Tag: fine dining

Review: Solstice, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

A table at Solstice

How has it taken me so many years to visit Newcastle? It’s a lovely place. Handsome centre and riverside, lovely revitalised ex-industrial art district, loads of friendly people, lots of good food ‘n drink. Recommended: Deep North for ace doughnuts and coffee. It also has a blindingly good restaurant in Solstice. I’ve meant to visit …

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Review: Norma, Soho

Aubergine

I’ve got to get back to Sicily. Our only visit there was almost 30 years ago, long before I got the foodie bug, and we were there scarcely a week anyway. Since then I’ve watched every episode of Inspector Montalbano (look it up, you won’t be disappointed!) with hungry eyes, and witnessed the abrupt arrival …

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Review: Lympstone Manor, Devon

John Dory and langoustine

Lympstone Manor is in a lovely spot on the Exe estuary and has swiftly earned a Michelin star since chef Michael Caines opened a few years ago. It’s a classic country house hotel, elegantly furnished rooms full of light and lovely things, excellent service throughout. The restaurant offers a classic and a seafood tasting menu …

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Review: Grace & Savour, Hampton-in-Arden

Jerusalem artichoke shells

My previous review of Smoke gives a bit of detail about Hampton Manor, the location for Grace & Savour. Yes, we stayed here for two nights and had two knock-out fine dining meals in a row including a wine pairing here. Yes, the next day on the way home we did feel just a teensy …

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Review: Behind, Hackney

Behind

Back from a six week trip to Patagonia and I was looking forward to some fine dining! It’s not that you can’t find any good food in Chile… it’s just really hard, especially as we were (deliberately!) exploring the back of beyond. Some of the best bits were straight from the sea: if you’re ever …

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