The restaurants I've been to!

[Joanbunting Profile]

We have managed both Pollen St Sociall and Le Gavroche and both were wonderful. I have eaten far better in London than in Paris but ourside the captial I feel France probably has the edge.

[Joanbunting Profile]

Just back from our tame chef Mannu's restaurant where we sampled his Autumn menu.

We were not disappointed other than by a couple with a completely uncontrolable toddler who caused so much chaos they were finally asked to leave. This is just not a place for little peolple who can't behave in restaurants- especially those who have their parents completely under their control. Not fair to child or staff.

Apart from that the meal was wonderful - though maybe not to everyone's taste!
We had pan fried foie gras with quickly cooked melon and a muscat wine jus. It was inspired. We followed with Veal sweetbread on a bed of braised baby artichokes and apples with a celariac puree.

My dessert was a lemon balm iiced parfait with a tuille and topped with seasonal fresh fruits. M had a mint chocolate dome topped by a licorice foam. licorice being one of his absolute favourite things. There wasn't a sound from him until it was finished when he sat back and declared - perfection.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Sounds wonderful, Joan.
Shame about the uncontrollable family tho.

We ate twice (for convenience) at our Abbey hotel this weekend. The location is perfect within the grounds of the Buckfast Abbey.
The bathroom has opening doors with veranda, overlooking the grounds, where I could sit and get myself ready.

The food was functional & fine. Fri - fishcakes for Tony, and Thai curry and rice for me.
Sat - tempora battered vegetables for me, and steak and chips for Tony (a rather soaked up oily affair).

There is self catering accommodation: https://buckfastaccommodation.org.uk/northgate-house

[Joanbunting Profile]

Sounds like a very good place to have a restful weekend though I don't suppose it was too restful for Tony. How did the swim go?

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

It was restful before the big event.
Tony was amazing. He swam the 10K with a shoulder injury, but was determined to do it.
His next one is the Hurly Burly not this weekend but next. In Barmouth, Wales.

After that, our next gig is mine in Brighton in October. I'm making my frames at the moment.

I'm sure there'll be somewhere lovely to eat out there!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Been in Scarborough for the weekend
Had a very good meal in the Green Room restaurant, recommended. It’s small so booking required

I had a seared mackerel fillet on a fresh pickled cucumber followed by halibut on lemon risotto, very good indeed, huge portions. Fresh veg came for the table.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

After that, our next gig is mine in Brighton in October. I'm making my frames at the moment.

I'm sure there'll be somewhere lovely to eat out there!

This any good Gill? Andy Lynes is very reliable.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide ... t-brighton

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

That's super, thanks Pepper.
It gives me something to go on, I'll book somewhere in advance for the first night.

Scarborough's particularly lovely, Sue.
I have fond memories of bus trips there with family when I was young.

[Badger's Mate Profile]

We've been to a (very) few of the Good Food guide places, I thought Sat Bains was fascinating. This year we took a friend to Marcus (her choice) for a special birthday. Caught up with the custard tart after all these years! We also got to the Raby Hunt this summer, really nice. Have been to previous restaurants of featured chefs, such as Hibiscus and Maze.

I'm lucky to have had some lovely meals in such places and they are fine for pushing the boat out on special occasions. I'm sure most of us like many styles of food though, I wouldn't choose to go to fine dining establishments too often, it no longer becomes a special occasion and I like eating good food in its many different guises.

[Binky Profile]

We were in Maldon today for a dental check-up and decided to try a Turkish restaurant for lunch. They do a light lunch menu at £8.95 a head.

Our order was for stuffed vine leaves, babaganoush, felafel and lamb kofte. What came out were a basket of warm flatbread, three sauces (cucumber, mint and unrecognisable), three huge stuffed vine leaves, a plate of babaganoush, a platter of salad (carrots, spinach, cucumber, red onion, pickled red cabbage), six felafel on a bed of hummus, and four lamb koftas with rice and pine nuts. Everything was fresh and nicely presented. But the helpings were enormous! Huge! Couldn't eat it all. How do they do it at that price?

[Joanbunting Profile]

Sound amazing value Binky. I hope you asked for a doggy bag.

[Binky Profile]

Sadly, we didn't and I feel guilty about the waste of food - we left easily one third if not more. Next time, we will get one lunch to share and perhaps an extra meze.

This is the restaurant. Not fine dining, but heartily recommended by me if you are in the area.

http://sarkrestaurant.co.uk/

[dennispc Profile]

A BBQ on Sesklia island, close to Symi island in Greece.

bbq.JPG

Dish nearest the camera, a Greek Salad, then potato followed by sliced beetroot. Next came rice, a lady on the left has a spoon in spaghetti and barely visible before that is a big bean dish. Then tzatzikim and barbecued chicken drum sticks. Followed by chunks of bread. The blue box near the top is fresh water, to its right two boxes of red wine and to the right again a box of white.

The beetroot dish was simply lovely, but Captain Yannis wouldn’t tell us how it’s made and the big bean dish also beautifully different.

Seated on benches under Tamarisk trees, the sea was blue, the sun shone and in the shade it wasn’t too hot despite temperature being 30C.

Superb!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Well last night I went to Nando’s for the first and last time (choice of the children with us)

Never again

People, foodie people, keep telling me that there’s delicious chicken available. Not imo

And there’s no excuse for inedible fries

KFC is actually better

[Joanbunting Profile]

Sounds horrendous Sue - commiserations. Did the children enjoy themselves?

Dennis, the setting sounds wonderful but you are braver than me. I have an absolute terror of open buffets like that, no matter how tempting the food. I have been bitten once too often.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

It must depend on the branch Sue! I’ve had lovely Nando’s in my time.

[Amyw Profile]

I've never really got the Nando's hype. I think their fries are rubbish and agree Sue would rather go for nKFC any day of the week . The spicy rice is nice and the peas too but doesn't say a lot when the rice is the highlight. The chicken is just OK in my opinion

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Ah! I never go for the Nando meals with fries. When I dine there I have the large salads and choose which strength of grilled chicken to have. So no idea about the fries. We have a local drive in KFC, the chicken is great but the fries are always soggy.

[dennispc Profile]

Joan, can’t say I’ve had a bad experience at an open buffet but then we don’t go to many. The Symi boat with buffet trip is done every day throughout the season and our daughter has been before. For me it was the best meal of the week.

As for Nando’s, we’ve never been, came close the other day, but if their fries are that bad, they probably had lessons from the Greeks! Can’t believe chefs who can produce such good food could produce such poor quality chips - in one place they called them roast potatoes!

Here’s some with the Young Beef, which was delicious said SiL.

young beef.jpg

[dennispc Profile]

Joan, can’t say I’ve had a bad experience at an open buffet but then we don’t go to many. The Symi boat with buffet trip is done every day throughout the season and our daughter has been before. For me it was the best meal of the week.

As for Nando’s, we’ve never been, came close the other day, but if their fries are that bad, they probably had lessons from the Greeks! Can’t believe chefs who can produce such good food could produce such poor quality chips - in one place they called them roast potatoes!

Here’s some with the Young Beef, which was delicious said SiL.

young beef.jpg