[Food] Restaurant 2018

[Machiavelli]

Went to St John again last night. Spent some time in the bar with the missus a nice beer killing some time as we were early. The bar menu is quite astonishing and full of English classics.

The moved to the dining room. Had two starters: the bone marrow and parsley salad and a crispy pig skin and dandelion to start. Saddle of hare with red cabbage and bread sauce for main and a rum and raisin parfait for dessert. A couple of glasses of fizz and two glasses of red. First was heavy, second was even heavier. Both were stunning to my uneducated wine palate.

Despite the English label, Fergus has always had a classical sensibility, and knows his French onions, and the rest. His wine list has always been one of the most interesting, and best value of the better restaurants. Rather than going with the big names, and classical regions, he's mined the French regions and put together a cracking list. In case you didn't know, you can buy their wines online too. That influence has also rubbed off on the Anchor & Hope and their sister restaurants, which you must try at some point.
PS I've had those two starters before. Sounds like a delicious meal.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Despite the English label, Fergus has always had a classical sensibility, and knows his French onions, and the rest. His wine list has always been one of the most interesting, and best value of the better restaurants. Rather than going with the big names, and classical regions, he's mined the French regions and put together a cracking list. In case you didn't know, you can buy their wines online too. That influence has also rubbed off on the Anchor & Hope and their sister restaurants, which you must try at some point.
PS I've had those two starters before. Sounds like a delicious meal.

I had noted his wines are all French and names I didn’t recognise....but then I admit to not knowing much anyway. I usually just say I like dry and heavy reds. I then leave it to the staff to find me a few suitable wines by the glass to drink during my meal. It seems to work. And I’m learning.

I always have the bone marrow. I love the parsley and sea salt on the toasted sour dough; so simple but so effective. Once this is down the hatch the meal then starts

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Around a third of Jamies' Italian Restaurants are closing due to financial problems, seems like the cheeky mockney boy overcooked it

Went a number of times when the kids were younger and it was brilliant - especially with the menu being on the old kind of photo viewing machines. The few times I've been over the last couple of years without kids it's been pretty poor. Quite clearly been cutting costs and the quality and volume of the dishes. Best left to die a death really. Far better and cheaper Italians in the city. Kind of shows what Oliver is really about.

 

[Beach Hut]

Whilst we are on the subject of chain restaurants......

Frankie & Bennie's ITSU Centre - Stoke, pre-match.

So much the same as at the Marina in Brighton but with one massive difference, the view of Stoke is shit compared to the sea.

Undernourished student needed feeding.

Starters I had Olives as rather early and famished one dough balls.

Mains Steak and fries and the hungry one a pizza.

I have read this lot are not doing well but it was reasonable well cooked food in my view.

7/10

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Went to St John again last night.
...
Had two starters: the bone marrow and parsley salad and a crispy pig skin and dandelion to start.

Have to say HT, much as I love and respect you as a man - in the non-biblical sense obviously - I would literally FLEE any restaurant serving such vile-sounding starters. To the great unwashed uninitiated such as moi, every single element of those starters is something you'd like to think you'd avoid at all costs. Or indeed ANY cost.

 

[Yes Chef]

Have to say HT, much as I love and respect you as a man - in the non-biblical sense obviously - I would literally FLEE any restaurant serving such vile-sounding starters. To the great unwashed uninitiated such as moi, every single element of those starters is something you'd like to think you'd avoid at all costs. Or indeed ANY cost.

Crispy pig skin = crackling
Marrow = found in any decent stock or jus/gravy

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Have to say HT, much as I love and respect you as a man - in the non-biblical sense obviously - I would literally FLEE any restaurant serving such vile-sounding starters. To the great unwashed uninitiated such as moi, every single element of those starters is something you'd like to think you'd avoid at all costs. Or indeed ANY cost.

Kind words.

Trust me, they were both very very nice. As an aside the dandelion adds a big hit of bitterness to the sweeter pork crackling; perfect.

 

[Beach Hut]

La Galleria - Shoreham

A home turf trip with Mrs Hut.

Starters Prawn in batter with sweet chilli dip and better half baked brie which was very well cooked and seasoned. Mains - Tagliatelle Fiorentina and Petto Di Pollo Alla Francese.

Mains really were very good with an excellent house red.

Definitely a fixture at this rate so 8/10

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Visited Patty & Bun's new Brighton restaurant pre-match yesterday. Burgers were very good and cooked medium rare so great meaty taste and flavour. Had the chips with chicken skin mayo - that mayo is so good I asked to take another pot home. I was driving thanks to the engineering works so had the homemade pink lemonade to drink that was nice and not too sweet. Bargain prices as all burgers were £5 for the opening week but will be happy to pay full price. They also have a takeaway window if you don't want to dine in.

Up there with Burger Brothers and Trolls Pantry for quality burgers in Brighton.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Have to say HT, much as I love and respect you as a man - in the non-biblical sense obviously - I would literally FLEE any restaurant serving such vile-sounding starters. To the great unwashed uninitiated such as moi, every single element of those starters is something you'd like to think you'd avoid at all costs. Or indeed ANY cost.

Visited Patty & Bun's new Brighton restaurant pre-match yesterday. Burgers were very good and cooked medium rare so great meaty taste and flavour. Had the chips with chicken skin mayo - that mayo is so good I asked to take another pot home. I was driving thanks to the engineering works so had the homemade pink lemonade to drink that was nice and not too sweet. Bargain prices as all burgers were £5 for the opening week but will be happy to pay full price. They also have a takeaway window if you don't want to dine in.

Up there with Burger Brothers and Trolls Pantry for quality burgers in Brighton.

Cheers for the heads up.

 

[Bozza]

Has Pascere been covered at all on here? I don't recall reading a mention >>> https://www.pascere.co.uk/

After a glowing Guardian review (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...e-brighton-restaurant-review-marina-oloughlin) last year, Giles Coren gave it another massive thumbs up in The Sunday Times today.

[tweet]964793314108157952[/tweet]

It's high up on my list now.

 

[Guinness Boy]

An interesting look at why so many mid range chains are currently closing and why we haven't imagined the poor quality. It turns out it's not food snobbery, they've all been cutting costs. Well, most of them.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...trada-byron-struggling?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Goldstone1976]

Lanzhou Noodles, cranbourne street (Leicester Square)

Hand-pulled (ooh Matron) noodle soup. Decent broth, good noodles, reasonable meat content. 2*soup, 4 skewers, chicken fried rice, 2 soft drinks (unlicensed) - £28. Left stuffed and content. 8/10.

 

[227 BHA]

Has Pascere been covered at all on here? I don't recall reading a mention >>> https://www.pascere.co.uk/

After a glowing Guardian review (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...e-brighton-restaurant-review-marina-oloughlin) last year, Giles Coren gave it another massive thumbs up in The Sunday Times today.

[tweet]964793314108157952[/tweet]

It's high up on my list now.

Have a reservation there on March 24 so will let you know how we get on

 

[Bozza]

An interesting look at why so many mid range chains are currently closing and why we haven't imagined the poor quality. It turns out it's not food snobbery, they've all been cutting costs. Well, most of them.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...trada-byron-struggling?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Interesting indeed.

I've long-wondered how the numerous mid-level Italian chains survive, and whilst I'd not slam them for being "****ing awful" I am dismayed when I sit in Worthing's fantastic Fiordilatte eating incredible pizza to see people walking past to go to Pizza Express. There's an ASK a little bit further on too. Even Worthing has a handful of small, independent Italians that offer to much more than the chains. People who go to Pizza Express in Worthing really are missing out.

 

[Yes Chef]

Interesting indeed.

I've long-wondered how the numerous mid-level Italian chains survive, and whilst I'd not slam them for being "****ing awful" I am dismayed when I sit in Worthing's fantastic Fiordilatte eating incredible pizza to see people walking past to go to Pizza Express. There's an ASK a little bit further on too. Even Worthing has a handful of small, independent Italians that offer to much more than the chains. People who go to Pizza Express in Worthing really are missing out.

It's pretty depressing from a professional standpoint when you see a generic high street restaurant packed out when independents face the same external pressures mentioned in the article.
I think sometimes the public get a bit nervous when eating out and will stick to what they know, because often price and certainly quality will rarely match that of a decent small independent business.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It's pretty depressing from a professional standpoint when you see a generic high street restaurant packed out when independents face the same external pressures mentioned in the article.
I think sometimes the public get a bit nervous when eating out and will stick to what they know, because often price and certainly quality will rarely match that of a decent small independent business.

I agree. We all have our favourites and go-to places but I do wonder why people stick with chains due to being nervous about the unknown and due to knowing what they’ll get etc. I get the argument that if funds are limited you don’t want to take a risk on a shit meal. But in the modern world the internet is full of reviews and blogs about food so it shouldn’t be an issue these days.

 

[BigGully]

It's pretty depressing from a professional standpoint when you see a generic high street restaurant packed out when independents face the same external pressures mentioned in the article.
I think sometimes the public get a bit nervous when eating out and will stick to what they know, because often price and certainly quality will rarely match that of a decent small independent business.

Isn't the point that the chains are at least encouraging people that otherwise wouldn't eat out to eat out, I dont think they are stealing likely foodies more encouraging future ones, children are now used to going to restaurants at a very young age usually chains, even my son's who are in their early 20's tend to go out for a meal to meet up with their friends, me at their age would be getting wasted at Swifts and perhaps a gutbuster later, there is a culture shift here in the UK which if restaurants are your thing then it's going your way.

Chains seem generally accessible, usually cheap and you tend to get something that is tasty enough, as for the business models, well that'll sort itself out.

 

[Goldstone1976]

But in the modern world the internet is full of reviews and blogs about food so it shouldn’t be an issue these days.

You have to be at least a bit of a foodie to read a review by a pro critic; even more of a foodie to read a review by an amateur blogger. I would guess that most folks’ go-to reference point is TripAdvisor (if indeed they look for a review anywhere).

TripAdvisor currently has St John at #1334 best restaurant in London, whereas the St Giles branch of Zizzi is rated #154.

I don’t remember ever reading a review of Zizzi by either a pro critic or a blogger. I’d be willing to bet that none would rate Zizzi higher than St John!

TA is encouraging a race to the bottom, and provides justification for those people who revel in saying that chains provide better food than independents. Complete and utter bollocks, of course... “but look at TA”, they say.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Isn't the point that the chains are at least encouraging people that otherwise wouldn't eat out to eat out, I dont think they are stealing likely foodies more encouraging future ones, children are now used to going to restaurants at a very young age usually chains, even my son's who are in their early 20's tend to go out for a meal to meet up with their friends, me at their age would be getting wasted at Swifts and perhaps a gutbuster later, there is a culture shift here in the UK which if restaurants are your thing then it's going your way.

Chains seem generally accessible, usually cheap and you tend to get something that is tasty enough, as for the business models, well that'll sort itself out.

I’d agree that the chains aren’t stealing foodies. I’m not sure about whether they are encouraging future ones. I think it’s more likely that they are dissuading folk from trying good independent places - “Well, that wasn't great, was it? With a modicum of effort I could do that. Hmm, it’s rated better than the independent place anyway. Let’s not bother” is more the reaction I fear.