The Scotsbridge Mill

I know I haven't blogged in ages, I could use the usual excuses of being too busy working and there not being enough time in the day. However, if I'm being honest I've been saving my money for my trip to America in November and moving out in August (who knew there was such a array of home stuff to purchase).

A while back I went to the beautiful Scotsbridge Mill in Croxley Green, nestled in the charming suburb of Rickmansworth. This beautiful riverside pub was chosen by my lesser half's family as the location for their Grandfather's birthday. This recently refurbished traditional pub also has a charming working mill attached.

We had a delicious meal including starters and mains, we passed on desert to save room for the birthday cake! My choices were Salt and Pepper Squid with garlic aioli followed by Roasted Mushroom, Feta and Onion Tart with asparagus and pea shoots. Being the greedy devil I am I also ordered a portion of twice cooked chips.

The Scotsbridge Mill

The Bar

Pimms

Artisan Rustic Breads with Dukkah, Olive Oil an Olives - £4.95

 

Artisan Rustic Breads with Dukkah, Olive Oil an Olives - £4.95

Salt and Pepper Squid with Garlic Aioli - £4.95

Home-made West Country Beef Burger with Gherkin, Mustard Mayo, Emmental Cheese, Relish and Frites - £10.95 with added Chorizo - £1.50

 

Roasted Mushroom, Feta and Onion Tart with Asparagus and Pea Shoots - £9.50

The Scotsbridge Mill is excellent value for money, 10 of us ate and drank for a very reasonable £30.00 a head.

If you are ever over in Croxley Green, Rickmansworth I highly recommend a visit. The staff are very pleasant and attentive and the food was delicious. Ever better, on a Monday to Friday until 6pm The Scotsbridge Mill offer a fixed priced lunch menu priced at £11.50 for two courses or £14.50 for three courses.

Why not have a look at The Scotsbridge Mill's fantastic website and scrummy menu here - at the moment you can sign up to their newsletter and get a free bottle of Champagne on your birthday. You can also follow them on twitter @ScotsbridgeMill

The Warehouse Grill

In my home town of Colchester sits The Warehouse Grill, a restaurant that never disappoints. If you are a lover of steak or you enjoy a tasty burger or even love a good cocktail; it is safe to say that The Warehouse Grill is your perfect dinner location.

Their website claims that The Warehouse Grill is the home of "the best burger in town".
 With an impressive grill based menu of ribs, steaks and burgers its safe to say you won't leave hungry. The quality of the food and cocktails is superb and excellent value for money.

I visited The Warehouse Grill with three friends a few weekends ago and divulged in the following:
- For starter, Half a Pint of Shell on Prawns with garlic and parsley mayonnaise and homemade bread.
- For mains I ate the Chilli Dog, consisting of 1/4 pound of Cumberland sausage, spiced beef chilli, mature cheddar, mozzarella, sour cream, pickles and shoestring fries. 
- For desert the White Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis and Fresh Raspberries.

The Menu

 The Chilli Dog

The White Chocolate Cheesecake

 

The food itself was, as always, delicious. I can safely say I have recommended the chili dog to my friends and family. My only gripe is not receiving a finger bowl with my half a pint of prawns. I personally feel that this is something that should be automatically done and not something that needs to be requested. Nobody wants to be left with fishy fingers!!

 

We were being bores and on this occasion didn't drink any of the delicious cocktails, however I do recommend the Bellini's which I have tested numerous times on different visit's! Therefore our bill was rather low, around £25.00 per person including a tip!

 

I surprised myself by not ordering my usual, one of the delectable steaks! However, if you want my advice go there on a Monday - Thursday for lunch or dinner and save a few pennies with mouth-watering steaks starting from just £10.00.

 

Check out there website for menus and  special offers www.thewarehousecolchester.com
If you have dined at The Warehouse why not share your experience with my fellow readers in the comment section below.

The Stockwell

With family friends over from the Czech Republic who have a keen interest in history and art we decided where was better to eat than The Stockwell. Situated in the historical town of Colchester in Essex, sits the recently refurbished Medieval Restaurant and Real Ale Hall. It's one of Colchester's most historic buildings located in the Dutch Quarter.

The Stockwell has the most incredible lunch and dinner menus, as well as producing beautiful Afternoon Tea's (I have previously reviewed the Afternoon Tea at The Stockwell, and you can read this review here http://fallingjess.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/mothers-day-madness.html).

On this occasion we were seated in The Empire Room. Their website states that The Empire Room which is "set off by an imposing chimney-breast ... offers lavish and luxurious dining at its secluded best and is ideal for private dinners or family celebrations for up to 16 guests. Escape into a world of majestic opulence as dedicated staff cater to your every need". I can honestly say that the secluded and intimate dining experience wowed our guests and that the enthusiastic, friendly, informative and attentive staff satisfied our every need.

On to the crux of the matter, the food. My choices were:
- For starter the "Surf and Sty" consisting of warm flavoursome pig’s cheek terrine, sauté baby scallops, wilted English chard and wild garlic velouté.
- For the main event myself and my lesser half shared their signature dish, "The Stockwell Sharer". Served on a medieval style metre long banqueting board, were the delicious garlic infused chicken breast, pulled pork, stuffed Hiso cabbage leaves, roasted belly of pork, Peasant’s Catch, squid bolognaise, mashed potatoes, saffron cereals, roasted spring vegetables, grilled field mushrooms and cured tomatoes. (With our eyes bigger than our bellies we also ordered a side portion of their incredible Triple Cooked Chips!)
- And finally for desert I indulged in the "Heaven Scent Lemon Sharer" for Two (I did share honest!). This sharing board contained a glazed lemon tart, lemon sorbet, chilled lemon cello shot and lemon meringue pie.

The Stockwell Sharer

The Stockwell Sharer from a different angle

I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, I even surprised myself and enjoyed the Nettle Tea and The Peasants Catch; which is The Stockwell's take on medieval porridge containing mussels, semolina, samphire and spring onions in smoked haddock milk, finished with baby watercress.

Other diners within my party enjoyed for starters the Soup of the Day, Line Caught Cornish Mackerel, Chargrilled New Season Asparagus and The Stockwell Snag. For mains they feasted on the Steak and ’Umble Pie, Crispy Pork Belly and Sweet Spiced Pulled Pork, Garlic Chicken and Crispy Salted Pork and the 28 Day Aged Chateaubriand (8oz). Their desert choices consisted of Stockwell Eton Mess, Warm Poached Rhubarb and Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich.

As a large group of 10 we consumed a fair amount of alcohol, however our final bill was around £44 per person. For the vast amount and impressive quality of the food it is safe to say that I felt this was superb value for money.

Check out there website for menus, special offers and private dining information
http://www.thestockwellcolchester.com/
 If you have dined at The Stockwell why not share your experience with my fellow readers in the comment section below.

China Chef

Recently I have been a rubbish girlfriend and have failed organising our regular date nights, I'm blaming the stress of revision and the return to my real job as an air hostess (hence my lack of posting blogs and socialising within the Twittersphere). Last night myself and the lesser half decided to rectify this problem. We attempted to book into, what I feel is one of the best restaurants in town, the North Hill Noodle Bar - but unfortunately they were fully booked and couldn't squeeze us in. As I was in the mood for Chinese and as all men are aware, what a woman wants, a woman gets; we booked ourselves in at the China Chef on Crouch Street, Colchester.

We arrived at 8.30pm and the China Chef was full of atmosphere with couples, families or parties filling every table. The restaurant itself has a great layout with the ability to watch the kitchen staff work their culinary magic. I love this within a restaurant as I can not help but constantly people watch, people fascinate me! We were seated near the door and next to the window at the front of the restaurant. Funnily enough I wasn't affected by the draft from the door but the freezing cold air conditioning, which has resulted in me waking up with the sniffles.

As my regular readers will know that my restaurant reviews come down to 3 key points:

1. How much is it going to set me back?

2. Is the alcohol affordable?

3. What's on the menu?

 

1. How much is it going to set me back?

This is a difficult question to answer, it is very dependant on whether you select a rice and main dish to yourself, share a few  dishes between you or select one of their set menus. We decided on a set menu and selected the Banquet Dinner priced at £24.00 per person (minimum of two persons). Totalled up with the alcohol we spent just over £58.00.

 

 2. Is the alcohol affordable?

If you was to divide our total bill you can see that just over £10.00 was spent on drinks. Of which I had a small glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a sparkling water, and my lesser half had a Tsingtao. In my opinion the cost of the alcohol is reasonable if you compare it to other restaurants.

 

3. What's on the menu?

As I've already stated we decided on the Banquet Dinner, which China Chef define as a "Leave it to the Chef – Three Course Dinner" consisting of Gourmet Mixed Starters, Crispy Aromatic Duck with Pancakes and a Main Course.

 

Our Gourmet Mixed Starter included Fried Crispy ‘Seaweed’ with Grated Scallops, Chicken Satay on Skewers, Japanese Deep-fried Tempura King Prawns, Crispy Spring Rolls and what I believe were their Capital Spare Ribs. All deliciously tasty, which no complaints from myself and my lesser half, we enjoyed the starters that much that we demolished the dosh within minutes.

 

This was followed by the sensational Crispy Aromatic Duck with Pancakes. This is my favourite part of any Chinese and in my own personal opinion you can't have a Chinese, whether it be within a restaurant or a takeaway, with out it. This particular dish arrived at our table as a leg of duck and was skilfully shredded in front of our eyes by our speedy waitress, this certainly was a talent that amazed us both! Once again, we picked our way through this dish at some speed!

 

Lastly we had our selection of main courses. If I am honest I was a little disappointed with the service here. We had a rice dish, a vegetable dish, a prawn dish, a beef dish and a chicken dish. None of the dishes were audibly explained, which I wasn't impressed with especially as we were unaware of what dishes we had ordered. The only one I would dare to give the correct name for is the egg fried rice!! Do not get me wrong, I tried every dish and enjoyed them all, but with so many flavours it was hard to decipher what dish you was actually eating.

 

The China Chef definitely believe in the saying that you eat with your eyes, every course was presented beautifully with edible roses and edible baskets. The portion sizes are also great, leaving us both full and struggling to move - we didn't even finish all the main dishes (that would shock both our friends and families!).

 

The menu at the China Chef has many dishes from Seafood to Curry Dishes, Specials to Hot Pan Dishes - it's safe to say you will not be disappointed. Best of all, if you don't fancy getting changed from your slob gear or your onesie, they also offer a takeaway service. The full menu can be found on their website http://www.china-chef.co.uk/

 

Have you dined at the China Chef? If so why not share your experience in the comment section below.

Le Talbooth Restaurant

Last Thursday I was thoroughly spoilt on my last day of 9 to 5 employment to a delicious lunch at Le Talbooth in Dedham, Essex. The stunning award-winning restaurant has a beautiful riverside location and stunning grounds that are guaranteed to impress even the grumpiest restaurant goer!

Firstly, let me apologise, due to copious amounts of champagne, white wine and mojitos I failed on the delivery photographs for you lovely readers, once again please accept my sincerest apologies. However, I can tell you all about my delicious meal. 

Upon arrival at Le Talbooth we were shown to the bar where we enjoyed a round of drinks, nuts and olives whilst ordering our choice of lunch. May I add the bar staff make a mean mojito.

My choices were:
- For starter tempura soft shell crab with crab mayonnaise, confit onion, pickled ginger and sardine dressing
- For main I enjoyed a delicious lamb dish accompanied with exquisite potatoes 
- And finally for desert I divulged in a jazzed up version of the the childhood classic, jelly and ice-cream with walnut crumble, conference pear jelly, vanilla and damson Arctic roll

In my own humble opinion, my choices were far superior amongst our group. Other choose croquettes of Talbooth smoked salmon, leek and potato velouté and pressing of ham hock for starters; and all selected the cod for mains. All stated they were delicious, but as always I picked the best!

The service was second to none, with the staff being extremely attentive.

As this was a leaving treat I was extremely lucky to not spend a penny. However, as you can see on their website it is a little pricey, but in my opinion worth every single penny. However, if you head to Le Talbooth for lunch Monday to Friday they offer a reasonably priced, special luncheon where you can spend as little as £24.50 for two courses or £30.50 for three.

Hands down Le Talbooth was one of, if not the best meals I have eaten this year. I would highly recommend Le Talbooth.

Check out there website for menus, special offers and private dining information http://www.milsomhotels.com/letalbooth/restaurant/

If you head to Le Talbooth why not share your experience with my fellow readers in the comment section below.

Guest Post by Alexander Ward

My first ever Guest Post on my foodie blog goes to a new twitter friend, Alexander Ward. He and his better half appear to enjoy dining out as much as me. They had a recent trip to Nandos in Colchester which he blogged about and has given me his permission to share his witty tale.

“Prompted by an unapparent mood of despair and desperation, myself and my good lady decided to have some food at the Nandos in Colchester. Little did I know at the time when I gleefully accepted the proposal of attending that it would be my last.

I say my last in the sense I’m not looking to return until either my budget dictates it, or I forget about my rather poor experience and gleefully accept a proposal to attend. Something is flashing in my mind, something about a pattern. Pushing that aside, I’ll continue.

What I should state from the outset is that I actually quite like Nandos, although it goes against my immediate annoyance at a non-table-service element, I actually think it’s quite good. The food is, well, consistent, the staff are usually friendly and typically it’s a vibrant atmosphere. Plus, there’s the 25% discount I get from my job (which shall remain nameless).

Not this time, nope

Perhaps it was the choice to come during half-term, perhaps it was the choice to come to Nandos full-stop after eating at so many good places recently, but I quickly regretted our decision. Upon entering the restaurant we were seated towards the back, it was a romantic little spot beside a big wall blocking your view. What’s that? What could make a big wall blocking your view better? I’m glad you asked. A vibrating, whirring big wall, no doubt containing some machinery.

The venture was improved by the small table we were placed on. Can we get this whole two-person table sorted and put to bed please? Those tables are not big enough, Borrowers would struggle to eat here.

Oh, he’s going to be in that mood

No doubt my very lovely girlfriend was also regretting things at this point. She always has a sixth sense for detecting my annoyance at a restaurant. It could be the grumpy face. Or the huffing and the mentioning of the whirring. And the vibrating. Having sat down and considered smashing my face against the floor to improve my experience, I ventured off to order.

Now for those of you not blessed with the experience, the Nandos Queue is a terribly interesting affair. In Colchester it’s typically a long queue stretching across the entrance (NB: Fire Exit) and into the eating area. Having someone’s arse at eye level beside you whilst you’re trying to eat half a chicken is a true gift. A. GIFT.

Worth a note is that these queues are also full of, well, idiots. I had the pleasure of watching five fully grown males (who I believe live in a gym, or at least have to undergo a series of physical challenges before leaving the house) mocking a chap’s coat. His black coat. Because it was black. There was much laughter and then wonder and awe as they discovered fire.

Having ordered food and returned to my good lady (who at this point, in her usual way, cheered me up with some silly faces and talking about how good cocktails are), we waited a good while and received our chickeny goods. The food was, well, as expected. It’s always consistent at Nandos, never incredible, never terrible. In a way that’s commendable, but in others it’s the restaurant version of magnolia.

Upon finishing our food with whirring vibration, we sat back and quickly realised it was time to have some cocktails.

The thing with Nandos is, and I don’t know why, but I always become hungry 30 minutes later. Maybe it’s the amount of protein, or because I feel like a forager. Or a wild animal. Scraping chicken off bone. Laughing at men in black coats.

So, to conclude

I would give this experience a resounding 1.5 chicken bone out of 5. Yes I could’ve asked for a new table, but with the busy restaurant and a deep yearning for food, I had to prioritise”

Let me know what you think about Alexander’s blog, and if you want to stalk him on social media you can check out his blog: http://fluffnotincluded.wordpress.com/

Or follow him on twitter: @tigertoosh

Mama Kekes Cooking Sauce Review

I was contacted recently, via Twitter, by a lovely lady named Yolande also known as Mama Kekes from Kekes Foods.

Kekes Foods make cooking sauces based on their own family recipes. Their cooking sauces are 100% natural with no preservatives or artificial colourings. Yolande informed me she was inspired to come up with her range of cooking sauces by selling her mother's recipes for 6 months in Brick Lane Market, London. She received great feedback and decided to sell her cooking sauces to local deli's. Yolande is hoping to supply supermarkets such as Waitrose, Sainsbury's and Whole Foods Market. With a distributor, brand expert and a manufacturer in place, Kekes Foods is ready to hit the big time!

Mama Kekes cooking sauces come in three flavours:
Mango and Root Ginger
Tomato and Scotch Bonnet
Coconut and Lemongrass

I selected the Tomato and Scotch Bonnet cooking sauce to review. Yolande informed me that this particular sauce is suitable for vegetarians, vegans and is gluten free!

The Tomato and Scotch Bonnet cooking sauce recommends using beef as an accompaniment. After Yolande's suggestion I decided to cook mine in a pasta bake, full of fresh and simple ingredients. These ingredients were:

Lean beef mince

Fuseli pasta

Red onion

Red pepper

Mushrooms

Mozzarella

The flavour was wholesome and consistent throughout. There was an underlying pleasant heat from the scotch bonnet chillies. However, I will be honest the sauce was neither as spicy or tomatoey as I had imagined. I guess that isn't necessarily a bad point though, it would make it suitable for the whole family.

The Tomato and Scotch Bonnet cooking sauce is rich in colour and taste and I would recommend anyone to try it. You can contact Yolande through the Kekes Foods Twitter account, @MamaKekes or via their website http://www.kekesfoods.com/

Watch out for the Kekes Foods products in a supermarket near you!

Let me know if this is a brand you have tried and share you opinions and photographs on your dish.

My top 5 chain restaurants...

As much as I love small, quirky and independent restaurants, sometimes they don't please everyone. When I say everyone, I mean the fussy eaters. Everyone knows a picky eater. I therefore feel that a chain restaurant just screams ease and guaranteed satisfaction from all members of your dining party. Sometimes its better to play it safe than sorry.

I decided to rank my favourite chain restaurants in order with number 1 being my most loved chain. 

In 5th place... Las Iguanas

I love the freshly prepared Latin food. Their menu boasts everything from Tapas to Mexican food, even food from Brazil and beyond. With such a vast choice of starters, mains and deserts there is something for everyone.

I'm a lover of all things Mexican, so highly recommend their holy guacamole (nachos) and fajitas, I personally prefer the chicken version but they also offer marinated strip-steak, shelled prawns and a vegetarian option of three mushroom. A new addition to the desert menu is churros, I NEED to try these, they sound pretty amazing. 

For me living in Colchester (Essex) my closest Las Iguanas is Lakeside or one of the many restaurants in London. Well worth a trip in my opinion.

The menu is so reasonably priced, with mains starting from £7.50, you really can't go wrong. What makes Las Iguanas even better is that Sunday - Wednesday between the hours of 12-7 there is happy hour on a choice of 12 alcoholic cocktails (such as Cuba Libra, Dark N' Stormy and a Mango Collins) and 3 non-alcoholic cocktails.

Why not have a look at their menu online and see what Las Iguanas have to offer, www.iguanas.co.uk

In 4th place... Wagamama

Wagamama is famed for its Japanese inspired cuisine. Wagamama's praise themselves on fresh, fast and fun food. My favourite fact about this restaurant is that Wagamama stands for naughty child or one who is wilful and determined in Japanese. I do understand that its not a restaurant for everyone with the shared benches and the dishes arriving at different intervals. I guess it's a little like marmite, you either love it or hate it!

The fast and delicious food is enough to make most customers, like me, come back time and time again. All the dishes are adequately priced. My favourite main dish on the menu has to be chilli men served with soba noodles. If I'm feeling particularly naughty I like a side dish or two like spicy squid or edamame.

Wagamama's even offer a great selection of super healthy juices such as super green juice and root juice.

If you think its something you'll love why not take a look at the menu, www.wagamama.com

In 3rd place... Zizzi

You can't really go wrong with Italian food and I personally think Zizzi's is best of all the Italian chains. They offer a great selection of pizza's, pasta's, salads and calzone.

The menu is full of lower fat, healthier alternatives to the usual greasy pizza's, such as the skinny pizza bufala. My favourite however has to be the pasta, I love a carbohydrate overload! In particular the penne della casa, a naughty dish filled with cream and oven baked with cheese.

Zizzi's also has a great selection of wines and soft drinks, my preferred soft drink has to be San Pellegrino limonata.

In Zizzi's you are guaranteed to get great value for your money, with them offering great deals and vouchers on many online sites such as voucher cloud. 

If like me your suddenly in the mood for an Italian why not take a look at their menu, www.zizzi.co.uk

In 2nd place... Nando's

Anywhere I can use a loyalty card I'm hooked and dam this has now become one good loyalty card. What could you possibly not like about Nando's; there is chicken, refillable drinks, loads of sides and the biggest variety of sauces imaginable.

Everyone knows what they'll have at Nando's before they walk through the door. Mines a medium chicken pitta, chips and salad. Occasionally I treat myself to olives too! It's safe to say Nando's has upped in price but who could possibly complain, you still eat for around £15.00 - that's unless you have a bottomless pit as a belly. If that is the case I strongly advise you to eat the frozen yogurt!

For the 0.01% of you who hasn't been to Nando's before take a look at their menu online, www.nandos.co.uk

And the winner is... TGI Friday's

TGI's wins the title of my ultimate chain restaurant, I mean have you tried their Cajun battered shrimp? Its mouthwatering. With walls covered head to toe in memorabilia and service with a smile (occasionally even a balloon hat or a song if its your birthday). TGI's originally started in the States as a singles bar in 1965 but now is a great place to go with your friends, family and loved ones.

The menu is literally any meat eaters heaven. It has everything including steak, chicken and ribs. My weakness is their American grills, just wow. Pretty much every dish comes with a Jack Daniels option which makes great food brilliant! You can't forget about the TGI burgers, they are amazing. TGI's even has the choice of Mexican and Italian dishes. They now also do Tapas (not the Spanish kind!) - 3 for £12.99 or 5 for £15.99.

Main meals start from £8.99 for the vegetarian dishes with the most expensive being £21.49. It does seem a little costly but like you'd expect of an American style restaurant the portion sizes are huge!

Not only do TGI's serve up great food, they have cocktails to die for! With a vast range of skinny cocktails, rum medleys, stylish martinis, fizzy cocktails and many many more! My advice when you go, ensure you aren't the designated driver!

Have a look at their website and see where your closest TGI's is, trust me its well worth a visit www.tgifridays.co.uk

What's your top 5 favourite chain restaurants? Comment below and see if we reach the same verdict!

5 restaurants that are sure to make you love struck..

To avoid Valentines Day 2015 being a M&S ready meal for one, have a read of my top 5 restaurants (in no particular order) to splurge some pennies on your significant other... I know researching can be a pain so I thought I would do it for you, call me your blogging fairy god mother!

1. The Stockwell Arms, Colchester

www.thestockwellcolchester.com

The host of my recent date night come pay day treat. A medieval restaurant and real ale hall that boasts electric atmosphere and fine dining. Probably my favourite date night restaurant with a menu full of sharing platters making the occasion a little more special, like the 16oz Striploin or the Stockwell Sharer (this one is impressive as its served on a long medieval style banquet board). The food is sensational and accompanied by homemade treats such as walnut butter, honey mustard and barbeque sauce. Even serving a surprise amuse-bouche (a French term translated literally as a "mouth-amuser") in between courses. I will be honest, with alcohol it can be a little pricey, but you really get what you pay for and it's worth every penny for a special occasion. The quality of the food is sensational, the service is attentive and the renovated building its self is beautiful. I noticed that they are offering a Valentines Day menu of 4 courses (one is prosecco) for a bargain price of £35 per person or if you would like accompanying wines (aka a wine flight!) the price increases to £50 per person. Take a look at their Valentines sharing menu on their website and if your other half is super special splash out a little and take them to The Stockwell.

2. Olio Italian Restaurant, Chelmsford

www.olio-italian-chelmsford.co.uk

I experienced Olio's for the first time last Sunday and it's safe to say I will be a returning customer. As my dining experience was part of a birthday party we sat in the downstairs restaurant, highly recommended to enhance the party atmosphere, but that is straying from the Valentines Day point! The upstairs restaurant is romantic, quaint and very Italian. The food was outstanding. Their menu varies from pastas to pizzas, with a wide selection of specials. My recommendation is the mixed fish platter and if you are not a fishy person the lamb shank. The authentic Italian restaurant is hosted by friendly and conscientious staff. On average with food and drink I recon you are looking at around £35 per person, very reasonable.

3. The Warehouse Grill, Colchester

www.thewarehousecolchester.com

Lover of steak - check. Enjoy a good burger - check. Love a good cocktail - check. Well this is your ideal place, with a website stating "surely the best burger in town", the warehouse grill never disappoints. With an impressive grill based menu of ribs, steaks and burgers its safe to say you won't leave hungry. When at a grill based restaurant it would be rude not to eat a rare steak with all the sides, my mouth is watering just thinking about it. The quality of the food and cocktails is superb and excellent value for money. The Warehouse Grill is also boasting a Valentines Menu online, a 4 course meal (one being a Mango and Passion fruit Bellini) for a moderate £37.50.

4. Il Padrino, Colchester

www.ilpadrinocolchester.co.uk

Literally translated as The Godfather so you know it's going to be good! Straight from the word go my advice is when booking to request a table downstairs, it alters the atmosphere of the restaurant completely. Downstairs (or the lower floor) is an old brick wine cellar and is perfect for the romantics amongst you. The authentic Italian food is to die for with a vast menu of pastas and meat dishes, with a specials board plucked out of every fish food lovers dream (if its on there go for the Spaghetti Lobster - its scrummy!). All food is seasonal, so the specials are constantly changing. There is a special Valentines Menu, a 3 course meal finishing off with tea or coffee for £39.95. So to sum it up its reasonably priced, delicious and romantic - spells a perfect Valentines night out to me!

5. Hudson & Hudson, Colchester

www.hudson-hudson.co.uk

I have heard many great things about this new artisan kitchen and larder, especially constant appraisal of their Sunday roast. I have yet to dine in Hudson & Hudson, but have spent a few pennies buying peanut butter chocolate from their on-site larder. The service was brilliant, even wrapping up my goodies in brown paper packaging, making it a perfect gift for my lesser half. Their range of savoury snacks, cheeses, speciality teas, jams, sauces and chutney's is mouth wateringly magnificent. If the restaurant is as good as their larder, then they are on to a winner! They are even open for breakfast from 7:30am, can it get any better? I will be checking Hudson & Hudson out very soon so stay tuned for a review.

I hope my brief reviews have aided in you Valentines decisions and dilemmas. Go ahead book one now or it might be your last Valentines as a couple!! Stuck on choosing one? Well why not spread the love over a week and go to one every night, simples! If my lesser half is reading this, in my opinion, I think I deserve the latter!

Noodling about...

As a lover of food I find myself often facing the dilemma of where to eat on a night out, whether it be with friends, my lesser half, my family or even my boss! My decision always comes down to 3 key things:

1. How much is it going to set me back?

2. Is the alcohol affordable?

3. What's on the menu?

My mission is to answer all 3 in this enlightening blog. What about trip advisor and such likes I hear you shout? Well with my blogs there is a significant difference, I will not moan about pathetic things like the table cloth not being ironed or that the forks lacked immaculate polishing. I will share my love of food and drink and not my ability to moan (although I'm sure the odd moan or two may occur!).

When I say love I'm not joking, I literally base my day around my next meal. I wake up, day dream and go to bed thinking about food. Whether it be a rare steak to a chocolate brownie, a mojito to a glass of prosecco. It would be safe to say I'm addicted to good food and drink (FYI I'm not an alcoholic!).

I've decided firstly I should review my favourite place to eat in Colchester, The North Hill Noodle Bar. Saying I eat there regularly is an understatement. It would be safe to say I've eaten nearly everything on the menu and yet I still go back for more. Why? Because the service is second to none, the food is delicious, the atmosphere welcoming and all with extremely reasonable prices.

During lunch there is an express lunch menu for a bargain price of £6.95 with numerous high quality dishes, my favourite's being Singapore Noodles and Teriyaki Vegetables. Their full menu contains many dishes varying in flavour, spice and price. I would recommend the Char Kway Teow, a delectable prawn dish complimented beautifully by the fresh lime.

Even if you don't fancy a full meal there is a wide selection of side dishes from pork dumplings to asparagus tempura, hot wings to Vietnamese rolls (my favourite thing on the menu may I add!). Perfect to pick at alone or share with friends.

My advice is book to avoid disappointment, especially of a Wednesday and a weekend as it's very popular!

So to answer my 3 questions:

1. Extremely affordable (Cheapest dish is £8.65, Most expensive dish is £11.25)

2. Reasonably priced alcohol (I tend to stick with the beers, Tiger or Tsing Tao at £3.30 each or if you fancy hair's on your chest, go for the hot sake priced at £5.00. It's sure to get you a little inebriated!)

3. The menu? Well after getting your taste buds tingling why not take a look for yourself... www.northhillnoodlebar.co.uk