Restaurants

[K-Hod]

Did Adam Booth get you into Freddys by any chance?

Hahahaha, touche sir.

Red salt !

all it is, is salt mixed with paprika

Indeed, but my God it improves chips. I think Nando's do a peri-peri variety also.

[yoda]

Hahahaha, touche sir.

Indeed, but my God it improves chips. I think Nando's do a peri-peri variety also.

lol,

you should try our salt and chilli pepper chips !

chips with attitude

[Gav]

lol,

you should try our salt and chilli pepper chips !

chips with attitude

Salt n pepper chips are fantastic, you've just opened up another dimension Yoda!

[K-Hod]

lol,

you should try our salt and chilli pepper chips !

chips with attitude

Salt and pepper chips are quality, and if there's a way to incorporate more chili into my diet then I'm all for it!

[yoda]

Salt n pepper chips are fantastic, you've just opened up another dimension Yoda!

Feel the force

I credit the missus with inventing/creating them over 10 years ago in France and then the travellers bringing them back to Blighty.

Location was Chateau De Brie

Edited September 16, 2015 by yoda

[Doug]

Just called in at the Royal Oak in Riley Green on the way back from the Waterloo at Blackpool.

Had the cheese and onion Pie, my pals and the fish and chips, both very good.

3 pints of Wainwrights for me, and my pals were on Bomber - good beer.

Never been in before but would recommend it to anyone.

Wish that was my local!!

[Tom]

lol,

you should try our salt and chilli pepper chips !

chips with attitude

Right brfcs do at yodas place it is

[yoda]

Right brfcs do at yodas place it is

You will like the décor, black and red stripe (favourite away colours)

[Gav]

Just called in at the Royal Oak in Riley Green on the way back from the Waterloo at Blackpool.

Had the cheese and onion Pie, my pals and the fish and chips, both very good.

3 pints of Wainwrights for me, and my pals were on Bomber - good beer.

Never been in before but would recommend it to anyone.

Wish that was my local!!

It was my local until a few months back and is Preston Blues still.

I love the cheese and onion pie, but alll the food is great.

[adopted scouser]

Red salt !

all it is, is salt mixed with paprika

I like that red liquid you can put on chips, I think it's called ketchup ? I'm sure it's going to catch on

[T J Hooker]

Royal arms up tockhalls, great steaknkindney pud.

Edited September 22, 2015 by T J Hooker

[Mike Graham]

It was my local until a few months back and is Preston Blues still.

I love the cheese and onion pie, but alll the food is great.

Aye young Gav. 'Twas in the Royal Oak on Sunday afternoon giving advice on Steve Kean, Gary Bowyer, Shelfy and co to the assembled. It is a class joint if it puts up with me.

[Paul]

Went to The Clog and Billycock last night. The friend I was with had the pig's head croquette and pan fried hake which he enjoyed - of at least said he did. The hake looked moist and well cooked and a croquette is hard to judge visually.

I had smoked mackerel with Potato Pancake, Pickled Cucumber Tartare, Mixed Leaves. The problem being the mackerel looked like it was straight out of a pre pack - I know that's almost inevitable - and the sauce tartare turned out to be Helman's mayonnaise with a couple of pickled onions in it!!!

Main course was chicken and ham pie which I expected to be nice chunky pieces of chicken and ham with a rich sauce encased in pastry. What I got was a pie dish rammed with meat which has to be torn apart rather than cut, over cooked with very little sauce and a slither of pastry topping.

Service was excellent but the food overwhelmingly average. Not bad just very, very average. Haven't been for 2-3 years and won't go back.

Edited October 14, 2015 by Paul

[Gav]

Its been the service I've found poor in the past Paul, the food is usually good if it comes as advertised, which sometimes it doesn't.

I think the Clogs had its day, Nigel has far to many places now so his eyes off the ball, and not enough good staff, it happens so many times, Paul Heathcote suffered the same fate when he opened the Olive Press around the region, opened with a bang and mainly disappeared with a whimper.

You know what, watching Great British menu and programs of that ilk confirms that Michelin Star or not, the vast majority of quality chefs are extremely inconsistent and in some cases inept! How many times do they blame the kitchen when things go wrong, drop food, over cook etc etc, and they're charging £100 upwards for lunch in restaurants where they work!

Edited October 14, 2015 by GAV

[yoda]

Its been the service I've found poor in the past Paul, the food is usually good if it comes as advertised, which sometimes it doesn't.

I think the Clogs had its day, Nigel has far to many places now so his eye is off the ball and not enough good staff, it happens so many times, Paul Heathcote suffered the same fate when he opened the Olive Press around the region, opened with a bang and mainly disappeared with a whimper.

You know what, watching Great British menu and programs of that ilk confirms that Michelin Star or not, the vast majority of quality chefs are extremely inconsistent and in some cases inept! How many times do they blame the kitchen when things go wrong, drop food, over cook etc etc, and they're charging £100 upwards for lunch in restaurants where they work!

There's a lot to be said for your local, patron run establishments who can keep all the balls in the air. Usually a far better deal as well.

The MPW restaurants are a classic example, sometimes great, more often than not dire

[Mike E]

For a great meal, service, and atmosphere can't go wrong with Angelo's in Egerton. It's a pretty simple menu but done much nearer to an authentic Italian style than the overpriced crap you get in Manc.

[only2garners]

Paul Heathcote suffered the same fate when he opened the Olive Press around the region, opened with a bang and mainly disappeared with a whimper.

His brasserie in Preston has now closed, or rather has turned into a private dining room for hire. That means he just has the original Olive Press left now as a restaurant.

I haven't been to a Ribble Valley Inn for over 12 months but the last time at the Clog the fare was decent and worth the money, although nothing special. Northcote however remains the benchmark for eating in Lancashire (and probably beyond).

We went to L'Enclume in Cartmel earlier in the Summer. Whilst the food was outstandingly good I'm not sure it justifies the significant mark-up on Northcote prices. In particular the wine flight offered with the meal was expensive and pretentious.

[old darwen blue]

Has the Auberge in Rishton closed?

[MCMC1875]

Has the Auberge in Rishton closed?

Up for sale when I passed today.

[Mike E]

Any reviews for Chaophayra (sp?) in Manc? Good reviews on TripAdvisor, but you guys may be more reliable.

[donnermeat]

I've been about four times, enjoyed it each time. There was one issue with some sticky rice that was beyond cooked, I believe it had been microwaved personally. Waitress was rude about it and the manager struck it off the bill through gritted teeth. Trust me it was inedible, the first and only time I have ever complained at a restaurant. The rest of the food was great, as per.

They have special tables where you are sat on floor level, you have to specifically ask for one of those though.

They run another Thai restaurant in Manchester at Spinningfields called Thai Khun. That was good too, though preferred Chaopraya.

My personal favourite is pad grapow, think it's called Thai basil chicken or something.

Edited November 23, 2015 by donnermeat

[K-Hod]

There's also Chao baby at Traffford Centre that's part of the same chain I think that is quality!

[donnermeat]

Yes Chaobaby is the way we go when we eat at Trafford, though usually I like to steer clear of buffet restaurants!

[ABBEY]

Yes it's closed sadly . Gareth is now carvery chef at the hare and hounds ...

Edit .. The auberge that is

Edited November 23, 2015 by ABBEY

[donnermeat]

Anybody been to Vermilion in Manchester? Taking the wife on Friday, TripAdvisor has mixed reviews but heard good things from a couple of others.

Edit- Holy sh!t!! Just realised that's Rotherham at home..... what am I going to do??

Edited December 7, 2015 by donnermeat