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Waterside Inn, Ferry Road, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AT

Waterside Inn, Ferry Road, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AT

Ferry Road, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AT

In the dark days before Britain discovered food, you would head into the countryside for a meal with all the enthusiasm of a Roman centurion venturing into Boudicca’s local for an afterwork pint. Dining options seemed limited to a clutch of dowdy restaurants and woodbine-scented pubs, all seemingly locked in an eternal battle to see who could get the most breadcrumbs onto the menu. It was not a good time to be a scampi.

By Philip de Semlyen at 06/05/2008 - 22:52 | 2008 | Approved | £££££/$$$$$ | Berkshire | French | Review | Views | add new comment | read more | 36 reads

Signor Franco's, 5a, High St Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1UL

Signor Franco's, 5a, High St Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1UL

5a, High St Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1UL

Signor Franco's is rather much an institution in Tunbridge Wells,with a reputation to suit and having lived in this hallowed town for so long and not sampled their culinery delights was quite simply unacceptable.

So on a delightful Monday evening we decided to pay them a visit and to say they live up to their repution would be a safe statement to make.

Even initial contact was a pleasure, with the booking procedure being nothing but a pleasant experience with a polite friendly person on the other end. My flatmate and I were greeted well and promptly taken to our table which had wonderful views of tunbridge wells and had a wonderful ambience to the whole establishment.

By elfigo at 22/04/2008 - 16:41 | 2008 | Ambience | Approved | Country | England | Italian | Kent | Review | Service | UK | Views | ££££/$$$$ | 2 comments | read more | 365 reads

Ristorante Maffei, Piazza Erbe 38, Verona, Italy.

Ristorante Maffei, Piazza Erbe 38, Verona, Italy.

Piazza Erbe 38, Verona, Italy.

I booked the Maffei some months in advance, as part of a trip to Verona to celebrate my wife’s birthday. The online booking system worked well and the web site gave a lot of information with regards to menus, wines and historic location.

The restaurant premises are quite spectacular, being housed in a magnificent palatial building. We were greeted by very friendly staff and shown to our table, as well as ourselves, there was only one other couple in the restaurant, despite this being 9pm on a Friday night. I confess that the alarm bells did start to ring.

By Uxbridgecouple at 26/03/2008 - 15:07 | 2008 | Italian | Italy | Rejected | Review | Views | ££££/$$$$ | add new comment | read more | 182 reads

Phoenix Bar, Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, London, N22 7AY

Phoenix Bar, Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, London, N22 7AY

Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, London, N22 7AY

I went here for lunch. This bar, which is at the western end of the palace, must have one of the best dining views in London. Through the large windows you look out across the terrace, with its wrought iron lamps and wooden tables and the whole city is spread out before you, the Gherkin and Canary Wharf clearly visible, until it all vanishes into the mists of North Kent. The inside is almost as good. It is spacy and wooden with a high ceiling and a central bar with mirrored pillars. Tables are marble with metal chairs or wooden. The music is terrible. Sort of sub techno garbage when I was there. Next door there is a huge (and silent!) palm court with sphynxes, fountains and full size palm trees towering into a vaulted sky-lit roof. There are about a dozen tables, maybe less. I had a coffee here the other afternoon and had the whole palm court completely to myself. Talk about a hidden gem. It was wonderful.

By Harry at 17/02/2008 - 22:08 | 2008 | Approved | London | North | Review | Traditional | Views | £££/$$$ | add new comment | read more | 125 reads

Bonaventure, Aird Uig, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9JA

Bonaventure, Aird Uig, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9JA

Aird Uig, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9JA

My wife and I dined at this restaurant on 23 August 2007. I had been induced to seek it out by the rave reviews on the home page of the restaurant's website and in local tourist brochures. We looked it over on 22 August and we were (or at least I was) enchanted by its position. Anticipating an excellent meal we arrived ravenous having spent the day motoring around the island.

The intrusive piped music that we heard on arrival should have warned us; but it was a wet day and the open fire seemed very welcoming. A table by the window with a view over the sea took our minds off the background noise and we ordered our wine.

By lobster at 29/08/2007 - 01:02 | 2007 | Article | Other | Rejected | Scotland | Views | ££££/$$$$ | add new comment | read more | 136 reads

Cullen's Yard, Cambridge Rd, Dover, Kent CT17 9BY


Cambridge Rd, Dover, Kent CT17 9BY

Recommended by listener of Pat Marsh's show on BBC Radio Kent.

"Ambience nice - pretty garden - al fresco eating - nice views."

By m at 22/06/2007 - 09:34 | 2007 | Approved | £££££/$$$$$ | Kent | Review | Views | add new comment | read more | 142 reads
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