The Pryordurkins

Posts Tagged ‘restaurant’

A bit disappointed with this after listening to much hype from many a friend and acquaintance. I was lucky not to queue for too long and soon sat down to experience Magpies for the first time on Saturday 21st April. The service was professional and quick but the quality of the food was not as we had been led to believe. While the cod was good and fresh., the chips were a bit of a let-down. Being famous for the queues of people trying to get into Magpies we expected something a little better. The establishment is clearly a well oiled machine with a very large turnover of customers all the time. Worth a visit for the quick service, but don’t expect the best fish and chips you will ever eat. You’ll find them round the corner at the Kyber Pass (read my review).

We returned this year to try the take out fish and chips and again it was a disappointment.  The staff were curt with the customers and the food was nothing special at all for the very high price.  We much prefer Harry Ramsdens down the road for take out fish and chips.

Score: 2 Stars. Visited April 2009.

We decided to have a no brain activity evening last night and headed off to Clifton Moor to grab something to eat and take in a mindless but entertaining film at the Vue Cinema. We noticed a Frankie & Benny’s restaurant and despite the awful music they insist of piping outside the front door, we decided to go in. It was not a good start. The ‘greeter’, a man with a huge jaw, scowled a little and showed us to a cramped tiny table with paper napkins (I have a thing about paper napkins OK?) and plastic menus. Sitting a little while we noticed a second table who were seated after us where already placing their orders, so I stopped a passing waitress and asked if we could order. To give her credit, she was very pleasant and professional. Anyway the food was ordered, the drinks arrived and we waited for our starters.
Taking in the surroundings as the restaurant filled up, it quickly became almost impossible to hold any type of conversation due to the noise of the place. The incessant background music, mixed it seemed every five minutes by Happy Birthday and a Congratulations track by Cliff Richard was just too much to take in. To get over this, it seemed every other diner in the room was shouting to make sure they were heard.

Anyway we looked forward to getting our food and getting out quickly (which is exactly what these places are designed to do). The starters arrived and were ok. The table was cleared and yes they did replace the cutlery for fresh ones, so we were happy with that. The mains arrived and I tucked into my full rack of ribs. However Dusty was not so lucky. The fish he had ordered was not properly cooked so he had to send it back for a replacement. Again the staff were quite professional and made no fuss about ordering up a second meal. Dusty finally got his meal as I finished mine and this time, the fish was fresh and cooked properly.

Finishing off, we paid the bill, tipped the staff who were actually good and headed off swearing blind never to return to such a noisy place again.

Score: 1 Star. Visited April 2009

This was a return trip for Sunday Lunch to Hazlewood Castle which lies just off the A64 in between York and Leeds.  This time we were joined by my brother and sister in-law and the kids.  The first time we dined here was great.  With good service, good food and good surroundings we were looking forward to another treat.

One of the measures we look for when reviewing places is consistency.  Unfortunately on this occasion, the food and service were not quite as good as before.  We had telephoned ahead to book a table for 12noon and on arrival were shown straight to our table.  No option of an aperitif in the bar beforehand.  The restaurant manager did not even offer to take our coats, so we found ourselves hanging them over the back of the chairs and I had to put my hat on the FLOOR!.

We ordered up our food and having seen bar menus in use last time, I mentioned there may be a simpler option for the kids to enjoy.  However this time, the waiter never gave any option for the kids to order from the bar menu and they had to make do with a kids tailored version of Sunday Lunch. Our drinks soon arrived and after a little wait were closely followed by starters which were nicely presented and very good.  After the plates were cleared we then had what seemed like a long wait for the mains to come out.  When they did, my beef was tuff and on the small size, as compared to last time.  The Yorkshire pudding, which was so good last time, was hard and brittle this time around.  The kids, who love Yorkshire puddings both seemed disappointed.  The vegetables were cooked to perfection though. Desserts followed and these were very good indeed.

Overall as mentioned earlier, this visit was let down by the service and the quality of the main course.  The restaurant manager made you feel as though you were a bit of an annoyance really and certainly not warmly welcomed, which was a pity as the Castle itself, the grounds that surround it were all great.  She seemed to take particular umbridge at being called over to take an extra order of drinks!

Pryordurkin rating 3 Stars. (dropped 1 star since our last visit in January) Tel: 01937 535353

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

Italian Fine Foods are available from Le Langhe who have recently opened in the Old Coach House, in York.  We have visited this shop twice in as many weeks and the food on offer certainly looks beautiful.  There is an excellent choice of Italian breads, olives, wines and cheeses.  Parma Hams and many others hang over the counter tempting you the minute you step inside.  Olive Oils, pestos and lots of other fine Italian ingredients are laid out across shelves and in baskets all making the trip seem irresistible.  At the back of the shop they have opened a cafe restaurant which is always full of people and on the door last week as we entered, there was a sign saying you now had to book a table because they are so busy and popular.

You might be wondering therefore why we underlined the word “looks” above!  Well it is because on both occasions we have found ourselves putting produce we had selected for purchase back on the shelves and walking out in disgust.  The service is atrocious.  In what is clearly a good quality produce shop, they seemed to have completely forgot about trying to sell any of it to actual customers.  We think this shop might just be a piece of art.  Look but don’t bother trying to buy.  Maybe that is why they describe themselves on their website, which has pictures of their old shop, as importers of Italian Artisan Food.  I always wondered what Artisan Food was.  Now I know.  Looks good but you can’t buy the stuff for love nor money.

Today, like last week, they had one stressed individual working on the deli counter, that doubles up as the till for any produce bought in the shop.  A queue of grumpy customers hangs around hoping to get served before they close around 5pm.  On both occasions our patience got the better of us and we simply walked out complaining about the business logic behind a shop that is clearly capable of selling very good quality food, but one that lets itself so badly down on something so simple as having staff to actually serve eager customers.

What a ridiculous approach to business.

UPDATE 7th March 09.  We really couldn’t believe a place could be so bad when it came to service, so decided to give it one final try today.  So for the 3rd time, we ventured into this shop.  This time we chose 4.30pm thinking the place would be quiet.  It was, hardly any customers, yet still, we didn’t manage to get served.  Standing at the counter being completely ignored by the staff is an experience  which unless you’ve been there, you would never actually believe.  Storming out for the FINAL time, we found what we were looking for in another shop as we made our way back to the car.  in that shop we mentioned our experiences of Le Langhe to the staff and were not surprised to hear that they too had heard of other people complaining about the very poor service.  One lady who did manage to get served was made to feel as though she was in the way.  So there you have it, it’s not just us who think this shop should win an award for really awful service.

Pryordurkin rating. 0 stars. (Can’t be anything more, as we’ve never managed to actually buy anything yet!)

I returned to Pepe Sale Restaurant on Queens Walk in Reading last night with two colleagues for dinner. I had visited this restaurant on two previous occasions in 2007 and enjoyed both so was hoping for the same quality of food and level of service.

We arrived around 7.30pm and were greeted at the door by a friendly chap who took my hat, coat, gloves and scarf (it was freezing outside). We were seated at a window table and offered up some Sardinian breads with olive oil while we looked through the menu.

I was pleased to see it had not changed from last year and therefore ordered up a Pasta Casereccia for starter and the Spigola Al Sale for my main. The Pasta Casereccia was a Sardinian variant of Pasta with Bolognese and was very nice indeed. Well seasoned, served up with parmesan cheese, it went down a treat. The Spiogola Al Sale was Fresh Sea Bass baked in a crust of sea salt that was broken away at the table by the waiter, who de-headed the fish and went onto remove the bones before sprinkling extra virgin olive oil over the white moist flesh. This was a fantastic treat both in terms of looks, the experience and taste. Served with fresh seasonal vegetables, it was a fine meal indeed. My colleagues all enjoyed their starters and mains in equal measure but had just a glint of “I wish I’d ordered the Sea Bass” in their eyes!

I skipped desert, because I’m looking after my figure but my two colleagues both said the deserts were beautiful. Finishing off with coffee all round, it was another very pleasant meal. The service was very good, the restaurant itself, although perhaps looking a little tired still had that relaxing feel about it and during the course of the evening had filled and emptied of many a satisfied diner. I was therefore pleased to conclude the service and quality of food hasn’t changed one bit and is just as good as I remembered.

Settling the bill of £125 for three people that included two bottles of wine, reminded us that you do tend to pay for good quality, but we enjoyed every penny. Of course the old expense budget won’t quite stretch to that, but I don’t mind chipping in a little personal money because of the fine dining experience.

Pryordurkin rating. 4 stars.
Telephone 0118 959 7700

Having finished work on Wednesday with two colleagues I set off for a spot of dinner at a restaurant in Reading.  On our way we stopped for a pint at the Allied Arms on St Marys Butts in Reading.  A strange name I thought for a location, but as I learnt more about Reading from the locals inside discovered it has quite a history when it comes to monks, nuns and religion in general.  The outside of the pub would normally have resulted in me walking on by, but my colleagues seemed confident that what lay inside would be good.  Stepping through the door and having ordered up our drinks we took a table near the window.  One colleague then wandered back outside to make a phone call, the t’other went off to the loo and I was left at the mercy of a very small man with a limp, a scar and a broken arm who seemed to think we were long lost buddies and that we needed to get reacquainted.  He proceeded to ask lots of questions but those who know me, will realise the futility of that particular tactic.  Nonetheless he chatted away for the next twenty minutes without stop.  My colleagues had returned by this point but it made little difference and one colleague who professed to be good at empathy kept acknowledging the conversation and egging this bloke on.  However after a while, my miserable non responsive, emotionless face must have eventually worn him down as he finished off his drink and left the pub completely.

The pub itself serves up real ale which for people who understand these things is apparently very good and I could see and hear from the other punters that this place has a real following.  Cosy traditional and probably a great place to spend a few hours on a cold winters evening.  However it isn’t quite my cup of tea as there were no flashy lights, no house music and no eye candy to speak of.

Pryordurkin 3 stars.  (it might not have been my thing, but this is clearly a well liked traditional pub serving real ale, hence the three stars)

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.

This week had me staying a couple of nights at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Reading.  Sitting on the River Thames, it was easy to reach by car as I came into town from the general direction of Oxford.

I immediately thought this hotel was going to be nice as I pulled up.  Not only did I find a car parking space right in front of the hotel; it looked modern stylish and well kept as I headed into the reception area.  I was immediately greeted by a friendly chap who had all the paperwork prepared and having simply applied one signature I was on my way to the room.  The lift door was a little slow in closing, I thought the floor button wasn’t working but apart from that it was smooth and importantly clean.  Entering my room, I was again very happy.  It was large, had a view of the river and included a seating area along with a desk and reclining chair to work at with full internet connectivity available.  The bathroom although small was well appointed and sparkling clean.  The complimentary toiletries were of reasonable quality and the towels soft and fluffy.  Even the loo roll was more your Andrex, than your Aldi variety, which is a nice touch.. literally!

Anyway after I’d unpacked my case and hung the suit up I decided to try the Spa.  The pool as you can see was very good indeed. Not your usual mis-shaped hotel pool, but properly square and 17 metres long, which allowed for a decent stroke.  The Spa also included a very nice gym with a good range of equipment, although I only saw it through the window as I relaxed in the Whirlpool.  Heading out, I passed a steam room, sauna and a number of treatment rooms.  With nice chill out music playing in the background I could easily have forgot I was in Reading and might have imagined I was back in Cyprus.

With all this exercise behind me I decided to order up room service.  Again I was delighted.  The quality of the food really surprised me.  None of the usual thrown together affair usual to hotels, but a well cooked meal.  My rib-eye steak was cooked medium rare as requested and came with chunky chips cooked in Goose fat.  (Note to Paul) They were cooked so well, they were not greasy at all.  Nice, light and very tasty.  A lovely meal all in all.

A good nights sleep lay ahead after I turned the air conditioning down to 18 degrees and waking up the next day I felt refreshed and ready to face the world.  Before that breakfast in the restaurant lay ahead.  A good breakfast was available with healthy choices all round.  I went for cereal with added sunflower seeds which were to the side with other nuts and optional extras (a nice touch).  I skipped the fry up, more out of will power than anything else, because it looked great.  The coffee brought to my table was  also very good.  Smooth, full flavoured and freshly made.

The rest of my stay continued in the same veign.  The service was excellent and because this is not one of the biggest Crowne Plaza hotels you come across it always had a nice local warm welcoming feel about it.  I look forward to going back next week.

Pryordurkin rating.  5 stars.

Hotel Reservations: 0871 423 4896

Hotel Front Desk: 44-1189-259988

Having complete dinner at a nearby restaurant last night, with a colleague I went to the Island Bar and Restaurant on Pipers Island near Caversham Bridge in Reading.  The place was near empty except for a couple and the bar man.  The place has clearly been renovated and is actually very stylish.  It has both indoor seating and outdoor decking where during warmer weather I could imagine many people enjoying themselves.  The music playing in the background was very mediteranean in style and this only added to the sophisticated nature of the place.   We ordered up a couple of Remy Martin Brandies and I was very pleased when the said bar man offered to warm our glasses and bring our drinks over to where by this point we had taken a seat.  With fantastic views of the river and only a short stroll from my hotel room at the Crowne Plaza a pleasant wind down from a reasonably busy day was underway.

I would certainly go back here and look forward to the warmer weather if I am in Reading again.

Pryordurkin rating. 4 stars.

Telephone +44 (0) 1189 479530