david goodfellow
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Posts posted by david goodfellow
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I would like to see Birmingham get another star for Edmunds. Chef Andy Waters has been awarded six in the Good Food Guide 2010 along with other Brummie stars, Simpsons, Turners and my fave, Purnells.
Will Manchester break its duck, with Abode? I have only been twice, for the amazingly good value lunch menu, however Ian Matfin sure does know what he is doing.
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Interesting article in Catersearch about the risk of receivership for two of Gordon Ramsay's
companies Plane Food and Maze ltd.
This recession is not over yet, by a long way.
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Sorry to raise your hopes, but I am not privileged to inside information on the upcoming guide, which will no doubt be leaked on here, as it was last year.
It may seem a bit premature, however we are only seven or eight weeks from publication date and no doubt chefs and restaurateurs up and down the country will be waiting to see how they fare, good or bad.
Do you have any ideas or information (speculation or not) as to the winners and losers
Looking forward to the response
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Thinking back to our meal here in March and having tried loads of places up and down the country I agree wholeheartedly
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Thanks for that, especially the insight to your locale.
Considering Hare was a commonplace sight(not so much now) in the English countryside there are not so many recipes for it
Was really a bit surprised by the size of it in relation to the butcher holding it aloft, it will easily feed four or more hungry people.
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You may be interested in reading Telegraph critic Zoe Williams take on the place.
She rates it a glowing nine, will have to give it another go, but the service needs to be a lot better than on our last visit.
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We ate Mallard recently at a Manchester restaurant and as expected really enjoyed it. On the way to my mother in law to do a few jobs for her, we stopped at a butcher who supplies us with game to see if they had any thing of interest for me, and he came up with the above selection.
The Mallard and Rabbit we have cooked before, but not Hare, although we ate some casseroled with walnuts at Great Queen Street(restaurant) and it was wonderful.
My request is simple, any proven recipes for all, but especially for the Hare?
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Nearly all of our visits to Manchester are to Red Chilli or more recently Red-n-Hot. However back in March we tried the Amazing Graze lunch and early evening menu at this very spot, and excellent it was too.
Well we thought a revisit was in order especially that the Good Food Guide 2010 has just awarded it "Best set menu", by that I think that they really mean, "best value set lunch menu in the UK", and we wholeheartedly agree.
Chef Ian Matfin featured on Great British Menu, won Manchester chef of the year, Abode won Cheshire Life restaurant of the year, and Matfin was (is) tipped for a Michelin star. So is it still good?
Twelve English pounds is a paltry amount of money to pay to anyone to put three top quality plates of food on any table, never mind them paying city centre rent, rates, staff, high quality restaurant refurb costs etc, etc, etc.
The menu has a choice of three starters, mains, and dessert, but you can take cheese instead of pudding if you want, spot on.
This is what we chose.
Escabeche of Mackerel with apple and radish salad.
Ham hock terrine, pickled beetroot, date puree, salad mache.
Wild Mallard Duck, celeriac puree, autumn berries and red wine sauce.
Roast fillet of Hake, rocket creme fraiche and fennel cream sauce.
Grape clafoutis with clotted cream ice cream.
Selection of three local cheeses.
Now bearing in mind of course that the portions are more tasting or tapas sized and that I wanted to try some plates myself we ordered three x three courses, let me explain.
We both chose the Mackerel which was served with tart batons of apple, micro herbs and radish. This was tasty, but I needed to season mine to bring out the flavor a bit.
We then split the Ham terrine, which was a triangular wedge, two lines of date puree either side and the dressed lambs lettuce at the other end of the plate, this was ok, nothing special, but the bread which is made in house, and accompanied the dish was brilliant.
A choice of three with good butter, pandovan? country white, and an exquisite sun dried tomato and black olive masterpiece. That was top notch indeed.
The Mallard next. We both ordered it simply because it was the best dish on the menu, and indeed it was. Perfectly cooked, extremely tasty, with perfect red wine sauce and slightly sweet and tart berries, could of eaten plates of this it was bang on the money.
The Hake arrived the same time as the duck, and I really wanted this after the starters but hey ho, we split the dish and ate it along side the duck.
As a dish on its own, as opposed to eating it with the duck, we were very pleased with it but because the duck was so strongly flavored it did not really have a chance to shine.
Crispy skinned and sitting on coco beans, little spots of ceps, peppery rocket creme fraiche and japanese artichokes (crosne) small but perfectly formed, again a strong dish
Grape clafoutis was next, we both took this dish and enjoyed it immensely, baby clafoutis one end of the plate, shot glass of clotted cream with honeycomb topping in the middle and the ice cream to the left.
Cheese next, three not too mean portions of Mrs Bournes Cheddar,Whitehaven goats cheese from Nantwich and, Celtic Promise an orange rind cows milk cheese from award winning Welsh cheesemaker Teifi Farmhouse.
A few grapes, biscuits and some wonderful fig chutney made it all come together.
On reflection I think the two three courses would not have satisfied our appetites and am really glad that we took the extra meal because twelve pounds is neither here nor there in the scheme of things.
We had a couple of glasses of wine each, some tap water but skipped coffee.
We think this deal is a steal for the quality, but be quick we think it only has a few days left before the Xmas menus kick in, fear not in January it will most certainly reappear.
This is what Jay Rayner thought of it earlier this year
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/29/michael-caines-abode-hotel
Almost forgot, they bring an HP iPAQ to your table for feedback, everybody contributed as opposed to the normal paper form which is largely ignored and of course easily binned by anyone including of course the wait staff
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There is another thread on here titled Sketch, London (sorry can't link it) and Ameiden had a meal a couple of weeks ago, not sure if it was lunch or not.
Wish that there were more reports on the place as I really now want to visit it too.
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Anyone tried Loves? I just stumbled across its website via Birminghamplus: http://www.loves-restaurant.co.uk/ - menu looks decent!
Yep, yours truly.
They have not been open very long at all.
Was on another foodie / chef site about three weeks ago thinking about where to eat and stumbled across a link to Steve Loves place, so promptly booked a table as I have wanted to eat his food from when he was at Cotswold House in beautiful Chipping Campden
I sort of do my best to try to post a report asap so as I don't forget the detail, but I am as lazy as the next man when it actually comes to it.
I kept some notes and hopefully will be able to put something forward pretty soon.
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I like trawling the weekend papers its good to see other people putting in a bit of mileage to review a place. The only difference being that they get paid and I don't.
I like the fact that Jasper Gerard appreciates good food and the hard work that goes into producing it, and that he does not slag people off for the sake of it.
His review of L'Enclume is illuminating in as much that it has brought out the detractors in the comments section, perhaps they should club together their taste buds and give the place a revisit
Anybody else been?
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Ditto, we had a truly stellar lunch back in August taking the private dining room downstairs. I know - I have been crap at writing meals up of recent - but briefly. We started with Chilled water melon soda, tomato foam with tiny globules of pineapple that popped in the mouth, was a genius and refreshing way to start.
Mackerel was served two ways as a tartare with begonia and bergamot oil and then a divine smoked mackerel with a rich almond butter.
Ravioli of spring onion and lime, with broad beans, mint pureee and carmelised cevenne onions was summer on a plate.
A requested dish of my favourite foie gras ice cream with slivers of green mango and warm brioche emulsion elicited the response I was hoping for with one of our party declaring it to be " so wrong but so right at the same time".
John Dory waas spot on served with girolles and then perfect shropshire veal, with aubergine and miso caviar was stunning. Service was top notch, especially from the new young female sommelier who explained everything beautifully. A joy from start to finish (unlike Le Gavroche the night before). Better get down there David.
I will, I will, try and stop me
Now what about that Le Gavroche post while were on the subject?
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Hibiscus hands down.
Very unique and informal. The food has gotten better and better.
Claude has retained his 'out of London style' even whilst he's in the midst of it, deffo contender for a future 3 star restaurant.
Thank you Mr Bear, thats another one thats been upped on my list, thanks to you.
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Sometimes I think that I eat for Britain, in fact, my wife will testify that large parts of my day are spent reading about food, what to eat, where to eat it ,buy it, etc, etc.
Which brings me to Allium.
Most of our summer weekends for a number years (until recently) were spent whiling away time in the Cotswolds in one or other of its beautiful villages, however Fairford was not amongst them (except for the Airshow)
That said Allium jumped out at me from the Good Food Guide fairly recently as a "when in the area sort of place"
Now having said that we never did get around to a visit, but have waited in vain for someone to post on this thread, a recent review.
Trawling through the weekend newspapers, as you do, a review on Allium appeared, but, not just any old review, a paticularly negative, some may say nasty review of same.
Now I'm bemused and confused, how on earth can a restaurant gain a highly creditable six in the Good Food Guide yet it is so badly criticized?
Has anyone been recently who can even things up so to speak, surely it can't be as bad as Mr Walsh makes out.
Reports most welcome.
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I am hopeful that someone can give me an update on dining here recently, as this thread is surprisingly quiet
We have not been here for quite a long time, but when we were there we thought it very good indeed, in fact excellent.
I noticed on another thread that Polarbear dined here and The Square the same day?
How do they compare?
Who's cutting the mustard?
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Well, we got that cancellation.
Dined here last night on the bespoke menu, a vast array of surprise bits and pieces from the kitchen.
Have to admit after a previous seven days of feasting, beans on toast seemed very appealing, instead of another splurge.
Excellent service from young Gemma and Suzi, highlights from the kitchen was the Quail dish,Lemon sole,Scallops,and we love Marcs bread.
Have loads of catching up to do, so will try to post a fuller report soon.
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I'm glad I took the time to click on to Bloomberg, this article by Richard Vines is so well informed, and quite frankly impressive I almost feel that we have dined their.
No need for me to do a review then
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601040&sid=at4cYbE2YLus
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Was tipped off about this place by former egullet member and uber poster(7632 posts) Andy Lynes, and reading Sarah,s review simply confirms it as a must visit, especially given the fact two star Michelin man Philip Howard is guiding the kichen
I see much respected Andy Hayler gives it high praise in his blog.
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Visited here last weekend, and really quite enjoyed it. I'm surprised that there are only three posts this year, surely far more egulleters are visiting and not bothering to post.
Will add my thoughts on our meal a bit later
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Hi David, nothing really to say except I agree 100% with you. Lasans is one of the best Indian restaurants in the UK. That goat biryani is the one I always order. I can never get my rice like that. I feel quite lucky living in Birmingham knowing this is my "local". I previously lived around Aldgate and counted Tayyab's as my local when I trained at the Royal London (before it got all trendy) but Lasans is better. In fact, there isn't much choice in Birmingham but what we do have (Turners, Purnells, Simpsons, Lasans and Jyotis) is good enough for me. Tip: Lasan have opened a take-away/cafe-style eatery in Hall Green near Jyoti's which serves a less refined version of their dishes but no less tasty.
I'm sure it was your good self who tipped me off about the Goat Biyani, I don't think that I shall look at a goat in the same way again
The menu is in front of me now and I have circled two dishes the manager, Syed recommended for our next visit.
NELLORE CHEPALA PULUSU, Red Snapper simmered in tomato and tamarind sauce tempered with mustard seed,cumin and saunf.
MURGH MAKHANI, Chicken tikka, marinated with hung yogurt, tandoori masala, roasted in tandoor then simmered in light tangy tomato, cashew nut, makhani sauce. A speciality of Punjab.
And of course that Goat curry again.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhh Deep Joy.
Have to mention service which was dignified, courteous, and well informed, it does make a difference.
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I am amazed this place is not in The Good Food Guide 2010. I know it was in the 2008, not sure about 2009 as I did not buy it last year.
Its omission is a bit of a damning statement as to the complacency some of us have towards restaurant food. Well rest assured it will be in next years guide.
This last week has been very busy with two Michelin meals, plus one that should be,(Anthony,s)and a meal at Hix so we just had to have something different, and todays meal was certainly that.
Its quite a while since we have been here, perhaps two years or so, and we were hoping for a result.I was aware that it featured on F Word but sadly I missed it so what better than a visit.
Lunch was very quiet but we don't need to be turned on by atmosphere, as long as the food is good.
The lunch menu is short on choice, just five dishes in total, but I knew that we were going a la carte because I wanted the goat biryani.
Plenty of choice from all parts of India on this menu, and we found them all appealing.
Apart from the goat we wanted at least two other mains,and if we could manage more, well, lets see
Whilst we were waiting we were served some very nice poppadoms with some mild red and white onion slices and a sweet yogurt sauce
DIM KI BIRYANI, goat meat and basmati rice cooked together in a sealed pot with yogurt and mint, scented with cardamon, mace, dum massla, served with Lucknowi gravy.
When the lid was cut free from the pot the smell was amazing, we dived in taking quite nice bite sized chunks of goat meat, some of which still had bone attached, naturally to give it more flavor. The rice was perfect and the gravy lifted the dish higher, don't ask what was in it, I'm no expert, but I may be if I take one of their cookery courses.
NILGIRI SEA BASS, pan-fried, simmering in green herb sauce, served with pilau rice.
Perfect fish, swimming in the herb sauce which was coriander, mint,and fenugreek. We were given a freshly cooked naan bread to mop up the sauce, and sorry to say this was mediocre. Which made it stand out because the rest was exceptional.
CHICKEN CHETTINAD,hot south Indian delicacy, coconut, star anise, red chilli, black peppercorns, and curry leaf flavoured curry.
I think this is a Tamil Nadu dish, and its distinctly different in taste to the other two dishes which is what this place is all, about different cooking styles from different part of the continent.
We could not manage another savoury course, however we ate a wonderful desert, a concoction of whipped yogurt flavored with orange chocolate and green cardomons.
I really rate this place and enjoyed the food more than Michelin starred Quilon where we had a meal earlier this year.
We can not wait to return to try another batch of dishes. If you are in the area, and like Indian food, we think its a must try.
We are convinced this is the best Indian meal that we have had, most certainly this year at the very least.
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Well, its quite easy to walk past this fairly nondescript frontage, however the massive wooden door is what to look for. Push hard its not for wimps.
Smiley meet and greet from young Brad who has remembered my table request, and he has done well.
I,m not quite sure that I like the room too much which is dominated by a bar running almost the full length of the room.
I,m really looking forward to this meal, as I have salivated over the menu online and have already decided on what to eat.
We have had some Hix inspired meals before at The Ivy, Le Caprice,and Scotts, not long after he left so we sort of knew what to expect.
The choice is excellent, about fifteen starters, and not a lot less mains, with oysters, fish, offal, beef, pork, etc, etc. In fact something for everyone.
Or, if you are in a party of ten or more you could chose one of the feast menus, starting with the Pigs Feast at £42.50pp, or even the Game bird, Goose, Shellfish, in fact six to choose from.
Perhaps I should mention at this juncture Hix at Selfridges, his third London restaurant is due to open in March 2010
We ordered a bottle of Chilean Merlot and some Thames tap water to get things started. The water arrived quite quickly but the wine took an age, and as I could see it sitting on the bar I was tempted to go and get it and pour it myself, as twenty minutes had now passed.
Finally it was poured, carelessly, dribbling down the side of the glass on to the table, with no concern from our server.
The menu had been changed a bit from the one on the website, so the dishes that I was looking forward to eating were no longer there. Fair enough, I should be used to that, and you are forewarned of course.
We ordered, Blythburgh pork crackling with crab apple sauce, Heaven and Earth, Steamed Sheringham Mussels with perry, Devilled mixed offal with girolles, Beef flank, porter and oyster pie, and as yet undecided, at least one other main plus perhaps a starter if we could sqeeze it in.
We left it to our server as to the order of delivery, and clearly this was a mistake as the mussels, offal, and Heaven and Earth arrived all at once.
Our main concern was that the mussels would go cold whilst we tucked into the other two dishes.
The best of the three was the offal, which was liver and kidney, the girolles giving it an extra depth of flavour, the jus was excellent.
Heaven and Earth is Black pudding sitting on top of some creamy mash, with a sauce that I can not remember. This is a signiture dish and we both enjoyed it, as we did the extremely plump mussels, which were well seasoned and perfectly matched with the perry. The generous sprinking of parsley added to the dish.
I have to mention the bread which was top notch, annoyingly though why is the butter frequently rock hard.
The pork scratchings had not arrived, and we had finished those courses described above, so we asked for them, in case they had forgotten them.
Service was now beginning to grate a bit and finally they arrived, and were worth waiting for.
The Pie arrived next, which was not piping hot, and we guessed it had stood around while we were served the scratchings.
On the website I lusted after the Salt marsh mutton,kidney and oyster pie and this was its replacement
The beef flank was as expected stringy, but thankfully the pie was on the whole tasty, containing two oysters, good pastry, with another oyster, in shell on top as decoration. In fairness it was not above gastropub standard.
The side dish of buttered sprout tops with chestnuts had not arrived by the time we had finished the pie, and this just about finished our will to carry on with the meal.
Whilst all this was going on the couple in front of us both had problems with their meals, he had the Hanger steak with bone marrow, and it seemed he objected to the bone marrow, being breadcrumbed, instead of it left intact in the bone. His companion complained about her dish, although we dont know the reason why.
Both dishes were taken off the bill.
All in all a pretty mixed bag, the service especially was poor to say the least, and this is the second time this weekend that the service has been poor.
In the main I tend to be forgiving, but now I,m not taking prisoners any longer, if service is sub standard, its simple.
NO SERVICE CHARGE.
I love reading Mark Hix,s menus, they are full of the stuff I want to eat, however I do want to feel comfortable when I eat them, but, unfortunately on this occasion there were too many distractions.
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Had lunch here today mainly because everyone that has written about it has been positive.
I'm afraid you will have to wait a while for my take on it because we have just walked through the door having had a pretty horrible day of being stuck in various traffic jams, plus a nasty motorway accident. (no not us).
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He sets up for service at anthonys then heads to the piazza bakery, does evening service at anthonys then often back to the piazza!
And now working 7 days a week until xmas, more energy than most, that's for sure!
He's clearly doing a terrific job at the bakery, the bread we had was memorable, just wished we had bought some cakes on our visit.
By way of comparison we had bread at a Michelin starred place in London yesterday and it was very poor.
Michelin Guide 2010
in United Kingdom & Ireland: Dining
Posted
What about The Harwood Arms?
Brilliant when we dined there, wish it were down the road.