Ok, most of us live on this lovely island and while we all love to fly and travel sometimes you just want to have a great meal a little closer to home. So what are your three fave restraunts in the UK? I am useless at writing reviews about such things, so think of these more as pointers for places to look out for.
Dean and I occasionally like to have a weekend away with a good meal on one evening, would be nice to have some ideas!
Foz xxx
Cafe Soya, Birmingham (Budget)
Extra info
Dean and a friend discovered this little gem of a restauraunt a few years back, and it hasn't changed since. Apart from getting a lot busier. The restauraunt is tiny, and the kitchen mind-bogglingly small. It's Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese influenced food and the menu very extensive. This is one of the few places where the number of items far out numbers the tables, but the usual rule on such matters definately does not apply!
In the evening they have a three course Set Dinner for £14 which is excellent value, however I usually choose off the menu. If only for one item - the Chilli Pepper Spare Ribs, these are just the best ribs anywhere I have tasted. All ribs are compared to Cafe Soya.
They have featured in Metro, various food and corporate magazines, and won / been shortlisted several Observer Food Monthly awards. If you are ever in Birmingham and fancy some lunch or evening meal then this is one place to go! Be warned that there is usually a wait for a table in the evening.
Bel & The Dragon, Windsor (Mid Price)
Website
Andrea and Michael now have four of these restraunts (Windsor, Godalming - the one in a Church, Cookham - the original and Reading). While living in Slough the Windsor restraunt was our nearest, and we used to use it quite frequently. Having a usual table - is that a good thing?
The menu's always look mouthwateringly welcoming, and the food more so. Their Crispy Duck Ceaser Salad is a must as a starter! And they are usually very good at cooking things how you want them, though sometimes the tuna is quite often a little too much on the cooked side of rare so watch out for that.
We have always found the staff friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The wine menu isn't that extensive, but it offers are good range to choose from if you know about such things. For me the Windsor restraunt is the better of them, the atmosphere, the food, the layout all make for an excellent evening!
Paris, Birmingham (Fine Dining)
Website
The Birmingham restauraunt for Michelin Stared chef Patrick McDonald. The food here is exquisite, the service impecable, the staff delicious, and the Maitre'D a absolutely wonderful frenchmen. The decor is very dark and suitably lit, adding to the elegant atmosphere in the restaurant. It is not in the least bit stuffy, but very classy, friendly and above all relaxed. Which is how I want to be when i'm spending upto a £100 a person (if you have more then one bottle of wine) on a meal.
The menu, available on the website, speaks for itself - we have always found it difficult to choose and have yet to be dissappointed. Our problem with Paris is to not go too often to spoil it.
The Gourmet Diners club is a wonderful experience too, for a reasonable set price including a glass of bubbly, wine selected for each course you can have a monthly mid-week meal to make the taste buds dance. Each month the menu theme changes, there has been Best of British, Fish, Champagne etc.
If you want to spoil yourself one weekend, book a table here, book a room at the Malmaison that is not five mins walk away (the best bed in any hotel in the world!) and book some treatments to enjoy in the Spa in the afternoon. An absolutely blissful weekend.
Dean and I occasionally like to have a weekend away with a good meal on one evening, would be nice to have some ideas!
Foz xxx
Cafe Soya, Birmingham (Budget)
Extra info
Dean and a friend discovered this little gem of a restauraunt a few years back, and it hasn't changed since. Apart from getting a lot busier. The restauraunt is tiny, and the kitchen mind-bogglingly small. It's Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese influenced food and the menu very extensive. This is one of the few places where the number of items far out numbers the tables, but the usual rule on such matters definately does not apply!
In the evening they have a three course Set Dinner for £14 which is excellent value, however I usually choose off the menu. If only for one item - the Chilli Pepper Spare Ribs, these are just the best ribs anywhere I have tasted. All ribs are compared to Cafe Soya.
They have featured in Metro, various food and corporate magazines, and won / been shortlisted several Observer Food Monthly awards. If you are ever in Birmingham and fancy some lunch or evening meal then this is one place to go! Be warned that there is usually a wait for a table in the evening.
Bel & The Dragon, Windsor (Mid Price)
Website
Andrea and Michael now have four of these restraunts (Windsor, Godalming - the one in a Church, Cookham - the original and Reading). While living in Slough the Windsor restraunt was our nearest, and we used to use it quite frequently. Having a usual table - is that a good thing?
The menu's always look mouthwateringly welcoming, and the food more so. Their Crispy Duck Ceaser Salad is a must as a starter! And they are usually very good at cooking things how you want them, though sometimes the tuna is quite often a little too much on the cooked side of rare so watch out for that.
We have always found the staff friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. The wine menu isn't that extensive, but it offers are good range to choose from if you know about such things. For me the Windsor restraunt is the better of them, the atmosphere, the food, the layout all make for an excellent evening!
Paris, Birmingham (Fine Dining)
Website
The Birmingham restauraunt for Michelin Stared chef Patrick McDonald. The food here is exquisite, the service impecable, the staff delicious, and the Maitre'D a absolutely wonderful frenchmen. The decor is very dark and suitably lit, adding to the elegant atmosphere in the restaurant. It is not in the least bit stuffy, but very classy, friendly and above all relaxed. Which is how I want to be when i'm spending upto a £100 a person (if you have more then one bottle of wine) on a meal.
The menu, available on the website, speaks for itself - we have always found it difficult to choose and have yet to be dissappointed. Our problem with Paris is to not go too often to spoil it.
The Gourmet Diners club is a wonderful experience too, for a reasonable set price including a glass of bubbly, wine selected for each course you can have a monthly mid-week meal to make the taste buds dance. Each month the menu theme changes, there has been Best of British, Fish, Champagne etc.
If you want to spoil yourself one weekend, book a table here, book a room at the Malmaison that is not five mins walk away (the best bed in any hotel in the world!) and book some treatments to enjoy in the Spa in the afternoon. An absolutely blissful weekend.
