My 2009 Restaurant Reviews
The Grill on the Alley, Ridgefield, Manchester.
Date of visit: Saturday 12 December 2009. Time of visit: 14:30. Cuisine: Grill. Website: http://www.blackhouse.uk.com/restaurants/restaurants-manchester
Bill: £53.60 for two. We had a main course each, one dessert, a bottle of Chinese beer, a bottle of house red and coffee.
Would I go back? Yes.
La Garrigue, Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh.
Date of visit: Saturday 5 December 2009. Time of visit: Noon. Cuisine: French. Website: http://www.lagarrigue.co.uk/
Bill: £54.85 for two. We had the three-course set lunch, a bottle of house red, a bottle of still water and coffee.
Would I go back? Yes.
The Mussel Inn, Rose Street, Edinburgh.
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Date of visit: Friday 4 December 2009. Time of visit: 17:30. Cuisine: Seafood. Website: http://www.mussel-inn.com/edinburgh.asp
Bill: £34.00 for two. We had fish and chips and a bottle of house white.
Would I go back? Yes.
Le Petit Paris, Grassmarket, Edinburgh.
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Date of visit: Friday 4 December 2009. Time of visit: 12:30. Cuisine: French. Website: http://www.petitparis-restaurant.co.uk/
Bill: £44.20 for two. We had the two-course set lunch, two aperitifs, a bottle of house red, a bottle of still water and coffee.
Would I go back? Yes.
Il Castello, Castle Terrace, Edinburgh.
Date of visit: Thursday 3 December 2009. Time of visit: 17:30. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.ilcastellorestaurant.co.uk/
Bill: £38.60 for two. We had a pizza, a pasta dish, one dessert, a half carafe of house red, a bottle of still water, an Italian brandy and coffee.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Fishers in the City, Thistle Street, Edinburgh.
Date of visit: Thursday 3 December 2009. Time of visit: 12:15. Cuisine: Seafood. Website: http://www.fishersbistros.co.uk/uni/main.html
Bill: £43.45 for two. We had the two-course set lunch, a bottle of house white, a bottle of still water and coffee.
Would I go back? Yes.
Roti, Morrison Street, Edinburgh.
Date of visit: Wednesday 2 December 2009. Time of visit: 17:30. Cuisine: Indian. Website: http://www.roti.uk.com/
Bill: £65.40 for two. We had four poppadoms, a portion of raita and the pickle tray, two main courses, a naan bread, a cocktail, a bottle of house red and a bottle of still water.
Would I go back? When hell freezes over.
Grado, New York Street, Manchester.
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Date of visit: Tuesday 1 December 2009. Time of visit: 17:30. Cuisine: Spanish. Website: http://www.heathcotes.co.uk/collection/grado/index.php
Bill: £46.50 for two. We had the two-course set dinner and a bottle of house red.
Would I go back? Yes.
East Z East, Princess Street, Manchester.
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Date of visit: Sunday 22 November 2009. Time of visit: 17:15. Cuisine: Indian. Website: http://www.eastzeast.com/manchester-ibis.asp
Bill: £43.40 for two. We had four poppadoms, a portion of raita, two main courses, a naan bread, a bottle of Kopparberg and a bottle of house red.
Would I go back? Yes.
Felicini, Oxford Street, Manchester.
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Date of visit: Saturday 21 November 2009. Time of visit: 14:30. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.felicini.co.uk/branches.asp?branchID=12
Bill: £37.90 for two. We had the two-course set lunch, a Moretti beer, a bottle of house red and coffee.
Would I go back? Yes.
The Keys, Byram Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Sunday 15 November 2009. Time of visit: 17:00. Cuisine: Bistro. Website: http://www.keysrestaurant.com/
Bill: £84.50 for two. We had three courses and two bottles of house red. The evening concluded with a concert by Phil Bates and Mik Kaminski.
Would I go back? Probably.
The Fenay Bridge, Penistone Road, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Wednesday 11 November 2009. Time of visit: 13:00. Cuisine: Pub food. Website: n/a.
Bill: £15.50 for two. We had the two-course set lunch and a bottle of house rose.
Would I go back? Probably.
Mona Lisa, Wood Street, Huddersfield.
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Date of visit: Monday 19 October 2009. Time of visit: 17:40. Cuisine: Italian. Website: n/a.
Bill: £39 for two. We had the early bird menu, a sweet, a coffee and a litre of their house red.
Would I go back? Yes.
Quo Vadis, Smyth Street, Wakefield.
Date of visit: Wednesday 14 October 2009. Time of visit: 12:20. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://s275919230.websitehome.co.uk/
Bill: £29.40 for two. We had two courses and a bottle of their house red.
Would I go back? Probably.
Cafe Espressoh!, Northgate, Almondbury, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Thursday 1 October 2009. Time of visit: 09:30. Cuisine: Cafe. Website: n/a
Bill: £7.50 for two full breakfasts and coffee.
Would I go back? Probably.
Cafe Rouge,The Lowry Centre, Salford Quays
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Date of visit: Sunday 20 September 2009. Time of visit: 16:30. Cuisine: French. Website: Cafe Rouge Salford Quays
Bill: £46.80 for two. We had three courses, a bottle of house rose and coffee.
Would I go back? Yes.
Nawaab, Westgate, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Monday 7 September 2009. Time of visit: 18:00. Cuisine: Asian. Website: http://www.nawaabs.com/
Bill: £39.60 for two. We had poppadoms, raita, two main courses, three chapattis, a Matka kulfi, a bottle of house red and coffee.
Would I go back? Probably.
La Romantica, Phoenix Street, Brighouse.
Date of visit: Sunday 6 September 2009. Time of visit: 12:45. Cuisine: Italian. Website: Halifax Courier Review of La Romantica
Bill: £36.40 for two. We had the good value Sunday lunch (£10.95 for three courses and coffee) washed down with a Peroni and a litre of their house red.
Would I go back? Probably.
Toby Carvery, Brighouse Road, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Tuesday 1 September 2009. Time of visit: 18:15. Cuisine: Carvery. Website: Ainley Top Toby Carvery
Bill: £40.50 for four. We had four carvery main courses, an ice-cream, three coffees and two bottles of Australian Shiraz.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Little Yang Sing, George Street, Manchester .
Date of visit: Saturday 29 August 2009. Time of visit: 14:15. Cuisine: Cantonese. Website: http://www.littleyangsing.co.uk/
Bill: £61.30 for two including the standard Chinatown 10% service charge. We had the two-course set lunch, two bottles of house white and two liqueur coffees.
Would I go back? Yes.
Fresca, Delph New Road, Delph, Oldham.
Date of visit: Wednesday 19 August 2009. Time of visit: 17:30. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.frescarestaurants.com/
Bill: £36.20 for two pizzas, two desserts, a bottle of house red and two coffees.
Would I go back? When hell freezes over.
Casa Mia, Millenium Square, Leeds.
Date of visit: Tuesday 11 August 2009. Time of visit: 12:15. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.casamiaonline.com/casa-mia-millennium
Bill: £41.62. We each had a starter and a main course from the a la carte menu and shared a bottle of Montepulciano D’Abruzzo.
Would I go back? Yes.
Volare, Commercial Road, Skelmanthorpe, Near Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Saturday 8 August 2009. Time of visit: 17:10. Cuisine: Mediterranean. Website: http://www.volares.co.uk/
Bill: £28 for two. We had the £8.50 two-course early bird menu and a bottle of South African red.
Would I go back? Yes.
Memsahib, Queensgate, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Monday 3 August 2009. Time of visit: 17:40. Cuisine: Indian. Website: n/a.
Bill: £25 for two. We had complimentary poppadoms and pickle tray, two courses, a small bottle of Cobra and a bottle of their house red.
Would I go back? Probably.
The Honeypot Inn, Flamborough Road, Filey.
Date of visit: Friday 3 July 2009. Time of visit: 12:30. Cuisine: Pub food. Website: n/a.
Bill: £48.90 for four. We had four main courses, one dessert and a bottle of house red.
Would I go back? Unlikely.
The Magpie Cafe, Pier Road, Whitby.
Date of visit: Thursday 2 July 2009. Time of visit: 15:30. Cuisine: Fish & Chips. Website: http://www.magpiecafe.co.uk/
Bill: £43.84 for a 'small' cod & chips, a 'regular' haddock & chips, a portion of mushy peas, two portions of bread & butter (dry for me), tea for two, one dessert and a bottle of house white.
Would I go back? Definitely.
Pu Ja Thai, Acre Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Monday 29 June 2009. Time of visit: 18:15. Cuisine: Thai. Website: http://www.pujathai.com/
Bill: £32.50 for two. We had two early bird menus, a sweet and a bottle of house white.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Ali Murad, Wakefield Road, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Saturday 20 June 2009. Time of visit: 17:00. Cuisine: Indian. Website: n/a.
Bill: £13.98 for two three-course buffets.
Would I go back? Unlikely.
Tai Wu, Oxford Street, Manchester .
Date of visit: Sunday 14 June 2009. Time of visit: 00:15. Cuisine: Cantonese. Website: http://www.nhad.co.uk/nhad/TaiWu/
Bill: £22.50 for two. We had two bowls of noodles, a bottle of house white and a complementary pot of Chinese tea.
Would I go back? Yes.
Kingfisher, Denby Dale Road, Wakefield.
Date of visit: Friday 12 June 2009. Time of visit: 12:20. Cuisine: Fish & Chips. Website: http://www.kingfisherrestaurant.co.uk/
Bill: £19.20 for two. We had one regular haddock meal, one large haddock meal, two portions of mushy peas and a 500ml glass of lager.
Would I go back? Yes
Royal City, Old Wakefield Road, Huddersfield .
Date of visit: Sunday 7 June 2009. Time of visit: 17:15. Cuisine: Cantonese. Website: Qype review of Royal City
Bill: £39.50 for two. We had two '£8.50 all you can eat banquets', two bottles of house white and a bottle of Tiger.
Would I go back? Yes.
Carluccio's, Old Brompton Road, London.
Date of visit: Saturday 23 May 2009. Time of visit: 18:15. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.carluccios.com/
Bill: £23.50 for two and no service charge. We had a pasta dish, a risotto and a large glass of house white.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Fung Shing, Lisle Street, London.
Date of visit: Saturday 23 May 2009. Time of visit: 12:45. Cuisine: Chinese. Website: http://www.fungshing.co.uk/
Bill: £66 for two including the standard London 'discretionary' 12.5% service charge. We had two starters, two mains, a portion of special rice, a bottle of Tiger and a bottle of house white.
Would I go back? Definitely.
Latium, Berners Street, London.
Date of visit: Friday 22 May 2009. Time of visit: Noon. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.latiumrestaurant.com/
Bill: £72 for two including the standard London 'discretionary' 12.5% service charge. We had the £19.50 three-course lunch, a bottle of Sicilian red and two coffees.
Would I go back? Definitely.
Bengal Clipper, Shad Thames, London.
Date of visit: Thursday 21 May 2009. Time of visit: 18:15. Cuisine: Indian. Website: http://www.bengalclipper.co.uk/
Bill: £63.68 for two including the standard London 'optional' 12.5% service charge. We both had the £10 two-course menu. Additionally we had three poppadoms, a bowl of raita, a naan bread and two bottles of their house white.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Morrisons Supermarket, Penistone Road, Huddersfield .
Date of visit: Sunday 17 May 2009. Time of visit: 11:45. Cuisine: Cafe. Website: Morrisons Huddersfield
Bill: £4.29 for a sausage sandwich, a bacon sandwich and a small bottle of orange juice.
Would I go back? Yes.
L'Incontro, Grosvenor Street, Stalybridge.
Date of visit: Saturday 16 May 2009. Time of visit: 20:30. Cuisine: Italian. Website: Review of L'Incontro
Bill: £105 for four. We started with two portions of garlic pizza bread and a bowl of olives and we all had main courses, puddings, wine and liqueurs.
Would I go back? Possibly.
The Station Buffet, Platforms 4 and 8,The Railway Station, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Saturday 16 May 2009. Time of visit: 09:00. Cuisine: Cafe. Website: n/a
Bill: £5 for two bacon butties and two teas.
Would I go back? Definitely.
Zizzi, Exchange Square, Manchester.
Date of visit: Thursday 14 May 2009. Time of visit: 17:30. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.zizzi.co.uk/restaurants/63
Bill: £31.87 for two. We had two pizzas, a side salad, a large bottle of Peroni and a bottle of Valpolicella.
Would I go back? Possibly.
The Head of Steam, St Georges Square, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Wednesday 13 May 2009. Time of visit: 12:15. Cuisine: Pub food. Website: The Head of Steam
Bill: £15 for a filled giant Yorkshire pudding, a sandwich and two pints of Nelson.
Would I go back? Yes.
Kro Piccadilly, Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester.
Date of visit: Sunday 10 May 2009. Time of visit: 11:45. Cuisine: Danish. Website: Kro Piccadilly
Bill: £9.90 for two. We both had scrambled free range eggs, bacon and toast. Tap water to drink as they were unable to serve alcohol until noon.
Would I go back? Yes
Orlando's, Wakefield Road, Grange Moor, Wakefield.
Date of visit: Saturday 9 May 2009. Time of visit: 12:10. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.orlandosrestaurant.com/default.shtm
Bill: £64 for four. We all had the £8.50 two-course lunch plus three bottles of Moretti, a bottle of house red and three coffees.
Would I go back? Unlikely.
Nosh, Northgate, Almondbury, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Thursday 7 May 2009. Time of visit: 18:00. Cuisine: Modern British. Website: http://www.nosh-huddersfield.co.uk/
Bill: £50 for two 2-course midweek menus, a bottle of house red, a bottle of Strongbow and a glass of lemonade.
Would I go back? More than likely.
The Grey Horse, Halifax Road, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Thursday 30 April 2009. Time of visit: 19:30. Cuisine: Pub food. Website: http://www.thegreyhorseinn.co.uk/
Bill: £16 for two main courses but excluding drinks.
Would I go back? Probably.
Livebait, Lloyd Street, Manchester.
Date of visit: Wednesday 29 April 2009. Time of visit: 16:30. Cuisine: Seafood. Website: Livebait
Bill: £46.61 for two 2-course meals, a bottle of house white and two coffees.
Would I go back? Probably.
Seabirds, Tower Street, Flamborough.
Date of visit: Tuesday 28 April 2009. Time of visit: 18:00. Cuisine: British. Website: Dine Online Review of Seabirds
Bill: £74.45 for two two-course meals, two three-course meals, two bottles of Anjou Rose and a liqueur coffee.
Would I go back? Probably.
Inghams, Belle Vue Street, Filey.
Date of visit: Monday 27 April 2009. Time of visit: Noon. Cuisine: Fish & Chips. Website: Qype Review of Inghams
Bill: £42 for three regular fish and chip meals, one child's fish and chip meal, a bottle of house white, tea for three and bread and butter for four.
Would I go back? Yes.
Stresa, Trafford Road, Manchester.
Date of visit: Saturday 25 April 2009. Time of visit: 14:45. Cuisine: Italian. Website: Manchester Restaurants entry for Stresa
Bill: £48.80 for one two-course meal, one three-course meal and two bottles of Australian wine.
Would I go back? When hell freezes over.
Kebabeesh, Westgate, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Thursday 23 April 2009. Time of visit: 17:45. Cuisine: Indian. Website: Review of Kebabeesh
Kebabeesh has been going for a number of years now and has recently introduced a £7.50 buffet so we decided to give it a try, not having been for a while. As with most Indian buffets the starters were disappointing although the chicken pakoras were very good. The curries weren't bad but there weren't enough vegetable dishes for my liking.
Bill: £32 for two buffets and two bottles of house red.
Would I go back? Probably.
Harry Ramsden's, Throstles Green, Stretford, Manchester.
Date of visit: Wednesday 22 April 2009. Time of visit: 18:45. Cuisine: Fish & Chips. Website: http://www.harryramsdens.co.uk/
Our normal pre-match routine is to set off about four and a half hours before kick-off, park up in my normal spot in Stretford then get the Metrolink into the city centre for a meal. Unfortunately, today there was an accident on the M62 so a journey that normally takes about 50 minutes took more than two and a half hours. As a result we didn't have much time for dinner so decided to try the Harry Ramsdens next door to Old Trafford. Carol had haddock and I had cod; both meals were good although Carol reckoned that her fish had too much batter on it.
Bill: £20.58 for two regular fish and chip meals, a 50cl bottle of Black Sheep and a pot of tea for one.
Would I go back? Yes.
Pond Quay, The Lowry Designer Outlet, Salford Quays.
Date of visit: Saturday 18 April 2009. Time of visit: 12:20. Cuisine: Chinese. Website: http://www.pondquay.com/
There are a number of restaurants adjacent to the Lowry, the Pond Quay being the Chinese option. At lunch time they do a good value buffet that - unusually for a lunchtime buffet - includes aromatic crispy duck and an excellent selection of desserts.
Bill: £26.65 for two lunchtime buffets and a bottle of house rose.
Would I go back? Yes.
La Tasca, The Trafford Centre, Manchester.
Date of visit: Saturday 11 April 2009. Time of visit: 18:15. Cuisine: Spanish. Website: http://www.latasca.co.uk/
As A had a La Tasca voucher giving us 50% off the total food bill it made sense to take advantage of it in preference to the many other eating establishments at the Trafford Centre. Although the food was surprisingly good, the service was very poor. The appetisers were served at the same time as the tapas selections; this in itself was bad enough but was compounded by the small-sized tables, which meant that the staff had to bring us a stand to hold all the dishes. Furthernore, and this is becoming increasingly common, the wine wasn't properly chilled.
Bill: £54 for four. We had four starters, a bowl of olives, two baskets of bread, two chef's tapas selections for two, a glass of sangria, a cola, a small bottle of water and a bottle of house rose.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Ha Ha Bar & Grill, Spinningfields, Manchester.
Date of visit: Sunday 5 April 2009. Time of visit: 13:15. Cuisine: Modern British. Website: http://www.hahaonline.co.uk/
Ha Ha serves pretty good steaks, which taste even better with a £10 voucher. However, it was lacking in atmosphere and the staff ought to ensure that the place is properly cleaned from the previous evening.
Bill: £34 for two. We had two steaks, a bottle of French Cabernet Sauvignon and two coffees.
Would I go back? Yes
Wong Ting, Matilda Street, Sheffield.
Date of visit: Saturday 4 April 2009. Time of visit: 16:30. Cuisine: Chinese. Website: http://www.wongting.co.uk/
The Wong Ting is on the site of the long-established Golden Dragon. They do a £15 all-you-can-eat banquet that includes an aromatic crispy duck course. A very enjoyable meal, although Fozzy was somewhat over-faced.
Bill: £84 for three. We had three '£14.95 all you can eat banquets', three bottles of house red (two of which were the wine of the month on special offer), two bottles of Tsingtao and a pot of Chinese tea.
Would I go back? Yes
The Portland Bistro, Kirklees College, New North Road, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Tuesday 31 March 2009. Time of visit: Noon. Cuisine: Bistro. Website: http://www.huddcoll.ac.uk/servicestopublic/bistro.asp
At the Portland Bistro all the food is cooked by the students of Kirklees College and, accordingly, is very good value. The meals are always freshly-made and comprise hearty fare. You can even get a glass of wine with which to wash it down.
Bill: £12 for two. We had two main courses, one dessert and a 25cl bottle of house red.
Would I go back? Yes.
Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Spinningfields, Manchester.
Date of visit: Wednesday 25 March 2009. Time of visit: 18:00. Cuisine: Burgers. Website: http://www.gbkinfo.com/
As stated below, I wouldn't eat the fare served up by the two burger joints that bombard you with their offerings during every ad break on TV. However, Carol and I have eaten at many of the Hard Rocks around the world so thought it time to give GBK a try, all the more so as we again had a BOGOF voucher courtesy of MSE. The restaurant is a canteen-style environment decorated with themed photographs (former United players and former Berties manager Malcolm Allison; maybe they thought no-one would recognise the players!) and they employ a Nando's-style pay-at-the-counter operation; personally, I prefer an 'at table' service. But the burgers were very tasty and succulent and they managed to serve mine sans mayo and relish, as requested.
Bill: £22 for two. We had two cheeseburgers, a portion of fries and a bottle of house red.
Would I go back? Yes.
Strada, Spinningfields, Manchester.
Date of visit: Wednesday 25 March 2009. Time of visit: Noon. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.strada.co.uk/locations#43
Strada is yet another Italian chain but I get the distinct impression that they're pitching themselves more upmarket than the likes of Pizza Express and Zizzi; as well as the standard pizza and pasta dishes they do more expensive meat and fish dishes. We had another BOGOF voucher courtesy of MSE and they also do a cheap lunch menu but we opted to go a la carte and use the voucher. I had Risotto all’Aragosta e Gamberoni (lobster and tiger prawn risotto with garlic, chilli, white wine, thyme, broad beans and roasted Italian tomatoes) whilst Carol had a Parma pizza (slices of prosciutto, rocket, tomato and buffalo mozzarella finished with vine cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil). My risotto was delicious but rather pricey at £13.95; moreover, it was little more than a starter portion and I felt that they'd skimped on the lobster (I informed the waiter beforehand that we had BOGOF vouchers and wondered if this was a mistake; I get the impression - although it may only be my perception as Carol's pizza had a very generous topping of parma ham - that restaurants skimp on ingredients when customers have BOGOF vouchers and the like). However, it was enough for lunch and the service was decent.
Bill: £34 for two including a 'discretionary' 10% service charge. We had two main courses, a bottle of house red and two coffees.
Would I go back? Yes.
Saim's, Bradford Road, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Thursday 19 March 2009. Time of visit: 17:50. Cuisine: Halal Pakistani. Website: http://www.saims.co.uk
The last time we went to Saim's they were offering an excellent banquet at £8.99 a head but they no longer do it so we had to go a al carte. We shared a Chicken Tikka and a Garlic Chicken Tikka for starters, both of which were very succulent if a little overdone - the nature of the beast with tandoori dishes. However, they were pretty much indistinguishable. For main course I had Bindi Gosht (lamb with okra), Carol had Chicken Rogan Josh and we shared a pilau rice and a plain naan. Both main courses were very tasty and - not always the case here - served piping hot.
Bill: £32.50 for two. We had two courses, a bottle of Chilean Merlot and a bottle of Strongbow.
Would I go back? Probably.
Pizza Express, The Lowry Designer Outlet, Salford Quays.
Date of visit: Wednesday 18 March 2009. Time of visit: 16:10. Cuisine: Italian. Website: Pizza Express Salford Quays
I've lost count of the number of times I've eaten at Pizza Express. The pizzas are always reliable and not bad value, especially if you have a BOGOF voucher as we had today, courtesy of Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis. Carol had a La Reine (prosciutto cotto ham, olives and mushrooms) whilst I had a Four Seasons. For dessert Carol had her favourite - chocolate fudge cake - whilst I had the interesting-sounding and rather enjoyable Semi Freddo Reale (creamy gelato dessert made with nougat, praline and marsala wine, served with a shot of espresso on the side). Docked half a star for the casual service. Memo to waitress: when the chef shouts 'Service', take the food straight to the table rather than leaving it on the counter for four minutes whilst discussing inanities with your colleagues.
Bill: £26.55 for two. We had two pizzas, two large glasses of house Merlot and two desserts.
Would I go back? Yes.
Moja, St. Peters Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Saturday 14 March 2009. Time of visit: 17:30. Cuisine: Bengali. Website: http://www.mojarestaurant.co.uk
A really excellent meal at Moja tonight which cheered me up after the dreadful result against the 'Pool. I started with the Salmon Aloo Cutlet - curiously, this dish is listed under Vegetable Appetisers - whilst Carol had Mushroom Masala. For main course I had Keema Peas and Carol had Chicken Korma. We shared a Peas Pilau, two chapatis and one roti as accompaniments. We even had a dessert, excellent kulfi.
Bill: £27.40 for two. We had three courses but no poppadoms and took our own drinks.
Would I go back? Definitely.
Aagrah, Wakefield Road, Denby Dale, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Friday 13 March 2009. Time of visit: 18:00. Cuisine: Indian. Website: http://www.aagrah.com/denbydale.php
The Aagrah group is a long-established and reliable Yorkshire-based chain of Indian restaurants. For starters Carol had Chicken Tikka, Fozzy had Prawn Cocktail and I had Kashmiri Kebabs, all of which were excellent. For main course Carol had Murgh Makhani, Fozzy had Gobhi Gosht and I had King Prawn Biryani. Carol and Fozzy both enjoyed their main courses but my biryani overfaced me; it's a dish that is best shared between two people. But, all in all, a good meal and an enjoyable evening; it's always good to catch up with Fozzy and chew the fat.
Bill: £73 for three. We had two courses, two litres of their Georges Duboeuf house red, one coffee and two liqueur coffees.
Would I go back? Yes.
Argento Steakhouse, John William Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Thursday 12 March 2009. Time of visit: 17:40. Cuisine: Argentinian. Website: http://www.argentosteakhouse.com
As stated in my 2008 review of Argento, Carol and I have been regular patrons since it first opened, having been introduced to Argentinian steaks at the Ramada in Orlando Florida and in Amsterdam. The good news is that you can now order the early bird and not have to cook it yourself (hot rock) as the chef will do it for you, the only minor downside being that you only get one side (chips/potatoes or veg/salad as opposed to chips/potatoes and veg/salad if you go for the hot rock). Anyway, we allowed the chef to cook it for us and all I can say is that it was the most tender and succulent steak I've ever tasted. I often find steaks rather chewy and find that I'm soon overfaced but the sirloin tonight almost melted in the mouth, it was so tender and moist. Argento really is a top-notch restaurant; great food and friendly staff.
Bill: £46.30 for two. We had the two-course early bird, a Peruvian beer and a bottle of their French house rose.
Would I go back? Definitely.
Dough Pizza Kitchen, High Street, Manchester.
Date of visit: Wednesday 11 March 2009. Time of visit: 17:15. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.doughpizzakitchen.co.uk
The service at Dough was pretty good but the food was very much a disappointment, the main problem being the pizza bases which are very 'bready' if you get my drift and nothing like the bases we're used to at Pizza Express and 'indy' pizzerias up and down the country and, indeed, around the world. And whilst I think of it, the best pizzas I've had for years were in the casual Lido restaurant on Queen Vic last year, so good were they that for four days running we eschewed lunch in the 'proper' restaurant for pizzas in the Lido.
Bill: £24.85 for two. We had two pizzas, one large and one small glass of house rose and one dessert.
Would I go back? No.
Noor, Leeds Road, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Sunday 8 March 2009. Time of visit: 17:45. Cuisine: Kashmiri. Website: n/a.
The buffet at Noor is normally available Mondays and Wednesdays only but it was on tonight and for the special March price of £5 a head rather than the normal £6.95. For starters there were chicken wings, onion bhajis and salad. Main courses were chicken dopiaza, lamb bhuna, Bombay aloo, chana masalla, pilau rice and naan bread. For £5 it wasn't bad and at least it was served hot unlike some buffets I've had. However, as stated in my last review, my main complaint about Noor is that it's shabby - tonight the gents toilets were out of service - and lacking in atmosphere although it didn't help that we chose to sit in a draught by the window.
Bill: £18.50 for two. We had two buffets and a bottle of house red.
Would I go back? Possibly.
Bombay Palace, Connaught Street, London.
Date of visit: Sunday 1 March 2009. Time of visit: 19:15. Cuisine: Indian. Website: http://www.bombay-palace.co.uk
I had high hopes for the Bombay Palace considering that Harden's rates it as London's third best Indian restaurant in the under £45 a head category. Unfortunately, it was over-priced and average. There was also a distinct lack of atmosphere although that may well have been because it was a very quiet Sunday evening.
Bill: £84 for two including a hefty and - according to the menu - 'mandatory' 15% service charge. We had three main courses, a plain naan, a bottle of their house red, two glasses of Grand Marnier and two coffees.
Would I go back? No.
Galvin Bistro de Luxe, Baker Street, London.
Date of visit: Saturday 28 February 2009. Time of visit: 18:00. Cuisine: French. Website: Galvin Bistrot de Luxe
We went to Galvin Bistro de Luxe on Harden's recommendation and were not disappointed. They do an early-bird three-course menu which at £17.50 is an absolute bargain, especially so for a Saturday evening in London. Excellent food, attentive service without in any way being stuffy, all in all a special dining experience. My only minor complaint was that there was hardly a gap between starter and main course.
Bill: £81 for two including a 'discretionary' 12.5% service charge. We had the bargain £17.50 three-course menu prix fixe, two glasses of Ricard, a bottle of Evian water, a bottle of their house white and two coffees.
Would I go back? Definitely.
Bibendum Oyster Bar, Fulham Road, London.
Date of visit: Saturday 28 February 2009. Time of visit: Noon. Cuisine: Seafood. Website: http://www.bibendum.co.uk/oyster-bar/index.html
Review coming soon.
Bill: £65 for two including a 'discretionary' 12.5% service charge. We had nine oysters, a crab salad, a bottle of house white and two coffees.
Would I go back? Definitely.
Phoenix Palace, Glentworth Street, London.
Date of visit: Friday 27 February 2009. Time of visit: 18:00. Cuisine: Chinese. Website: http://www.phoenixpalace.uk.com
Review coming soon.
Bill: £76 for two including a 'discretionary' 12.5% service charge. We had a dim sum basket, two main courses accompanied by special fried rice and two bottles of house white.
Would I go back? Yes, but it's unlikely given the vast choice of eating places in London and our relatively infrequent visits to the capital.
Da Sandro, Halifax Road, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Thursday 26 February 2009. Time of visit: 20:30. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.dasandro.co.uk
Review coming soon.
Bill: £122 for four. We had two 'bread' starters between four, four main courses and side dishes, two desserts, a bottle of house white, half a bottle of Gavi di Gavi, a sambuca and four cappuccinos.
Would I go back? More than likely.
Loch Fyne, City Square, Leeds.
Date of visit: Tuesday 24 February 2009. Time of visit: 17:00. Cuisine: Seafood. Website: Loch Fyne Leeds
Review coming soon.
Bill: £38 for two. We had the £12 two-courses plus wine deal and a bottle of their house special chardonnay.
Would I go back? Definitely.
Gurkha Thali, Half Moon Street, Huddersfield.Date of visit: Sunday 22 February 2009. Time of visit: 13:00. Cuisine: Nepalese. Website: http://www.gurkhathali.com
Review coming soon.
Bill: £67 for three. The meal consisted of one starter and four main courses, two fried rice with vegetables, two naan bread, three bottles of house wine and complimentary poppadoms and pickle tray.
Would I go back? Yes, but no way would I pay a la carte prices at lunchtime again, all the more so as we were their only patrons throughout the lunch sitting.
San Rocco, South King Street, Manchester.
Date of visit: Saturday 21 February 2009. Time of visit: 14:00. Cuisine: Italian. Website: http://www.sanrocco.co.uk/manchester.htm
Review coming soon.
Bill: £38.40 for two. We had the £10.95 three-course lunch plus a litre of their house red and coffee.
Would I go back? Definitely.
ShangThai, King Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Friday 20 February 2009. Time of visit: 17:30. Cuisine: Cantonese / Thai. Website: http://www.shangthai.com
Review coming soon.
Bill: £41 for two. We had the £30 credit crunch meal for two plus an (additional) bottle of their house dry white.
Would I go back? Probably.
Moja, St. Peters Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Saturday 14 February 2009. Time of visit: 17:40. Cuisine: Bengali. Website: http://www.mojarestaurant.co.uk
Review coming soon.
Bill: £30.80 for two. We had three courses but no poppadoms and took our own drinks.
Would I go back? Yes.
Chilli Lounge, John William Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Thursday 12 February 2009. Time of visit: 18:00. Cuisine: Indian / Bangladeshi. Website: http://www.chilli-lounge.co.uk
Review coming soon.
Bill: £27 for two. We both had the £8.95 buffet and shared a litre bottle of their Italian house red.
Would I go back? Yes.
Ciao Bella, St Georges Square, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Saturday 7 February 2009. Time of visit: 12:45. Cuisine: Mediterranean. Website: Ciao Bella restaurant review
This is another restaurant that has changed hands a few times over the years; first it was Tifosi (Italian) then Mas (Spanish tapas) then On The Square (modern British), the latter two ventures being quite short-lived. It now serves Mediterranean food and, although I don't rate it as highly as the Examiner did, it's not bad. The lunch menu consists of a number of differently priced main courses; Carol opted for tagliatelle in a creamy bolognese sauce with ham and peas whilst I had a ham and mushroom pizza. Whilst both dishes were enjoyable I noticed that the ham in both was tinned which was disappointing although I do realise that most restaurants tend to skimp somewhat on their lunch and early-bird menus. After all, they do need to make a profit; I've noticed so many short-lived ventures over the years - not just the afore-mentioned Mas and On The Square - that it's obvious that opening a new restaurant is a risky business. To be a long-standing success like Bradley's it's vital that you get the formula right and understand what your customers want.
Bill: £24 for two. The meal consisted of two main courses from the lunch menu, a Greek salad side dish and a litre of their Italian house red.
Would I go back? Probably.
Gurkha Thali, Half Moon Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Thursday 5 February 2009. Time of visit: 17:40. Cuisine: Nepalese. Website: http://www.gurkhathali.com
We still had some of the vouchers left that the manager gave us on an earlier visit so I thought I'd chance my arm with the free bottle of house wine offer again. He raised his eyebrows a little but allowed us to use it; in actual fact we were only saving £3 or so - or nothing at all had we gone for the £10 king prawn dishes - as they do 'buy one get one free' on main courses before 19:00. For starters we shared Alu Dum (boiled potatoes mixed with sesame seeds and lemon and lightly fried) and MoMo (Nepalese style lamb dumplings served with typical Nepalese chutney); unfortunately both dishes were too spicy for Carol even though we'd had the MoMo before and she'd enjoyed it. For main course Carol had the Chicken Alu (chicken and potatoes cooked in garlic, ginger, tomatoes, coriander and Nepalese spices) and I had Teli See (belly pork pieces cooked in Nepalese spices and herbs). We also shared Bhuteko Bhat (fried rice with vegetables and eggs) and a plain naan. Again, Carol's dish was too spicy and seemed to contain more potatoes than chicken; I wondered if they'd skimped on the chicken to compensate for our 'free' bottle of wine. I didn't choose particularly well, either; the belly pork was too dry and nothing like the succulent version I've had in Manchester's Chinatown. That said, I quite enjoyed my meal overall and the price was right so we'll continue to give them our support as they're doing a lot of things right.
Bill: £32.55 for two. The meal consisted of two starters and two main courses, rice, naan bread, two bottles of house wine and complimentary poppadoms and pickle tray.
Would I go back? More than likely.
Balooshai Central, Viaduct Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Wednesday 28 January 2009. Time of visit: 18:00. Cuisine: Indian. Website: Balooshai restaurant review
We've been enjoying the £10 'brownie' two course deal at Balooshai for a number of years now; my only complaints are that the 'brownie' menu doesn't include any vegetable main courses and the open-plan layout of the kitchens means that your clothes often smell when leaving. For starters Carol had chicken tikka salsa on puri and I had seekh kebabs; the kebabs were very good although too spicy for Carol and slightly overdone although I realise that, with tandoori / charcoal dishes, it's very often the nature of the beast. For main course Carol had her default pistachio chicken korma and I had chicken and mushroom methi accompanied by pilau rice and a plain naan to share.
Bill: £38 for two. We both had the £10 'brownie' plus poppadums and two bottles of their house red which they curiously market as bin ends; the first bottle is only £6.50 when taken in conjunction with two 'brownies'.
Would I go back? Yes.
Dilli, Stamford New Road, Altrincham, Cheshire.
Date of visit: Sunday 11 January 2009. Time of visit: 12:20. Cuisine: Ayurvedic Indian. Website: http://www.dilli.co.uk
This was our third visit to Dilli; the two previous visits were Saturday lunchtimes when they do an excellent two course working lunch including coffee at £7.95 a head. On a Sunday they do a buffet for the same price. We didn't enquire about the working lunch menu but a vegetarian Asian couple came in and asked for the a la carte menu which they were given but only after the waiter had checked with his boss and, even then, I got the impression that it was under sufferance. The buffet consisted of excellent poppadums with pickles and crudites, a disappointing starter of vegetable pakoras, a chicken curry and three or four vegetarian dishes, boiled rice and freshly-made naan bread. Even though the waiter explained that all bar one of the dishes were medium strength - 'to cater for all palates' - they were all too hot for Carol but I enjoyed mine. The service was very poor; they didn't once ask us if we were enjoying it nor did they offer us extra naan bread. The four stars are based on the working lunch; today was a three at best.
Bill: £37.07 for two which included an 'optional' service charge of £3.37; for a buffet, I thought this was a bit cheeky as you're effectively serving yourself. We had the £7.95 buffet, a small bottle of Cobra, a bottle of house red and two coffees.
Would I go back? Yes, but I wouldn't have the buffet again.
KFC, Leeds Road, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Tuesday 6 January 2009. Time of visit: 17:20. Cuisine: Fast food. Website: http://www.kfc.co.uk
If Nando's is my favourite chain restaurant then KFC is my favourite fast food joint or - to be more accurate - the only fast food joint I'd ever eat in (although that's possibly a bit harsh on Subway as I've never tried one of their subs; then again, I've never had a burger from either of the two well-known plastic burger chains but I'd still never set foot in their places other than for a coffee or an OJ). Tonight we had one of KFC's bogof vouchers for two pieces of 'Original Recipe Chicken' and large fries i.e. buy said meal and get the same again free so we decided - not for the first time - to take advantage, calling in on the way home from work. I like KFC, you know what you're getting and it's tasty although I doubt that it's healthy!
Bill: A bargain £4.78 for four pieces, two large fries and a small bottle of Tropicana orange juice.
Would I go back? More than likely.
ShangThai, King Street, Huddersfield.
Date of visit: Saturday 3 January 2009. Time of visit: 18:10. Cuisine: Cantonese / Thai. Website: http://www.shangthai.com
Carol and I have been regular patrons of ShangThai since the days when it was ChinoThai. We arrived this evening just too late for the early bird - they only offer it between five and six on Saturdays - so had to go a la carte. For starters we shared salt and pepper chicken wings and prawn toasts, both of which were quite good; not the best I've ever had but far from the worst. Carol then had king prawn with mixed vegetables in oyster sauce accompanied by egg fried rice whilst I had mixed meat chow mein. As with the starters, both main courses were good although they ought to supply plate warmers to keep the dishes hot; lately, I've found that plate warmers are becoming increasingly rare in Chinese restaurants. ShangThai isn't bad but there's something about it that I can't put my finger on that isn't quite right; maybe it's the pretentious garnishes in the form of flowers that accompany the starters, maybe it's the Zen cocktail bar downstairs that always seems to be empty although I'd imagine it gets busy later on. Docked one star for the toilets. Back in March I'd noticed that the lock on the door of the only trap in the gents was broken. It was still broken tonight and, morever, the seat was on the floor; good job I didn't need to use it! I put it down to the pond life who frequent the Zen bar; the staff have probably got fed up having to make repairs every Saturday and Sunday morning and just don't bother any more. That said, it's a definite black mark against the place; you expect clean toilets in good working order at any half-decent restaurant.
Bill: £55 for two. We had two courses and two bottles of their very quaffable house dry white.
Would I go back? Probably, but only for the set lunch or early bird.