Category: Out door seating

The Waterside Inn – old fashioned comfort

I found the food at  The Waterside Inn in Bray to be quite conventional, fairly typical french haute cuisine. I have to admit I expected a lot more from a 3 star Michelin – I suspect at least 1 star applied to the location.

It was also a bit of a struggle to find a reasonably priced bottle of Champagne – the wine list was a bit daunting. That said it was a lovely day out. The Waterside Inn is a very comfortable venue. We made our selves at home, spending hours out on the terrace after lunch drinking brandy that was older than we were, and indulging in a little too much PX.

Here is a short video about The Waterside Inn:-

 

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The Chop House – good old spot

The Bar in the Chop House in Butlers Wharf is a really civilised venue for breakfast, it is especially lovely on a sunny day when you can sit outside and watch the boats on the river, taking in the stunning views of Tower bridge.  The menu is excellent, I would especially recommend the Gloucester Old Spot sausages. It is best to reserve a table for breakfast as this is a very popular venue.

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Marks out of 10

Food 6.5

Service 5

Location 7

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Silenus – Losing its Midas touch?

Silenus was always one of the better restaurants in the Ravel area. We have had some really good dishes there,  but on a more recent visit the food was quite ordinary. It had shifted its direction from fusion to more traditional. However it may be on the way back to fusion as recent research shows it being described now as doing  International/Japanese cuisine (Japanese food is very trendy in Barcelona at the moment), so who knows.  On the plus side it is a fairly laid back  place to eat, so we may give it another try on our next visit to Barcelona.

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Marks out of 10

Food 5

Service 5

Ambience 5.5

 

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Tram Tram – off the beaten track

Tram Tram is situated in the lovely Sarrià area of Barcelona.  Take the FGC to Sarrià (Nuria exit),  it just takes 10 mins on an air conditioned train from Pl Catalunya to get to Sarrià.

See video of the square in Sarria :-

We had been trying to get to Tram Tram for a number of years but it was always closed when we passed. From its name we expected it to be a casual walk in venue. Much to my surprise when we did get a booking,  it was a much more up market affair.

It has several dinning areas, a small room at the front, a larger room at the back, a private room and a small courtyard.  The food is of a high standard and the service is efficient and friendly. That same year we visited the 3 Michelin Star Sant Pau and I can tell you that I actually enjoyed my meal more here.

It has now become a regular venue for us. If it wasn’t for the competition from Cinc Sentits and Comerc 24 this year then this would be my number one in Barcelona. No Michelin star….just a hidden gem. It’s also superb value for money.

Marks out of 10

Food 7.5

Service 6

Ambience 6.5

 

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El Jardí – see if you can find it!

El Jardí is not the easiest place to find, it is in the grounds of the Hospital de la Santa Creu/next to the Massana Art school in El Raval.

It’s an open air bar that does pretty basic meals/snacks. It is popular with students, but be warned the area around it can be a bit edgy .

See video of Buskers at El Jardi from a few years ago:-

We started chilling out here when it was little more than a few tables and a portable loo. Its grown up a bit since then. You may need to wait for a table when its busy, but it’s worth a short wait, table turn around is not too bad.

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Marks out of 10

Food  4

Service 4

Ambience 7

 

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Le Bristol, Paris – oh la la

Visited Eric Frechon’s restaurant Le Bristol (www.hotel-bristol.com) last Summer, and am so pleased to hear that it now has its third Michelin star, it’s the only restaurant in France to get one this year apparently.  We had the summer tasting menu, which was in a class of its own, everything was perfect. Unfortunately I was so into the food I did not take enough pictures to truly capture the experience.

It was very expensive last year and now with the Euro exchange rate and its third star, it’s way out of most peoples price range (gents also require jacket and tie….argh).

This is my benchmark for culinary excellence, no wonder it is rumoured to be Nicolas Sarkozys favorite.

For more on Le Bristol, check out this video:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABMyH2-UuYk&NR=1

Marks out of 10

Food 9.5

Service 8

Ambience 8

 

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