Royal Pier

I have just added a review for the 'meal deal’ at the Pier Brassiere in Aberystwyth on the Critic page. Click the Critic tab and then scroll down the page to read the Review.

Sir Henry Morgan

I have mentioned more than once on these Blogging pages that Mrs B. and I enjoy our food. We have eaten in some very nice places and in some of these very nice places we have been served some dreadful food. Maybe we are a bit unusual because on more than one occasion we have paid for our main course and left without eating it.

If we are off out for grub then we are not going to endure the ‘ping’ of the microwave or try to eat a steak where the chef doesn’t know the difference between braised and ‘medium rare’. Unless we are having a Nepalese or Indian meal, then we also don’t want food that is soaked in a sauce in order to hide the quality of the produce. In simple terms Mrs B and I want good food, well prepped and cooked well.

We had planned to visit what we know is an extremely good steak house in the Bay in Cardiff. But those who follow the Blog will know that I am a fatalist. Things happen for a reason, and when I suggested to someone that we were popping over the road for a lunchtime drink (non alcoholic thank you), they recommended The Sir Henry Morgan further down the road. Good choice folks as the nice clean pub had a suitable nice clean and large car park. I like a bit of leather, which is why in many ways I like the Volvo brand. Quality comes at a price and The Sir Henry Morgan like Volvo didn’t disappoint. Our lunchtime drinks, newspaper and nibbles went down a treat. The friendly staff mentioned the menu without being pushy. We both cast an eye over the well laid out double page, and decided to cancel our Bay idea and instead book a table for dinner.

Quite a few hours later after a hectic day in the City we trundled back by cab. Yet another pleasant welcome and a table already set with our names chalked on a small slate table mat. Nice touch, great smells, great anticipation. I can’t tell you what Mrs. B’s food was like, as she eats hers, and I eat mine. There’s none of this silly double spoon food sharing malarkey with us. But I must say that her cod starters looked exceptional and based on what was said at the time, the taste and texture matched the image. I can however wholly recommend the asparagus and poached egg. I’m a bit of a poached egg aficionado. Whenever we stay in the Hilton or the Marriott I always ask for two poached eggs with my breakfast. Our eldest Jodi can do a mean poached egg, equal to any 5* chef. Ok, I have to admit it; so can The Sir Henry Morgan.

Now Mrs B and I do like a bit of variety, you know, it being the spice of life etc. But on this occasion we were both drawn to the steak accompanied by homemade chips cooked in beef dripping. None of this ‘cook it until it flames’ with us, after a spot of touring in France, its medium rare at the most. The best way to sum up the main course is to mention the conversation between us and the group opposite. He and I speaking simultaneously both came out with the phrase; “that was probably the best steak that I have ever had in the U.K.“


The Sir Henry Morgan
635 Newport Road, Rumney. Cardiff
02920361311
Opinion: Fine dining at IKEA prices
Probably best to book for Friday or Saturday evening

Father’s Day 2011

I am extremely fortunate to have a caring family and this has been a great Father's Day. The pressies and cards that I opened this morning were complimented by the long phones calls from my chicks that live away. The weather has been lovely and I enjoyed the walk along the promenade in Aberystwyth, the model making outdoors, and the coffee break in Costa that gave me the opportunity to write another poem. This was all topped off by a three course stunning delight served up by Mrs. B

Father’s Day Menu 2011

To Start
Roasted garlic and goat’s cheese toasted on bloomer with chorizo and sweet lettuce salad

To Continue
Oven baked Salmon with butter, cream, dill, and spring onions sauce on sliced and Roasted New potatoes with peas, broccoli and oven baked carrots with olive oil

To Conclude
Homemade double layer strawberry cheesecake with strawberry coulis and fresh cream with strawberries dipped in chocolate

Well done everyone, and thank you for a great day.

Zulu Rising

I have read over 200 pages of Ian Knights astonishing book. I have previously read Great Zulu Commanders, and Great Zulu Battles and truly believed that Ian Knight could not produce a combined book that would be as fresh as the first of my two reads; I was wrong. I am gripped by the storytelling, and have enjoyed a few pages each day in Cafe Nero on Duke Street, Cardiff after my physical toil on our flat. The staff are lovely and would be worthy winners of a Coffee Shop of the Year Award. It has been an enjoyable experience popping into 'Nero' each day, but of course, the hard work on the flat has meant that I have been unable to press home the reading.

Plus of course there has been a gap in the Blogging while I lived in Cardiff for the last 9 or so days. 'Happy Days' as one of the 'Nero' staff would say!

Eating and Fighting

Well the last Blog Post weaved its way between eating and fighting. It tried to explain 'Trial by Combat' and mentioned the lovely food, surroundings and people at the astonishingly good 'Mumbai Lounge' in York.

I really don't know how to top that Blog Post, especially as I do like to try create some kind of link between Posts. I suppose that I will have to thrill you with the delights of our Second Christmas Day. I found out that one of my really good friends had not had a Christmas Dinner since 2003. Well that certainly threw the gauntlet down. I mean, Christmas Dinner; it's the highlight of the year, ain't it? So the two professional drinkers were invited over to yours truly. Good news for me and them of course, but not so good news for Mrs B. Mainly because it meant one thing and one thing only. Seriously hard work for Mrs B at the wrong time of the year. Now don't get me wrong, Mrs B was well up for it, but I still felt a tad guilty.

Mrs B went off on one of her hunting trips to the local supermarket and managed to catch herself a turkey! Wow, it's March, I was well impressed. But not half as impressed as I was when she rustled up home made mince pies with puff pastry. I mean, come on give me a break. This is Mrs B and not Nigella, and Mrs B doesn't do baking. It's not that she can't, it's simply that she doesn't. I was well impressed, nearly as impressive as the fine wine and cheeses from Ultracomida in Pier Street, Aberystwyth, that were bought to compliment the meal. I get the credit for that hunting trip, and you will get an awful lot of credit if you ever book a table for your lady and you to enjoy the fine evening dining at Ultracomida. A bit like a Christmas Dinner cooked by Mrs. B, a treat not to be missed.

So there we were post Christmas Dinner number 2, rolling around like a gaggle of stuffed turkeys, when out popped the presents. Now Mrs B and I thought that we had come up trumps buying our guests some nice treats for mid March. But what we didn't anticipate is that they would also buy me a gift.

Not any old gift mind you, but 'Rifleman - A Front Line Life' by Victor Gregg with Rick Stroud. Good effort, and a very good read. 100 pages in no time and the fight was in the dog. A truly remarkable tale of a life time of adventure. Not my usual 'heroics' book, but a book involving a hero nevertheless. I never knew that I was going to be happy (if that's the right word, but I hope that you know what I mean in the context of this Blog Post) one day that the Allies bombed Dresden. The bombing has always struck me as 'bad form' a bit like the incineration that went on in Japan before the two atomic bombs were dropped to show the Russians what the Allies had. But if we hadn't bombed Dresden, then Victor Gregg would have been shot by the Germans. You will have to read the book to find out the how and the why.

Meanwhile, Mrs. B Christmas Dinner. Twice a year, only very good friends can book. Astonishing food, astonishingly good service and great company.

Ultracomida, Aberystwyth is open most days and a few evenings a week. The communal tables may take a bit getting used to, but the food is lovely.

York

I had a good reason to go away for a few days and the upside of that as one of my daughters mentioned; was a well earned break from sitting in front of the laptop day after day. Now please don't get me wrong, I'm no nerd. No far from it, I'm a regular down to earth sort of guy. It's just that I have been extremely busy typing up stuff relevant to an ongoing problem faced by one of my family. The upside of that problem is that a good friend has recommended that I bang off 12,000 words for a certain must not be named academic journal. Well no problem says I "That's a breeze, I wrote 26,400 words last week". I don't know if that was bravado, or the affects of heat during my daily morning sauna. Nevertheless, the gauntlet has been thrown down, and those that know me will confirm, that I am one to pick up the gauntlet with gusto.

Indeed, I have mentioned in a previous Blog the inherent problems when attacked from behind. Bullies come in all shapes and sizes, and sometimes they are an organisation and not a single person. When we are under attack, 'we' (that's you and I in everyday occurrence and not my current adversaries) refer to our opponents as 'they' or 'them'. And sometimes, like the wind, we can't always pin 'them' down. Those that you know and love and like, let you down. Sometimes your opponent is not who or what it seems. Never mind being struck from behind, sometimes you can get smacked squarely on the nose and not know who done it. But when it comes to picking up the gauntlet and fighting a known foe, then I'm an advocate of "Trial by Combat" introduced into English Law by that 1066 chap; William the Conqueror. I believe that in our current troubles "God shall give victory to the party that is right". You see, our opponents are paid to represent their Client, but I represent someone because I believe in truth and that "Right is Might". And I'm well up for a fight when I can see my opponent and they ain't attacking me when I am half asleep in my bed, or sat at my desk with my back turned towards them. So with all of this in mind, the York trip was business, but was also a well earned rest.

Of course this is where I "throw the gauntlet down" and challenge each and any one of you to resist visiting the astonishing "Mumbai Lounge" Indian Restaurant that we found at 47 Fossgate, York, Yo1 9TF.

We knew that we were on to a good thing when we spotted the restaurant in the afternoon and commented to one another as to its spotless appearance. The evening venture did not disappoint as we were welcomed by staff in traditional dress. They even took our coats, now that its a sign of an upmarket establishment. I like the 5* Hilton in Cardiff and go there quite a bit. All of these chaps could have been trained by the Manager in Cardiff. It was 5* at its best! The lovely tables with excellent cutlery were equalled with high quality food and service. My condiments were the finest ever, and is the first time in my life that I have ever indulged with the Chili Pickles with gusto. My Chicken Jalfrezy type dish was a tad hot for me, but that did not deflect from the quality of the cooking. It reminded me a lot of the Nepalese Restaurants that I have eaten at, good ingredients, cooked well. Flavours, textures and structure. It was all there, from my plain Nan Bread to the steamed rice. My youngest daughter like myself is an advocate of plain steamed rice with a curry. Why on earth would you eat anything that could deflect you from the true taste that you are trying to experience. You are there for the curry and not the onions or mushrooms in the rice. The Chicken Tikka Masala was served in the pan and placed on top of a heat tray, whereas my dish was sizzling and in its wooden base. Astonishing food, and they must have liked us as we were offered a complimentary drink each, that I of course declined.

I'm not surprised that we were liked, as we are honest working class folk who would do anything to help another human being. I care, to be quite truthful, I probably care too much about too many things. But I also care for my food, and the Mumbai Lounge in York is probably the best Indian and Bangladeshi Cuisine that you will ever come across in the UK. But don't take my word for it, instead seek them out and if its a weekend then please have the common sense to book in advance.

01904 654 155
www.mubailoungeyork.co.uk

Please mention the chap from Wales accompanied by the beautiful dark head young girl when you book. They won't have a clue who you mean, but mention us anyway. Mr Lovely, Mrs Lovely and our children; Lovelier :-) Enjoy your food folks, and remember never be afraid to pick up the gauntlet as "Right is Might". Look at the Casey Heynes story, an example to us all to stand up against those who try to keep on bullying us.

Farmers

The fantastic Farmers Arms in Llanfihangel-Y-Creuddyn, Crosswood, near Aberystwyth was the venue of our Valentine Dinner this year. Bit of a paradigm really as I have tried to book a table at the Farmers time and time again, only to frequently find that they are fully booked or closed. I have been working so hard lately as explained in the previous post. I meandered downstairs on the 14th to be greeted with "Happy Valentines Day", which of course was really nice, but a bit of a blow because I thought the date was the 9th.

Now, I have at last sorted out the days of the week. That's what Retirement does for you. Everything becomes a blur and weekdays merge into weekends, and to be quite honest it doesn't really matter as I have been doing my own thing whereupon days don't really interest me. The focus occurred; because for the last three weeks I have been swimming every morning at 0730 and travelling to and from the pool on Monday to Friday. So I sort of started to understand again when it was Tuesday and so on.

So I knew what day of the week it was, but not the date. Well 'dim ots' as the Farmers took my last minute booking because the Chef had decided at the last minute to open for Valentine's Dinner.

Brilliant would be a gross understatement. We were met with Pink Champagne and a live guitarist. The boss went for fresh prawns with an astonishing dressing. I went for a cheese infused Italian delight. My fish main dish was cooked to perfection with yet another astonishing sauce. The steak was exactly as requested, medium rare. Mmmmm, there was only one choice for me on the dessert menu, Seville Tart. Presented with a heart shaped sauce and a lightness of texture that matched the quality of the oranges used. Oh, did I mention the heart shape bite sized mini rolls prior to our starters? Or the exceptional and various breads presented to the Boss with her prawns? No, ah well, there's only one thing for it. You had better hope that the Chef wants to cook again next year, and if he does, hope that he doesn't advertise early.

I was so impressed, I bought the two Chefs a drink

£25 a head, plus drinks. Bargain.

Telephone 01974 261 275

The Tynllidiart Arms

I really like a good Christmas Dinner, and preferably with friends or family. We were looking for a night out and phoned around and chatted to some friends before we opted for the Tynllidiart Arms.

It is a lovely country pub with a roaring fire at this time of year. I went for a pint of the local brew and we settled down into two cosy seats for a chat and to study the menu. It was just about then when we asked if they could squeeze us into being able to have the three course Christmas menu. A few minutes later we received the brilliant news that it was game on. The restaurant upstairs is lovely, complete with good quality tables and chairs and even better quality food. The boss went for soup and I enjoyed the smooth lover pate, salad, and toast with apricot chutney. It was a superior start to a great meal. Our main Turkey choice complete with parsnips and stuffing and little piglets wrapped up, all arrived on huge plates. The three bowls of vegetables were a lovely delight with excellent sprouts, swede and carrots. To top it off the Cranberry Sauce arrived followed by Cauliflower Cheese! Wow, we were stuffed, but I still managed the superbly presented, superb tasting Christmas pudding. A huge well done the the Tynllidiart Arms in this time of recession. Quality fine dining at almost cafe prices.

The food was superb, the owner friendly, and at only £20 there was nothing wrong with the price. The Tynllidiart Arms in Wales is another strong recommendation to one and all.

The Tynllidiart Arms
Capel Bangor
Ceredigion
SY23 3LR

01970 880248

The Great Gurkhas

Nepalese Cuisine is really nice. I first came across the delicate flavours and presentation in of all places an Indian restaurant in England a few years back. Some of the staff at the restaurant were Nepalese and a few of the dishes in a small section of the menu reflected their culture. I decided on that occasion to opt for a Nepalese dish and thought that it was a stunning experience.

With that in mind it was lovely to be walking through the lovely ‘town’ of Weybridge on the weekend and stumble across a Nepalese restaurant. I made up my mind there and then, that we would down there that night. We spent the evening with ‘Mr Tister’ and when it was his bedtime we struck out back to Weybridge and had a lovely pint of Flowers before settling down in the Great Gurkhas.

The boss went for Nepalese Kukhura Masala with Gurkhali Bhat, whereas I opted for Anda Bhat (Egg and spring onions stir fried with boiled rice) to accompany Himalayan Chicken with the boneless chicken breast cooked in a sauce of yogurt and chilli with a hint of cream. As Mr Tister would say “Yummy”.

The food was great, the staff were lovely, the presentation was excellent, the price was superb. The Great Gurkhas in Weybridge is a strong recommendation to one and all.

The Great Gurkhas
27a Church Street
Weybridge
Surrey
KT13 8DG

The Best Kept Secret in Wales

I suppose that when someone writes about 'the Best Kept Secret in Wales' with a 'food' label to the Blog post; it conjures up images of the Harbour Master in Aberaeon, Ichiban in Cardiff, and other strong Regional Contenders. A few of which are local to my home town and may be a tad miffed at not being named here.

But hey ho folks, you can't please all of the people - all of the time, and today is just one of those days. It's the morning after the night before (well in this case, the evening after) and I am in a Blogging mood. A happy Blogging mood at that. I met a lovely lady in Cardiff last night and that was enough to bring a smile to any one's face. And they say that smiling is the best thing for complexion and to avoid wrinkles. So I have been smiling all day long.

And it has been a long day. I had to jaunt around the City looking for some odds and ends to buy, and I had to cram in some DIY at the flat. It's also a long drive back home, and there's nothing better on a long drive, than to stop the car and to have a break. This is where the Tafarn Ffostrasol Arms comes to the fore in this Blog.

The Ffostrasol Arms was good the last time around, this time it was even better. Diners continue to be treated to great decor, excellent service from customer friendly staff, and superb food at a fair price. Last time I indulged in the double pork chops with apple. The chops were accompanied by home made chips and nice vegetables and pour over gravy. This time around, I opted for the equally as stunning home baked Steak and Ale pie with puff pastry. Excellent chips, lovely vegetables and a pie that was so large it looked like a casserole. Many a time I am disappointed by the frozen chip brigade. I have even asked at the door of posh restaurants and walked out. My brother and I simply don't understand why anyone in the catering business would sell themselves short with frozen chips. Indeed the chips are so good at the Frostrasol Arms, that we wondered if they had a chip shop out the back. The waitress denied the suggestion; but how can a chef conjure up such a delight in a small kitchen. Well it can't be that small, as apparently 156 customers sat down to Sunday lunch at the Ffostrasol Arms yesterday. Am I surprised? No I'm not, so don't be a dork and when you get a chance, pop along to the best kept secret in Wales. Telephone 01239 851348 (PS when booking please mention Roger, the lovely chap with the flat in Cardiff, Betty will know who that is)