The Pryordurkins

Posts Tagged ‘butcher’

We had dinner today at the Old Lodge which is right next door to the Golf Course at Minchinhampton Common in Stroud.  Arriving a little after 7pm we were quickly seated.  This pub restaurant is quite large and has a number of rooms which can be booked for private functions.  We found ourselves in the large restaurant at the back with fantastic views across the common and down onto the wider Cotswolds.

I went for the Parmesan Crusted Chicken (£13.75) while Paul had the Lamb Shank (£14.95).  Mavis went for the Sirloin (£17.95) while Walter went for the Lemon Sole £14.23).  The food was very good indeed when it arrived and with a slight disappointment the previous evening, we were pleased to be enjoying good wholesome fayre with vegetables!  Accompanied by home cooked chips and Rocket Salad, I was happy and by the end of it very full indeed.   Paul was not to pleased with his lamb though and having tried a bit, agreed that it, although cooked and falling off the bone, had no flavour.   As it happened I overheard another customer making the same remarks about this flavourless Lamb Shank.

That aside, the service was professional, attentive and with good company, we did indeed have a nice meal.  We would certainly go back to this place and perhaps recommend to the chef that they use a little more seasoning when cooking the lamb; or change the butcher!

Pryordurkin rating 3 stars.

Telephone 01453 832047

Under pressure from Paul not to have another hatchet job on my hair I started booking up with Alex of Cube Hairdressing for Men on Swinegate in York.  Paul first starting going to Cube in the middle of 2008 and always comes back with a very good haircut from Alex, whereas I generally went for a clipper job at the local butchers for £12.50 all in!

When I first went, I wondered whether it would be worth Alex trying to style something out of my short lifeless flat headed mop but after about an hour I was very happy.  Alex managed to do something with my lifeless hair that made it look good for once.   What also came as an enjoyable surprise was the flame throwing around my ears that involved methylated spirits, a match and a cotton bud.  It was an interesting experience and I’ve been having the same treatment ever since.

Ever since then I’ve kept going back to Cube Hairdressing for Men and always booking up to see Alex.  Pleasant on the eye, he also engages in quite good conversation and we generally have a laugh and a bit of a gossip while he puts my head in order.

This week was no exception and on Monday I managed to bag a slot with him where the usual great cut took place.

At £32 I think this is great value for a mans  haircut in the middle of York especially if you don’t want to be surrounded by lip gloss and hairspray.  If you go along ask for Alex and say hi from the Pryordurkins.

Rating. 4 Stars. T: (01904) 655131   Website.  Cube

We’d come across this farm shop last week and returned today to take a closer look.  You enter just after the garage in Green Hammerton on the A59.  The shop has plenty of parking outside and as you walk through the front door are met by a good selection of local fruits and vegetables laid out for you to chose from. You then enter the main shop to your right, where you will find, fresh meats, fresh bakery products and a small cafe area.

Last week when we had briefly stopped by, it seemed busy but chaotic, with people standing around not entirely sure where to actually pay for goods or how to order from the fresh food displays.  We also wondered what the funny little plastic bits with wheels on were for but have subsequently heard that they are trolleys made out of recycled plastic which is very commendable indeed.

There were plenty of staff available all looking very busy in the kitchen and butchery areas but it took us a little while to catch their eye and get served. When we did, we bought fresh breads, vegetables, milk and also decided on giving the pork pies so temptingly laid out, a try.  They were great.  Packed full of meat, nicely seasoned and very reasonably priced.  They were a welcome treat as we drove home into York.

Anyway, we’ve heard from the owners who are now aware of our views and assuming we don’t get lynched next time we visit, look forward to a revisit soon.

We moved to York early last year and after a while discovered A Barker Butchers in Dunnington near York.  You could easily drive past this butchers in Dunnington as there is little by the way of a sign saying butcher or even A Barker!  However once you know where they are and try the produce, then you will no doubt go back again and again.  There are a number of friendly guys who work in the shop and even if you are in a grumpy mood (what me!) you will always find them trying to engage you in friendly banter.  That aside!, I especially like the locally sourced chicken, beef, pork, pork sausages and bacon.  The quality as compared to the meats you can buy in any supermarket are in a class of their own.  While it can be a tad more expensive (but not much), the difference in taste and knowing where the meat comes from is very good value alone.  We are now regulars and will often just pop in late afternoon to pick up some fresh meats for that evenings dinner.

By the way they also sell vegetables and a few cakes, but these are a bit hit and miss.  If you time it right the vegetables can be quite fresh, but not always.  We much prefer the Balloon Tree down the road.  (read review)  The cakes are a bit on the cheap side when it comes to ingredients so I now give these a miss.

However as a butcher they are great and despite their friendly banter every time I visit, I keep going back.

Pryordurkin rating 3 Stars

Telephone 01904 489265

As I was unwrapping my pork chop for one, purchased earlier today from the local butchers, Paul rang from his conference in Switzerland while waiting for his (now) five course dinner to start.  Apparently this afternoons agenda was set aside for the delegates to experience the Spa facilities on offer.  I listened carefully, while putting 10 Aunt Bessie frozen mash potato disks in the microwave to Paul describing the various ice pools, dips, saunas, Hamman steam rooms and outdoor swimming pools that overlook the mountain range he’d just enjoyed.  While cutting open a bag of frozen peas I asked for a little more detail, wondering whether he would pick up on the sarcasm. He didn’t and went onto describe the complicated dress rules the delegates had to follow in each of the Spa areas.  The microwave pinged and my chop under the grill started burning as Paul described how each of the Spa areas had men in various states of undress.  One particular room had these men of a scientific persuasion (and actually of other persuasions as it turned out) complete in their birthday suit splendour and without a towel between them to protect their modesty.

Paul threatened to hang up when I asked if he’d sucked his belly in for the duration.