Restaurant Spy - Views

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

Tue, 06 May 2008 21:52:06 +0000

Address:
Ferry Road, Bray, Berkshire SL6 2AT

Review:

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.

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

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:41:52 +0000

Address:
5a, High St Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1UL

Review:

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.

Ristorante Maffei, Piazza Erbe 38, Verona, Italy.

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:07:14 +0000

Address:
Piazza Erbe 38, Verona, Italy.

Review:

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.

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

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:08:54 +0000

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

Review:

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.

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

Wed, 29 Aug 2007 00:02:48 +0000

Address:
Aird Uig, Isle of Lewis, HS2 9JA

Review:

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.

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

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 08:34:09 +0000

Address:
Cambridge Rd, Dover, Kent CT17 9BY

Review:

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

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

The Beacon, Tea Garden Lane, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:05:28 +0000

Address:
Tea Garden Lane, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Review:

It was a gorgeous sunny April Sunday and the place was filled with large family groups, although I came for lunch for two, with just my friend. The young waiter - who looked like a jobbing actor to me - was very pleasant and smiled and didn't crowd us, and seemed to know what good service was all about. A printed menu of the day took the place of the old blackboard - and included bar favourites such as sandwiches, as well as more substantial mains including Sunday Roast beef. After ordering a £14 bottle of Chardonnay (not great, but at least they provided us with a bucket to keep it cold, without asking) we went straight for the mains. Mine - Sea bass on a bed of mussel chowder - was excellent. The fish was cooked just right and the creamy chowder to dip it in was very tasty. Yum. My friend's dish - smoked chicken salad was really boring looking - and tasting - by comparison. The chunks of smoked chicken were just thrown on some green leaves - it just didn't have any great taste or balance about it, and he looked over at my plate enviously. To end the meal, the sticky toffee pudding with ice cream was indeed sticky and very moreish - I only had a couple of spoons of it as I'm watching my waistline, but my friend had no complaints and licked his lips. The mint tea turned out to be a pot of tea made with a teabag - would have been nice to have some fresh mint tea but it's not a big complaint. The Beacon is great for the views and the atmosphere, but it seems as though the food is still a bit hit or miss. My hope is it is leaning more towards hit most of the time. I glanced at the children's plates sitting at the table next to us - and their fish and chips served on trendy rectangle plates looked incredibly appetising and non-greasy with big chunky home-made looking chips. I think this remains a good place to go with a family but I think the consistency of the dishes needs to be given more attention. I will probably go again sometime, but I will order with care and steer clear of the salads.

Limani, Upper Level, 11 Narrabeen St, Narrabeen NSW 2101, Australia

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:00:39 +0000

Address:
Upper Level, 11 Narrabeen St, NARRABEEN NSW 2101

Review:

We saw an ad in the Sydney Morning Herald: $25 for two courses, and after 3 hours on Narrabeen Beach we wandered in, wearing shorts, flip flops and covered in sand. We got a really friendly welcome, they found us a seat with a panoramic view and showed me to the cool, well appointed washroom where I was able to scrape off most of the sand and have a good wash before sitting down. The room is cool, crisp and beige, with white napery, big windows and ocean views - like something out of an architectural magazine.

Oxo Tower, Oxo Tower Wharf Barge House Street South Bank London SE1 9PH

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 12:04:18 +0000

Address:
Oxo Tower Wharf Barge House Street South Bank London SE1 9PH

Review:

"Even if you just visit the brassiere for the view it is a delight. We plumped for the restaurant for a birthday treat. Starters were average, the lobster with wasbai dressing being a bit of a disappointment. The mains did, however more than make up for it. Steak and Guinea Fowl cooked to perfection - accompanied with perfectly wilted spinach and mashed potatoes you could bathe in. Dessert was a treat especially so as they decorated my partners plate with a candle and chocolate writing happy birthday - reservations deserve the thanks as they obviously picked this up when booking. Pricey at £150 for two with only £35 bottle of wine. Oh but the view and the mash.........." Al&Al

The White Dog, Village St, Ewhurst Green, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 5TD

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 12:12:31 +0000

Address:
Village St, Ewhurst Green, Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 5TD

Review:

My partner and I came here the other evening. Having stopped at the nearby Castle Inn, we decided to venture slightly further for our evening meal. The White Dog is quite a quaint old pub, serving decent well kept ale in nice surroundings, with great views to nearby Bodiam Castle.

They have an extensive bar menu as well as specials and a restaurant menu. However, these can be mixed and matched, which I think is quite a nice little touch.

The Pot Kiln, Frilsham, Yattendon, Berkshire RG18 0XX

Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:20:33 +0000

Address:
Frilsham, Yattendon, Berkshire, RG18 0XX

Review:

The Pot Kiln already has a lot to live up to. It has been featured on UK Food in Heaven's Kitchen, and chef/proprietor Mike Robinson is a 'celebrity chef', though celebrity cook would probably be a fairer description. Unfortunately, it fails on too many levels.

It's location is simply beautiful, views stretching over some of Berkshire's most beautiful rural views, spotted with rare breeds. It is also next door to the West Berkshire brewery, an independent and traditional brewer with beers that really need to be sampled, and the Pot Kiln has two or three permanently on tap (including their own exclusive brew). The bar area is small, but then again, Mr. Robinson is probably trying to do as little trade as possible for drinkers in order to increase revenue through food sales. The last thing any diner wants is a background fracas. However, the Pot Kiln is a pub, and we should not forget that.

McCoys Rooftop Restaurant, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 21:29:19 +0000

Address:
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Gateshead Quays, South Shore Road, Gateshead, NE8 3BA

Review:

The view is fantastic from this top-floor restaurant.

The Beacon, Bar Restaurant, Tea Garden Lane, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9JH

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 08:02:34 +0000

Address:
Tea Garden Lane, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 9JH

Review:

We were rid of the kids for the night and we wanted a good meal. Such nights are rare treats and deserve to be savoured. We turned down a couple of reliable favourites and decided to try The Beacon in Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells. What a bad mistake.

The Beacon has had an up and down reputation for a long time. The current owner has slowly improved it over a decade and it's reputation has been enhanced by sympathetic and on-going improvements i the grounds (spectacular), the building (charming) and the menu. The beer has always been good - but you can tell by the prices that this is a pub that wants to be a restaurant. So that is how it should be judged.

The Spotted Dog, Smarts Hill, Penshurst, Tonbridge, Kent TN11 8EP

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 08:37:58 +0000

Address:
Smarts Hill Penshurst Tonbridge Kent TN11 8EP

Review:

Reputed to be one of Ian Hislop's private haunts, the Spotted Dog is a cut-above gastro pub on a hill near Edenbridge in Kent. It isn't strictly a "blackboard pub", but more similar to the better London pub eateries - a daily-changing menu with a few surprises - and nods to a variety of different cuisines.

The view from the Spotted Dog is breathtaking, or would be, apart from a spat with neighbouring tenants who have planted a series of tall view-busting trees which have effectively spoiled it. There is a petition at the pub to try to return the view.

TV Tower Restaurant, Tower Praha, a.s., Mahlerovy sady 1, Prague 3, Czech Republic

Fri, 12 May 2006 07:32:09 +0000

Address:
Tower Praha, a.s., Mahlerovy sady 1, Prague 3, Czech Republic

Review:

The TV tower is pretty cool. It stopped transmitting in 1992 and the cabins that jut out at the top have been converted into a sightseeing deck, a cafe and a restaurant. It looks a little odd - currently even more so as there are huge babies crawling up the side of the tower as part of an art installation - but does offer some truly spectacular views of Prague.

I didn´t even know there were wines from the Czech Republic but they have a similar climate to Germany and produce similar sort of wines. We had a 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon which had plenty of nose but not quite as bold as you might have expected (probably erring on the side of caution. Probably wisely).