[Food] Restaurant 2018

[Herr Tubthumper]

I love sardines but the idea of oily fish and mayo seems wrong.

You could always ask them to replace it with something else

It’s only a couple of blobs to the side, so it can easily be ignored. And I’m like you, I love sardines.

 

[BensGrandad]

It seems to the season of ding-dongs in restaurants. I went to my local cafe this morning, https://m.facebook.com/19grams.Chaussee, for brunch and a table of early twenty somethings next to me asked to change the potato cake in one dish for toast. The waitress said they didn’t do this upon which the seemingly self-appointed spokesman for the group offered her a “Im a regular here and I know the owners” . She then explained they’d actually had a staff meeting about this very item and for various reasons stick to the dishes on the menu. The poor girl was then told to go and talk to whoever was in charge. She came back and told the guy if he wanted toast with his dish he can also order two-poached eggs on toast, as they don’t sell toast on its own....and wouldn’t budge.

Now, whatever your views on the menu are, this guy was quite arrogant, smarmy and very quick to play his card and undermine the girl. I’m glad they stuck to their guns. As it happens Im fine with their policy. They operate a great place, the food and coffee and atmosphere is wonderful and if they need to run their cooking and menu a certain way to keep standards and efficiency then that’s up to them. I had sardines on toast with chipotle mayo and pesto....as I have done for the past few months; I never tire of sardines.

Good for the waitress if it is a set meal then set meal it is with no variations if there is something that you dont want ask them to leave it off, if beans or similar that spread, if not just leave it, Or dont order that meal in the first place, simple.

 

[Machiavelli]

I love sardines but the idea of oily fish and mayo seems wrong.

It does, but oily fish, mayo and (oily) pesto sounds even worse.

 

[pishhead]

Bullying within kitchens is still unfortunately rife. Especially towards junior members of the brigade. I'm a tutor for apprentice chefs and the industry is and will continue to lose people hand over fist if this continues.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Went to Tayyabs in Whitechapel in midweek in a group of six. Was intrigued as this venerable East End institution (est. 1972) seems to be the ultimate Marmite dining experience. Either 1 star (like its hygiene rating!) or 5 star, according to taste and/or after effects. Have to say its wonderfully shambolic, heaving on a school night, and they do a whole different take on the concept of customer service. But stuck resolutely to their signature dishes of lamb chops starter and dry meat (lamb) curry and found both to live up to the hype. Exceptional BYO value at £20 a head even after they'd snuck various unasked for items like poppadoms and jugs of water onto the bill, bless. Oh, and ignore the signs saying Cash Only. The card reader works perfectly well, you just have to play it with a straight bat, they'll soon produce it! Oh, and expect your clothes to reek of curry for a week afterwards.

All things considered, a fun one-off dining experience if not one for the dedicated foodie. Think I might stick to Brick Lane next time tho 6/10

 

[Yes Chef]

Bullying within kitchens is still unfortunately rife. Especially towards junior members of the brigade. I'm a tutor for apprentice chefs and the industry is and will continue to lose people hand over fist if this continues.

It's not 'rife'. It happens, but things have improved greatly,

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It does, but oily fish, mayo and (oily) pesto sounds even worse.

The full dish is two toasted sour dough slices, which has the pesto spread on it like butter, sardines placed on top. Blob of chipotle mayo on the side and salad leaves and baby tomatoes.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Edit : wait for my tripadvisor review...

Just checked TA and not there yet. Looking forward to this

 

[Goldstone1976]

Just checked TA and not there yet. Looking forward to this

It’s in their review chain...

 

[Westdene Seagull]

So a couple of trips out recently :

Fourth and Church - most would dismiss it as a wine bar, oh so wrong. A brilliant little tapas place. Mrs W and I had every intention of having both hot and cold tapas but the waitress suggested starting with cold and seeing how we went. She was right. The potions are ample and generous. We had the cold meat platter with numerous side dishes accompanied by crackers and bread. The standout dish was a raw and roasted cauliflower thinly sliced and in some dressing. You wouldn't eat it by itself but with meats or cold fish - well, out of this world. Couldn't manage hot tapas after. We had a very decent bottle of French plonk off the limited wine menu but you can pick anything from the shelves giving an option of probably 100's of wines. Mrs W finished with 'one of the best creme brulees I've ever had' - a coffee one.

Service and food spectacular - 9/10.


Little Fish Market - somewhere we've both wanted to go for yonks. Well, probably one of the best restaurants in the city. Every course was sublime. Surprisingly, well for me, the raw fish dishes were the best. Not cheap but worth every penny. Decent wine list as well. Obviously, if you aren't keen on fish don't go !. Standout dish was the cured mackerel - sex on a plate ! 10/10

 

[CHAPPERS]

Been meaning to get to Fourth and Church. Butler's Wine Cellar source the wines no?

 

[Machiavelli]

So a couple of trips out recently :

Fourth and Church - most would dismiss it as a wine bar, oh so wrong. A brilliant little tapas place. Mrs W and I had every intention of having both hot and cold tapas but the waitress suggested starting with cold and seeing how we went. She was right. The potions are ample and generous. We had the cold meat platter with numerous side dishes accompanied by crackers and bread. The standout dish was a raw and roasted cauliflower thinly sliced and in some dressing. You wouldn't eat it by itself but with meats or cold fish - well, out of this world. Couldn't manage hot tapas after. We had a very decent bottle of French plonk off the limited wine menu but you can pick anything from the shelves giving an option of probably 100's of wines. Mrs W finished with 'one of the best creme brulees I've ever had' - a coffee one.

Service and food spectacular - 9/10.


Little Fish Market - somewhere we've both wanted to go for yonks. Well, probably one of the best restaurants in the city. Every course was sublime. Surprisingly, well for me, the raw fish dishes were the best. Not cheap but worth every penny. Decent wine list as well. Obviously, if you aren't keen on fish don't go !. Standout dish was the cured mackerel - sex on a plate ! 10/10

Glad to see someone else has been to Fourth & Church. It's the least discussed top restaurant/English tapas joint/wine bar on this thread.

 

[Machiavelli]

Been meaning to get to Fourth and Church. Butler's Wine Cellar source the wines no?

It's more of a joint venture. They have about a quarter to a third of their selection, and sell Butler's wines retail, as well as whacking on a tenner to the retail price for anyone that wants to drink a bottle on-site. Iow, best value wine list in town, by a considerable distance.

 

[Machiavelli]

Duplicate

 

[Bozza]

OctoberBest coming up again 5 - 21 October >>> http://www.brightonsbestrestaurants.com/octoberbest-2018

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

It’s in their review chain...

Did you upset them? Can't see anything on there which I think would be your review

 

[Goldstone1976]

Did you upset them? Can't see anything on there which I think would be your review

I was talking with [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] and [MENTION=236]Papa Lazarou[/MENTION] about this last night. TA have refused to publish my review as it stands and have requested edits. We’re currently “negotiating”.

I’m “impressed” by your interest in my review, which you’ve already read.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I was talking with [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] and [MENTION=236]Papa Lazarou[/MENTION] about this last night. TA have refused to publish my review as it stands and have requested edits. We’re currently “negotiating”.

I’m “impressed” by your interest in my review, which you’ve already read.

Wonderful though your review was, it is interesting that this has been refused by TA. I have put a few blunt reviews up in my time and never had any request for editing. Wonder how much of it is because it is a big name London restaurant rather than a small local place.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Wonderful though your review was, it is interesting that this has been refused by TA. I have put a few blunt reviews up in my time and never had any request for editing. Wonder how much of it is because it is a big name London restaurant rather than a small local place.

Their main problems appear to be the word “bullying” and the fact that I talk about one chef “gripping the neck of..” the deep fry chef. If you’ve used either phrase in a TA review and had it published I’d welcome a link, so that I can cite precedence.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Their main problems appear to be the word “bullying” and the fact that I talk about one chef “gripping the neck of..” the deep fry chef. If you’ve used either phrase in a TA review and had it published I’d welcome a link, so that I can cite precedence.

Thankfully never had to use those phrases - mine relate more to service and quality. I guess they are trying to avoid legal comeback from the restaurant - despite being very clear it is your view and not theirs. Maybe they need something more diplomatic around the lines of "I was very unhappy with the way the some of the chefs treated each other both verbally and physically in full view of the diners" so it is less specific.