Telephone number: + (852) 27356111

Website: http://www.windy-city.com.hk/dans/

Date of visit: March 2010

Approximate cost per head for 2 courses: less than $200 ($11.30=£1)

Comments on wine list/beer: Good selection of far eastern and US beer

Summary:

I used to drink here every time I am in the vicinity. Ocean Terminal and Harbour City is a huge Mall near Star Ferry on the Kowloon. On this visit, I went and had lunch.

It was a big mistake as it was easily the worst meal I have had for a long time.

The menu is a list of steak, burger and sandwiches. All the portions were huge. For $100, you can feed 2 here. However, beer is around $60 for a pint.

On the day I went, I ordered club sandwich. There was no egg in the sandwich – they only do whole wheat (US) and no other form of brown bread. The toast was warm and slightly soggy as a result of a huge amount of sliced tomatoes crammed into the double decker. Next, the meats, they were all sliced off a roll (both chicken and ham) and it’s the sort of water injected meat that you get a mouthful of juice (?) every time you chew.

Well the Americans (linebacker size) in the place seemed to be enjoying their meal – they all had burgers. I couldn’t eat mine.

E

Telephone number: 0118 940 4474

Website: www.stgeorgeanddragon.co.uk

Date of visit: 27 December 2009

Approximate cost per head: less than £20

Comments on wine list/beer: Fairly extensive wine list with coverage over Europe, Americas, Australia and New Zealand. Wine by the glass is possible on certain wines. Beer is supplied by Loddon.

Summary:
This restaurant/pub is sited on the Thames just outside Wargrave – on the way to Henley. During the summer weekends, the place is packed.

The inside of the pub is a huge room with square tables for dining and round low tables for drinking and dining. When you book, be sure to ask for a square table as the round ones could be a bit low.

The food can best be described as an upmarket US diner with quality food. You can have salad, pasta, pizza, fish, steak, chicken etc….

Between us, we had the pizzetta which is a thin crispy pizza bread topped with shaven parmesan cheese and rocket. For main course, we had the salmon fish cakes, haddock & chips, burger and spit roasted chicken. The meals were served with fries (thin) – no salt (great). Vegetables were extra: from £1.95 for peas, cabbage and leeks.

On Sundays, they also offered a selection of roasts but I couldn’t sight anyone eating the roasts near us. The special of the day also offered scallops which looked very nice on the next table. The other tables were eating: pasta, pizza and & chips. The main courses were all priced at around £10 plus and the starters around £7.

This is a place where you can get a decent meal and the range of food on offer would cover most tastes. This is not haute cuisine.

The wine list had no vintages which suggest that you would probably get the most recent vintage. The price range from £15 to just under £40 with a pink Moet & Chandon, Amarone and a Chassagne Montrachet at the top end of the list. The Moet is good value for money as its only 100% mark-up whilst I would stay off young Amarones which tend to be very sweet (good as a desert wine). When they are aged (15 years) and browned out, they are great with game.

Ample parking outside the pub.

Eddie

Telephone number: 029 2022 7842

Website: N/A

Date of visit: 28 November 2009

Approximate cost per head: Around £5

Comments on wine list/beer: Brains, Everad Tiger, Becks etc

Summary:
OK, so what is a squash club doing on BottlesandCooks.com?

The answer is Rugby!

I was at the Wales v Australia game – the less said the better – and I ended up here.

There are plenty places in Cardiff to park – park and ride is best if you want to go straight after the game. The other two places are the multi-stories near the Meridian Hotel and Newport Station – a short train ride away and you bypass all the congestion. However, beware, as on the 28, they closed the line to Newport because of bad weather.

On the other hand, you can park, drink and eat at the Squash Club – 15 minutes walk to the Millennium Stadium (West Gate). Sober up during the game – after moderate drinking  – and go home.

Parking is £5 per car and admission to the club is £2 per head for non members. No bouncers, no ques!

The food is not haute cuisine. Pie chips and peas, curry, burger, hotdog etc. Meals start at £4.50 and they put gravy on everything. So if you don’t want gravy, say so. Food is served all day.

Eddie