Phil Clarke

1 week ago | thesaucemag.com | Phil Clarke

Hotels with Michelin starred chefs are pretty much two-a-penny. In London you’re seemingly never more than a few yards from one. But they’re a much rarer find when you’re soaking up the island heat far from home. Greece only has a dozen Michelin Starred restaurants, all of them in Athens. Until this summer. Because Omicron Hotel Group have come up with a brilliant idea; why not bring not one, not two or even three Michelin chefs to their hotel in Crete, but six?

2 weeks ago | thesaucemag.com | Phil Clarke

Rioja! Just the word conjures the warmth of northern Spain, the vibrant culture and, of course, the delicious wines that come from the region. And, as we’re playing word associations, this summer Rioja will also make you think of Hackney Bridge. Because all things Rioja will converge on the east London enclave thanks to 100 Years Of Rioja, a one-of-a-kind festival from Rioja Wine UK.

2 weeks ago | thesaucemag.com | Phil Clarke

The next time we have a bank holiday weekend it’ll be the end of August and we’ll be staring into the abyss of a cold and long winter. Unless you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland, in which case you’ve got another bank hol coming up (though also a longer and colder winter). Or if you live in Europe you’ve probably got about five. Anyway. I digress.

3 weeks ago | thesaucemag.com | Phil Clarke

Be honest. When I say Chinese food, there’s a 99% chance you’re either thinking of sweet-and-sour pork or beef-in-black-bean-sauce. Maybe, at a push, if you’re a bit posh, duck and pancakes might ping into your brain. And don’t get me wrong. I’m a massive fan of ‘traditional’ Chinese takeaways, especially after a heavy session the night before. Nothing beats that hit of sugar, fat and salt (the holy grail hangover cure), you get from ordering a ‘number 51’ from your local.

3 weeks ago | thesaucemag.com | Phil Clarke

I feel like I’m coming late to Nice. The French city, not the biscuit. I’ve been through the beachside airport dozens of times, usually on my way to somewhere nice and Provençal. But Nice itself I’ve only really experienced in rush hour traffic en route to the A8. And more fool me. For some reason I expected it to be a Marseilles-style dystopian mess, but no. Not. At. All. It’s jolly nice (no pun), and if it wasn’t for committing to review the new Mama Shelter opening there, I’d never have known.