With winter coming and Christmas we all start to think of the festivities and the lovely restaurants we can dine at with friends and family but with so many lockdowns throughout the UK due to the pandemic it is becoming impossible. So HOME-X has come up with a superb selection of home delivered quality drink and prepared food which can be enjoyed easily at home, just warm up and serve so you can stay safe at home but still have that extra special treat with your loved ones.
I had the pleasure of enjoying on a courtesy basis all five of HOME-X specially prepared DIY restaurant boxes to enjoy within the comfort of my own home.
HOME-X
HOME-X is founded by Chef Nico of Six by Nico restaurants. He now brings this service home delivered with drink and restaurant quality food.
The team of HOME-X mission is simple to deliver quality food, drink and lifestyle experiences which can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.
Why? as with so many lockdowns and restrictions of us getting out and about to dine at restaurants this 2020 he wanted to bring a restaurant dining experience which can be easily enjoyed at home!
Delivered direct to your door, HOME-X is more than just a box of drink and food. Quality chefs will make fresh ready-to-plate dishes, which all menus are curated to bring a dining experience like no other to enjoy at home along with a variety of wines so you can host your very own tasting experience every month.
Thanks to HOME-X your kitchen is about to become your new favourite restaurant. With simple to follow instructions, wine and cheese pairing suggestions, you’ll experience being the chef and entertaining your guests with wonderful culinary creations. Just warm up and serve but Nico is on hand with his free online masterclasses if you are unsure how to slice, dice or serve up.
Home by Nico Restaurant Experience
Chateau-X Quality Beef
24 Carrot Vegan Cuisine
The Cheese Club Cheese
Seed to Stem Wine Club
Plus coming soon E.Eatery Christmas Feast, Joos Cold Pressed, and Roast Sunday.
Home now a restaurant
Receiving my delivery via an overnight carrier, Nico’s many restaurant quality experiences from drink to food all come packed within large sturdy boxes which all are kept chilled thanks to the ice packs and foil within.
So for over several nights courtesy of Nico and co. my home became a restaurant as me and my husband tucked into restaurant quality cuisine for two.
Home by Nico
Home by Nico restaurant experience box provides a 4 course meal experience. This month the food is inspired from street food from Bangkok in Thailand. However if you are not keen on Thailand cuisine don’t worry as the theme changes each month.
Taste of Bangkok at home
Since the 1970s Bangkok street vendors have provided a taste of home-cooking to locals and tourists serving up explosive recipes such as Tom Yum soup, an ancient dish ingrained in Thai culture, to the delightful red curry derived from the island of Penang.
Now Nico brings his vibrant take on Thai food which is served within markets within the lively streets of Bangkok to our doors to enjoy at home!
Home by Nico box provides a four course ready meal from a starter, main dish, two side dishes, a cheese course, dessert and a bottle of wine. It comes with a handy booklet in how to warm up each dish if required, and how to serve it up restaurant style. Also two menu cards within the box so you can prep your table just like a restaurant.
With the instruction booklet each dish was easy to prepare.
Starting with the Hot and Sour Tom Yum Soup with Prawn Dumplings after warming up on the hob in a pan I soon had the smell of spices wafting through my home. The soup had a lovely bright orange colour to it and a kick of heat from the chilli’s. The dumplings were thick and packed with minced prawns, delicious. It was the perfect soup for these cold nights.
For mains we enjoyed a Panang Chicken Curry which is a slow roasted chicken which comes loaded with sweet potato, baby corn, pak choi, topped with peanuts and shallots and steeped in a creamy sauce with herbs and spices. This dish requires cooking the chicken in the oven to crisp it up and the sauce on a hob. The result was outstanding as the chicken was succulent, yet crisp and the curry was creamy, nutty, and mellow, pure deliciousness.
To accompany the curry it came with a Crispy Pork Pad Thai which was rice noodles with a Prik Nam Pla Dressing. A citrussy and spicy delight.
Plus a side dish of Jasmine Rice came with the box which I heated up in the microwave. It was packed with flavours of lemongrass, lime, chilli and coriander.
For the cheese course it came with a lovely piece of Landana 500 which came with a Pineapple Chutney and water crackers. The cheese had a nutty caramel taste with a rich buttery finish. The chutney worked beautifully with it giving it that extra fruitiness.
For dessert it was a bowl of Cardamom and Toasted Coconut Rice Pudding which you can eat cold or warm. I chose to warm it up but the beauty about this pudding was that it also came with curd caramel and an exotic fruit compote. Stirring in the caramel and topping with the fruit compote this rice pudding was transformed into a tropical heaven. Creamy, caramelly and fruity all at the same time.
All the dishes were packed with bold and fresh flavours hot, sour and sweet which certainly made me think of Thailand.
Along with the meal I enjoyed several glasses of Cave De L’Ormarine, Villemarin Blanc which is a white wine from France. It provided refreshing notes of which worked well with the spicy food cleansing the palette after each sip.
Home by Nico food and wine did not disappoint and really did take me on a culinary journey of Thailand.
The box is perfectly portioned for two and costs £60.00 (delivery included).
Chateaux-X
If you love meat and are looking for a perfect luxury date night in then you’ll love Chateaux-X it is a must. Chateau-X provide the most luxurious chateaubriand experience, direct to your door. Think succulent meat, indulgent sides and a rich red wine.
Each box comes with a Chateaubriand, peppercorn sauce, side dishes and seasonable vegetables plus a bottle of red wine with an easy to follow instruction booklet and menu.
The Chateaubriand is aged for 28 days and comes with thyme, roasted garlic, smoked salt and Sauce Au Poivre (peppercorn sauce). Searing then cooking in the oven for around 12 minutes I had a perfectly cooked Chateaubriand which was pink in the middle and lightly brown on the outside. Every bite literally melted in the mouth and it was packed with flavour.
The Truffle Macaroni & Cheese came with an aged Pecorino and topped with a parsley crust. It can be cooked on the hob in a saucepan or in the oven which ever you prefer. I cooked mine in the oven as I wanted to get a nice golden crusty topping. The macaroni was not dry at all, it had a lovely crust giving a crunch followed by a creamy cheesy pasta explosion with a subtle hint of truffle. I thought I was not going to like as I don’t like truffle but I was loved it. I think that is because it was quite a subtle flavour of truffle if it was any stronger I don’t think I would have liked it. It was very tasty and a different take on your normal macaroni cheese.
The New Season Hasselback Potatoes with confit garlic & thyme were perfect. Once cooked in the oven they came out crisp, yet soft in the inside and the garlic and thyme gave it that extra taste.
The Honey Roast Roots was a melody of parsnips, celeriac and carrots all of which once cooked gave a lovely sweet taste.
Boutinot Les Coteaux Cot is a medium bodied red. It gives a clean taste of dark berry fruit and oakiness. Warm, sweet and welcoming.
The whole meal was a real delight and most certainly made my night with my husband a special one with the luxurious piece of Chateaubriand. The only downside about this box is that it did not come with any cheese or dessert to enjoy after.
This box is a great alternate to your usual roast or perfect for a date night or even to entertain friends. However note each box is enough for two people so if you do decide to get a box to entertain friends be sure to purchase more than one box.
For a Chateaubriand box it will cost you £70 (delivery included).
24 Carrot (now called Green Haus)
Cutting down on meat or you are a vegan then 24 Carrot is the perfect 8 course sharing experience for you.
24 Carrot brings the ultimate vegan experience as all their 8 tasting courses are plant based and is a way to share and show all that plant based food is vegan and fun.
Their 8 course tasting menu is curated by Nico’s team of top chefs, who combine flavour and creativity together creating a variety of delicious vegan dishes which can easily be shared.
Some dishes required warming up in the oven or hob and some are served cold just make sure to take out 30 minutes beforehand to get to room temperature.
Starting off with the Smoked Paprika Potato Salad which is dressed with a Romesco dressing it came with a melody of onions, pickled white grapes and olives within. Served cold this dish was refreshing, tangy and sour.
Beetroot Poriyal came with pickled green papaya, spiced saag paneer, creamy tahini and coriander dressing. I loved the mix of the shredded beetroot and chunks of beetroot. It was a sharp but yet a refreshing cold vegan dish.
Pad Thai was a dish of brown rice noodles which came with tofu, and coated in a chilli dressing and topped with salted peanuts. It was spicy but zesty at the same time with that extra crunch and texture from the peanuts.
The Spiced Sweet Potato Massaman Curry was packed with flavour from the charred sweetcorn, zesty from the lime and had a creaminess thanks to the coconut cream used within. Who needs meat in a curry!
Winter Squash & Butter Bean Tagine was an explosion of flavour from smokiness of the smoked almonds and sweet and sour thanks to the apricots and salsa Verde mixed within the dish.
The Aubergine Caponata was simply aubergines which was coated in a zoug dressing and had chilli’s all mixed within a pine nut salsa. It was delicious and had that extra hit of heat from the chilli.
The Caramelises Shitake Mushroom & Russian Kale Salad was a mix of mushrooms which was earthy and tasty.
The Fregola & Pumpkin Risotto had a lovely Chermoula Dressing, topped with spiced pumpkin seed and roasted piquillo peppers. It was full of texture and taste.
24 Carrot dining was great with all the food being fresh, unique and tasty. It really did make me think why do I eat meat?
All the dishes were a treat but my favourite out of them all was the aubergine as packed with flavour and loved the nuttiness from the pesto and hit of heat thanks to the chilli.
Each box comes with a selection of vegan dishes and a bottle of wine for two. Costs £55 (delivery included).
The Cheese Club
Love cheese? then you’ll love The Cheese Club experience.
The cheese box brings a cheese tasting experience from cheeses from around the world to your door all of which come paired with chutney, crackers and port. With new cheesy flavours to explore and taste each month your tastebuds will be tantalised.
Each box comes with five handpicked artisan cheeses to share with a half bottle of port, biscuits, crackers and homemade chutney.
Tunworth is a cheese which is apparently earthy and nutty in flavour.
With this cheese I followed their recipe to make a Tartiflette which consists of potatoes, bacon, onion and garlic which resulted in a cheesy tasty treat.
Alternatively this cheese can be baked simply with just rosemary and honey.
The Valencay Fermier cheese is a soft goats cheese which is creamy and has notes of lemon. This cheese in fact is the BEST goats cheese I have ever had and I certainly will be buying more of this cheese.
Cashel Blue is a lovely soft, smooth blue with a tangy and mellow flavour which works well with beer. I am not usually one for blue cheese but this is so much more mellow than others I have tasted in the past so it was easy to eat and not overpowering.
Prima Donna is a denser cheese but has a nice sweet and nutty flavour which works exceptionally well with fruity chutneys.
St. Andrews Farmhouse Cheddar is a nutty, earthy cheese which is balanced perfectly with any chutney.
The Spiced Pear Chutney within the The Cheese Club box was a delight. It was so fresh, sweet and had just the right amount of spice. A fruity explosion which really worked well with all the cheeses.
The port within the box of Krohn Lagrima is a sweet white port which has been aged for eight years. It is full of aroma and flavour from honey and hazelnut and even to me tasted caramelly. A delight and worked well with the cheeses.
I was highly impressed by all the cheeses within the box and has even remade me think about blue cheese as I loved the one within the box mellow and creamy. My favourite though from all was the goats cheese which was the most creamiest and flavoursome food I have ever tasted. Plus I loved the port which coated my tongue with caramel and honey flavours, warming and sweet.
For a Cheese Club box it costs £50.00 (delivery included)
STEM Wine
Enjoy a variety of bespoke wines within the comfort of your own home and enjoy a tasting experience from wines from around the world.
Wine enthusiast, Rachael Rafferty brings a new, totally fun, wine tasting experience, which she has created to be enjoyed by everyone, no matter your wine knowledge. Her aim is to bring people together to discover new flavours and wines outside your comfort zone.
STEM Wine experience box will come with 5 bespoke tasting bottles with an array of grape varieties from around the world.
Swirling around the wine in my glass and sipping on the five different varieties I learned via my booklet about them all from where they originated from to the taste.
Cave de Tain Crozes is a wine which comes from Rhone in France. It is made from 100% Syrah which produces a deep, full bodied red. Tastes of blackcurrant, and vanilla.
Villa La Pagliaia Chianti Classico is a Merlot which comes from Chianti in Italy. It is made from 95% Sangiovese grapes and 5% Merlot. A fruity wine with cherry, raspberry and black pepper.
Louis Jadot Macon Villages comes from Burgundy in France. It is made from 100% Chardonnay. It had notes of apple and honey.
C.V.N.E Cune Rioja Crianza comes from Rioja in Spain. Made with 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, an d 5% Mazuelo. It provided a spicy full bodied red. Taste of plum, cocoa and blackberries.
Domaine Michel Girard Sancerre comes from Verdigny in Loire. A white wine made with 100% Sauvignon. A light but crisp wine with notes of apples, pears and almond nuttiness.
All the wines were refreshing and tasty. The whole experience was an engaging one. I really did learn a lot and discover much about the wine. An ultimate tasting experience.
Plus also within the box there are a range of recipe cards so you can get inspired and cook with some of the wine. So I just had to make them using Stem wine.
This was a lovely tasty light meal of mussels, monkfish and sliced courgettes. The Macon Villages wine gave the whole dish a clean taste after each bite from the wine used within as well as along with a sip of the wine.
This dish of slow cooked lamb was cooked with tomatoes, anchovies, shallots, olives and capers and steeped in Noble Rives. Provided a real tasty and tangy meal. The lamb literally fell apart and melted in the mouth. Was a salty meaty delight.
A gorgeous way to explore and enjoy various wines from around the world in the comfort of your own home.
Each box comes with 5 half bottles, which are personally selected and sourced monthly to provide a different tasting experience every month. Costs £55.
Which HOME-X took your fancy?
Verdict
All the HOME-X experience boxes were a delight and provided restaurant style food which was quick and easy to prepare and eat at home all whilst discovering new cuisines, cheese and wine.
My favourite home experience boxes were most definitely The Cheese Club as I discovered a new goats cheese which has become my favourite. Plus The Chateaubriand box which gave me and my husband a night of luxury, a perfect date night at home.
So if you are seeking fresh, easy, quality food to prepare at home then I highly recommend buying one of HOME-X experiences be it for a date night or even to entertain family or friends, you and they won’t be disappointed.
HOME-X order yours
HOME-X bring restaurant quality drink & food to your home.
All the hard work of slicing, dicing and preparing the food has been removed as they are made by hand by top quality chefs. Just unpeel the boxes, follow any cooking instructions, and serve.
All of their drink and food experiences will make you and your guests feel like they are dining in a restaurant.
HOME-X experiences buy from either:
Home by Nico Restaurant Experience
Chateau-X Quality Beef
24 Carrot Vegan Cuisine
The Cheese Club Cheese
Seed to Stem Wine Club
Coming soon
E. Eatery Festive Feast
Joos Cold Pressed
Roast Sunday Roast
For all FAQs click here.
Thanks to HOME-X for the deluxe home experiences all the drink and food was top quality. All views are my own honest opinion.
“I love going out discovering new and existing restaurants, theatres, immersive experiences and so much more but I also love staying in and discovering new gadgets, gaming and cooking.
