The Pryordurkins

Posts Tagged ‘beer’

It was spring-like and after a short stroll through the grounds of RHS Harlow Carr we headed off into Harrogate to explore and find a little bistro for lunch. We eventually came across Van Zeller Restaurant on Montpellier Street, a little restaurant that we liked the look of, even though we could not clearly read the menu since the window was steamed up. As it turned out, this place had only officially been open since Fri 13th Feb 09. The owner and chef is Tom van Zeller and according to the advertising is the only chef in Harrogate to have been awarded 2AA rosettes, whilst head chef at the Hotel du Vin, Harrogate. With backing from David Moore (one of the inspectors from BBC2’s The Restaurant) Van Zeller’s is aiming to be the premier dining destination in and around Harrogate.

It had just gone 2.15pm  but the chef was still prepared to accept two more covers. The restaurant is on the small side, which makes listening to fellow diners extremely easy, but was smart and stylish. One table was screened off from the till, and when the couple seated at this table were being served one person was served and then the waiter would run around the screen and the till and then serve the other half of the table. They did make the comment that they felt hemmed in. This place is certainly bijou. We were readily seated, our coats taken, and were glad to note the linen napkins. Two menu options were available, the ‘Du Jour’ which consisted of two courses and a free glass of wine, for the bargain price of £14.95, and the A La Carte menu. We both opted for the A La Carte menu. Michael opted for the game terrine and then the lamb confit with leeks and potatoes, I opted for the salmon balotine to be followed by the lamb too.A little sliver of butter (that was sitting in a little puddle of water) was put on the table but we were half way through the starters before we eventually managed to ask whether we could have some bread to go with the butter. Additionally,  whilst we were told about the free wine, the front of house weren’t so keen in promoting the drinks that we had to pay for and we had to ask for a drinks menu. The drinks menus were given to Michael to browse and one menu promptly dropped one of the fastenings into his terrine. Instead of replacing the starter (or at least removing the fastening in the kitchen) Michael was asked to pick the fastening out of the terrine and hand it over! Michael chose a glass of Shiraz that he said was very nice but looking at the bill when we got home we were charged for 2 Erdinger beers instead (another loss in profit). Michael thought the terrine was ok but had tasted better recently, and the centre of my salmon balotine had ice crystals in it. Not the best of starts. The mains were acceptable but not overly outstanding. Being a cheesecake aficionado, Michael ordered the rhubarb and lime cheesecake but said the two flavours clashed, I opted for the apple tarte tatin but the caramel had been burnt and left a bitter aftertaste. Two double espressos were ordered but they did not come with any cantucci or the like and I could still taste the burnt caramel even after the coffee but I could not find any mint imperials.

Whilst Van Zeller’s is hoping to become the premier dining destination in and around Harrogate,  the front of house need to pull their socks up, they weren’t even half full, and more attention needs to be paid to the food being served ie not to send out frozen or burnt food. Whilst we wish a new business to succeed we don’t feel that Van Zeller’s has yet achieved the standards that they are clearly hoping to attain. The chef Tom Van Zeller did apologise for the frozen salmon though.

Pryordurkin rating: 3 stars.  (We will go back though to see if our experience was just early opening snags)

Telephone 01423 508762

Tuesday gone had me dining with a colleague at the Royal Tandoori Restaurant, part of the Royal County Hotel on Duke Street in Reading.  From the outside window looking in, it didn’t particularly appeal; what with the plastic table covers and paper napkins, but at around 8pm with the snow falling at the treacherous street underneath, anything would have done.

We were shown to a window table and after a little wait were offered up drinks and popadoms while we looked through the menu.  After a little while our order was taken and I went for the Onion Bhaji starter with a Chicken Dhansak main.   The food itself was good, although the quantity was a little on the mean side.  Accompanied by a Cobra beer it was a welcoming warming meal.

The restaurant itself also serves as the breakfast room for the hotel, which explained its sheer size.  Not a great place for a romantic meal I guess, but one that probably undertakes several functions.  The service was efficient and friendly and all in all, we were happy with the meal just completed.

The total bill came to just over £41 for two people including drinks which was reasonable value indeed for the meal just had.

Pryordurkin rating. 3 stars.

We went along to the Grand Opera House in York on Saturday gone, for the first time since moving here in 2007.  We had booked into see the Huge Party Band play to a capacity crowd.  We arrived at around 7pm and made our way to the Dress Circle bar, where a young guy was serving customers from behind a small counter.  The small number of available seats were all taken by this point so having got our drinks which were very reasonably priced, we stood around a while taking in the decor.  It is probably fair to say, the Dress Circle bar has seen better days.  The wallpaper was peeling in places and down one side of the wall a very large crack run from top to bottom.  This was the cause of much merriment especially when Paul said he was pleased we didn’t have seats in the stalls.  Around the walls were posters for upcoming events ranging from Opera to tribute bands.

7.30pm was approaching so we made our way into the auditorium for the show.  The main theatre has classic styling with a range of private boxes either side but again it is probably long overdue a face lift.  Even a fresh lick of paint would have helped.  We were seated in the Grand Circle which as well as having row upon row of seats, had wooden lean too barriers between each row.  This was certainly useful when during the show we were required to stand on our feet, mainly by our fellow customers, but the wooden panels did feel a little like a football terrace as well.  Throughout the show, people kept going to the bar, bringing back many a tray full of beer.  We’d never really seen this in a theatre before, so it was quite novel.

Anyway, the evening ended early for us and we can now say, we have visited the other main theatre in York.  You can read what we think about the Huge Party Band here, but for the Grand Opera House itself, we give it a Pryordurkin rating of 2 stars.

I name this ship Priscilla

Our favourite Australian, emailed the other day and asked what colour my new car was.  Quite rightly when you think about it, the first question people will ask is “What colour is it?”.  So after the formal naming ceremony (which was no more formal than when Paul and I agreed to ‘marry’ over a pint of beer in a plastic beaker and a Marks and Spencer Pork Pie sat alongside the River Cam), here she is in all her glory.  Titanium Silver; chosen because it is less likely to look dirty and it will reduce the number of times I have to clean it (from zero to zero, some might say).  Her first outing was a 500 mile trip from York to Reading and back last week and I am delighted to report (like most men – which again will come as a surprise to some) that she got an average of 52 mpg!  I’ve now mastered all the switches on this little automatic number (my knees are not what they used to be) and once I’d past the 300 mile ‘run in period’ even managed to put her in Sport mode for the odd occasion

So in similar words to any respecting queen, long live those who cruise in her.  Assuming the field mice don’t get there first!

With two colleagues I decided to have a spot of Lunch at The Gourmet Pizza Company at Gabriels Wharf.  We arrived at around 1pm and the place was busy with local business people, tourists and children alike.  The restaurant is a large wooden hut affair with outside heating and a covered deck area which proved to be a good idea because the temperatures certainly dropped today.  We had a little wait while a table came free and eventually sat down to beautiful paper napkins.  We ordered up our food.  I went for the chicken and spinach pizza and a bottle of sparkling water.  The water was served up in a peroni beer glass and there was no offer of ice.  The pizza was served up freshly cooked but the base was very hard indeed. I can’t be sure as I could not see the kitchen from where I sat, but I would guess that the bases are ready made.  It was pleasant enough, but nothing special.  More designed for the tourists who are unlikely to return as opposed to the people who work locally.

The service was quick and friendly though and we were generally happy with out lot. For the three of us the total cost was £36.

Pryordurkin rating. 2 Stars.

tel: 02079283188

With four friends we found ourselves eating out at the Zinc Bar and Grill in Manchester on Saturday evening.  Situated in a strange place called Hanging Ditch within The Triangle, the place was busy when we arrived.  At first we were told they had no space for the six of us, but on checking whether we could book a table for later, they suddenly found one free.  We climbed the small number of stairs from the bar up to the restaurant level and sat down amongst many other free tables! At first the waiter was a little icy, but warmed as the night wore on.  We ordered up our drinks first, selecting a range of beers, soft drinks and a couple of bottles of wine, all reasonably priced.  I was pleased to note linen table napkins and nicely polished glasses on the table, so all looked well. 

We ordered up our food.  I went for the roasted red pepper and tomato soup (£4.60) as a starter and the char-grilled rib eye steak (£15.50) for my main, while Paul went for the Thai prawn cakes starter (£6.15) and the Thai green curry main (£13.50)  Our friends went for a number of other dishes including Fish and Chips (£12.95) and roast lamb (£16.95)

The starters were all served up reasonably quickly except for mine.  Everyone waited a little while for mine to arrive before starting to eat, but in the end Paul had to remind the waiter we were still waiting for a starter to arrive.  They apologised and it then soon arrived (fresh from the microwave no doubt).  There were mixed views around the table as to the quality of the starters.  My soup for example for lifeless and needed a good deal of seasoning to spice it up.  Paul’s Thai prawn fish cakes were rubbery and could have been successfully bounced off the floor.

Having cleared our plates, the mains quickly followed.  This time, all arriving without the need to prompt!  My char-grilled steak was excellent.  Well cooked, seasoned and flavoursome.  I’m told the Fish and Chips were very good as well (although a few more chips would have been welcome).  The Thai green curry though was a bit of a disappointment around the table.  There was no traditional Thai heat and the addition of grated coconut left Paul puzzled. 

As for the restaurant, the toilets were down some stairs, a left turn, a right turn, down some more stairs and then along a corridor.  Not good for anyone disabled or in a hurry, but generally clean.

All in all, a trendy place to hang out with friends with food served up at reasonable prices.  The service was fine in the end and we paid the bill that included a 10% service charged automatically added.  The average being £30 pp which was good for a two course meal with drinks.

Pryordurkin rating. 3 Stars.

T: 0161 827 4201

Arranging to catch up with some friends in London, I found myself entering this old, dark, wooden framed pub on Fleet Street in London.  Ye Old Cheshire Cheese first opened in 1637 and as I entered the small bar to the right of the main entrance on the ground floor I immediately noticed the wood shavings on the floor, the Samuel Smith bitters and lagers being served up to eager customers and the ‘almost gas lit’ atmosphere.  It was great.  I could imagine many an old hack from the newspaper publishers that used to line Fleet Street, spending many an hour in this place and like the group I was with tonight, having a very enjoyable time as a result.  The place is made up of cellars where you descend many a steep stairway to find yourself in wood panelled bars or cavernous cellars.  A very popular place judging by the number of people there last night and certainly very mixed.  A fantastic atmosphere developed as a result.

To match the traditional pub atmosphere that came naturally in a building that has stood for nearly four centuries we were pleased to discover the price of the bitters and lagers was actually very low for London.  Most pints of beer were sold circa £2.00, which was a real bargain.

If you get a chance, give it a try, you won’t be disappointed by this London gem.

Pryordurkin rating. 4 Stars.  Last visited: 16th December 2008.

With two colleagues I dined at a small Italian restaurant off Charlotte Street in London, called Da Paolo. We arrived at 8pm to be seated in the corner of this small and cosy eatery by an efficient but cold waitress.  The place can cater for 30 covers on the ground floor, with washrooms being located down some stairs in the basement. Probably difficult for disabled customers to use.  The decor was nicely authentic and felt warm and comfortable only to be let down by the frosty ice witch who served us, which was a shame, because the food was faultless.  Well cooked, excellent taste and really good value Italian food presented as it should be.  Fresh and well seasoned.  I went for Sautéed Mushrooms, Bacon, Spring Onions and Garlic on Freshly Toasted Bread for my starter (£4.95) and a Grilled Tuna steak with tomato and rocket salad (£12.95) for my main course.  Both of which were really enjoyable.  I especially liked the salad served up with a great Olive Oil dressing. We opted for a Pinot Grigio (£16.95) wine along with bottled Peroni Nastro Azzuro.  The overall bill came to £105 and for three people having two courses, with bottled beer and wine, was good value indeed.

As I say though, it was just a shame that the welcome was so cold and unfriendly.

Pryordurkin Rating. 3 Stars.

Telephone 020 7580 0021

Opening Times: Monday – Friday 12.00 – 11.30pm, Saturday – Sunday 5.30pm – 10.30pm

Huge quantities of mass catering food are on offer at this local Pub.  Don’t ever order the mixed grill if you have a delicate stomach.  This pub is very popular indeed with people who travel far and wide to enjoy its fayre.  The locals however don’t seem to go in too much because (they say), once you have been in a couple of times, all the dishes start to taste the same.  The prices charged for food is quite high for what it is, but to be fair they do pile it on the plate.  However for us this is not really what we look for these days.  More quality less quantity seems to suit us better.  But hey, each to their own.

The bar and restaurant area are traditionally decorated but what I can’t understand is why the place never has a window open, even when it is stiflingly hot inside.  It takes the enjoyment away as far as I am concerned and the staff seem oblivious to the lack of clean fresh air and heavy sweating customers.

The bar has a few rooms available for overnight stays and these seem popular with travelling salesmen who you find supping away on a beer and mixed grill most evenings in the bar.

Sunday Lunch is popular but do book, because for reasons completely lost on us, it is very popular and busy throughout the day.  I am convinced there must be a retirement home nearby and this place serves as the canteen.

The owner seems to have a thing about mobile phones, which must be turned off whilst inside.  He is also not that shy when telling his prospective customers to avoid smoking just outside the door.  Actually when you look, there are warning signs barking orders for every possible misdemeanor, which strangely brings out an urge to break them in me.

Anyway, if you fancy a trip down memory lane by listening to the conversations around you while eating some northern fayre, give it a try. But don’t take your mobile phone, make sure you can lose some clothing and if you order the mixed grill forget about wearing a belt!

Score: 2 Stars. Last Visited 17th September 2008

Looking for a night cap after dinner, I found myself in the Grafton Arms at around 10pm this evening with some colleagues.  A busy little place; it was full of people as we arrived.  A selection of beers was on offer at this Greene King venue and while my colleagues ordered up a few real ales I went for the brandy.  A wooden floored pub, with high and low tables with seating to match we found the time quickly pass by.  What was surprising however, was them calling time at 11pm and throwing us out by 11:15pm.  No airs or graces in evidence just brutal “you’re not welcome anymore get out” type language.  A shame to what would have otherwise being a pleasant place to spend a couple of hours.  Will try and avoid in future.

Rating. 0 Stars.