Punk Royale, London W1: ‘Someone shoved mystery slop in my mouth’ – restaurant review | Grace Dent on restaurants

Punk Royale, from Stockholm, has landed in London promising, or rather threatening, that their rowdy, immersive, 20-course fine-dining experience will destroy all puny British perceptions of posh food. It’s a huge claim from these Swedish punks. Indeed, nearly 50 years after the UK invented punk, with the Sex Pistols effing and jeffing on live TV and provoking a national meltdown, here we have some folk with mullets and Roxette CDs slopping “bumps” of caviar on to my hand shortly after beckoning me into a shoddily decorated, fusty-smelling dining room in Mayfair. It’s all a bit student house and needs a good visit from Mr Sheen. That bump, one supposes, is a playful twist on taking cocaine at a grotty afterparty

Enjoying my meat that’s low on miles | Letter

I’m glad that the impact of ultra‑processed food on the climate is being investigated. Not only is it bad for our health but it also requires ingredients to be transported around the world (The hidden cost of ultra-processed foods on the environment: ‘The whole industry should pay’, theguardian.com, 8 October).Meat and dairy are often singled out as foods detrimental to the environment. While it’s laudable to encourage people to reduce their intake of animal-based foods and eat more vegetables, nuts and grains, many of these have also to be transported great distances and so contribute to increased CO2 levels

‘It’s really good for the staff’: how restaurants adapt to customers drinking less

Alcohol is an important source of revenue for many restaurants. With consumption on the decline, venues could be left in a precarious positionGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailUntil relatively recently, boozing on was considered a vital part of dining out. These days, less so. Australian drinking habits are changing. We’re embracing “damp drinking” (less volume overall), “zebra striping” (subbing in non-alcoholic drinks every other round) and being “99% sober” (a mostly dry lifestyle with the occasional exception)

Helen Goh’s recipe for pumpkin cheesecake with maple pecan brittle | The sweet spot

Silky, spiced and just sweet enough, this pumpkin cheesecake is a celebration of autumnal comfort. I’m not a fan of tinned pumpkin – it’s watery and flat-tasting – so I’ve taken the extra step of roasting some butternut or Kent squash; the oven’s heat coaxes out its natural sweetness while evaporating excess moisture, resulting in a smooth, flavourful puree that gives the cheesecake real depth. The maple pecan brittle provides the final flourish: golden, nutty and with just the right amount of crunch to offset the cheesecake’s creamy softness.To make 200g pumpkin puree, chop 350-400g peeled, deseeded pumpkin into chunks, then roast, loosely covered, at 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 until soft but not browned. Puree in a high-speed blender

Melbourne bar ranked best in Australasia and 19 in world

For close followers of the annual World’s 50 Best Bars accolade, it’ll come as little surprise to see Melbourne’s Caretaker’s Cottage and Sydney’s Maybe Sammy recognised.For the second year running, Caretaker’s Cottage has been named Best Bar in Australasia, coming in at number 19 globally on the awards list, announced at an event in Hong Kong on 8 October.Coming in at first place on the global list was Hong Kong’s Bar Leone, with Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy at number two and Barcelona’s Sips in third place.Since opening in 2022, Caretaker’s Cottage, which calls itself “probably Victoria’s smallest pub” has “become a must-visit for locals and travellers alike”, says the list’s website. Owners Matt Stirling, Ryan Nordics and Rob Libecans said they were “blown away” by the news they’d ranked highest in the region in 2024

Why bag-in-box wines are here to stay | Hannah Crosbie on drinks

Slap the bag? The wheel of goon? Or, perhaps, goon of fortune? If any of those collections of words mean anything to you (keep your double entendres to yourself, please), you may have fuzzy yet painful memories of bag-in-box wine. The cheapness and the format – not to mention the sheer volume you can buy it for – makes bag-in-box ripe for drinking games.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more