[Food] Restaurant Thread 2022

[Is it PotG?]

Had a tidy bit of nosebag in Ole Ole this evening.

Not a fan of Church Road normally, bit this was tasty.

On to Tomahawk, Quayside.

 

[Brian Fantana]

Had a tidy bit of nosebag in Ole Ole this evening.

Not a fan of Church Road normally, bit this was tasty.

On to Tomahawk, Quayside.

I ate in Tomahawk on Quayside last night - excellent, as always.

If you're looking for something a bit different, try this: https://www.bytheriverbrew.co/trakol/ - it is situated in some shipping containers just on the other side of the River (pretty much underneath The Tyne Bridge).

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

The Alice @ the Randolph Hotel, Oxford.

Ate at this establishment during a short break at the 5 star Randolph Hotel last week.

I'm sad to say that l found the entire experience decidedly "meh". A great shame as l had been really looking forward to it. The Randolph after all is Oxford's premier hotel, anfd the Alice it's signature restaurant.

The evening didn't start too well as the table that we were shown to had a stability issue, indeed at one stage l thought it was going to turn on it's side it was so wobbly. After asking to be relocated we proceeded to order, salt fish brandade for me followed by fillet of beef, duck terrine and sea bass for Mrs. CS. No alcohol to go with it as we had both consumed a couple of margaritas in the Morse Bar beforehand.

The food and the presentation were actually quite good, but what let the evening down big time was the service, or indeed the lack of it. staffed seemingly by a team of young inexperienced waiting staff, it took forever for the food to arrive. Not their fault l guess, they were actually quite pleasant, just poorly led. no one seemed to be in charge. It took from 7.30 until 9pm for our main courses to materialise.

Even at breakfast, also taken in the Alice the general theme continued, food very slow to arrive, there were no tea spoons available, or even marmalade, surely an absolute staple at breakfast! It's little things like this that really matter, especially when staying in a five star hotel.

Putting the culinary side of things to one side, l really did love Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, so many things to do for a short break away, all the colleges, museums, wonderful architecture, and for Inspector Morse/Lewis/Endeavour nerds like me organised walking tours too.

 

[Springal]

Finally made it to Crudo in Worthing. New ‘hip’ authentic(ish) Mexican run by the owners of Finch.

I’ve been a big fan of Salsa Viva in town since they had pop ups , stalls and their restaurant. My partner thinks it’s a bit ‘casual’ and ‘canteen’ like - and they only open in the evenings which for casual food is a shame when you want a nice lunch.

Anyway Crudo sits in the old Hitchcock restaurant which I can’t remember being open but apparently it was popular in the 80s/90s but been sat empty after a flood or fire I think for a long time. Bright pink exterior and nice ‘wooden’ makeshift interior inside.

Menu is fairly small - range of Tacos (Goat, Pork Carnitas, Chicken, Plantain, Soft Shell Crab) , Burritos (Goat, Jackfruit, Pork Carnitas, chicken) & Quesedillas (Chicken, Jackfruit)

With a range of sides - sweet potato fries , fried plantain , street food style corn on the cob, padron peppers, tostadas…

A very good cocktail list and good selection of proper tequilas and mezcal.

We shared a burrito, taco & Quesedilla which was a good amount. Service was very quick, even taking our time, and asked for the Quesedilla after we finished the other 2 we were in and out in just over an hour.

They will be expanding the menu in the future when they find their rhythm but was impressed and another good option for Worthing with a ‘proper’ Mexican rather than a TexMex with food that resembles something from Iceland supermarket

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Finally made it to Crudo in Worthing. New ‘hip’ authentic(ish) Mexican run by the owners of Finch.

I’ve been a big fan of Salsa Viva in town since they had pop ups , stalls and their restaurant. My partner thinks it’s a bit ‘casual’ and ‘canteen’ like - and they only open in the evenings which for casual food is a shame when you want a nice lunch.

Anyway Crudo sits in the old Hitchcock restaurant which I can’t remember being open but apparently it was popular in the 80s/90s but been sat empty after a flood or fire I think for a long time. Bright pink exterior and nice ‘wooden’ makeshift interior inside.

Menu is fairly small - range of Tacos (Goat, Pork Carnitas, Chicken, Plantain, Soft Shell Crab) , Burritos (Goat, Jackfruit, Pork Carnitas, chicken) & Quesedillas (Chicken, Jackfruit)

With a range of sides - sweet potato fries , fried plantain , street food style corn on the cob, padron peppers, tostadas…

A very good cocktail list and good selection of proper tequilas and mezcal.

We shared a burrito, taco & Quesedilla which was a good amount. Service was very quick, even taking our time, and asked for the Quesedilla after we finished the other 2 we were in and out in just over an hour.

They will be expanding the menu in the future when they find their rhythm but was impressed and another good option for Worthing with a ‘proper’ Mexican rather than a TexMex with food that resembles something from Iceland supermarket

Good to see a review of this place. I looked on TA and there were a large number of single reviews on there which always makes me suspicious about a new place bigging itself up/

 

[Springal]

Good to see a review of this place. I looked on TA and there were a large number of single reviews on there which always makes me suspicious about a new place bigging itself up/

They are actively seeking trip advisor reviews - we got a card with a QR code with our receipt. Worth checking out

 

[driller]

lovely evening at burnt orange
had lamb kofta which was very filling
leaks and potatoes very nice
mrs d had monk fish which was devine

always nice there

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Starting with two more Worthing reviews:

Bayside Social - The newest in Kenny Tutt's Jay Rayner approved food places on Worthing seafront. We went for brunch for my daughters' birthday. Full English was very good quality according to those who had it. I had the benedict and added black pudding and pork sausage which were both very nice. Their Benedict comes with bacon rather than ham but was very nice. Price wise, it is decent value for a good quality brunch and we would go back again.

Yamu Yamu - small Japanese restaurant in Worthing's West End. Service was a little hit and miss as they seem to struggle when it is full. Food itself was generally good - we tried various dishes and most were tasty and also a good size for 'small plates'. The large plate Katsu chicken was not great and the Gyozas were a bit on the wet side. Five of us ate well and with a drink each it came in at just over £20 a head so not bad.

Finally made my first ever visit to Gars in Brighton this week with work colleagues. Was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food (not sure why but I had low expectations) and everyone seemed to enjoy their meals.

 

[Bombardier]

lovely evening at burnt orange
had lamb kofta which was very filling
leaks and potatoes very nice
mrs d had monk fish which was devine

always nice there

You had leaks. Was a plumber available to resolve?

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

You had leaks. Was a plumber available to resolve?

Did he need a leek after his leak l wonder?

 

[Machiavelli]

Any recommendations for a good but cheapish (eg lunch menu) sit-down place in Brighton or even veering towards Hove?

 

[Nitram]

Went as a family to Al Duomo’s last Sunday.
New owners and a transformation IMO quite unlike any of the other Italians in Brighton.
More like food you would get in Italy. Plenty of choice.
5 of us had - pizza, linguini vongole, walnut and butternut squash ravioli, proper meat ragu, pasta dish, sides and bread. 5 deserts, coffees, soft drinks and pint of beer. Total £150 including service. Pasta was hand made.
Excellent atmosphere a world away from the recent owners.

 

[Nitram]

Any recommendations for a good but cheapish (eg lunch menu) sit-down place in Brighton or even veering towards Hove?

Lime Squeezy, (Thai) Jubilee Sq or Al Duomos (as above).

 

[WATFORD zero]

Went as a family to Al Duomo’s last Sunday.
New owners and a transformation IMO quite unlike any of the other Italians in Brighton.
More like food you would get in Italy. Plenty of choice.
5 of us had - pizza, linguini vongole, walnut and butternut squash ravioli, proper meat ragu, pasta dish, sides and bread. 5 deserts, coffees, soft drinks and pint of beer. Total £150 including service. Pasta was hand made.
Excellent atmosphere a world away from the recent owners.

Good to hear, Al Forno, Al Duomo were around long before Donatellos/Pinnochios

Although all of them have a place in the world. And that place is when Mrs Wz says we have various relatives over from America/Canada/Glasgow, so invite the kids and their partners, your Mum and Dad, and you're paying for dinner for 12-16

It's not like I'm not tight though, I even let them go off the set menu sometimes

 

[Nitram]

Good to hear, Al Forno, Al Duomo were around long before Donatellos/Pinnochios

Although all of them have a place in the world. And that place is when Mrs Wz says we have various relatives over from America/Canada/Glasgow, so invite the kids and their partners, your Mum and Dad, and you're paying for dinner for 12-16

It's not like I'm not tight though, I even let them go off the set menu sometimes

Don’t forget Al caminetto’s in Queens Road. Used to love going to Al Dumo or Al Forno after a night out. The days when Leadbelly’s was about and Browns served spag Bol!

 

[WATFORD zero]

Don’t forget Al caminetto’s in Queens Road. Used to love going to Al Dumo or Al Forno after a night out. The days when Leadbelly’s was about and Browns served spag Bol!

First place I has Spag Boll was 'The Cottage' down the alleyway at the top of middle street. In the mid 70's that was considered very continental

About the same time, or even earlier, the first Chinese I remember was the Nan King, middle street and the first Indian, the Ashoka in Church road, Hove (still going, I think 3rd generation)

 

[Goldstone1976]

Bubala, E1

We went to see the Van Gogh immersive ‘experience’ yesterday. It was a Christmas present from the GLDHI’s sister.

‘Do we have to?’, I asked
‘I do, but you can stay home’ she replied in a tone that suggested I’d be in the dog house if I did.

Despite the generally very good reviews, we both felt it was at best meh. At worst, it’s an art (though naturally there weren’t any original works) show for people who don’t much like art - ‘did you know he liked sunflowers? Look, here are some prints of his sunflower paintings’; ‘did you know he painted his bedroom in Arles? Look, here’s a scale model of the room he painted’; ‘did you know he was colour blind? Yep, he definitely was’. Say what? A quick Google revealed that a couple of people think he may have been, while art historians and doctors say that there’s no evidence either way.

We come out hungry. We pop into Spitalfields market, and slowly push our way through the thronging masses surrounding the food outlets. The queues are either an hour long (for two outlets) or non-existent (at the rest). We can’t be arsed to wait an hour, nor eat from a place that no one else wants to. Besides…

‘I’m peopled out’ says the GLDHI. We leave and head down commercial street to a West Indian outlet that has got decent reviews ‘Jerk chicken?’; ‘sure’.

It’s closed. As in, for good. Gone, replaced by some other restaurant. Open, but empty. Nope.

Next door but one is Bubala. It’s busy. Let’s go there.

‘Do you have a reservation?’, asks perhaps the best front of house person I’ve ever encountered. Funny, helpful, cheerful - perfect.
‘No, but we’re nice people and we’re hungry’

She shows us to two bar seats.

We look at the menu. Little in the way of jerk chicken, which I’d got my head around by now. It’s veggie/vegan.

We order: pickles, flatbread, hummus with chilli, skewers of oyster mushroom, slow-roasted aubergine, halloumi with black seed honey, smashed batata harra, two lemon and star anise sodas, and make a start on the bottomless supply of free sparkling water on tap.

The flatbread, pickles, and hummus arrives. All excellent.

Then the skewers. Rich, perfectly cooked; a thick umami sauce.

‘They can cook!’
‘Yep’

Then the aubergine. Really soft in the middle, really crispy skin, perfectly spiced.

‘Blimey’
‘Yep’

Finally, the batata harra and the halloumi. The potatoes were outstanding. The halloumi was great too; we’re just not that keen on sweet and savoury - in hindsight we should have thought about that before we ordered.

Every dish was executed extremely well, with liberal, complex spicing.

£74, including a 15% tip and an ‘optional’ £1.23 (huh?) donation to a plant a tree charity.

‘That was great’ I say.
‘Yep’

We lucked out in our search for a quick bite to eat. We’ll go again.

Now, where can I find some jerk chicken?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Went to an “oysters and beer” pub I know from pre-pandemic days but they have stopped serving oysters much to my disappointment. They have been removed as they’re “a too high food risk group”. WTF.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Caviar House, T5 LHR - expensive shite. Avoid like the plague.

Fortnum & Mason cafe, T5 LHR - pretty expensive, but the food was reasonable.

Flat Iron, N1. A good 200g steak and chips, perfectly cooked - £16. Not the best steak I’ve ever eaten by some distance, but quite probably the best in terms of vfm I’ve had. I’d go back - if in the area.

Lila Sosse, Dresden. ‘We do German tapas’. ‘M’okay’. Homemade spaetzle, homemade sausage casserole, chicken soup, 3x 500ml beer. Tapas? Hardly, I couldn’t eat it all, and that, dear reader, is extremely rare - £25. Really excellent. A bit far though.

 

[GT49er]

Is the 'All you can eat' deal at that place by Bramber Castle still available? Went there about 25 years ago - fabulous value for £25 quid back then. If still there, how much is it now?