Prikoll Chek

This week I had a very exciting week, as I was lucky enough to experience the business class product on Etihad’s newest and most sustainable airplane, the Etihad A350! I was very kindly invited by Etihad to join the inaugural flight from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi and share my experience of the new business class, and I had SUCH a great time and was so impressed (and as you’ll know from my airline reviews, I’m a very fussy traveller).

Etihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi

The pre-flight experience at London Heathrow
I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 3 about three hours before the flight was due to leave, and headed straight to the dedicated Etihad business class check-in desk. I had to show my NHS vaccination certificate (if you’re unvaccinated you need to show a negative PCR test to board a plane to Abu Dhabi), and although I had a whopping 40kg of luggage allowance, my suitcase weighed a measly 10kg – I was actually pretty impressed with myself, as I’m a notorious over-packer and once took 65kg to Australia with me!

After getting through the fast-track security queue, I headed to the Qantas lounge which is available to Etihad business class passengers. It’s a fairly small lounge but has a very good restaurant with excellent food and service, and a bar which served a brilliant selection of Australian wines! I have to be honest though, I got very teary and had a little sob when I heard all of the Australian accents around me – it’s now been over two years since I was last in Australia, so just the sound of Aussie accents everywhere made me miss my second home enormously.

Anyway, after dinner and a glass of fizz, I made my way over to the gate for boarding!

Etihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi

But before I tell you about my experience flying Etihad’s new business class, let me tell you why the A350 is so important and such an exciting aircraft…

Etihad A350’s Sustainability Commitment
Etihad are the very first UAE airline to take a fleet of A350s, and the new aircraft, named Sustainability50, carries a unique livery in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the federation of the UAE and Etihad’s commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Formed as a partnership between Etihad, Airbus and Rolls Royce in 2021, the Sustainability50 programme will see Etihad’s A350s used as flying testbeds of new initiatives, procedures and technologies to reduce carbon emissions, building on the learnings derived from Etihad’s similar Greenliner programme for the Boeing B787 aircraft type.

The Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered Airbus A350 is one of the most efficient aircraft types in the world, with 25% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions than previous-generation twin aisle aircraft.

Etihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi

Experiencing Etihad A350’s Business Class
Stepping onto the plane I was shocked at how open and spacious the cabin felt compared to other business class cabins, and then I realised it was because there’s actually no bulk-head storage above the middle seats! I really loved this, and there was plenty of storage for everyone’s cabin luggage even without those centre bulk-heads.

Etihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi

My first impressions of the new business class seat is how classy it is design-wise. I loved the subtle colour-scheme, the soft lighting, and it even has sliding doors, providing a high level of privacy to each ‘Business Studio’. Additionally, every seat faces forward with direct aisle access! The Business class seat, with a width of over 20”, also converts into a fully-flat bed of 79” in length. There are also a variety of storage options.

Etihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu DhabiEtihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi

Noise-cancelling headphones and an 18.5” TV screen provide a cinematic experience to enjoy Etihad’s extensive inflight entertainment offering. The Business seats cleverly feature a built-in wireless charging dock (although my phone – a Google Pixel 2 – sadly wasn’t compatible), and Bluetooth headphone pairing. The amenity kit is a luxurious Acqua di Parma one, with generous-sized tubes.

Etihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu DhabiEtihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi

When it came to the food, I was really, really impressed. It was my first time flying Etihad Business class, and I absolutely loved the selection on offer. Etihad provide a carefully curated à la carte menu, and guests on longer flights (including this LHR to AUH one) can enjoy Etihad’s signature ‘dine anytime’ service which includes items ranging from lunch foods to breakfast foods and snacks.

As it was a red-eye flight and I was full of a horrid cold (I did do a PCR the day before the flight just to be sure, and thankfully it was negative!) I was planning to sleep for most of the journey, so I had just two courses instead of a full three. I started with the Arabic Mezze which was really delicious, and then enjoyed a very good Chicken Korma curry.

Etihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi

Etihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi

In-flight Guest Experience
The aircraft features Etihad’s newest cabin interior which is inspired by Abu Dhabi and is both more efficient and sustainable in design. Etihad is renowned for high-quality aircraft, and the A350 is filled with thoughtful design details providing exceptional comfort and enhanced privacy.

Etihad’s signature lighting design is inspired by the shadows cast by Abu Dhabi’s palm trees. The cabin lighting emulates natural ambient light and is designed to enhance the guest experience, provide an optimum environment for sleeping and reduce the effects of jetlag. The Airbus A350 also offers the quietest cabin experience for a wide-body aircraft.

Etihad A350 Business Class Review London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi

Another feature to help reduce light pollution, and therefore jetlag, is the new dark-mode interface on the E-BOX inflight entertainment system. Mobile and Wi-Fi connectivity is also available throughout the aircraft.

Final Thoughts on Etihad’s A350 Business Class
The flight is a fairly short one (for me, anyway), so I managed to get a few hours of sleep after the dinner service, and arrived in Abu Dhabi refreshed and ready to do some shopping before lounging about by the pool for the rest of the day. I really did love the new A350 business class, and was very impressed with the attentive service, subtle and classy seat design, and their commitment to improving the sustainability of the aircraft.

Recently I was invited to experience the new Jubilee Afternoon Tea at the luxury Taj51 Buckingham Gate ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in June. The Jubilee afternoon tea has been created to guide you through her majesty’s royal journey up until the present day, and is a full immersion into Queen Elizabeth’s life, featuring intricately designed pastries and scrumptious savoury treats! The afternoon tea was really lovely, and I can’t wait to show you how they incorporated Liz’s life into the food and drink…

Taj51 Buckingham Gate Jubilee Afternoon Tea

The Jubilee afternoon tea started out a rather extravagant affair, as CMK and I were sat in our own private room, and our table set out with jewels, a crown, and a luxurious purple and gold table runner. The champagne arrived, and we chose our teas. The choice was between the ‘Majestic’ (a spicy, malty Assam) and the ‘Regal’ (a fragrant Earl Grey) as these two teas are said to be the Queen’s favourite blends. I actually went off-piste and opted for a fruity tea on the main afternoon tea meny, while CMK opted for the ‘Regal’.

Taj51 Buckingham Gate Jubilee Afternoon Tea Taj51 Buckingham Gate Jubilee Afternoon TeaTaj51 Buckingham Gate Jubilee Afternoon Tea

The food arrived with the ring of a bell (no, literally, a bell was rung to signal the food was arriving!), and soon we had a delicious spread of delectable treats in front of us. We started with the ‘Royal Entrance’, a twist on strawberry and chocolate ice-cream that was served at Queen Elizabeth’s wedding to Prince Phillip in 1947, which was a bombe glacée in an actual edible golden carriage!

Taj51 Buckingham Gate Jubilee Afternoon TeaTaj51 Buckingham Gate Jubilee Afternoon Tea

Next up was a selection of ‘Royal Residences’ sandwiches, which included ‘The Sandringham’ (smoked salmon and cucumber), ‘The Buckingham’ (Wiltshire ham and cheese), ‘The Windsor’ (Duo of egg and mustard cress, and egg mayo and marinated quail eggs), and ‘The Balmoral’ (Tomato, venison, baker spinach tart).

Taj51 Buckingham Gate Jubilee Afternoon Tea

Then it was onto my favourite part – the sweet treats!! These consisted of ‘The Crown Jewels’ (gold dusted Valrhona chocolate and rich tea biscuit cake), ‘Peche a la Reine Alexandra’ (Frangipane, peace and apple tart), ‘The Gardens of Britain’ (Rose and chocolate decorated with floral garnishes), and ‘A Royal Collection’ (Earl grey and orange mousse on sable Breton biscuit).

Taj51 Buckingham Gate Jubilee Afternoon Tea

Finally, we finished with Cornish scones (both plain and fruit), with clotted cream and strawberry preserve.

Taj51 Buckingham Gate Jubilee Afternoon Tea

I was just so impressed with the huge amount of thought and care that has gone into creating the Jubilee Afternoon Tea at Taj51 Buckingham Gate. Every single item of food and even each drink had a meaning behind it, and I can’t recommend it enough for a special treat to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee!

Since bringing Frank home back in November I haven’t had a huge amount of ‘time out’ from puppy duties. Every time I’ve seen friends, I’ve tried to go to dog friendly places so I could take him with me and get him well socialised. But recently Claire and I visited Wild Honey St James for a little dog-free ladies lunch, and it was so lovely to just feel a bit normal again and have some time away without worrying about Frank. Wild Honey St James is housed within the Sofitel London St James in Mayfair, and offers refined seasonal produce and contemporary French cooking.

Wild Honey St James at the Sofitel London Hotel

We began with cocktails and homemade bread.

Cocktail at Wild Honey St James Bread and butter at Wild Honey St James

I then chose the Wild mushroom tart, fricassée of wild mushrooms and hazelnut sabayon to start, while Claire opted for the Grilled Galician octopus, sweet peppers and sea purslane. I had immediate food envy when I saw Claire’s ocoptus as it is one of my favourite foods, but as soon as I took a bite of the wild mushroom tart, I knew I’d made the right decision. It was really delicious, and a great veggie option.

Mushroom tart at Wild Honey St James London Octopus at Wild Honey St James London

For our mains Claire chose the Denbighshire Welsh lamb, roast sand carrot, broccoli rabe, fresh sheep’s ricotta and their own wild honey, and I went for the Grilled Hereford grass-fed beef, Swiss chard, mushroom ketchup and Bordelaise sauce. Both were excellent. We also shared a side of mouth-watering gratin dauphinois!

gratin dauphinois at Wild Honey St James London Beef at Wild Honey St James London Lamb at Wild Honey St James London

To end the meal I had the light and delicious English custard tart, golden sultanas, pine nuts, salted butter, and Claire the Wild honey ice cream, Bermondsey raw honeycomb, crisp wafers. The staff brought over an actual honeycomb to the table and sliced off a bit to put on top of Claire’s ice-cream!

Custard tart at Wild Honey St James London Honeycomb at Wild Honey St James LondonHoney ice-cream at Wild Honey St James London

The food at Wild Honey St James was exceptionally good and the restaurant is beautiful, elegant and relaxed, however the service – although very friendly – was a little slow and unorganised (although the restaurant was incredibly busy). I would definitely visit again though and would recommend it to anyone looking for a sophisticated and delicious meal in Mayfair.

I have so many favourite restaurants in London, different ones for different occasions and different vibes. One of them is 100 Wardour Street. Usually 100 Wardour Street is my go-to place for a girls night, with a fun atmosphere and live music and DJs multiple nights a week. Recently though, I was invited along to review In The Loop, their weekly Wednesday series where lead producers and multiple instrumentalists take you on a musical journey, and decided to use the opportunity to take my boyfriend instead and see whether it’s also a good choice for a date night! Spoiler: it was.

We arrived fairly early as we came straight from work, so were the first ones in the restaurant other than a big group. Arriving early gave us a chance to catch-up on our day before the restaurant got super noisy with the music and throng of other diners. Still keeping to the ‘no alcohol on weekdays’ thing, we chose non-alcoholic cocktails; a virgin pina colada for me, and a virgin passionfruit mojito for him.

At 7pm the musician for the night, Tom Diesel, arrived on stage. Tom plays the saxophone, guitar and keyboard, and spent the evening playing across the three instruments (and varients of them all, so he played the soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone, as well as a bass guitar and electric guitar) which was wildly impressive! He’s able to play all three instruments as part of the same show by using loop pedals to create full arrangements and soundscapes.

Food-wise, after nibbling on the delicious rosemary and tomato focaccia, I started with the Yellowfin tuna with almond and ginger tahini, avocado, and chilli oil, while my boyfriend had the Burrata and tomato salad. Slowly the restaurant filled up until it was absolutely buzzing with people!

We’re both huge fans of the D&D restaurant group who own 100 Wardour Street, and had recently visited Aster in Victoria for a review, and then Le Pont de la Tour for our anniversary dinner. We’d chosen steaks for our mains at both of those, and so it only seemed right to go for the steak option at 100 Wardour Street as well so we could compare! As well as the Josper grilled rib-eye steak, we also ordered sides of patas bravas and chargrilled tender stem broccoli.



We both fancied a light dessert rather than something rich, so I chose the delicious Vanilla & lemon thyme creme brulee, and my boyfriend opted for the Strawberry pavlova, which was beautiful – it literally looked like a fluffy pink cloud!



Our evening at 100 Wardour Street was the perfect ‘fun’ date night. It was nice going somewhere with a buzzing atmosphere and we loved every minute, and the music and food made it even better!

Всім привітт

Prikoll Chek updated their phone number.

Prikoll Chek updated their business hours.

Prikoll Chek updated their website address.