Jamie's Italian...
Discussion
Granfondo said:
227bhp said:
Granfondo said:
227bhp said:
What?
Pre Italian,French,Indian,Chinese etc British restaurant food was bland cr@p at best. Anyhow, to your original point, what's wrong with a good old Sunday roast?! Still very popular too.
FiF said:
227bhp said:
The majority don't want fine delicate food with lots of shellfish and fish etc, they want pile it high and sell it cheap. They want to leave a restaurant having eaten so much food they feel sick, that's how they know they've had a good night.
Years back there used to be an excellent restaurant critic writing for the Sheffield Star. His main complaint was exactly that, the Sheffield public not being bothered so much about quality but quantity, their measure of a restaurant being how gut busting were the portions.For me too much spoils the meal. Once ordered mixed fried fish in a restaurant in Mahon, instead of a few tapas sized dishes, got a literal mountain of five types of fish, just one of which would have been more than sufficient, so maybe it's not just the British.
227bhp said:
American influence perhaps? We have an Italian family run restaurant near us, it's the kind of place you go if you've got 4 unruly kids, are drunk, on a hen do etc so i've only been once. The quality of the food is great, but the portions are vast, I was full after my starter! Shame really, but it's what the locals want so it's packed on Fri and Sat.
I think it depends on the place. If I'm going to a pub for a burger I want a big pile of nice chips and onion rings with plenty of toppings on my burger. If I'm going "fine dining" I want a plate that looks as good as it tastes but with 3+ course that I don't come out feeling like I could fit a doner meat and chips in. Cardiff_Exile said:
I won't miss the one in Cheltenham, for the money very mediocre - The building though is wonderful being and old court house so I hope it gets taken over by a good indie.
I agree, a lovely building. We had a couple of nice meals there when our daughter was 3-4 or so, sitting up at the judge's table, getting attentive service courtesy of daughter's grown up tastes and innate charm
Granfondo said:
MarshPhantom said:
Do we live in Italy?
Dom Joly agrees - "Whatever happened to the Italian Restaurant?"
www.cotswoldlife.co.uk/out-about/events/dom_joly_w...
I tend to post facts rather than opinion.
"Why have we gone off them?" he asks.
Thank god we don't have to eat the food that the UK used to churn out in restaurants before the immigrants educated our chefs and our palette! Dom Joly agrees - "Whatever happened to the Italian Restaurant?"
www.cotswoldlife.co.uk/out-about/events/dom_joly_w...
I tend to post facts rather than opinion.
"Why have we gone off them?" he asks.
Edited by MarshPhantom on Tuesday 17th January 00:09
227bhp said:
MarshPhantom said:
Hardly playing for laughs though is he, just bemoaning the demise of his much loved Italian restaurants. I'm sure there must be a reason Jamie's Italian so miserably.
There are plenty of independent Italians near me, no shortage at all so I don't know where he's looking, lets face it it's not some factual article, it's more like something you'd read in Takeabreak magazine, The Sun or Womans own.You only have to read through this thread from the start to see what people think to Oliver's restaurants, maybe that's why they are failing.
I did used to love the cheap and cheerful, very popular Pollo's in Soho, but that hasn't been there for what, 15 years.
More here.
www.classiccafes.co.uk/pollo_special.htm
Blown2CV said:
Granfondo said:
MarshPhantom said:
Do we live in Italy?
Dom Joly agrees - "Whatever happened to the Italian Restaurant?"
www.cotswoldlife.co.uk/out-about/events/dom_joly_w...
I tend to post facts rather than opinion.
"Why have we gone off them?" he asks.
Thank god we don't have to eat the food that the UK used to churn out in restaurants before the immigrants educated our chefs and our palette! Dom Joly agrees - "Whatever happened to the Italian Restaurant?"
www.cotswoldlife.co.uk/out-about/events/dom_joly_w...
I tend to post facts rather than opinion.
"Why have we gone off them?" he asks.
Edited by MarshPhantom on Tuesday 17th January 00:09
Salvos in Leeds (well, Headingley) if anyone is ever in the area. Outstanding Italian.
Classic Italian restaurant and two doors dow, a true Salumeria offering light bites in the day and a 6 course tasting/regional menu on some evenings for £25-£35.
http://www.salvos.co.uk/menu/salumeria-tasting-men...
It has been a Leeds favourite for many years with a very loyal crowd.
Classic Italian restaurant and two doors dow, a true Salumeria offering light bites in the day and a 6 course tasting/regional menu on some evenings for £25-£35.
http://www.salvos.co.uk/menu/salumeria-tasting-men...
It has been a Leeds favourite for many years with a very loyal crowd.
Vaud said:
Salvos in Leeds (well, Headingley) if anyone is ever in the area. Outstanding Italian.
Classic Italian restaurant and two doors dow, a true Salumeria offering light bites in the day and a 6 course tasting/regional menu on some evenings for £25-£35.
http://www.salvos.co.uk/menu/salumeria-tasting-men...
It has been a Leeds favourite for many years with a very loyal crowd.
brings back memories, the mention of that place. Memories being them being so busy they were unable to accommodate the booking our group had, but they were kind enough to give us a spot to stand in outside on the street. They even brought us some garlic bread to eat off of a car roof... which seemed a nice gesture in a way... until they added it to the bill. But yes... the food was a decent standard notwithstanding the st service that often comes with popular places. Classic Italian restaurant and two doors dow, a true Salumeria offering light bites in the day and a 6 course tasting/regional menu on some evenings for £25-£35.
http://www.salvos.co.uk/menu/salumeria-tasting-men...
It has been a Leeds favourite for many years with a very loyal crowd.
Not sure if the indian place on the corner nearby is still there but that was always decent and pretty busy. I also had a booking there and couldn't go in the end. Just as well as that was the night 2 blokes burst in to the main restaurant and shotgunned the owner dead in front of everyone.
I don't live in Leeds anymore!!
Blown2CV said:
brings back memories, the mention of that place. Memories being them being so busy they were unable to accommodate the booking our group had, but they were kind enough to give us a spot to stand in outside on the street. They even brought us some garlic bread to eat off of a car roof... which seemed a nice gesture in a way... until they added it to the bill. But yes... the food was a decent standard notwithstanding the st service that often comes with popular places.
Not sure if the indian place on the corner nearby is still there but that was always decent and pretty busy. I also had a booking there and couldn't go in the end. Just as well as that was the night 2 blokes burst in to the main restaurant and shotgunned the owner dead in front of everyone.
I don't live in Leeds anymore!!
It used to be a problem. They have got better since about 2003 in taking fewer bookings as well as expanding the seating (plus a bar upstairs)Not sure if the indian place on the corner nearby is still there but that was always decent and pretty busy. I also had a booking there and couldn't go in the end. Just as well as that was the night 2 blokes burst in to the main restaurant and shotgunned the owner dead in front of everyone.
I don't live in Leeds anymore!!
Off topic...
Do you mean the Chinese? Dynasty is no more, it's a Thai now.
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8076671...
Though it did become nicknamed the "Die Nasty"...
Vaud said:
Blown2CV said:
brings back memories, the mention of that place. Memories being them being so busy they were unable to accommodate the booking our group had, but they were kind enough to give us a spot to stand in outside on the street. They even brought us some garlic bread to eat off of a car roof... which seemed a nice gesture in a way... until they added it to the bill. But yes... the food was a decent standard notwithstanding the st service that often comes with popular places.
Not sure if the indian place on the corner nearby is still there but that was always decent and pretty busy. I also had a booking there and couldn't go in the end. Just as well as that was the night 2 blokes burst in to the main restaurant and shotgunned the owner dead in front of everyone.
I don't live in Leeds anymore!!
It used to be a problem. They have got better since about 2003 in taking fewer bookings as well as expanding the seating (plus a bar upstairs)Not sure if the indian place on the corner nearby is still there but that was always decent and pretty busy. I also had a booking there and couldn't go in the end. Just as well as that was the night 2 blokes burst in to the main restaurant and shotgunned the owner dead in front of everyone.
I don't live in Leeds anymore!!
Off topic...
Do you mean the Chinese? Dynasty is no more, it's a Thai now.
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8076671...
Though it did become nicknamed the "Die Nasty"...
soad said:
One sous chef said clientele get used to small/er portions, no need to over feed them.
And, if on occasions, a new chef gives slightly more food - people arehappy ecstatic!
Go figure...
"How much veg? Calm down with the portions love, We're here to feed them, not fill them."And, if on occasions, a new chef gives slightly more food - people are
Go figure...
Clumber Park Restaurant Manager to counter assistant. Summer 1990. In full earshot of the queue at the counter.
I wouldn't want a large portion of the slop they serve up at Jamie's. Any chef worth their salt wouldn't want to expand at the rate he did, as it just highlights the fact its chain restaurant microwave meal fodder that's ridiculously over priced, hence the fact there is always a voucher deal for it. At least places like Prezzo don't pretend it's haute cuisine.
BrabusMog said:
I wouldn't want a large portion of the slop they serve up at Jamie's. Any chef worth their salt wouldn't want to expand at the rate he did, as it just highlights the fact its chain restaurant microwave meal fodder that's ridiculously over priced, hence the fact there is always a voucher deal for it. At least places like Prezzo don't pretend it's haute cuisine.
mircowave? the pasta is fresh and most of their stuff doesnt take long to cook anyway. and since when did it ever pretend to be haute cuisine?Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff