Restaurants

[Ozz]

It's on Dole Lane, next to The Little Theatre, across from the cop shop.

[3rdpillar]

Higher Buck , Waddington.

Re-visited on Sunday, a regular choice. Once again simple, well prepared, well presented, well priced food.

Edited February 1, 2010 by 3rdpillar

[thenodrog]

Got to the Golden Lion around 7pm last night - "sorry we've stopped serving food" WTF ?

Out of desperation ended up in Chorley - 'Parmesan and Pepper' bit rubbish really.

'When in doubt and roundabout' Clog and Billy / Millstone never fails Nick.

[MCMC1875]

Avoid Nick. Struggling recently due to poor management, new manager in place but early days yet. Heard it had even been burgled! Royal Oak up the road is much better for eating or the recently refurbished Rock Inn at Tockholes.

I did offer alternatives! Also worth a visit is The Continental in Preston off Fishergate Brow. Hard to find but check the website. Good food, good beers and live music at weekends.

[mellison24]

Darreners:

Mangiamo's has REALLY come good again. 9/10 food, 9/10 atmosphere.

Also, the place that used to be Mr. Fu's Chinese (next to the carwash, near St. Joseph's church, opposite the newsagents) now does a wicked chips and curry sauce!

[Tom]

I still think the Black Horse at Pimlico has some of the best food around, it aint posh or trendy but the home cooked food is superb especially the chips

http://www.blackhorse-pimlico.co.uk/

[thenodrog]

Before I even consider going to Gino's on King William St it is a complete write off. Openly advertising as a 'Hallal Italian' is an abomination. Hallal killing of animals is cruel and completely, totally, unequivocably unecessary in this day and age. There really is no excuse!! One has to put up with the thought of it in IndoPak establishments but it's spread to the subway near Qegs and now some effin pseudo and presumably catholictillidie Italian has deemed ritual slaughter acceptable! It's absolute ###### and before someone takes up their cudgel please rem that NO ONE CAN DEFEND THE INDEFENSIBLE!

[stuwilky]

I did offer alternatives! Also worth a visit is The Continental in Preston off Fishergate Brow. Hard to find but check the website. Good food, good beers and live music at weekends.

Can anyone recommend anything in Bowness/Windermere? Off up there in a short while for the wedding anniversary.

[colin]

Before I even consider going to Gino's on King William St it is a complete write off. Openly advertising as a 'Hallal Italian' is an abomination. Hallal killing of animals is cruel and completely, totally, unequivocably unecessary in this day and age. There really is no excuse!! One has to put up with the thought of it in IndoPak establishments but it's spread to the subway near Qegs and now some effin pseudo and presumably catholictillidie Italian has deemed ritual slaughter acceptable! It's absolute ###### and before someone takes up their cudgel please rem that NO ONE CAN DEFEND THE INDEFENSIBLE!

Oh give us a break. You scoff dead animals, and you don't care how they are slaughtered. If you did actually care then you'd be one of them bleeding-heart vegetarians.

[Tris]

Can anyone recommend anything in Bowness/Windermere? Off up there in a short while for the wedding anniversary.

Depends what you're looking for.

Miller Howe probably serves the classiest food on that side of the lake. However half of its charm is the stunning view up and down Windermere, so it's a lunchtime or summer evening place. I've never had to pay the bill there (and I never want to) - but it is top notch food and service if that's what you're looking for.

Surprisingly, some of the best food in Windermere is at Lakeland Plastics 1st floor Cafe - surprising that is until you read the chefs CV, and then you'd queue for ages to eat there. As many people do ... it's strictly 1st come 1st served and no booking, is this the only shop in the world where the cafe starts serving before the shop actually opens?? Maybe not an anniversary place, unless you both enjoy shopping for bin liners and kitchen gadgets.

For something more "in between" those options - and without crossing or going around the lake to Hawkshead / Sawrey (where you have some truly stunning restaurant quality pubs) - I'd take a taxi 2 miles from Windermere to Ings or Staveley and go here - using the Guardian link because their own website is down ... or here (Eagle and Child Stavely) ... both lovely pubs with good honest food and good beer.

[After Nick's experience, please phone these places first!!!]

[adopted scouser]

[After Nick's experience, please phone these places first!!!]

Make sure you phone !

I assumed like any ordinary customer that a pub with a reputation for good food would still be serving at a paltry 7pm.

I should have insisted on a Waldorf Salad (for our older posters)

[thenodrog]

Oh give us a break. You scoff dead animals, and you don't care how they are slaughtered. If you did actually care then you'd be one of them bleeding-heart vegetarians.

Rubbish. Meat is an integral part of most people's diets but there is no place for needless cruelty during slaughter.

Where would you draw a line Colin? Should we kill all bovine animals only after they've spent an hour in a bullring being stuck, bled and tormented? Should we pluck / skin animals first before we kill them? Would you carve a piece of a living animal, cook and eat it and save the rest for the day after?

Just cos some long dead prophet(s) from primitive times wisely attempted to keep his followers healthy by instructed people who had never even heard of hygiene and refrigeration to make sure an animal bleeds before they eat it to make sure that it is still alive doesn't mean we should ignore science and progress does it? Or should we all still be living in caves?

Nowadays every auction and abbattoir has either a govt meat inspector and vet in place ( and at significant cost) to make sure that there is no cruelty involved in transporting an animal from farm to abbattoir before they have to stand back and watch strange men from distant lands with frizzy beards, robes and long knives carry out kosher and hallal slaughter whilst chanting praying to some non existent being.

You are condoning completely unecessary cruelty so please direct your flimsy reasoning to answer these two questions.

Why is a normal slaughterman found doing the same (killing withour stunning) likely to be dismissed forthwith?

Why is a farmer found slaughtering a lamb or a pig on farm by slitting it's throat up for the high jump?

Off you go.

Edited February 3, 2010 by thenodrog

[vintageadidas]

Rubbish. Meat is an integral part of most people's diets but there is no place for needless cruelty during slaughter.

Where would you draw a line Colin? Should we kill all bovine animals only after they've spent an hour in a bullring being stuck, bled and tormented? Should we pluck / skin animals first before we kill them? Would you carve a piece of a living animal, cook and eat it and save the rest for the day after?

Just cos some long dead prophet(s) from primitive times wisely attempted to keep his followers healthy by instructed people who had never even heard of hygiene and refrigeration to make sure an animal bleeds before they eat it to make sure that it is still alive doesn't mean we should ignore science and progress does it? Or should we all still be living in caves?

Nowadays every auction and abbattoir has either a govt meat inspector and vet in place ( and at significant cost) to make sure that there is no cruelty involved in transporting an animal from farm to abbattoir before they have to stand back and watch strange men from distant lands with frizzy beards, robes and long knives carry out kosher and hallal slaughter whilst chanting praying to some non existent being.

You are condoning completely unecessary cruelty so please direct your flimsy reasoning to answer these two questions.

Why is a normal slaughterman found doing the same (killing withour stunning) likely to be dismissed forthwith?

Why is a farmer found slaughtering a lamb or a pig on farm by slitting it's throat up for the high jump?

Off you go.

A truly great post! You have a fantastic way with words!

However, it is hard to actually stay clear of Halal meat in Blackburn and surrounding towns.

My Chinese is and always will be Hollytree but my delivery chinese (when i have had a few sherberts) has now changed to Halal, the Subway chain at the top of Montague Street is, KFC in Burnley is and so on.

Good job i can make a fantastic curry at home eh? (Lamb, spinach and chickpea - YUM!)

[mellison24]

A truly great post! You have a fantastic way with words!

However, it is hard to actually stay clear of Halal meat in Blackburn and surrounding towns.

My Chinese is and always will be Hollytree but my delivery chinese (when i have had a few sherberts) has now changed to Halal, the Subway chain at the top of Montague Street is, KFC in Burnley is and so on.

Good job i can make a fantastic curry at home eh? (Lamb, spinach and chickpea - YUM!)

Agreed. And get this in the recipes thread! I love lamb curries, but could never make a decent one!

[LeChuck]

Agreed. And get this in the recipes thread!

Seconded!

[SouthAussieRover]

Seconded!

Thirded.

[colin]

Theno,

but there is no place for needless cruelty during slaughter.

I find myself struggling to come to terms with the wider concepts that that raises.

But as this is about restauraunts & recipes, I'll stop.

[thenodrog]

Theno,

I find myself struggling to come to terms with the wider concepts that that raises.

Thought you might struggle Colin.

btw everybody this works well but maybe it should be in the recipe thread.........

Mum's Lamb Curry and Variations / Gosht Curry and variations

This curry is a favourite of both my daughters Kavita and Neeta, they call it mum's curry. It is not too highly spiced. It can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a few days. It freezes well. If freezing, make sure that the meat is slightly undercooked. I tend to use lamb as it is much tender than mutton, but use mutton, if you like the flavour better. It cooks very well in a slow cooker too. Serves 3-4

Ingredients500 gm. cubed lamb, bite size pieces

1 large or 2 small onions (200-225 gm.)

1/2 inch piece of ginger

2-3 cloves of garlic

250 gm. tin of tomatoes or 2-3 medium sized fresh tomatoes

2 tbs. cooking oil

Whole spices

1 tsp. black cumin seeds (shahi jeera). Use ordinary one, if you do not have black cumin.

1 bay leaf

1-2 pieces of cinnamon stick

2 large cardamoms

3-4 small green cardamoms

5-6 black peppers

N.B. If you do not have these whole spices, use 1 1/2 tsp. Garam Masala instead.

Ground spices

1 tsp. turmeric

2 tsp. coriander powder

1 tsp. paprika powder for colour (optional)

1/2 tsp. chilli powder or to taste

Salt to taste

Garnish

A handful of fresh coriander leaves

1/2 tsp. Garam Masala

Method

Peel onions, ginger and garlic and chop finely or grind in a food processor.

If using fresh tomatoes, chop into small pieces or liquidize.

Clean, wash and chop coriander leaves and keep aside.

Measure whole and ground spices separately.

Heat oil.

Add cumin seeds and whole spices *, wait until cumin seeds splutter, but not burn. Add onions, garlic and ginger mix and fry until light brown. Ginger often sticks to the pan, so keep stirring or use a non-stick pan.

Add all other spices and stir for a few seconds to allow flavours to come out.

Add tomatoes and cook stirring frequently, until oil separates.

Add meat and cook on high flame, stirring frequently until it is well coated and sealed.

Cover and cook on medium flame until tender, approximately 25-30 minutes. Cooking time depends on the quality of meat. It can be cooked in 7-10 minutes in a pressure cooker. Cooking slowly on low heat, over a longer period, makes the meat nicer.

Add water only if a thinner gravy is required. Usually there is enough water in the meat.

Turn off heat. Sprinkle garam masala and half of coriander leaves & stir. Cover and leave.

Sprinkle rest of the coriander leaves as garnish, just before serving.

Grind or finely chop onion, ginger, garlic and tomatoes.

Place all ingredients, except garnish, in a bowl and mix well. Leave to marinate overnight or for a few hours in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cook in slow cooker on high first, until it comes to a boil, then cook on low for 6-8 hours, as per your cookers instructions.

Garnish and serve hot.

Options

Use leg or shoulder of lamb. Ask the butcher to prepare it for you, cutting it into large pieces, with the bones left in, taking out all fat, tendons and membranes. Some supermarkets in UK will slice the meat and bone for you, but you will have to remove the fat and membranes yourself.

For a more exotic taste, add 2 tablespoons of double cream or sour cream at the end. Add one bunch of fresh or 2 tablespoons of dry fenugreek (methi) leaves during cooking. Fresh leaves have to be removed from their stalks, washed and chopped roughly. Dry leaves need to be washed in cold water to remove any dust. You can then lift out the clean leaves from the top and add to your recipe.

Add a cup full of chopped or tinned spinach.

Add potato pieces when meat is half cooked.

PS make sure you ask your butcher if the lamb has been slaughtered humanely in order to avoid as much unecessary barbaric suffering as possible. Then ask him if he can prove it!

Oh and don't overdo the spinach!

Edited February 4, 2010 by thenodrog

[Sparky Marky]

It'll still come out wrong mate.....White Men can't cook Curry....!

[adopted scouser]

This board would enter a new dimension if Gordon's kids were called Kavita and Neeta !

[thenodrog]

It'll still come out wrong mate.....White Men can't cook Curry....!

I don't agree, curry's easy.... it's the pilau rice that we normally fail on.

[vintageadidas]

White men cannot wrap either.....

[Paul]

White men cannot wrap either.....

True .....I leave all the present stuff for my wife to deal with.

Back to restaurants.....for the travellers amongst us I found a place that has only be open a week in Tewkesbury. It's on the High Street, towards the bottom end near the mini roundabout and called Owen's. Very simple decor, short menu with 4-5 choices in the starters, mains and deserts. Myself and a colleague ate there on Tuesday for £55, starters, main and desert plus drinks. I had braised pigs cheeks, something I've never eaten before, on the basis anyone chef brave enough to put these on the menu i his first week must be bloody good!!! My colleague had baked hake. Both were excellent.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Paul

[vintageadidas]

White men cannot wrap either.....

We cannot wrap or rap! Where did that w come from?

[SouthAussieRover]

We cannot wrap or rap! Where did that w come from?

Wrap,rap or are you talking crap?

We are still waiting for your lamb curry recipe.