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

D'you know, I'd forgotten Cosmos started this thread. I ate there a few weeks ago with a large party to celebrate a birthday.

I found it a bit off-putting to have to squeeze through the throng in the bar/reception area to get to the food, then back again with a plateful, but maybe that was just cos it was Saturday night.

The food, though, was super-tasty. Such a huge selection, too. I ate far, far too much and didn't even taste half of what was on offer. It's great for a large group as it caters for so many tastes, and the staff were brilliant, attentive without asking us if everything was ok every 5 minutes. And a reasonable price, even with drinks we only paid around £25 per head.

Definitely going back.

Deb

I ate at Zerets kitchen in London.

I was very excited about this meal. I came away saying ‘that’s the best meal I’ve ever eaten in my entire life’ and looking up Ethiopian cookbooks and restaurants in Birmingham! It’s rare (especially as a vegetarian) to eat something that tastes truly different (and in this case also wonderful).
We had a vegetarian selection split between three of us. It consisted of a large plate covered in flat bread with extra bread rolled up around the edges and then little bowls of things that were served onto the bread. The little bowls of things are hard to describe in a way that truly reflects the experience featuring lentil stew, gram flour and vegetables. I was particularly impressed by Misir wot which consisted of red lentils in a red pepper sauce. The bread had a slightly fermented flavour (like dosa) but was thicker. Once we’d eaten the stew the bread was amazingly stepped in flavour.
From the outside the restaurant did not look very impressive- it was on a back street in Camberwell surrounded by tower blocks and had to be entered via the back door of a greasy spoon. However once inside it was an oasis in the concrete jungle (excuse the hackneyed expression), it was simply decorated with ornate coffee pots and cups and foreign spices set out in a corner inviting guests to a traditional coffee ceremony. .

http://zeretkitchen.com/Home.html

I went to a restaurant the Rough Guide describes as the best Thai restaurant in Kalkotta. I selected it on the basis that my son wanted noodles and it was in the hotel.
The menu looked pricey but we selected noodle dishes at around £7 each. (Its not just that i'm cheap.. i'd been eating street food all day). When the food came the chef had sent a 'little surprise' - stir fry asparagus and corn, and a papaya salad. The food was amazing, the staff attentive and the restaurant ornate. I was a little nervous at how much the extra food might cost...
The waitress served food onto our plates, refilling them when emptied, encouraging my son to try different dishes. At the end of the meal I asked for the bill and the waitress cleared the table. Before presenting the bill she changed our table mats and asked us to remain where we were as the Chef wished to surprise us. He sent out dessert.. It was a sweet thickened milk thing with ice and jellied water chestnuts.Some of the chestnuts were brightly coloured and when the chef came he said they were 'naturally coloured with strawberry and saffron'. He wished to talk to us and asked us where we were from... Then recommended a restaurant in London with a remarkably English sounding Chef.
As we were about to leave the waitress returned with a bag 'some tokens of love'. These were a patterned photo frame, a candle, some tea in a fancy case, a magnetic book mark, a notebook, and a tiny screen printed pillow. A lovely set of souvenirs...

The bill was just for the stuff we had ordered. I have no idea why this happened.. Perhaps they thought we were famous.

Burger King (the one backing onto the platforms) at Victoria. One burger with pickles and mustard. No onion, no ketchup. Just what I needed.

we ate our Christmas lunch at the Tüschenbroicher Mühle (an old water mill) which is close to where I live.
totally fantastic.

http://www.tueschenbroicher-muehle.de/

(sorry, not sure if it is available in English)

We went to The Guild in Bromsgrove for Saturday lunch. The big bonus for us was the side room containing a soft play structure, to which we could dispatch the boys, and enjoy chatting safe in the knowledge that they were happy and safe. We had to retrieve them for the 20 minutes it took them to eat their lunch, but we barely saw them for the rest of the 2 hours that we were there.

I had the starter Combo for Two as my main course, which seems slightly subversive, but was highly enjoyable. It had lots of little bits - battered prawns, chicken goujons, garlic bread, breaded mushrooms - but quite filled me up in the end.

The boys, too, absolutely loved it. It's their new favourite eatery. But for reasons completely separate from the food.

http://www.brewersfayre.co.uk/brewersfayre/our-pubs/birmingham/the-guild.html


Geggs