Places to go under the sun

Sunny Places

Photo credit: A nice afternoon by lrargerich under a CC license

Can you smell the scent of summer in the air? Summer is on its way conjuring images we hungered for during the winter. It’s time to experience those hot days, walking in the parks under the sun, enjoying an evening beer wearing our sun glasses on! Haven’t you just missed those summer breezes and all the smiley faces? Here are some places to enjoy the upcoming summery days and nights. Places we picked, thinking of where you can make the most out of this hot period of the year!

The White Horse in London

ben_e_h says: “This is the one and only White Horse, otherwise known as the sloaney pony. It is situated right on Parsons Green making it a very popular place in the evenings particularly during the weekends. There is a very nice large area outside the front which is ideal for warm summer evenings and is very popular during this time of the year.” Read more


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The Banker in London

nyamnyam says: “A few words of warning about this review: I’m giving the Banker five stars for what it’s good at. Judging it as a general purpose pub or restaurant is unfair; it has a very very specific exact target market. The Banker occupies the space underneath the Cannon Street Station railway tracks. It’s big inside, it’s got a big extension that hovers *over* the river but *under* the bridge, and it’s got a big deck and lots of outside space.” Read more


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Le Cochonnet in London

susanfoodie says: “This is a really great place and we eat here all the time. It’s a real “local”. No tourists here! The staff are about the friendliest around and most live locally too. The Pizzas are brilliant - thin crust but with great toppings. I like the fact that besides Organic Meat and Fish there are lots of vegetarian pasta options and daily specials and they serve till quite late in the evenings.” Read more


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The City Pride in London

Magie says: “City Pride is indeed a very traditional English pub with traditional food and a great atmosphere. Me and my friends tried several plates such as the Chicken Caesar Salad and the Spicy Chicken Wings as starters and Sunday Roast, Homemade Rib Eye Steak Burger and Sword Fish Caprice as main courses.” Read more


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Elistano in London

MJS27 says: “Superb local Italian food served by friendly staff, Elistano offers great value for money. With a good range of fresh pasta dishes, along with pizza and Milaneses on the menu this is a great place for a meal that is far less pretentious than many other Italian restaurants in the area.” Read more


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Aqua Bar & Restaurant in Bristol

technologyman says: “This is a perfect place to go with friends, but maybe not for an intimate romantic meal with a loved one. This is because Aqua Bar and Restaurant has a really lively feel and is great fun. It’s not the place to go if you just want a nice quiet meal with a nice chat!” Read more


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Sangthai in York

cmmort says: “The Sangthai is a really REALLY good restaurant! Hidden away off the main road through Escrick, it feels exclusive and upmarket straightaway, and you are given a warm and friendly welcome by the staff as soon as you step in the door.” Read more


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Saltwater in Nottingham

jaybee24uk says: “Fantastic venue, great crowd, no trouble. I always take my brother when he comes and visits me down from Scarborough, he loves it. Drinks and food a little pricey, however I like the venue. You can sit outside and have fantastic views of the city, great on a sunny day.” Read more


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Marco At Milano in Sheffield

Dr_A says: “Whilst the words of reviewers on this website is often a good measure of a restaurant, I probably should open with the fact that none other than the Observer voted Marco at Milano inside the top ten Italian restaurants in the UK, and the Guardian placed it 15th of the 100 best for al fresco dining.” Read more


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Terraces Bar and Grill in Brighton

Katrina_Smith says: “What a difference! Terraces has transformed now new and original manager is back in town, thank goodness for that! Was there for lunch at the weekend and felt so snug by the roaring fire looking out to the crashing ocean - the food was delicious (especially the home battered fish and chips)and very reasonable.” Read more


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Have you visited all of these great places? Are your favourites on this list? If not, review them and let the TrustedPlaces community know about them!

[tags]TrustedPlaces, London, Summer, Sun, Garden[/tags]

April 23rd, 2009  ·  Uncategorized  ·  No Comments »

Mayfair Park and Tower Race

Mayfair Park & Tower Race event organised by Galvin’s at Windows, is taking place on Wednesday 17 of June in scope of raising the funds for Galvin’s Chance project. The aim of the project is to help disadvantaged young people at risk from gun and knife crime by opening up opportunities for gaining sustainable jobs in the hospitality industry.

The plan of the race is that competitors will run around the Serpentine in Hyde Park and will finish by going up the 28 floors of Hilton in Park Lane to end up at Galvin’s at Windows where the event continues. Anyone can participate with a commit of minimum of £250 for the cause.

Charity and having fun at the same time sounds challenging, doesn’t it? If you find it interesting, details, tips about the training and info on how to sign up can be found on the Galvin’s Chance Website

 Mayfair Park & Tower Race

by Galvin’s Chance Website

April 21st, 2009  ·  Uncategorized  ·  1 Comment »

Galvin at Windows Oyster and Champagne Event

By Jonathan Brown from Around Britain with a Paunch

Oysters and champagne aren’t a bad combination are they? Now imagine indulging in a flight of 8 champagnes and 9 oysters at a lavish venue overlooking Hyde Park on a gloriously sunny afternoon. Throw in some great company. And then pinch yourself. Surely this is a dream…

Fred Sireix, the general manager of Galvin at Windows, was the brains behind the event. The fantastic oysters were supplied by Wright Brothers of Borough Market; the champagne came from the good folk at Bibendum with Bruno Murciano as the sommelier. And all the action was filmed and broadcast on worldTV by the BBC’s Nigel Barden. And Trusted Places did a great job of bringing together the best of the foodie community.

The view from the 28th floor of the Hilton Hotel is far more staggering than the snapshot below illustrates. It was a fittingly mercurial backdrop to an event that just kept on getting better.

View over Hyde Park

After a brief but fascinating introduction about the ins and outs of oysters by Mr Wright from Wright brothers, our first task was to judge a flight of 5 oysters out of 10. They lay cool and serene awaiting judgement. I can assure you they tasted a lot better than they look here!

Oysters pre score

1. Cumbrae (Scottish)

2. Spéciale de claire

3. Carlingford (Irish)

4. Frenchman’s Creek (Duchy of Cornwall)

5. Helford Native (Duchy of Cornwall)

They were all so very different, ranging from intensely briny to almost sweet. All were imbued with a deep minerality and zingy freshness. You can see my score below on the plates! I just hope I haven’t inadvertently got myself blacklisted…

Oysters and their scores

The final results of the oyster tasting were as follows:

1st – Special De Claire from France

2nd – Frenchman’s Creek – Wright Brothers, Duchy of Cornwall Oyster Farm

3rd – Helford Native – Wright Brothers, Duchy of Cornwall Oyster Farm

4th – Carlingford Lough – Ireland

5th – Cumbrae – Scotland

It pains me to say it but the Special de Claire from France was a worthy, if controversial winner. Their flesh was silky and their flavour was ever so slightly sweet. The next time I’m in Borough Market I’m going straight to Wright Brothers and ordering a dozen Special de Claires and then going to file for bankruptcy.

Having guzzled 5 oysters we were all now getting a bit thirsty. Luckily, 8 champagnes were then wheeled out to slake our parched palettes. We then rated each flute out of 10 and totted up our results. For what it’s worth here are my thoughts!

Champagne notes double spread

After much pushing of beads on the abacus the winners were announced by Bruno Murciano:

1. Celler Batlle Gramona Gran Reserva 2000 (Spanish)
2.
Nytimber 2002 (English)
3. Beaumont des Crayeres Brut (Galvin label Champagne)

Having lost out to the French in the oyster battle, the English and Spanish triumphed in the battle for the top sparkler! Hurrah. The Nytimber and Celler Batlle Gramona Gran Reserva were spectacular. Embarrassingly, my notes seem to suggest the Cava smelled of posh carpets. But then again that is one of my favourite aromas!

Whilst the oysters and champagnes were the stars of the show the event it wouldn’t have been half as much fun without such great company. I was lucky to be on a table with Julia Parsons from A Slice of Cherry Pie, Lucas Hollweg from The Sunday Times, Dan Coward from Bibendum and Clinton Cawood from Imbibe magazine who were all on cracking form.

Oyster twitter

As children of the new media revolution, many of us broadcast our thoughts as we ate and drank across a range of social media. I’ve tried to gather them up below so you can get a feel for everyone’s excitement:

- Twitter search #galvinw for increasingly addled twitter notes

- Footage from worldTV

- Bibendum’s live blogging

It was great to meet up with so many brilliant people including so many fellow bloggers below:

Hermione Way
Krista
Niamh

Julia

Douglas
Chris
Oli Barrett
Renate Nyborg
Rob McIntosh
Denise
Helen
Dan Coward 

Thanks again to Fred, Trusted Places, Bibendum, Wright Brothers and worldTV for putting on such a memorable event. They even managed to orchestrate a perfect sunset for us.

Sunset

March 12th, 2009  ·  Events, Guest Blogger, Partnerships  ·  3 Comments »

Brand New TrustedPlaces

Who was it that said ‘Nothing is constant but change’? Not sure, but he was a smart chap. True to those wise words your TrustedPlaces has just had its latest incarnation.

So what’s new?

Well you’ll have noticed that the navigation is now different. You can use the Explore drop down and get access to all categories, quickly add a review and come back here to this blog.
Also notice the bar on top of you window? That stays there permanently when you scroll down and gives you access to MyTrustedPlaces – an area with all your content, activity from your friends and much more. If you’re not a member yet, you can quickly create a free account or Connect with Facebook.

Quick reviews (or reviews ‘a la Twitter’)

We’re making one key change on the way you can share your view on places or quickly jot down a note of where you are hanging with your friends. You can now write a quick comment and update you status, just like you do on Facebook or Twitter. Our brilliant developers have written some clever stuff that looks into your note and checks if it matches any places. You can then match that note (using Locate) to a place and write a full review then and there or leave it for later. We want to make it as easy as possible for you to share your views and feel this is a great way to do that.

Earn £50

Finally, there is another important addition to TrustedPlaces – referrals. We’ve all been feeling the pinch lately and we’ve decided to do our bit to help. You can now refer a local business to our premium programme and earn cash. Speak to your favourite pub landlord, shop owner, restaurant manager or any other type of business owner/manager and let them know about TrustedPlaces. Send them an email with a link that you can grab here and invite them to join. Once they do that and they upgrade to a premium account for a year (which costs £199) we will give £50 to you and £40 of free advertising to them. We believe that this is a great way to support local businesses and give something back to the community that has helped us get to where we are now. Sign up to the programme here.

We’re really fired up about this latest release and hope you share the excitement. TrustedPlaces now gets 920,000 unique users every month and we still spend zero money on marketing. We want to thank everyone that has helped us along this journey (that is you guys, the people who continue to write and share those excellent reviews). A big shout- out also goes to our friends at caffeinehit.com who worked tirelessly on the new design.

Apart from what I explained above, you’ll notice plenty more other tweaks on the site and as always we’d love to have your feedback.
To finish off, let me say that we’re not really done with this release. Watch out for more changes coming up in the coming weeks.

Funny & Weird Reviews

Funny and Weird Reviews

Photo credit: Happy April Fools Day by borrowed time|demi-brook under a CC license

We love reading the reviews on TrustedPlaces whether they’re really long and packed with information or just short and sweet. They all tend to do a good job of letting us know exactly why (or why not) we should be checking out a new place.
Sometimes there’s a killer line in the review that really makes us sit up and take notice.

We’ve pulled together some of our favourite funnies of recent months to give you a giggle and let you see why us TrustedPlaces staff always have a big smile on our faces. Add your review if you have a funny one to share with us.
Some of the funniest and weirdest reviews on TrustedPlaces:

Testi in London
andybrown says::”I can not, literally, I am unable to express adequately in words (and I know quite a few) just how far I am transported by grilled onions in pomegranate sauce. I’d eat chimpanzees bumhole, raw, if it only came with a side order of grilled onions in pomegranate sauce. This is all set off wonderfully because the staff are friendly, the prices are absolute dirt cheap, the decor is like an Istanbul souvenir shop on acid, and I just want to mention the grilled onions in pomegranate sauce again because I love them so much I’d gnaw on my own leg were it only accompanied by grilled onions in pomegranate sauce.” Read More


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Saf Restaurant & Bar in London
intoxicating says::”That night I dreamt of molten butter spread deeply onto toast triangles, almost curdling cream, sticky, runny, bursting egg yokes, the sensation of tearing blazing red flesh and sucking warm marrowbone goo, twirling swines on spits, fried swordfish steaks, tear salty oysters and garlic sodden crayfish tails. The rich aromas from an oil fired Aga stuffed with plucked, basted fowl….” Read More


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Gem in London
up_shiraz says::”Little pancakes to start and then cold and hot mezze all round. The dips were tasty and the hot bits delicious…Government Warning: Do not arrive at the cinema after the hordes, sit right at the front and try to follow extreme Bond action camera movements on a full stomach of Kurdish food!” Read More


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Bumblebee Natural Foods in London
stantoncarlisle says::”For my money this has got to be the best wholefood, Lentil you must be mental, olde style healthfood/wholefood store in London. There’s no razzmatazz or hoopla just good grub at sane prices. The cheese is fookin A.!” Read More


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Gallery Cafe in Norwich
dopeincredible says::”I slug back an Americano. Mildly bitter, like the memory of a history detention circa 1987, it doesn’t just pep me up, it hits like a battering ram made of Jackie Chans. My pulse races as my veins swell with electricity and I become slightly panicky about something indefinable.” Read More


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The Wellington Arms in Basingstoke
Browners says::”My scallops couldn’t have been cooked any better. Some people don’t like their sea food covered in butter - but I do! The bed of samphire had me purring like a kitten having his tummy tickled… Fortunately our plates were cleared before I had embarrassed myself by licking them clean!” Read More


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St Johns Tavern in London
iamroninator says::”OK, it’s a gastro pub, and not cheap - but genuinely excellent quality food - no poncy-by-the-numbers shenanigans here. One downside (and it’s not their fault) the last time we were there, Bill Oddie was also dining there. Random.” Read More


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The Queen’s Larder in London
AlexWoods says::”Now, you may have realised from the timbre of my musings (and by my use of the word “timbre”) that I have just been enjoying a rather lengthy and boozy lunch there. As a consequence I am in much trouble at work (despite a LARGE box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts to apologise for my late return and the delicate bouquet of ale and pickled onions I brought along) but I would gladly suffer the indignity all over again for the pleasure of sitting outside this charming old town boozer.” Read More


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Have you visited all of these great places? Are your favourites on this list? If not,
review them and let the TrustedPlaces community know about them!

February 27th, 2009  ·  Uncategorized  ·  No Comments »

Top 10 Quirky Places for Valentine’s Day

Chinese New Year

Photo credit: Valentine’s Day NOMs! by merwing*littledear under a CC license

In last week’s blog, Top 10 Places to Celebrate Valentine’s Day, we gave you a list of some of the most romantic restaurants across the UK. After conversations with some of you we realised that something you’d be more interested in is something a little different to celebrate Valentine’s Day. So here’s a list of some romantic but quirky places for you to take that special someone:

 

   

Harrods Chocolate Bar in London

nell4tune says: “Oh my god what is happening to me? I must be going mad!!! A waiter comes up and escorts us to a table - YIPPEEEEHHH!!!we made it! I’m thinking - there is fondue set in my name - A Fantastic Chocolate Desire - A chocolate Miserable - A Chocolate Milkshake - A Chocolate Bar Colibri - aaarrrgggghhh!!! everthing there has my name on it. My kids had to calm me down - what is wrong with me??!! Would you believe it even my kids! I am a chocoholic!! I need help.” Read more

 



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LMNT in London

tuppy14 says: “Eclectic, Erotic, Eccentric… Ancient Egyptian themed from the outside, but with all types of decor inside, from classical Greek to medieval and English hunting and Tutankhamen the place is a feast for the eyes. Tables are spread high and low, access by ladder in some places. The menu is also a mixture of styles, mostly poultry, game and fish, but not your normal dishes.” Read more

 
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Troubadour Cafe & Deli in London

Lacrimosa says: “The Troubadour is well worth a visit for the bohemian decor, the sea of old string instruments hanging from the ceiling, the layers of old varnish on the woodwork, and the candle-lit tables. It would be terrific for an informal date - low-lit, intimate, and certain to bestow you with kudos for knowing somewhere so individual.” Read more

 


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Vertigo 42 in London

QueenB says: "Head for the tallest building in the city. You can see the blue strip of lighting from miles away. Enter through a lilac-lit building entrance that reminded me of the Mayors Office. Check in with a very smart glamour-puss of a receptionist and get shown to the lift that will whisk you directly up to the ear popping 42nd floor. There you enter a dark, stylised reception area, greeted warmly by staff who take your coats and show you to your seats. With mirrored walls on your right and glass from floor to ceiling on your left, you can’t help but feel a little unsteady on your feet!" Read more

 
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Mosaica @ the Factory in London

jo104 says: "I heard about this restaurant through word of mouth & round the corner from my house. Hidden on an industrial estate is a magnificant restaurant situated in the old chocolate factory. I booked here for a special birthday surprise & had to book a month in advance for a saturday evening. We went onto the Clarendon Rd Industrial estate past a guard & opened the door into the restaurant which was like walking into a completely different space & time. The tables are heavy oak & set out for exactly the no of pre-booked people so no overcrowding. There is lots of artwork & candles adding lots of atmosphere." Read more

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Archipelago in London

vexille says: "A beautiful little restaurant that’s decorated like it could be Aladdin’s cave and does a suitably different selection of meats including kangaroo, crocodile, zebra - you get the message! Always feels ‘busy’ with pretty ornaments on display on your table and scattered across the room - with price tags on most things. It’s one of those places to take someone on a first date. Unlike most restaurants, as the decoration is so unique you’ll have no trouble finding something to talk about during those quiet moments!" Read more

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Bom-Bane’s in Brighton

foodrambler says: “This restaurant, run by Jane Bom-Bane of fantastical mechanical hats and musician Nick Pynn, is like nowhere I’ve ever been before. Food, music and poetry are all mixed up in a beautiful jumble of a place. I recommend going along for “Bom-Banes: The Musical”, which is performed three or four times a month. It consists of a three-course set meal for £25, eaten whilst the staff sing and play their hearts out.” Read more

 
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Blue Reef Cottages in Isle of Harris

Julesdit says: “These are truly a 5* remote romantic retreat. Amazing views and fantastic facitities. Each cottage has its own sauna and Jacuzzi. Neil & Rhoda who own and run the cottages are great and on hand if you have any problems. They managed to sort out a veg box for us, full of beautiful local produce. The hamper & bottle of champagne was a very welcome treat after a long day of travelling.” Read more

 
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The Buttefly & The Pig in Glasgow

spokane12 says: "Odd and quirky are two words that apply to this place. It is like sitting in your grandma’s - if your grandma had mismatched cutlery. It is kind of Alice in Wonderland. Confused - you will be when you see the menu. It takes a while to work out what you are reading and then think about it as food! Crazy but the food is great and friends and work colleagues keep coming back here for lunch.." Read more

 
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The Biltmore in York

cmmort says: "The Biltmore Bar and Grill has certainly bought a much-needed element of what can only be described as ’swank’ to York’s nightlife. While olde-worldy pubs, towny chain bars and kooky artsy/studenty bars are plentiful, The Biltmore has filled a hole that we definitely felt needed to be filled. The interior of the bar looks stunning, I particularly like the upstairs glass fronted wall showing shelves and shelves of champagne and wine bottles. There are comfortable booths along both sides of the main space downstairs, with small tables and high stools dotted around the central bar (which also provides perching opportunities). There is also a small external terrace. Upstairs there is a small lounge/bar area and then a restaurant on a balcony." Read more

 
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Have you visited all of these great places? Are your favourites on this list? If not, review them and let the TrustedPlaces community know about them!

[tags]Top 10, TrustedPlaces, London, Valentine’s Day, Romance, quirky, Special
Occasion, Intimate[/tags]

February 12th, 2009  ·  Uncategorized  ·  1 Comment »

Top 10 Places to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

Chinese New Year

Photo credit: Snow Heart by -[Northeast Photography]- under a CC license

After snow falls not seen in the last 18 years its time to warm our hearts
with ideas of where to take that special someone. Whether you’re looking for
an intimate evening or something a bit unusual we’re sure to have it. Have
a look at this top list of romantic restaurants across the UK:

 

   

Le Mercury in London

LOVEANDKATE says: “…its not just an intimate restaurant crammed full of tables on the ground floor-theres 3 floors of crammed intimate restaurant space!!!!!, it just goes up and up and up rickety wooden stairs… and yes, very dim candle lit, romantic and even though you’re squished in we didnt notice or were aware of others sat around us” Read more

 



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Clos Maggiore in London

Litro_K says: “I found Clos Maggiore to be a complete gem and the kind of place I’d love to be surprised with a visit to for another special occasion. The service and general dining experience really beats most other Covent Garden venues hands-down. Worth booking in advance next time you have a cosy tête-a tête to attend to.” Read more

 
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La Trompette in London

Sulin says: “I’d been wanting to try La Trompette for a while after reading such marvellous reviews online, and the fact that they were recently awarded their first Michelin star didn’t hurt either, and so I booked a table for the two of us last Sunday at 7pm. We turned out to be the second couple in the restaurant, following close at the heels of the first couple.” Read more

 


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Gordon’s Wine Bar in London

Alba58 says: "This is such at an atmospheric place with the added bonuses of good wine and food! As a previous reviewer said..No lager louts..superb! Close to the river for a romantic walk before or after visit…… it’s perfect! The cellar is so cosy and subtle…. blokes …if you want to impress…this is THE place to go without breaking the bank!!!! take me take me!" Read
more

 
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Andrew Edmunds in London

Angel_Bury says: "An utter delight, cosy, romantic and damn tasty. You get what I see as proper classic French style food here brilliantly cooked with not irritating frills and tidbits. I had some good old fashioned foie gras with brioche and a brilliant pork and clam casserole, so delicious and finished off with awesome ginger icecream for pudding with which the waiter was incredibly helpful when it came to picking out a glass of matching sherry." Read more

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Hakkasan in London

missynm says: "Yes its pretty pricey, but i’d say you definitely get what you pay for! An usual setting, Hakkasan is to be found down a side street of tottenham court road, very discreet. You are greeted at the door and make your way directly down steps into the basement of the building. Service is equally discreet but friendly and attentive. The way the restaurant is set out with decorative wooden screens separating the dining and bar areas work really well and even though the place is noisy (seating a couple of hundred people) the low lighting and choice of music creates a sense of privacy at your table." Read more

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The Whitchery By The Castle in Liverpool

belinda says: “Wonderful atmosphere, friendly and attentive staff, wine book the size of a novel and great food … can’t beat that. Love this place, if you are visiting Edinburgh I would say it is a must and if you live there then this is a great place for a romantic dinner or to take visitors” Read more

 
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Terre a Terre in Brighton

mazphd says: “One of the most delightful aspects of this restaurant is also its location. Set atop of one of the main streets on Brighton’s East Street this is a people watching opportunity at its best! Inside the space is light and airy with high ceilings and clean lines that set a chic ambiance suitable for friends, romance and even taking your parents to.” Read more

 
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Due South in Brighton

Miss_Piggy
says: "We went on valentines’ and had a lovely time. We were meeted and greeted by the head waiter and walked to our table. Champagne was provided by a charming smiling waiter with nibbles. The staff were charming and attentive without being intrusive. The food was lovely and carefully presented…The service was spot on. I did not feel rushed to eat but could savour and enjoy the wine and champagne." Read
more

 
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Restaurant Martin Wishart in Edinburgh

afterevent says: "I really enjoyed my visit to restaurant Martin Wishart. I went there with my girlfriend and she was was impressed too! The atmosphere is quiet, but that also means its a romantic and intimate place to go with the one you love! The staff here are really friendly too and go out of their way to make you relaxed." Read more

 
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Have you visited all of these great places? Are your favourites on this list? If not, review them and let the TrustedPlaces community know about them!

[tags]Top 10, TrustedPlaces, London, Valentine’s Day, Romance, Special Occasion, Intimate[/tags]

February 5th, 2009  ·  Uncategorized  ·  2 Comments »

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Chinese New Year

Photo credit: Chinese New Year by yemenyi under a CC license

As thousands of Chinese across the UK greet the Year of the Ox today, many believe
a little help from the animal’s hard-working spirit may be just what’s needed
in the months ahead.

According to Chinese belief, the Ox is a symbol of wealth
and success through hard work and resilience — a welcome sign considering
the country’s economic difficulties. Luckily for you we have compiled a list
of some of the best Chinese places across the UK from places to celebrate a
special occasion to cheap eats:

 

   

Hakkasan in London

arisp says:"…if what you’re looking for is somewhere smart, dark, with a very cool interior and perfect ambience that makes great cocktailss. If you’re visiting the restaurant which quite good if a bit pricey make sure you book way in advance - especially for a Friday or Saturday night."

 



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Hunan in London

hollowlegs says: "When I heard about Hunan, about 6 months ago, I had to go. A Chinese restaurant, named after the region in China known for it’s liberal use of chillis. Perfect! Although they do claim that their food isn’t strictly Hunanese on their website, what sealed the deal for me is that they don’t offer menus. Instead, they bring you out food of the choice of the kitchen and don’t stop until they tell you to."

 
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Yauatcha in London

barbd says:"This is a special place - for those dreary London winter afternoons. Quite pricey but as always, you get what you pay for. Simply delicious dim sum, and many other tasty treats too, washed down with a cold fresh white wine. Can’t think of anything else that I’d rather be doing (well one or two things
;)"

 


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Tai Pan in Liverpool

jamtart6 says: "Unsure about the cost of this huge restaurant as it was a work night out but the food is absolutely amazing! Sweet and Sour Battered fish is a taste experience, loads and loads of food for the banquet and quite honestly the best chinese food I have ever eaten."

 
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Peninsula in London

Browners says:"When can you say you’ve ever accidentally eaten jellyfish as the first thing you put in your mouth on your birthday! After this brief bout of culture shock things soon got much more palatable. All of their dumplings were brilliant. None of them stuck to the bamboo steamers like you find at places like Ping Pong. In particular, the cheung fun was extraordinary. Almost worth the trip on its own."

 
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The China Rose Restaurant in Doncastar

twallac says: "This Cantonese restaurant is a gem! On arrival, you are greated by the very efficient and friendly staff and guided to the bar area to peruse the menu. At first sight, it isn’t the usual menu (no chips or prawn crackers!) and this is your first clue to the authenticity of this establishment."

 
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Wong Kei in London

terryturbojr says: "Sitting downstairs on my own, watching the West End pass by as I eat crispy pork and rice, beef brisket noodle soup, mixed seafood cirpsy noodle or, my personal favourite, assorted meat fried ho fun is one of my favourite London pass-times. The food is cheap and basic and the staff brusque but it’s fantastic - and that’s why it gets 5 stars."

 
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Peking Restaurant in Cambridge

dzr says: "This tatty looking place serves some of the most astonishingly good Chinese food I’ve ever eaten. Friends of mine who’ve spent time in China attest to its authenticity. It is about to move new, and hopefully more appropriate, premises soon, and hopefully then it will get the recognition it deserves."

 
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Wing Sing Inn in Edinburgh

Hugo says: "Wing Sing Inn comes with a health warning, be prepared for an authentic, rough and ready gastonomic adventure into Northern Chinese cuisine. This is rough around the edges and not a smooth experience for people who want a sanitised or normal Chinese meal - go elsewhere."

 
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Mulan Restaurant & Bar in Leeds

frank_fryer says: "The food here is so fresh and delicious its unreal! The food is prepared before your very eyes so you know it is fresh and to your liking. The noddles are the best i have ever tasted which is why i keep coming back again and again! The menu is full of variety so there is always lots to pick from there really is something for everyone."

 
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Have you visited all of these great places? Are your favourites on this list? If not, review them and let the TrustedPlaces community know about them!

January 27th, 2009  ·  Uncategorized  ·  No Comments »

Top 10 Places Outside London

Third in our series of Top Places for 2008 on the TrustedPlaces blog is Top Places for 2008 Outside of London. These places got the most reviews and highest rating combined for 2008. Want to see more great places? Read the other two pieces in this series: Top Places for 2008 and Top Places in the UK by Category.

 

1  

The Castle Inn in Brecon - rated 4.56 by 9 votes

bedazzled says: "The food is really excellent, I would recommend the steak and ale pie, it is delicious! If you are a vegetarian (the wife is) there is plenty to choose from as the landlady is a vegetarian and takes this aspect of the menu very seriously, no veggie lasgane here!"

 
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2  

Fibre in Leeds - rated 4.67 by 6 votes

caz1892 says: "Fibre is one of the best bars on this vibrant scene, leave any prejudices at the door and shimmy in to enjoy a great selection of music, impressive and rapidly provided drinks and a friendly happy vibe that some "straight" bars in Leeds lack."

 
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3  

Trof Cafe in Manchester - rated 4.70 by 10 votes

ilovecakes says: "The interior is an eclectic mix with cute illustrations adorning the walls, alongside old electrical switch boxes and vintage church pews to sit on. The food is excellent, offering a twist on the standard Sunday lunch as well as traditional breakfast fayre, a good selection of ’sharers’, cakes and paninis."

 
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4  

Cafe Sublime in Bradford - rated 5.00 by 8 votes

kamz says: "Just what Bradford should have more of! A grown up place to eat, drink and socialise. Lovely fresh food, well presented in a very clean setting. Lovey arty bits on the walls and attentive waiting staff. Not badly priced either! The smoothies are lovely!"

 
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5  

The Willow Cafe in Sowerby Bridge - rated 4.83 by 6 votes

Reddog says: "The cafe is very clean with a pleasant atmosphere created by the twin owners who have obviously transformed the place since they took over. This is due in part to the quiet music – not loud enough to make any difficulty when talking, and a selection of papers and magazines, even flowers at times."

 
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6  

The Leadmill in Sheffield - rated 4.67 by 6 votes

filtre says: "Cheap, nasty and rowdy, the Leadmill is one of, if not the, best live venues in Sheffield. The stages and atmosphere are so much better than others in getting that slightly seedy, defiantly indie vibe into the open and into your face. Which suits most of the people there, who fit that same description."

 
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7  

Transport Museum in Glasgow - rated 5.00 by 8 votes

jamtart6 says: "What an amazing day out this was!! The museum was fantastic it had loads of old buses, trams, cars, bikes, prams - even a train! You name it, it had every mode of transport you could think of!"

 
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8  

Montezuma’s in Brighton - rated 4.43 by 7 votes

mazphd says: "My favourite decadent treat when I return to Brighton, which is not often enough, is a visit to Montezuma’s for a hot chocolate and brisk walk along the front. Enough to make you fall head over heels."

 
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9  

Ichiban Noodle Cafe - rated 4.50 by 10 votes

Lin says: "This is a really nice noodle bar and quite authentic. The place always looks clean and the food is very fresh and made on the premises. Extensive menu includes multitude of rice dishes and noodle broths as well as really nice sushi. Great vegetarian, meat and seafood choices."

 
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10  

Spices in Worthing - rated 4.89 by 9 votes

johnt says: "I’ve been coming to Spices since 1997 and each time I visit Worthing I make a point of coming at least once during my stay. The food is as good as you will find anywhere with fresh ingredients prepared by husband and wife team Suda and Air in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere."

 
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Have you visited all of these great places? Are your favourites on this list? If not, review them and let the TrustedPlaces community know about them!

January 12th, 2009  ·  Top 10, TrustedPlaces  ·  No Comments »

Top Places in the UK by Category

We gave you a taste of our Top Places Blog Series on New Year’s Eve with our list of your Top Places for 2008. To follow this up, we’ve detailed your favourites in our most popular categories on TrustedPlaces. If you haven’t tried these places, you should! They come recommended by the TrustedPlaces community. Coming next: Top 10 Places Outside of London.

Top 3 Restaurants

Ichiban Noodle Cafe - rated 4.50 by 10 votes - lpmck says: "The food is excellent - really authentic. It’s served very quickly, and in true Japanese style - you don’t necessarily get your starter first, you get what’s ready, when it’s ready! The bento boxes in particular are great - they have a little bit of everything (at a very reasonable price), so if you’re new to Japanese food it’s a great introduction."
El Parador - rated 4.89 by 9 votes - Cedric says: "A little Spanish restaurant near Camden, with little charm but a brilliant menu. The venue itself is not representative of the quality of the food you will get from the chef. From sea food to veggie tapas, everything is tasty, surprising…"
Spices - rated 4.89 by 9 votes - Brongo says: "Totally Superb Thai Food. So many restaurants provide "Tourist-Style" Thai food, but here you get the full flavour. Good friendly service and the best Thai cooking I have personally ever experienced."

Top 3 Bars & Pubs

Shunt Vaults - rated 4.61 by 23 votes - gregwo says: "The Shunt Vaults have an atmosphere that can’t be matched - deep in the tunnels of London Bridge Shunt is making amazingly creative work in the context of a members bar. It’s a fantastic evening where you can enjoy some drinks and check out whatever is on offer."
The Castle Inn - rated 4.56 by 9 votes - thecolonel says: "Best pub in the Black Mountains and brillantly hosted by Steve and Heather who I have come to know quite well. My group have stayed there for 5 consecutive years and are already booked in for next year, this is because we know the pub and the locals and there’s always a great atmosphere there."
Bar Kick - rated 4.44 by 9 votes - VickieMac says: "The bar staff were quick and friendly, the prices were reasonable and the fussball provided a fantastic conversation starter and helped my friends bond over some semi competitive banter. I have been back many times since. I love this place. "

Top 3 Cafes & Coffee Shops

Flat White - rated 4.70 by 20 votes - bellaphon says: "To all the good antipodean folks, I salute you all for this exhilarating beverage. The best coffee there is in Londra, cheers Flat White."
Trof Cafe - rated 4.70 by 10 votes - ilovecakes says: "Trof in Fallowfield (one of three Trofs in Manchester) is the perfect place to spend a lazy Sunday lunchtime. The interior is an eclectic mix with cute illustrations adorning the walls alongside old electrical switch boxes and vintage church pews to sit on. The food is excellent."
Arancina - rated 4.44 by 9 votes - theonlyone says: "Well, I come from Italy and I’ve tried several pizzas across the UK in the last years. This is definitly the best one. I’ve always took it "take away" and it was also cheap, don’t know if you’ll eat in, anyway really good pizza, don’t miss it!"

Top 3 Nightlife

The Comedy Store - rated 4.88 by 8 votes - samking says: "This is the best comedy club around. This club gets some of the biggest names in comedy.It’s a great venue (not too big) and everyone’s there for a laugh."
The Manchester Academy - rated 4.57 by 7 votes - minus says: "Been to many gigs here (some where in the region of 50?!) over the years, it’s by far the best venue in Manchester for live music. I’m a fan of Academy 3 - the smallest stage / bar, by far the most intimate. The atmosphere is electric with the right band. Drinks are averagely priced (still cheaper than the M.E.N arena!)."
The Jazz Cafe - rated 4.67 by 6 votes - QueenB says: "I have been coming here for years, it combines my 3 favourite things! Music, dancing and socialising! It is like having a party in your front room - fyou are that close and on a level with the artists and bands."

Top 3 Arts & Culture

Natural History Museum - rated 4.76 by 25 votes - clubby2 says: "The natural history museum in kensington on cromwell road is wonderful from start to finish.The kids will love it and so will adults"
The Science Museum - rated 4.67 by 12 votes - keshnik says: "We took our 7 year old to the science museum and she could not get enough of the place. We had to literally drag her out from there."
The National Gallery - rated 4.62 by 8 votes - carum says: "The National Gallery is most definitely my favourite place in London. There is so much fantastic art on show."

Top 3 Hotels & Travel

Royal Pavillion Townhouse Hotel - rated 4.67 by 3 votes - messydesk says: "The Royal Pavilion Townhouse is a really special place. It’s quite small, with only 8 rooms, but that seems to allow the staff to concentrate on brilliant service for the guests that they do have - I have genuinely never seen such good service in any other hotel."
Radisson Edwardian Manchester - rated 5.00 by 3 votes - roseyearl says: "Absolutely stunning hotel. We had a standard room and it was sumptuous and stunning. We had a gorgeous view from the full-length windows of Manchester at night. The breakfast was also delicious and was brought to the room"
The Hoxton - rated 5.00 by 3 votes - jan08 says: "Great modern hotel close to Liverpool St station. Contemporary styled, spacious rooms with flat screen TV and WiFi. Luxurious bathrooms with plenty of fluffy towels and Aveda toiletries."

Top 3 Shops

Selectadisc - rated 4.50 by 4 votes - chubbina says: "I love Selectadisc, perhaps a little too much! I have spent a small fortune here over the years, mainly on vinyl to add to my collection. It has to be the best record shop in the East Midlands, and now has it’s own website at last."
Riverside Market - rated 4.67 by 3 votes - ro616 says: "Descending from Pontcanna like a pack of middle-class, hemp bag toting, guardian reading wolves, the gritty area of Riverside is transformed by the gentry of Cardiff every Sunday. Spinach leaves overfloweth, dirty bunches of carrots jostle with dirtier potatoes, and other seasonal produce gather together to form the Riverside Farmer’s Market."
Jumbo Records - rated 4.67 by 3 votes - biblioboy says: "Miles away from the airless vacuum of HMV or Virgin, Jumbo records has character to spare, a friendly face and stacks of wax. Soul, electronica, avant-garde noise, funk, post rock and indie - you name it, it’ll have it (or they’ll order it in)."

Have you visited all of these great places? Are your favourites on this list? If not, review them and let the TrustedPlaces community know about them!

January 5th, 2009  ·  Top 10  ·  4 Comments »

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