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December Dining on The Thames

December means treats, and this week has involved lots of treats!

It was a dark and wintry night, and when the rest of London was getting in to Christmas party season, I was still milking my birthday! The perks of being a Saggi means that there are no shortage of things to do at this time of year, and going for pre drinks at the Butler’s Wharf Chop House, and dinner at the Blueprint Cafe was a feast I had been looking forward to.

Perfectly situated just close enough to the City, but on the right side so not full of City boys, the Chop House is a very well disguised Conran gem; Large and atmospheric with a seperate bar area and restaurant, this is the best place I have been south side of the river for cocktails! Buzzy but not too busy, I would highly recommend this for a large group, although with my plus one, we got extra special attention and some great advice choosing from the vast cocktail list!

With much willpower, I stopped at two drinks, and sashayed two minutes furter east, to the restaurant du nuit. Nestled on the first floor of the Design Museum, the Blueprint Cafe, is not your typical cafe; Coffee and cake is well and truly left to the downstairs museum eatery, this is definitely for a more discerning palate!

Predictably you might expect it to be full of culture vultures, but on this crisp Tuesday evening, it was not overly full, and I claimed a window table with perfect views of Tower Brigde and Canary Wharf.

Airy, spacious and unpretentious and the menu pleasantly varied with a modern European slant. My impressed date was even more impressed when I told him we were amongst the first to sample the new Head Chef Owen Owen Kenworthy’s menu. Hailing from Brawn on Columbia Road, his reputation exceeded him, and the rib eye steak with smashed potato, and poached halibut with clams and saffron potato did not disappoint. The fresh flavours were complemented by the vast wine list, and our starters of delicious Dorset crab ravioli and Abruzzo bean soup, left us wondering how good our other choices would have been! Too much choice is not often something I struggle with on a menu, but here is was tough!  As it was (allegedly) still my birthday, I ‘made’ my date have the cheesecake for desert too..Just so I could try it!

Having spent a very self indulgent evening, people watching and wishing that house prices on the river were not quite so ludicrous, we eventually dragged ourselves away.

But with the bottomless brunch every Saturday (with prosecco), I think I made a date for that next week too!

http://www.blueprintcafe.co.uk

http://www.chophouse-restaurant.co.uk/

Sara Darling

Hello there, Thanks for reading! I am an ex fashion stylist (gave it up to follow my gypsy soul). Now writing words for mags and websites on culture, fashion, travel and wellness. As well as copywriting for numerous fashion and travel clients, I write features, interviews and reviews for clients including Schon! magazine, Riverside Journals, Style of the City magazine, Eluxe magazine, Kensington and Chelsea magazine, Stylenest.com, FlushtheFashion.com, Faultmagazine.com, Luxurylifestylemagazine.com, BespokeBlackBook.com and more! Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @WordsByDarling @1stClassDarling