The Mock Turtle

I thought we could have an ongoing restaurant thread- maybe link to the website, say if you liked it or not? Could be anything from 3 Michelin stars to your local Frankie & bennys (I know there are so many F&B fans here )

I went down to Wapping Wharf in Bristol last night with my friend and we were hoping to eat at Cargo Cantina, but it was rammed so we went to Root http://www.eatdrinkbristolfashion.co.uk/root and it turned out to be opening night! Its part of the Eat Drink Bristol Fashion group and they had a chicken based place here before. Now its a vegetable-centric (though not exclusively veggie) place. We really liked it, I'd definitely recommend it.

I ended up in the M Grill on Tuesday (Victoria, London). I'd been before with some Turtles for weekend brunch and we were so-so about it but it was much better for dinner - lots more atmosphere in the very beautiful dining room as it was far more buzzy and excellent steak and sides. Ridiculously expensive mind, but it was a bit of an occasion (friends not seen for 5+ years).

I suspect I will be contributing a fair amount to this thread if it takes off

Me too. I love eating out, hands down its my favourite thing to do.

M Grill has a very swish website. The interior looks beautiful, I'm often disappointed by the interior of places that are reasonably expensive eateries.

We went to a local Argentinean steak place last night (http://www.cabreralondon.co.uk/) where I've been meaning to go for ages, and had a sharing platter of fillet, rib eye and sirloin with chimichurri, fries, spinach and mushrooms, and a bottle of Malbec, and it was lovely.

I think the last place I ate at before that was Gaucho in Leeds, which was pretty much exactly the same, down to the Malbec.

That looks nice, smal.

Last Saturday we went to Pollen Street Social for lunch, and it was technically very nice, but somehow atmospherically lacking in a way I can't put my finger on exactly. They were a bit too keen on giving the wine list to the man, and that sort of thing.

The night before that we went to Pizza East Shoreditch. Nice food (especially the burrata), interesting surroundings (concrete), utterly charmless young staff (you know the ones who act as though there's a national plate shortage ?) Franco Manca does it better at half the price.

We went to Cau last weekend because I had a craving for steak and onion rings . The food was good enough but the atmosphere and comfort of the restaurant was awful and the cocktails were undrinkably bad.

That's good to know to avoid, Ella. I went to PSS a couple of years ago and it was decent but I wouldn't rush back.

I'm currently trying to persuade some family members to go to Lima Floral when we're doing a trip to Covent Garden in the autumn, as I've been before and it's very close, good value and great food. My mum is currently moaning that she doesn't know what Peruvian food is. Well, go there and find out!

We've just been to Bella Italia, good food but the branch seemed understaffed.

I also had lunch at Waddesden Manor (national trust place) and had the opposite experience. Low expectations but the food was really good and the waiting staff were lovely.

So many places do those big cafes badly, including my local NT which is never better than below average and feels a bit unhygienic.

I thought of you, Ella, and the other TMT veggies, in Root. It was really refreshing that they'd turned the normal balance of veg/meat around. It was really delicious and light.

Squizz, I've been to Cau in bristol a couple of times and can't decide what I think of it. The food was good in part (although my friend, same friend, we eat out a lot) had a really bad dessert. I kind of like that they've done something other than some variation on the eclectic vintage look every restaurant and its mum have at the moment, but find it SO stark. It's odd.

That looks right up my street Goat

My last memorable meal out was Las Iguanas in Blackpool. I actually really like the food there.

I am going here on Saturday for lunch. http://thespottedcalf.thespottedcowholbrook.co.uk/ It's all down to my sister, really. I don't want any trackbacks though.

smalex wrote: find it SO stark. It's odd.

Yes stark is a good description. It felt a bit like we were sitting in a corridor, the loos were miles away downstairs, the poor waiting staff had to bring all the food up the same stairs and it was freezing. I think it's a missed opportunity and a bit of a shame.

I don't really eat puddings but I had a scoop of lemon sorbet which was lovely, I always have sorbet when it's on the menu.

I had a meal in Las Iguanas the Christmas before last and was really impressed with it.

I hope your sister's pub is going well, Pip! They certainly got some good free promotion the other day.

They've had people coming from miles away, hopefully it will be repeat business. Apparently the cafe serves pear & elderflower sorbet, so that's on my radar.

Pippedydeadeye wrote:the cafe serves pear & elderflower sorbet, so that's on my radar.

Well HELLO

I had some the other week at Calke (it's from a really good local dairy/ice cream farm) and it was lovely, but slightly too melty to be properly sure on it.

That sounds really good.

Last place I went to was a pub called The Smokin Fox in Glasgow city centre http://www.smokinfox.co.uk/#menus

Food was good although there wasn't a huge range and it is basically (nice) pub grub.

Squirrel wrote:

Pippedydeadeye wrote:the cafe serves pear & elderflower sorbet, so that's on my radar.

Well HELLO

X2(00). I love, love, love pear sorbet.