Restaurants

[thenodrog]

Ah yeah, I didn't think of clearing that up!

http://www.blackpuddingsbury.co.uk/index.php?s=products (bottom right)

It's created by a Lancashire company famous for it's (real) black pudding.

It was nicer than almost every non-veggie black pudding I've had. After all, it's the combination of herbs and spices that make a really good black pudding. Not sure what gave it texture to be honest, but it was delicious.

Thats certainly smart marketing.

[LeChuck]

Thats certainly smart marketing.

In what way?

It's barely marketed at all, try finding a company that stocks it!

Edited April 26, 2010 by LeChuck

[Tris]

In what way?

It's barely marketed at all, try finding a company that stocks it!

Booths stock it ... bizarrely so does Ye Olde Sausage Shop in Ossie Mills, and there ain't much (ie anything) else veggie in there!

It does taste authentic, but I don't think the texture is quite right when compared to real black pudding.

[thenodrog]

In what way?

It's barely marketed at all, try finding a company that stocks it!

It's like seeing Walkelys Clogs in Jimmy Choo's shop window.

[thenodrog]

On another note...not tried it. But the Butlers at Pleasington (think they now have a proper chef too) is offering 2 steaks, homemade chips, peppercorn sauce, onion rings and vegetables with a bottle of wine for £20 (for two people)

Beware it's TUESDAY NIGHTS ONLY!!

I tried it a fortnight ago VA. Very good steak (sirloin) it was too although I paid a little more for a different wine to accompany it. (as a result I cannot comment one way or the other on the wine chosen in the deal) I had no pudding and certainly didn't need a cheese butt to fill up when I got home thats for sure!

Went again last night with er indoors and another couple and I personally enjoyed it even more. Definitely not a night for the veggies!! Superb well done sirloin steak and excellent home made chips. Normally these type of offers can see cheap meat / small portions / dry oven chips etc on offer but this really was good. Very agreeable wine too and very agreeable price at 40 quid each. Only fly in the ointment was that we blew at least the same again over the bar afterwards!

Couple of minor cribs from the rest of the table one med/rare was closer to med/well and the alternative blue cheese sauce was not 'blue cheesy' enough.

Just as an aside most restaurants now don't use beef dripping to cook 'proper' chips cos apparently it's not suitable for veggies (just like with most things these days the effin minorities are screwing the majority over yet again ) . But on 'steak nights' I think an alternative chip pan should be used.

Edited April 28, 2010 by thenodrog

[Claytons Left Boot]

We had lunch at the Lower Buck yesterday and really enjoyed it.

Glad you enjoyed it Tris. We run a Boozy Bus Trip through the Ribble Valley each summer (pub crawl + coach!) and we usually end up in Waddington. You can choose your pub there from the three in the village and we normally opt for the Lower Buck. Great place.

[vintageadidas]

Glad you enjoyed it Tris. We run a Boozy Bus Trip through the Ribble Valley each summer (pub crawl + coach!) and we usually end up in Waddington. You can choose your pub there from the three in the village and we normally opt for the Lower Buck. Great place.

Sounds interesting...you should invite people from the messageboard too!

[thenodrog]

Sounds interesting...you should invite people from the messageboard too!

People from this mboard crammed together and drinking all day together.......... interesting might be an understatement.

[unluckymorton]

Sounds interesting...you should invite people from the messageboard too!

Now that would be fun.

Can I sit next to Waggy on the bus?

[LeChuck]

Booths stock it ... bizarrely so does Ye Olde Sausage Shop in Ossie Mills, and there ain't much (ie anything) else veggie in there!

It does taste authentic, but I don't think the texture is quite right when compared to real black pudding.

Thanks Tris, I'll have to check Booths.

You're right about the texture, although I didn't find it a problem in the casserole I had (probably because there were many other textures in there as well).

It's like seeing Walkelys Clogs in Jimmy Choo's shop window.

You can't really say that without trying it. A company like that wouldn't put their name on a product unless they thought it was up to the required standard, the damage to reputation wouldn't be worth the tiny sales it generates.

As Tris said, that taste is authentic but the texture slightly different. It's nicer than most black puddings I've eaten (it's not that long since I stopped eating meat so I can recall it), certainly I'd say this is better than supermarket/mass produced 'real' ones.

Edited April 29, 2010 by LeChuck

[JC4LAB]

Bury Market is a good place to taste test Black puddings of all kinds..

[Claytons Left Boot]

Sounds interesting...you should invite people from the messageboard too!

Hmmm...think Jim would drive if I asked him nicely?

[Ozz]

Not a restaurant as such, but a customer of mine runs this company.

Tiffin It!

Nice idea, wonder what his grub is like. Anyone tried it?

[DanLad]

Not a restaurant as such, but a customer of mine runs this company.

Tiffin It!

Nice idea, wonder what his grub is like. Anyone tried it?

I might see if the boss fancies treating us to lunch!

[LeChuck]

I don't get it. How is it different from a takeaway?

Edited April 30, 2010 by LeChuck

[American]

More a catering service than a takeaway, from the looks of it.

[Tris]

Finished with Greens (again in Didsbury) last night and that was beautiful as usual, I had the black pudding and lentil casserole. I've yet to have vegetarian food that compares to anything in there, perhaps down to the way Simon Rimmer approaches vegetarian food.

We had an early tea in Greens tonight before going to the MEN ... and it's very good. I had the same dish as you ... but on trying my wife's choice (griddled aubergine and red thai curry with sticky rice) I felt I'd made a bad choice, because her dish was really tasty and full of different textures to make a better all round dish.

The service was excellent and so was the wine, so hard to fault it really. I'd make one observation on your comment above though. I think there are plenty of great places to eat - in this area and elsewhere - which serve up vegetarian dishes as good as or better than Greens. The Red Pump springs straight to mind, there are others.

The big difference for a vegetarian diner is having a choice. Whatever (eg) the Red Pump gives you to eat, it's going to taste wonderful, be locally sourced and well cooked. However there's a good chance it will involve goats cheese or something else you may have had for lunch. Greens offers you seven main courses, 100% vegetarian, all will be well cooked and presented - and for a vegetarian used to the goats cheese problem that much choice is just heaven on earth.

All that said, I've got home and heated up a nice portion of the roast belly pork (bought locally from Huntleys of course) which I cooked last night (Gordon Ramsey's stunning "twice cooked" recipe just click here) ... and there's no way I'll be joining the vegetarian society any time soon

[den]

Well, the 12 of us went to Manchester on Saturday. Thanks to everyone who recommended pubs.

I have to say that Manchester has some cracking pubs - but unfortunately, we didn't find any of them .We tried four pubs. First stop was Corbieres. Sorry Ozz, but I just didn't get what this place was supposed to be about. To be fair it was around 5ish that we got there and maybe the atmosphere lifts it later on, but at that time it wasn't great. We also tried the Walkabout, which I've been to before. There's nothing great about it, but the Mrs wanted to go there. The two other pubs were the Tiger bar? [next to the waterhouse] and the waterhouse itself. Nothing about any of those that would make me recommend them.

We then went through to the Pacific China in Chinatown. It was a clean, fairly modern place and was frequented by quite a lot of Chinese people, which is usually a good recommendation. Most of us had the banquet at £28+service charge. One of the women asked if they would throw in the seas bass, considering there were so many of us - which they did at no extra cost. The food was very good and I would recommend this place to anyone. possibly not quite as good as the Yang Sing, but still an excellent meal.

It was the wife's Birthday and when there's twelve of you, you always have a good time. No matter what the pubs turned out to be like, we had a great evening and a great laugh. So thanks again everyone.

Edited May 4, 2010 by den

[Ozz]

My own personal favourite is Corbieres, which is 10 minutes walk from the Nicholas Street area of China Town, but as you are a bit older than me then it may not be quite what you and as importantly your fellow revelers may want . ]

Well, the 12 of us went to Manchester on Saturday. Thanks to everyone who recommended pubs.

I have to say that Manchester has some cracking pubs - but unfortunately, we didn't find any of them .We tried four pubs. First stop was Corbieres. Sorry Ozz, but I just didn't get what this place was supposed to be about. To be fair it was around 5ish that we got there and maybe the atmosphere lifts it later on, but at that time it wasn't great.

It's the juke box really Den, it's like listening to my own record collection. Later in the evening when it gets busy, and the music is played a little louder, that's when it comes alive.

[DanLad]

I went to Corbieres the other day. Not my scene either, TBH.

Very studenty, from what I could see. I'm too old for it, I think.

[mac]

Any recommendation's for a nice meal in or around Blackburn town center Saturday night ??

thanks in advance

Edited May 5, 2010 by mac

[thenodrog]

Any recommendation's for a nice meal in or around Blackburn town center Saturday night ??

thanks in advance

Afraid not. Sorry mac.

[vintageadidas]

Any recommendation's for a nice meal in or around Blackburn town center Saturday night ??

thanks in advance

haha! This has to be the best question ever!

Absolutely NOT! The town is on its backside with regards to central dining.

However, 10/20 minutes away we have an abundance of fine eating establishments.

Covering a whole host of different cuisines but i personally think we excel in the "pub grub" category.

[Sandiway Blue]

Any recommendation's for a nice meal in or around Blackburn town center Saturday night ??

thanks in advance

Went to Changs Gourmet restaurant on Darwen street on monday,all you can eat for £11.50.Was very good food with penty of choice and quick service too.

[mac]

Cheers Guy's, booked in at Thyme at Sirloin Inn instead !