Gordon Ramsay Revisit: A tribute to my Mum & goodbye to this blog
If you’ve ever read this blog before you may be surprised to find yourself here again, given it’s been over 5 years since my last post. Believe me, nobody is more surprised than me. I had no intention of blogging again,…
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From the archive
Ondine, Edinburgh – Stunning Scottish Seafood
When I asked a friend for the best seafood in Edinburgh, he replied emphatically, ‘Ondine’. Their website promised ‘Proper Seafood‘ in giant type. They weren’t joking! Situated above a Pizza Express just off Edinburgh’s…
Byron: Proper Hamburgers, Now With Proper Craft Beers
I love pairing food with beer and there are few better combinations than burgers and beer. Byron have always had a reasonable craft beer lineup, particularly compared to most of their competitors but they’ve really…
Christmas Eve At Hispi, Didsbury
I love Christmas Eve, I’d go so far as to say it’s by far my favourite day of the year. So naturally I put a lot of effort into choosing where to eat. It wasn’t easy coming up with somewhere that could match the Parkers…
Festive Fun @ The Parkers Arms, Newton-in-Bowland
It’s hard to write about the Parkers Arms these days. Hard not to write stuff that’s already been said a million times anyway. Pound for pound, taking everything into account it has been my favourite place to eat for…
January Detox: ‘Namas-Tea’ At Cottonopolis, Manchester
I wasn’t planning on eating out in January. I know, I know, bear with me. I’m not really one of those types. I mean, I don’t do full on detox or ‘Dryanuary’ or anything. But after a very indulgent Christmas December I…
The Food Geek Awards – 2016
Welcome to the fifth annual Food Geek Awards! (previous years are here) As I say every year, these awards are intended to be a bit of fun. Just something a bit different from the ‘Top 10’ lists that most people seem to…
The Solita Christmas Burger 2016
I’m a bit of a sucker for tradition, especially at Christmas. Only good ones though, usually involving food, not rubbish stuff like the John Lewis ad. After having the Solita Christmas burger for the past four years I…
Shoryu – Finally Bring Top Ramen To Manchester
I love Japanese food. We’re lucky to have great places like Yuzu and Umezushi in Manchester but until recently there was nowhere to go for ramen. Well, good, authentic ramen anyway. Sure there are a few restaurants with…
Beer and Curry Experience Taste Box from Kelham Farm Shop
I have a simple policy when it comes to accepting products for review. I simply ask: ‘would I actually pay for it myself’. Usually, the answer is a resounding NO. But occasionally I get offered something that piques my…
Yatai Izakaya, Aberdeen
The first few times I visited Aberdeen I mainly ate meat, cheese and burgers (usually because beer was involved). Last time I wanted something a little more cultural. I found it by way of Yatai. An informal but…
Smokehouse & Cellar, Manchester
If there’s one thing that Manchester’s missing, it’s good barbeque food. Sure there’s Red’s; I was a fan from the start but they seem more concerned with getting sauces into supermarkets and brewing their own (mediocre)…
Back To The Hinds Head, Bray
Almost four years had passed since I last visited Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred pub The Hind’s Head. I could probably count the number of weeks I’ve not thought about their scotch eggs on one hand. The…
Solita Preston – ‘Dirty Food’ Arrives In Lancashire
It’s been over three months since I intended to get this ‘First Look’ of Solita Preston published. They’re pretty fast movers so there’s every chance a new Solita has popped up to join it since. (As it happens, there…
Mr Cooper’s House & Garden, Midland Hotel, Manchester (Still With Simon Rogan)
Unless you’re planning on eating at Mr Cooper’s House & Garden in the next few days this review is kind of pointless. Simon Rogan has packed his bags and will be leaving Manchester before the end of October. Both The…
Back To The Lord Clyde, Kerridge – More Stunning From From Ernst Van Zyl
Sometimes you go back to a restaurant you loved and leave disappointed. It just can’t live up to your memories. But others seem to get better and better with every visit. The Lord Clyde in Kerridge, Cheshire is very…
Provenance Food Hall & Restaurant – The Best Food In Westhoughton, Fact
Want to know one of the best things about writing a food blog? Every now and again I get pleasantly surprised by somewhere I wouldn’t have gone otherwise. I was actually invited to Provenance Food Hall & Restaurant…
The Man Behind The Curtain, Leeds
There are few restaurants I’ve had to wait as long to get into as The Man Behind The Curtain in Leeds. In fact, there are only three; Noma, The Fat Duck and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. This one was largely my own doing,…
Whisky Tasting & Food Pairing With Old Pulteney Whisky & Aiden Byrne @ Manchester House
I wouldn’t say I disliked whisky but it definitely isn’t my ‘thing’. A couple of friends have tried to get me into ‘the good stuff’ but I’ve always resisted. I don’t really need another expensive hobby. I’ve flown to…
St. JOHN Restaurant, London
On the 1st of January, I made a New Years resolution. To visit three places that any self-respecting food blogger should have been to long ago. By the end of May, I’d made it to all three. First, Freemasons at Wiswell…
Nutter’s 23rd Birthday Celebrations & Lancashire Cook Book Launch
Since the day this blog started – over five years ago – there have been a couple of ever present entries on the ‘Upcoming Reviews‘ page. One of which, Nutter’s in Rochdale, I finally visited last month. Though I have to…
