Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Reviews and Food Musings

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Fed up with celebrity chefs drizzling sauces over undercooked pieces of meat? I am!

I regularly dine out and am happy to share my restaurant experiences, and musings on food with you.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Advice To Chefs

Advice To Chefs

When preparing a hot starter, that contains stuffed mushrooms, it is advisable to cook the mushrooms and not present a dish containing raw mushrooms.

Advice to restaurant managers

Don't try to talk you way out of a faux pas like this, by trying to pretend that the mushrooms were cooked.

Country Mushroom Crumbles

Country Mushroom Crumbles

Some free advice to the chef, of an "English restaurant" in Pimlico, who prepared "Country Mushroom Crumbles" for me last week:

The mushrooms in the dish needed to be cooked, raw mushrooms waved under the microwave for 60 seconds do not "cut the mustard".

Some free advice to the manager of the same restaurant, who tried to make me believe that they were cooked and that I don't know about food:

You picked the wrong person to try that one on.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

The Organic Myth

The Organic Myth

Many middle class consumers are now favouring more expensive organic produce above more conventionally, cheaper, farmed produce; as Tesco's results show.

The consumers who buy the "organic" produce are of the belief that no pesticides are used and, as a consequence, the food is better for you.

Several myths here:
  • It is not proven that all pesticides, if used properly, are harmful.


  • Organic farmers certainly use less chemicals than their conventional counterparts. However, current standards do in fact allow the use of certain pesticides on organic farms.


  • Not all produce labelled "organic" is in fact organic, as this article states Cornucopia.
Caveat emptor!

Monday, January 15, 2007

Boozing For Britain

Boozing For Britain

Never let it be said that our beloved MP's do not back Britain, most especially the drinks industry.

Last year our MP's sated their political thirst with over £750K worth of wine for Parliament's bars and restaurants.

That works out at more than a £1K of wine per MP.

Commons bars operate without a licence, and are not restricted to opening hours imposed on outside pubs.

Well done, keep it up lads!

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Outstanding

Outstanding

My compliments to the staff at Franklins, Dulwich, for their speed of service and customer care.

Eva and I dined there last Saturday, and had another superb meal (see an earlier review here Franklins). During our meal, we managed to drop various knives and forks on the floor three times.

Oops!

Within 15 seconds of the knife/fork hitting the floor, a member of staff had rushed to our table and replaced it with a clean one. They even managed to identify the correct item of cutlery, from the sound that it made when hitting the floor.

Outstanding!

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

New Year Detox

New Year Detox

Did you overindulge over Christmas and New Year?

Here is a simple, and cheap, detox drink that will help you back on your gastric feet.

Ingredients

-a handful of fresh parsley
-a large chunk of fresh ginger
-one fresh clove of garlic
-one medium tomato
-mineral water

Method

Place all of the above into a highball glass, and blitz

Drink immediately, have it every day for breakfast.