SHOP
Jason Atherton’s Love Heart

We love a bit of a surprise, be it Colette’s lucky dips or BAPE’s recent Pirate Booty Bags of unspecified plunder. So, whilst we’re not particularly stoked for Valentine’s Day, we will be tucking into this luxury box of pralines courtesy of superstar chef Jason Atherton, because three of the 300 limited edition boxes contain Golden Tickets to eat at his highly-anticipated restaurant launch, ‘Pollen Street’, in March. See, even if love’s kicked you in the a*se, there’s still something to feel hopeful about.

Available now at Harvey Nichols, £39.95.

INTERNATIONAL
March Festival Roundup

It’s never too early to dig out your tent sticks and enjoy some music from a field-based vista. Or is it? If you love yourself a bit of live band action but aren’t too taken with the idea of freezing your hiney off, check out Resident Advisor’s best of abroad to book in the coming months. From Italy to Rio, there’s everything from electronic to jazz up for grabs and biggies like Miami’s Winter Music Conference or Australia’s Future Music Festival to tempt you away from the fire.

BOOK AHEAD
Meet Mister Nobu

If you consider Nobu your mecca you’ll want to take advantage of this rare opportunity to meet your (sushi) maker. Nobusan himself is making a three-day stopover in London next week, where he’ll be hosting a series of special dinners and expounding on the theory of Unami (the ‘5th taste’) over a selection of dishes with saki. Make the pilgrimage – by cab, obviously. These aren’t biblical times for Nobu’s sake.

11th-13th February, Call 020 7447 4777 or email amirj@noburestaurants.com to book your space. £260 per person.

HONG KONG SPECIAL SPONSORED LISTING

Shopping / Fashion

With the UK’s VAT increase international shopping has never looked so tempting, especially in Hong Kong with its Duty Free status (electronics should be a priority here – head to Nathan Road or Mongkok for the latest gadgets). No trip abroad would be complete without visiting the markets, be it the atmospheric Temple Street Night Market or the Jade Market for its amazing stones and jewellery. If you're looking for a modern slice of local talent, check out Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui or Island Beverley in Causeway Bay for young designers and cool homewares from the likes of ‘G.O.D’ (Goods of Desire) with their quirky Asian twist. And of course there’s the air-conditioned bliss and designer lure of the malls – Lane Crawford is known as the ‘Selfridges of Hong Kong’, whilst the old-guard like Pacific Place still attracts a following. But if you reckon you can find Prada and Vuitton anywhere, our top tip is Shanghai Tang’s beautiful 30’s inspired art deco flagship for flawless contemporary chinoiserie.

For more information on shopping in Hong Kong check out the Discover Hong Kong website

COMPETITION
Win £500 of Oxygen Boutique Vouchers

Oxygen Boutique, the store famed for stocking a blend of intriguing up-and-coming and established highly desirable American labels (including Sea New York, Alice & Olivia, Gryphon, Kova & T, Winter Kate, House of Harlow, and Loomstate) are launching a Pop-Up Store in Duke of Yorks Square, Chelsea from the beginning of February with an exclusive limited-edition, five piece collection by Sea NY. To celebrate Urban Junkies are offering one lucky reader a chance to win a £500 shopping spree in the new space, with two runners up winning a pair of tickets to the launch party on Tuesday 8th February. To be in with a chance of winning head over to our FACEBOOK page, give us the thumbs up and tell us why you (or your lucky girly companion) need a spending spree!

RESERVED
This week’s hottest foodie destination

Dinner
Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental

Mandarin Oriental, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA.
020 7201 3833
www.dinnerbyheston.com

Location
While Claridge’s might be posher, the Mandarin is flasher. With an eff-off spa in the basement, gourmet burger king Daniel Boulud's bar on the ground floor, ‘Candy Towers’ next door and stonking views of Hyde Park, it’s not exactly low-key. So, although it seemed like an odd spot for Heston Blumenthal’s London residence at first, it now makes perfect sense.

Vibe
Once you get over the name which, let’s face it, is just silly, you realise (or I did) that the place is more than a little extraordinary. The main focus, as you arrive, is the ravishing kitchen encased in glass with a spit roast driven by oversized, bespoke Ebel clockwork. Then, from the ‘meat fruit’ served with your bread – looks like a mandarin but is in fact (ethical) foie gras parfait – to a dish called Salamugundy – chicken oysters, bone marrow and horseradish that all melts into one – there are enough ‘Alice In Wonderland’ touches to tickle, rather than be ridiculous.

Flavours
Historic dishes that have been Hestonised is the thing here, overseen by head chef and former Fat Duck Ashley Palmer-Watts. Rice & Flesh is a silky saffron risotto dented with pieces of veal tail, Powdered Duck refers to the smoked fennel dry rub it’s seasoned with and Beef Royal is cooked for 72 hours and is so soft it could just be licked like an ice-cream. Then there’s Tipsy Cake, a doughy, syrupy thing served with spit roast pineapple, if you like puddings. It’s refined rustic and it works a treat, apart, perhaps, from disappointingly dull side orders of plain chantenay carrots and school cabbage.

Décor
The room is a sort of contemporary Tudor banqueting hall meets Aramis HQ (a lot of brown leather). The wooden candelabra hanging from the ceiling was pinched from Westminster Abbey and I love the look of the private room with its bronze wild boar heads (and bum). The most sought after table is apparently no.41 as you walk in but the best place for a secret tryst is the other side of the kitchen, overlooking the park.

Upshot
I really wasn’t sure I’d like Dinner. I like pared down, few frills, paper tablecloths. But Heston’s new baby is the antidote to cosy bistros, homely helpings and sharing plates. I’m not sure I’d like it so much for lunch, or in the summer, as the food and decor are so conducive to a winter’s evening. But, while it’s not somewhere I’d want to go to every night, I fell for the theatre of the place, each incredible mouthful and that sprinkling of magic dust that a restaurant – no matter what style – either has or doesn’t have.