What are you eating and drinking tonight?

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Missus has departed for the weekend. Before she left I was provided with a pristine uncooked (apart from the mince, and the mash) shepherd's pie - or what some people call a cottage pie as it's not lamb. It's got all the subtle extras: Grated cheese on top (mixture of Red Leicester and well hung Cheddar), baked beans in with the mince and onions, proper Jersey butter for the mash. And tonight is its third outing, twice baked before the mash topping should be like well seasoned tarmac, firm crispy, but degenerating; and the mince, onions and beans should be merging like the Borg into something new and dangerous.
That, or it'll be well burnt shit.
We'll see in twenty minutes...

[Bruce Rioja]

Any of you eaten at The Freemasons at Wiswell? Bezzy and his Mrs went for lunch today - he's just been on, raving about the place.

Looks like a very decent do to me. http://www.freemasonsatwiswell.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh, and have any of you eaten at Cardamom Cream in Rammy?

[General Mannerheim]

done the latter. is good, nothing special. still prefer India Gate.

Levanter is place to go in Rammy these days - if you can get a table!

[William the White]

done the latter. is good, nothing special. still prefer India Gate.

Levanter is place to go in Rammy these days - if you can get a table!

Yep Levanter is excellent.

[Bruce Rioja]

done the latter. is good, nothing special. still prefer India Gate.

Levanter is place to go in Rammy these days - if you can get a table!

Yep Levanter is excellent.

A turn my back for a moment only to be told that we've been booked into Owens (Where the Buddah Lounge used to be).

Anyone?

The decision was taken against Levanter because they won't let us book despite there being 8 of us.

[General Mannerheim]

I've been in the daytime for a full angletere. Not sure what it's like of an evening...

[General Mannerheim]

There is also the Venetian Hideaway which is quite popular... Although when I went it was sat night and the bar crowd spilled into the eating area so there were folk stood by your table supping and gassing at boozer decibel levels while you're trying to eat yer farcita!

[William the White]

done the latter. is good, nothing special. still prefer India Gate.

Levanter is place to go in Rammy these days - if you can get a table!

Yep Levanter is excellent.

A turn my back for a moment only to be told that we've been booked into Owens (Where the Buddah Lounge used to be).

Anyone?

The decision was taken against Levanter because they won't let us book despite there being 8 of us.

It's tiny - and in any case not good for a larger party.

No one can book.

[Bruce Rioja]

done the latter. is good, nothing special. still prefer India Gate.

Levanter is place to go in Rammy these days - if you can get a table!

Yep Levanter is excellent.

A turn my back for a moment only to be told that we've been booked into Owens (Where the Buddah Lounge used to be).

Anyone?

The decision was taken against Levanter because they won't let us book despite there being 8 of us.

It's tiny - and in any case not good for a larger party.

No one can book.

So's the (quite superb) Spice Garden, and they do.

I've looked at the online menu at Owens and I have to say that I'm far from inspired. We'll see.

I fancied Venetian Hideaway, General, but if that's how it pans out then it's perhaps best avoided. I'd end up in, at the very least, an argument.
I did once go there when it was Ramsons - the bloke that owned it, though perfectly well-meaning, was the epitome of a fecking nuisance. Picture the scene, you're trying to catch up with a couple of mates over a nosebag and a few bottles of booze. He pitches up at the end of the table "Everything ok with the food, gents?" "Yes, lovely thanks". "Oh, I am glad. The turmeric in that particular dish I had especially flown in from Maharashtra, and do you know what?" "Mate, I couldn't care less if you've sprinkled some shit in it, now feck off".

[thebish]

I just had a coupon in the post for a company called Gousto - one of those new fangled companies where they do all the shopping for your selected menu and deliver it all packaged up with recipe cards - or summat..

anyway - their advertising tag line is...

Cook instagram-worthy meals from the comfort of home with Gousto.

what the feckity-feck???

since when did the measure of a meal become instagram????

[Lord Kangana]

Since when did the measure of everything become instagram?

[Bruce Rioja]

Since when did the measure of everything become instagram?

More a Pinterest man missen.

[William the White]

So tonight was a fish tagine.

Hake marinaded in chermoula for a couple of hours.

Then in the tagine with potatoes, garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, peppers, tomatoes, olives and 80ml of water.

Bubble for about 30 mins.

Fantastic way to defy early autumn chill...

The wine was Albarino. would have been fine with a light-medium red as well.

[Little Green Man]

one of those new fangled companies

That'll be one of those here today, gone tomorrow companies then. Not worth worrying about, I'd suggest.

While I'm here, since when did it become irritatingly fashionable to start every explanation with the word 'So'? It's almost becoming something to worry about...

[thebish]

Indeed! Even william is doing it these days!

[Worthy4England]

I think it all started with a needle pulling some thread...been around for a while iirc.

[Bruce Rioja]

one of those new fangled companies

That'll be one of those here today, gone tomorrow companies then. Not worth worrying about, I'd suggest.

While I'm here, since when did it become irritatingly fashionable to start every explanation with the word 'So'? It's almost becoming something to worry about...

I start every presentation that I ever give with the word "So". Have done for many years. So, your answer is - many years.

[bobo the clown]

^^ So what ?

[Bruce Rioja]

^^ So what ?

So shall my anticipation prevent your discovery.

[Bruce Rioja]

It's now the start of 'visitor season' at work, so way too much eating out commenced last night. We were up at The Fence Gate - I really like it up there.

To start: Pea, mint & pesto risotto, aged parmesan shavings.
Main: Butter poached hake, fennel & onion bhaji, bombay potatoes, curried butter sauce.
To finish: Roquefort cheese & poached pear, candied walnuts, charcoal thins & Swedish crispbread.

Drinks through the evening: A pint of Directors, a G&T, two glasses of Pinot Noir and Port with the cheese.

All of it absolutely bang on.