KimS

Shame for Deanes, Will be interesting to see how Derek Creagh (former head chef of Deanes) progresses during the year at The Salty Dog, his new venture. The Salty Dog is a lovely airy and bright room to eat in (with great views over Belfast lough), but the menu is far far too pricey for somewhere that's not even on the map yet. We thought the food was accomplished (but fairly run of the mill stuff), but the service lets the place down and is far too laidback, clumsy and at times patronising. Food very slow at leaving the kitchen even when the place is quiet and staff generally oblivious to any and everything that's going on around them. The owner's Bill Wolsey (is there anywhere he doesn't own now?) but it's leased out in true Bill Wolsey fashion. The tenants are unheard of and Derek Creagh's an employee, so it'll be interesting to see whether he rides the storm through the notoriously quiet Winter months in Bangor-by-the-sea.

Used to be written on the menu at Harvey's too.

Hubby put my autographed copy on ebay about three years ago and from my ever fading memory it went to a guy in Australia for close to £150 all in. Regretting it now!

We use our Hardens guidebook to scoop up our labrador's poo on our decking. Says it all really.

Oooh...just noticed this courtesy of the Birmingham Plus website. http://www.birminghamplus.com/articles/art...sp?aid=151&pn=1

Four of us dined at Glynn Purnell's new place in Birmingham last night and without question this lovely boy deserves to win back the star he held at Jessica's. He seems to have grown in confidence and his food seems to have stepped up a gear and become somewhat more 'avant garde' in its approach. Highlight of the meal for me was a poached egg yolk with a smoked haddock foam, cornflakes and curry oil. Wacky, but it worked. How he gets the foam to remain stable enough to nestle itself around the yolk beats me. His website is now up and running with some stunning pictures. If you're in Birmingham, make a point in trying him out. Kim

It's already had two glowing reviews in the press up here. One from the far from respected food critic, Paul Fulford at the Birmingham Mail and the other from the highly respected Annette Rubery at Metro. Hubby and I ate there last week and it is indeed very good. Quite remnant of his style at Jessica's and some of his signature dishes have moved with him. As for its location? Irrelevant. People still flocked to Jessica's despite the fact it was on the fringe of a red light district.

This is where I went. Brilliant place.

Seemingly, Arbutus II opening in the very near future. News here. Isn't the Drones site kinda jinxed?

Wasn't it tricky getting the salmon to lie still long enough to wrap it in foil?

Certainly, my one experience of Harveys sits in my all time top five best meals ever.

My Hubby first proposed to me in 1990 in Harveys. I turned him down that time, but gave in eventually. He's still around, but Harveys is long gone. Some days I wonder what if . . . .

No mention of the Leatherne Bottel being that you live in Goring? Haven't been for a long time (since Keith died and Annie left) but I'm sure it's still as good as it once was. On looking at their site, they seem to have had the same Head Chef for over 10 years, so she must be doing something right?

apologies. i try very hard to combine the two but i guess i missed the mark for you with this one. a bit of context, though - the case had no impact on me. i do always tell it like it is, good or bad (and it's been mostly good recently). i could have simply said 'this place sucks' and then moved on with what i and my pals have been up to over the weekend or the state of the nation like some of my colleagues , but i guess - restaurantwise - you'd be have been even less informed by that. btw, if you'd read to the end, the upshot was... the place sucked. what further information would you have liked? mx ← You'll "tell it like it is good or bad" 'til it gets to your legal department where it will be checked (and adjusted) for anything that could result in legal action being taken against your paper. The Irish News were foolish and believed that Goodfellas wouldn't have the balls to commence legal action and they paid the price for it. Good on 'em. The review in question hit way too low below the belt.

It's been archived and is still (for the moment) accessible. As are all the other reviews she was told to take down.