Tis the season for food and drink. This weekend we've gone gastronomy-mad with new openings galore (burgers, dim sum, Japanese, steak and British fare), a Maltby Street pop up, Christmas party food and drink-musts, and a Nuno Mendes x Krug endorphin-boosting dining experience. Otherwise, there's the Monocle Xmas Market, an outdoor nightclub in NYC, and a Soho House Berlin package. Phew! And before you read on… check out Adidas' Holiday campaign 'The Cautionary Tale of Ebenezer Snoop,' which has got us in the mood for Crimbo. This Weekend’s Picks • FRI Opium • SAT STK • SUN Monocle Christmas Market PARTY Love Brunch x Snowbombing Mufflers at the ready. To celebrate its third birthday, Love Brunch is hosting a ski lodge party in the basement of Victoria House on Bloomsbury Square. Expect Christmas cocktails, alpine food, resident DJs, Belve Bloody Marys and the usual lot (aprés-ski gear is essential, of course). The party is also ahead of Love Brunch's private hotel at Snowbombing next year. Stay in tune… Love Brunch and Snowbombing Ski Lodge, December 8, Victoria House Basement, Bloomsbury Square, WC1B 4DA, £20 TONIGHT: INTERNATIONAL Meatpacking District Outdoor Nightclub Belvedere Vodka takes over Manhattan's Meatpacking district tonight in support of World Aids Day. While Chromeo take to the decks, an impressive light installation – by parametric designers Loop (who've exhibited in MoMA and the V&A) – will act as disco lights. There will also be the unveiling of a 250-litre bottle of Belve's metallic Red edition. We're there in spirit. Belvedere(Red) for World Aids Day, tonight from 8.30pm EST, Gansevoort Plaza, New York, NY 10014 TONIGHT Seven Dials 20% off Christmas Shopping Night If like us, you haven't done a morsel of Xmas shopping yet, do it all in one go tonight at Seven Dials and St Martin's Courtyard's 20% off event. All the big dogs will be involved – Urban Outfitters, Neal's Yard, Pretty Ballerinas, Superga – as well as a few extra activities, including DJs and Asahi in Topman General Store, a Bombay Sapphire pop up in Diesel, a Hentsch Man pop up, WAH Nails doing festive manicures and Kopapa and Sipsmith offering up Hot Gin Punch. Seven Dials and St Martin's Courtyard 20% Off Shopping Night, 5pm-9pm To register and download your ticket, simply sign up here. You can also register in person on the night at 15 Shorts Gardens, WC2H 9AT. TICKETS The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Sponsored listing Christopher, 15 years old, stands beside Mrs Shears' dead dog. It has been speared with a garden fork, it is seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion. He records each fact in the book he is writing to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington. He has an extraordinary brain and is exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched and he distrusts strangers. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world. Tickets are now on sale for The National Theatre's sell-out production The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which has now transferred to The Apollo Theatre, from March 1 There are 150 tickets at £12 for every performance – to find out more or to book tickets visit here. FRIDAY EAT: Patty&Bun DRINK: Opium And so it goes on. The next burger pop up turning into bricks 'n' mortar is long-time favourite Patty&Bun (of Doodle Bar and The Endurance). The menu – which features the best of Brit ingredients – includes their staple classics: the Ari Gold Cheeseburger (with umami thousand island style sauce), the Jose Jose Chilli Burger, and rosemary salt chips and winter wings as sides. Choc ices for dessert. As with all burger houses du jour, no reservations. There's another cocktail kid on Gerrard Street. Behind "The Jade Door" lies Opium, an opulent drinking and dining den housed in a three-storey townhouse. The pièce de résistance is the Chinese Apothecary Bar on the second floor, which has a medicine chest full of mysterious Chinese spirits. Drinks are matched to a modern dim sum menu – think poppy seed lobster toast with The Laughing Buddha (gin, triple sec, kumquats, blood orange, citrus bitters and Chinese spice syrup). Head to the Carriage Saloon for a dose of the Orient-Express. 12pm-12am Burgers from £7 54 James St, W1U 1HE 12pm-12am The Jade Door, 15-16 Gerrard Street, W1D 6JE BOOK NOW Cornish Bird If you didn't make it to their last Maltby Street event, head to this month's Cornish Bird. Hidden in the shadows of the Maltby Street arches, the 1920s-style pop up bar and dining room will serve up classic cocktails (by Little Bird Gin) and a seafood-led menu with a little help from jamón experts Tozino and top chefs (the unstoppable Neil Rankin). There are still tickets left for this Friday's event, so get booking for some of the freshest seafood in London (and there's also a côte de bœuf option). Cornish Bird, Lassco Ropewalk, 41 Maltby Street, SE1 3PA 4 sittings: 6.30pm, 7.pm, 7.30pm or 8pm FOOD PICK HÄagen-Dazs Ice Moon Cake Ice cream goes luxe. Häagen-Dazs' Ice Moon Cake – a fresh take on the Christmas Pudding – was designed by London design duo Doshi Levien and is only available to purchase from the Häagen-Dazs shop in Paris (where only 30 have been handmade). The moon (which serves up to eight people) is made up of macadamia nut ice cream, pistachio biscuit layers, sweet meringue and a tangy coating of raspberry sorbet. Oh, and a debonair butler will deliver it straight to your front door as part of the package. We're giving away one limited edition Ice Moon Cake (as well as delivery, by a butler, to your front door in time for Christmas). To enter simply email competition@urbanjunkies.com by Monday December 3. T&C: The product will be delivered straight to the winner's door at any London location. Häagen-Dazs Ice Moon Cake, apply to buy here, until December 7, £50 DRINK PICK Maison KitsunÉ x Pernod Absinthe A must at Christmas parties this year. French electro label and fashion house Maison Kitsuné have teamed with Pernod Absinthe (creator of the first-ever commercially sold Absinthe in 1805, FYI) to create a limited edition bottle, to celebrate the release of their 10th Anniversary Compilation 14. The best Xmas centre-piece, we say. Maison Kitsuné x Pernod Absinthe, available from December 10 Available at selected Waitrose nationwide, £40 SATURDAY EAT: Wabi EAT: STK Another ex-Nobu eatery has just opened in Holburn. Wabi, headed up by former-Nobu Park Lane chef Scott Hallsworth, fuses Japanese finesse with European elegance in dishes that are one-part fresh fare and two-parts creative. Supplies hail from Barcelona and Scotland, with key dishes including butter-poached Spanish red shrimp with yuzu, chilli and cucumber, and (the incredibly decadent sounding) foie gras martini with umeshu jelly. There's also a sushi bar overseen by another ex-Nobu-ite Taiji Maruyame, and a pastry bar with a soft-serve ice cream machine. The highly-anticipated American steak outpost STK has finally opened up in the Big Smoke. Steak and DJs – a simple premise – and one that's been entertaining discerning New Yorkers for five years (as well as carnivorous party-goers in Vegas, Miami, Atlanta and LA). Expect much of the same as its transatlantic sisters: meat, fun sides – wagyu beef, sliders, shrimp rice krispies – and drinks, lots of drinks. Stay after dinner for late night drinks and international DJs. They're taking a limited number of pre-bookings throughout December, so book now on 0203 603 9810. 12pm-3pm & 6pm-11pm £60 per head 36-38 Kingsway, WC2B 6EY 12pm-1am Mains from £26 ME Hotel, 336-337 The Strand, WC2R 1HA ESCAPE Soho House Berlin Offer If you're after a winter break, head to Germany for some Christmas-style fun (think festive markets, gingerbread and Glühwein by the fire). Soho House Berlin is offering a two-night stay with return British Airways flights starting from just £323 per person. Fröhliche Weihnachten! Soho House Berlin with British Airways, December 1 – February 28*, Torstraße 1, 10119 Berlin, Germany, from £323 for members and non-members alike. For bookings, click here and please quote 'Urban Junkies.' *Offer available from Sunday to Thursdays only, upgrade subject to availability, block out periods apply. Two-night minimum stay. Trip must be fully pre-paid and is non-refundable. AGENDA PICK Valentino: Master of Couture He's dressed princesses, first ladies and the world's most looked-at women, and now has a 50-year retrospective at Somerset House. Valentino: Master of Couture will display over 130 of the Italian's designs, from couture to catwalk, red carpet to never-seen private commissions. In a role reversal, visitors will strut down a 60m catwalk while an "audience" dressed head-to-toe in Valentino look on. Along the runway, key designs from the 1950s to present day will be on open display. And, if you haven't yet seen the docu-film, go on a Valentino binge and watch it when you get home. More info APP PERONI VIVI IN STILE Sponsored listing Anthony's Restaurant, 19 Boar Lane, Leeds, LS1 6EA El Bulli but with a Yorkshire accent. Located just a few minutes' walk from the train station, Anthony's flagship eatery is arguably the destination restaurant in Leeds. Executive head chef Anthony Flinn sharpened his culinary talent at Spain's El Bulli, which shines through in his own innovative flavour and texture combos. For more listings on Manchester and other UK cities, download Peroni's 7-city guide Vivi in Stile, free on iPhone and Android SUNDAY EAT: Newman Street Tavern SHOP: Monocle Christmas Market For the true meat lovers out there (none of this burger stuff). Newman Street Tavern celebrates seasonal and wild produce solely from the British Isles. Head chef Peter Weeden (of The Boundary) runs a traditional kitchen. Galloway beef, venison and Scottish Blackface lamb (butchered in-house) all feature, as well as an on-site bakery. Fish is delivered daily from the Cornish coast, and end up at the Tavern's downstairs' raw bar (oysters, whelks, cockles, clams, crab and urchins). There's also an extensive Old World wine list, served by the glass, pot, or bottle. After its successful summer fair, lifestyle magazine Monocle is hosting its first ever Christmas market. Keeping in line with the international ethos of the mag, they'll be combining Swedish Jul, Swiss Weihnachten, Japanese Kurismassu and Brit Yuletide for the most riotous mix of Xmas cheer: two live reindeers, a real Finnish Santa, a tombola, Swedish choir, Granger & Co-run kitchen, as well as stalls from Maison Kitsuné, Trunk Clothiers, Miller Harris, Esk Cashmere, Marrimekko and The Monocle Shop to name a few. And there's free gift-wrapping. 10.30am-6pm 48 Newman Street, W1T 1QQ 11am-7pm Midori House Courtyard, 1 Dorset Street, W1U 4EG BOOK AHEAD Krug Institute of Happiness If the weather is getting you down head to Krug's endorphin-boosting Institute of Happiness. The dining experience, which offers a "pleasure-seeking menu" designed by Nuno Mendes (and paired with Krug Champagne), is all about creating happiness – everything from ingredients used to the music and place settings are endorphin-laced. The setting itself, a glass box in a cemetery in North London, is also pretty spectacular. Krug Institute of Happiness, December 5 – 8, 85 Swain's Lane, Highgate, N6 6PJ £440 for two people Reserved Coya – Incan Bling 118 Piccadilly, W1J 7NW | 020 7042 7118 | @coyarestaurant In a Sentence Subterranean Peruvian restaurant and chic Georgian townhouse members’ bar from Arjun Waney of Zuma and the Arts Club. Location A 10-minute walk from Green Park station and almost at Hyde Park corner.  This is a Mayfair haunt that has the potential to attract more than a Mayfair crowd. Vibe The entrance floor might not be running smooth as silk but get downstairs and it’s a whole other story. Jamie, the maître d’ is on it. Head chef Sanjay Dwivedi would give Jeremy King a run for his money for best host, and the service – although not all knowing yet – was friendly and attentive (in a pleasant way).  There’s a definite upbeat sunny South American vibe and for a Monday night, it was almost completely full by 8pm. Flavours The menu was clear, interesting and involved everything we like best: fresh ingredients, innovative combinations, a lot of spice and raw with healthy cooking methods (lime, charcoal, grill).  Must haves were the entire ceviche menu and a crispy version of patatas bravas.  A highlight was their use of corn-corn salad, crispy corn in sea bream ceviche, purple corn with monkfish, white corn and sweet garlic in rice, and last but not least, the surprisingly delicious popcorn sundae. Yes, we ate it and would do it again in a heartbeat.  UJ also loved the grilled meats (lamb chops made the brother nostalgic for Balàfia) and smoky tomato salsa. Décor Incan bling! This is Peru comes to Mayfair – so think gold crushed velvet and dark wood with mirrors, antiques and soft lighting. There are enough rooms to make this a varied night out. Upshot This space ticks quite a few boxes. Members’ bar with terrace; pisco bar with extensive selection; dining room with multiple kitchens and flavours; DJs and live music (on nights) and a buzz throughout. And we love a townhouse. Reserved Archive > WEEKEND GUIDE by JC, RESERVED by TR LIKE SHARE FORWARD *|SHARE:TWITTER, FACEBOOK, STUMBLEUPON, LINKEDIN, DELICIOUS|* *|GOOGLE:PLUSONE|* PREVIOUS EDITION (c) 2012 Urban Junkies. All rights reserved. Reproductions of any portion of this website only with our express permission. Urban Junkies is a free daily mailer. All listings and features are editorial: We do not receive any payment from venues, artists or promoters. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information listed but we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.