Coyles Bistro

After our visit to Mount Stewart we drove over to Bangor, Co. Down for a meal in one of our favourite pubs - Coyles. Once again, we were not disappointed - for mains we had rumpsteak with a topping of roquefort and walnut pesto served with garlic and olive oil mash and a side of sliced cabbage. dr em likes hers well done, while I prefer mine medium - they were perfect and mouth wateringly delicious. For dessert I had dark chocolate and orange truffle with cappuccino pana cotto and cherries while dr em settled for almond angel cake, with carmelised pineapple, mango, lime and coconut sorbet. They were 'to die for'. If you haven't yet paid a visit to Coyles take it from me you don't know what you're missing.

We're still in raptures over the excellent meal. Culinary orgasm!!

Tedfords

What was once a mid-19th century ship chandler is now a popular seafood restaurant, retaining the original name and original trade insignia. As I am not a fish person I cannot vouch for the quality of the food but I am told it is very good .

James Tedford, who founded the original business, was a Sea Captain
who began his business in New Street in Donaghadee and only moved to the
burgeoning city of Belfast in 1851. He is buried in Donaghadee churchyard. His
move to Belfast was clearly to follow his mentor, James Lemon, who had
successfully moved a similar business to Donegall Quay a few years earlier.
Lemon was also a ship-owner and chandler. In 1798 he had been possibly the only
member of Donaghadee’s wealthy establishment to sympathise with the ideals of
the United Irishmen, and must have spent up to forty years facing down his old
Loyalist and Anglican friends who would never have ceased regarding him as a
one-time rebel. History from Headstones:

I can remember, as a child watching the coal carts being pulled up the small but steep cobbled hill in front of Tedfords and the horses then stopping to be watered at the trough beside the Albert Bridge. On icy mornings another horse, which was tethered to the wall which gave on to the railway track, would be hitched to the front of the cart to assist in the struggle up the hill.

Scalini's

I have just arrived home after having a meal in Scalini's restaurant (Botanic Avenue, Belfast) and just decided to share a pic to show you the interior. As you can see it is decorated in the style of an Italian villa and you can almost imagine yourself sitting on the terrace of the villa in Tuscany enjoying good food, good wine and pleasant company. If only they wouldn't do the same as all other commercial businesses and play their christmas cd constantly in the weeks prior to christmas - I would like to see somebody use a bit of imagination and come up with something just a wee bit different.

Just the other day my wife was commenting on an advertising poster for a popular cider and saying how much she liked it - it shows an apple tree covered with lights (they use real fairy lights on the billboards) - and I had to say that although I liked it, when it first came out, I thought it was now getting a bit boring. Again, I have nothing against the poster, I just think that after a couple of years they could use a bit more imagination. If they don't want to get away from the image of the tree and fairy lights I think they could at least photograph a different tree, perhaps in a different location. Here's a thought - why not use a photograph of a different orchard each year (I'm sure they have many) with the workers gathered at the base of the tree enjoying a glass of said cider, or is that maybe just a little bit too kitsch?

Oh, and if they use that idea - I want a commission, thank you very much.

My Top 10 Restaurants

The clock outside Robinson's - pity it no longer works either - it used to keep good time.

... and I have had to review my top 10 restaurants again. After visiting McHugh's on Saturday I have decided to drop it off the list (meat was cold and had to be reheated, vegetables looked a bit grey, cheese cake [or whatever it was] was all runny) and then, after a pleasant meal in Robinson's Bistro tonight, I have decided to slot them in their place. I have not eaten in Robinson's for a while - last time was when we were able to eat in the bar downstairs but they have stopped serving food there now (so maybe you can work out how long it has been since I last visited) it won't be as long until the next visit.

1. Metro Brasserie, Belfast
1. Ginger, Belfast
3. Robinson's Bistro, Belfast
4. StoneBridge, Richill
5. Cutters Wharf, Belfast
6. Grace Neill's, Donaghadee
7. Coyles, Bangor
8. Balloo House, Killinchy
9. Old Moat Inn, Dundonald
10.Villa Italia, Belfast

Northern Ireland's Top 10 Restaurants

Northern Ireland's Top 10 Restaurants according to viewers of Frank Mitchell's 'Ultimate Ulster' are:

1. Ramore Wine Bar,Portrush
2. Old Inn,Crawfordsburn
3. The Stables,Groomsport
4. Bushmills Inn,Bushmills
5. Cayenne,Belfast
6. Deane’s Restaurant,Belfast
7. Belfast Castle,Belfast
8. Nick’s Warehouse,Belfast
9. Halfway House,Banbridge
10.Viscounts,Dungannon

Surprisingly, places you would expect to be there (such as Ginger) are not - I think this says more about the UTV viewers than it does about the quality of the aforementioned restaurants.
What makes it more surprising is that in another poll being run by UTV (Local Hero 2007) Ginger is currently at the top of the list. (Well it was the last time I was able to find the top 10 list - says a lot for the UTV Food web site).

Just thought (for fun) I would list my top 10 :

1. Metro Brasserie, Belfast
1. Ginger, Belfast
3. McHugh's, Belfast
4. StoneBridge, Richill
5. Cutters Wharf, Belfast
6. Grace Neill's, Donaghadee
7. Balloo House, Killinchy
8. Old Moat Inn, Dundonald
9. Villa Italia, Belfast
10. Giraffe, Belfast

My wife would never have forgiven me if I hadn't listed Ginger at the top - so had to make it joint first. Some of these establishments may have come further up the list a few months ago and the whole sequence could change next week. Chefs come and go and quality of meals can vary, though some are consistently good. I do miss Frogities though, formerly of Bradbury Place, it was the best French restaurant in Belfast. If you Google you'll find that some web sites refer to Chez Delbart (that now occupies Frogities old premises) as Frogities - this is not Frogities and is not even on a par with Frogities. I visited Chez Delbart once in the belief that they were Belfast's new French restaurant - I have not been back.

Feel free to disagree with my selection.