Floridita news

Floridita serves up a seasonal change

Celebrating the best of Latin America, our new look a la carte is packed full of seasonal punch with an extended selection of gourmet salads, seafood and a delicious carnivore selection from the Floridita grill.

Available from 13th April 2010

Click here to download our new a la carte menu

Book now, call +44 (0) 20 7314 4000, email sohoe@danddlondon.com

Floridita’s “Eat Cuban” cookbook wins Gourmand World Cookbook of the year 2009!

Eat Cuban is a vibrant look at the food and culture of this atmospheric country. Known for its cigars, music, cocktails and art, Cuba has a colourful reputation and its cuisine is rapidly becoming more and more popular.

This book is full of delicious and exciting recipes from La Floridita. Recipes are a blend of traditional Cuban, French and Nuevo Cucina from Latin America, forming a stunning combination of exciting flavours. Starters include such delights as Red Snapper Ceviche with Coconut and Lime; and Chickpea, Spinach and Tomato Broth with Chipotle and Swiss Cheese Flautas. Main dishes have wonderful blends of flavours and include Criolla Stone Crab with a Mojo; Char-grilled Chicken with Courgettes, Sultanas and Pine Nuts; Char-Grilled Veal Chop served with a Chimchirri Dressing; and vegetarian dishes such as Mozzarella, Sweet Pepper and Courgette Quesadilla with Salsa Cruda and Sour Cream. Light bites, bar snacks, side dishes and desserts such as Chocolate and Coffee Flan finish off the book beautifully.

Eat Cuban also tells the story of Cuban food, travelling from the opulent days of the 1950s to the austerity of the revolution and on to the present day. This is a wonderful introduction to an exciting new global cuisine.

Buy your copy now from our online shop

La Vida’s Charity Event Latin Frenzy held at Floridita on 13th October

Floridita was delighted to play host to La Vida as it held its annual fundraiser with us on Tuesday, 13th October 2009. “Latin Frenzy” organized by La Vida, was a fundraising event to provide ongoing support to projects in Latin America.

Latin Frenzy was the ultimate Latin American party experience, brimming with culture, rhythm and entertainment. Floridita’s resident Cuban Band Los Guayaberos played the soundtrack to the evening along with a spectacular tango performance, a solo performance from 3 times world salsa champion Yanet Fuentes and a Brazilian bateria de samba. Fundraising on the night included a raffle, and a silent auction with the winning bid taking home a 1988 ‘The Cream of Eric Clapton’ Gold Disk presented by Polydor records and donated by his manager.

Funds will go to:
Proceeds are being used to aid projects supported by La Vida. These projects consist of: The Helping Hands Project, through which La Vida provides financial support to disadvantaged young people in La Paz, Bolivia in order for them to finish their studies; The Ponseti Project trains orthopaedic surgeons throughout Brazil to treat clubfoot, which affects the lives of around 7300 Brazilian newborn babies every year; The SIAO Orphanage Project, a plantation project which provides regular income for the orphanage, improving housing facilities, medical and educational support for the children; The Breastfeeding Support Project which trains and educates new mothers on low incomes in Guatemala on breastfeeding techniques in order to prevent neonatal malnutrition; and the Villa Maria Project which La Vida has committed to support 46 disadvantaged children at Villa Maria pre-school in Lima, Peru for the first five years of their education.
www.lavida.org.uk

Blue plaque honours The Who drummer Keith Moon

A blue plaque in honour of The Who drummer Keith Moon has been unveiled on the exterior of Floridita at a London ceremony attended by his old bandmate Roger Daltrey. Floridita, originally the site of the Marquee Club in Soho, hosted the first 29 gigs at the start of The Who’s career in 1964. The blue plaque, which means the site is of historic importance, was awarded by the Heritage Foundation. Moon's family were present at the ceremony on Sunday along with Bee Gees musician Robin Gibb, the current president of the Heritage Foundation.

Floridita hosts FIFA Interactive World Cup

Floridita provided the venue for the UK final of the FIFA Interactive World Cup on Monday 3rd March 2009. Some 32 finalists had secured a place at the event through competition online and at live qualifiers around the country, and they gathered under the gaze of media and celebrity to fight it out for a place at the Grand Final in Barcelona in May.

BBC Radio 1 DJs Comedy Dave and Chappers compared a brilliantly entertaining evening .Rounds of competition were punctuated with stunning staged displays of martial arts, football skills and incredible beat boxing, all of which tuned the crowd's mood perfectly for the final showdown. Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal), Jack Collison (West Ham), Jaimie O'Hara (Spurs) and Armand Traore (Portsmouth) pitching up didn't dampen the sense of occasion either.