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Post by rjpageuk on Nov 21, 2008 13:10:42 GMT
My favourite type of food is Italian too, but I often order stuff we also have at home e.g. carbonara. It is often better at restuarants (but no one tell Karen that).
On the rare occasions that I do cook I dont generally fancy it, for some reason the act of cooking it stops me being hungry.
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Post by trubble on Nov 21, 2008 16:36:03 GMT
Does anyone else have that thing where, when you've cooked a meal adn everyone is tucking in saying how good it is, you just don't fancy it at all? But if someone else in the family cooks, even if it's oven chips and corned beef, it still tastes BRILLIANT? Yes! Yes!! It haunts me. It stops me cooking proper food for myself - because I and Mini-Trubble eat differently I am always cooking meal for one and I just can't eat it straightaway. I am so relieved to find there are others like me. I usually make food specifically to be leftovers that I can heat up for this very reason. It makes me feel that I haven't cooked. Just to clarify: in general, Jack won't order things that he can't make himself and Riot won't order things that she can. That right? I'm in Riot's corner. Being vegetarian and trying to not to order food I make at home, restaurants are sometimes a bit frustrating; pasta is always a vegetarian option but it's also the easiest thing in the world to make so I often feel cheated if that's the best option on a menu. |
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Post by everso on Nov 21, 2008 17:34:35 GMT
In Euros (which let's face it, are virtually the same as sterling pounds now  ) that would be a reasonably priced meal, not crazy expensive at all. More restaurants should offer bread at the start of a meal. It's so welcoming.  Happy Birthday to BB. ! We always used to warn the kids "No 'Mad Dogs' when the bread comes" (gleaned from the Bill Cosby Show in the 80s) |
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Post by everso on Nov 21, 2008 17:50:02 GMT
I never usually have chicken when I eat out because I tend to cook it quite a bit. I usually stick to fish because Mr. E. "isn't a fish person" so not much gets eaten in the Everso household - although, my god, I did a great kedgeree the other night. Man, we ate so much all we could do was sleep it off afterwards, like a couple of lions after "antelope surprise".
Like Riot, I don't like to eat out what I'd cook at home. I, too, don't own a deep fryer so fish & chips is always a bit of a treat.
Does anybody else agree that the only real way to eat chips is smothered in salt and vinegar, out of the paper, on the street, on a really cold day?
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Post by Patrick on Nov 21, 2008 19:31:32 GMT
I did a stupid thing. We went over to Skipton for somewhere different to explore and were hit with a sudden thirst and hunger whilst in their local department store - and there were these sausages under a heatlamp which were slowly congealing and revoltingly covered in this black goo that was supposed to be gravy at one point, but I didn't care and had two with carrots and Brussel sprouts and roast potatoes and it was just as horrible as it looked but I was sooooo hungry  Then we had fish and chips that evening from the local "National" award winning chippy in the town! - and I helped finish off Best Beloveds!!!!! Is it any surprise I was awoken at 5am with with tremendous heartburn and trapped wind! Ohhhhhh! Never again! Then the next night it was home made chicken and mushroom pie!!!! We always eat a hell of a lot more when there are guests! Dunno why - showing off cooking skills probably! - but there was no excuse for the other. I do, on odd occasions - order something in a restaurant that I can cook myself perfectly well - I like to see if they can do it properly - and if they can't I know I can be justifiably rude about it afterwards. I was somewhere once and I fancied a Spagbol - now mine are legendary and solid - this was runny and a bit like cat's wee. So I told them that it was like it came out of a tin! Free pudding and a couple of free Margaritas! In a similar vein - I will not have a coffee out when I'm just in my local town - unless with guests. |
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Post by Patrick on Nov 21, 2008 19:48:34 GMT
My favourite type of food is Italian too, but I often order stuff we also have at home e.g. carbonara. It is often better at restuarants (but no one tell Karen that). On the rare occasions that I do cook I dont generally fancy it, for some reason the act of cooking it stops me being hungry. A rather grim carvery style restaurant at the bottom of my road has spent the Summer empty, to be taken over by an Italian family who already own two other restaurants in the area! (What Credit Crunch?) Never been to one of theirs, but how convenient! Love Italian.  |
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Post by riotgrrl on Nov 21, 2008 19:49:53 GMT
I never usually have chicken when I eat out because I tend to cook it quite a bit. I usually stick to fish because Mr. E. "isn't a fish person" so not much gets eaten in the Everso household - although, my god, I did a great kedgeree the other night. Man, we ate so much all we could do was sleep it off afterwards, like a couple of lions after "antelope surprise". Like Riot, I don't like to eat out what I'd cook at home. I, too, don't own a deep fryer so fish & chips is always a bit of a treat. Does anybody else agree that the only real way to eat chips is smothered in salt and vinegar, out of the paper, on the street, on a really cold day? Salt and vinegar, definitely. Those freaks in Edinburgh have their chips with salt and 'sauce'. I had to move back to Glasgow eventually to get away from their perverted ways. |
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Post by trubble on Nov 21, 2008 19:53:44 GMT
In a similar vein - I will not have a coffee out when I'm just in my local town - unless with guests. Oh no. The espresso at the end of the gluttony is my favourite part of the meal.  |
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Post by Patrick on Nov 21, 2008 20:05:38 GMT
In a similar vein - I will not have a coffee out when I'm just in my local town - unless with guests. Oh no. The espresso at the end of the gluttony is my favourite part of the meal. S'alright! I just mean when yer out shopping or something. Coffee at the end of the meal though - make it an Irish/Scottish/Russian/whatever alcoholic one! Then it's all back to mine for a game of Ludo then? |
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Post by Patrick on Nov 21, 2008 20:10:33 GMT
Those freaks in Edinburgh have their chips with salt and 'sauce'. I had to move back to Glasgow eventually to get away from their perverted ways. I remember going to a chippy in an estate in Oldham in '92 and all along the front of the glass case were the puddings. Nearly everyone who came in ordered a meat pudding and chips with gravy and mushy peas! ........and there was I trying to avoid putting Northerners into any kind of stereotype! .......and Rothman Royal 25's had just been introduced and were selling like hot cakes too! |
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Post by housesparrow on Nov 21, 2008 20:17:36 GMT
Just to clarify: in general, Jack won't order things that he can't make himself and Riot won't order things that she can. That right? I'm in Riot's corner. Nope - I typed that wrong. We don't eat things out that we can make at home! |
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Post by everso on Nov 22, 2008 17:27:20 GMT
I never usually have chicken when I eat out because I tend to cook it quite a bit. I usually stick to fish because Mr. E. "isn't a fish person" so not much gets eaten in the Everso household - although, my god, I did a great kedgeree the other night. Man, we ate so much all we could do was sleep it off afterwards, like a couple of lions after "antelope surprise". Like Riot, I don't like to eat out what I'd cook at home. I, too, don't own a deep fryer so fish & chips is always a bit of a treat. Does anybody else agree that the only real way to eat chips is smothered in salt and vinegar, out of the paper, on the street, on a really cold day? Salt and vinegar, definitely. Those freaks in Edinburgh have their chips with salt and 'sauce'. I had to move back to Glasgow eventually to get away from their perverted ways. Riot, the amount of vinegar is crucial too. When I get to the bottom of the bag I like the last few chips to be completely soaked with vinegar. Christ, I don't know where I've learned my common ways.  |
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Post by everso on Nov 22, 2008 17:28:11 GMT
In a similar vein - I will not have a coffee out when I'm just in my local town - unless with guests. Oh no. The espresso at the end of the gluttony is my favourite part of the meal. When we were away last weekend, I had a double espresso and wondered why I had a bad night's sleep. |
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Post by trubble on Nov 29, 2008 14:09:08 GMT
I couldn't sleep last night either. The mistake was having the espresso around midnight and making it a double. Usually I have a single and drink it earlier and perhaps follow it up with a liqueur. Report for Patrick: Starters: Beetroot and Feta Salad with a Creamy Oregano Dressing Sardines Bruschetta Main: Wild Mushroom Tartlet with Asparagus, and Parmesan Fries. Venison with Basil Mash Pudding: Vanilla Creme Brulee with Christmas Pudding Ice Cream (and 2 spoons). 2 Double Espressos One bottle Shiraz Total E120 plus tip. Add on to that the taxi and pre dinner drinks and it wasn't a cheap night out but everything was divine, the food was that kind of stuff you only see on TV, the mash had one long chive standing up in it and the tartlet had an enormous parmesan shaving resting delicately alongside and 3 'jus' sauce things drizzled in an artistic circle....and every mouthful was heavenly. We walked past the smoking area to enter the restaurant which could have been offputting but this smoking are was cane chairs and sofas and wall lanterns and heaters & canopy and beautiful cushions with matching quilts that the smokers could and did rest over their knees in case of extreme cold (which was the case last night). The bread before the meal was a variety of brown, italian and soda and there's something wonderful about being given bread first but I don't know how to pinpoint the wonderful thing. maybe it's just my greed! The service was beyond compare, never having to wait to catch a waiter's eye, they didn't seem to be around until you wanted one and then suddenly appeared by magic. Water was sold by the bottle rather than offered free, not a custom I am fond of, it's only water for goodness' sake. We chose a middle of the range wine for E35 which I normally wouldn't do and it was nice, not E35 nice, but nice. My salad arrived with lots of posh lettuce but without its dressing so I had to ask for it but that just wasn't a problem. It was the first time I'd eaten non-pickled-in-a-jar-beetroot and I am surprised to find that beetroot is delicious (and a perfect partner to a strong feta). The Sardine Bruschetta looked lush as my friend ungraciously wolfed it down nodding her head at my query about it tasting as good as it looked. She said the venison was melt-in-the-mouth and even I must admit that it looked very moist and pretty with its dark outside and bright pink inside. I was expecting my tartlet to be unsatisfying because veggie alternatives in restaurants are so often lacking in substance, and I only chose it because I didn't want pasta (see the rule about not ordering what you can make at home). Fearing the worst I ordered the heart-attack-parmesan&herb-coated-fries but I couldn't eat them no matter how yummy, the tartlet was more than ample, very strong varied tastes in each bite, also not a feature of veggie restaurant meals, and the asparagus was to die for. I really couldn't manage a pudding but we shared one for the hell of it. I just had a taste and it was so rich and delicious! But the creme brulee was chilled, aren't they usually served warm? The coffee was very good but I've had better. I've struggled hard to find things to complain about but really if the worst thing that can be said is that the delicious creme brulee was chilled instead of warm, I have to put this down as one of the best meals out I've ever had. Luckily the company and laughs were up to the standard of the food. |
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Post by Patrick on Nov 29, 2008 15:06:51 GMT
Phew! Well! That's a Post of the week if ever there was one!  €120 is about £95 folks. Yes Creme Bruleé should have been "caramalised" out in the kitchen then brought when cooled enough to be crisp. Presumably that must have "Been made earlier" |
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Post by trubble on Nov 29, 2008 16:11:33 GMT
It was crisp. Just cool. Well you can't have everything.
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Post by everso on Dec 1, 2008 18:28:28 GMT
Creme brulee is my favourite and I have sampled many over the years. The best one yet was in Fortnum and Mason's mezzanine restaurant in Piccadilly lunchtime the day before 9/11.
I never ever make it, preferring instead to always have it as a pudding when eating out.
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A.P.P.S
S C 
) that would be a reasonably priced meal, not crazy expensive at all.
