The restaurants I've been to!

[Joanbunting Profile]

It's the Spanish eating times which do for me Member 461. I just hate eating late and it is very bad for your health too I'm told especially as you get older.

You know the old saying "Breakfast like a king, lunch like a gentleman and sup like a pauper

Our lunchtime experience was not one of the best we have ever had and this is going to sound snobby but it isn't because I love eating in simple places where the food is cooked with knowledge and care.
It just wasn't like this. If you enter the place via the terrace one walks over astroturf past plastic chairs and tables. The inside is shall be say functional. The menu looked perfectly OK but what we ordered was rather less so,

My syarter of herbed lentils and braised ox tongue was enormous - main portion size so I immediately cancelled the main course. This was perhaps not a wise move because although the lentils were tasty and the tongue smelled lovely it was incredibly tough. It simply hadn't been cooked long enough and/or correctly. M's goats cheese starter was better but, he said over sweet with honey and the rocket was just the wrong leaf, His sea bass fillet was correctly cooked but inapproriately served on giant cous cous said to be with asparagus. There were two tips.

Desserts were rather better but not at all original. Tiramisu for him - very average and a almond fondant with strawberries for me. Only it was just a sponge cake with chopped up strawberries inside - I think.

The maddening thing was that it cost just as much - or even a bit more than our favourite restaurant up the hill who serve a lunch with a menu which changes every day and is truly local and seasonal.

We will not be back.

When we looked at Trip Advisor M realised that nearly all the high ratings were writeen by locals. We have a distinct impression that their mates are attempting to promote the place . Our report is on it's way.

[jeral Profile]

Gosh, Joanbunting, not a good start for the place at all. Hopefully you weren't going for a special celebration lunch.

It's a good job your preferred local restaurant is still going strong.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

What a shame, Joan!
It´s so frustrating when you have high expectations and the food/decor/service is below par.
About three years ago, we went to an Italian restaurant in Caracas ( had to be Italian - my wife is never very adventurous over here!). The place was in an expensive part of the city; the decor, the tables, beautiful, impeccable. The menu, however - thoroughly disappointing. Spaghetti a la Carbonara, spag bol, matriciana, same old, same old...I can´t remember what I ordered, but I did comment that " I could do that at home - and at 1/4 of the price!
I´m also a little wary of Trip Advisor and other "recommenders". You have to filter out the gushing, sycophantic comments, usually from locals or friends, and then the seething, spiteful ones from those who were not provided with freebies or simply had a grudge.

[WWordsworth Profile]

Completely agree re TripAdvisor reviews.
If you're going to read them, ignore the best and the worst, just read the in between ones.

[Joanbunting Profile]

Of course it wasn't anyhting special we just go out for lunch some Fridays or we used to until all the simple but good places closed down or went too upmarket.

We do try to support local enterprises but if that is the result we'll not bother.

[WWordsworth Profile]

Still disappointing though eh?

[Alexandria Profile]

Joan,

Sorry to hear that your lunch turned out to be
a "bummer" .. It happens occasionally unfortunately.

Better to stick with the tried and true !

Have a lovely weekend. Almost 22.00, and time
for " a pauper´s light bite and some wine " !!

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

That's the pits, Joan. Astroturf is a no-no.
We've got a local cafe with it outside, and it serves cold coffee - it's a sign.
Unlike, say, paper tablecloths that I adore. I adore them even more when they have the menu on them.
Some casual dining things do impress.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Yes astroturf is definitely not a good sign - my 'grand design' neighbours have it in what passes for their garden - which says it all really.

There's a new place opened up in Brighton with it on their cocktail bar roof terrace - doesn't work there either - bet it'll end up all sticky!

Bad meals out are always disappointing, however casual - leaves you feeling very unsatisfied somehow in every sense - or angry that they've taken the p**s & continue doing so however many negative comments they receive on TA.

We had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago at a well known resto up in Chinatown - total let down & an expensive let down at that.

[Renee Profile]

A friend has Astroturf and put a picture of herself on Facebook vacuuming it! I've seen it on a small area at the front of a school.

[dennispc Profile]

We aim for 6pm for our evening meal, but was interested in Member 461’s post about when they eat.

Saturday Times last October had an article on Spanish life style and life expectancy - about two years longer than UK. Yet they smoke more than us, drink the same and generally work longer hours.

Suggested reasons were; Med diet plus red wine, siestas, have more breaks in the day, eat main meal at lunch time and small tapas meal in the evening. And to cap it all their language uses more ‘happy’ words than other countries, says Professor Peter Dodds on the University of Vermont.

Now you know, talk happy.

[jeral Profile]

Talking happy seems to have all but disappeared, as does laughter (being the best medicine). I blame the government, grumble grumble, of course, although perhaps political correctness has probably killed off much spontaneous quippy humour.

Yesterday's quip heard: "I spoilt my ballot paper yesterday." "How so?" I took it with me to see a film and a fish supper treat afterwards."

As you were.

[Alexandria Profile]

Petronius,

We enjoy our Urbanist lifestyle which is
focused on "socialising" ..

Nobody goes to a tapas bar
and sits and says nothing to
the person or people sitting or
standing next to them. Somehow,
a conversation, a smile, some humor,
or a "joining in always takes place".

The weather does not even play a
role. If it is raining for example, we
dress appropriately and take an umbrella
and walk the 50 metres to the corner tapas
bar(s). We eat at the bar or on an outside
sidewalk terrace and in the Winter, we have
"mushroom lamps which provide the heat" ..

Mediterraneans are Mediterraneans
and feel profoundly connected to gastronomy
and wine, which is a profound part of our culture.
And so we enjoy sharing this socially.

We also use public transport alot more as we
have all night buses and / or a taxi, another conversation
bound to start up about wine and food recommendations.

Have a nice weekend.

[Joanbunting Profile]

I rarely post at this time of day but there is an important football game going on!

There is a huge difference in Urban and rural living especially, I think, in Southern Europe. We have lived our lives more in the former than the latter. In the end city life really got to us despite the love we have of restaurants we could get to without getting the car out and the galleries, theatres and concerts which we loved - still do.
Not to mention live football(for me).

Now we love the quiet but also the community and most of all the almost permanent light during the day.

I also love entertaining and cooking for other people especially as most of the friends we get together with are of the sort who always return invitations. This was something that did not happen in the city.

[Alexandria Profile]

Joan,

I see you have a very active social life too ..

However, the key differences are we live in the City, and we
are both under 55, own a travel business, travel frequently
especially from May - October for our professions,
and are our lifestyles vary however, both are social in
a different manner.

Yes, Spain as well as Italy are quite similar in
this way.

We also have a small renovated, fisherman´s village,
townhouse, on the Northern
Costa Brava, on one of the Capes, close to where our parents live, and our married
twin sons live and travel every 3 to 4 weeks to see
them as well when we are not travelling for professional reasons.

Have a lovely evening and hope your team wins the match !!

[Joanbunting Profile]

Wecarpachiflambeedo with gucamole and ahd a wonderful lunch with friends at one of our regular favourites.

Starters was saddle fo rabbit balontine served cold with tiny vinaigrette vegatables.

Main was seabass cooked on one side only served on an avocado carpaccio with gucamole made with espelette pepper and baby turnips.

Our dessert was a lemon mousse with a marshmallow and lemon gel topping served in a sable basket with lemon sorbet

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Gillthepainter have you seen this in today’s Observer? Your neck of the woods I believe.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/m ... ant-review

[Stokey Sue Profile]

That sounds good PP. I will be in Oxford on Tuesday and, depending on final itinerary, there’s a branch quite handy for the Botanic Gardens

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Morning, Pepps.
We did indeed see the review, it is an excellent place too. Not far from my art studio, and I've been to lunch there once.

Sue, I can recommend it. Really lovely.

[Joanbunting Profile]

On Friday night we were invited to what was called a "Cocktail dinatoire" at a nearby restuarant by the couple- a man and wife-who have done most of the carpentry in our house for the last 15 or so years. They were celebrating 20 years as a business and their clients have included minor royals and Major politicains.

The restaurant specialises in events and is very popular. I was sceptical because so often the food at these does is very samey and not very good. I needn't have been worried.

Everything was delicious , local and very very Provencal. The champagne and rose not to mention the pastis and whisky flowed and we nibbled on bite sized protions of.

Pissaladiere
Mini pain bagna
Tapenade palmieres
Tapenade stuffed quails eggs
Cailettes - minced meat and chard wrapped in caul fat and served hot
Marinated goat's cheese
Verrines with guacamole -flavoured with piment d'espalette on top of whelk tartare aubergine caviar. pois chichade and ceviche of tomato.
With the usual salted almonds, olives and sables and crudites with tapenade, aioli and anchoiade as dips