Reviews

The Exeter Inn, Ashburton, South Devon - overall rating 10/10

(From albertina)

(2011) A warm welcoming pub with a lot of history to it (dating back to Tudor times.) Family run so really special. Simple bar food beautifully cooked. You can sit in their beautiful garden too. It's sheltered so you are not cold. I sometimes have my lunch there on my own and always feel ok. In Winter they have a roaring fire. There are frequent quizzes and games. All in all it is a really fun pub to visit.

The Feversham Arms Hotel, Helmsley, N Yorks - overall rating 10/10

(From Stansgran)

(2011) Luxurious place to go after summer of looking after grandchildren. Spa and heated outdoor swimming pool, wood burning stoves in suite and everything very comfortable without being hardedged boutique or chintzy and fussy. No kettle in the room but a hospitality tray beautifully laid out brought when you wanted. Bathroom slate floored and full of candles and fluffy towels. No bar meals in the evening - full dining and people made an effort - not even "designer" jeans thank goodness, although no ties required. They also produced a delectable birthday cake for me on our arrival - and I don't know how they found out as it came as a bit of a surprise to my Dearly Beloved - gave him time to go and buy a card!

The Harrow at Little Bedwyn, Marlborough, Wiltshire

(From eGJ)

(2011) The Harrow isn’t a local pub, but a full-blown country restaurant in a secluded village on the Kennet & Avon Canal. A modern menu with seasonal ingedients and with day-boat catches from Brixham, there are useful by-the-glass suggestions for each course: best of all is the lunch time set menu with each course matched with a glass of wine. Everything is delicious and beautifully presented. Friendly service and atmosphere.

The Lemon Tree Bistro, Framlingham, Suffolk

(From farmgal)

(2011) Unassuming on the outside but very pleasant interior with comfortable seating and local artwork on the walls. Excellent menu, excellent service and reasonable pricing. A place where you know a good chef/cook is in charge. Lovely seasonable veg, and delicious deserts. Couldn't find fault anywhere.

The Miners Arms, Plympton, Devon

(From yogagran)

(2011) We ended up at The Miners Arms by chance while we were in Devon one weekend and what a wonderful surprise this was. One of the best meals we have had. A lovely conservatory style restaurant, great menu with some original items and some classic favourites. Perfect service. Not really "pub food" but if you would like a special evening then this is the place to go.

The Old House at Home, Romsey, Hampshire - overall rating 10/10

(From GLOWBOX)

(2011) Very good pub for ambience and freshly cooked food plus essentially for my husband, real ale. Good value.

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The Old White Bear, London NW3 - overall rating 10/10

(From stephgr)

(2011) This is a warm and cosy pub where the staff are extremely helpful. The food isn't cheap (main courses around £15 - £20) but everything I've eaten here has been tastier than similar dishes in much more expensive restauarants and the service is superb. Portions are generous.

The Queen's Head, Little Marlow, Bucks - overall rating 10/10

(From eaglestone)

(2011) Great selection of all types of food, really fresh produce, a lot sourced locally, expertly prepared, everything spic and span. Friendly, welcoming service, wide choice of drinks including local ales, everything very reasonably priced. All in picturesque surroudings, near the River Thames. A really excellent experience!

The Queen's Head, Sleaford, Lincs - overall rating 10/10

(From winnibriggshouse)

(2011) Superb! Friendly staff, fabulous fresh food and even 'happy hour' from 5pm to 7pm (including Sundays) where you can have 2 courses for a bargain price, and the menu and portions are the same as on the main menu. They also serve A la Carte and the variety of dishes and ingredients is something special.

The Salty Monk restaurant, Sidmouth, Devon - overall rating 10/10

(From grannyactivist)

(2012) This is a restaurant with rooms and was originally a Salt House used by the Benedictine Monks who traded Salt at Exeter Cathedral. It is in a beautiful area and the food is all sourced locally and cooked to perfection. It isn't cheap, but for a special occasion it is worth the money; 3 courses, homemade rolls, Amuse course, bottled water & coffee cost £42.50

The Stable Gate, Denton, Manchester - overall rating 10/10

(From Bethany)

(2011) This is an absolutely fabulous inn. Excellent food (we have been regular visitor for the past 6-7 years and have always had good service and food. Portions are good but the greatest thing is the service. I have multiple food allergies and this establishment has every time without fail gone far beyond what would be expected even to the point of buying particular food items in to order and cooking in specific ways to make sure that I could eat with the rest of the family.

Staff are always pleasant and the menu is completely adaptable.

Couldn't recommend this place highly enough.

The View Bistro, Whitsand Bay, East Cornwall - overall rating 10/10

(From wallers5)

(2011) Stunning views across Whitsand Bay out to the Eddystone Lighthouse. Waves crashing on the rocks. A lovely sunny restaurant with good choice of local food. Set winter menus at reasonable cost. Or just a drink on the balcony to take in the view. Food almost comes second to the view but the duck leg with passion fruit sauce & delicious fresh vegetables was a delight. Lavender crème brûlée too tempting to turn down.

Frankie and Benny's - overall rating 10/10

(From eGJ)

(2014) GS1 & GS2 had been to a film and we needed lunch. Didn't know what Frankie & Benny's would be like so thought I'd try. Attentive staff (but not overly so); nice atmosphere. Good choice for children and both ate up every last scrap of their Margarita pizza (huge!) and Burger and chips with small salad and tomato sauce followed by a pancake with chocolate sauce and ice cream. Drink included for them. Very tasty soup of the day for me. Value for money and a pleasant half-term experience. No Italian lesson, but not too loud piped music.

Tibits (vegetarian), London W1 - overall rating 9.5/10

(From CariGransnet)

(2013) I'm not a vegetarian but lots of my friends are and it can be a challenge to find decent places to eat (that are reasonably priced) which don't just involve pizza, pasta etc.

Bored of all the usual chains, a friend introduced me to Tibits in the Regent Street food quarter (I hadn't realised such a thing existed) and I was quickly won over. So when they asked if I'd like to try their new summer menu I didn't hesitate.

It's a simple concept - an attractive dining area (lots of glass and wood) and a help yourself buffet. The dishes are all veggie (many vegan) with hot and cold choices and there are lots of options for those who don't eat gluten/eggs etc. They vary many of the dishes daily. It's not your bog standard fare - I wasn't sure about some of it before tasting but actually it's absolutely delicious. And as a bonus you feel like you are eating pretty healthily too (which means you feel less bad about the ice cream/cheesecake dessert...) What's more, (even as a confirmed carnivore) there are so many lovely tastes and textures that you don't miss having meat in the slightest.

Once you have selected your food you take it to the counter where your plate is weighed and you're charged accordingly. So if you're in a group and splitting the bill it makes it very easy. Mains seem to vary between about £7 and £10 depending how high the plates are piled - pretty good for West End dining.

I've now been three times and enjoyed every meal and I'm already looking forward to the next visit.

(You can find it at 12-14 Heddon Street, London W1B 4DA and more info on the website www.tibits.co.uk)

Cielo Blanco, Leeds - overall rating 9/10

(From Maggiemaybe)

(2014) Cielo Blanco is a Mexican restaurant in the new Trinity Centre in the heart of Leeds. It offers authentic Mexican cuisine and specialises in market and street food with a bit of a twist. It's quirky and buzzing and is fast becoming a popular venue on the Leeds scene. The cocktails and soft drinks are very imaginative. On the whole, a great night out to experience a real taste of Mexico. As they say, simplemente Mexicano!

This is my favourite thread of the day. Almost as good as being on holiday. (Yum)

Garfunkel's, St Martin's Lane, London - overall rating 9/10

(From Anon)

(2014) We were asked to review Garfunkel's with a complimentary voucher, so my husband and I visited Garfunkel's on St Martins Lane in London on Saturday 28 December, around the corner from the Noel Coward theatre. We were very happy with the level of service and the food!

The waiter promptly sat us down and after a few minutes took our order. He was very friendly and made conversation with us. I would say he went above and beyond, definitely added to our experience.

There were lots of menus available - including a lunch menu and a winter special menu - but we ordered the Bacon & Cheese burger, BBQ Pulled Pork & Cheese burger and a side of onion rings from the main menu. The burgers came with chips and homemade coleslaw, all good portions. I don't like restaurants that scrimp on chips, but this was definitely not the case! We didn't wait very long for the food at all, perhaps 20 minutes.

For drinks, I had a homemade pink lemonade and my husband had a chocolate milkshake. We also had coffees after our meal - mine was a decaf black Americano and my husband had a latte. I think the coffee was Lavazza. We would have had dessert (they look fabulous on the menu) but we were stuffed from the main meal!

The manager spotted our voucher and asked us if we hadn't enjoyed our experience last time (I assume these vouchers are usually given out with complaints). We said we hadn't been before, but very much enjoyed our visit. We were impressed with the manager - to notice and care about customer service. We had a chat and he took payment for the rest of the bill.

I can't speak for all Garfunkel's restaurants, but I would definitely recommend this branch. The food was tasty, great portion sizes and the service was fantastic. It's in a great location for pre-theatre meals and very family friendly.

Hit or Miss, Amersham, Bucks - overall rating 9/10

(From plantaholic)

(2011) Very comfortable, friendly hosts, lovely food, good wine and beer.

La Table D'Yves at the Fox Inn, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire - overall rating 10/10

(From susiecb)

(2011) A charming French couple run this authentic French restaurant in a former pub. The chef trained at Jean Christophe Novelli's and it shows. Try the Sunday Lobster Lunch or Thursday Moules Night. A real taste of the French countryside in rural Leicestershire.

Pasteleria Dulce de Leche, Valencia, Spain - overall rating 10/10

(From Happy2Be)

(2014) The most delightful pastry shop, one of those you find in many cities across mainland Europe but you just don't seem to find in the UK. It's situated close to the railway station. I have a very sweet tooth so find it difficult to resist the sweet pastries even though there is a wide selection of more savoury items including lots of different quiches. As you can imagine by the name of the bakery they specialise in caramel based pastries using the Dulce de Leche confection that has caused such a dilemma with the Uruguayan World Cup squad who, apparently, can't play properly unless they consume vast quantities of it!

Shaka Zulu, Camden, London - overall rating 10/10

(From glam)

(2011) Fab. A real destination venue. Think Rainforest café only better.

Spread Eagle, Rolleston, Burton on Trent - overall rating 9/10

(From lynne)

(2011) Beautiful country location, lovely country pub with fire, friendly staff, good food...what more do you need?

The Crabtree, Hammersmith, London - overall rating 10/10

(From grayjill)

(2011) This is a very friendly pub in a great location by the River Thames with a huge garden and riverside terrace. It has been revamped in recent years and is now a very popular, more stylish gastropub. There's a great selection of drinks but the food for me is the main attraction because they cook magnificent steaks and their chips are very flavoursome. Service isn't hurried and there's always a happy atmosphere.

The Duke of Wellington, Ryarsh, Kent - overall rating 10/10

(From nanapug)

(2011) This is a very friendly country pub with excellent pub food. The staff are very friendly. It has lovely log fires in the winter and a sheltered large patio area for the warmer weather.

Pleasantly quiet on weekday lunch times but pleasantly busy of an evening.