[Food] Restaurant 2019 Thread

[Guinness Boy]

“The product was created in 1953 when Ore-Ida founders F. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg were trying to figure out what to do with leftover slivers of cut-up potatoes. They chopped up the slivers, added flour and seasoning, then pushed the mash through holes and sliced off pieces of the extruded mixture. Thus, tots were born. The product was first offered commercially in stores in 1956.”

“Today, Americans consume approximately 70,000,000 pounds (32,000,000 kg) of tater tots, or 3,710,000,000 tots per year”

Crikey. All this had completely passed me by. Everyday is a school day.

I’m pretty sure Brewdog do tater tots. The one at Edinburgh Airport certainly does!


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[Herr Tubthumper]

I’m pretty sure Brewdog do tater tots. The one at Edinburgh Airport certainly does!


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A quick Google confirms this. Although to be fair they’re heavily disguised as Potato Tots in Brewdog.

 

[schmunk]

A quick Google confirms this. Although to be fair they’re heavily disguised as Potato Tots in Brewdog.

It appears "Tater Tots" is a registered trademark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tater_tots

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It appears "Tater Tots" is a registered trademark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tater_tots

Interesting. I hope Bubbledogs don’t get into any bother for using the trademark on their menu. I’d be happy to glue-myself to their bar in protest. I’ll just glue my right hand though; keep the drinking hand free #BullishButNotStupid.

 

[Bozza]

This has reminded me that Burger King hash browns are tater tot-ish, although looking on their site, they seem to be more tater discs...

https://www.burgerking.co.uk/menu-item/hash-browns

 

[MattBackHome]

Kindling opening soon on East Street

https://www.kindlingrestaurant.com/

Looks good

 

[Bozza]

Kindling opening soon on East Street

https://www.kindlingrestaurant.com/

Looks good

Toby Geneen worked at St John's which may interest [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION]...

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I am really disappointed to hear that Donal Hughes has left his position as head chef at Cin Cin. He’s moved to Vancouver, for a change of life-style and to seek further opportunities, it seems. A lovely guy, big but friendly personality, and a great chef. I make pasta myself and he was always willing to talk to me and offer advice. I obviously wish him well but on a purely selfish note my match days will never be the same.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Toby Geneen worked at St John's which may interest [MENTION=409]Herr Tubthumper[/MENTION]...

Always handy having a trained First Aider on site.

 

[Machiavelli]

I am really disappointed to hear that Donal Hughes has left his position as head chef at Cin Cin. He’s moved to Vancouver, for a change of life-style and to seek further opportunities, it seems. A lovely guy, big but friendly personality, and a great chef. I make pasta myself and he was always willing to talk to me and offer advice. I obviously wish him well but on a purely selfish note my match days will never be the same.

Was he at the Hove or Laines branch, or both?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Was he at the Hove or Laines branch, or both?

Laines (Vine St) branch primarily. He also worked at 64 Degrees for a bit.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

From this morning's Popbitch:

What does John Bercow have with his cocktails?
HOOOORRRS D'OEUUVVRRRES!



Sorry

 

[Goldstone1976]

The Wild Boar - Crook, Cumbria

Dreadful. Avoid.

Two mitigations though - both involving fellow diners.

The first was a conversation between me and a couple. On my way back to the bar area prior to our “meal”, I was stopped by the woman:

“Would you mind stopping?”
“Sure”

Pause. Silence.

She then fiddled with her iPad. Still silence.

“Are you having difficulty with that? Can I help?”, I offered, not keen to just stand there looking at a silent woman (she was a lot older than early-20s, so the appeal of just looking was limited)

“No”
“Oh. Umm...?”

“Can you take a photo of us? It’s our anniversary today”, explained the chap
“Yes, of course”, I rather gabbled, keen to get away from the slightly strange woman, “is it a big one?”

“No” - from the woman.
“It’s our 26th” - from the man.

I took the photos - and gratefully left.

The second? Well that was overheard conversation between an older couple about the menu, and then between the woman and the waiter.

“What do you think about this messy (mezze)?”
“I’m not sure about the baby goulash (baba ganoush)”
...
“I think I’ll have Bernie sauce with my steak (Bearnaise)”
...

Over comes the waiter:

“I’ll have the chipolata chicken wings”
“Both?”
“Both what?”
“The duck chipolatas and the chicken wings?”
“No. Just the chipolata chicken wings”
“Umm”
“These chipolata chicken wings. Here...”, pointing at the menu.
“Ah. The chipotle chicken wings. And you, sir?”
“I’ll have the sirloin steak with the Bernie sauce”
...

I had to talk to the GLDHI at this point to stop myself laughing.


TL;DR? Avoid like the plague for food, but the comedy’s not bad.

 

[Guinness Boy]

The Wild Boar - Crook, Cumbria

Dreadful. Avoid.

Two mitigations though - both involving fellow diners.

The first was a conversation between me and a couple. On my way back to the bar area prior to our “meal”, I was stopped by the woman:

“Would you mind stopping?”
“Sure”

Pause. Silence.

She then fiddled with her iPad. Still silence.

“Are you having difficulty with that? Can I help?”, I offered, not keen to just stand there looking at a silent woman (she was a lot older than early-20s, so the appeal of just looking was limited)

“No”
“Oh. Umm...?”

“Can you take a photo of us? It’s our anniversary today”, explained the chap
“Yes, of course”, I rather gabbled, keen to get away from the slightly strange woman, “is it a big one?”

“No” - from the woman.
“It’s our 26th” - from the man.

I took the photos - and gratefully left.

The second? Well that was overheard conversation between an older couple about the menu, and then between the woman and the waiter.

“What do you think about this messy (mezze)?”
“I’m not sure about the baby goulash (baba ganoush)”
...
“I think I’ll have Bernie sauce with my steak (Bearnaise)”
...

Over comes the waiter:

“I’ll have the chipolata chicken wings”
“Both?”
“Both what?”
“The duck chipolatas and the chicken wings?”
“No. Just the chipolata chicken wings”
“Umm”
“These chipolata chicken wings. Here...”, pointing at the menu.
“Ah. The chipotle chicken wings. And you, sir?”
“I’ll have the sirloin steak with the Bernie sauce”
...

I had to talk to the GLDHI at this point to stop myself laughing.


TL;DR? Avoid like the plague for food, but the comedy’s not bad.

I was intrigued by this review, so much that I looked up the website and then the menu.

The menu looked great on first sight. Now, this is a rhetorical question (as it's likely you didn't order all of these) but how on earth is it possible to do Homemade Pork Crackling badly? How is is possible to **** up Hangar Steak (answer, overcook it, but surely you wouldn't have it on the menu if you couldn't cook it?)? Pork Tomahawk? YES PLEASE. Almost cooks itself.

Then I looked closer at the menu. Was everything far too sweet by any chance? It seems have sugar, fruit or sugar and fruit thrown at just about everything.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I was intrigued by this review, so much that I looked up the website and then the menu.

The menu looked great on first sight. Now, this is a rhetorical question (as it's likely you didn't order all of these) but how on earth is it possible to do Homemade Pork Crackling badly? How is is possible to **** up Hangar Steak (answer, overcook it, but surely you wouldn't have it on the menu if you couldn't cook it?)? Pork Tomahawk? YES PLEASE. Almost cooks itself.

Then I looked closer at the menu. Was everything far too sweet by any chance? It seems have sugar, fruit or sugar and fruit thrown at just about everything.

I was rather hoping I’d get away without talking about the food, but since you ask...

we got there about 30 mins before our table and had the smoked duck chipolatas and pork scratchings with a pint of Mad Pig (geddit?) and a G&T in the bar area. The chipolatas were fine, but not very smokey; the scratchings were large, but extremely salty.

“Sorry”, said the GLDHI.
“For what?”
“For suggesting here. Shall we go somewhere else?”
“No, let’s stay. The only other place that’s close at all is HRiSHi; and we cancelled that”
“Hmm.”

At the table, we shared the “cured” salmon between us. Could have been good, but was too sweet.
The GLDHI then had two further starters - Pea & mint soup (all frozen peas and no mint), and the chipolata chicken wings (far too sweet).

I had the sirloin steak (no Bernie sauce).

It was advertised as “Working closely with our butchers to ensure we serve the very best possible steak, our beef is hung and salt-aged [bollox] for a minimum of 28 days [bollox] in a purpose-built Himalayan Salt Chamber [bollox] to produce a tender [bollox], dark [bollox] meat that is unique [bollox], succulent [bollox] and flavoursome [bollox]. Our signature steak is then enhanced with a secret and subtle blend of spices [read: we put some pepper on it just before we cook it] before being smoked [for 15 seconds] in house over whisky and oak wood [read: over a candle].

£35. If it had been all those things, then maybe, just maybe, it would be worth £35. But it was none of them.

“Why do you keep peering quizzically at your steak?”, the GLDHI asked.
“I’m trying to work out how it’s even possible to cook a steak which has the same thickness all the way along in a way that varies between top end medium rare and extremely well done. I couldn’t do that if I tried”. I’d ordered rare.

TL;DR? Yes, very sweet. And misleading. And really poorly cooked.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I was rather hoping I’d get away without talking about the food, but since you ask...

we got there about 30 mins before our table and had the smoked duck chipolatas and pork scratchings with a pint of Mad Pig (geddit?) and a G&T in the bar area. The chipolatas were fine, but not very smokey; the scratchings were large, but extremely salty.

“Sorry”, said the GLDHI.
“For what?”
“For suggesting here. Shall we go somewhere else?”
“No, let’s stay. The only other place that’s close at all is HRiSHi; and we cancelled that”
“Hmm.”

At the table, we shared the “cured” salmon between us. Could have been good, but was too sweet.
The GLDHI then had two further starters - Pea & mint soup (all frozen peas and no mint), and the chipolata chicken wings (far too sweet).

I had the sirloin steak (no Bernie sauce).

It was advertised as “Working closely with our butchers to ensure we serve the very best possible steak, our beef is hung and salt-aged [bollox] for a minimum of 28 days [bollox] in a purpose-built Himalayan Salt Chamber [bollox] to produce a tender [bollox], dark [bollox] meat that is unique [bollox], succulent [bollox] and flavoursome [bollox]. Our signature steak is then enhanced with a secret and subtle blend of spices [read: we put some pepper on it just before we cook it] before being smoked [for 15 seconds] in house over whisky and oak wood [read: over a candle].

£35. If it had been all those things, then maybe, just maybe, it would be worth £35. But it was none of them.

“Why do you keep peering quizzically at your steak?”, the GLDHI asked.
“I’m trying to work out how it’s even possible to cook a steak which has the same thickness all the way along in a way that varies between top end medium rare and extremely well done. I couldn’t do that if I tried”. I’d ordered rare.

TL;DR? Yes, very sweet. And misleading. And really poorly cooked.

Oh dear. Sounds awful. Good review though.

 

[Machiavelli]

I was intrigued by this review, so much that I looked up the website and then the menu.

The menu looked great on first sight. Now, this is a rhetorical question (as it's likely you didn't order all of these) but how on earth is it possible to do Homemade Pork Crackling badly? How is is possible to **** up Hangar Steak (answer, overcook it, but surely you wouldn't have it on the menu if you couldn't cook it?)? Pork Tomahawk? YES PLEASE. Almost cooks itself.

Then I looked closer at the menu. Was everything far too sweet by any chance? It seems have sugar, fruit or sugar and fruit thrown at just about everything.

I like the Lake District, but I've also wasted too much time looking at menus online of Lake District restaurants. I won't get that time back.

 

[Goldstone1976]

I like the Lake District, but I've also wasted too much time looking at menus online of Lake District restaurants. I won't get that time back.

I had practically no prior knowledge of Lake District restaurants prior to this trip, but the limited experience I’ve gained over the last few days would absolutely support your view.

 

[Springal]

Anyone been to Flint House? Menu looks right up my street.

Me and the missus meant to go in August but due to stupidly busy weekends, illness and my general ‘meh’ towards the Ginger group we hadn’t.

Unfortunately Jay Rayner catapulted it to become a must go and tied into a free weekend / Brighton shopping trip today.

Turned up 1.30pm and there was 1 table
For 2 free and that was it. Prompted seated by a slightly out there / zany waitress but all good.

Menu is spot on, good mix of food and all starter sized with an aim to share.

I started with 3 Oysters & Apple Cider Vinegar accompanied by a well spiced Bloody Mary. The better half a grilled prawn with Alioli.

We then shared 1 fish, 1 meat, 2 toasts / starters , Mash/Marrow Bone & 1 dessert.

I’d say Flint House is a nice relaxed, Buzzy atmosphere but still fairly laid back for a nice lunch and well cooked food. Bill was £80 including service with 1 alcoholic drink each and well fed. I wasn’t that sure before but having been would go back again

 

[Machiavelli]

Me and the missus meant to go in August but due to stupidly busy weekends, illness and my general ‘meh’ towards the Ginger group we hadn’t.

Unfortunately Jay Rayner catapulted it to become a must go and tied into a free weekend / Brighton shopping trip today.

Turned up 1.30pm and there was 1 table
For 2 free and that was it. Prompted seated by a slightly out there / zany waitress but all good.

Menu is spot on, good mix of food and all starter sized with an aim to share.

I started with 3 Oysters & Apple Cider Vinegar accompanied by a well spiced Bloody Mary. The better half a grilled prawn with Alioli.

We then shared 1 fish, 1 meat, 2 toasts / starters , Mash/Marrow Bone & 1 dessert.

I’d say Flint House is a nice relaxed, Buzzy atmosphere but still fairly laid back for a nice lunch and well cooked food. Bill was £80 including service with 1 alcoholic drink each and well fed. I wasn’t that sure before but having been would go back again

Top man. I'm only sorry the afternoon didn't quite match the lunchtime. I watched it on a stream, and thought we were excellent, and cursed 'That is ****!ng cruel' when their winner went in. Anyway, beyond that, I love oysters. A long time ago, people used to get 80% of their protein from oysters on these Isles.