adey73

Went to the Sparling a couple of weeks back to. Looks very corporate, food was a bit middling. I had really high hopes for Stanley House despite that arse awful decor and people with dog-bollock brown tans and blokes with spikey geometric hairdoos. They really were trying hard with complimentary courses all over the place and was shocked that they had a fully French front of house team. These were taken last year. Will try to get back there in the next few weeks.

I'll leave the White Bull until last. A few of us went out for a curry on Thursday night, to place I regard as one of the best in the UK (this has nothing to do with provincial pride, because I don't suffer that affliction). Bukhara is in the same league as Al Faisals in Birmingham and above East z East in Manchester and better than any I can think of in Glasgow, in my opinion. I only know of this place because one of my mates is a Facebook based sex fiend and was taken there by a fleeting 'friend' of his. It's not somewhere I would have stopped at and it is an alcohol free zone. It is always busy and has just expanded it's Car Park I noticed that night. Chicken Tikka. Afghani Lamb. Mixed Grill. Shikam Puree Kebab. Quality Bread. Breads & rice. Chicken Methi. More of the good stuff.

I am too and I think that Pubs have lifted the game of surrounding places. Dipardoo you been to Sparling or Stanley house when Dodds was at the grill?

Spanielking, the fillet grill that I had at the Highwayman was £17 plus £1.50 for the peppersauce which was more than my starter and main at Northcote Manor (with the voucher £16 for both), there may have been sub cross subsidy going on. As Dipardoo says it would be impossible to do three courses, that's why we finished with the cheese. Have you had the 10 Lancashire cheese board at the 3 Fishes? It is the best I've had. This is the most cutting edge thing I've seen at Northcote and only because they sphered some orange juice. Served with shaved foie gras and leaves. I enjoyed my main which was Hare and Venison at Northcote. But to compare that to the last note worthy place I went to, Fraiche, (down the Motorway the otherway). Marc's pork belly dish and heroin like sauce (I would have licked the plate, the cutlery and table cloth given an empty dining room) trumped Northcote Manors offering, easily. Marc's dish

The White Bull just won a Bib Gourmand a couple of months and is in Ribchester. Next up is Northcote Manor, an institution in these parts and is 31 minutes away from my house. This country house hotel (sorry restaurant with rooms!) has come to larger attention because of Nigel Haworth's appearance on Great British Menu 3. As a group they also own the Pub mentioned above. Granary & white. Cheese bread and onion bread. Black pudding & trout. Leagrams twice baked Souffle. Nettle soup. Lamb. Hare & Venison. Treacle Tart. Apple Crumble. Smoked Pineapple. Cutting edge? Well no, but they do know their clientele and have been successfully plying their trade since the 80's. It is excellent value for money, for three people, with drinks (and a voucher that you can find on their site) it was £61. That's right £61.

I've been off this week and so headed to a few of my local favourites. I went up to the Highwayman Inn in Kirkby Lonsdale first. I slightly prefer it over the 3 Fishes and as we eat, Nigel Haworth came in to take part in a photo shoot at the back of the pub. One of things I love most about egullet is seeing what else is going on around the world. This is my small contribution. Duck Rilletes on toast and soup Wild Boar Pate (snook this one in actual a couple of months back) and Lancashire Hot Pot Chicken breast with braised barley and celeriac. Pork Steak (smuggled this one in too) Grilled fillet with peppercorn sauce (out of Shot). Gammon with double egg. Last of the years Mutton Pie. Cheese board, not as good as the 3 fishes monster of a cheese board. And then off into Kirkby Lonsdale to Churchmouse cheeses. Bought some Picos Blue, Epoisses, Vacherin Mont d'or, Fourme d' Ambert, Comte, Ribblesdale goat blue & white (this stuff is amazing, you wouldn't think it came from under a goat) More to come.

Just come back from Northcote, the front of house fella Craig Bancroft was doing a leghorn foghorn routine about it. It was cringe worthy. Great food though, but in no way modernist.

Am off to Northcote tomorrow for lunch, I hope those dishes will be on.

I spotted these on Shola's blog, but couldn't find one in the UK. Please post photo's if you get one. Studiokitchen

Adrian, is the Chocolate actually black? If so do you achieve that with a colourant?

I hope Nathan doesn't feel uncomfortable coming on here now. I wanted a signed copy of his damn book! Anyway, was that a Fluke thermometre with the large screen and data storage facility in the forefront of the photo? I was just going to PM him if he thought 'Sous Vide and Cook-chill Processing for the Food Industry (Chapman & Hall Food Science Book)' by Sue Ghazala is worth the price tag. I want more detailed health & safety and more info on cook and hold. Now I won't in case he think he's got a long distance English stalker

As I was driving and engrossed in his books I didn't even look at the wine list. I was offered cockatils on the way in and had a champagne number.

I imagine it's about a twenty seater. It was the Bespoke at £55. I think I spent about £70 with drinks. Sure, I got a buzz off the food but what no photo can convey the quality of the service. On another table were a group of older ladies jousting their childrens lives against each other. Every dish after the description got supplemental questions from them and the servers handled each one perfectly. It reminded me of the confident service at Commerc24 in Barcelona, but friendlier.

I was supposed to be taking my folks to Fraiche for Mothersday, but my brother bought them a weekend in Edinburgh that clashed with our reservation. So yesterday I ended up dining alone, which is always a result. So after my Sat Nav tried to take me back out of the tunnel, I managed to find myself in Oxton. Thankfully Oxton is a pleasing gentrified area that bares no relation to what my predictably lazy mind had projected. I found the place, which has a great dining room and on my table were a pile of high end cookbooks (a costly addiction of mine) and the tone was set for a fantastic experience. First up was a bowl of what I take to be cooked, dehydrated and then salted Broad Beans Then from the efficient front of house team came a small bar of perfectly tempered berry infused chocolate ingot. Next came a bit of cutting edge technique which I think I know how it was done, but I won't tell you of what they tasted. Edible pebbles. served with a tube of Cep cream. And then came what I seem to think was a gelified soup (all those lost years of low grade marijuna has affected my memory capacity) And then came the breads which were again fantastic quality with oil & butter. Next out caramalised squash, parmesan ice cream and slice of truffle. Kentucky Chicken (could be wrong on that one) Langoustine tail with a Chorizo gel. More Breads Basil Sorbet, Cumbrian Ham & Manni Olive oil (think it was per me) Sea Bass, aubergine yoghurt and reduced verjuice. expensive cutlery dish of the day; pork belly (best I've ever had) cheese & seaweed crystalised rose errrr..... cherry foam & lemon grass Pannacotta nitro chestnut chocolate orange tonka & chocolate (that's essential cuisine by Michel Bras in the background) crumbles Pate de Fruit & lemon grass marshmellow It was absolutely fantastic. I really, really enjoyed my meal and the charming service. The server even took the pisch for me taking photo's which am sure some of you will! Not only did I get great food & service I also got a personal librarian to find me all of those titles I've always wanted. Marc has a achingly good collection. That this man doesn't have a star and other lesser establishments do, makes me think Michelin should stick to tyre manufacturing. Thankfully I didn't get to meet him because I would have fawned like a complete tw*t. I now have a new favourite restaurant, in my least favourite city and I implore you, go.

David, If i vac-pac my chocolates in the bag as you do and they freeze them will the content of the chocolate expand and crack the covering?

There has been plenty of media coverage that the BNP & UKIP share members. And officials from UKIP have given cash to the BNP. Am starting the Lobster Liberation Front. anyone in?

thank you John. Greatly appreciated. You've expand my Horizons, again.

Is that for a 2nd edition for the UK or on your site?

Great Thread. Does the book have Metric measurements?

Does this book has a recipe for katsuobushi "Broth of Vigor"? (I've run out of those little diamond pills )

Great new Sous Vide tecnhique. I read that at the time from Chadzilla, but what kind of quantities are you suggesting? And forgive my eurocentrism but do you put anything in the soup after you've made it, can it be kept or can you use it as a "basic" stock?

Thanks Callum. Got a better idea of what to expect. I wish I was hanging around in fancy restaurants at 18! So did you indulge your new legal staus with any booze, as the wine list also looks great/cheap?

Late as ever! Have got 6 Poussin in the freezer, am going to fry them this weekend using my new found knowledge. However a butchery question, they are small and I want to know how to remove the breast bone and keep both breasts attached either side to that main keel cartilage. Which I will then dredge and fry? Can anyone point me at photo's of how to do this (I can't see any) or give a good description?

Is that the Hotel Lancaster in Paris or Lancaster Hotel in London? Oh and John what language was her presentation in?

Wahoo am in. All very excited. So will buy some some booze & cheese at places mentioned, thanks. Calum, if you go back before then will you post it?