Gary Marshall

Only been once probably nearly 2 years ago thinking about it, but I must say it was a very good meal and there aren't many places in the UK that genuinely surpass my expectations nowadays and they did. It was about GBM time then and it was a hard reservation to get, even saturday lunch when we did eventually go. I see Daniel Clifford on twitter pointing out that Tuddenham Mill is only 20 mins away so a double header of the two is emminently possible, and sounds a good idea to me, I had no idea they were that close. In an R8 probably 17 mins

I though it was interesting Alan Murchison letting the cat out of the bag to a certain extent re water baths, which we are led to belive are the best thing ever to happen to the diner, especially on GBM commentary, but actually their real use is consistency and ease for the restaurant, not taste for the diner. Can't think of any one else publically outing this on TV /elsewhere. And I'd rather not have my dinner glued (transglutaminase-d) together, thanks! enjoyed it so far, Paul Foster has some interesting ideas and Daniel Clifford showing why he's a 2* chef.

Think its been there since the 80's still has idiosyncratic pricing.

The seafood place would no doubt have been the drum & monkey. been there years but had a change of ownership and overhaul by local entrepreneur Jan Fletcher. I'm working in Harrogate so be interested to read the report David, i did stop to look at the menus the other week but they were not complete in the window, and they were closed.

If this was released on 1st April, I'd have believed it. Not sure that hot dogs have much relevance in the uk,unlike burgers, but what do i know. Good luck to them, i hope they aren't offended by people taking photo's because they'll be inundated by them for the first two weeks,but then.....

thanks, it is a great dish, always have it at RC.

Yes the chilli levels definitely differ between branches and visits, but less is usually fine by me so it's not a problem. How do you do your Pork & Beans David? never tried to cook it but it is certainly a favourite dish.

well my shoe in for the first two starred pub was the star at harome, and it's currently got none so what do i know? the star wouldn't raise any eyebrows to my mind experience wise as 2 star but although the H&F is a very pleasant spot it's not in the same league, though like the sportsman they are both tennanted so there's not much incentive for them to spend too much on the fabric of the building.

there was an even sillier sunday times article yesterday about gyngell/michelin. thankfully if you didn't see it, it'll be safe behind the paywall. particularly fine line about people liking formal michelin places so they can shout 'garcon'at the waiters rather than slum it without table clothes etc at petersham. yes, that's exactly why i like a formal dining room.

I think the most pro-michelin organisation out there are not the press journalists - covering the awards once a year is hardly shilling - but the BBC, its rare to see a cooking programme that doesn't eulogise about michelin stars. Well done to michelin, lots of prime time free advertising for their commercial product! journos seem an odd target, plenty of press coverage for the '50 Best' too. Michelin matter because they are the currency of the trade and usually bring in real trade too. one idiosyncratic chef leaving and whinging about michelin i don't think will cause any great upset or evaluation of what they do. Note she's not 'given her star back' she's just left the restaurant.

quelle surprise an olympics theme for GBM this year, according to kitchen rat http://www.kitchenrat.com/2012/02/great-british-menu-2012-full-l.html

I've had celeriac like that a couple of times at the ledbury! I wonder who was first? I suspect l'Arpege in Paris

be interested how it fares, the london one was under my old office and was constantly rammed at lunchtime, less so in the evening. they do fit them out nicely and the house wine is perfectly drinkable. service is authentically stroppy french , if usually performed by eastern european staff.

here i am sat here, thinking why did i need recs for waterloo, then i remembered (a meeting with 3i) and that we went to an old school italian in the end - just looked at the gallery it was La Barca. I wasn't convinced when i saw the exterior but clients loved it, it was their local.

yes, unfortunatley the star, pheasant, pipe and glass and black swan are all off the beaten track, and there's not a lot of interesting dining given the high property prices and preponderance of tourists. Last time i looked out of curiosity i had never heard of the high rated trip advisor places but the list of decent dining places in the town centre is not long! Meltons still the place for quality dining, interesting well thought menus and non-gougy wine list. still my go-to place in York. Couple of decent real ale pubs nearby if that is your thing too, 5 mins walk from town centre. Going there next week for chef mate's birthday. J Bakers is the other choice, don't know why but I never seem to go here, but it has its fans and wouldn't put you off, again for beer, the blue bell across the road is an interesting tiny pub. Something a bit different, Red Chilli on Rougier street killer chinese, check out the thread on here, Try the dumplings, lamb hot pot, spring onion bread and pork and green beans . it is excellent, they do the standard cantonese stuff but the szechuan is where they shine. if you do fancy cantonese they have a very cheap lunch menu 9.99 3 courses 5.50 for 1. Across the road Akbars, one of the best indians but dinner only and not really somewhere to linger. le Langhe i haven't tried, only the deli but is supposed to be good but needs booking. Italian non chain Restaurante Bari in the shambles is usually lively and authentically shouty italian.

It's a great post work sky+ program to fast forward through the dull bits to the cooking. The themes become a bit tortured and they seem to pick chefs who can pull off the 'it'll mean everything to me to cook for the 'left handed local community dinner ladies'' schtick that seems prized over cooking ability/interest. but i'll still watch it.

certainly a preponderance of cheap cuts when i went to manchester a while ago now, but probably a combination of technique and sourcing too. certainly very little in the way of the luxury ingredients that were present in the opening weeks.canny operation by the looks of it. tony demetre at arbutus blazed the trail in this style.

Had good dinner there just after opening, alyn offered to cook for us so seemed churlish to refuse, some very good and intricate cooking. I'm sure you'd like it david.

My top 3 are Jay, Marina O'Loughin & Giles Coren but only a jay review is on my kitchen wall

I really fancy eating at Ockenden Manor, but its miles and miles away from us. Any chance of some more info on the food, or even better a review with some piccies Only been the once but ockenden is very good , i think you'd like it.

A sausage roll with no garnish?! Omg etc Apparently vegetables are free from wherever that gentleman hails, remarkable. Dealing with the general public, nothing can really prepare you for it.

As I've said before, I don't believe restaurateurs go into business and think i'll set up a really punitive cancellation policy without reason, they get forced into it. The trade is so one-way with customers seemingly believing they are not only right, but now demanding compensation if things aren't perfect. one high profile Leeds restaurateur of my acquaintance said 'at the hint of a mistake they've got the calulator out' and then no matter what you do they'll be on trip advisor. Chapeau to anyone who survives and sticks with it!

I agree goodman no 1, hawksmoor no 2. Burger at goodman is the value buy, £13 i think incl fries and all toppings.

When i started working in london i though i'd be hammering the prix fixe menus at arbutus but for whatever reason i never made it but often recommended it so with some time to kill before a train on tuesday i decided a treat was in order and headed over for a late lunch. I've met anthony a few times and we usually have a good chat, though matt's red carpet and vip room treatment this time was no different and he popped up with some of the lardo on bread which was excellent and sent over a gratis gnudi also very good, i did detect a distinct franco/italian slant to the menu which i thought was usually predominantly french, this is not a problem as they are my favourite two cuisines. Starter proper was the squid and mackerel burger , which i've never had, by this time all thoughts of set lunch were out ofthe window! A really excellent dish worthy of the praise that of course iwouldn't order in amillion years if i hadn' theard of it but it fully lived up to the hype. Main was slow cooked veal breast with spaghetti squash and dauphinoise pots, the veal managed to simultaneously hold its shape whilst being uber unctous, and the cocotte of dauphonoise world class. Unfortunately running short on time i did manange a swift treacle tart and large espresso, a carafe of gruner and nz pinot completeted the tally. A lovely lunch in a convivial room, prices alc really are good considering how quickly large bills can be racked up in the 'small plate' emporiums that proliferate in soho/london. I won't leave it so long to return.

I have a cancellation tale too, i was trying to book a large table for a family bash, even my non foodie brother and wife love it, had a variety of calls with them to find a date and was asked for a deposit, no problem. My mother called to make the final confirm and pay the deposit, this time james answered the phone and said 'we know Gary, no need for a deposit' haha! My favourites in no particular order.. The pipe and glass The st vincent arms sutton upon derwent Star at harome Pheasant at harome. No surpises there, i'm quite stuck in my ways! Casual red chilli, akbars, aagah in york/a64