Good stuff, Roy. Hope you're having a nice time:)
Marco.
Printable View
Good stuff, Roy. Hope you're having a nice time:)
Marco.
Had Panna cotta with Eton mess for dessert which I forgot to photograph, bloody lovely, it all was [emoji846]
Very nicely presented, Roy. Needs more chips, obvs! ;)
S'only a wee bit of jus (or maybe jizz, mixed in with the meat juices... If the chef got a bit too excited over his creation):eyebrows:
In French, they call it mouse du pénis. It's a delicacy in Les Hautes Alps.
Marco.
So what was the verdict then, Roy? Thumbs up, would you go again or what?:)
I'm curious as to what you thought of the portion sizes? I'll tell you my view when I hear yours. Out of curiosity, what did they charge for the monkfish, and did it come with any veg or potatoes on the side (included in the price), or was that extra?
Marco.
Food was all very good but portion sizes were quite small. Monkfish came with quinoa & beetroot purée for £26 so a bit steep. Didn’t think the place was ‘grand’ enough to warrant the prices so next time I’m pushing the boat out we’ll go back to Alec’s or Smith’s.
https://alecsrestaurant.co.uk
https://smithsrestaurants.com/smiths-ongar/
:eek::wowzer:
Aye, a dollop of the former and a 'skidmark' of the latter! So no veg or pots?:doh: I've had bigger portions as starters, lol!
Fair enough if you enjoyed it mate, but for me that's VASTLY overpriced for what you got.
My advice next time, if you want more (and probably also better for your money, too) is to find a small, family run, Italian restaurant where the accent is on quality, but also VFM, and where the chef (and owner) likes to FEED his customers, not paint pretty pictures on plates and charge plenty for it!!:rolleyes:
Just my POV - but I bet you left there still feeling hungry!;)
When I saw the place (from clicking on your link) and looked at the menu, I pretty much knew what to expect and what the place was about (but didn't like to say) - and it's the kind of place we avoid like the plague.
Both of these, however, look far more interesting:
https://alecsrestaurant.co.uk
https://smithsrestaurants.com/smiths-ongar/
Marco.
Is Hornchurch not to far away, Roy? Have you been here: https://www.tarantinohornchurch.co.uk/
That looks much more like the sort of place I'd got to, and also more authentic!:)
Marco.
I was concerned by their presentation :eek:
https://i.postimg.cc/0yBvNMfp/DSC-6354-LO-Copy.jpg
Ok, fair enough. From the website it just looks much better than where you went. Didn't realise it was a part of a chain. There does seem rather a lot of chain restaurants down your way... Are there any Italian restaurants that aren't? Small and privately owned is usually always the best way to go with most restaurants.
In general though, although I don't know how you feel about eating at lunchtime instead, in Italian restaurants often the best food (and VFM) is found in their lunch menus, and where it's also much cheaper than dining in the evening. That's one of the reasons why Del and I prefer going out for lunch than dinner:)
Marco.
In its defence Monkfish is usually quite expensive (but some extra veg would have been nice) and their sirloin was only £2 more than tarrantinos.
Watching an American TV programme the other day, somebody mentioned a "cottage cheese omelette". I can't for the life of me imagine what that would be like :).
Making chicken Tikka.
Just waiting on rice. (jasmine) https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...c429587b46.jpg
Sure, but that dish you had would've been about £10 less here, and there would probably have been more of it, plus also a portion of pots and veg served on the side. It's more style over substance mate, and TBH, as Guy's pointed out, with precious little of the former in evidence.
You didn't answer this, btw:
In my experience, chains rarely offer a rewarding eating experience, in comparison with the best that smaller, more specialised, restaurants can offer. Also, what's your view of going out for lunch rather than dinner? You might be pleasantly surprised at what your get!;)
Marco.
Awesome mate, that's what Alex's earlier tikka massala should've looked like! Sorry dahling, but the Grantster's trumped you!:eyebrows::D;)
Marco.
There were two very good independent Italians we used to use, Mare Bleu in Brentwood (suffered from being down an alley, off the beaten track) and La Bicicletta where you could have an argument with the owner/cook both sadly now closed. ODA’s off the list now so the search will continue.
https://www.restaurant1539.co.uk/food-and-drink/menus/
Prices for mains here where you dined last July are broadly similar to what I paid at ODAs with sides extra but I’ll concede it’s grander and probably served as more of an occasion.
Yeah, they sounded like the business... No worries. and yes, the search goes on, lol. One question springs to mind, though: what daftee(s) recommended ODA to you?:doh::D
So you know what to do with their 'recommendations' in future, eh?;)
Anyway, there must be one-off, family run, Italian restaurants SOMEWHERE in Essex!:)
Marco.
Yes, daftee, but the big difference is we went for the 2-course lunch menu, which was less than your monkfish main course, at Rip-off-Italia: https://www.restaurant1539.co.uk/foo...od/lunch-menu/
:ner:;)
Kinda puts it into perspective, dunnit? You can get THREE courses there for less than your one. And look at the quality of the dishes offered... Plus, I can tell you that the portions aren't skimped!
We've not had the a la carte menu yet at 1539. and which begs the (as yes unanswered, but asked 3 times now) question... Do you have an eversion for going out for lunch, or must it always be dinner?:popcorn::whistle:
:D
Lunch menus are always much better value!
Marco.
Going to Alec’s in December for (pause for dramatic effect) LUNCH! [emoji846]
This looks ok to
https://davincishornchurch.co.uk/food-drink/
...or rather, nowhere near!:lol::D
Just yankin' yer chain, shweety;)
Marco.
Lol... Good stuff. Excellent value for money, isn't it, that 2 or 3-course lunch menu though, in 1539?
No need for a special occasion... I take Del there for lunch when I'm buying her shoes in Chester!:D
Sadly, her footwear is usually rather more expensive than lunch...:doh:
Marco.
Very good value.
An evening meal just feels a bit less rushed but in practice we probably don’t spend any longer in the restaurant than we would for lunch.
Was nice last night however to stop for a few more drinks at the Legion, didn’t get home till eleven for our early night [emoji6].
Indeed on both counts:)
For us, going out for lunch is usually part of a general day out, especially if the weather's nice, and we're in the country or seaside.
So once we've done that, and gone for a nice walk, looked round the shops or whatever, if there's a quaint little town nearby, it's back home to put our feet up in front of the TV, and perhaps open a bottle of wine and watch a movie.
These days, that's generally where we prefer being in the evening, especially during the winter months, although Del (being notably younger than me) will still go clubbing with her pals, or for girly nights out in town. I'm happier at home listening to some choons or talking pish on here!:D
Marco.
Tuna Nicoise tonight, was very tasty.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...610495c286.jpg
Nice, mate. A much better presented plate of food than some restaurants. Love the searing... I'm presuming though that you like fresh tuna more cooked than rare, as (it could be the pic), but it looks quite well done?:)
I go for nicely seared on the outside, like yours, but next to rare in the middle, as otherwise I find it terribly dry.
Marco.
Yes, it should have been rarer, 4 minutes in total, could probably have halved that really, but it wasn’t dry. Never made the nicoise like that before, Sue really liked it too and relatively quick and easy so will definitely do it again on a school night. [emoji846]
Yups, too right... However, when it comes to food, nothing much escapes the Marco-boy's eagle eye [just the one, mind]:D
Marco.
Ready meal today, but a good one.
Wild rice mixed with long grain Beef Stroganoff.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...a6bff8fa46.jpg
Yes it would be rude to show off one's culinary skills EVERY day!:D;)
Marco.
Lol - as they say in Wales: 'Happiness is the satisfying ding of a poppety-ping'!:eyebrows:
'Poppety ping' = microwave.
Marco.
Well... It's a gorgeous late summer's evening here in (very) sunny Wrexham. Currently 24C, having just cooled a little from earlier, but accompanied by a nice breeze, and am typing this from under a parasol in our outdoor eating area, where I've just scoffed these lovely cured meats and antipasti...
So we have Porchetta Arrostita (cured pork slices with herbs, from Lidl's Italian week), air-dried Salami and Serrano ham, plus Monte Veronese cheese [from Lidl's Italian week), and assorted Mediterranean antipasti [from Lidl's Italian week], accompanied with Coronation Coleslaw and a Red Pepper Dip, served with a ciabatta roll:
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/WlX5QA.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/6txa04.jpg
Some loving close-ups [Guy, since you love antipasti, you simply MUST get to your local Lidl and snaffle some of this stuff, as it's top-notch:)):
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/fkhJPL.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/BZPj3a.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/gPwKvq.jpg
...and washed down with a lovely chilled Sauvignon Blanc. Stay happy and positive, people!:cheers:
Marco.
ah, nickers...;) its cold here; its breezy here; its cloudy here!:ner:
Lol - and you wonder how we can grow corn?:D:eyebrows:
Anyway... Princess says wish you were here, sentiments I also echo:)
Oh,. and if you need some ointment rubbing on your sore bits, she's just slipped into her nurse's uniform and on her way up!:hotrod:
Marco.
Lol, I bet you do.... Trouble is, how long do you think your to ticker would last mate, seeing her dressed like that?:D:eyebrows::eyebrows:
Marco.