Apsley's: A Heinz Beck Restaurant, The Lanesborough Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, London

The morning began with grumblings from Mr N, about our heading for lunch to a restaurant with a dress code. By noon he was appreciative that I’d insisted on proper shoes, as this was certainly the classiest dining experience of the year.

The Lanesborough Hotel in Knightsbridge (allegedly the most expensive in London), is a huge imposing building (formerly St George’s Hospital) opposite Hyde Park. Smartly dressed porters ushered us in from the rain, and suddenly we found ourselves in an oasis of festive calm. The manic two-days-before-Christmas fervour was soon forgotten as we relaxed in the luxurious bar with a beautiful open fire. We smartened up and marvelled at the art-deco bathrooms, and stashed all our wet-weather gear in the cloakrooms, and anticipated an exciting meal.

Michelin starred Apsley’s, is the first Heinz Beck restaurant outside of Italy, and the restaurant itself was bathed in light despite the dark and drizzly weather. Elaborately shiny plates with mosaic motifs decorated the tables as the extremely courteous staff seated us (and much to our delight, bought us a stand just for P’s handbag to be placed on!)

We were here on a reduced price lunch offer, but you would never have guessed it from the exceptional level of service we received. But the deal was well worth it. We began with a glass of sparkly Franciacorta, and then we had a moment of Food Geek joy as the Olive Oil was formally introduced to us. Formalities over, we soaked it up with the perfectly baked focaccia and olive bread.

After an amuse bouche it was time for starters proper. The lunch menu was small but perfectly formed, and we’d each chosen a different option. My zingy pumpkin and ginger soup was poured at the table into a dish of crispy taleggio ravioli, maintaining the different textures of crispy and soupy, and tasting amazing, D’s Octopus salad with couscous and P’s lamb starter were equally well presented and quickly devoured.

Keeping in the festive spirit, myself and P had opted for the Norfolk Bronze Turkey, being sure that it would be distinctly different to anything we’d eat on Christmas day. We were not wrong. Served with mustard seed, celery, apple and beetroot (and some surprisingly tasty Brussels sprout outer leaves), this was tangy and satisfying. D’s halibut main course looked like classy fish fingers coated in paprika, with three brightly coloured accompaniments of which the aubergine was proclaimed to be the best.

Dessert looked fantastic and tasted even better. Cocoa sable was brittle dark chocolate biscuit with the most intensely fruity strawberry ice-cream I’ve ever tasted, combined with a subtle hint of liquorice. P’s muesli crumble with yoghurt with yoghurt foam and blueberry sorbet looked like it should be breakfast, but P loved it.

Very well fed, we decided to take our tea in the cosy bar. A tray of intensely chocolatey petit fours, with heavy silverware and pretty crockery enjoyed on comfy sofas by the fireplace, made it feel like a special occasion, which is absolutely was in every sense. An affordable pre-Christmas treat this was a real gem of an experience!

Katsouris Deli and Café, 113 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2BQ

The intense sunshine rendered Manchester completely unrecognisable. Tired and hungry after an active morning exploring the shiny MediaCity and The Lowry, and then enjoying a drink in the courtyard of Mr Thomas’ Chophouse, our stomachs were rumbling and we were in need of sustenance. Quickly.

I was still in the midst of my temporary vegetarianism, and beginning to get a bit fed up at the limitations this was imposing. We tried a high street sandwich chain, but the shelves were disappointingly empty given that it was far past lunchtime.

This turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Lee had a plan. With his trademark quick pace he decisively led us to Katsouris, which was a feast for the senses. The busy café had delicious looking food everywhere! Everything smelt so good and immediately we were overwhelmed with choice. There were carvery options, a huge salad bar, extensive boards detailing exotic sandwiches and behind the counter were a whole selection of sweet treats and cheeses. It was amazing!

Unsurprisingly this deli is a Manchester institution. It is close to Lee’s heart, having originated from the World famous Bury Market. The building looked grand on Manchester’s busy Deansgate, but the interior was functional. Normally huge queues snake around the large room, but here our lateness proved a real advantage as the queues were small and tables were not too hard to find.

It was the perfect place to take a grumpy reluctant vegetarian. Whilst the others went for hot meaty sandwiches (heeding the warnings that “a half is not small” and therefore spending only a couple of quid each), I splashed out on a Vegetarian Meze Platter for a princely £4.95.

I was rewarded with the largest plate of food that I have seen in a very long time. All my favourites were on there: grilled halloumi, Greek salad, spicy couscous, spicy pepperdews (my absolute favourite), stuffed vine leaves, hummus, tzatziki, mediterranean vegetables, sundried tomatoes, and olives. Vegetarian heaven! I couldn’t believe my luck, and hoped that I’d have space for it all, when suddenly there was the extra bonus of warm ciabatta added to my already heaving plate.

Needless to say, every item was full of flavour and tasted authentically fantastic. The value for money was astounding and the variety made me feel joyful.

I now wish I lived in Manchester. Katsouris absolutely made my day.

The Sun Inn, Mill Road, Kislingbury, Northampton NN7 4BB

A beautiful sunny but cold Saturday, I was driving up north with D. Looking for a place for lunch near the motorway, armed only with a copy of CAMRA’s 2012 Edition of The Good Beer Guide, D expertly navigated us to the picturesque village of Kislingbury near Northampton (and just a few minutes from the M1.
On a tiny narrow lane we found The Sun Inn.  Looking beautifully rustic with it's thatched roof, we found it to be warm and cosy inside and without any pretensions.  Old-fashioned and friendly with a good number of real ales on the pumps and some ciders too. 

 We experienced lovely hospitality from the landlady and once we’d ordering some substantial lunch from a small menu of big pies, we settled down in one of the three seating areas (it was nice to have it to ourselves) with the paper, and relaxed.

After assembling a wide collection of condiments, and enjoying a giant cup of tea and a pint of 'Gobblers', our food arrived.  My stilton, peppered mushroom and onion pie was ultimate comfort food, and served with delicious gravy and the homemade cottage pie was also huge, and very much enjoyed by D, who felt the cabbage was also very tasty.

A lovely discovery.    We would have happily whiled away an afternoon there.  Well worth a visit should you be near Junction 16 of the M1 and very much recommended by ourselves as well as CAMRA.

Canteen, Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX

I love Canteen - I love how it avoids being pretentious or over-priced, even after winning numerous awards, and even  when all four of it's restaurants are located in the most central London locations.  But it is of course, this simplicity that is central to Canteen's ethos, as well as an emphasis on British, seasonal good quality ingredients.

This was my second visit to the Canteen at the Southbank centre location.  Sitting outdoors, surrounded by all the appealing aromas and hustle and bustle of the weekly food market, made for a fantastic atmosphere, even though it was a strange time to eat (5pm on a Sunday).  This isn't a problem at Canteen, who advocate "casual all day dining".  My previous visit had been just for tea and cake, which wasn't a problem at all to the friendly and efficient staff.

D was delighted by the real ale selection, particularly due to the appearance of several dark beers.  His choice of  'Moorhouse's Black Cat' -  is award winning, and impressive as it's one he has only ever previously seen at beer festivals.  He very much enjoyed it's chocolately, malty taste, whilst I was more than happy with my restorative pot of Teapigs Earl Grey.

The menu consists largely of various daily specials.  There is a daily soup, pie, roast and 'day boat fish', as well as all day breakfast/brunch dishes, traditionally British mains and puddings.  Sensibly, children are offered half portions at half price.  Fantastically, there is a separate 'cakes' section, on the menu.

D went for the roast of the day, which was beef, and he felt the quality was excellent.  He liked how it was presented in a tower with roast potatoes, carrots, cabbage, gravy and the largest yorkshire pud I have ever seen.  (It's non-perfect shape was pleasing).  The beef was very tender and each of the components tasty and well cooked.  There was only one thing D would change...he remarked that "most people would probably want less cabbage, and young men with hearty appetites (like me) would want one more potato."  Specific feedback indeed!

Mine was a posh chicken and chips (but not being very posh, I ate it with my hands.  The best way to enjoy food).  They roast a free-range chicken at lunch and dinnertime, and serve it first come first served, with garlic mayo and super crispy chips.  It was heaven on a plate.  Perfectly cooked, crispy skin, generous in portion size.  Wonderful!

Very sadly, I found myself without a camera, or room for dessert.  But not to worry, here's a picture of the incredible chocolate and beetroot cake, sampled upon my last visit with K.  The cake was almost velvety in nature, and very soft and moist as a result of the beetroot.  It's still on the menu.  You should go and try it.

The Bounty, Cockmarsh, Bourne End

Accessible only by boat or on foot, The Bounty was one of those pubs that I had heard plenty of great things about, but I hadn’t managed to ever visit. It was a warm and sunny day, perfect for our walk from Marlow. With its beautiful riverside location, I expected the place to be heaving with people, but whilst it was certainly busy, we were delighted to find plenty of outdoor tables available as we approached.

The Bounty manages to be quirky without being pretentious – there’s a skull proudly displayed by the bar, which as well as booze, sells greeting cards, Curly Wurlys and ginger beer (on tap). As well as a lovely range of bar snacks and a hot food menu, there was a cake of the day (my kind of place!) and ice cream also on sale.

The sign above the entrance to the pub welcomes punters to ‘The People’s Republic of Cockmarsh’ where “the laws of common sense apply”, and upon walking into the pub, my immediate reaction was that I’d walked into some other land. There was a queue at the bar but the bar staff were lovely and the wait didn’t seem to matter, as there was plenty to look at inside.

Given the heat of the day I drank lashings of firey ginger beer through a pink straw (I wanted to make the most of finding somewhere that served it on tap), but on the beer front there were some local Rebellion Brewery offerings (the fresh and hoppy Rebellion Blonde was sampled) and a fantastically named ‘Grumpy Cow’. The cider option was the extremely potent scrumpy, Old Rosie. D commented on the good condition of the beer which was at the optimal temperature.

The food is simple but brilliant.

Cheesy chips are great, but The Bounty goes one better and offers…STILTON CHIPS! Utterly utterly divine chunky chips covered with slabs of melting Stilton. The simple things taste the best. Other food sampled included an old school but still lovely bacon toastie, and a ham Ploughmans. Portion sizes were more than generous. The home cooked ham was clearly of good quality and there was plenty of pickle. Quavers were served on the side!

The outdoor area stretched out on either side of the pub, with a children’s play area (complete with Big Scary Tree) on the opposite side to where we were. Truly a place with something for everyone, I can’t wait to visit again.

The Artichoke, 162 Yarmouth Rd, Broome, Norfolk NR35 2NZ

As expected we were waiting outside The Artichoke before it opened at 12 noon (in keeping with D’s Mum’s pride in punctuality). And for good reason. This is a very popular pub. My second visit, I was looking forward to both the food and the drink. A regular entrant of the Good Beer Guide, it won Norfolk’s CAMRA pub of the year in 2009. Once the home of Crowfoot Brewery (a very long time ago), it truly boasts a great selection of drink –D likes the choice of real ales (they always have 4 on the hand pumps, 4 on gravity in the tap room, and my personal favourite, there are always three fruit beers on draught!) I’m always filled with excitement when I find fruity Belgian beers on offer!

I also love the look of the whisky bar, with around 70 varieties of malt whisky, decorated with pump clips and mugs hanging from the ceiling. The drink list is handwritten and presented above the bar, along with a note (consider it an old-school ‘status update’) about one of the regulars ‘Terry,’ and his new tow bar. It’s a cosy, welcoming place, with a real fire in the corner in the wintertime. The staff are exceptionally friendly, treating us like old friends (which D’s family almost are), and the bar seemed to fill up almost immediately after opening time.

My first beer was my favourite, ‘Kriek’ (Belgian Cherry beer), served in half pints only (due to the 6% potency), in an authentic Belgian Beer glass.

The menu is simple and traditional, with a daily changing specials board. We took our seats in the original restaurant area (a bit more atmospheric than the newer conservatory dining area in my opinion – and closer to the bar), and the huge portions of food arrived. Scampi and chips for D’s Mum and Gran, Plaice and Chips for D, and a Chicken and Mushroom Pie and chips for me (healthy wasn’t really a theme of the afternoon, as you can tell).

D’s plaice was “hoooge” (as the Norfolk folk would say), extending a long way underneath the peas and chips on his plate.

My pie was divine. Very generous on the filling, with large meaty chunks of chicken, ham and mushroom, topped with a slim rectangle of rich short-crust pastry, served with greens, carrots and wonderful crispy chips.

D’s Mum is a scampi expert, sampling all the pub scampi and chips, in the local area, and she rates The Artichoke as having consistently the best of the lot. Again, portions were large, with D benefiting from extra chips from his Gran.

Stuffed, I was somehow talked into sampling another Belgian beer. This time I opted for raspberry (Bacchus Frambozen), which I found less sweet and slightly less enjoyable than my initial Kriek. D went for the third available fruit beer, Peach (Timmermans Peche). This was a little too beery for my liking but it had a subtle peachy aroma and taste.

I really was going to decline dessert, having eaten far too large a lunch to manage the delicious sounding but hefty options of crumbles, sticky toffee puddings or bread and butter pudding. D opted for his favourite, Summer Fruit Pudding whilst his Gran went for banana fritters. D’s mum’s choice of Maple and Walnut ice-cream was my downfall though, and I found myself helpless to resist ordering such a magnificent sounding dessert from local ice-cream maker Parravani.

I was not disappointed – deliciously nutty and maple-y sweet, it felt luxurious and light at the same time.

We finished everything. Everything ordered that been wonderful. I’d more than happily visit a third time – highly recommended for both food and drink!

The Pineapple, Lake End Road, Dorney, Bucks, SL4 6QS

Beautiful weather and many weeks of hard work, called for a well deserved lunch-time escape to the village of Dorney.   Although Dorney is home to a manor house, a rowing lake (a venue for the 2012 Olympics), and the first pineapple grown in England, in the eyes of the hungry folk who work round this way, it is most importantly home to sandwiches of IMMENSE proportions at The Pineapple pub.

Immense isn't a word I'm using lightly... it applies to the gigantic size of the sandwiches, the generosity and quality of the fillings, and perhaps most of all, the choice.  Lunch here is such a ritual for anyone working in the area, just about every person in our office has a menu saved somewhere on their desktop.  And for good reason.  Each trip is preceded by much deliberation pouring over the menu (sometimes for hours, or even sleeping on it before making a final decision), as the menu is extensive.  The imaginative menu  of almost 80 selections, extends into around 400 different options as each can be served on "crusty white bloomer, wholegrain brown, toasted bagel, tortilla wrap or french baguette" and then technically into over different 1000 variations as each can be served with chunky chips, soup or salad.  Always generously filled (for example with substantial slices of just-roasted meats), it's a fine art to construct an option that won't be so huge it defeats you (although, if it does, they will obligingly pack it up for you to take away).

(C) The Pineapple

Understandably, there is a downside.   Options inevitably lead to much time between ordering and eating.  But this is ok, as whether it's a group of 12 or a group of 2, you can phone in orders before 11am, and spare the lengthy wait.

My love of beer gardens is well documented on these pages, and The Pineapple has an enviable one (which appears to be recently revamped).  A bit of a sun trap, it's quite a delight even when one considers the proximity of the main road.  With plenty of tables it is always a far better option than sitting indoors during a busy lunch service, as although the pub has character, it often feels cramped rather than cosy.

We enjoyed some beautiful sunshine out on the decked area of the garden today.  Being experts at dining at The Pineapple we were there early to beat the crowds, and we'd of course pre-ordered.  Some dishes, such as The Screaming Banger (sausages and chilli relish) or The Christmas Dinner, are best enjoyed on hugely thick slabs of bread.  However, a bagel or a wrap, whilst perhaps seen as a bit of a cop-out, are good for The BBC (Bacon, brie, cranberry), or the Smokey Blue Mountain (bacon, blue cheese and leafy salad).  The advantage of wraps, are that they leave space to enjoy the satisfyingly chunky chips, so even though Sharon was fondly remembering the Fisherman's Friend (fishfingers and tartar sauce), wraps were quite literally the order of the day.

'By the Bayou' was a previously untried choice for me, and I was  pleasantly surprised.  'Blackened' chicken was thankfully not charred, but had a Cajun seasoning that wasn't overpowering, but with a good kick, tempered by a honey mustard dressing, which wasn't too sweet on account of the leafy salad and the spicy chicken, but was a little too much in Sharon's Chicken Licken (but she reported the avocado to be a good addition).

We had in summation, a really lovely lunch (and even though we split a portion of chips and a portion of salad between us, we didn't manage to finish either - with a fixed price of about £7 for a main course this is pretty great value if you go for the giant sandwich option).  Despite it only being a Thursday the indoors and outdoors soon filled up, so it is worth noting that arriving early can dramatically improve your dining experience.  The car park is always overflowing, but parking can always be found on the road, or in the small (free) car park by the Jubilee River, just about 100 yards down the road from the pub.  The toilets could definitely do with a revamp, and this isn't always a great place to visit in winter in a large group, but for a relaxed summer afternoon, it is pretty great and definitely worth a visit.

(To preorder or reserve a table, call The Pineapple on 01628 662353.  Lake End Road, Dorney, Bucks, SL4 6QS)

Chez Marianne, 2 Rue des Hospitalières Saint-Gervais, 75004 Paris

As a child I was frequently told off for being impatient. I still struggle with it. Waiting for a table isn't something I do well, particularly as was the case at Chez Marianne, when faced (quite literally) with an array of pastries (pictured below), just inches from my nose, on one side of the queue, and a counter of take-away falafel on the other.

We looked enviously onto those lucky enough to have tables in the tiny dining room, the walls filled from from floor to ceiling with wine bottles (is there a better way to decorate a room?), trying to spot the people nearing the end of their meal, mentally urging them to leave.

My resolve weakened a number of times, as I debated internally on the likelihood of whether the queue would operate in a fair and proper manner. About 15 minutes into our wait, I even suggested that maybe myself and Pam should cut our losses, and opt for takeaway falalel instead (we'd sampled the best takeaway falalels I'd ever had, just round the corner on a previous visit to the Jewish Quarter a couple of years ago). Pam assured me that I wouldn't want to miss the delights on offer at Chez Marianne, so stomach rumbling (my hunger slightly surprising given the huge freshly-baked crossiant (avec extra beurre) I'd had for breakfast just a couple of hours previously) I took a quick walk round the block in a hunt for a cash machine, in the gorgeously cold but sunny weather, in the hopes that we'd have a table by the time I returned.

A short while later, we were intriguingly tapped on the shoulder by a waiter who gestured that we should follow him outside. "Great" I thought. "We're being forcibly ejected for being too hungry looking."

But all was well! We followed him outside and were led to an entirely separate dining room a little further down the street - how wonderful! Busy but feeling more roomy. No wine bottles decorating the walls, but mandolins (not bad). The food is Middle Eastern/Jewish/Kosher and mezze seemed to be a fantastic plan for lunchtime.

The system was for a plate of 4, 5 or 6 mezze choices each (or 10 for two people sharing) from a list where everything sounded delicious.

Sadly they were out of mushrooms, but I was still very utterly delighted with my plate when it arrived. My choices: falafel (just fried, so wonderfully hot and crispy), hummous and tzatziki (a joy to eat with the hot flatbread) and heavenly aubergines. Pam's plate varied from mine slightly with her pastrami and feta options.

The huge portions meant that we struggled to finish the misleadingly named 'petit' plates, but also resulted in really very good value for money. There was no space at all for any desserts (especially as we knew we had an afternoon at a spa ahead of us), but my day had already been made, and I was most definitely in agreement that this had been well worth the wait.

Maia Restaurant, 158 Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin, Ireland

The sun was shining in Dublin today, and unexpectedly there was time for a lovely lunch at Maia. Should you find yourself in the Ballsbridge area of the city I can strongly recommend a visit to this consistently good eatery. The food quality is brilliant - this feels like a place made for foodies (and they do a roaring trade in take away lunch options too, especially as they offer gourmet sandwiches and other options including soup and risotto). The restuarant was busy without being hectic, and the stylish and modern surroundings make for a lovely atmosphere. The menu (which is a mixture of cuisines) is varied and changes frequently - a delicious lunch menu was coupled with a range of pizzas. Joyce's 'Momma Maia' Pizza (above) was incredibly good - goat's cheese, pine nuts, basil and caremelised onions - sometimes a combination that is cloyingly sweet, but in this case it was slightly more savory, which worked perfectly. My own meal - chunky rigatoni with smoked chicken, sun dried tomatoes, peppers and pesto cream - was also very very tasty. Portions are huge - I expected to struggle to finish it but it tasted so good (and managed not to be too rich), I managed to polish off most of it! Good service and pretty good value for money - this is highly recommended!

Guest Blog Post from Stefan - Lunch at Mangiare in Rotterdam

Sometimes you run into a little place that looks a bit scruffy on the outside, but their menu looks very tempting. That’s how we found ourselves in a tiny Italian deli in Rotterdam - Mangiare - and we couldn't wait to try their food.

Once we sat down (and luckily we were early) we saw the reason for the mess outside - they are in a temporary location whilst renovating.

The restaurant was full 15 minutes after we arrived and there was even a Dutch celebrity having lunch (Antonie Kamerling), but we were there for the food!

The restaurant does not have a set menu as they use only fresh produce and create something new every morning when the vegetables arrive.

We decided to go for the antipasti with some meat and a nice glass of wine. As the products are fresh it takes a while before they serve you but once they put it in front of you it tastes absolutely delicious. All the flavors are amazing and as everything is cooked to perfection, the dish is gone before you know it.

This is a restaurant I will definitely visit again when they are in their new building.

Overall

Atmosphere - Scruffy but authentically Italian.
Service - Very laid back and friendly staff, although it took a while to get our lunch.
Food Quality - Great although the portions could be slightly bigger and some more bread would be good.
Value for money - Good price for good food.

Overall – 8/10

Stefan

Guest food pictures - Astrid's Manhattan Lunch Recommendation

Beef Fillet with truffle mash and spinach

Dover Sole with Saffron and Chicory

Cheeseburger with Russian Dressing

Should you find yourself in Central Park, and find yourself in need of the poshest cheeseburger ever, or any of the amazing looking dishes Astrid has so kindly photographed for me, you need to visit Jean-Georges. Described as a 'temple of fine dining' on this review site you can actually get an amazingly priced lunch for $26!

The Stag, Stoke Poges, Sunday 13th September

I firmly believe that Sunday afternoons were made for discovering new country pubs; the more adventure required to find the place, the better. It was the first weekend in my new flat, and time to start finding pubs that could approximately be described as 'my local'. A lack of lovely pubs in the immediate vicinity means that the definition of 'local' needs to equate to a couple of miles into the countryside. We decided Stoke Poges would be the village, and a quick Google and look on Beer In the Evening revealed there were at least three pubs with potential, so we decided to drive in that general direction until we found a suitable location.

Off we went following signs to Stoke Poges. All was going well until the signs stopped. In the spirit of adventure I carried on down single track lanes and very large houses. Things didn't look good. There were no pubs in sight. The moment we decided I should turn around and head back, we found ourselves at The Stag. A quick look inside and discovery that there were Sunday Roasts on offer with no less than four types of meat (pork, lamb, turkey and beef - we were apologetically informed that there was no vegetarian option, but we assured them this was definitely not a problem), confirmed that this would be an ideal place to spend the afternoon.

A wonderful thing about this pub is the lack of pretentiousness and the sheer friendliness and helpfulness of the person who served us all afternoon (I should have found out her name so I could specifically mention how great she was!) There were a good number of other customers enjoying huge Sunday Lunches, but the atmosphere was very casual and relaxed. We contemplated sitting at a huge boardroom style table, before settling for a more cosy table looking out onto the large garden.

Going back to the lack of prentension, there was no real ale or gastropub type offerings, but there is Thai menu (and takeaway service), and the sunday lunches are great value at less than a fiver each. The four meat options proved difficult to decide between, but Lewis and Claudia's burning desire to have two different roast meats on each of their plates was met with no problems at all, and before too long we had huge platefuls of food in front of us.

Huge plateful of sunday roast

It's difficult to believe that after eating quite so much, that we felt the need to eat anything else, but we had spotted the dessert menu...

Dessert board

.

Showing some restraint we waited an hour or so before we dived into dessert time. We opted for apple crumble, treacle sponge, spotted dick and chocolate sponge, which were difficult to distinguish given the vast amounts of custard!

Graham loves custard

Claudia doesn't like custard, but Lewis was gallant enough to eat through a layer of custard for her.

Overall

Atmosphere - Incredibly laid back and relaxed pub where you can easily (as we did) spend hours. There were plenty of people but it certainly didn't feel overcrowded.

Service - Amazingly friendly and helpful service which makes this a lovely place to spend a sunday afternoon.

Food quality - Although not anything particularly noteworthy the portions are huge,

Value for money - High on the cheap and cheerful rating!

Overall: 7/10 - Wonderfully friendly and relaxed pub - I'd be quite interested in trying the Thai food next time! And there certainly will be a next time!

Taj Mahal, Dubrovnik Old Town, Croatia

"Taj Mahal...You guessed it, the Old Town's only Bosnian Restaurant." ('Dubrovnik in your pocket' Summer 2009).

It was this bizarrely incongruous description in our free tourist guide, which drew us to this restaurant in Dubrovnik's Old Town. The previous evening we'd dined at an overpriced, mediocre tourist trap about a minute from our apartment (the danger of heading out after a few too many drinks), so we were keen to try something different, and Bosnian food sounded just that.

But alas, it seemed we weren't the only ones with that idea. On Friday evening we were turned away with a 40 minute wait (there are only a small number of seats - all outdoors, bar one tiny table). We headed elsewhere, making plans to get there early for lunch the following day, as seeing the menu had whet our appetites even more!

There's a lot of choice on the menu. A lot less choice if you, like me, are a non-beef eater. I was quite amused to find that even a turkey dish was 'stuffed with beef'. No sacred cows here then...However, this was far from being an issue, as there are vegetarian appetisers and side dishes, and it made choosing what to eat less of a dilemma!

I opted for the aubergines stuffed with spicy cheese, along with turkey skewers with spinach, red peppers and mushrooms (one of the two non-beef main courses), which was served with a perfectly baked potato, filled with sour cream.

It was simple but everything tasted fresh and cooked to perfection. I loved the aubergine dish - auberines are quite amazing, but coupled with the tasty, slightly spicy cream cheese it was a sumptious dish.

I still had some space for dessert, so I shared a portion of baklava with Siobhan, and it was easily the best i've ever tasted - very moist, and although incredibly sweet, the combination of the finely ground nuts, honey and syrup combined to produce something quite amazing.

It was so good in fact that we decided there and then, that we would return for lunch again the following day, as there was more on the menu we wanted to sample.

So we did return and chose even better dishes second time round... Siobhan's mushrooms were the best food she'd eaten during the whole holiday - they definitely deserved praise - plump and juicy and cooked to maximise their flavour (no garlic or chilli needed!)

Myself and Louise opted for a starter of Fritters with Kaymak (a gloriously salty cheese) which complemented the doughy, freshly fried fritters perfectly. They tasted amazing, but we had such generous portions, we couldn't finish them.



For our main courses, Siobhan and Louise went for Chevaps - small grilled beef sausages, served in thick, fluffy bread. I went for the (only) other non-beef option, lamb 'kebob'. There was no description of the dish, but I was very pleased to find it was served with thick slices of roasted aubergine, and potatoes too. A dash of tobasco added a kick that made this dish delicious.


Overall:

Food quality: The quality of every single dish could not be faulted. The freshness of the ingredients and perfect cooking makes this amazing. Even when I ordered a lemonade I received a freshly squeezed one!

Atmosphere: The small number of tables in a quiet back street just off the main tourist throughfare, made this feel like our hidden gem of a restuarant both lunchtimes. The shaded outdoor tables were a very welcome escape from the intense heat of the day.

Service: Efficient but not friendly on our first visit. Very smiley and pleasant on our second (I think we were served by the chef on the second occasion!)

Value for money: Very good and in some cases brilliant - some dishes are huge but its not obvious from the menu which ones these are! The main meals are actually cheaper than the starters.

Overall: 9.5/10 If you go to Dubrovnik you need to go to this place. It's not spicy food, but it is amazingly tasty and fresh, and you'd be mad not to try it.

The Jolly Farmer, Cookham Dean - 13th June 2009

I have to admit to being someone who does a bit of online research to discover good eating and drinking places. Reviews on sites like Toptable are useful indicators of what to expect in a restaurant, perhaps because the diners book through the site and have to post a review to receive 'points', which result in large numbers of up-to-date reviews. The nearest equivalent for pubs seems to be Beer in the Evening which doesn't work quite so efficiently. I use the site whenever I am looking for a pub in the Bucks/Berks countryside where I live, but the ratings and reviews can be a bit hit and miss, with some successes (such as The Dew Drop Inn in Hurley), but also a pub or two that hasn't lived up to expectations.

The Jolly Farmer in Cookham Dean appeared to fall into the latter category when myself and the boy went there for a sunday-night drink a few weeks ago. The knowledge that the pub was owned by the village appealed to our anti-corporate sensibilities, but walking in to a slightly unwelcoming response from some of the regulars, left us feeling a little disappointed. We did however notice some redeeming features: high calibre 'Red Sky' cheese and bacon flavoured crisps, bar staff who remembered what we were drinking on our second round, and despite the rain - the existence of the largest beer garden known to man (well in Cookham Dean).

So on a very sunny Saturday lunchtime, we returned to put The Jolly Farmer's beer-garden and food through its paces. I arrived early and found to my delight that the beer-garden possessed two rare qualities: the garden was sunny, and it had ample seating! I'd expected to find a larger number of tables crammed in together, but the people/space in garden ratio, was just about perfect (a real advantage of finding a pub off the beaten track).

The lunch menu consisted of a number of sandwich and jacket potato options with some more substantial 'pub lunch' dishes also available. I can't tell you a huge amount more about the menu, as i'd spotted a bacon, mushroom and stilton sandwich, and nothing sounded more appealing! There was however a brief discussion about whether white/brown or a baguette 'upgrade' (for £1), would be the best bread to complement the sandwich. Graham pointed out that the quandry may actually not be between sliced bread or baguette, but actually whether as the menu implied, the sandwich option was served cold, and the baguette, hot. He went to investigate and order, and after a longish wait (which we had been warned about, and which really wasn't a problem when we were waiting in such a sunny beer garden in an idylic location), I had my hot sandwich on granary sliced bread (perfect), and he had a ploughman's (also with stilton - King of Cheeses). The portions could have been bigger and there was only a small amount of salad as a side, (with red onion that was a little harsh), but otherwise , the always winning combination of mushroom and bacon was nicely complemented with the stilton. The boy, being a bit of a stilton enthusiast didn't think it was the best he'd tasted, but enjoyed his food all the same (apart from the celery).

So all in all, the online research i'd done to find the pub a few weeks back, really paid off. This was the best beer-garden i'd found in about a year, and the food and drink were really enjoyable. It was also great to find a pub so close to home, which felt like it was in the middle of nowhere, which is a definite part of its appeal.

Overall:

Atmosphere: The atmosphere in the beer garden was incredibly chilled out - it was the perfect place to drink and read the paper, although there is a small play-area for kids a bit further towards the back of the garden, but it was not busy enough for this to be noisy. In the pub itself, the ban on music and fruit machines means it is great for having a chat, (although last time on a quiet sunday evening, this was a bit oppresive).

Service: Good service behind the bar, and a bit of comedy value from the waitress shouting out people's surnames to deliver lunch to the right tables. A nearby table almost took offence when she shouted Graham's surname, which they had heard as 'wake up'.

Value for money: The portions were on the smaller side, with no sides included with the meals, so about £5 for a sandwich was a little on the pricy side.

Toilets: Neither good nor terrible, they could do with a bit of sprucing up.

Marks out of 10:
Food would be a 7/10, but the overall experience, with beer-garden bonus, brings this to 9/10 as we both had a really enjoyable lunch. 

UPDATE

I revisited the Jolly Farmer yesterday to take advantage of the beer garden in the beautiful weather. It was sunday lunchtime, and although it was quite a bit busier than my last visit, there were still tables available in the lovely garden. Service was friendly and a lot more efficient than last time (using numbers rather than last-names has less comedy value, but does increase the ease with which you get your lunch!) I ordered the same sandwich than last time and but it was actually more delicious second time round! Really juicy mushrooms and crispy bacon. I also checked out the toilets after Laura mentioned they had been refurbed, and I am very happy to report that they have been significantly spruced up. This has definitely become one of my favourite pubs, and i'll certainly be visiting again (and again).

Guest Food Blog: International Edition. Nostra Lunch Lounge, Rotterdam

One of the hidden secrets in Rotterdam has to be Nostra. It is far away from the shopping and fast food crowds and as soon as you spot this you know it is something special.

As soon as you walk through the door you will see the unique style of the interior: elements of Art Deco in combination with a modern lounge area with a plush red sofa. Here you can drink a fine espresso out of a cup from the Illy collection, freshly squeezed orange or grape fruit juice or an outstanding Italian or Spanish wine.

The menu is especially designed for a big lunch and offers many different sorts of salads, soup and assorted luxury bread rolls. The dishes are based on the Italian kitchen with healthy and fresh ingredients and when the sun is shining they have a small but cozy garden.

The salads and luxury bread rolls are full of fresh products and are positioned on the plate as if you are looking at a real painting. It is hard to even cut into this perfect composition but at the first bite you can't stop.

They have crammed in a few too many tables into this small room but they have a couple of round ones for bigger groups. Don’t expect any fancy cutlery or serviettes but it is all practical and does the job. There is even a little candle and a flower on the table.

This time we ordered a very nice and cold glass of Spanish white wine that would be accompanied by a goat cheese salad for Yvonne and a turkey salad for myself. The service is good and they deliver the food in a timely manner. You almost feel like sitting at home as there is playing nice music in the background and the atmosphere is such that you can talk to each other without having to shout.

The salads were very fresh and tasted amazing and with every bite you can taste a different fresh flavor in your mouth. The wine makes the whole lunch complete. As the salads are pretty big it takes a while before you have eaten it all (if you can get it all in) but due to the freshness you don’t feel stuffed.

Overall:
Atmosphere: Calm and intimate and a lovely romantic place
Service: Friendly young students who treat every customer as if they are at home having a Birthday party
Value for money: You pay a bit more as all ingredients are fresh and the wine could be a bit adding to the bill but in the end it is all worth it.
Overall I would rate the entire place as a 8.5

Stefan