AdamLawrence

Matthew Fort reviewed Sketch in Saturday's Guardian: Sketch review To be honest, I despair of when we're actually going to get a review of this place that really dissects the food. Fort reckons it's up there with Gordon Ramsay as far as turning out the best grub in London is concerned, but then awards it 0/20 because at these prices it's impossible to say anything sensible about value for money. What the hell is that all about? At what point does a restaurant become so expensive that a rational VFM calculation is impossible? Jay Rayner said something along the lines that, in reviewing Sketch he knew he'd be guaranteeing a postbag full of 'this is obscene, how can you justify etc' letters - I can only assume Fort has the same issue and was trying to head them off at the pass. Shame, because there is actually some worthwhile content in there. Adam

I agree - basically - with Mogsob, with one point of difference: so long as the beer is not dispensed using pressurised, but is actually pumped, it doesn't matter whether the pump is powered by elbow grease, by electricity or any other method (eg gravity). There aren't so many around nowadays, because the tall handpump is such a powerful marketing image for real ale, but until very recently lots of smaller breweries, especially in the north and Midlands of the UK used electric pumps. Their beer was still real. Adam

Travel four miles out of Fort William and you can eat at the very wonderful Inverlochy Castle. Click Gavin Always providing you don't mind taking out a second mortgage. Actually, there are quite a lot of country house places that seem to have decent nosh. But most are pretty damned pricey. Thanks to Rossco for reminding me of the Loch Torridon Hotel - it's a lot better VFM than I had remembered. That part of the world is just so, so beautiful. Has anyone been to Arisaig House? Or the Old Pines at Spean Bridge (Old Pines)? Or the Summer Isles Hotel? Adam

I don't - couldn't - drink it, but if I go into my local for a quiet pint this evening, there will be loads of kids, and those who aren't drinking adult alcopops will be on snakebite and black. Snakebite, in case it hasn't crossed the pond, is a half lager, half cider concoction - disgusting enough in itself. Add a shot of blackcurrant.... ewwwwwwww... What happened to the vomit smiley? Adam

2002 at Muirfield. Saturday of the Open. The day of the great storm. I've never been so cold and wet in my life. Nor have I ever seen people queuing - and this on the Saturday of the Open - to get into the tented village. It's at times like that you realise that Scots didn't invent whisky by accident Adam

Well, of course we like Scotland, Martin. We play golf Adam

I agree with ASC's last post, but would say that there are plenty of sources of good food in the Highlands if you are prepared to hunt them out and not just dive into the first place that hoves into view. This can be slightly more difficult than elsewhere because of the larger distances, though. Some more thoughts: in Tobermory, on Mull, in the cafe on the ferry pier, we watched a chap motoring across the harbour having dived for scallops. A little bit later, those scallops - deep-fried, natch, this is Scotland after all - were on our plates. Yum. In Mallaig, which is a hole, but gives access to Skye which is not, I ate an enormous plateful of huge and beautiful langoustines with good home-made mayo in what was effectively an eat-in chippy (the young lunk of a waiter, bringing the plates over, said 'Who's having the prawns'? - you have to imagine this in a strong West Highlands accent for maximum comedy value). About the only place I've eaten universally badly was Lewis/Harris, but even here there are places that are apparently kicking against the pricks - I hear good things about Scarista House on the west coast of Harris and Bonaventure in Uig, Lewis, a place so isolated it's hard to imagine. God, I love Scotland. Adam

Ronnie Scott's? I've never been to the London club, but the Birmingham one, which has now closed I think, enabled you to eat dinner while watching whoever was playing there. Though given the mention of Stringfellow's, I suppose it depends on what sort of entertainment you're after Adam

Fort William has one good restaurant - the Crannog on the lochside pier. Very good, simple seafood, though quite pricey. Rest of the town is pretty grim, though the chippy on the main street isn't bad. Mind you, when you've been snowed on for twelve hours (in June!) on the hill, most things taste pretty good. Especially beer. I agree about the Clachaig, although the venison burgers aren't bad. But it's more about convenience and beer. And I am biased, because last summer, when I struggled down off the Aonach Eagach having taken about three hours more than I expected to complete the ridge, they extended their serving time to feed me. And the beer is very, very good. Did I mention the beer? Adam

why? During the course of my work as a painting /specialist coatings contractor I have been in to re coat/ repair concrete floors etc. The factory where they build Toyota car engines is cleaner than the McCain chip plant. Yeah, but Toyota plants, having been round several, are cleaner than most hospitals. It's not a fair comparison Adam

Should you find yourself up that way, the Three Chimneys on Skye is really lovely. But it's not exactly the sort of place you're going to stumble on, given that it makes the back of beyond look convenient. Should you be in Skye, a less gourmet but really nice place for a big plate of local seafood (especially squat lobster) is Coruisk House in Elgol. Beautiful place, very convenient for the Cuillin ridge. In Edinburgh, Kalpna has really good vegetarian Indian food. In Glasgow, I hear good things about the Ubiquitous Chip, but haven't been. My best meal in Glasgow was at 78 St Vincents a couple of years ago. Between the two the Champany Inn in Linlithgow is supposed to have some of the best beef going and a superb wine list - with prices to match. Three Chimneys 78 St Vincent Champany Inn Coruisk House Adam

Some years ago, I worked directly opposite the White Horse on Parson's Green, and spent many an evening sinking beer in said pub. Mark Dorber, the then cellarman, and now, I think, the landlord, is a dedicated fan of Burton beers - he really supports the classic East Midlands style. One time - and we're talking about 1992-3, the White Horse ran a Burton beers beer festival, and put forward, amongst its offerings, a specially-produced (at the Bass Museum brewery I think) India pale ale. Said beer brewed out to 7.6 per cent alcohol and about seventy five units of bitterness - it was the scariest beer I have ever drunk, because any other beer of that strength would normally be sweet, and old ale in style. This was aggresively dry and hoppy - it was phenomenal. Great pub. Shame about the dodgy sloanes that hang out there. Adam

I am not wild about the Traquair beers, because they are predominantly malty, and my preference is for hoppy beers. But they are very well made, and if you like this style you can't complain. Actually the whole Scottish ale renaissance is kind of passing me by because of this malty/hoppy dichotomy. For me, give me a really aggressively hoppy Yorkshire or Lancashire beer any day. cheers Adam

'An old art gallery'? 'Brahms Third Racket'? Tate Gallery, Millbank. I posted on this just before Christmas. List is very good, though perhaps not as cheap as it used to be. Lunchtime only though. Tate Gallery restaurant The wine list is available on the Tate web site, though it is a bit out of date and not every bottle on there will be available (eg the Roumier Chambolle-Musigny was gone when we went there): Wine list Adam Edit: links

Vanessa - you should be. Huddersfield is my home town, and although I don't get up there often enough, I've written with enthusiasm about Stephen's place - the Weaver's Shed - at which I've been eating, although only occasionally - for over ten years. It's very good Adam Adam - written where? - on e-gullet or elsewhere? Can you provide a link? v Vanessa On the following threads. It was more of a passing reference though. Still, as I mentioned above, I think it's the best place in the area to eat, and has been for some years. Any place that serves Old Peculier (as in the Theakston beer) cake with its cheese scores highly with me. Weavers Shed thread Adam (who probably should have stuck to PM here - this isn't exactly on-topic in the NY forum)

I had lunch in the Palace of Westminster a few years back. It was a press lunch organised by a company whose non-exec chairman was a Tory MP. There were a number of low-rent politicoes in attendance. Food was average banqueting fare, but what struck me most was the drink. Decent claret, good port, and so much of it! I can't remember ever seeing folk sinking multiple glasses of port and brandy at lunchtime. Everything anyone ever tells you about boozing at Westminster is true. If I ever - God forbid - found myself there as a 'resident' I'd be an alcoholic in no time. Adam

Vanessa - you should be. Huddersfield is my home town, and although I don't get up there often enough, I've written with enthusiasm about Stephen's place - the Weaver's Shed - at which I've been eating, although only occasionally - for over ten years. It's very good Adam

But isn't the lumping of just about every non-white, non-northern European (or however it's described) cuisine (or indeed culture) into one barrel marked 'ethnic' something of a put-down. Implying, it'll be cheap, it won't be 'serious' (although it may be very, very good). Isn't this at least part of the explanation for restaurants from those cultures struggling to be accepted as top places, capable of providing a dining experience on a par with those from the 'non-ethnic' cultures? I know this is something of a long bow, and to an extent I'm playing devil's advocate, but.... cheers Adam

Had a very pleasant and excellent value lunch at Bofinger over Christmas. 30 euros buys you oysters or foie gras, two choices of main course (civet de cerf was excellent), pudding and half a bottle of house wine. Can't argue at that price, although the table next to us had a huge choucroute, and I was jealous. Adam

Where was dat is more accurate: it's closed. Upcountry from Ullapool - now there's a concept you don't see everyday. Two Michelin stars for some time. Never got there: boo. Was it Altnaharrie that you had to access by boat, or is that the Summer Isles Hotel? Adam ediot: spelling

Cockroft has been doing restaurant reviews for the Yorkshire Post for as long as I can remember. He's not bad. Adam

I've had excellent results mail ordering from Graig Farm Organics (www.graigfarm.co.uk), though I haven't had beef from them. Lamb and mutton particularly good, and I had a fabulous goose from them a couple of crimbles ago. My local butcher is Fellers in the Oxford covered market - organic specialists, absolutely first-rate. Not much use to you, Miss J, but I thought I'd put it on the record in case anyone needed meat in Oxford. Adam

Some excellent wine jams are/were carried by Stefano Cavallini over here (plug redux). The store is very good at pairing them with their excellent cheeses. Waitrose have several too, though I haven't tried them. However, at four or five quid for a small pot I think it'd have to be a special sauce..... Adam

Yes to bone-in rib, but you then need to invoke a house rule 'Them as cook don't carve' (ideally said in a deep Yorkshire accent ) because rib is a pig to carve elegantly. Adam

Peppers is still pretty good. I haven't had one since last September, when I was stuck in the Radcliffe Infirmary, recovering from an op to remove a tumour from my pituitary gland. The quacks wouldn't let me out the day they had suggested, and I got into a foul temper, so my good lady wife zoomed to Peppers, and returned with a burger with blue cheese dressing, and chips with mayo, which mollified me somewhat. They are superior quality burgershack products, but I think those of us who lived off them as students probably romanticise them. The place by the railway station was called Brocks (or was it Brecks?). It bit the dust when the railway station was refurbished some years ago. The yard where it stood is now buried under the new Said Business School. cheers Adam