Restaurants

[Simon Says]

I've been there too. It's good. Unfortunately they must have spent a fortune on the excellent terrace at the rear and we've just suffered the two worst summers in living memory. It'll be superb in a really good spell of summer weather.

Odd that it's right next door to another Italian, have you been there?

I went there a while ago.

Place has had a refurb since and is now called Sorrentos.

Seemed very quiet on Friday compared to The Villa which was doing a much deserved roaring trade.

[thenodrog]

I went there a while ago.

Place has had a refurb since and is now called Sorrentos.

Seemed very quiet on Friday compared to The Villa which was doing a much deserved roaring trade.

That must be galling. What was the food like?

[Simon Says]

That must be galling. What was the food like?

Average. As you say, strange to have two Italian restaurants next to each other.

Sorrentos have there work cut out. The Villa was very, very good. No sign of the credit crunch on Friday, the place was packed. Very plush, welcoming staff and good food.

Plan to visit again soon!

[Tris]

First was DUK in Preston, superb meal as always and really good service. I really couldn’t complain about anything.

We went to Preston's more central spin off of Duk - Pond - last night (Friday) after meeting friends off a train at Preston station.

Liked the atmosphere, and the food was pretty good too. Thought it was a bit pricey for what it's trying to be - the prices would be ok for a "proper" straight-up restaurant, but made a late Friday evening meal in Pond seem a bit extravagant.

That said, the happy hour deals would be a bargain, because it was good.

[Hughesy]

Went to Quattros Italian the other night - very nice food and atmosphere

[Claytons Left Boot]

Well.....

Speed of Service - 2/10

Organisation - 1/10

Food - 5/10

Price - 5/10

Unless it improves alot asap then it wont last long. Must of seen 6 or 7 seperate tables complain.

The above was a review of Marco Polo's in Darwen, previously the Little Elephant thai restaurant, now mediterranean.

Went there last night and I'm glad to say it was very, very good and can only presume they suffered one or two hitches shortly after they opened that have now been rectified.

It's basically an Italian with a good choice of pasta and pizza plus meat dishes amongst others. From the menu with an additional specials board.

Also tried the (bottled) Bombadier bitter at 5.2% which was excellent.

Definitely one to go back to.

[Hughesy]

Cheers Clayton, il give it another go in the next few weeks then, as it received bad report after another for the first 3 weeks.

[DingleBaiter]

I know it's not really a restaurant, but can't go far wrong with Nabs Head at Salmesbury Bottoms.

Great food, well presented, recently refurbished, lovely staff, with some good deals on. 3 course early bird, & Monday evenings everything is BOGOF - so tend to get packed, as no bookings on tables.

[thenodrog]

I know it's not really a restaurant, but can't go far wrong with Nabs Head at Salmesbury Bottoms.

Great food, well presented, recently refurbished, lovely staff, with some good deals on. 3 course early bird, & Monday evenings everything is BOGOF - so tend to get packed, as no bookings on tables.

Had 2 x gammon and chips one Monday night on that bogof night. Good food and excellent value if one does not mind partaking in a feeding frenzy of bargain hunters.

[whittle blue]

What's BOGOF?

[Tris]

What's BOGOF?

Buy One Get One Free.

If I see that in a restaurant, I'm tempted to go somewhere else.

Discounting of that sort to shift volume is fine in Sainsburys, but there's a time and a place for everything ...

Edited November 10, 2008 by Tris

[whittle blue]

Thanks Tris

[thenodrog]

Buy One Get One Free.

If I see that in a restaurant, I'm tempted to go somewhere else.

Discounting of that sort to shift volume is fine in Sainsburys, but there's a time and a place for everything ...

I wouldn't describe the Nabs Head as a restaurant Tris. It's just a village pub with pub grub and decent enough ale that does cheap and cheerful meals on a Monday night. It's not really somewhere that you would choose to dine on a Saturday night or for a special occasion.

[yoda]

Buy One Get One Free.

If I see that in a restaurant, I'm tempted to go somewhere else.

Discounting of that sort to shift volume is fine in Sainsburys, but there's a time and a place for everything ...

The High Life diners card is a BOGOF scheme in essence,

It's the best scheme I ever used both as a customer and restaurant owner.

[Roost]

Went to a Korean restaurant in Shanghai last week - that was interesting if you like raw carp and pickled cods intestines........

Closer to home, I took some customers to Ashoka restaurant just outside burnley (I know, sorry) and it was excellent.

[JC4LAB]

My favourite place to eat in Blackpool is Bispham Kitchens where the Illuminations eventually end..but its always full so expect to wait

[vintageadidas]

How does the Hi-life card actually work??

Is is just main meals that are 2 4 1 ?

Any help much appreciated.

[ABBEY]

i went to the auberge again at the weekend ....BEST PLACE EVER MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

[Sandiway Blue]

My favourite place to eat in Blackpool is Bispham Kitchens where the Illuminations eventually end..but its always full so expect to wait

I used to go to Cleveleys kitchens (same firm) a lot in the summertime.Excellent food,homemade steak puddings were fantastic mmmm! .I always finished off with the strawberry cheesecake,the best i have tasted (and the biggest!).

Edited November 12, 2008 by bacup blue

[yoda]

i went to the auberge again at the weekend ....BEST PLACE EVER MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Just opened another restaurant which is getting rave reports!

different style of food though ABBEY

[whittle blue]

How does the Hi-life card actually work??

Is is just main meals that are 2 4 1 ?

Any help much appreciated.

click for Hi-Life

I had Hi-life about 6 years ago.

If it's still the same, there's varying types of offer depending on the restaurant.

Some of the good places excluded popular times e.g.Saturday evenings.

Also, many places only allow you one visit per annum but others didn't bother.

[Tris]

We ate at Northcote last night, and it was stunning.

It should be stunning, because it's definitely a once-in-a-blue-moon special occasion type of place, but we are definitely very lucky to have it on the doorstep.

Better than anything I've had in London or Paris, or anywhere actually. Lived up to it's reputation and the reviews which have put it into the top 10 restaurants in the UK.

[thenodrog]

i went to the auberge again at the weekend ....BEST PLACE EVER MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Went there on spec soon after it opened, couldn't get a table and for some reason have never been back. Sounds like I should.

[stuwilky]

Has anyone been to Chaophrya in Manchester?

[DanLad]

Has anyone been to Chaophrya in Manchester?

Up until friday it was my wife and I's favourite restaurant in Manchester.

As it was my wife's birthday last Friday I had booked a table for 2 at 6.30. It'd been booked for months.

We had a couple of drinks and headed up to Chaophraya. At 6.32, 2 minutes past the booking time, my wife got a phone call from an oriental lady screaming down the phone that we were late. We were ordered to be there within 5 minutes or the table would be given away.

We arrived at 6.34 (we'd only been round the corner!) There were no pleasantries or even a hello. It was just barked at us that we had to be away from the table by 8.30.

What a lovely birthday welcome for my wife and I!

Needless to say, we walked out. We went to Sam's Chop House downstairs and had the corned beef hash that is consistently very good.

There'll be a letter of complaint going in and we'll see what they have to say. Very disappointing for what had always previously been a great establishment.

If you go, let me know how you get on. If this is now standard for this place I will be letting everyone know!