#13 Herne Hill, Manchester & Sweden
Where's for dinner...guest edition.
This week we’re going for something different. Our very first guest edition of ‘Where’s for Dinner?’
Cristina, aka Refrain From the Grain, is my ride or die, food-loving best mate slash ex-housemate. We met on Instagram from a mutual love of food, and she taught me a shit-ton about cooking when we lived together for two years.
We love nothing more than throwing ingredients together…together, dining out, and bombarding each others’ DMs with restaurants we want to eat at. So naturally, she felt like the perfect fit for a guest edition.
It also happens to be her birthday today (Happy Bday, Crissy!).
Enough from me, here’s Cristina with three places she wants to go to dinner.
CS-B: A birthday is the perfect excuse to go for a meal, I’ll find any reason really, but I find that growing older by one whole year my raison d’être for somewhere “more special” than your local burger joint.
I have been an avid Instagram follower of the three locations I have chosen for this newsletter. I’ve liked, I’ve saved, I’ve shared. Hopefully after putting pen to paper instead of “next time” I’ll go ahead and click “book now”.
1. Llewelyn’s, Herne Hill, London
IMO Herne Hill is well and truly becoming a go to spot for food. Wine bars, pop ups, a new brewery, bakeries… the list goes on, but the one place that stands out is Llewelyn’s.
I have walked past countless times, and I always find myself captivated by the white tablecloths, the crisp glasses of wine and the subtle air of quality. The interior is understated and sleek, the exterior is a mixture of cool glass and fresh flowers set in the leafy and trendy South London spot.
The menu boasts seasonal dishes on the slightly more expensive side; starters of Burrata, Peach & Monks Beard and a main of Turbot, Chilli Crab Butter & Samphire are on my must try list as well as the Apricot Floating Island for dessert.
But that’s to name a few, really, I’d like to visit on numerous occasions and work my way through the menu (lunch and dinner).
The wine list is extensive but there a couple of standouts; a chilled Langeudoc (Grenache) (£49), the Chablis Mont de Milleu (2020) (£90) and as a blow-out treat, the Ruppert-Leroy Champagne (£120).
Llewelyn’s screams “birthday lunch”.
Book a table here.
2. Medlock Canteen, Manchester
There are times when all you need is a plate of food and a glass of plonk, no twists, no gimmicks, no flourishes.
Medlock Canteen is the answer to that, it has the cool aesthetic and informality of an American diner with the clear sophistication and expertise of a Parisian bistro.
Yes, they do breakfast and a Sunday roast, but I’m in it for the lunch. We’re talking Turkey Schnitzel, Rotisserie Chicken Caesar Salad and a Deep Fried Cherry Pie with Custard. Wine is categorised as ‘decent’, ‘better’, ‘best’.
I like it.
It’s made me want to venture outside the M25.
Book a table here.
3. Hoby Kulle Herrgård, Sweden
Hoby Kulle Herrgård is a hotel and farm that I would describe it as if “Call Me By Your Name” was set in Sweden and directed by Wes Anderson. A mouthful to say and an eyeful to see.
As a woman who adores hosting, HKH is my dream dinner party location; set in The Orangery, outside surrounded by lush greenery or in the highly decorated rooms, the dinnerware is antique and classic, the chairs are a mishmash and the table-scape is wildflowers and dinner candles.
Even though the website has a page dedicated to food, their food offering is kept pretty hush hush. After combing through the internet all I’ve gathered through google translate is its locally sourced and its seasonal.
We’re talking massive chunks of cheese with a ring of crusty bread and grapes (the latter two straight on the table acting as part of the décor), salads adorned with herbs and edible flowers and a buffet of highly decorated cakes.
It’s certainly the place you could have a good ol’ thrash and one to bookmark for your next Scandi frolic.
LS: That Scandi hotel is going to stay with me for a long time. Absolute dream setting for dinner.
If you fancy putting pen to paper and writing a guest edition of Where’s for Dinner, please drop me an email at: loriley.sessions@gmail.com or via Instagram DM.
Every week I’ll be tempting you with where your next meal out could be - one in London, one in the UK, and one beyond. All places I want to try, but haven’t yet.
I would love for you to subscribe (button below), so we can enjoy these places together. And if you have got any tips of your own, I’d love to hear them.
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