h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just back from a trip to Truro. Two dinners at Mannings - a bit frilly for my taste, and I wasn't keen on the puddings. On my final evening, while waiting for the sleeper, I went on a quest to find a fish and chip shop. Much the best.

Mol

Wetherspoons (The Tuesday Bell) in Lisburn.

They do provided remarkable value for money, and I think their menu is improving. The new style chips are delicious, and they have a good range of calorie-counted dishes available.

Today I had the chicken kebabs - 2 generous spikes of grilled breast with roast pepper, accompanied by a reasonable side salad (could have been fresher, but there were cherry tomatoes and cucumbers and most importantly NO RED ONION!) Also came with a fiery piri-piri sauce. Hubs had a brunch burger - 6 oz beef burger with bacon and runny fried egg, with onion rings. One drink came free, so with a white wine and a large vod'n'diet the total bill was £16.

The food and the real ales are well-priced and usually very good. I just wish they'd do something about the atmosphere - somehow it always seems like being in a canteen.

Depends - they do seem to site themselves in interesting buildings - the wee one in Newtownards is very cute, and if you're ever in Derry, get a table upstairs by the window overlooking the Diamond.

I've been in the Derry one - it's in a nice spot, but it's still that canteenish Wetherspoons-ness inside it.

I've bad associations with the Newtownards one ever since they handed me an ice hockey puck made of charcoal instead of a burger. That and the fact that it's in Newtownards...

Have you been in the Ballymena one? It's just weird. A big long thin rectangle with hardly any windows.

I try to avoid Ballymena, I have to admit.

Just plugged my lunch into the My Fitness Pal app - under 500 cals and over half my day's protein - result!

A week ago tonight in Copenhagen, at a cozy restaurant called Puk where I ate my first pickled herring served on bread and dripping.

A club sandwich at the Baron of Beef pub in Cambridge this lunch time.

Last night, on Mill Road Cambridge... Went past all the kebab emporiums, and pizza murderers, and went into a small Chinese resturant that I only found err last Sunday afternoon....

I had a bowl of the noodle soup, with fine rice noodles, and various meats and veg. Was delishous, and tasted very good, just being flavoured with the meat and veg that was in it, and the clear stock, rather than being pummeled full of MSG and flavourings... very tasty and filling, and a good place to sit in eating as it wasn't full of drunk loud shouty people, though it was quite busy for the middle of the week

Frankie and Bennys, Sprucefield.


Mu Beta had recommended their cocktails, so I started with a Cosmopolitan, and was unimpressed. Far too sweet, and not made up freshly (came out of a ready mixed thing)

For starters we had calamari (nice crispy coating and lovely tomato salsa dip), and some cheesy garlic mushrooms on ciabatta.

I chose the crab salad for main course (they have a really good selection of calorie counted dishes - I've had the spaghetti oceana when I ate there previously, and it was excellent too). Hubs had black and blue burger which was pretty tasty.

We split a chocolate sundae for afters.

Service was faultless.

The Kinara Indian restaurant. The last time I ate here it was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. It has improved, but not by much.

I think this place really needs a write-up in to warn potential victims. For instance, a spoonful of Dale Farm cottage cheese straight out of the tub is not "paneer".

I ate at Jamie’s Italian in Cardiff (www.jamieoliver.com/italian/). I’ve avoided this place in the past because Italian restaurants can be a bit dull for vegetarians and of course Jamie Oliver is bloody annoying. Anyway it was good and I was impressed by the quality of the ingredients. I had a mixed anti-pasta starter (marinated vegetables, cheese, olives, bread, chutney), lemon spaghetti and lemon tart. The lemon tart came with a compote and I was unable to satisfactorily establish if it was designed to be eaten. There were a lot of whole cloves and star anise but there seemed to be a lot of it for a decoration. If I go again I will ask to sit away from the charcuterie end of things as I found the whole hams a little off-putting. Service was leisurely to slow.

Does my baked mac'n'cheese with diced jalapenos, at The Next Act http://www.nextactpub.com qualify? In the interest of full disclosure, that was baked mac'n'cheese(with jalapeno peppers)alongside the first of my 2 pints of locally brewed Black Dragon Double IPA(with Warrior hops). And-also 'full disclosure', served by the slender & subtly charming Samantha(who-full disclosure-Did receive a healthy tip...*considers*I could certainly do with a few more lunches like that...Must take action in that regard!

The 3 Cups - Stamford Bridge.

Unimaginative menu - I had the steak, which was fine, but I don't need my chips made into a Jenga tower ! My wife is vegan - which they did not understand, though in the end they managed a salad and some seasonal vegatables.

The Eton Mess did not have enough strawberries in it.

I was at my union's annual conference in Bournemouth last week and thus ate out a few times.

Firstly we went to the Indian Ocean http://www.indianoceanrestaurant.co.uk/ which was a very pleasant curry house near our hotel. The Tarka Dhal was exceptional.

Then my branch all wanted to go to an all oyu can eat gaffe. I decided to head out on my own and went to a little Tapas place called Tapas Plus. http://www.tapasplus.co.uk/tag/tapas-bournemouth/ THis was for me much the nicest meal I ate whilst there.

Then went to a Steak place called Steakout http://www.steakoutrestaurants.co.uk/ (I think it is a chain) where I ate half a cow and enjoyed it very much!

FB

Today went to the bakery on Curley street, and had one of their fab Cornish pastys... then when we were in town, it was so wet and horrible, we dived into our useual cafe, next the Church, and were going to have just a cup of coffee... but they had an offer on... so we had* to have cake and coffee...
I was expecting a really tiny nice tasty cake... but we got massive cake, with plenty of icecream... very filling and home made cakes too I think Coffee was good as useual...

Easy jet, alder grove to gatwick.
I had the gourmet snack box (grumbly tumble? Yummy mummy? Gumbo jumbo? Something like that)

It contained
A small pot of rather thick humours
A bag of mini breadsticks
A bel paese cheese
2 cream crackers - not quite enough for the cheese
A small bag of gourmet crisps
A mini eat natural cereal yoghurt bar
A Linder chocolate.

Special offer - with a mini wine bottle, £7.

Not bad for airplane food! Will try to get the healthy version on the return flight

Cosmas in Coventry

Eastern buffet resteraunt - rather nice.

Camping in Machynellth I felt obliged to visit Borth as it holds a peculiar place in my imagination after reading Aberystwyth Mon Amour. Borth did not disappoint, a small one street strip of a town with it’s back huddled to the sea and a large caravan park. The beach was ravaged by earth moving equipment sureing up the sea defences, lines of wave breakers crowd the sea and it rained.

We ate at Uncle Leos Super Scooper Caffi and had ice cream sundaes*. The café was small bright and friendly, the ice-creams amazing. Proper grown up flavours served in frozen glasses. I had fig marsala and was offered something special, not labelled, crème brullee. It was like visiting the real Soapspam.

*I am supposed to be slimming. I carefully saved calories by eating only ice-cream

Cafe Rouge, Gatwick airport

Tried to eat at Armadillos (interesting south american menu) and Garfunkels (standard diner stuff) but they both had 20 minute waits for service.

20 minutes?????At an airport???? When we all have planes to catch????


I couldn't buy that at all.

So returned to Cafe Rouge, who had their menu helpfully marked for low cal and quick service.

So I plumped for the tartine a la greque - under 15 mins and under 600 cals.

It was a toasted slice of sourdough bread with red pepper pesto, feta cheese, black olives and spinach.

Absolutely delicious, would have that agian in a jiffy.