thom

I hate to beg for help in my own back yard but... My dad swears blind that somewhere in the Baslow neck of the woods there is a very, very good dining-pub which is owned by the people behind Fischers. He swears it's the just about the only excellent meal out he's had in Derbyshire (which is a little harsh, though believable) yet old fool that he is he can't remember the name and can give me only the sketchiest of directions. Anyone have an idea as to what and where it might be? Oh by the way, if anyone else is marooned in England's lost county then I still rate the home-cooked pub grub at The Packhorse in Hayfield (good roasts and the bread and butter pudding is amongst the tastiest I've had) and I also had an excellent meal at The Peacock at Rowsley (also had a cheese and really good ham toastie with homemade piccalilli). The Stocks cafe at Chapel en Le Frith is worth a look for a light lunch and has some good bottled beers too (as well as a homemade 'Lancashire duck' as part of it's full English). Cheers Thom

Yes. Cheers Thom

Ah Clifden, I just cannot wait to go back there. Possibly the best holiday I've had; if you have kids in tow its brilliant. Anyhow, we had some pretty good food whilst we were there. Catriona, is Mitchells the kind of med place that faces onto the little square in the middle of town? If it is, then we were there a couple of nights. Real mixed menu of pizza, pasta, fish, some more traditional (touristy?) dishes etc which were all tasty enough. Nice atmosphere, good service and a great place if you do have children with you. We also went to G's (I think thats the name) which is just across the square. This has the most ambitious menu in the town and was formal but friendly. The menu is largely classical but they had a few Asian twists as the chef (partner of the owner I think) was from SE Asia (Malaysia?). My girlfriend had a very good dish of local lamb, and I went for a kind of Thai style prawn curry which was excellent. Again service was great, and the nicest thing was that although it was 'posh' they still had a kids menu of really good homecooked dishes. The chicken with chips (you have to have chips) and fresh peas was simple but delicous and much appreciated by our little one. We did find it a recurring theme in Clifden that nearly all the places were really happy to have kids. This was partly reflected in the menus and facilities (high chairs etc) but also in the warmth and understanding of the serving staff. The other interesting thing about Clifden was that in the town's supermarket (called SuperValu or some such) which was a kind of middle of the road place they still had fresh mussels, lobster and oysters in tanks with running water by the fish counter. This is obviously not a tourist thing as where would they cook such things? I found the fact that there is obviously a strong market for fresh seafood amongst the local community heartening, especially as the cliche is that Ireland produces some of the world's best seafood and immediately ships it off to the continent where it is 'appreciated'. To complete the set of mini-reviews the Blue Dog cafe was great for coffee and sandwiches, and there was a big bakery along from G's which although it looked nice served absolutely rubbish - bad cakes, cruddy fast food posing as home cooking. Avoid. Oh the the brakfast at the Quayhouse was exceptional, and they served one of the nicest black puddings I'd ever had. Cheers Thom

This comment was interesting. My grandma always makes her scones without sugar and it is only the presence of the raisins that gives them a sweetness. I think traditionally there has always been recipes for both sweet and, uhmm, non-sweet scones and despite my sweet tooth I actually prefer mine sugar free. Cheers Thom

Serieux Thanks for your comments. Actually though, I'm a Mancunian boy, and all my praise has been for the local (original) incarnation of Red Chilli. I've not been to the Leeds one, but the feedback here does seem to be that it is not quite up to the standard of the Manchester one and that the menu may differ slightly (not sure if this due to the difference in clientele?). On the subject of the Yang Sing I have always been a big fan but I have to say I think their cusine hasn't moved forward over the last couple of years and rising standards in other restaurants (Wings etc) have caught them up. The only thing which takes me back there at the minute is their dim sum. Ah well, your RC may not be totally up to scratch but if you makes you feel better you do have Anthonys over your side of the Pennines. Cheers Thom

No no, I do mean Mount Blanc. Bapi may own a row of Dickensian tenements whereas I prefer a slice of prime Alpine real estate. You're no cliche Gary, you're as unique as every other Porsche-driving, Global knife-toting stockbroker who opens a gastropub and then drinks all his own stock whilst waving his Rolex and his Mont Blanc pen around. Cheers Thom

Bapi, Just be glad that Gary hadn't brought his Mount Blanc with him too... Also, the accusation RE adoration of our Maggie couldn't be further from the truth (my colleagues call me a commie pinko merely for reading the Grauniad) and is a little rich coming from someone who models his fledgling business on Nicholas von Hoogstraten (as you shall henceforth be known). Stephen, thanks for the exhaustive risotto list. I think I had most of the veg identified but a few caught me out. I think the rather wonderful herbs and salts around the plate may have to be foregone in my own effort and to be honest I'm not exactly sure where I am going to find white carrots and patty-pan squash. Ah well, I think even an approximation of the dish should still be pretty bloody impressive so I'll give it a go. I had an amateurish crack at Andrew Pern's oxtail and dark beer risotto and whilst I produced a fairly weak version the concept of the dish was so strong that it still tasted wonderful. Cheers Thom

On the subject of Lamb Chilli Pots I had one yesterday (along with some Beijing dumplings) and it was great. I was worried to see they now have new menus (a death knell/knee jerk reaction in many small, authentic restaurants once the good reviews get to them) but rest assured that although the new one combines the traditional and westernised lists of dishes none seem to have dropped out, and indeed some new ones seem to have been added. Also, I was talking to the manager and he said that there were looking at a couple of sites in Liverpool too - The empire grows! Ah well, far be it from me to complain if every corner in every city has a Red Chilli on it, alongside the Pret and the Starbucks. Cheers Thom

Yes, what that man Marshall said. I was really impressed, and as Gary notes it was actually pretty easy to get to. For me just 30 mins from Manchester Piccadilly (trains every 15 mins or so) and 5 mins in a cab. Well worth the trip. The standouts for me were the two starters, particularly the risotto. I'm tempted to recreate it but if anyone can give me a quick reminder of exactly what the dice of veg was in there that would be great. Peas? Cauliflower? Possibly yellow baby squashes or somesuch? Oh, the bitter chocolate soup-souffle was a new one on me but I really liked it. It was a proper Yorkshire portion though and by that point I was flagging... Stephen, my apologies for being a phone bore and not getting a chance to say a proper hello and thank you for the meal. As Gary says I had reached an important contractual point in a business venture which necessitated numerous legal phonecalls. That said even with my commercial future hanging in the balance I wasn't going let it put paid to a boozy lunch/dinner/supper with such fine company. Bapi, are you going to post your own ruminations on the day at any point or are you busy watching Home and Away whilst waiting for your nails to dry? Cheers Thom

Bapi you are a cheeky chappy and no mistake. Unlike yourself I'm a busy man though, so I will let your slurs ride. For now... As I mentioned at the recent reconvening of The Trotters Club though I'm glad you liked EastZEast. I hope in survives and thrives inspite of the decor, location and the stupid name as it does seriously good food. Bertie, what can I say. Some people you meet are recognisably classy individuals well suited to 'EastZEast' whereas others appear to have a dark and seedy underbelly, and as such are more suited to late night curry cafes such as Hunters... Horses for courses! Interestingly following the lunch Bapi, Gary and I had at The Weavers Shed on Friday - and let me stress that by 'lunch' I mean aperitifs, amuse bouche, two starters, extra bread, hearty mains, cheeseboard, desserts, more wine than you could shake a stick at, coffees, petit four and digestifs - I ended up back in Manchester around 10:30pm feeling rather the worse for wear and had... an outstanding Hunters seek kebab, eaten on the hoof. Sometimes you need high culture, sometimes you need low... BTW The Weavers Shed was very good, with the starters, especially the spring vegetable risotto, being standout. I am sure someone with more eloquence than I (not to mention more time on his hands) will give it a suitable write-up on here at some point. Cheers Thom

BTW did we miss commenting on the Guardian review the weekend before last? Hmmm... I guess I'm the only Grauniad-reading, commie-pinko, wannabe polyversity lecturer in applied wooly liberalism on here then. Anyway, Matthew Norman really rated it, for what that's worth. A bizarrely precise score of 8.5 out of 10, though to be fair his review did the place justice and he seemed to have picked up on most of the dishes that get positive name-checks on here (is he a lurker?). Cheers Thom

You misquote me sir! I clearly muttered the word 'loser' just as I cut you off... Anyway, I forgive you for your barbed comments as they are typical of someone for whom the responsibilities of gainful employment are but dim and distant memories and whose brain has been addled by a diet of Trisha style chatshows and sugar-coated cereal. Off you pop fella, you'll be missing 'Cash in the Attic'. Cheers Thom

Au Contraire! Manchester, with it's sunny climes, is perfect for a spot of olive-growing. The architect for Manchester's Beetham Tower (the tallest residential tower in the UK no less) is so besotted with his creation he has taken two of the uppermost floors for himself, and in it he has created an olive grove of mature trees shipped in direct from Southern Italy. He hopes they will fruit and intends to produce his own olive oil. As well as wearing rimless glasses and black clothes and driving a Saab of course. If I could work out how to post an image I'd post a pic of the grove itself. Cheers Thom

Sorry, sorry, 'Glamorous'. My design agency are called Glorious so it was on my brain... To be honest I've eaten there several times and found it merely decent, and the fact that a couple of hundred Chinese people eat there on a Sunday doesn't reassure me any more than the fact that thousands of Asian families eat out in Rusholme every week (even though there aren't two good restaurants to rub together). Or for that matter, the fact that millions of Americans eat at McDonalds etc etc... The little Yang Sing is not bad at all, and although I think the 'big' Yang Sing (no relation) has slipped recently I still don't think there is anywhere in the city doing better dim sum. Edit to add: If you really want top drawer Chinese (and if a 95% Chinese clientele is your benchmark) then go Sichuan and try Red Chilli (see my previous threads ad infinitum). Cheers Thom

A bit belated I know, but just to add that Gorgeous Restaurant is decent is unspectacular Cantonese Chinese, and the only thing which makes it unique is the fact it's main view is directly into the second floor of a multi-story car park. In it's defense it is a minutes walk from the wonderful Marble Arch microbrewery/pub, and there are numerous other decent drinking houses on that Northern edge of the Northern Quarter. I think it is on a par with say the Tai Pan (on Upper Brook St) or the Little Yang Sing maybe. Yang Sing and Wings beat it for refinement, though personally (deja vu here) I say just go to Red Chilli on Portland St and eat on the wild side of the menu. Cheers Thom

Well I never, what a coincidence. I haven't been to Ireland since I was a little boy, but have recently booked a short stay (four nights) in Clifden in Connemara. We're staying at the Quayhouse (www.thequayhouse.com) which is very reasonable and sounds absolutely wonderful. It's recommended by my dad, who is a miserable old git as far as family holidays go so this is high praise indeed. Thanks for the informative posts Highchef and Corinna; if anyone has any more value to add regarding places to eat in the locale then please speak up. Any tips on places to visit are also appreciated. We have an energetic 2 1/2 year old boy in tow, so bear this is mind with any recommendations. Our rough plan is to muck around on the beach every day poking around in rockpools and then to eat simple lunches and good seafood for dinner. Sounds like heaven, and much preferable to being on some tedious sandy strip full of sun-loungers in the Med where you can't let your first born out from under the parasol without coating him with suncream in the manner of icing a cake with a palette knife... Cheers Thom

That's Bapi, the 'Worzel Gummidge' of eGullet. Hope you enjoy it. The food I mean, not the romance; we don't need to know about that. Cheers Thom

Evening everybody. On the whole, I use Hardens when I'm in the Metropolis. I like their 'top to toe' approach (haute cuisine to back street curry houses), I find their (well, the eating public's) opinions a good pointer (and uniquely they're also on the ball across the UK) and the book's dinky little size means it fits neatly in my briefcase. Well, it does! I occasionally use Time Out as its not bad for London, but their attempted UK guide was appallingly out of date, unbalanced and badly researched. GFG, Michelin and AA are just for checking who's got what the day they get published. For serious dining I find personal reports from eGullet etc of much more use. Surely nobody reallys carries those chunky 'serious' guides round and suddenly says, whilst flicking through the 'G's on the tube says 'Ohhh... Gordon Ramsay Hospital Road, that sounds good...'. Do they? Cheers Thom Edit: To stress that "flicking through the 'G's on the tube" is not in any way, shape or form a euphemism, though re-reading it again it probably should be.

It's quite a buzz isn't it? We, the denizens of Glossop, thought we had it made when a Mcdonalds appeared in 2002 a mere four miles away, but last month a KFC (drive-through no less!) appeared on a new retail park right off the main High St. Joy. I'm sure Conran will be moving in any day now, and doubtless Selfridges and Harvey Nichols will be locking horns over the old Co-op store site on Norfolk square... Cheers Thom

Thanks guys, thanks Walter. I have tracked it down, initially through Harvey Nichols (posh department store) wine shop. They don't tend to be the cheapest, but nor are they guilty of vicious mark-ups, and they do have a very well-sourced list. Tha damage? £57:50 (I think) for the Riesling, and £47.50 for the Nadal (both UK pounds obviously). These are for the 2002, though to be honest I'm not sure how that year rates compared to the 98, and whether the latter would have commanded a premium? Ah well, next time I have even the sniff of a reason to celebrate I'll be down to the Manchester branch of Harvey Nicks waving my credit card. Cheers Thom

In that case I have upgraded the status of the friend who bought me the bottle from 'very good' to 'best'. $30 a glass in NY? I'm working on that being equal to about £18 a glass, but as far as I know North American wine tends to command a premium over here (as I know from trying to source Cali Pinot Noirs) so maybe £25 a glass in a restaurant How many glasses in that teeny little bottle? Maybe three? So bottle price may be approx £60 retail (£40-ish for wholesale?). Gracious. If only it hadn't tasted so good. Oh the curse of such a delicately calibrated pallatte... Anyone know the best way to buy it in Blighty? Thom

Sneakeater, Thanks for your reply, which comfirmed both my hopes and fears. My hopes in that I can at least recognise a special dessert wine, even after a clam linguine with chilli and garlic. My fears in that it is likely to be very expensive and hard to get hold of, and other wines will pale by comparison. Bugger. Oh well, I'm going to remortgage the house and try and track some down online. Thanks again. Cheers Thom

Hello all, I'm a long-term eGulleteer but very much a wine novice so this is my first post in the forum. My interest in wines has been growing strongly over the last year or so, and like many enthusiastic amateurs I am starting to take a strong interest in what I drink, but don't always have the depth of knowledge to make informed choices. Dessert wines were until recently a closed book to me, apart from a liking for orange muscat. Last night though, I did have a kind of epithany and I'm keen to build on this new nugget of appreciation. The wine in question had been brought back from Canada by a very good friend of mine and her Canuck husband. It was a 99 bottle of the Inniskillin Icewine (I think the word 'Vidal' was in there too but I'm not even sure to what this referred?). We had it yesterday as part of a (probably very unsuitable) Valentines meal as it was one of the very few occassions we ate dessert at home, and the bottle in question had been sat in my cupboard for nearly two years now. The wine (to my uneductaed pallatte) was utterly spectacular. It didn't taste cloying, sticky or overtly sweet, but was lucious and spacious yet intense. Real honey notes (almost a kind of honey cough sweet note if that isn't a faux pas to say), and it really got into your nose (citrus possibly?) though there was no discernable hit of alcohol. Oh I don't know, I really lack the vocabularly here but it was great. I really feel like my eyes (and tastebuds) have been opened. So now I'm wondering if the wine is actually as good as it seemed to me? And I'm also wondering whereabouts I can get some more in the UK? Are wine websites my best tack? If so, are they any who are trusted and are likley to carry such a wine? All feedback greatfully received.

I know Clarissa who is a very good writer, and I recognise a couple of the other names involved too. I put the site to the test early doors by requesting recommendations for informal eateries in Manchester. I have to say the list it came back with was pretty good, and I certainly felt confident that it offered a short but high quality list of reliable dining experiences for a novice to the Mancunian dining scene. Having been a significant part of the difficult launch of www.therestaurantgame.com (which later successfully evolved offline to produce Restaurant magazine, Fourth Hospitality etc) I know how difficult it can be to secure adequate revenues from an online business. I think they have made a good start and wish them well, and I shall watch developments with interest. Cheers Thom

You bugger, when you questioned my work load I thought you had clocked me scampering through Picaddily station with my organic M&S bread and dried fruit and nuts (part of a squirrel-like new year health kick). Anyway, I merely have eGullet ticking away in the background whilst I pile through copy-proofing and eye-watering operations spreadsheets. I consider it vital executive stress relief to have the occasional flit through the forums. Consider it a shaken deal - Husband and wife slices and blessed the family for us the next time we go. Last two weeks in January are looking pretty good for me. I have to admit though that as a company (only five of us in the office I admit) we are having a Red Chilli takeaway tomorrow (our local greasy spoon is on holiday so the holy Friday ritual of communal homemade cheese and onion pie, chips and gravy is on hold for a week). I'm sure it will be the best eating at my desk I've ever had. Cheers Thom