Name of restaurant or pub: Zinc Bar & Grill,

Location: The Triangle, Hanging Ditch,  Manchester M4 3TR

Web site: http://www.zincbar.co.uk/

Telephone number:

Date of visit: 25.01.10

Approx. cost per head: “20

Comments on wine list/beer: N/a

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Review:

Too loud for a business lunch, couldn’t really hear each other. Expensive thai chicken curry (£14.25) that looked fancy but can get a far better tatse experience in any pub in Camden for a third of the price.
You literally needed a sat nav to find your way to and from the bathrooms.

Nicholas Gill

Web site: http://www.livebaitrestaurants.co.uk/

Telephone number:

Date of visit: 28.01.10

Approx. cost per head: £20.00

Comments on wine list/beer: Good choice & not too many. all good with fish obviously.

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Review:

Specials looked rather homely and lovely but I opted for scallop risotto. Was gorgeous. My colleague ahd fish n chips which made me very jealous but not as many chips as I personally would have.
Wine was good.
Not at all stuffy.

Location: First Floor, The Walk,  19-23 Kings Road, Reading, RG1 2HG

Web site: http://www.mariemontirestaurant.co.uk/Home.php

Telephone number: 0118 950 0070

Date of visit: 30 January 2010

Approx. cost per head: £20

Comments on wine list/beer: A reasonable selection of mid priced red and white wines, alongside several more expensive vintages.

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Review:

Reading and the surrounding area is home to a selection of forgettable Italian restaurants. Mari e Monti is thankfully not one of these.

Ideally located in Kings Walk, just a minute’s walk from the Oracle Riverside, the restaurant enjoys a secluded and relaxing setting – ideal for a quiet or romantic meal.

The service, unlike many Italian restaurants in particular, offers the perfect combination of attentiveness and charm. And the restaurant itself is traditionally but very tastefully designed and decorated.

The a la carte menu offers a wide range of delights, and one of the best vegetarian selections in the town. The rigatoni is perhaps the pick of the pasta dishes whilst the pan-fried wild boar is arguably the best option meat-wise. A main course is priced between £7-£22, with starters averaging £6-7.

The only slight criticism one might level at Mari e Monti is the limited and slightly unadventurous desert menu. That said deserts are delicious and well priced (average £4-5).

If you’re looking for a mid priced meal, probably for two, good service and good food then you’d be hard pushed to find better.

Dave Lamont

Name of restaurant or pub: Thai Corner

Location: 47 West Street, Reading, RG1 1TZ

Web site: http://www.thaicornerreading.co.uk/

Telephone number: 0118 959 5050

Date of visit: 11 December 2009

Approx. cost per head: £25

Comments on wine list/beer: A reasonable Sancerre is perhaps the pick of a rather simplistic wine menu. An ample selection.

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Review:

A former pub, the building has been tastefully and usefully converted into Reading’s newest Thai restaurant – not something the town has an abudance of.

It’s located in the centre of town, just a 3 minute walk from the train station or the Oracle riverside.

The menu offers an excellent array of traditional Thai dishes, with a starter averaging £4 and a main course between £7-11. The restaurant appears to be very popular with both business people and couples – usually a good sign. It’s rather small, making for an intimate and relaxing meal, so best to book.

The service is not the quickest and a little tricky at times – mainly due to the occasional language barrier.

If you’re looking for well priced, well prepared Thai Food then this is arguably the best Reading has to offer.

Dave Lamont

Name of restaurant or pub: The Maid of Muswell

Location: 121 Alexandra Park Road, Muswell Hill, London, N10 2DP

Web site: www.themaidofmuswell.co.uk

Telephone number: 020 8883 4971

Date of visit: 7 February 2010

Approx. cost per head: £13

Comments on wine list/beer: A good offering of real ales, beers and mid-priced wines.

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Review:

On the edge of Alexandra Palace Park and close to the centre of Muswell Hill, North London, the Maid is one of the area’s best pubs.

Despite its location, with its wood decked interior and service with a smile the Maid feels more like a country pub when inside. You’ll often also enjoy the rare treat of live piano playing as the soundtrack to lunch or dinner.

The pick of a hearty, traditional pub menu is of course the Sunday Roast, well priced at around £8. The Maid’s deserts are also a treat, with the sharing platter an irresistible choice at under £5.

Not the largest pub, although a small garden provides additional space in the summer. Best to arrive before 2 on a Sunday if hoping to catch a table for the roast.

Dave Lamont

Hi Eddie,

Angela and I are going to Paris in March. I was wondering if you had any recommendations there?

Regards

Ken

Hi Ken,

Have you booked a hotel?

At the top end, there is George V which will set you back around €700 plus. Then there is The Ritz of Di and Doody fame at around the same price.

However, I have slept in Mandarin’s Paris Hotel which was very good – the problem with Paris is that the romms are really small. I was in the Mercure (2*) for the World Cup and when I laid on my “single bed” and stretched my arms, I could touch the walls on both sides. That was around €100. 

Alas, the Mandarin is no more.

For Hotels just off the top end, I recommend The Meridien Etoile (functional) and just round the corner from the Air France airport bus terminal.

The other ones are Hotel Scribe or Intercontinental both on Rue Scribe, both very central. Scribe has a one michelin star restaurant.

For the middle of the road, I recommend Regent’s Garden  (rue P. Demours T:01 45 7407 30)- small hotel, no restaurant, continental breakfast is included. Pretty good size rooms – go for the top end.

For meals, my first recommendation is Le Jules Verne  – A Ducasse restaurant (book now!) on the first level of the Eiffel tower – private lift, no que. Go for an evening meal and see Paris light up – one michelin star.http://www.lejulesverne-paris.com/

There are  loads of 1 mich starred places near the Meridian Etoile. If you stay there, try le Pergolese  (rue Pergolese).

Around Les Halles, try my favourite – Au Pied de Cochon (6 rue Coquillerie). Also, round the corner on rue du Point Neuf, by the river end, there is a restaurant (Kong) on top of the department store (side entrance on Rue du Point Neuf),  There is no need to book for lunch. Its a Japanese fusion restaurant – this is Japanese/French fusion!. I had a serious lunch there during the Rugby world Cup. Its an up market cocktail bar and restaurant in the evening.

I also recommend that you visit Place d’ Italie and try the Vietnam/Cambodia/laos restaurants in Chinatown. Go during lunch. Try Pho.

Anything that is michelin star, you will need to book for an evening meal. If you want a 3 michelin stars restaurant, book now. You will be paying Fat Duck prices.

Best wishes

Eddie

PS if you want a great gastronomic tour in a more compact version (city wise) than Paris, try Lyon, I had a fantastic meal at Paul Bocuse – ten out of ten. Better than Fat Duck and at twice the price.

Feb 2010

Please see competition.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/6377076/The-French-cooking-bible-is-back—and-bigger-than-ever.html

I’ll have to get a copy and see what the differences are.

Eddie

February 2010

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/feb/08/drinking-beer-prevent-weak-bones

Well, now I have an excuse to drink beer AND red wine every day.

Eddie