Food Of Love
I love food. I love cooking. I love finding new recipes. I hate washing up. The eternal dilemma of the housework-shy, cook something fantastic or have someone else cook you something fantastic?
Of course, short of winning the lottery I'm not going to get to try eating in every restaurant I would like. Slowly but surely, I'm finding some great places for food, so I thought I'd share a few with you along with some of my favourite memories. So remember everyone... eat all the food!
These industrial country kitchen style restaurants make delicious food, I can highly recommend the halloumi burger (with chipotle mayo, not cumin yoghurt). But the main dishes aren't the reason this restaurant is making it onto the list... it's one dessert.
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake with poppy seed meringue. Two of my favourite things in one. It comes served in what looks like a dainty glass with a mound of meringue on the top... it tastes heavenly and somehow it is neverending... and it has fruit in it so it is DEFINITELY healthy.
In the last fortnight I've been here twice, it's what an Italian restaurant should be. It's not glitzy it's not flash, it's just about amazing food. They have a great value lunch/early evening menu, as well as a more extensive menu that you can have at any time. I worked within a stones throw of this restaurant for over a year and no one in the office had been... I had to remedy that. So when my folks came to visit we went there for dinner.
I don't want to gush too much about this place but it's amazing. Every mouthful was a delight, even the ones I was cramming in after I'd already eaten too much. The portions are generous, and as I said, it tastes amazing.
But the one thing that really makes you love the place more are some of the very perky staff members. They'll chat and they genuinely love the place too. This restaurant is a shining star in Bristol... I almost don't want to be telling you about the place in case too many people start going there.
Well, this is another find I made thanks to Bristol. I love a good burger and this place does great ones. I love the fact you can order anything on them... although the guy on the checkout did seem surprised (and almost worried) when I just ordered a cheeseburger with fried onions, ketchup and mustard... "you can have anything up on the board... it's the same price!" But why ruin a perfectly good burger with too many flavours?
The little production line is quite fun to watch, and it's good to know what is actually happening to your food. Note on fries: never bother ordering a large, the bag filling technique seems to be... fill this portion size container with fries and put in bag, toss some more on the top for good measure. So. Many. Fries. *heavy breathing*
But ladies and gentlemen, it is not the fantastic burgers (and hot dogs) that have put this place on the map for me... NO! It is the drinks dispenser. Refillable soda is always a brilliant thing in a restaurant when that is generally what you drink. But in Five Guys? Cue the angels singing. 100+ flavours of soda. I was just trying to find the exact number of different combinations, 127 seems to be a popular amount but I'm not sure the American machines have the same choices as the UK ones. Either way... so many choices. Obviously there could be bladder issues with this one, my top tip (thanks to the guys at work for teaching it to me), as you can go back as many times as you like to fill it up, fill the cup half way and just keep going back to get different flavours. You're welcome.
Salad bar, red devil sauce... nuff said.
I love tapas, if we ever go for tapas together I will look like a pig (and I won't care). Very busy restaurant for drinks and food, be prepared for a wait Thursday through Saturday for a table if you just turn up. Trust me though, it's worth the wait. Order some sangria, chill out and enjoy the atmosphere.
I met someone once who told me they loved tapas, so of course I excitedly told them about Las Fuentes. "Yeah I've been there, the food was awful, I always go to La Tasca." No! Bad person! Las Fuentes is Premier League, La Tasca is Football League Two (or even possibly a kick around in the park). No disappointing portions, no chain restaurant nonsense, pure unadulterated joy on a plate.
As a family we used to go here a lot. Luigi's was what Don Giovannis is now. You could see the pizzas being cooked there was a great atmosphere, good portions and great staff. The décor was white, red and green, and there was a shelf around the ceiling with empty wine bottles. Some nights they'd even clear the tables and you'd dance (so I'm told).
Sadly you can't visit Luigi's anymore. Someone in their infinite wisdom thought it would be a great idea to have a modern revamped Italian restaurant in its place. It has been a while since I've been to it but the four times I went it left me wholly disappointed and underwhelmed. I ordered the same dish each time, and each time it was completely different. The quaint and welcoming style is now glass and glossy, but it looks the part and I'm sure people still go there because of that.
Get your chicken on like it's 1499! (Or thereabouts, I never was very good at history) It's Medieval Times but without the jousting and ridiculous cardboard crowns. I really feel like The Meadery is Nandos for the community at large that don't like spicy chicken. They've branched out since we first started going there, but we still order traditionally... Chicken in the rough with chips, and no cutlery... because that's how we roll at The Meadery. The waitresses are all dressed up and the last time we went it was still being run by the same people. A fun and dingily lit place, that brings back fond memories of going with the family when I was young.
For those of you old enough you should definitely try the wines. We'd recommend the mead, elderberry and blackberry, and for those of you not looking to get completely rat-arsed you can turn them into a fizz (spritzer).
One of the tasks I set myself when I moved to Bristol was to find some good take aways. Always a tricky thing to do after living for so long in the same area. Pizza is always much of a muchness, not difficult to get success (well, some people haven't got it down, but with the chains you're usually safe). After sixteen months I still haven't found a good Chinese, something which I am greatly saddened by. Curry on the other hand...
I tried a lot of different places, always having the same order... Chicken tikka masala, onion bhaji, plain naan and rice. If they can't get the "classics" right then there's no place on my table for you.
After moving to my house I discovered a whole new set of places to try, and I found Online Curry. Not the most inspiring name I'll grant you, but they had a promising looking menu. The first order I placed with them turned up in a box. A perfectly packaged box of yummy delights sealed with their own personalised parcel tape. I have to give it to them, it was an epic way to receive my food. Every order comes with a pot of minty yoghurt and bag of salad... I have never, and will never, understand why you get salad with curry, even the pickled vegetables with poppadoms are a bit of a push!
This one is by far the best find I've made for Indian food, Disappointing onion bhajis, but a damned fine chicken tikka masala. It's the sort of meal that makes you make yummy noises even before you've finished the first mouthful. I'd highly recommend it, I would say it's the best curry I've ever had. But don't take my word for it, try it yourself, have the chicken puri.
I'm not saying that the best pizza ever to grace a plate is from Papa John's (out of all the big chains Dominos is probably my favourite) but they do at least get one thing right. Garlic cheese sticks and garlic butter sauce. This is really only for those days when you don't have to see other people, because there's a lot of garlic involved. There's something horribly satisfying about this supposed side order. If only Papa John's were closer!
Again, like Luigi's this was what can only be described as a traditionally decorated curry house. It had flocked wallpaper, plastic fruit vines hanging round the ceiling and I couldn't see what I was eating... and it was great. It does thankfully differ from Luigi's in one major way... while it might have been modernised with lots of blue lights and glass, it was only the cosmetics that changed.
I don't know how many times I've been there, but it is genuinely not enough. From drunken nights after work to a girly catch up, this restaurant was our go to place. And it makes me sad that I can't just go there on a whim. While it might not be the most ground breaking place to pick what truly makes this place is that you can have a good meal surrounded by fantastic staff.
In the early noughties my friends and I were definitely what you would consider "regulars" here, and despite the fact we don't go there very often now, they still remember us. You can't buy that sort of customer service.
Ordinarily I would never recommend a steak place. They are horribly overpriced and quite frankly dubious quality, but Steak & Co has managed to just beat the rule. Nowadays I will always do steak at home, for a fraction of the price you pay in a restaurant you can feed a family and often with better results.
The meat was mouthwatering, the sauces and sides to die for and the cocktails were delicious. It's a great pre/post theatre meal. You do feel like you're on top of the people next to you but if there's a lull in conversation at your own table that usually means there something else to earwig on the next.
Don't gasp at me! I love Wetherspoons.
With the quirky old men and batty old women, you really feel like you can let yourself relax. And personally, the one in central Croydon is top, mainly because there's an old man who's wardrobe appears to have been styled after Rupert the Bear.
I don't think I've managed to have a full round of meals in a Wetherspoons in one day but I've certainly done breakfast and lunch.
My argument for putting this on the list is the fact that you know what you're getting. You know you'll stick to the floor if you stay in one spot at the bar for too long. You know you'll have to endure at least one conversation with a regular about something. You know that there'll be at least one screaming kid. But you'll also know that you wont be paying through the nose for a drink and a meal. They're a great place to stop and rest during a shopping trip, and eventually they're a place of nostalgia that will become a kind of tradition.
While all these restaurants hold their own special memories for me, there will still never be anything quite as good as my mum's macaroni cheese.
Of course, short of winning the lottery I'm not going to get to try eating in every restaurant I would like. Slowly but surely, I'm finding some great places for food, so I thought I'd share a few with you along with some of my favourite memories. So remember everyone... eat all the food!
Bills, lots of locations
These industrial country kitchen style restaurants make delicious food, I can highly recommend the halloumi burger (with chipotle mayo, not cumin yoghurt). But the main dishes aren't the reason this restaurant is making it onto the list... it's one dessert.
Lemon Meringue Cheesecake with poppy seed meringue. Two of my favourite things in one. It comes served in what looks like a dainty glass with a mound of meringue on the top... it tastes heavenly and somehow it is neverending... and it has fruit in it so it is DEFINITELY healthy.
Don Giovanni, Bristol
In the last fortnight I've been here twice, it's what an Italian restaurant should be. It's not glitzy it's not flash, it's just about amazing food. They have a great value lunch/early evening menu, as well as a more extensive menu that you can have at any time. I worked within a stones throw of this restaurant for over a year and no one in the office had been... I had to remedy that. So when my folks came to visit we went there for dinner.
I don't want to gush too much about this place but it's amazing. Every mouthful was a delight, even the ones I was cramming in after I'd already eaten too much. The portions are generous, and as I said, it tastes amazing.
But the one thing that really makes you love the place more are some of the very perky staff members. They'll chat and they genuinely love the place too. This restaurant is a shining star in Bristol... I almost don't want to be telling you about the place in case too many people start going there.
Five Guys, lots of locations
The little production line is quite fun to watch, and it's good to know what is actually happening to your food. Note on fries: never bother ordering a large, the bag filling technique seems to be... fill this portion size container with fries and put in bag, toss some more on the top for good measure. So. Many. Fries. *heavy breathing*
But ladies and gentlemen, it is not the fantastic burgers (and hot dogs) that have put this place on the map for me... NO! It is the drinks dispenser. Refillable soda is always a brilliant thing in a restaurant when that is generally what you drink. But in Five Guys? Cue the angels singing. 100+ flavours of soda. I was just trying to find the exact number of different combinations, 127 seems to be a popular amount but I'm not sure the American machines have the same choices as the UK ones. Either way... so many choices. Obviously there could be bladder issues with this one, my top tip (thanks to the guys at work for teaching it to me), as you can go back as many times as you like to fill it up, fill the cup half way and just keep going back to get different flavours. You're welcome.
Harvester, lots of locations
Salad bar, red devil sauce... nuff said.
Las Fuentes, Purley
I love tapas, if we ever go for tapas together I will look like a pig (and I won't care). Very busy restaurant for drinks and food, be prepared for a wait Thursday through Saturday for a table if you just turn up. Trust me though, it's worth the wait. Order some sangria, chill out and enjoy the atmosphere.
I met someone once who told me they loved tapas, so of course I excitedly told them about Las Fuentes. "Yeah I've been there, the food was awful, I always go to La Tasca." No! Bad person! Las Fuentes is Premier League, La Tasca is Football League Two (or even possibly a kick around in the park). No disappointing portions, no chain restaurant nonsense, pure unadulterated joy on a plate.
Luigi's (currently La Scarpetta), Coulsdon
As a family we used to go here a lot. Luigi's was what Don Giovannis is now. You could see the pizzas being cooked there was a great atmosphere, good portions and great staff. The décor was white, red and green, and there was a shelf around the ceiling with empty wine bottles. Some nights they'd even clear the tables and you'd dance (so I'm told).
Sadly you can't visit Luigi's anymore. Someone in their infinite wisdom thought it would be a great idea to have a modern revamped Italian restaurant in its place. It has been a while since I've been to it but the four times I went it left me wholly disappointed and underwhelmed. I ordered the same dish each time, and each time it was completely different. The quaint and welcoming style is now glass and glossy, but it looks the part and I'm sure people still go there because of that.
The Meadery, Newlyn
For those of you old enough you should definitely try the wines. We'd recommend the mead, elderberry and blackberry, and for those of you not looking to get completely rat-arsed you can turn them into a fizz (spritzer).
Online Curry, Bristol
One of the tasks I set myself when I moved to Bristol was to find some good take aways. Always a tricky thing to do after living for so long in the same area. Pizza is always much of a muchness, not difficult to get success (well, some people haven't got it down, but with the chains you're usually safe). After sixteen months I still haven't found a good Chinese, something which I am greatly saddened by. Curry on the other hand...
I tried a lot of different places, always having the same order... Chicken tikka masala, onion bhaji, plain naan and rice. If they can't get the "classics" right then there's no place on my table for you.
After moving to my house I discovered a whole new set of places to try, and I found Online Curry. Not the most inspiring name I'll grant you, but they had a promising looking menu. The first order I placed with them turned up in a box. A perfectly packaged box of yummy delights sealed with their own personalised parcel tape. I have to give it to them, it was an epic way to receive my food. Every order comes with a pot of minty yoghurt and bag of salad... I have never, and will never, understand why you get salad with curry, even the pickled vegetables with poppadoms are a bit of a push!
This one is by far the best find I've made for Indian food, Disappointing onion bhajis, but a damned fine chicken tikka masala. It's the sort of meal that makes you make yummy noises even before you've finished the first mouthful. I'd highly recommend it, I would say it's the best curry I've ever had. But don't take my word for it, try it yourself, have the chicken puri.
Papa John's, lots of locations
I'm not saying that the best pizza ever to grace a plate is from Papa John's (out of all the big chains Dominos is probably my favourite) but they do at least get one thing right. Garlic cheese sticks and garlic butter sauce. This is really only for those days when you don't have to see other people, because there's a lot of garlic involved. There's something horribly satisfying about this supposed side order. If only Papa John's were closer!
The Star of Bengal (currently The Blue Bengal), Carshalton
Again, like Luigi's this was what can only be described as a traditionally decorated curry house. It had flocked wallpaper, plastic fruit vines hanging round the ceiling and I couldn't see what I was eating... and it was great. It does thankfully differ from Luigi's in one major way... while it might have been modernised with lots of blue lights and glass, it was only the cosmetics that changed.
I don't know how many times I've been there, but it is genuinely not enough. From drunken nights after work to a girly catch up, this restaurant was our go to place. And it makes me sad that I can't just go there on a whim. While it might not be the most ground breaking place to pick what truly makes this place is that you can have a good meal surrounded by fantastic staff.
In the early noughties my friends and I were definitely what you would consider "regulars" here, and despite the fact we don't go there very often now, they still remember us. You can't buy that sort of customer service.
Steak & Co, London
Ordinarily I would never recommend a steak place. They are horribly overpriced and quite frankly dubious quality, but Steak & Co has managed to just beat the rule. Nowadays I will always do steak at home, for a fraction of the price you pay in a restaurant you can feed a family and often with better results.
The meat was mouthwatering, the sauces and sides to die for and the cocktails were delicious. It's a great pre/post theatre meal. You do feel like you're on top of the people next to you but if there's a lull in conversation at your own table that usually means there something else to earwig on the next.
Wetherspoons, lots of locations
Don't gasp at me! I love Wetherspoons.
With the quirky old men and batty old women, you really feel like you can let yourself relax. And personally, the one in central Croydon is top, mainly because there's an old man who's wardrobe appears to have been styled after Rupert the Bear.
I don't think I've managed to have a full round of meals in a Wetherspoons in one day but I've certainly done breakfast and lunch.
My argument for putting this on the list is the fact that you know what you're getting. You know you'll stick to the floor if you stay in one spot at the bar for too long. You know you'll have to endure at least one conversation with a regular about something. You know that there'll be at least one screaming kid. But you'll also know that you wont be paying through the nose for a drink and a meal. They're a great place to stop and rest during a shopping trip, and eventually they're a place of nostalgia that will become a kind of tradition.
---
While all these restaurants hold their own special memories for me, there will still never be anything quite as good as my mum's macaroni cheese.
Comments
Post a Comment