Food...

PastyÂ’s, PastyÂ’s & MORE PastyÂ’s

Source: Tomo
Monday 7th July 2008, 3:32pm

Bloomin Heck i love them!

Finally I have got round to writing a small piece about my County’s most famous and I think favourite dish! (an also in response to fellow blogger Kim Mutton (Pasty Muncher) http://www.itsmymarket.com/blogs/pasty-muncher/cornish-pasty-overlooked-in-latest-blog-scandal/)

Now, in my humble opinion Ginsters is worthy of either the bin or of a starving child in Africa – and to be honest even the latter is unthinkable! But still I guess they spread the word amongst those Northern folk that the Cornish have a “unique” dish…it always amuses me at the number of people who I meet and mention somewhere in the conversation that they have recently eaten a pasty – bloomin Ginsters junk!

Anyway…Pasty’s are bizarre, many different methods resulting in many differing tastes. Personally my favourites are limited to the west of the county, I’ve had pasty’s everywhere in Cornwall but the west seems to be the best (in my opinion!).

For me the best mass produces pasty has to be Rowes…well, when I say mass produced they crimp every pasty by hand – mass produced because they have 16 stores and over 400 staff. Flaky pastry and plenty of steak, seasoned perfectly…love them! And, more recently they’re available in Cornish Tesco’s…good move Rowes!

Next would have to be Philps Bakery in Hayle (Near the viaduct…01736 753302)…these are cracking and if I’m in that part of the world then I’ll give on of these a go.

Also in Hayle and definitely worth a mention is Hampsons Butchers…These are definitely traditional homemade pasty’s, never too uniform in shape and full of lovely meat juices and gravy. Marvellous!

Those ladies and gents are my personal favourites and recommendations…

I do have one last thing to mention…West Cornwall Pasty Company – present in most major railway stations – well most I end up in have one! Now these people have definitely capitalised on the Pasty and actually don’t do such a bad one – as far as I know they’re made in the County and shipped to the various outlets…As a true Cornishman I was sceptical that the quality would be lost and we’d have another Ginsters on our hands…however, so far, mostly impressed…not to mention the hilarity of being stood in Paddington Railway Station where a bunch of middle aged, slightly overweight, suited and booted execs stand around munching on pasty’s!

Anyway, enough from me, best regards to my fellow Cornish Pasty blogger! Bon Appetite!

Oh, one final thought, something I should know…is it Pasty’s or Pasties?

PS…in a previous blog I mentioned a site that I got a blender from?! Check out this one for New TV’s…awesome!

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De Luca - Cambridge

Source: Tomo
Monday 7th July 2008, 2:56pm

Is it me or does everywhere seem the same nowadays? Chain restaurants wherever you go, microwaved meals and poor service from staff who just donÂ’t seem to care.

Is it me or does everywhere seem the same nowadays? Chain restaurants wherever you go, microwaved meals and poor service from staff who just don’t seem to care

Thank goodness for De Luca…a genuinely independent restaurant with a real family atmosphere.

De Luca say they specialise in "simple food produced using locally sourced products where possible’’ and judging by my last 2 meals there, they’ve found a great source somewhere nearby.

Starters include perfectly cooked asparagus with crispy pancetta and poached egg, and some good sea food. Mains vary from a full range of pasta dishes through to more adventurous plates like chicken stuffed with goat’s cheese, red onions and mushrooms and my personal favourite, spicy Italian chipolatas. OK, these little sausages might not be very local, but they’re worth a few air miles in my book.

Expect to pay about £20 per head for dinner but there’s a set price lunch menu Mondays to Fridays of £5.95 for 1 course or £9.95 for 2 which I reckon is about the best value for money in central Cambridge…and they also do a great weekend brunch.

Service is smiley and relaxed and there’s not a deputy assistant trainee manager in site!

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Marco Pierre White

Source: Tomo
Tuesday 24th June 2008, 4:13pm

A meal in Criterion Restaurant

I had a great week last week...even better considering it was topped off by a meal at Marco Pieere White's Criterion Restaurant.

Located smack bang in the middle of Piccadilly Circus (next to Lillywhites) the place was buzzing!

A great looking eatery, fantastic long restaurant, great decoration and some cracking music too!

I had Sardines to start with followed by a ribeye steak (on the menu as "Ribeye of Aberdeen Angus à la forestière") - the forestière basically means it has mushrooms on top. It was amazing! - really, really good.

For desert i had a a wicked choicalate thing...can't remember exactly what but it was awesome...the wine had started to effect!!

It was a cracking meal and was very reasonably priced too. Halfway through Esta Ransen walked in (a list or z list i'm not sure but hey!)

The only let down was the waitress...i'm sure that employing French nationals is a great marketing ploy by these restaurants to build the atmosphere and the genre of the establishment, however i would think it reasonable to ensure they speak English!

This waitress was unsure of the number of puddings i ordered - apparently 2 until i clarified that just one was enough! Not to mention that she coughed right over my table without covering her mouth!

Apart from the waitress it was a brilliant evening and i would definately make another visit to Criterion Restaurant.

Off the subject of this restaurant i found this website that i bought a fridge freezer from. The most useful bit for me was the "how to choose" section...thanks fridge freezer guide!

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ROKA Japanese - London

Source: Tomo
Tuesday 17th June 2008, 4:41pm

Fabulous!!!

I was lucky enough to be taken out to dinner last night...and what a place to be taken! (http://www.rokarestaurant.com/roka/roka.html?roka_london)

Charlotte Street in London is pretty wicked for food anyway so i knew i'd be off somewhere nice!

ROKA is covered in wood, having visited Japan i'm not so sure this is a Japanese influence, but it created a blooming nice atmosphere!

Once we had got to the ordering stage it was like hitting a brick wall...so much choice and like with many eastern menu's i'm not 100% confident that what i've chosen will be good. So the waiter chose for us...i have no idea what we ate but the bits i remember (yes there was a fair amount of red wine involved) was amazing.

3 of the probably 9?! courses we had we sushi, soft shelled crustations and an amazing black cod wrapped in what i think was a sycamore leaf...this cod litterally fell apart...definately worth a try, i will be having it again!

From what i understand the restauraunt is pretty busy and gets booked up well in advance so its worth doing some planning...but let me assure you of one thing - the wait will be worth it.

All in all a good evening and fabulous food.

ROKA: i recommend you!

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Golden Lion - Stithians, Cornwall

Source: Tomo
Monday 16th June 2008, 11:39am

WOW - check this place out!

8 of us made a visit to the Golden Lion Inn in Stithians, Cornwall (near Redruth)...quite simply wow! absolutely amazing food!

http://www.golden-lion-inn.co.uk/

At first when you walk in you may think "oh hell" - peeling paint!

Then you get the sniff of wood burning stove - oak smoke...yum!

Then have a wonder through to the retaurant and still there's nothing that wows you...the food though, will blow you away!

I had beep fried brie (well, cheese, can't remember exactly what but a soft cheese) followed by a Beef Wellington and a mass of veg.

I honestly have never tasted a BW like it, completely amazing! The staff are brill too.

Highly reccommended - get down there! Oh, and they've been pub of the year for a few years too!

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