• Added: 15th of September 2008
• Area: Stratford Upon Avon
• Category: Restaurants

Stratford Upon Avon

mv_cummings said
Great Food
The Oppo on Sheep Street is a great place for lunch, a pre-theatre meal or an evening out. It serves great food in and relaxed and cosy restaurant. The staff always seem to be helpful and friendly.
The menu is varied and it is always worth checking out the specials which often include a fresh fish dish. The food is probably best described as bistro style, offering dishes such as steak and chips, salmon fishcakes and Cajun chicken. I've been here several times and have never been disappointed with the food. Prices are resonable ranging from about £3-£6 for a starter and £9-£15 for a main course.
It can get busy and you should probably book in advance rather than just turning up.

• Added: 15th of September 2008
• Area: Warwickshire
• Category: Shops

Stratford Upon Avon CV37 6JF
01789 263322

mv_cummings said
lovely boutique
Aspire is a lovely little boutique right in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. It's the ideal place to visit to pick up a unique piece of clothing or jewellery or a pretty and unusual gift.
It is a very pretty and feminine shop. The main room has displays of a lovely range of jewllery all laid out on tables so it's easy to see everything. There are also lots of other little bits and pieces such as pretty notebooks, keyrings etc.
The back room is small but has a fantastic range of clothes all beautiful pieces that you wouldn't find elsewhere in Stratford. They also have a selection of shoes and bags.
Would definitely recommend this place as well worth a visit

• Added: 15th of September 2008
• Area: Brighton
• Category: Hotels and Travel

Brighton BN1 2PP
01273 738201

mv_cummings said
good location
The Ramada is situated about 15 mins walk along the seafront from the main centre of Brighton. The walk is much nicer if you drop down onto the beach rather than walking along the busy road.
The hotel itself is large, the older more ornate part of the hotel sits right on the sea front and has rooms with sea views. There is a more modern extension to the rear of the hotel. which is where we were staying. Although our rooms didn't have sea views they were a decent size with lovely en-suites and comfortable beds.
There is a bar on the ground floor which never seemed very busy. There's also a restaurant serving evening meals, we looked at the menu and it seemed good but with all the choice of excellent restaurants in Brighton we chose to eat in town instead.
Staff are friendly and helpful and the breakfast was particularly good.

• Added: 14th of September 2008
• Area: Brighton
• Category: Restaurants

Brighton BN1 1HB

mv_cummings said
Fantastic food
Found this place when I was last in Brighton. It's tucked away in the labyrynth that is the famous Laines area but it's well worth seeking out. We spotted it because of it's fantastic looking display of fresh fish.
Inside it's very simple decorated with high counter style tables and stools. The tables seat about 8 and as it gets busy, which it did when we were there, you will end up sharing a table. However because of the counter style this isn't a problem at all and you don't end up feeling you don't have your own space.
The service is great but best of all is the food. Everything on the menu of fresh fish dishes sounds delicious, I went for the grilled mackerel and gooseberry sauce and it was absolutely fantastic. They also have a great wine and champagne selection. Prices are between £6-£10 for a starter and £10-£20 for a main course, which given the quality of the food is well worth it.
I wish I lived closer to Brighton so I could go back here regularly.

• Added: 14th of September 2008
• Area: Stratford Upon Avon
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Stratford Upon Avon CV37 6BA

mv_cummings said
good pub
The Dirty Duck is on Waterside and very close to the RSC theatres so is inevitably the pub of choice for a pre or post theatre drink for both audiences and cast and crew. The pub makes the most of its theatrical connection and walls of the snug are full of pictures of famous faces who have appeared at the theatres over the years. The pub is split up into a snug, bar area and terrace for drinks and small room at the front and large extension at the back for dining. I've eaten here on numerous occasions and 9 times out of 10 it's pretty good, the food is pub food but cooked well, service is usually good. However there has been the odd occasion when food has run out and service can slip a bit when very busy. However it is a pub not a restaurant and what it does is does well, I would recommend it for a lunch or a pre-theatre meal.
It's my favourite place to go for a drink when I'm in Stratford, you can't beat the open fire in the snug on a cold wet day or people watching from the terrace in the sunshine.

• Added: 14th of September 2008
• Area: Stratford Upon Avon
• Category: Restaurants

Stratford Upon Avon CV37 7LS
01789 297733

mv_cummings said
Lovely place
I love Thai food and it can be hard to find restaurants that do it well but this place certainly didn't disappoint. The Boathouse is in a lovely location and if you're lucky you can get a table looking out over the river. We went on a Sunday evening and the restaurant was only about half full but I would imagine it gets much busier on a Friday/Saturday night.
The food was really good and beautifully presented. The service was fantastic and way the restaurant is decorated is beautiful, especially the carved wooden tables.
The prices are not cheap but are very reasonable. Definitely somewhere to go for a special night out.

• Added: 14th of September 2008
• Area: Stratford Upon Avon
• Category: Events and Entertainment

Stratford Upon Avon CV37 6BH
0870 6091110

mv_cummings said
Lovely theatre
The temporary home of the RSC while the main Royal Shakespeare Theatre across the road is being completely rebuilt. Although "temporary" you would not think so, it may look like a big tin shed from the outside but inside you'll find a lovely 1000 seat theatre which doesn't feel at all temporary. The Courtyard has been built to resemble how the finished RST will be so any problems found in the running of the building can be fixed in the new theatre. The thrust style stage means that you get a pretty good view from almost anywhere in the auditorium as you are never sitting to far from the stage.
Front of house there are a couple of bars which always seem to cope well even when the theatre is packed. There is also a shop selling a wide range of Shakespeare books and souvenirs.

• Added: 14th of September 2008
• Area: Liverpool
• Category: Restaurants

Liverpool L15 5AG

mv_cummings said
great breakfast
I used to go to the Tavern regularly for breakfast on a weekend morning. On both Saturday and Sunday mornings you will find the place absolutely packed up until midday with people enjoying the huge breakfasts this place serves. You can choose from full English, American (with fried potatoes and a pancake with maple syrup) or Mexican (scrambled eggs and tortillas) breakfasts, all are delicious and filling. The place is always busy but staff are usually pretty good at squeezing people in and finding you a table. Prices are reasonable about £5-£6 for a breakfast.
The place is huge but separated into different smaller rooms so feels a lot cosier and more intimate than one big room.
To be honest I've never got around to going here for an evening meal although I do intend to. The mexican food menu looks great and if the breakfasts are anything to go by the food should be fantastic.

• Added: 14th of September 2008
• Area: Liverpool
• Category: Arts and Culture

Liverpool L1 4DQ

mv_cummings said
Great place
FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) on Wood Street combines galleries, cinemas, a cafe, shop and bar. It's a lively and informal place with a great atmosphere.
The gallery exhibitions change every couple of months and are often focused on art that involves media and technology. They are usually fascinating and the gallery staff are always friendly and helpful providing extra information and insights into the work on display.
The cinemas are run by the Picturehouse chain and show a good mixture of mainstream and arthouse films. The three main screens are all situated on the 3rd floor with a small kiosk outside selling soft drinks, popcorn, ice cream etc. You can also take alcoholic drinks purchased from the bar into the cinemas.
The bar is a great place to meet with friends before a film, or during the day for a coffee. There are also regular film quiz nights. There is a good little cafe on the ground floor, which has free Wi-fi access (also available in the bar).
The shop is small but stocks a good range of arts related books postcards etc.
FACT is a fantastic venue which I would recommend to anyone.

• Added: 13th of September 2008
• Area: Liverpool
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Liverpool L1 4HF

mv_cummings said
Wonderful
Would give this place far more than just five stars if I could, it is just wonderful. A real authentic Italian eatery with delicious food.
The menu is a mixture of salads, panini's and hot meals, such as meatballs and pasta dishes. The hot food is all freshly made and on display at the counter so you can see what you like the look of before ordering. The staff are really friendly and welcoming, happy to answer any questions about the menu.
It is very small though, which adds to the intimate feel of the place but does mean it gets quite busy.
It's a great place for lunch or an early evening meal (it's not open late at the moment), but also good to just pop in for a coffee and cake. Their coffee is one of the best I've found in Liverpool.