Associate
Sphinx Kebab house in Belfast. Only kebab you can eat sober! Real lamb rather than that reconstituted spam yuck you get in the rotten kebab houses some places
What Restaurant did you eat at last night?
- Thread starter physichull
- Start date
Had a really nice lunch at The Waterside, just outside West Kilbride yesterday.
Starter was split pea and mint soup with homemade bread.
Main was a chicken ceaser salad with a side order of handcut chunky fries
Pudding was a lemon posset with homemade shortbread.
All im all a fantastic meal. The bill came to £66, which was for 4 of us having 3 courses, plus soft drinks.
Starter was split pea and mint soup with homemade bread.
Main was a chicken ceaser salad with a side order of handcut chunky fries
Pudding was a lemon posset with homemade shortbread.
All im all a fantastic meal. The bill came to £66, which was for 4 of us having 3 courses, plus soft drinks.
Associate
Went to Zucca a couple of weeks back. Great food, a short and simple menu that is fantastic value (3 courses, 2 glasses of prosecco and 2 glasses of good white with a £10 tip was £85 for two) and great service from the staff. I just wish it was closer to me, but I will defiantly be back (plus I need to go to Pizzaro which is next door).
The Delaunay was Thursday nights dinner and had a very good evening. Martinis at Christopher's before then a short walk round the corner for dinner. I managed to get a table for two at 7pm with a quick call the night before, which for a Corbin and King outpost was a miracle, I guess its not hit the masses yet and judging by the other diners I would say that's a fair assessment. Very much in the same vein as The Wolseley, simple food (had a good holstein schnitzel), impeccable service, and a beautiful dining room. I love this place, its never going to try and push the food boundaries but they do classic dishes brilliantly. Not cheap at £125 for 2 courses, coffee and a £30 bottle of white, but for when you want comfort food in nice surroundings Corbin and King can't be beaten.
The Delaunay was Thursday nights dinner and had a very good evening. Martinis at Christopher's before then a short walk round the corner for dinner. I managed to get a table for two at 7pm with a quick call the night before, which for a Corbin and King outpost was a miracle, I guess its not hit the masses yet and judging by the other diners I would say that's a fair assessment. Very much in the same vein as The Wolseley, simple food (had a good holstein schnitzel), impeccable service, and a beautiful dining room. I love this place, its never going to try and push the food boundaries but they do classic dishes brilliantly. Not cheap at £125 for 2 courses, coffee and a £30 bottle of white, but for when you want comfort food in nice surroundings Corbin and King can't be beaten.
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Soldato
Went to Pitt Cue Co earlier - had a cracking piece of onglet along with some good beans, pickles and some AMAZING deep fried shitakke mushrooms. Washed down with some pabst blue ribbon and a hot toddy (perfect after queueing in the cold), was a very nice meal and reasonably priced.
One things is, it's small. Very small. I turned up at 6 and people were already waiting for it to open, and when it did open there was only a dozen people who managed to get the seating, everyone else had to wait in the bar. Fortunately I was on my own so ate in the bar, but I did feel for the people still queueing outside in the snow!
One things is, it's small. Very small. I turned up at 6 and people were already waiting for it to open, and when it did open there was only a dozen people who managed to get the seating, everyone else had to wait in the bar. Fortunately I was on my own so ate in the bar, but I did feel for the people still queueing outside in the snow!
The Butchershop Bar and Grill.
First time I've been in, and wanting to go for ages. Rocked up at 7pm (made a reservation from the pub 2 hours before hand) and quickly shown to our table.
Waitress was nice and attentive, quickly offering us water (£4.50 for a bottle, sigh - but my guest (my mother) was a bit ****ed so we took the offer up) and breads. I spent the entire night trying to decide if she was hot or not.
Glass of wine for her, and G&T for me (Tanquery 10, yum).
We decided to skip the starters, nothing there particularly jumped out at us and we were really there for the steak. I asked for a Porterhouse (26oz) for the two of us with chips, rocket and parmasan salad and creamed spinach. I enquired about bone marrow, after Acidhell continually going on about it, but they didn't have it on the menu but sometimes have it in as a special.
Waitress trotted off, then came back telling us that there wasn't any Porterhouse that night. Sigh.
We settled on the Chateaubriand in the end, cooked rare, and cheekily asked if we could get it for the same price as the Porterhouse (£5 discount). This was agreed on, though in the end she had forgot to take it off the bill.
Anyway, bottle of 2005 Rioja ordered and we waited. She popped out with the cut and asked if that was OK and then went back and cooked it. Carved at the table, served with a single grilled tomato and mushroom and a container of chips on the plate.
It's the first time I have eaten Chateaubriand, and it was delicious. Very melty, and intensely rich. Very good. I'm not sure I'd order it again, my usual steak choice is ribeye, but it's a great treat.
Desert was Creme Brulee for her, and New York Cheesecake for myself. Both delicious. She finished with an espresso and I plumped for an Old Fashioned. It wasn't on the cocktail menu, but I was sure they could make a good one and it didn't disappoint.
The bill was £135 or so, which is quite expensive. But £60 steaks and £35 bottle of wine amount for most of that.
Service was OK, the girl was nice and friendly and had a good joke with us but the bloke at the end effectively threw our jackets at us but at least held the door open. It was a freezing night, so it would have been nice of him to offer to phone us a taxi...
If I was after another steak in Glasgow, then I'd suggest that place over the more well known Grill on the Corner any day of the week for the food.
First time I've been in, and wanting to go for ages. Rocked up at 7pm (made a reservation from the pub 2 hours before hand) and quickly shown to our table.
Waitress was nice and attentive, quickly offering us water (£4.50 for a bottle, sigh - but my guest (my mother) was a bit ****ed so we took the offer up) and breads. I spent the entire night trying to decide if she was hot or not.
Glass of wine for her, and G&T for me (Tanquery 10, yum).
We decided to skip the starters, nothing there particularly jumped out at us and we were really there for the steak. I asked for a Porterhouse (26oz) for the two of us with chips, rocket and parmasan salad and creamed spinach. I enquired about bone marrow, after Acidhell continually going on about it, but they didn't have it on the menu but sometimes have it in as a special.
Waitress trotted off, then came back telling us that there wasn't any Porterhouse that night. Sigh.
We settled on the Chateaubriand in the end, cooked rare, and cheekily asked if we could get it for the same price as the Porterhouse (£5 discount). This was agreed on, though in the end she had forgot to take it off the bill.
Anyway, bottle of 2005 Rioja ordered and we waited. She popped out with the cut and asked if that was OK and then went back and cooked it. Carved at the table, served with a single grilled tomato and mushroom and a container of chips on the plate.
It's the first time I have eaten Chateaubriand, and it was delicious. Very melty, and intensely rich. Very good. I'm not sure I'd order it again, my usual steak choice is ribeye, but it's a great treat.
Desert was Creme Brulee for her, and New York Cheesecake for myself. Both delicious. She finished with an espresso and I plumped for an Old Fashioned. It wasn't on the cocktail menu, but I was sure they could make a good one and it didn't disappoint.
The bill was £135 or so, which is quite expensive. But £60 steaks and £35 bottle of wine amount for most of that.
Service was OK, the girl was nice and friendly and had a good joke with us but the bloke at the end effectively threw our jackets at us but at least held the door open. It was a freezing night, so it would have been nice of him to offer to phone us a taxi...
If I was after another steak in Glasgow, then I'd suggest that place over the more well known Grill on the Corner any day of the week for the food.
Soldato
Aqua Brasserie in South Croydon - Took the new bird out to this restaurant and wouldn't have believed how a restaurant in South Croydon could offer some great dishes and some excellent wine. Went on a Monday night as it was 50% off Steaks all night. I also had a Tastecard as I wanted to try their seafood mixed grill. So also got 50% off that dish as well. Excellent service, very lively restaurant considering it was a Monday night, bill came to about £50 including a bottle of wine and 2 Baileys for afters.
Will be going there again for sure
Will be going there again for sure
Wild Honey in London - part of the Arbutus group.
I've been to Arbutus a couple of times, and normally really enjoyed the experience. Anglo-French cuisine at its finest, with a touch of subtle class and a good ambience.
Took a date to Wild Honey last night as fancied a change, despite the fact that it's quite similar to Arbutus. The night got off to a fantasically awkward start... As she went to sit down she noticed a bouquet of flowers had been placed on her seat. She turned round and with a touch of fear and anger in her voice (as this was only a third date...) enquired as to whether these flowers were for her, but was basically demanding why I'd bought her a bunch of flowers on the third date... Turned out they belonged to the table next to ours! This couple were annoying to say the least. Loud, brash and talking about some thing you really shouldn't discuss in a restaurant.
Other than the odd neighbours, the service was odd, direct and quite regimented. All this led to a rather bizarre experience. It certainly wasn't a bad night out, just incredibly odd.
Starter was Roast Pork Belly with Snails, main was Sea Bass. Bottle of Viognier (Cline) with a good cheese board did make up for it all but I won't be hurrying back in a good while.
Food 6/10
Overall experience 4/10
Genuine lols at the poor girl's expression when she thought the flowers were for her, and I could see she was about to start talking herself out of the dinner!
I've been to Arbutus a couple of times, and normally really enjoyed the experience. Anglo-French cuisine at its finest, with a touch of subtle class and a good ambience.
Took a date to Wild Honey last night as fancied a change, despite the fact that it's quite similar to Arbutus. The night got off to a fantasically awkward start... As she went to sit down she noticed a bouquet of flowers had been placed on her seat. She turned round and with a touch of fear and anger in her voice (as this was only a third date...) enquired as to whether these flowers were for her, but was basically demanding why I'd bought her a bunch of flowers on the third date... Turned out they belonged to the table next to ours! This couple were annoying to say the least. Loud, brash and talking about some thing you really shouldn't discuss in a restaurant.
Other than the odd neighbours, the service was odd, direct and quite regimented. All this led to a rather bizarre experience. It certainly wasn't a bad night out, just incredibly odd.
Starter was Roast Pork Belly with Snails, main was Sea Bass. Bottle of Viognier (Cline) with a good cheese board did make up for it all but I won't be hurrying back in a good while.
Food 6/10
Overall experience 4/10
Genuine lols at the poor girl's expression when she thought the flowers were for her, and I could see she was about to start talking herself out of the dinner!
Soldato
brilliant, as soon as I read "she noticed a bouquet of flowers" i knew what was gunna happen
Caporegime
Jamie's Italian - Portsmouth
Starter:
Wild Boar Salami - DELICIOUS!
Main:
I opted for a selection of antipasti.
Fried squid with garlic mayo - Perfectly cooked, easily the best calamari I have had from a non-seafood primary place.
Mushroom fritti - Simple but tasty fried strips of mushroom with more garlic mayo.
Posh chips (with truffle oil & parmesan) - Lovely take on the standard chip, nom.
Crispy stuffed rice balls - A let down sadly, not a very nice texture, have had better at Zizzis (which says something).
No room for dessert (negative man-points applied).
Service was impeccable, really surprised how perfectly they got the balance of attentiveness without being annoying. Staff were all very friendly with the right amount of relaxed professionalism.
Was a great evening and I would happily go there again (and probably order 3 servings of the wild boar salami!).
Starter:
Wild Boar Salami - DELICIOUS!
Main:
I opted for a selection of antipasti.
Fried squid with garlic mayo - Perfectly cooked, easily the best calamari I have had from a non-seafood primary place.
Mushroom fritti - Simple but tasty fried strips of mushroom with more garlic mayo.
Posh chips (with truffle oil & parmesan) - Lovely take on the standard chip, nom.
Crispy stuffed rice balls - A let down sadly, not a very nice texture, have had better at Zizzis (which says something).
No room for dessert (negative man-points applied).
Service was impeccable, really surprised how perfectly they got the balance of attentiveness without being annoying. Staff were all very friendly with the right amount of relaxed professionalism.
Was a great evening and I would happily go there again (and probably order 3 servings of the wild boar salami!).
Last Thursday I got taken to Bob Bob Ricard in Soho.
We were a group of 4. Turned up at 6.30pm as we had a reservation in the bar. Completely forgot about any sort of dress code (hey, I work in Soho so I don't ever think of these things), it turns out BBR is a little more plush than I expected, oops!
Myself and the girlfriend were nicely greeted by a gaggle of staff at the door, one of whom took our coats and another who took us down to the bar. Wow. The bar is fantastic. We only had time for one drink and a quick nibble of some olives (they were nice!) because our table was booked for 7.15pm. But the bar is great. Check out the pictures on the website. You get a proper booth booked for your party, really nice Russian/British art-deco thing going on. Very swish, and not too pricey. Definitely a place to take a date. 3 of us couldn't resist the pink rhubarb gin and tonic which was gorgeous. Unfortunately I can't remember what the other drink was.
The restaurant is as well done-up as the bar, it's absolutely superb inside. Looks lovely We had a booth and they all have a mains plug
confused: ) on the side, as well as more importantly a button labelled 'champagne' How exactly that works I don't know, I presume they just come around with the champagne menu but who knows!
The food was fantastic although be careful - you could spend a small fortune in here. For example my girlfriend had the chicken, mushroom and champagne pie (with truffle gravy!) which was absolutely massive but a steal at £12.75... whereas my Dad and I was checking out other dishes such as the Beef Wellington for 2 -- assuming the £39.75 price was for the dish. Er no, that's the price per person
So I opted for a Russian starter which was Siberian Pelmeni. These were essentially little meat dumplings which were absolutely gorgeous. Served with traditional vinegar and sour cream. Yum. My girlfriend had the scallops which she said were lovely. For mains I had the Veal Fillet Holstein with a side of mash which I really did enjoy. It came with bacon and truffle gravy which was heavenly. My Dad had the pork belly which by all accounts he really liked. His girlfriend had the veggie paneer curry which I think she was a bit disappointed in, although I think it was a bit too spicy for her (wuss!) and, well.. it serves her right for being a veggie
We skipped dessert but since it was my birthday they brought round a little cake for us to share which was a really nice touch. We had some after dinner drinks... Everyone else had a shot of something but I opted for an Irish coffee which was great. Properly done with the cream on top and a few coffee beans for effect. Perfect end to a lovely meal.
So I'd highly recommend BBR for a treat. Food was great and being a Russian/British twist there's lots of interesting traditional dishes and 'different' things to try. Since I work near it I'm definitely going to go for a cocktail or two when I'm feeling flush. Although if I'm paying for food I might be a bit more careful with what I order. I would be tempted to try all the traditional dishes -- they do Zakuski which is essentially Russian tapas. Could be worth trying out.
I wasn't allowed to see the bill for our meal, fortunately I guess it was edging it's way over £230+ for 4 people.
We were a group of 4. Turned up at 6.30pm as we had a reservation in the bar. Completely forgot about any sort of dress code (hey, I work in Soho so I don't ever think of these things), it turns out BBR is a little more plush than I expected, oops!
Myself and the girlfriend were nicely greeted by a gaggle of staff at the door, one of whom took our coats and another who took us down to the bar. Wow. The bar is fantastic. We only had time for one drink and a quick nibble of some olives (they were nice!) because our table was booked for 7.15pm. But the bar is great. Check out the pictures on the website. You get a proper booth booked for your party, really nice Russian/British art-deco thing going on. Very swish, and not too pricey. Definitely a place to take a date. 3 of us couldn't resist the pink rhubarb gin and tonic which was gorgeous. Unfortunately I can't remember what the other drink was.The restaurant is as well done-up as the bar, it's absolutely superb inside. Looks lovely We had a booth and they all have a mains plug
confused: ) on the side, as well as more importantly a button labelled 'champagne' How exactly that works I don't know, I presume they just come around with the champagne menu but who knows!The food was fantastic although be careful - you could spend a small fortune in here. For example my girlfriend had the chicken, mushroom and champagne pie (with truffle gravy!) which was absolutely massive but a steal at £12.75... whereas my Dad and I was checking out other dishes such as the Beef Wellington for 2 -- assuming the £39.75 price was for the dish. Er no, that's the price per person
So I opted for a Russian starter which was Siberian Pelmeni. These were essentially little meat dumplings which were absolutely gorgeous. Served with traditional vinegar and sour cream. Yum. My girlfriend had the scallops which she said were lovely. For mains I had the Veal Fillet Holstein with a side of mash which I really did enjoy. It came with bacon and truffle gravy which was heavenly. My Dad had the pork belly which by all accounts he really liked. His girlfriend had the veggie paneer curry which I think she was a bit disappointed in, although I think it was a bit too spicy for her (wuss!) and, well.. it serves her right for being a veggie
We skipped dessert but since it was my birthday they brought round a little cake for us to share which was a really nice touch. We had some after dinner drinks... Everyone else had a shot of something but I opted for an Irish coffee which was great. Properly done with the cream on top and a few coffee beans for effect. Perfect end to a lovely meal.
So I'd highly recommend BBR for a treat. Food was great and being a Russian/British twist there's lots of interesting traditional dishes and 'different' things to try. Since I work near it I'm definitely going to go for a cocktail or two when I'm feeling flush. Although if I'm paying for food I might be a bit more careful with what I order. I would be tempted to try all the traditional dishes -- they do Zakuski which is essentially Russian tapas. Could be worth trying out.
I wasn't allowed to see the bill for our meal, fortunately
I guess it was edging it's way over £230+ for 4 people.BiBi's on Friday night.
Small, Mexican place on a street that has an unusually high number of fantastic restaurants.
Arrived on time, pointed to our table, no taking us there, offering to take our jackets, or anything. Menus plopped down, no telling us of the specials or the fish of the day. One chirpy waiter came over with a shot of frozen margarita and some nachos and dips which were nice.
Another waitress then arrived to take our order, I enquired about the possibility of getting some drinks. I had hoped that the margaritas were made to order, but after ordering I spied the big slushy machine which they clearly came out of.
Food ordered, I had goats cheese quasadillas for starter, she had battered chillis. Both were OK, but quite plain and not very creative.
For main I had beef fajita's whereas she had chicken fajita's. Again, they were tasty enough - the beef slightly overdone perhaps - but lacking in spice, and not very creative. Thought it was a bit disappointing that they weren't served with rice, beans or any side.
Plates sat at our table for a good 15 minutes after we'd finish eating with the two waitresses (the one waiter who seemed to know what he was doing had gone home) standing at the bar talking. I was forced to raising my hand and beckoning her over.
Coffee, and two tequilas were ordered (eventually). Tequila was nice, coffee was meh.
I told the waitress that "whilst the food was decent enough, your service was severely lacking." She seemed genuinely apologetic, and offered the wine for free but I didn't accept.
I hate bad service, it's so easy to just do acceptable service and good service doesn't take much effort at all. For me it seems that to offer bad service actually takes effort. It was, easily, the worst service I've received in a restaruant and wouldn't even think about going back. I wasn't paying, but still felt I had to say something.
So yea, unless you want quite bland, run of the mill Mexican with lazy, slow service then avoid.
I left a review on Tripadvisor, giving it 2 stars. Surprisingly, only one other person had given it such a rating. Makes me wonder if it was just an off day or if the principle of Britishness and never complaining is evident here. Meh, I'll happily leave positive and negative reviews. I think it helps the community as a whole.
Small, Mexican place on a street that has an unusually high number of fantastic restaurants.
Arrived on time, pointed to our table, no taking us there, offering to take our jackets, or anything. Menus plopped down, no telling us of the specials or the fish of the day. One chirpy waiter came over with a shot of frozen margarita and some nachos and dips which were nice.
Another waitress then arrived to take our order, I enquired about the possibility of getting some drinks. I had hoped that the margaritas were made to order, but after ordering I spied the big slushy machine which they clearly came out of.
Food ordered, I had goats cheese quasadillas for starter, she had battered chillis. Both were OK, but quite plain and not very creative.
For main I had beef fajita's whereas she had chicken fajita's. Again, they were tasty enough - the beef slightly overdone perhaps - but lacking in spice, and not very creative. Thought it was a bit disappointing that they weren't served with rice, beans or any side.
Plates sat at our table for a good 15 minutes after we'd finish eating with the two waitresses (the one waiter who seemed to know what he was doing had gone home) standing at the bar talking. I was forced to raising my hand and beckoning her over.
Coffee, and two tequilas were ordered (eventually). Tequila was nice, coffee was meh.
I told the waitress that "whilst the food was decent enough, your service was severely lacking." She seemed genuinely apologetic, and offered the wine for free but I didn't accept.
I hate bad service, it's so easy to just do acceptable service and good service doesn't take much effort at all. For me it seems that to offer bad service actually takes effort. It was, easily, the worst service I've received in a restaruant and wouldn't even think about going back. I wasn't paying, but still felt I had to say something.
So yea, unless you want quite bland, run of the mill Mexican with lazy, slow service then avoid.
I left a review on Tripadvisor, giving it 2 stars. Surprisingly, only one other person had given it such a rating. Makes me wonder if it was just an off day or if the principle of Britishness and never complaining is evident here. Meh, I'll happily leave positive and negative reviews. I think it helps the community as a whole.
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Went to the Waterside outside West Kilbride for lunch again on Friday. Service as always was warm and friendly and the food was excellent. Its no wonder its always so busy.
Starter was the pate and oatcakes, with spiced pear chutney. Since its universal that all resteraunts give too much pate and not enough stuff to put the pate on, I had a side order of garlic bread along with it to spread my pate on. Was a good move and something I would definetely do again.
Main course was the chicken tempura, served with a basmati rice, prawn crackers, a chilli jam dip and a small side salad. The prawn crackers were seasoned and fresh and the salad had a lovely dressing on it.
For dessert I went with the special dessert of the day, which was maple syrup pancakes, served with macerated berries and vanilla ice cream. This was absolutely lovely!
No complaints at all. Food, service and price are all top marks. For 3 of us, having 3 courses each and soft drinks came to £51.
Starter was the pate and oatcakes, with spiced pear chutney. Since its universal that all resteraunts give too much pate and not enough stuff to put the pate on, I had a side order of garlic bread along with it to spread my pate on. Was a good move and something I would definetely do again.
Main course was the chicken tempura, served with a basmati rice, prawn crackers, a chilli jam dip and a small side salad. The prawn crackers were seasoned and fresh and the salad had a lovely dressing on it.
For dessert I went with the special dessert of the day, which was maple syrup pancakes, served with macerated berries and vanilla ice cream. This was absolutely lovely!
No complaints at all. Food, service and price are all top marks. For 3 of us, having 3 courses each and soft drinks came to £51.
Went to Blackfriars in Newcastle last night with the lovely Kelleeeeeee. I'd been there before and loved the food.
Started off with an amuse bouche of butternut squash soup with coriander served in espresso cups. The soup was lovely but the coriander was just thrown in still on the stalks - I'd have preferred if they'd taken the leaves off the stalks.
For starters I had the Ham hock and foie gras ballotine, parsley and almond crumb and green grape jelly and Kelly had the North sea fishcake with homemade tartar sauce.
The ballotine was absolutely delicious; well balanced flavours and very tasty. The grape jelly was superfluous and added nothing to the dish in my opinion. Kelly's fishcake was also very good indeed; nice and full-flavoured and the tartar sauce was excellent.
For main course I had Cumbrian chicken, bacon and butter bean casserole and wilted gem lettuce while Kelly had the roasted Cumbrian wood pigeon, spring greens, salsify and spicy sausage.
The chicken dish was, again, well balanced; the chicken was moist and flavourful and the casserole was very tasty. The gem lettuce soaked in the broth from the casserole was very good. One small criticism, as the chicken had been cooked in the broth, the skin was limp and soggy and I'd rather it had come with the skin removed.
Kelly's wood pigeon was excellently cooked and very rich and tasty.
All this was washed down with a bottle of 2007 Vincent Girardin's Puligny Montrachet Vielles Vignes. An oak-aged chardonnay which was delightfully fresh and buttery and well balanced and went well with the chicken. I also had a glass of port with my cheese and a large Talisker with my coffee.
We didn't have dessert but had the cheese board instead which was nice but there was no information on the cheeses so we didn't know what we were having. I'm sure if we'd asked our waitress, she'd have been happy to tell us - after all, she went to the trouble of finding out the name of the butter we had with the homemade sourdough bread while we were waiting after I said I liked it.
Service was very polite and friendly and both of us thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The food was of high quality and only a couple of minor niggles which in no way detracted from the experience.
The prices are very reasonable for such excellent food and, if I'd chosen a less expensive wine (The Puligny was £55) and not had the whisky, we could have had the lot for close to £100 for us both.
If you're ever in Newcastle and looking for a decent restaurant, go there, you'll enjoy it. They try to source as much of their ingredients as locally as possible - which appeals to me. The waitress was visibly embarrassed when she told me the butter was French Sometimes you have to sacrifice a principle in the pursuit of excellence.
Started off with an amuse bouche of butternut squash soup with coriander served in espresso cups. The soup was lovely but the coriander was just thrown in still on the stalks - I'd have preferred if they'd taken the leaves off the stalks.
For starters I had the Ham hock and foie gras ballotine, parsley and almond crumb and green grape jelly and Kelly had the North sea fishcake with homemade tartar sauce.
The ballotine was absolutely delicious; well balanced flavours and very tasty. The grape jelly was superfluous and added nothing to the dish in my opinion. Kelly's fishcake was also very good indeed; nice and full-flavoured and the tartar sauce was excellent.
For main course I had Cumbrian chicken, bacon and butter bean casserole and wilted gem lettuce while Kelly had the roasted Cumbrian wood pigeon, spring greens, salsify and spicy sausage.
The chicken dish was, again, well balanced; the chicken was moist and flavourful and the casserole was very tasty. The gem lettuce soaked in the broth from the casserole was very good. One small criticism, as the chicken had been cooked in the broth, the skin was limp and soggy and I'd rather it had come with the skin removed.
Kelly's wood pigeon was excellently cooked and very rich and tasty.
All this was washed down with a bottle of 2007 Vincent Girardin's Puligny Montrachet Vielles Vignes. An oak-aged chardonnay which was delightfully fresh and buttery and well balanced and went well with the chicken. I also had a glass of port with my cheese and a large Talisker with my coffee.
We didn't have dessert but had the cheese board instead which was nice but there was no information on the cheeses so we didn't know what we were having. I'm sure if we'd asked our waitress, she'd have been happy to tell us - after all, she went to the trouble of finding out the name of the butter we had with the homemade sourdough bread while we were waiting after I said I liked it.
Service was very polite and friendly and both of us thoroughly enjoyed the evening. The food was of high quality and only a couple of minor niggles which in no way detracted from the experience.
The prices are very reasonable for such excellent food and, if I'd chosen a less expensive wine (The Puligny was £55
) and not had the whisky, we could have had the lot for close to £100 for us both.If you're ever in Newcastle and looking for a decent restaurant, go there, you'll enjoy it. They try to source as much of their ingredients as locally as possible - which appeals to me. The waitress was visibly embarrassed when she told me the butter was French
Sometimes you have to sacrifice a principle in the pursuit of excellence.Went to Browns Brassiere in Bluewater last night with the girlfriend after Cinema.
Starter:
Selection of breads with oil/vinegar and butter
Mushroom Borderlaise - amazing.
Main:
Medallions of Venison with chips
Shepard's Pie with chips
Too full for desert but the food and atmosphere of the restaurant is amazing. We've been there quite a few times after discovering it a couple months ago.
Not the cheapest of places but not too expensive either.
Starter:
Selection of breads with oil/vinegar and butter
Mushroom Borderlaise - amazing.
Main:
Medallions of Venison with chips
Shepard's Pie with chips
Too full for desert but the food and atmosphere of the restaurant is amazing. We've been there quite a few times after discovering it a couple months ago.
Not the cheapest of places but not too expensive either.
Soldato
the thing I like about Blackfriars is I always feel I have a decent feed when I leave..I dont like leaving feeling I have not had enough to eat for my hard earned money
Blackfriars is always very satisfying and offers good value for money for the food they serve
Blackfriars is always very satisfying and offers good value for money for the food they serve
Last night I went with a friend to Pit Cue Co, a British take on American BBQ. It's in a small premises off Carnaby Street, and because of that, it is first come first served with no reservations. It opens at 6pm, so I got there early. A queue started at about 5:30pm, and I decided to join it at 5:45pm. When the doors finally opened and we all shuffled forward, we got to the front to be told we had the last table .
We started the evening with a bourbon shot with a pickle juice chaser, a bizarre combination but it really worked. There is only a small menu with a couple of daily specials, but it's all about the meat. No starters, straight to the main course. We went for St Louis Ribs, Pulled Pork and Beef Ribs (about £10 each). A decent sized portion of each, coming in a tin tray with a side of burnt end mash, and crunchy pickles (a refreshing change to not have chips on the menu). Fantastic pork and big chunks of beef falling off the rib, with a couple of bottles of Moonshine Pale Ale, it all went down rather well. Simple food but seriously good meat! I went for a Lemon pie dessert which was also very nice. The cost of it all was £73 including service, and I think it was well worth it.
We left just before 8:30pm and there was still a decent queue out the front.
If there are any BBQ meat fans on here who are in or around London, Pit Cue Co is highly recommended, just get there early!
.We started the evening with a bourbon shot with a pickle juice chaser, a bizarre combination but it really worked. There is only a small menu with a couple of daily specials, but it's all about the meat. No starters, straight to the main course. We went for St Louis Ribs, Pulled Pork and Beef Ribs (about £10 each). A decent sized portion of each, coming in a tin tray with a side of burnt end mash, and crunchy pickles (a refreshing change to not have chips on the menu). Fantastic pork and big chunks of beef falling off the rib, with a couple of bottles of Moonshine Pale Ale, it all went down rather well. Simple food but seriously good meat! I went for a Lemon pie dessert which was also very nice. The cost of it all was £73 including service, and I think it was well worth it.
We left just before 8:30pm and there was still a decent queue out the front.
If there are any BBQ meat fans on here who are in or around London, Pit Cue Co is highly recommended, just get there early!
Last night me and my brother took my our mum to World Service in Nottingham.
It was, hands-down, one of the nicest 3 courses I've EVER eaten.
Starter: Scallops. 3 huge scallops, 2 boiled quails eggs, and 2 different sauces to die for.
Main: Derbyshire fillet of beef, with ox tongue, and ox cheek cuts. This came with triple fried goose fat chips. The whole thing was outstanding, the meat didn't even need chewing! I had the fillet rare of course.
Pud: chocolate truffle cake, with lime sorbet. Fantastic.
Drinks: started with a Mojito, had a medium Merlot with dinner, then a glass of Port afterwards.
I'd highly recommend this place to anyone thinking of eating good food in Nottingham.
However it isn't cheap, but it was worth every penny.
It was, hands-down, one of the nicest 3 courses I've EVER eaten.
Starter: Scallops. 3 huge scallops, 2 boiled quails eggs, and 2 different sauces to die for.
Main: Derbyshire fillet of beef, with ox tongue, and ox cheek cuts. This came with triple fried goose fat chips. The whole thing was outstanding, the meat didn't even need chewing! I had the fillet rare of course.
Pud: chocolate truffle cake, with lime sorbet. Fantastic.
Drinks: started with a Mojito, had a medium Merlot with dinner, then a glass of Port afterwards.
I'd highly recommend this place to anyone thinking of eating good food in Nottingham.
However it isn't cheap, but it was worth every penny.
Yesterday night I had the pleasure of going to Le Gavroche (somewhere I've wanted to go for quite some time now).
The setting and ambience is second to none, very classy but not overwhelming at the same time. The staff were all very friendly and insanely attentive (it made me laugh when the butter dish was replaced the SECOND we'd even used one of the butter balls!). Also made me grin seeing the waiters neatly folding people's napkins while there were away from the table!
As for the food, I went with duck foie gras with glazed figs for starters, very very nice! My fellow diners went with the scallops which also looked simple and stunning.
For main, I shared suckling pig, which was carved and prepared at our table. The crackling was divine (and luckily i managed to cut it up without pinging it across the table). That was served with cabbage, fondant potato and golden raisins. My other fellow diner went with the veal chop (which looked equally yummy).
Dessert was rather interesting, as the waiter had "somehow" caught wind that it was my birthday and they'd put a little candle in my dessert and wrote "happy birthday" around the rim of my bowl, in chocolate
I went with the chef's selection, which first arrived in a narrow glass bowl (which I assumed WAS the dessert), but then the actual dessert turned up - a massive bowl consisting of creme brulee, sable biscuits with raspberries, chocolate torte, ice-cream, tiramisu... om nom nom! Needless to say it was all insanely yummy. Another dessert we had was an apricot and Cointreau soufflé, which was as light as a feather.
The real icing on the cake for me, was at the end of the meal, Michel Roux Jr. himself came round to every table and greeted everyone! I was very concious about appearing like a total foaming loon, so I contained myself and simply shook his hand and told him I was a big fan, as he wished me happy birthday
Overall, i'd say the evening was probably one of the best dining experiences of my life so far. Stunning food, lovely atmosphere, friendly staff and seeing a celeb!
Would most definitely recommend it and go again (may need to re-mortgage first).
The setting and ambience is second to none, very classy but not overwhelming at the same time. The staff were all very friendly and insanely attentive (it made me laugh when the butter dish was replaced the SECOND we'd even used one of the butter balls!). Also made me grin seeing the waiters neatly folding people's napkins while there were away from the table!
As for the food, I went with duck foie gras with glazed figs for starters, very very nice! My fellow diners went with the scallops which also looked simple and stunning.
For main, I shared suckling pig, which was carved and prepared at our table. The crackling was divine (and luckily i managed to cut it up without pinging it across the table). That was served with cabbage, fondant potato and golden raisins. My other fellow diner went with the veal chop (which looked equally yummy).
Dessert was rather interesting, as the waiter had "somehow" caught wind that it was my birthday and they'd put a little candle in my dessert and wrote "happy birthday" around the rim of my bowl, in chocolate
I went with the chef's selection, which first arrived in a narrow glass bowl (which I assumed WAS the dessert), but then the actual dessert turned up - a massive bowl consisting of creme brulee, sable biscuits with raspberries, chocolate torte, ice-cream, tiramisu... om nom nom! Needless to say it was all insanely yummy. Another dessert we had was an apricot and Cointreau soufflé, which was as light as a feather.
The real icing on the cake for me, was at the end of the meal, Michel Roux Jr. himself came round to every table and greeted everyone! I was very concious about appearing like a total foaming loon, so I contained myself and simply shook his hand and told him I was a big fan, as he wished me happy birthday
Overall, i'd say the evening was probably one of the best dining experiences of my life so far. Stunning food, lovely atmosphere, friendly staff and seeing a celeb!
Would most definitely recommend it and go again (may need to re-mortgage first).