Associate
Medgrill. Nice food poor service.
What Restaurant did you eat at last night?
- Thread starter physichull
- Start date
Went to The Yew Tree pub in Lower Wield for some lunch on the way to Marlborough. It's a lovely looking pub and we managed to get a table even though we hadn't booked. The menu had a good selection of traditional pub grub to choose from, and I went with the sausage and parsley mash whilst my wife went for a Brie Ploughman's.
The three lovely large sausages on a mound of mash, along with a very nice red onion gravy would have been perfect, but it also came with broccoli, carrots and red cabbage. Really good! The Ploughman's was a generous portion of Brie with 2 large pieces of wholemeal bread, salad and chutney. Again, this was very good.
Service was welcoming, friendly and polite. This is a pub worth visiting if you're passing by.
The reason for our trip to Marlborough was so that we could eat at The Harrow At Little Bedwyn, and we are very glad that we did. We chose the Gourmet Menu which was 7 courses including the optional cheese, but we didn't have the matching wines. Instead, browsing the superb wine list, and some very helpful suggestions, we went for a bottle of South African Viognier. It happened to be the last bottle and not something that we'd normally choose, but it was really very good and quite reasonably priced. Later in the meal, we also tried a glass of Greek Viognier which again was superb. Wine from 2 countries I'd not normally chose, and they were both great.
The food itself was on the whole, superb. A few of the standout dishes for us were the Foie Gras, Scallop & Black Pudding which had a great combination of flavours and textures. The Turbot was cooked perfectly and was fantastic, and the dessert was a selection of parfaits, sorbets and chocolate - sweet heaven on a plate.
I've eaten at a number of London restaurants that have 1 Michelin star, and the service has quite often been disappointing. At The Harrow, it was perfect; friendly and polite, but very professional.
It's easy to see why it's held a Michelin star since 2007. We had a lovely meal, and we've no doubt that we'll be back again.
The three lovely large sausages on a mound of mash, along with a very nice red onion gravy would have been perfect, but it also came with broccoli, carrots and red cabbage. Really good! The Ploughman's was a generous portion of Brie with 2 large pieces of wholemeal bread, salad and chutney. Again, this was very good.
Service was welcoming, friendly and polite. This is a pub worth visiting if you're passing by.
The reason for our trip to Marlborough was so that we could eat at The Harrow At Little Bedwyn, and we are very glad that we did. We chose the Gourmet Menu which was 7 courses including the optional cheese, but we didn't have the matching wines. Instead, browsing the superb wine list, and some very helpful suggestions, we went for a bottle of South African Viognier. It happened to be the last bottle and not something that we'd normally choose, but it was really very good and quite reasonably priced. Later in the meal, we also tried a glass of Greek Viognier which again was superb. Wine from 2 countries I'd not normally chose, and they were both great.
The food itself was on the whole, superb. A few of the standout dishes for us were the Foie Gras, Scallop & Black Pudding which had a great combination of flavours and textures. The Turbot was cooked perfectly and was fantastic, and the dessert was a selection of parfaits, sorbets and chocolate - sweet heaven on a plate.
I've eaten at a number of London restaurants that have 1 Michelin star, and the service has quite often been disappointing. At The Harrow, it was perfect; friendly and polite, but very professional.
It's easy to see why it's held a Michelin star since 2007. We had a lovely meal, and we've no doubt that we'll be back again.
Thanks for sharing that, the menu looks incredible - been wanting to go for a while, with my girlfriend's family living close by. Looks like we'll be heading there later this year. Can't wait!
I went to Goodman Canary Wharf last night. Been going to Goodman for quite a while as my former colleague's brother is the head waiter for the group, plus another colleague used to live with a few of their employees, so it's been a frequent destination.
Not living too far from Canary Wharf but never having been to their restaurant there, and having had a very frustrating day yesterday, I decided to head down for a last minute steak. Aside from the girlfriend trying to cause arguments every five minutes... I really enjoyed it. The last few times I've been to Goodman have been average at best - a porterhouse I ate at their City restaurant earlier in the year was woeful, and a chunky rib eye on Maddox St being less impressive than going to the Aberdeen Angus Steakhouse!
Having done a bit of wine tasting on the Sonoma Coast last year, we went for a bottle of this. It went down well, and while it was one of the stronger Pinot Noir's I've had from the region it still lacked the elegance of a traditional Burgundy - closest I've found is this.
At the waitresses' recommendation I went for a 500g Red Ruby rib eye. Decently priced (compared to some of the other cuts) I was very impressed. Quite a thin cut but juicy and well flavoured. I've never tasted red ruby cattle before, and the previous recommendation I've had from them was a Polish breed and possibly one of the toughest steaks I've ever eaten, but the waitress seemed knowledgeable and convinced it was the best cut they had in stock at the moment.
In the old argument between Hawksmoor and Goodman (and yes, I realise there are other better steak restaurants in London!) I've always found that Hawksmoor wins on cocktails, starters, deserts and liquor, whereas Goodman trumps on mains (steak, not seafood) and sides. And although I prefer the variety in the Hawksmoor wine list, particularly French, I am trying to familiarise myself with American wines at the moment and Goodman really does cater for this. Alongside the meat we had carrots in maple butter and candied pecans, with standard chips, truffle mac and cheese and creamed spinach.
All in all, it was a much better Goodman experience than I've had in a while, and while it's very much on the pricey side (last night was mainly due to the drinks) I'd happily opt for the food again. Off to Foxlow next week, so really looking forward to that.
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Caporegime
Burnt Ends and ribs @ Bodeans yesterday, with numerous Picklebacks (gross, but awesome)
Soldato
the burnt ends are awesome
Soldato
Went out in Basel and I had a nice meal for Father's Day. Found a place in the back streets and went for their set menu.
Crustini of mozzarella and tomatoes etc.
Veal with girolles & baby asparagus
Honey parfait ice cream and strawberries.
Was really nice for somewhere I just happened to pass.
Crustini of mozzarella and tomatoes etc.
Veal with girolles & baby asparagus
Honey parfait ice cream and strawberries.
Was really nice for somewhere I just happened to pass.
Soldato
Duck and Waffle:
Hawksmoor Seven Dials:
Pollen Street Social:
Busy couple of days.
Hawksmoor Seven Dials:
Pollen Street Social:
Busy couple of days.
I take it that is the popcorn dessert at Pollen St? That was sooo good!
Soldato
Yea, it was.
I have to say, I thought it was OK, nice, but nothing blew me away. The pork dish was nice, but probably a touch over salted, but the meat was well done.
The fried breakfast in the egg was tasty too. The scallop dish had a bitterness from the flower/leaves on top, which kind of killed the beauty of the scallop for me and the soup with gambas, I just couldn't get much from the gambas, it seems lost.
The fish was nice, but strawberries on it, I just didn't get. Would have been better without them.
I think I'm just really fussy/ stupid levels of what I like, maybe, but for an 85quid tasting menu I didn't think it hit that mark.
I have to say, I thought it was OK, nice, but nothing blew me away. The pork dish was nice, but probably a touch over salted, but the meat was well done.
The fried breakfast in the egg was tasty too. The scallop dish had a bitterness from the flower/leaves on top, which kind of killed the beauty of the scallop for me and the soup with gambas, I just couldn't get much from the gambas, it seems lost.
The fish was nice, but strawberries on it, I just didn't get. Would have been better without them.
I think I'm just really fussy/ stupid levels of what I like, maybe, but for an 85quid tasting menu I didn't think it hit that mark.
Whilst over on the Isle of Wight for the festival, I found a new burger restaurant in Newport which had opened temporarily for the festival weekend, and was then closing again to finish the fit-out before opening properly. It's called The Smokehouse.
I had their Smokehouse burger and seasoned fries. The burger was really good; coarse cut beef, juicy and good flavour. It had some lovely thick cut smoked bacon and cheese on it, and a superb brioche bun (one of the best I've ever had). The seasoned fries were nice and crunchy but far too salty.
It's down a side road in Newport, and I don't know how busy it will get outside of festival/holiday season, but I hope it does well.
I had their Smokehouse burger and seasoned fries. The burger was really good; coarse cut beef, juicy and good flavour. It had some lovely thick cut smoked bacon and cheese on it, and a superb brioche bun (one of the best I've ever had). The seasoned fries were nice and crunchy but far too salty.
It's down a side road in Newport, and I don't know how busy it will get outside of festival/holiday season, but I hope it does well.
Recently had a meal at Fera at claridges, Simon Rogan's first proper restaurant in London.
Service/Prices
- Surprisingly easy to book, but it is a big space, and open 7 days a week.
- The room is very grand, tables well spaced, and there is a semi-open kitchen you can see. The atmosphere is very relaxed which is nice
- Service was very good, with familiar faces from his other restaurants and other places in London. There are a few kinks to be worked out to get things truly slick and at a level you expect from a restaurant in a 5 star hotel e.g. we got asked twice for any dietary requirements/dislikes, but we still got something I had said I don't like.
- Food Prices are very fair, the tasting menu comes in at £105, which given the location seemed very reasonable to me considering what they could have got away with
- Drink prices are predictably Mayfair, hello £15 Gin and Tonics, but to be expected and to be fair they offered us tap water after the first bottle of still/sparking.
The food
- Very Rogan-esque food, he's on familiar ground, so it might be fairly Polarising for some
- Some stunning dishes e.g. a Lobster dish and Hake were as good as dishes at the likes of Square/Ledbury - wonderful balance and flavour combinations, techniques and quality of ingredients
- Some dishes didn't work, there was a salad with truffle custard that was frankly just over-truffled and there was no balance of flavours
- A palate cleanser/dessert that had celery was again just not good and I didn't finish it which is rare.
- Desserts in general were a step below the savoury and the petit fours were distinctly average
Overall, I was pretty impressed. I think it needs about 12-18 months to settle down and find its rhythm, but if they elevate all the dishes to the level of the fish courses then it will be up there with the best. At the moment consistency isn't quite there (to be expected) across the menu and service, and the sweet courses were a bit of a step down from the level I expect they are aiming for.
Will return later in the year to see how it is progressing.
Service/Prices
- Surprisingly easy to book, but it is a big space, and open 7 days a week.
- The room is very grand, tables well spaced, and there is a semi-open kitchen you can see. The atmosphere is very relaxed which is nice
- Service was very good, with familiar faces from his other restaurants and other places in London. There are a few kinks to be worked out to get things truly slick and at a level you expect from a restaurant in a 5 star hotel e.g. we got asked twice for any dietary requirements/dislikes, but we still got something I had said I don't like.
- Food Prices are very fair, the tasting menu comes in at £105, which given the location seemed very reasonable to me considering what they could have got away with
- Drink prices are predictably Mayfair, hello £15 Gin and Tonics, but to be expected and to be fair they offered us tap water after the first bottle of still/sparking.
The food
- Very Rogan-esque food, he's on familiar ground, so it might be fairly Polarising for some
- Some stunning dishes e.g. a Lobster dish and Hake were as good as dishes at the likes of Square/Ledbury - wonderful balance and flavour combinations, techniques and quality of ingredients
- Some dishes didn't work, there was a salad with truffle custard that was frankly just over-truffled and there was no balance of flavours
- A palate cleanser/dessert that had celery was again just not good and I didn't finish it which is rare.
- Desserts in general were a step below the savoury and the petit fours were distinctly average
Overall, I was pretty impressed. I think it needs about 12-18 months to settle down and find its rhythm, but if they elevate all the dishes to the level of the fish courses then it will be up there with the best. At the moment consistency isn't quite there (to be expected) across the menu and service, and the sweet courses were a bit of a step down from the level I expect they are aiming for.
Will return later in the year to see how it is progressing.
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Man of Honour
- Joined
- 21 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 46,034
Carluccios two night ago.
Wagamamas last night.
Nandos tonight.
The best part of being sent to a conference for the weekend
My favourite was of course nandos
Wagamamas last night.
Nandos tonight.
The best part of being sent to a conference for the weekend
My favourite was of course nandos
Associate
- Joined
- 28 Jun 2005
- Posts
- 1,306
Fraiche in Oxton, Wirral. Have done Michelin-starred restaurants a few times in the past but have sometimes been left underwhelmed considering the outlay involved. Had a fantastic night at Fraiche though and I can't work out they turn a profit with the quality of dishes on the £70 menu and only having 5 tables.
There's a 3-month waiting list to get a table but it's so worth the wait. Would post some pictures but the surprise element makes a meal like that more special. We were there 3 hours with some cracking dishes, amusees and little treats which kept coming out. Only 2 front of house staff but very knowledgable about the wine flights and knew their way around an amazing cheeseboard. Smart but not formal restaurant, highly recommended.
There's a 3-month waiting list to get a table but it's so worth the wait. Would post some pictures but the surprise element makes a meal like that more special. We were there 3 hours with some cracking dishes, amusees and little treats which kept coming out. Only 2 front of house staff but very knowledgable about the wine flights and knew their way around an amazing cheeseboard. Smart but not formal restaurant, highly recommended.
I took someone to Luton Airport this morning and fancied breakfast on my way out. I was on the way back to MK but remembered hearing about this place so turned around.
http://www.wafflehouse.co.uk/st-albans/
Pot of English Breakfast Tea:
Banana Waffle (cinnamon sugar)
I had great service, seated outsited and served quickly. Staff were very attentive for a Saturday morning and the place had a good atmosphere with everyone enjoying brunch. Total came to £6.40 for tea and waffle.
Their main breakfasts looked good too, smoked salmon and eggs, sausage, bacon and eggs etc. all on waffles. Worth stopping by if you're in the area. They're open all day and the savoury waffles sounded nice too.
http://www.wafflehouse.co.uk/st-albans/
Pot of English Breakfast Tea:
Banana Waffle (cinnamon sugar)
I had great service, seated outsited and served quickly. Staff were very attentive for a Saturday morning and the place had a good atmosphere with everyone enjoying brunch. Total came to £6.40 for tea and waffle.
Their main breakfasts looked good too, smoked salmon and eggs, sausage, bacon and eggs etc. all on waffles. Worth stopping by if you're in the area. They're open all day and the savoury waffles sounded nice too.
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Soldato
Last night... L'Enclume.
Outstanding (again). The service is superb. Whilst the staff are uber efficient and very well "drilled", it was still very personal and friendly.
I won't bother trying to detail the food as I'd write lots and not get close.
Outstanding (again). The service is superb. Whilst the staff are uber efficient and very well "drilled", it was still very personal and friendly.
I won't bother trying to detail the food as I'd write lots and not get close.
- Joined
- 4 Jan 2013
- Posts
- 3,783
Went to the Capistrano in Valletta (Malta).
Lovely atmosphere, limited numbers so was a very enjoyable evening. For starts I had the:
Carpaccio of Beef Fillet with parmiggiano, fresh rocket leaves and balsamic reduction
Very tasty
For the main course I had:
Grilled Fresh Swordfish with garlic, peppers, capers and tomato sauce finished with black olive tapenade
The swordfish was lovely, been many a year since I last tried it. Thought the tomator sauce was excessively salty however.
Had a side of potatoes and local veg including gratin I think?
For dessert I had
Warm Sweet Ricotta Pudding with chocolate and flaked almonds served with caramel sauce vanilla ice cream and cinnamon twisted pastry.
Exceptionally well made, very filling however!
The other person I was with had:
starter:
Garganelli with Maltese Sausage slow cooked with garlic, onions, carrots and creamy tomato sauce finished with local goat's cheese
main
Grilled Escalopes of Veal Al limone, fresh rocket leaves and parmiggiano
dessert
White Chocolate brownie laced with passion fruit crème anglaise served with raspberry ice cream and chocolate soil
Thought the veal was especially tasty. The starter was also very good but nearly a meal in itself!
Dessert was impeccable, the raspberry icecream was gorgeous and very palette refreshing.
I'm not a fine eater, quite the opposite, but I was pleasantly surprised by how full I was. The price including a bottle of wine, bottled water and a beer (I'm not civilised
) was under 60 euros for us both.
Very reasonable.
Lovely atmosphere, limited numbers so was a very enjoyable evening. For starts I had the:
Carpaccio of Beef Fillet with parmiggiano, fresh rocket leaves and balsamic reduction
Very tasty
For the main course I had:
Grilled Fresh Swordfish with garlic, peppers, capers and tomato sauce finished with black olive tapenade
The swordfish was lovely, been many a year since I last tried it. Thought the tomator sauce was excessively salty however.
Had a side of potatoes and local veg including gratin I think?
For dessert I had
Warm Sweet Ricotta Pudding with chocolate and flaked almonds served with caramel sauce vanilla ice cream and cinnamon twisted pastry.
Exceptionally well made, very filling however!
The other person I was with had:
starter:
Garganelli with Maltese Sausage slow cooked with garlic, onions, carrots and creamy tomato sauce finished with local goat's cheese
main
Grilled Escalopes of Veal Al limone, fresh rocket leaves and parmiggiano
dessert
White Chocolate brownie laced with passion fruit crème anglaise served with raspberry ice cream and chocolate soil
Thought the veal was especially tasty. The starter was also very good but nearly a meal in itself!
Dessert was impeccable, the raspberry icecream was gorgeous and very palette refreshing.
I'm not a fine eater, quite the opposite, but I was pleasantly surprised by how full I was. The price including a bottle of wine, bottled water and a beer (I'm not civilised
) was under 60 euros for us both.Very reasonable.
Took my wife and the in-laws to The Ledbury on Saturday evening for my wife's birthday. Went there a few years ago and had a great meal, and this equalled that experience without question. Haven't got the menu to hand but we had the 7 course tasting menu (with accompanying wine), and the 2 fish (Mackerel and Langoustine) and 2 mains (Quail and Beef) were simply stunning dishes. I've enjoyed a couple or very nice meals at Pollen St Social and The Greenhouse this year, but this blew both of them away. As to be expected, service was exceptionally good too.