Where to eat in Guildford

[Blether]

I'll be staying in or near Guildford in Surrey for two weeks in March. Where is good to eat ? My tastes run to food that's good to eat, served in a welcoming atmosphere.

In what could almost be a former life, I lived and worked not far away. twenty years ago I liked Terrazza in Ashford; was it Golden India on the High St in West Drayton ? I'll be making a few nostalgia visits, but I'm in serious need of an update - good pub food ? Great local restaurants ? Work will have me in Guildford itself, but I'll have a car and I'll be grateful for any suggestions.

[gofes]

Although I live nearby, I've never had dinner in Guildford.

Vero Cibo Is a pretty good Sandwich place, focusing on food from Puglia. That is normally where I go for lunch if I'm about.

The Farmers' Market is held on the first Tuesday of the month with 60 stalls up the High Street.

My favourite restaurant is Poachers Pocketbut that might be too far away.

Edited February 22, 2012 by gofes (log)

[Blether]

The Poachers Pocket looks like a great suggestion, and a dozen miles is nothing at all - the menu looks like something I'd like to try to eat my way right through. I will be dropping by Vero Cibo, too. Thanks, gofes.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Blether (log)

[Sidney]

Why don't you try Drakes in Ripley - it has a Michelin star. I am not very keen on his cooking but the wife thinks it is good. Be interested in your comments.

[Nayan Gowda]

There's a Jamie's Italian in Guildford; they're pretty reliable

[Man]

There's a Jamie's Italian in Guildford; they're pretty reliable

Reliably mediocre?

Just joking: whatever floats your boat.

[Blether]

They have boats in Kazakhstan ?

Ripley's another short drive - thank-you, Sidney.

(I don't know "Jamie's Italian" as an eatery at all - though of course his cooking - that I've seen in his books - is all River-Cafe-rooted Italian).

Come to think of it, River Cafe's on the way when I go into London, isn't it ? How is it these days ? I've never been, but I was sad when I read that Rose Gray had shuffled off. I liked her food writing.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Blether (log)

[whitecat]

The Jamie's Italian in Guildford is actually not that bad - I would go as far as "surprisingly pleasant food" - and it probably is about the best choice in the city centre... it's better than the one in Oxford (which is the only other one I've been to) - my wife tells me it's much better than the one in Canary Wharf as well which seems to be paying its sky-high rates and rent by cutting portion sizes by 2/3rds or so).

London House in Old Woking (just a little further than Ripley) is worth a go. It's run by a former Masterchef semi-finalist. The wine list is still a bit weak but the food can be pretty good if not quite up to Drake's level.

I'm told there's a place in Guildford called Wild Garlic which is pretty good. I haven't yet been myself, I think it's fairly new-ish but I'm going in a couple weeks' time.

[Blether]

Thanks, whitecat. More for the list.

[Blether]

So... I've made it to Wild Garlic so far, at the top of Guildford High Street. Executive Summary: Good

The interior is a nice blend of urban & rustic, and the service relaxed and trouble-free. The second page of the menu's all about steaks, and of our able of seven, five had one of the various steak/sauce/accompaniments combinations, and all pronounced them very good. I had a generously-sized lamb shank, cooked nicely tender.

Scottish scallops were a popular starter, also enjoyed, and my own pigeon breast with lentils in jus was well-flavoured.

[Blether]

Here we go again... dinner on Friday was at the William Bray, a country pub in the rather lovely village of Shere, that was recommended by the lady who part-owns the apartment I'm staying in.

It turns out to be owned by Julian Bailey ("the Stig") and the dining room is adorned with 60's/70's racing pictures like James Hunt on a sunlounger and what from a distance could be Jackie Stewart standing over a Brabham.

The room was only maybe a third full - not great for a Friday - but I enjoyed a good meal. The wine list is extensive and split nicely into sections by type - like "Fruity, aromatic whites", and "Full, intense spicy reds". I guess that they take their wines seriously and the menu included a flyer for a vertical tasting of Mt Difficulty on 28th March.

I started with a Moules Mariniere, that was delicious - the mussels still juicy, a lightly-creamed sauce tasting mostly of them with subtle celery, shallot & leeks, and the salt perfectly weighted (not always an easy thing to achieve). GBP7.95.

Next I chose the braised blade of beef:

Great flavour, nicely tender meat. If I were to find fault, I'd want more sauce with a piece of meat this big. Good, nonetheless, and I'd a glass of Argentinian Malbec that helped things along nicely. GBP16.50 for the main; the wine was, what ? Six quid a glass ?

I thought about finishing with something sweet, but in the end I'd 'nae room'.

Edited March 11, 2012 by Blether (log)

[Blether]

Two of us ate at The River Cafe on Monday night: we managed to get a table despite leaving it till Thursday or Friday to make a booking, and when it came to it the room was full - and what a great room, big, high-ceilinged, and attractive.

First course for me, San Daniele ham, served with a rich crepe flavoured with sage:

- delicious ham; the crepe flavourful but too much for me to finish, I left some of it so's to enjoy the rest of the meal. My more-sophisticated dining partner went off-piste with a chunk of Gorgonzola from the cheese list on the back page of the menu. It seemed to satisfy.

Primo, we both had Agnoli of rabbit - an excellent dish, tasting of the rabbit and the pasta, with the support of lemon & thyme (was it ?) in the stuffing and the oil & cheese dressing just right. I forgot to shoot it till I'd already started eating:

Secondo, I had grilled Dover Sole:

It was served with beans that were moist and smooth, and a roasted or char-grilled red leaf that was done just right. The fish too was cooked well, the flesh moist & delicious and the skin nicely browned. There was however too much salt on the skin - not inedibly but noticeably too much. It came without instruction to avoid it, and when afterwards the waiter enquired if everything was all right, I mentioned it. His response was "I will pass that comment on" - nothing more was said of the fish, but when the bill came, no sole !

Embarassingly I forget now what my dinner-mate had. Two beers on one side, a glass of Prosecco on the other, total paid GBP123 for two.

[Blether]

So I'm back home in sunny (really) Tokyo.

I had lunch one day from Vero Cibo - the panino (prosciutto, tomato, mozzarella, the first on the menu) and coffee were both excellent. It was a drive into the town centre for me, though. I hit the place about quarter to one, and waited 10-15 minutes from order to having the food in my hand. With the High Street closed to traffic, parking was difficult and being on a double-yellow line made that wait extra interesting. I was reminded that I was in a foreign country when, eating in the driver's seat, I found my hot, moist sandwich came with no paper napkin in the bag

Poacher's Pocket, I drove down to on Tuesday night, stupidly without checking first and only to find it closes Monday & Tuesday. I didn't get the chance to go back. Next time, along with Drakes & London House.

[thampik]

Blather, when you are next around Guildford I would recommend that you do try Drakes. I had their 6-course lunch menu recently and really enjoyed it - there are some interesting things going on in the menu. Cod with courgettes, Orzo and feta for example. At £39 it was pretty good value as well.