• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Ibstock
• Category: Food and Drink

Ibstock LE67 2TD

bryjk said
Top quality local produce
A real jewel in the heart of Leicestershire. Cattows boasts a large, well stocked farm shop and a busy café. Summer months bring ‘pick your own’ seasons for the usual fruits, and come autumn you are even welcomed to pick your own sweetcorn.

The farm shop has a varied stock, including home grown produce, their own rare-breed pork, home made fruit pies and local organic milk. Cattows also stocks other fruits such as bananas, so all of your weekly shopping needs can be met in one place. They sell local cheeses, and ice creams from the Gopsall Fresh and Needwood dairies.

The café serves beautiful, fresh home made cakes, and warm snacks. Always busy, but worth trying the fayre.

• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Sidmouth
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Sidmouth EX10 0ND

bryjk said
Fantastic food
A brilliant pub near the seaside town of Sidmouth, off a busy road, but the noise does not a\ffect the dining experience, even if you eat outside.

The Bowd Inn serves freshly cooked food, using local produce. The menu is varied, and portion sizes are reasonable, although their pasta dishes seem very small for the price! There is a good choice for vegetarian diners, as well as fish dishes using local catches.

There is a separate dining area for adults only, so children are welcomed without interrupting the meals of others. Highchairs are available. There is a spacious beer garden, and a children’s play area. The staff are friendly and always happy to help.

• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Sidmouth
• Category: Hotels and Travel

Sidmouth EX10 0AX

bryjk said
Friendly, comfortable farmhouse B&B
A wonderfully friendly B&B, nestled away in the village of Tipton St John, near the seaside town of Sidmouth. This B&B is off a windy, narrow road, assuring you of a peaceful stay (although some hairy moments if you meet other cars on the way). Host Kerstin gives guests a friendly welcome, and makes you feel instantly at home.

Our baby was welcomed, and able to crawl around the garden. Kerstin thoughtfully provided a fridge in the room for our collection of baby foods.

Breakfasts are served at times to suit guests, and are relaxed affairs. Food is freshly cooked and tasty.

• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Wells
• Category: Hotels and Travel

Wells BA5 3DP

bryjk said
Friendly and comfortable
A wonderfully friendly B&B, nestled away in the village of East Horrington. Owner Fiona gives guests a friendly welcome, and makes you feel instantly at home.

We stayed in the South Room, overlooking the garden. The bed was comfortable, and the room had the added bonus of a mini-bar containing confectionary for road weary travelers. The added bonus is that this room is adjacent to the Games Room – hours of fun for children and adults!

Breakfasts are brilliant, and served at times to serve guests. Toast is served with home made preserves, which taste wonderful. Fiona lets you take your time and truly relax.

• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Ashby De La Zouch
• Category: Food and Drink

Ashby De La Zouch LE65 1HP

bryjk said
Quality deli
A wonderful small deli, as you walk through the door you enter a cave of delights.

David’s stock fine wines, speciality liqueurs and local deli products including regional cheeses. They also have local ‘Gopsall Fresh’ ice cream, which is light yet creamy.

At lunchtimes, David’s will freshly prepare baguettes using their top quality produce. They also serve warm soup with crusty baguette, in different flavours every day. Their cake counter stocks a variety of cakes and pastries which are never stale.

As with most Ashby shops, the store is narrow so at busy times it can be a bit of a crush!

• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Ashby De La Zouch
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Ashby De La Zouch LE65 2LP

bryjk said
Nothing startling, but still good
The Beeches has certainly benefited from the smoking ban! It has gone from a dingy pub where food smells of cigarettes to an airy family pub.

The menu is not overly imaginative, but prices are reasonable. Weekly carveries are popular, although ‘curry night’ in this format does not appear to attract many customers! There is not much choice for vegetarians. Snacks are only served at lunch times, so there is nothing particularly light on the evening menu.

There is only one food ordering point at the bar, so at peak times the wait to order can be long. Sunday carveries need booking to guarantee a table, and often see long queues.

Prices are very reasonable, portions are large.

• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Ashby De La Zouch
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Ashby De La Zouch LE65 1HP

bryjk said
Friendly cafe
Small, friendly café, serving food throughout the day. Very light and airy inside, not many tables, but this means that there is plenty of room.

Service is friendly, and there is a smile and warm welcome for everyone. The food is simple, yet prepared well. Baguettes are large and well filled. Cakes are home made, and made very well. They serve local ice cream throughout the summer months.

This café can get very busy at lunchtimes, especially as they offer senior citizens specials.

The staff could not be more helpful (they have provided us with a phone book before!) and will try to cater to all requests.

• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Ashby De La Zouch
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Ashby De La Zouch LE65 1SD

bryjk said
Reasonable
A typical chain pub, light and airy inside.

At lunchtimes, service is slow and the food is good. In the evenings, service is none existent, and the food is often poor.

Orders are strictly taken at the tables, which has led to hour long waits in the evening before, despite frequent reminders to the waiting staff. At lunchtimes, arrive early, and everything will run smoothly!

Sometimes you get tortilla chips prior to your meal, sometimes you don’t! Sometimes you get offered desserts, sometimes you have to beg for them. It can occasionally take a while to get anyone to print out the bill, and let you pay it!

The menu is fairly varied, and sandwiches are always popular. There can be very long waits for your food, so probably not the best lunchtime venue (unless you know your meal is the ‘microwaved’ type!)

• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Ashby De La Zouch
• Category: Restaurants

Ashby De La Zouch LE65 2FH

bryjk said
First class!
A real jewel! Wong Kwei serves brilliant food, quickly, and always with a smile.

Always book, as Wong Kwei can get very busy (especially weekend nights), but you are never rushed, and always have personal space. Large parties are catered to, and there is a spacious waiting area upstairs.

The food is very well priced for the quality, and the menu includes several sizzling platters. They do allow takeaways to be collected, although this is not advertised. Each course is freshly cooked, but never takes long to arrive, even on busy nights. The rice is superb, fluffy and not too stodgy.

There is an extensive wine list, and well stocked bar. Coffee / tea gets refilled, and jugs of tap water are provided are re-filled regularly without the staff trying to force expensive mineral water onto you.

Well behaved children are welcomed, and always get made a fuss of.

• Added: 22nd of August 2008
• Area: Dagenham
• Category: Restaurants

Dagenham DE12 7DQ

bryjk said
Good food, cheerless staff
A traditional country pub serving reasonably priced food. The Odd House has a good range of local brews on the pumps, and a well stocked bar.

Since changing hands in 2007, there has been a monstrous caravan site added to the car park, which detracts from the charm that this pub once had. The front of house staff are also less friendly than they were, and can occasionally demonstrate shocking incompetence such as serving food then needing reminding after several minutes to provide cutlery!

There are regular theme nights, such as Chinese / French / ‘Towers’ (the chefs do a selection of brilliant meals served in a tower format). Food is always fresh and cooked to perfection. The house sweet specialty appears to be cheesecakes – moist, rich but not too sugary.

The Sunday carvery is well worth booking for, beautiful fluffy yorkshire puddings, fresh veg and good meat.

Highchairs are available, but in short supply.