trusts instead of the more common and traditional unit trusts/ mutual funds.
As a very basic overview.
Unit trusts are open ended (except funds from new investors) and trade at their net asset value
Investment trusts trade like shares on an exchange. They are closed ended (don’t accept new investor funds) and can trade at a discount or premium to their actual net asset values.
The book does a much better job of explaining the differences and goes into a lot more detail. Baron examines the factors which explain why unit trusts/OEICs under perform investment trusts. He clearly presents the opportunities which many investors may be missing out on.
The book is well researched (Baron has worked in the industry for many years). It is clear easy to understand, jargon free and well structured. It is difficult to argue with any of the authors conclusions. The book also has extra tips for successful investing and information on how to construct and monitor a trust portfolio. This is a must read for any investor who currently only invests in mutual funds. I’m not surprised it has a flawless record of 5 star reviews on Amazon.
As a huge fan of the Monty Python films, I was delighted to be able to review the latest version of Eric Idle’s Spamalot. The successful stage version of the film ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’.
In this version Les Dennis stared as King Arthur, Warwick Davis plays his horse Patsy and Bonnie Langford is the Lady of the Lake. It didn’t quite live up to my high expectations but it was still a great night out. The play steals a lot of the great lines and scenes from the original film and these were as funny as ever.
The songs, dancing and choreography are all fantastic and come across even better on stage. But the show sometimes felt too much like a pantomime. I expected this to be the case to some extent but it went too far. The fourth wall was broken too many times.
I wasn’t a fan of Dennis’s portrayal of Arthur. The character felt unnecessarily dumbed down and his performance was a bit unrealistic. One of the great jokes of the film is that nobody obeys King Arthur and he’s frequently left frustrated and outwitted much to the audiences delight. King Arthur’s exasperation and annoyance didn’t quite come across as well on the stage and therefore wasn’t as satisfying for the audience.
On the plus side Warwick Davis was excellent and very funny as Patsy and Bonnie Langford was good as the self-centered Lady of the Lake. I felt Arthur’s knights lacked a strong enough identity.
Overall the play was fun and you’ll have a good night out particularly if you never saw the original film
3/5
Spamalot is on at the Playhouse theatre until February 2014
At last, almost a decade after the original Rome Total War – Rome 2 returns to your PC. The game is famous for combining both a turn based grand strategy on a campaign map and glorious real time tactical battles.
After using the useful Steam pre-load feature to install the game before release, I leap straight into the grand campaign as Macedon. The year is 272BC and Macedon is still trying to recover from the break up of Alexander the Greats empire. First impressions are good, the campaign map is beautifully detailed, looks fantastic and is absolutely huge. There are now hundreds of different smaller factions alongside the main ones. The first thing I do is expand a city and I watch in delight as my old wall is knocked down and new buildings leap up out of the ground. Cities expand randomly in any direction and it never gets dull watching it.
It takes a while to get used to the new user interface but eventually I did. Turns now last a whole year which is a bit disappointing since it was nice to see how the campaign map change in winter. I really liked the new diplomacy system. It’s quick and easy to see who’s allied and who’s at war. You can now see in detail why a faction doesn’t or does like you. The AI is a tough negotiator. As Macedon I start off at war with a small town to my east. A couple of turns in and the enemy AI offers me peace but demands money, a few turn later and with my army massing near his border I’m able to bully the AI and he accepts not only peace but he also now pays me a hefty sum. I set off to attack his neighbor instead. It can be a bit tricky to set up trade deals (the AI often demands huge payments) however if you work at it, for example by starting with a non-aggression pact first, you can get them done. As you go further into the game and become more powerful smaller nations will come to you begging for trade agreements and alliances.
Its a positive start but sadly the longer I play the game the more apparent Rome 2’s flaws become. Most of them are with the Rome 2 battle engine. Unfortunately Creative Assembly has completely dropped the ball with this and it feels like a real step backwards for the series. Battles are stupidly quick. Men die in seconds and armies of thousands are lost in a couple of minutes. There’s almost no time to properly position and manoeuvre your troops. It takes all the fun out of the game. Worse still units struggle to maintain any formation or cohesion. Most battles result in one big brawl. That’s fine if its a bunch of barbarians but when my Hoplites abandon there beautiful phalanx and sprint towards the enemy its very frustrating. It’s the total opposite to the joy of of a Hoplite phalanx battle in Rome 1.
There are other major issues with battles. Some bright spark has decided to place capture points on battle maps. It’s beyond stupid. Deploying your troops to defend is now pointless. In old games you could retreat to high ground or some woods to use the terrain to your advantage, not now. If you lose the capture point you lose the battle. My entire Macedonian army of 2000 men is destroyed despite only losing 11 men in a battle because I didn’t realise there was a capture point.
There are other problems as well. Battles feel arcadey, many of the unit abilities feel manufactured and fire javelins and fire camel archers just seem over the top. What’s upsetting is that almost all these problems could have been avoided with even a small amount of testing or feedback. What’s clear throughout the game is that Creative Assembly’s decision making process is flawed. The battle AI is another weakness. The AI is especially poor during sieges although that has always been the case with Total War games.
Another example of poor decision making is the removal of faction family trees, so beloved by fans. It means you now don’t really care who’s head of your faction much less who might take it over. It’s not helped by some very poor character portraits.
You now choose to upgrade your generals in the way you want. This is not nearly as fun as in Rome 1 where the game would automatically attribute your generals and governors new abilities based on their performance and your actions. Win a load of defensive battles and your general would become a great defender and get a bonus defending, recruit lots of mercenaries for a long time and your general might get a discount in the future. Leave a governor to rot in a small province and he would become a corrupt drunk. Now I win a land battle and I can upgrade my generals naval abilities if I so choose. It makes your generals feel less like real people and it makes you less attached to the game.
Army traditions are great new feature. Armies now develop abilities over time with the more battles they win. Again though this would be a lot better if it was automatic rather than the player choosing the upgrades. The new unit cards have divided opinion but they have really grown on me. They look like units might have done on ancient pottery and they look absolutely beautiful. In some areas the game is overly complex such as with spies, emissaries and champions. The roles of these specialist units are still very unclear to me. Simpler defined roles would have been better.
I don’t want to come across as overly critical. The game is fun too play and there is a lot that’s good about it. It’s clear that CA has some very talented people and I feel for those in the team who’ve done their jobs extremely well. (Not least the marketing department who have done a fantastic job with trailers and rally point etc.) There’s some fantastic work in this game (The great animations, sound track, huge number of detailed units to name a few), and some good new ideas and features as well. The trouble is there are also some basic mistakes and the battles are just wrong at the moment. It’s more than just poor execution and polishing its about fundamental errors made at the decision stage and you get the strong impression that the game lacked any strong leadership from an overall designer who new what they were doing. It’s a real shame because there are clearly incredibly talented people at CA
You can’t help but think that if you could take the best bits of Rome 1 and Rome 2 you could have an incredible game. All hope is not lost. Creative Assembley are promising a patch on Friday and subsequent patches after that. There is tremendous potential here but you might want to hold off for the moment to see if things get fixed or until the modders start to fix what CA couldn’t.
Overall Score 7/10 (but could be 9/10 with good patching)
The Great
Epic Map Unit Stances (force marches, building forts etc) adds a lot to campaigns Huge number ofFactions and Different Units Expanding cities
Bringing in fleets – particularly to help with sieges is awesome
The Good
The tech trees and there diversity across different factions Army Traditions – Great new feature Diplomacy Provinces and Edicts – I like the way cities are now broken down into different provinces. It takes some getting used to but it adds an interesting new dynamic. Campaign AI – It’s early days but it seems to be doing a pretty good job so far
The Bad
Politics – has potential but lacks clarity and feels like your just trying to stop bad things from happening. Huge error to not include Faction Family Trees. No seasons (1 year turn) – Should be at least every 6 months Battle AI is weak especially during seiges
The Terrible
Battle Gameplay
Capture points in battles – No need to explain this
I love to make a good roast. Here’s my tips for lemon, thyme roast chicken with vegetables and mozzarella
1. Stuff the chicken with lemon and thyme. Peel a couple of garlic cloves and rub the chicken all over then chop them up very finely and sprinkle all over the chicken.
2. Now here’s the most important tip to a great roast chicken. Place the chicken upside down (breast facing down) in the the roasting tray. This will cause the juices from the bird to flow into the breast meat and will stop the meat drying out.
3. Prepare your vegetables. I like parsnips. Peel them and cut them lengthways creating two equal parts and repeat twice again until the parsnip is in eights. Then chop the pieces in half. This should give you nice thick parsnip strips. I also like to cook peppers and I prefer red to green as they are sweeter. Cut the top off the pepper and scoop out the inside. Then cut into thin strips.
4. For the potatoes. Peel them and cut them into reasonable sizes. The smaller you make them the easier they will be to cook. Put the potatoes in a pan and boil for ten minutes and add salt. Meanwhile add some fat to the roasting tin and let it heat up. Drain the potatoes with a colander and sprinkle with flour. Add the potatoes to the roasting tin along with the parsnips and leave to roast. (I add the peppers later so they don’t get over done and the peppers with about 35 minutes left)
5. 15 minutes before it is ready bring the roasting tray out. Turn the chicken over. At this point I recommend covering your chicken, parsnips and potatoes in honey. Add chopped cherry tomatoes and slices of mozzarella on top. Make sure to add enough mozzarella (two basic packs from sainsbury’s is about right, there’s no point using better quality buffalo mozzarella in this instance). Place back in the oven and roast for a further 15 minutes.
6. Finally remove chicken and vegetables from the oven and leave to rest. Pour flour and stock into the juices remaining in the roasting tray to create the gravy. Put on a very low heat for two minutes. Serve delicious chicken with vegetables and gravy!
I was recently lucky enough to get my hands on a Lexon SAFE Eco Torch and what a fantastic little gadget it is.
The torch has no batteries and is powered entirely by a crank which takes just a few seconds to wind up. It looks and feels great. The torch is shaped as a rectangle with rounded corners. The plastic part of the torch is sandwiched between two strips of trimmed bamboo. The plastic is made from corn, not oil, making this an extremely eco-friendly product.
The look and eco stuff may all be well and good but does it work? The the answer is an emphatic Yes!
I was really impressed at just how bright the torch was. A few years ago I was given a torch which you powered by shaking up and down. It took a lot of effort and even then the torch was poorly lit.
That’s certainly not the case with the Lexon torch which is small, neat, easy to power and very bright.
The design is simple but elegant and the torch has been well made. The large square power button which sits on the torch is satisfying to press and makes a reassuring click. All in all an excellent product which helps saves money and the environment. A great gadget for a present or to keep for yourself.
The Blackhouse Grill on the market restaurant is located right next to Smithfields market. As we enter the restaurant we are taken to the back and around a corner to a beautifully designed room hidden from the street. It feels exclusive and relaxed. A long way from the hustle and bustle of the London streets we have just left. Grill on the Market’s menu focuses on seafood and steaks.
The atmosphere was great, very calm and relaxed. The staff immediately put us at ease. They were very friendly and knowledgeable. The seats were really comfortable. This would be a perfect place to go with some friends and the Blackhouse actively encourages this with its unlimited Prosecco deal every Saturday if you go with friends. Full details below. Your Prosecco is unlimited for two hours as long as you bring two friends. This great deal seems to be working, despite it being lunch time in the middle of the week there are plenty of people in the restaurant. Everyone seem to be aged between 20 and 30. This seems to be a very trendy place hidden slightly away from the masses which makes it feel exclusive.
We start off with the Blackhouse sharing platter which gives us a chance to taste a lot of dishes in one. The platter includes honey, rosemary and lemon chicken skewer, fish cakes, duck spring roll and calamari.
It looked amazing and all the elements were absolutely delicious. Often when you order a big platter like this the food is rushed and average. This was certainly not the case here. The rosemary and lemon chicken was succulent and beautifully flavoured. The deep fried calamari was crunchy and tasty. I particularly liked the beautuiful duck spring rolls. The sauces which accompanied the dish were also particularly good. They were sweet chilli, honey mustard and sour cream. All were filled with flavour and went beautifully with the different assortments. A great starter it tasted as good as it looks and lived up to the Blackhouse ‘honest proper food’ mantra.
For our mains we had the sesame crusted tuna from the seafood menu and from their special premium beef menu we had a fillet of English Longhorn.
My sesame crusted tuna was a beautiful piece of fish perfectly cooked and superbly presented. Tuna is often overcooked but not here the fish was perfect and shone.
The soy sauce and sweet pickled vegetables were the perfect accompaniment. A really beautiful lunch. The sirloin steak was equally good if not better. The English Longhorn steak was really special. Perfectly cooked as you can see, it came with a superb peppercorn sauce and was probably the best steak I’ve ever had. The chunky chips were also excellent. To drink we were treated to unlimited Prosecco for two hours. The Prosecco was crisp and wonderful and it was great to have your glass constantly refilled. The whole meal was relaxed easy and fun.
Our puddings didn’t disappoint either. My trifle was again beautifully presented (as all our food was) and was delicious.
Trifles are not easy to get right, sometimes I find restaurants make them too heavy. But this was an excellent trifle. The portion size was perfect and the cream and jelly were light and delicious. I really enjoyed it and the creme brulee was also delicious
The Blackhouse grill claims to offer solid, honest and simple proper food. It delivers 100% on this promise. The food was first class as were the service and atmosphere. We will definitely be going back to take advantage of that free Prosecco!
The Grill on the Market
2-3 West Smithfield, City of London, EC1A 9JX
T: 020 7246 0900
Twitter: @GotmSmithfield
Put some sparkle into your Saturdays with unlimited bubbly when brunching at the recently opened steak and seafood restaurant and bar, The Grill on the Market in Smithfield.Starting this Saturday (2nd February) from noon – 6pm,
diners can indulge in deliciously restorative brunch dishes such as eggs ‘any way you like them’ – poached,
scrambled, fried or Royale with smoked salmon; a classic BLT; steak, egg and chips; and maple glaze gammon
with home cut chips and sweet pineapple as well as a the ‘full works’ cooked breakfast, all washed down with unlimited fizz.
Simply take along two or more friends, order anything off the brunch menu to be treated to unlimited Prosecco
for the duration of your meal (maximum of two hours). With brunch dishes starting at just £9, the Grill on the
Market’s bubbly brunch represents excellent value for money.
Booking is essential, please visit www.blackhouse.uk.com/bubblybrunch to put some sparkle into your Saturdays and kick start the weekend in style.
Buying the perfect diamond engagement ring is not easy. There are serious hurdles to navigate and hopefully this article will help you with some of them. You’re about to spend a serious amount of money you need to keep her happy, remember she’s going to be wearing this thing for the rest of her life but you also don’t want to get ripped off!
How much should you spend?
The first thing to remember with this is that everyone will try and bully you into spending as much money as possible. No matter how much your actually planning to spend you will be made to feel like its not enough. Walk into a jewelers planning to spend £5000 and they will gently make you feel as though your budget is inadequate and encourage you to spend more. Magazines will insist that you spend a minimum of three months salary. The industry is very cleverly set up to make you spend as much as possible. Don’t feel pressured. Set a budget on what your happy to spend and stick with it. Remember you’ve got a wedding to pay for! If she loves you she will love the ring no matter what. If she’s the sort of women who checks the size of the ring before saying yes or no shes not worth marrying in the first place. That all being said know one likes a cheap skate so a £10 ring from Tesco is not going to cut it so keep reading.
Online or Not Online?
I love to make savings buying stuff online but diamond engagement rings are a definite exception. Every stone looks different and you must see it in person before you buy it, no picture will ever tell the story so forget about buying online. It also will sound very unromantic when your fiancee asks where you bought the ring and your forced to tell her it’s from online.
With Her or Without Her?
If your worried about making a mistake you can buy a plain band for when you propose and then buy the ring with her so you can be sure you get one she likes. There are advantages and disadvantages to this. The advantage is you can be sure she gets what she wants.
The disadvantage is that your going to have to fork out if she falls in love with a ring. It also makes it much harder to negotiate when the jeweler knows you really want something. Proposing with a plain ring is also not as special and may detract from the moment.
Research
Doing your research is vital of you don’t want to make a mistake. It will mean you get the right ring and it could save you a fortune. The more you know the easier its going to be to negotiate and the more a jeweler will respect you.
Understanding the Four Cs
The look and value of a diamond is determined by four factors. Cut, Clarity, Carat and Colour
Cut
The cut is the only characteristic not determined by nature. A poorly cut diamond may have a compromised sparkle. The most common type of cut is the ’round cut’. In my opinion the traditional round cut or variations of it are by far the best cut because they sparkle the most, a lot more for example than the princess cut. However you should see all the cuts before making a decision. Types of cut include the the emerald, the pear, the marquise, the princess, the oval and the heart shape.
Clarity
The clarity is how perfectly the diamond has been formed in nature. Yes very few diamonds are perfectly flawless most will have little flaws which you can see under a magnifying glass. These flaws are called inclusions. Inclusions have a big impact on the value of a diamond
The grading of clarity according to the GIA (Gemmological Institute of America)
IF – Internally Flawless
VVS1 and VVS2 Very very slightly included inculsions which are very difficult to see even under 10x magnification
VS1 and VS2 – Very Slighty Included – Difficult to see under 10x magnification
SI1 and SI2 – Slightly Included – Easy for a trained grader to see under 10x magnification
I1, I2 – Included obvious inclusions usually visible to the naked eye
I3 – Large inclusions that typically impact the fire of the diamond and potentially threaten the structure of the stone
Inclusions are a big part of why you need to see a diamond in person. Inclusions can affect the sparkle or fire of a diamond. Sometimes a diamond which has a higher grade may actually have a bigger impact on sparkle than a lower grade. People can make to bigger deal about inclusions. Remember a diamonds inclusion make it unique. Personally I think the money you would spend to buy a VS diamond would be better spent on carat or colour. You should however try to avoid severe inclusions which might compromise a stones sparkle or structure. Again this a personal choice and you must find for yourself what you want but I think the SI categories often offers the best value. Remember though that two diamonds from the same category might look completely different. You must judge how the stone looks.
Colour
The most valuable and rare diamonds are colourless and are graded D. The colour scale runs from D to Z. Diamonds with a very distinct colour are rare and are called fancies. Diamonds typically get more yellowish as you move down the scale. Colour is important but again it is not something I would obsess over as long as you get a reasonable grade. You or your fiancee are not going to tell the difference between an F and an H. In my opinion I would suggest you can probably go up to a J without really having much idea that your diamond was slightly yellow. For me an I or H rating represent the best value but again these are all personal opinions you might find that for you only a D or E grade will do. Remember every stone is different trust your eyes don’t just focus on the grades.
Carat
The Carat or the weight and therefore size of the diamond. Not to be confused with karats the purity measure for gold. The carat has a big effect on value and is the first thing everyone will notice. As the size of the carat increases the price grows exponentially. Most diamonds for engagement rings fall between 0.25-2 carats. You will want to get as bigger carat as you can within your budget without compromising too much on the other Cs. Don’t believe everything your told by jewelers when it comes to carat. For example they may say to you on that budget you won’t be able to buy a carat bigger than X. I was initially shown much smaller diamonds than the one I was eventually able to buy.
Certified or Uncertified
A certified stone is – a diamond that has been assessed, graded and coded with a laser by an independent gemological laboratory. The most well known and recognised is GIA. Other popular certificates include HRD, IGL, EGL and AGS. The disadvantage of an uncertified stone is that you are trusting the jeweler. However a cert stone is usually a few hundred pounds more expensive. A cert stone will also ensure you have not been sold a fake. If you are buying a very expensive stone having a cert stone is probably worth it. If you have a smaller budget you may prefer to risk going without a cert stone. The decision must be yours. Diamonds can be artificially treated or fracture filled and sold legally although you must be told. Avoid these and avoid anything which is ‘clarity enhanced’.
Looking Out for Fakes
The ring itself
The most common rings today seem to be from white gold and platinum which both look quite similar. You can also go for a yellow gold or a white and yellow gold mix although personally i prefer the platinum or white gold look. Platinum is slightly more expensive than 18 karat white gold. Try and go for at at least 18 karats if you can, no one wants 9 karat gold for an engagement ring. Remember 9 karat gold is just 37.5% pure compared to 75% for 18 karat. If they can keep a secret try and glean information from your fiances family and friends as to what her taste is. You can differentiate your ring by choosing a variety of different settings although the diamond solitaire seen in the pictures above is the most common. If you can try and find out what size ring she takes from her friends or family. If you can’t, don’t worry too much any reputable jeweler will allow you to get it refitted although this may cost extra.
Buying the Diamond Ring
Where to Buy?
First of all set aside at least half a day don’t buy a ring in a rush. Do not buy from a high street jeweler you will almost certainly get ripped off and you will have limited choice. If you can try and go to an area where there are a lot of jewelers in one place. Hatton Gardens in London is the best place to go to. There are at least 30 jewelers next to each other. You can be assured of competition and a wide choice. Most of the jewelers also have good reputations.
Don’t Get Sucked In
First go around every store and check the windows to get an idea. People will probably come out and try and get you to come inside. Talk to them to get more information if you want but don’t go inside yet. Try and work out which shops are offering the best deals. Bear in mind that jewelers will display their best and usually most expensive wares. They will usually have more inside the store. Take pictures of any rings which catch your eye and move on.
When you’re ready choose a ring which you liked and go into the store and ask to have a look at it. Here’s where you can make use of all that research you’ve done. Ask the jeweler about the cut carat etc. Ask to see the ring under 10x jewelers loupe and on a white background (a black background can hinder the eyes perception of a diamonds colour). Ask if the ring is certified and who did the grading. Remember that an uncertified ring is not necessarily a bad thing and will usually mean a cheaper ring but is something you need to be aware of. Ask the jeweler what guarantees and warranties they offer.
Then ask if the jeweler has any similar rings to compare it to. All this will make it clear to the jeweler that you know what your talking about and it will make it easier to negotiate later. Don’t be afraid to take your time. Choose the ring which you like the most and ask the jeweler for his best price on that ring. Thank the jeweler make a note of the details of the ring and tell him/her you’ll be back if you don’t find anything better. Also remember to ask the jeweler about re-sizing costs, the setting and the material of the actual ring.
Go into the next shop and repeat until you have a really good picture of whats available and you know what you want.
How to Negotiate
Negotiating can be uncomfortable but you absolutely must do it. Remember they are the ones profiting from you and you have the power to go elsewhere. A general rule is to get at least 15%-20% off the list price at a minimum. Don’t seem too keen if you really want a particular ring.
A good first move is to ask the jeweler what his or her best price is. That should be your starting point for negotiations. Use your budget as a negotiating tool. When you’ve clinched the deal remember to get a receipt and remember to ask about fittings.Try and get one for free if you can.
The Big Easy is a popular American style crabshack on the King’s Road. We went at lunch time and it was still busy. The decor is fun and relaxed. You immediately get the feeling of a great American atmosphere.
Fresh Atlantic Crab Claws
‘Colossal Organic Shrimp Cocktail’
Passion Fruit Margarita
Lobster fresh from Maine
We started with some Margaritas. I have a strawberry one, it was refreshing and delicious, the perfect way to start a meal. We also have a passion fruit Margarita. It comes in a large jar with a handle. Not something I’ve seen before but it means you get even more Margarita which can only be a good thing.
For starters we have the organic shrimp and crab claws. My shrimp were huge! Apparently they come from Nigeria. It’s immediately clear that the restaurant goes to a lot of effort to source the very best ingredients. The prawns are big, juicy and succulent and go very well with the spicy sauce they come with.
The crab came with a honey mustard sauce. Again the quality of the fresh meat was delicious.For mains we went for a 2lb lobster and a half lobster and fillet steak combo
Monster claws from my 2lb Lobster
You know you’re in a proper crabshack when they give you a bib
2lb Lobster
Wow this is where the meal got really special. My lobster was juicy and succulent and simply delicious. American lobster is just so much better than European varieties in my opinion and it really showed in this delicious feast. The claw meat was particularly special.
The lobster are flown in weekly from Maine, the lobster capital of the world. They are kept alive until they’re ready to cook to ensure there incredibly fresh.
Our Lobster was 2lb but if you really want one and can afford it they go all the way up to 6lb! However if you go up to that size it probably won’t be quite as tender as the smaller lobsters. Personally I think 2lb is about the perfect size I certainly wouldn’t have been able to manage much more.
The creamy, buttery, opulent lemon sauce was the perfect accompaniment to the Lobster. The chips were chunky and tasty. The salad was disappointing but it didn’t matter a jot.
The fillet steak was a good portion cooked exactly as we asked (medium rare). The meat was excellent. The other half lobster was also just as good as the 2lb one.
For pudding we share a chocolate fudge cake with vanilla ice cream. It was chocolaty, crumbly and not too rich. We also had a Pirates of the Caribbean milkshake which was excellent and certainly tasted ‘piratey’ with its coconut cream and mint flavor It was the perfect way to finish a great meal.
This was a great restaurant and a wonderful experience. We will certainly be returning to sample the grande sundae (which we were advised against having because of its size). The restaurant is friendly, fun and has a great American atmosphere.
Pirates of the Caribbean Milkshake
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Everything down to the ‘restroom’ signs are authentic.
The whole focus is on great ingredients and this restaurant certainly had that. The cocktails were also superb.
The ‘Big Easy’ was good value and one thing I really liked is you can really spend as much money as you want to. A 2lb lobster with chips, salad and sauce with a margarita is just £19.99. Not bad considering this is on the King’s Road. But it you want you can get a 6lb lobster for £60. Also look out for their events such as all you can eat BBQ’s on Monday nights.
Although we went at lunch I’m told the restaurant can get very busy in the evening so you should definitely book in advance. Also look out for the new three hundred seater restaurant coming to Covent Garden in October.
When I first saw the title of this book, ‘Investment Trusts’. I thought that it would be quite a dry read. I was very wrong. This is a well written and easy to read guide to investment trusts. A must read for investors and financial advisers.
