Carlovski

Normally a good idea - the chilli hit must have snapped you out of it!

Well, just got back from Manchester. Managed to squeeze in two lunchtime trips to Red Chilli and was suitably impressed. First trip I had the previously mentioned spicy mixed meat clay pot. With the warnings from culinary bear and Thom still fresh I didn't order anything else (Couldn't persuade anyone else to go!). It was fantastic - the pig skin was a little too much texture over taste for me, but I managed a few strips (there was quite a lot in mine!). Surprise was the beancurd, first time it has really made sense to me - it absorbed the sauce wonderfully well, but still had some of it's fried texture left. I was really hungry and absolutely stuffed myself, but still only got 2/3rds through it, and I left some rice too. Absolute bargain. Second trip I obviously tried the chilli poached lamb! I also ordered the french beans with minced pork. Enough has been said on the pork dish - I'll just like to mention either culinary bear got a whimpy version or he miscounted, There were a lot more than 20 chillies in mine! The beans were fantastic though, another one to add on the list of dishes to try, they were probably quite spicy, but obviously overshadowed by the lamb, but they were perfectly cooked, salty, spicy with a vinegary kick from I think black vinegar and preserved vegetables. I'd have been quite happy with just those and a bowl of rice. There were so many things I wanted to try on the menu too - has anyone even tried any of the chicken dishes yet? I bet the home style tofu is pretty good too and some more of the pork dishes, I almost tried the Mt City Duet pork guessing it was a variant on double cooked pork - should of asked. BTW anyone got a clue what 'molly' is? It's in a couple of the clay pot dishes. Couple of general points about the place - Don't like to make sweeping generalisations but, those chinese can pack a bit away can't they? Next to me two youngish lads ordered 3 cold appetisers, a hotpot dish, 2 stirfried dishes, soup, rice and a giant bowl of crispy noodles. The other tables looked quite similar, if less extreme. I felt like a bit of cheapskate with one dish! The portion size and pricing is rather bizarre, the clay pot and poached dishes are as we have mentioned huge and easily enough for two on their own. But a simple portion of greens is only a quid cheaper, and a lot smaller. I reckon the poached lamb dish has about the same amount of greens in it as a full portion. It might be less confusing (especially for us western types!) if they standardised the portions a bit, maybe reduced the prices (And portion sizes) on some things to make it easier for small groups or solo diners to get a varied selection without wasting food (Something I hate doing). Maybe mark the 'big' dishes as for 2-3 people, and up the price a bit? I'm sure they would do smaller portions if you asked - I heard a waiter ask two ladies if they wanted a smaller portion of something. One slight moan about the place - if you want to try and make your restaurant stand out from the rest of chinatown (Which they are obviously doing) and be a more modern contemporary restaurant then keeping all your cleaning stuff, along with a giant vat of cooking oil clearly labelled 'economy' is not a fab idea....

He's sold out hasn't he, moving down to that London I bet. It will all be lah de dahs and Martinis. Can't get a decent pint of bitter down here you know. And not a decent wok fried pigs maw to be found.

Anyone watch the show on Channel 4 last night on Christmas food? More Turkey cruelty exposed. Highlight was the most enthusiastic sprout farmer I have ever seen though!

Can't believe I have only just found this thread! The traditional British curry has got to be up at number 1 although my formative years more often ended with the cheaper option of chips with curry sauce.

That deep fried calzone sounds great. That filling sounds remarkably similar to something I make as a topping for a very thin puff pastry tart, and occasionally pizza (Except no ricotta)

Did anyone see the BBC2 documentary about life in an Abattoir? It was called Slaughterhouse - The Task of Blood. Far more disturbing than anything done by GR or Jamie Oliver - but it was post watershed and did come with numerous warnings. Got lots of complaints though, plus led to people recieving death threats and one of the workers being sacked. Here is a google video link - Clicky if you are interested. As it happens I am against the Turkey incident too. However you dress it up by calling it educational, saying how much worse goes on every day, something was killed for the purpose of entertainment. It wasn't a fly on the wall documentary like the Abattoir program, it was deliberately set up, a narrow distinction maybe, but important I feel. Or maybe I'm just wound up with the whole "Yes I am a shouting, swearing workaholic egomaniac but I still come home and spent quality (and probably organic and free range) time with my 27 kids" side to the program.

Now I'm really hungry But I'm back up in the homeland on Wednesday - might have to take a trip into the centre for some 'shopping'....

Congratulations - sounds great. I hope you manage to stick to your ideals - a lot of places start off with good intentions but gradually the menus get more pubbified and the drinks get dumbed down. I'd love to visit and sample your Ale but it is a bit remote - not being a driver it might be a bit awkward. Looks like you have made a bit of effort with the house wines too - personal bugbear of mine that most places see it as an excuse to get even higher profit margins. Menu sounds excellent, shame you are a bit far away for our work Christmas lunch! Excellent website - you have cunningly bypassed the usual restaurant pub design of lots of swirly graphics but no actual information.

I think it would be great too, but I'm not sure how it equates to a good business model - If it was my business I think I'd feel happier making £10 on a £10-£15 stock item rather than £15 on a £95 one.... Couple of corked bottles a few accidents and you have just wiped out your profit. Of course if it boosted trade enough it would definitely make sense.

What I found most perplexing about the article is why you would get a chef to prepare things from convenience foods for you - I can sort of understand cooking it for yourself if that's all you have available or you aren't a confident cook, but paying someone to do it for you?

Best advice I ever had was to never read the instructions on any packs of couscous. The ones in the UK always involve something like boiling for 10 minutes iun a saucepan - so you end up with a horrible stodgy sticky mess. That recipe sounds quite similar.

I usually slice, roast and then extract from the skin, if you slice you can get q pretty good surface area/volum ratio for caramelisation and it is a lot easier than peeling. If I ever do try and peel I always seem to waste a lot as well. Plus I gave myself my worst ever cooking injury trying to peel a butternut squash with someone elses (Fairly blunt) knives. Straight down the middle of my thumb, right through the nail as well (Not that blunt then....) OWW

I agree with the tip on really cooking the meat topping - I like it almost burnt in places which might be going too far - I also don't use a lot (Which helps it cook quickly!), it really is almost a condiment to the tofu rather than a main ingredient.

I believe Greggs bakers do a wide range including the exotic sausage and bean version.

overated - pancetta underrated - bacon I think I might need to qualify this one! Without access to a good italian deli like we are in the sticks it is much easier to get decent bacon (Preferabley something local and dry cured) than decent pancetta. Unfortunately though a lot of people will pay a premium for supermarket packets of almost see through slices of pancetta or far too small cubes, but won't pay for decent bacon.

I don't think anyone is genuinely posting anonymously - all posters are members of the society are they not? So in terms of there presence within egullet it is consistent, we can PM them and they can be recognised in whatever forum they post. We may not be able to tie them down to ther 'real life' identity, but is this any different to any other media where writers often use pseudonyms? And even if they don't how does the name of a person we know nothing about other than through there writing help us? I can see this leading down the path of 'Oh, Normal people don't have to reveal there identities, but IMPORTANT people must do'. Doesn't that go against the whole ethos of the society? Perhaps I'm just sad that although my real name isn't very googleable, my interweb alter ego Carlovski is (Although nothing very interesting pops up!)

I managed to catch the first couple of episodes. I actually thought it was fairly entertaining. I wonder what the general reaction would have been if it had come out of nowhere i.e we didn't compare it to the book (or Tony)? At least it shows something of the long hours and bustle of a professional kitchen. I never really pay much attention to complaints about gender/race/religion/sexuality casting arguments, no matter what you do someone will complain. Oh apart from the film Notting Hill I guess Steven is meant to be British? No accent I recognise though but that is fairly typical.

I don't really class Nando's in with the rest of the fast food places - it is more of a chain restaurant.

I very occasionally resort to the evil delights of KFC but I can't have been in a McDonalds for years. I might have had the odd mushroom double swiss at Burger King in Waterloo statioon though. I also have a slight weakness for Subway's Meatball subs - mainly due to there not being a lot of other options in Southampton (A shop opened recently called Po' Boys - which sounded good, but they don't think they actually sell anything resembling a genuine New Orleans Po Boy - it's just another sandwich shop). Normally a safer bet at lunchtime is a pasty from one of the growing number of chain pasty shops (Maybe it's just round here but I've seen at least three differenty chains).

Never seen anyone cook a wig before. Keep up the good work!

mmmm, pig skin So Thom almost managed it all - sounds like a challenge! I reckon the trick is to leave the choice bits till last - eat the beancurd and veggies first - there is always room for a few more scallops!

I didn't think you could catch avian flu (Or any flu for that matter!) like that? Mad chicken disease maybe, but not flu.

I'd give it a good go. Maybe some fairly light appetisers and go easy on the rice!

The clay pot sound like a good bet for a solo diner, always problematic with chinese restaurants - I doubt I'll be able to persuade any of my family members to go. I could probably pack away a few appetisers too!