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Restaurant 2017



Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,578
Cowfold
Smith & Western, Chichester

Never seen or heard of this place till saw a sign when leaving the station.

Best described as USA country and western themed, bit early for staters so both had Ocean Steaks with prawns and a Californian house red.

Pretty good as well so an 8 out of 10

We have a branch of Smith & Western in Horsham, surprisingly good for a chain. The steaks and burgers are very good indeed. Great ice cream too.
 


Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
Jul 23, 2003
33,821
Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
:thumbsup: I love black pudding. There's a place I go to which does a black pudding, bacon, mushroom and maple syrup pizza and it rocks. My current go-to food. They have a few lines of craft as well.

I'm currently working a lot in Birmingham and stay over at the La Tour when I do. The hotel restaurant is a Marco Pierre White owned brand that does your bog standard English / French old school very well. Foie Gras with Duck Egg, Fish pie, Steak and Kidney pud, Brown Windsor Soup, Whitebait, Dover Sole with Sauce Vierge. That sort of stuff. It's pretty good without being outstanding, hence the lack of a review on here.

But it also runs the breakfasts and here I reckon MPW has had a massive influence. The cooked buffet offers two kinds of sausage and two kinds of bacon but will not do baked beans at all. It regularly tops up its fried eggs however. I reckon [MENTION=16843]Hillian1[/MENTION] would love it. It also has a LARGE black pudding section. You have to get this the second it comes out otherwise the crisp top steams out pretty quickly in the serving dome, but it you can time it right it is a thing of magnificent beauty.

In most hotels offering a buffet breakfast the healthy option is also the sane one - I find a bit of granola and fruit almost compulsive. At the La Tour it's the other way. Two kinds of bacon, two kinds of sausage with black pudding, fried egg, portobello mushroom and confit tomatoes is a breakfast to die for. Literally if you don't go for a run that evening.
 


I'm currently working a lot in Birmingham and stay over at the La Tour when I do. The hotel restaurant is a Marco Pierre White owned brand that does your bog standard English / French old school very well. Foie Gras with Duck Egg, Fish pie, Steak and Kidney pud, Brown Windsor Soup, Whitebait, Dover Sole with Sauce Vierge. That sort of stuff. It's pretty good without being outstanding, hence the lack of a review on here.

But it also runs the breakfasts and here I reckon MPW has had a massive influence. The cooked buffet offers two kinds of sausage and two kinds of bacon but will not do baked beans at all. It regularly tops up its fried eggs however. I reckon [MENTION=16843]Hillian1[/MENTION] would love it. It also has a LARGE black pudding section. You have to get this the second it comes out otherwise the crisp top steams out pretty quickly in the serving dome, but it you can time it right it is a thing of magnificent beauty.

In most hotels offering a buffet breakfast the healthy option is also the sane one - I find a bit of granola and fruit almost compulsive. At the La Tour it's the other way. Two kinds of bacon, two kinds of sausage with black pudding, fried egg, portobello mushroom and confit tomatoes is a breakfast to die for. Literally if you don't go for a run that evening.

Any establishment that refuses to serve baked beans on a traditional English breakfast is automatically worthy of a Michelen star.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
59,203
The Fatherland
I enjoy black pudding too, but my God man, not on a pizza! . . . and as for maple syrup.

I think it works. The maple syrup is only there as a hint in the background.
 


dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Mar 27, 2013
52,020
Burgess Hill
Smith & Western, Chichester

Never seen or heard of this place till saw a sign when leaving the station.

Best described as USA country and western themed, bit early for staters so both had Ocean Steaks with prawns and a Californian house red.

Pretty good as well so an 8 out of 10

One in Crawley too - on the site of the former pub inside Tilgate Park. Decent grub at a reasonable price in our experience. Better value than TGI Fridays.
 




dazzer6666

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Mar 27, 2013
52,020
Burgess Hill
I enjoy black pudding too, but my God man, not on a pizza! . . . and as for maple syrup.

I would have thought so too (I love black pudding) until I tried the king prawn and black pudding pizza with chillis at Rocket in Canary Wharf. It's a thing of wonder.

Definitely not maple syrup though.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
59,203
The Fatherland
I'm currently working a lot in Birmingham and stay over at the La Tour when I do. The hotel restaurant is a Marco Pierre White owned brand that does your bog standard English / French old school very well. Foie Gras with Duck Egg, Fish pie, Steak and Kidney pud, Brown Windsor Soup, Whitebait, Dover Sole with Sauce Vierge. That sort of stuff. It's pretty good without being outstanding, hence the lack of a review on here.

But it also runs the breakfasts and here I reckon MPW has had a massive influence. The cooked buffet offers two kinds of sausage and two kinds of bacon but will not do baked beans at all. It regularly tops up its fried eggs however. I reckon [MENTION=16843]Hillian1[/MENTION] would love it. It also has a LARGE black pudding section. You have to get this the second it comes out otherwise the crisp top steams out pretty quickly in the serving dome, but it you can time it right it is a thing of magnificent beauty.

In most hotels offering a buffet breakfast the healthy option is also the sane one - I find a bit of granola and fruit almost compulsive. At the La Tour it's the other way. Two kinds of bacon, two kinds of sausage with black pudding, fried egg, portobello mushroom and confit tomatoes is a breakfast to die for. Literally if you don't go for a run that evening.

The breakfast sounds great. Think I've found my West Brom hotel! Thanks.
 






Machiavelli

Well-known member
Oct 11, 2013
16,560
Fiveways
I'm currently working a lot in Birmingham and stay over at the La Tour when I do. The hotel restaurant is a Marco Pierre White owned brand that does your bog standard English / French old school very well. Foie Gras with Duck Egg, Fish pie, Steak and Kidney pud, Brown Windsor Soup, Whitebait, Dover Sole with Sauce Vierge. That sort of stuff. It's pretty good without being outstanding, hence the lack of a review on here.

But it also runs the breakfasts and here I reckon MPW has had a massive influence. The cooked buffet offers two kinds of sausage and two kinds of bacon but will not do baked beans at all. It regularly tops up its fried eggs however. I reckon [MENTION=16843]Hillian1[/MENTION] would love it. It also has a LARGE black pudding section. You have to get this the second it comes out otherwise the crisp top steams out pretty quickly in the serving dome, but it you can time it right it is a thing of magnificent beauty.

In most hotels offering a buffet breakfast the healthy option is also the sane one - I find a bit of granola and fruit almost compulsive. At the La Tour it's the other way. Two kinds of bacon, two kinds of sausage with black pudding, fried egg, portobello mushroom and confit tomatoes is a breakfast to die for. Literally if you don't go for a run that evening.

HT recommended Al-Frash for (the night) before the Villa game. I can recommend it too, if you're staying over in Birmingham.
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
59,203
The Fatherland
Whenever a discussion about breakfasts occurs I'm always drawn to remembering Harry's in Hove and their Pile Up. Is Harry still around? Has he opened up elsewhere?
 






Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
59,203
The Fatherland








CHAPPERS

DISCO SPENG
Jul 5, 2003
44,757
Visited the new Thai place down near the King Alfred on Friday.

Shine-Lay

This place is nothing more than a shack. 7 seats split between two tables, one cook and one waiter. Pretty standard menu. We had fish cakes (good if not the best), fried wontons with chicken, some really interesting squid with a banging sauce and the best vegetable spring rolls I've had in another great dipping sauce. Main for me was prawn penang which I really really enjoyed. Others liked theirs but the pad thai I tried I was not a fan of but then I've never enjoyed a pad thai really. The service is quick and everything is cooked fresh by a lovely lady who can work to your heat preference. 4 starters and 4 mains came to 55 quid which is great value, this place is also BYO so is brilliant for a cheap meal out for under a score each. Recommended.

As an aside they seemed to be doing a really good trade in takeaways, which i guess us where they are making their money, so if you're down that way on the beach keep them in mind.

7/10
 


Herr Tubthumper

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
59,203
The Fatherland


Simgull

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2013
1,637
Hove
Whenever a discussion about breakfasts occurs I'm always drawn to remembering Harry's in Hove and their Pile Up. Is Harry still around? Has he opened up elsewhere?

My favourite breakfast place ever, even went there to kick off my stag do.

Went to the Smokehouse at the Poets Corner pub on Friday. All a bit chaotic and extremely noisey in there but one of the best burgers I've had. Served with a piece of brisket, cheese and jalapeños. I think it was called the Texan BBQ Massacre or something.
 






CHAPPERS

DISCO SPENG
Jul 5, 2003
44,757
Ok just looked at the menu, is it any good and do you need to book in advance ?

Yeah, it's pretty good. You shouldn't have to book, the Hare & Hounds is big enough not to worry. Be prepared for a long wait at the bar if it's busy though.
 


Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,906
Living In a Box
Yeah, it's pretty good. You shouldn't have to book, the Hare & Hounds is big enough not to worry. Be prepared for a long wait at the bar if it's busy though.

So you get a table and order food and drink at the bar ?
 



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