• Added: 9th of September 2008
• Area: Lichfield
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Lichfield WS13 6HL

simhort said
Great ambience
A lovely, comfortable, relaxed joint that's open all day, so whether you're after a light lunch, a large dinner, a morning coffee, afternoon tea, or just a drink with friends in the eveneing, it's perfect. Lots of squashy brown leather sofas, contemporary decor and atmospheric lighting, with some fab original art on the walls. The staff are excellent - some of the friendliest I've ever met! We haven't sampled the food yet, although the menu looks fab - very good value for money, and a mouthwatering selection, much of it based around potatoes (obviously!) inluding the very tempting potato pizza! Right in the heart of Lichfield, but just out of the main drag of pubs, this is a great hidden gem.

• Added: 9th of September 2008
• Area: Telford
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Telford TF8 7AQ
01952 433302

simhort said
Old Time tea room
A fantastic place, in the heart of Ironbridge (just next to the Post Office). Very old worlde, with lots of traditional charm and decor. A fantastic menu of light snacks and larger meals, much of it home made. Also, an excellent selection of home made cakes for delicious afternoon teas! The staff are absolutely fantastic - fiendly, helpful and always happy to offer advice on their HUGE range of different teas on offer. Best of all, a small shop attached to the tea rooms sells all the various teas for you to take home, and their hundreds to choose from! The shop also holds a fantastic selection of foods and sundries. The only downside is that the tea shop has no toilet - you have to use the public toilet next door! But don't let this put you off a hidden gem!

• Added: 4th of September 2008
• Area: Walsall
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Walsall WS6 6AZ

simhort said
Great food!
This is a place that's recently had something of a makeover - I think it's under new management. It's a typical old-style pub, with the front part being very olde worlde with lots of dark wood beams and horse brasses. However, at the rear a new extension is decorated in a simple, contemporary style, and acts as the main dining room. The food is definitely the best part about the Ivy House - it all seems to be home cooked from a very imaginative menu. The home made chips are fab! It's slightly more expensive than your usual chain pub, but well worth the extra. It's also fab for veggies - not a huge selection, but what's there is nice and interesting.

• Added: 4th of September 2008
• Area: Walsall
• Category: Bars and Pubs

Walsall WS3 3UA
01922 710684

simhort said
Good local pub
This is a great local pub on a nice quiet housing estate. The decor is typical old style pub, and could definitely do with something of an update, looking rather tired, worn and shabby round the corners. It's also a littel dingy. However, it's clean and spacious and relatively quiet, which makes it a great place to meet up with friends. The drinks are reasonavbly priced, and the staff are friendly. The food is also very good, being great value for money and a nice varied menu, although it's also a fairly unimaginative menu, with the usual surf 'n' turf and lasagne about as exciting as it gets. However, there's always some decent stuff on the specials board that's usually far more interesting than the menu. Nice place!

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Birmingham
• Category: Restaurants

Birmingham B5 6RG

simhort said
Tasteful and tasy!
It's an extremely cool place to hang out, with wonderfully tasteful decor done in the style of a chic New York loft apartment - all exposed brickwork, gilt edge frames and chandeliers. In the summer they open the large front doors out onto the street - very sophisticated! The people who visit are equally chic - lots of trendy young things! Drinks are as expensive as you'd expect, but not extortionate. The food is excellent - a highly interesting and varied menu with plenty of home-cooked and freshly prepared meals at reasonable prices for a chic city centre location. All in all, highly recommended for a delicious meal or for lounging on the squashy sofas for drinks.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: York
• Category: Restaurants

York YO1 7DJ
01904 672904

simhort said
Great!
I love Pizza Expresses for their use of old buildings, and the York branch is no exception, situated in a lovely atmospheric old banking hall type building with huge lofty ceilings, subdued lighting, contemporary finishing and artwork etc. Myself and two friends had dinner there on a very busy evening in the summer holidays, but despite the large number of customers the service was excellent and prompt. The food also arrived extremely quickly and was delicious, if not quite as hot as I'd expect - by the time I'd finished my pizza it was stone cold. Nevertheless, highly recommended as a romantic setting with good food and excellent value for money - there's even a lovely balcony overlooking the river!

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Walsall
• Category: Restaurants

Walsall WS9 9HJ
01922 457344

simhort said
Disappointing
I'd heard so much about the Mango Tree, and had received so many great recommendations from friends and colleagues that I'd been keen to try it for a long time. Sadly, it was ultimately a disappointment. The surroundings are excellent - fresh contemporary decor all very simple and understated. The service was also very good, if not as friendly and personal as one normally expects from an Indian restaurant. Sadly, the food let everything down for me. Maybe I choose the wrong stuff from an admittedly excellent and highly varied menu. My meal was rather bland, tasteless and uninteresting, although well-cooked from fresh ingredients. I'd give it another go, just in case I chose the wrong meal, as the friends I was with enjoyed it!

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Walsall
• Category: Restaurants

Walsall

simhort said
Great vegetarian food!
An excellent restaurant and bar! Lovely contemporary surroundings with loads of squashy brown leather sofas and candles. Very cosy and atmospheric. The staff are always extremely friendly and helpful. Becuase it's privately owned you certainly get the feeling that you're being well looked after. The food is also fantastic - slightly more expensive than gastro pubs but well worth the extra, not least because all the food is freshly prepared rather than microwaved ready meals! This is particuarly noticeable with the vegetarian menu which is extremely varied and unusual. They usually celebrate "Veggie Week" in May when the specially prepared menu favours veggie dishes - fantastic! A highly recommended restaurant.

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Burton Upon Trent
• Category: Restaurants

Burton upon Trent

simhort said
Fantastic!
This is a wonderful find, hiden away in the Burton village of Anslow, so a little off the beatent track but well worth tracking down. The staff are excellent - always friednly and very helpful and eager to please. The surroundings are wonderfully understated and tranquil, unlike so many modern gastro pubs. The food is all home cooked and can't be faulted. It's generally slightly more expensive than regular chain pubs, but is WELL worth the extra! Meals are beautifully presented from a highly imaginative menu that includes a fantastic section for vegetarian and even gluten-free diets; I enjoyed a delicious chees and apple pie made with wheat-free pastry - delicious. Highly recommneded!

• Added: 3rd of September 2008
• Area: Walsall
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

Walsall WS1 1DA

simhort said
Fantastic!
I can't praise The Crossing highly enough! I've been using it almost every week for years and it's brilliant! The setting is truly wonderful - a cafe on a mezzanine floor in a wonderfully restored old church that retains many original features (door frames, carvings etc) amongst simple but modern decor. There's even a huge breathtaking glass crucifix hanging in the middle of the cafe! The staff are always nothing short of excellent - friednly, chirpy and helpful. And the food is brilliant value for money, offering a great range of food, much of it home made, and all of it freshly prepared in an open kitchen that can been seen from the till. Try it - you won't regret it!