Immersive Dining: The Chambers Uncovered

Have you ever tried an immersive dining experience? The Chambers of Flavour describes itself as "inter-dimensional gastronomy," created by Gingerline, and is a fascinating dining experience which before today has been kept entirely secret.

Normally, the entrance to The Chambers of Flavour is concealed and diners must follow clues to find the 'X marks the spot' to enter the Chambers in London. Then all phones and cameras are locked away before the diners enter the experience. I love the idea that the dining experience is completely secret - all diners are sworn to not reveal the inside of the chambers and, impressively, all diners keep their secret.

However, I was lucky enough to be invited to the exclusive reveal to press of The Chambers of Flavour and photograph the dining experience for the first ever time. Although I love the secret nature of the experience, it can be a little scary to commit to a dining experience without any idea of what it promises. The Chambers officially closed yesterday and I'm excited to be able to share the entire wacky, wonderful and bizarre experience with you all.

Each course is held in a separate room with a separate theme - each designed by a different art director for a completely different feel. The experience began by sitting in a sled, which was pushed through a tiny tunnel...into a woodland wonderland. We hunted in the treetops for our appetiser; micro herbs and raw vegetables, parsley dressing and truffle infused tapioca pearls.

Next, we jumped through a hole in a tree to reach the soup course; 'motor oil' soup, served by a crash test dummy mime artist. For the main course, a waiter poured dry ice onto the table and our host burst out of the curtains to entertain us in the grand Victorian surroundings straight out of a horror movie. We then burst into a ball pit, where we were handed gin by a pirate (although I still don't why it wasn't rum!) in a plastic water bottle to drink whilst we slowly sank into the blue ball pit; this and the starter were my favourite rooms. 

Finally, we were seranaded by a drag queen air hostess in a aeroplane cabin before being served my favourite course; delicious mango and green tea profiteroles, accompanied by a strawberry gazpacho and chocolate soil. To escape, we slid down a metal chute, bursting confused and elated back into the real world. It truly felt like stepped back into reality after disappearing down an Alice in Wonderland-esque rabbit hole, full of wonders and surprises. 

The entire experience was engaging and great fun; it's a real 'in it together' meal where you enter in the fantasy along with your fellow diners and it's definitely more suited to confident people as there's plenty of opportunities to volunteer and take part in the room's various scenes. The experience is completely unique - and impressively, the food is great quality too; the Chambers are a dining experience first and foremost and the flavour combinations were delicious and clever. 

If you're looking for something unusual and unique, Gingerline are a company worth buying tickets for. Although the Chambers are now closed, Gingerline is not - they've got plenty more exciting events in the pipeline including a revamped Chamber of Flavours arriving in late 2016. Check out Gingerline for details on their latest event - a new batch of tickets will be released today at midday but you need to be quick! I can't wait to see what they do next!

Jess

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Sticks 'n' Sushi Review

A couple of years ago, I had never tried sushi. My family's various allergies to seafood ruled out fish-based dinners and there was a distinct lack of sushi restaurants around Cambridge. However in the last few years, the mainstream chains have descended on Cambridge and I tried sushi and discovered that, luckily, I am not allergic to it - and in fact, I find it very tasty!

Sticks N Sushi is the latest addition to the sushi scene in Cambridge but it's a special one. Priding themselves as sushi for "people who don't like fish," it offers a huge variety of dishes to choose from, all beautifully presented and full of flavour. I want invited down to their soft launch, where press and bloggers were treated to an array of dishes before the official opening. 

We were probably the pickiest eaters in the room - a vegetarian and a non-tuna eater. However our friendly waitress wasn't phased by our requests and promised us a four course meal appropriate for our requirements. 

There was a lot of delicious food so I will simply mention some of my highlights. The warm, soft avocado starter was one the best I've tasted which sounds silly given it was so simple but it was served perfectly. The wonderfully tender beef Yakiniku stick melted in my mouth and I could have eaten ten of them. The wasabi caeser sauce which accompanied the breaded duck Kushi Katzu had the perfect kick. The vegetarian options were also pretty tasty - my favourite being the Mamma Mia rolls, made from avocado and cucumber. 

And who would have thought a sushi restaurant would have such a fantastic array of desserts? Pudding is often overlooked in these restaurants but the desserts were absolutely fantastic - I can't be the only one who wants to order all 12 for £30! My friend and I were fighting over the last scrap of the chocolate fondant and I've heard plenty of recommendations for the liquorice creme brulee. 

For me there was only one reason to prevent me heading back every single week; price. Dishes range from £2.20 to £9 a plate but the 'tapas' nature of the dining means the costs can soon add up. However, you can't deny the quality of the dishes and it is the perfect restaurant for a special meal. When I head back, I want to try one of the platters, most of which cost around £20 

Sticks N Sushi is a sushi restaurant but on a whole new level. It's produce is fantastic quality, the food is hugely varied and deliciously tasty and the atmosphere is modern and slick. I would highly recommend a visit, especially if you aren't a fan of fish or haven't tried sushi before, as this is the perfect place to discover something new.

Jess

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OOTD: Ready for Summer with Bon Prix

Dress: Bon Prix* Shoes: Clarks. Bag: Bon Prix*

The weather seems to be trying its best to bring us the sunshine. Yet however hard the British weather tries, at this time of year I can't stop thinking about getting abroad and onto a beach! When BonPrix challenged me to create a 'High Summer' look for a beach holiday, I couldn't wait to get stuck in and shop their holiday collection,

I'm having a real midi dress moment right now. A simple knee length dress, with an elasticated waist and a-line shape, is my go-to style for all occasions. It's perfect for work, days out, weekends away - and a beach holiday. The length is flattering, stylish and, most importantly, not too short. I feel like an old lady saying it, but I am loving an appropriate length hemline!

My only issue with this pretty Bon Prix dress is the neckline - the wrap style means that it is far too low to be worn on its own, but a simple vest top solves the problem. I teamed the dress with my favourite new shoes from Clarks. I'm so obsessed with this t-bar style I bought the Taylor Palm shoe in all three colours - I'm truly living by the motto that "if the shoe fits, buy it in every colour!"

A trip to the beach needs a beach bag and this gorgeous metallic bag from Bon Prix is huge. It's perfect as it fits in everything you could possibly need, even my tripod which is very impressive! I love the bronze metallic colour which I think is perfect for Summer and I can't wait to take it on holiday with me. 

What have you added to your wardrobe to prepare for Summer? What's your go-to Summer outfit?

Jess

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