Event: Henry Wong Harborne Tasting Evening

I was lucky enough to be invited to Henry Wong Harborne to try out the tasting menu as well as the extensive Laurent Perrier Champagne selection.

Ahmed Ahmed from Dine Birmingham

As you can imagine, I'm not too sure which I was most excited about...

Henry Wong Harborne is a Cantonese restaurant that has rcently passed the 25 year milestone. Serving up a la carte delicacies, it is one of Birmingham's best known and much loved restaurants.

After a Champagne cocktail reception, we moved into the main dining area for an intimate meal in the company of bloggers, a representative from Laurent Perrier to guide us on our Champagne journey, the lovely girls from Rewired and the owners of Henry Wong.

To say that we were treated well would be an understatement; we were positively spoilt! The evening was leisurely, relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable as we made our way through countless courses, dishes and bottles of Champagne, all expertly paired with our meals. It took nearly six hours to make our way through the special menu and there were so many dishes that I had to look at the menu to remind me of this Cantonese voyage.

On the evening we sampled:

Reception

Laurent-Perrier NV Brut French 75 Cocktail with gin and lemon juice
Laurent-Perrier NV Brut with brandy, star anise and brown sugar  

Small Starters

Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut with:

Steam Scallop with Spicy Soy Sauce, Ginger & Spring Onion
Mixed Vegetable Tempura
Vegetarian Crispy Won Ton
Butterfly King Prawn with Wasabi Sauce Dip
Soft Shell Crab with Chilli & Garlic

Soft Shell Crab

Steamed Scallops

Palate Cleanser

Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut with Elderflower and Pear sorbet

Pear Sorbet

Starter

Laurent-Perrier Rosé with Aromatic Duck with pancakes 

Main

Laurent-Perrier Rosé with:

Honey Pepper Chicken
Sweet & Sour Sea Bass
Char Siu Cantonese Roast Pork
Stir Fried Wild Mushroom with Bamboo Fungi
Rack of lamb finished with a lightly stir fried seasoning of herbs
Singapore Noodles
Shanghai Fried Rice with Pak Choy & Mushrooms

Mixed Vegetables

Seabass and Honey Pepper Chicken

Dessert

Laurent-Perrier Demi Sec with Mango & Lychee Fritters served with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream

Mango Dessert

From reading this, I'm hoping you'll get an idea of the sheer variety of dishes we were able to try. My absolute favourite dish on the menu was the Honey Pepper Chicken, whilst the Steamed Scallop was full of flavour. The dessert was absoutely heavenly, and so often we skip this when eating at a Cantonese. However, I would definitely recommend trying this out if you can as it was a sweet delight. The Champagne was definitely bubbly and the Rose was infinitely drinkable, whilst I think the Ultra Brut was a firm hit with the guests.

I took a few photos on my phone which I've posted above, apologies for the quality!

Charlotte from Lil Miss Chickas

I had such a fabulous and memorable evening, a big thank you to Sam and the team as well as Henry Wong Harborne for intiving me; I'll definitely be back!

Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Juvenate Revive Hand Cream Review

Everyone knows that Hotel Chocolat makes chocolate, but did you know they have a whole range of creams and toiletries too?

Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Juvenate Revive Hand Cream* available here 

Cocoa is not just good enough to eat, but it's also 'rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and feel-good happinness' too. 

According to Hotel Chocolat, the cream will 'help protect, renew, enliven and uplift, all with an invigorating scent inspired by freshly cut cocoa pods with notes of bergamot, green tea, lime, exotic florals and warm sandalwood.' It is also made with 'Organic West Indian cocoa butter, shea butter and mango seed oil to help soft, smooth and rejuvenate skin'.

Directions

Apply a small amount whenever required. Massage gently into skin and cuticles to nourish and protect. Instantly absorbed it will leave hands soft, silky, nourished and protected.

Verdict

I love the minimalist white and black packaging of this cream, whilst the convenient flip top means it's easy to close using just-moisturised hands.

The scent is completely different to what I first expected. Since it's made with cocoa, I was expecting a rich, chocolate scent, but instead I got something seriously zingy! The bergamot, green tea and lime are all sharp, lively scents that create an uplifting aroma. A thick cream, this rubbed in quickly and easily, didn't leave any residue and left hands soft and well moisturised. 

It definitely lives up to the claims and is definitely a no-calorie pick me up!

Find Hotel Chocolat in the Bullring Birmingham

*PR sample

NOTD: Urban Decay Nail Color Bang

Before I even start talking about the nail polish itself, can we all take a moment to appreciate the fabulous bottles? Yes, they're tall and skinny, yes they feature a lush mirrored bronze applicator lid, but they also feature mini skulls on the top, that's right, mini skulls. Genius.

Urban Decay Limited Edition Nail Color in Bang* available here

The Hype

"Ultra-sophisticated and EXTREMELY limited edition, these decadent (and very UD) colors feature complex shade work, super-rich pigments and dynamic micro-sparkle. Long-wearing and chip-resistant, our formula has a high-gloss finish that's tough and durable, yet flexible. And each shade is 3-free - formulated without toluene, formaldehyde or DBP."

One coat

The Verdict

Anyway, back to the nail polish itself. Named bang, this vibrant orange shade is bright and loud in the bottle, and yet once on appears to mellow out. The polish is infused with a very subtle micro particle glimmer than is difficult to see once on the nail, but visible in the bottle, and the brush is super-thin, for a mess-free application.

A truly tangerine shade, the pigment was so dense that even after one coat, nails look done. This glides onto the nail easily and after a second coat, is glossy and vibrant.

Two coats

Overall

Besides the dressing table worthy bottle, the super quick and easy application, speedy drying time and an intense, pigment rich formula make this one of the best nail polishes I've ever tried. I adore this colour and it will look perfect on toes with a tan!

At £10 for 9ml, the price point is pretty average for a premium brand.

Have you ever used an Urban Decay nail polish?

*PR Sample