Bournemouth, this Saturday, restaurant recommendations pls
Discussion
One of my favorite restaurants is Da Mario.
Not fancy but some of the best pizza I've had and very friendly service. Definitely book as it's a small place and gets very busy. I'm not local to the area but I've stopped here for quite a few meals over the last few years and I've always been impressed.
Not fancy but some of the best pizza I've had and very friendly service. Definitely book as it's a small place and gets very busy. I'm not local to the area but I've stopped here for quite a few meals over the last few years and I've always been impressed.
Turn7 said:
Mmm,this looks interesting....the one in Poole Hill is walkable, is the same as the Sandbanks version ?
It's all the same local company, some are more bar orientated than others but all do good food (that I've been to).Tiien Thai is also nice, located by the Marriott.
I've only tried ojo rojo at an event never in the restaurant. I liked it though, friend wasnt so keen.
Fantastic shout earlier with Da Marios. Wonderful pizza, whenever I've stayed with friends nearby we've popped in.
Miocene said:
Turn7 said:
Mmm,this looks interesting....the one in Poole Hill is walkable, is the same as the Sandbanks version ?
It's all the same local company, some are more bar orientated than others but all do good food (that I've been to).interstellar said:
Rick Steins at Sandbanks is good for a nice meal, would have to book though.
I went there on a beautiful evening last April. The staff were great and the views over the harbour were nice, but the menu is so very disappointing.6 indifferent dishes with bizarre choices like Thai green curry with Cod - obviously strong swimmers from the Atlantic. It gets worse with Cod and Chips, but the 6 identically sized chips are probably extruded crushed potato in batter so they actually look like fish fingers. If you have a good fishmonger, cooking great fish dishes in quite simple - even I can do it.
Like most franchises, I think this is a complete rip off. I am surprised that Rick Stein puts his name to it. Given that he now lives in Oz when he is not working for the BBC and so can have little, or no, direct input.
rdjohn said:
I went there on a beautiful evening last April. The staff were great and the views over the harbour were nice, but the menu is so very disappointing.
6 indifferent dishes with bizarre choices like Thai green curry with Cod - obviously strong swimmers from the Atlantic. It gets worse with Cod and Chips, but the 6 identically sized chips are probably extruded crushed potato in batter so they actually look like fish fingers. If you have a good fishmonger, cooking great fish dishes in quite simple - even I can do it.
Like most franchises, I think this is a complete rip off. I am surprised that Rick Stein puts his name to it. Given that he now lives in Oz when he is not working for the BBC and so can have little, or no, direct input.
+1 And there was no atmosphere.6 indifferent dishes with bizarre choices like Thai green curry with Cod - obviously strong swimmers from the Atlantic. It gets worse with Cod and Chips, but the 6 identically sized chips are probably extruded crushed potato in batter so they actually look like fish fingers. If you have a good fishmonger, cooking great fish dishes in quite simple - even I can do it.
Like most franchises, I think this is a complete rip off. I am surprised that Rick Stein puts his name to it. Given that he now lives in Oz when he is not working for the BBC and so can have little, or no, direct input.
Bill said:
rdjohn said:
I went there on a beautiful evening last April. The staff were great and the views over the harbour were nice, but the menu is so very disappointing.
6 indifferent dishes with bizarre choices like Thai green curry with Cod - obviously strong swimmers from the Atlantic. It gets worse with Cod and Chips, but the 6 identically sized chips are probably extruded crushed potato in batter so they actually look like fish fingers. If you have a good fishmonger, cooking great fish dishes in quite simple - even I can do it.
Like most franchises, I think this is a complete rip off. I am surprised that Rick Stein puts his name to it. Given that he now lives in Oz when he is not working for the BBC and so can have little, or no, direct input.
+1 And there was no atmosphere.6 indifferent dishes with bizarre choices like Thai green curry with Cod - obviously strong swimmers from the Atlantic. It gets worse with Cod and Chips, but the 6 identically sized chips are probably extruded crushed potato in batter so they actually look like fish fingers. If you have a good fishmonger, cooking great fish dishes in quite simple - even I can do it.
Like most franchises, I think this is a complete rip off. I am surprised that Rick Stein puts his name to it. Given that he now lives in Oz when he is not working for the BBC and so can have little, or no, direct input.
Hi Guys, I thought I would follow up this thread....
We had decided to go to Koh Thai after walking past the place earlier in the day.Thye werent open then, so we couldnt book a table.
Left the hotel for dinner at about 7 ish, short walk to Koh......walked in and asked for a table for two.... Not until after 10pm we were told.....Bugger. I thought this being the absolute dog end of January, nowhere would be busy, let alone fully booked.
Anyways, so blown out of choice 1, we headed for Ojo Rojo.....luckliy they offered us a table - and thats where it started to go wrong...the table a a two seater, using a kind of childs high chair seat, made out of THE most uncomfortable timber I have sat on....Menus are brought out and we start looking through the drinks one first...neither of us could actually find anything we wanted drink at all, the cocktails sounded very exotic, given not cheap, the other half didnt want to order and not like it. After about 10 minutes, we just werent feeling it at all, so left.
Its now 7.40ish, we are both starving and discovering Bournemouth is, apparently, not feeling the pinch at all - everywhere was rammed...
Getting a bit pissed off with it all, we walked down to cinema complex and chain restaurant hell.......
Now, Miller & Carter are a new thing to us, and as we both love steak (but have yet to really have had a good one), we thought, sod it, lets give it a whirl.....They claim to be the nuts for steakheads, so.....
Luckily, they offered us a table that we had to vacate in 2 hours, but, yeah, ok....
Drinks ordered and delivered in timely manner. We had some questions about some of the menu items, and the young waitress, although patient and willing, clearly had not been got totally up to speed on some items..
We ended up ordering Cluck&Duck wings (groan), and cheesey mushrooms for starters.
They arrived not to long after, and having had a few bites, I looked at the other half, she looked at me....."are yours "just" about warm enough?"
"Barely" I replied...
So, from then on, I figured our mains -
The grain fed 8oz Ribeye - for £20....Order it Medium to enjoy fully said the menu
slow cooked beef rib
..were going to be a big fat plate of disappointment.....
Mains arrived, delivered to the tabke by another waitress, who left us steak knives - and NO forks.....
We stole some forks off another empty table and started to eat...
The slow cooked rib was below tepid annoyingly, and my Steak was almost well done.
We returned both these dishes as not what was ordered.
The second set came out...
Mine was "ok", but to me, never a £20 steak, Ive had better in a 'spoons tbh..
The Beef rib was a bad cut and just full of gristle, to me almost inedible......
We spoke to the manager, and explained that we were not the sort to create a huge fuss, but had come to M&C with high expectations, only to be left feeling extremely let down..
Fair play to him, he knocked the rib off the bill, but that wasnt the point for us....we had visited them with an expectation they failed to deliver in my view.
We had gone away for the weekend, actually quite excited about somehere new, but the whole evening fell flat on its face.
This is only the second time we have ever sent food back,so I dont know anymore.
Certainly wont be going to M&c again...
TL:DR
Chain restaurant serves mediocre food for semi premium money and is disappointing.....
We had decided to go to Koh Thai after walking past the place earlier in the day.Thye werent open then, so we couldnt book a table.
Left the hotel for dinner at about 7 ish, short walk to Koh......walked in and asked for a table for two.... Not until after 10pm we were told.....Bugger. I thought this being the absolute dog end of January, nowhere would be busy, let alone fully booked.
Anyways, so blown out of choice 1, we headed for Ojo Rojo.....luckliy they offered us a table - and thats where it started to go wrong...the table a a two seater, using a kind of childs high chair seat, made out of THE most uncomfortable timber I have sat on....Menus are brought out and we start looking through the drinks one first...neither of us could actually find anything we wanted drink at all, the cocktails sounded very exotic, given not cheap, the other half didnt want to order and not like it. After about 10 minutes, we just werent feeling it at all, so left.
Its now 7.40ish, we are both starving and discovering Bournemouth is, apparently, not feeling the pinch at all - everywhere was rammed...
Getting a bit pissed off with it all, we walked down to cinema complex and chain restaurant hell.......
Now, Miller & Carter are a new thing to us, and as we both love steak (but have yet to really have had a good one), we thought, sod it, lets give it a whirl.....They claim to be the nuts for steakheads, so.....
Luckily, they offered us a table that we had to vacate in 2 hours, but, yeah, ok....
Drinks ordered and delivered in timely manner. We had some questions about some of the menu items, and the young waitress, although patient and willing, clearly had not been got totally up to speed on some items..
We ended up ordering Cluck&Duck wings (groan), and cheesey mushrooms for starters.
They arrived not to long after, and having had a few bites, I looked at the other half, she looked at me....."are yours "just" about warm enough?"
"Barely" I replied...
So, from then on, I figured our mains -
The grain fed 8oz Ribeye - for £20....Order it Medium to enjoy fully said the menu
slow cooked beef rib
..were going to be a big fat plate of disappointment.....
Mains arrived, delivered to the tabke by another waitress, who left us steak knives - and NO forks.....
We stole some forks off another empty table and started to eat...
The slow cooked rib was below tepid annoyingly, and my Steak was almost well done.
We returned both these dishes as not what was ordered.
The second set came out...
Mine was "ok", but to me, never a £20 steak, Ive had better in a 'spoons tbh..
The Beef rib was a bad cut and just full of gristle, to me almost inedible......
We spoke to the manager, and explained that we were not the sort to create a huge fuss, but had come to M&C with high expectations, only to be left feeling extremely let down..
Fair play to him, he knocked the rib off the bill, but that wasnt the point for us....we had visited them with an expectation they failed to deliver in my view.
We had gone away for the weekend, actually quite excited about somehere new, but the whole evening fell flat on its face.
This is only the second time we have ever sent food back,so I dont know anymore.
Certainly wont be going to M&c again...
TL:DR
Chain restaurant serves mediocre food for semi premium money and is disappointing.....
Edited by Turn7 on Sunday 28th January 17:38
Turn7 said:
Hi Guys, I thought I would follow up this thread....
TL:DR
Chain restaurant serves mediocre food for semi premium money and is disappointing.....
Worth noting as my daughter is at Uni in BH and we visit regularly, was about to try M&C in a fortnight but will think again.TL:DR
Chain restaurant serves mediocre food for semi premium money and is disappointing.....
Edited by Turn7 on Sunday 28th January 17:38
Apparently there is an amazing steak house in BH, real 70's style place with slabs of meat in a fridge on display.
Supposed to be the best steak in the area but yet to try.
Just seen this thread, sorry to hear you had such a bad time OP. The new complex has had mainly poor reviews. Tiien would have been a good shout as another poster said, as would Brasserie Blanc in the Highcliff Hotel. Corporate Hotel, but lovely newish Raymond Blanc restaurant. Dilli Haat new Indian in Westbourne - a 20 minute walk west, is also right up there if visiting town.
Yes, that is the Bournemouth Steak House in Holdenhurst Rd. It is good but a bit dated and old fashioned. As mentioned above, try Funki Grillers, their steaks are imho better than BSH and there is a good atmosphere and live music at weekends. You can see the steaks cooking on a tv monitor. Booking in advance advised at weekends. I have no connection, just enjoy a good steak and this is the best combined with value for money that I've found locally.
OP: You're right - Bormuff is most definitely NOT feeling any pinch on spending! All new bars opening are full, then the others don't seem less busy! Restaurants, the same. It's nucking futs, I tell thee!
Sorry you left that place underwhelmed. TripAdvisor
I've not been to FunkiGriller, but will check it out next time I'm back in my hometown.
Sorry you left that place underwhelmed. TripAdvisor
I've not been to FunkiGriller, but will check it out next time I'm back in my hometown.
Shame I didn't see this before the weekend.
M&C is usually good, just not the M&C in the new complex. Big mistake. Huge mistake. But you know that now
Another vote for Bournemouth Steak House. He knows how to cook steak. Straight from the 80's
Also rate Bournemouth Pizza Co on other side of road from Asda.
M&C is usually good, just not the M&C in the new complex. Big mistake. Huge mistake. But you know that now
Another vote for Bournemouth Steak House. He knows how to cook steak. Straight from the 80's
Also rate Bournemouth Pizza Co on other side of road from Asda.
Sir Bagalot said:
Shame I didn't see this before the weekend.
M&C is usually good, just not the M&C in the new complex. Big mistake. Huge mistake. But you know that now
Another vote for Bournemouth Steak House. He knows how to cook steak. Straight from the 80's
Also rate Bournemouth Pizza Co on other side of road from Asda.
If you are referring to the M&C on the big roundabout Wallisdown Road I wasn't impressed the last visit I made thereM&C is usually good, just not the M&C in the new complex. Big mistake. Huge mistake. But you know that now
Another vote for Bournemouth Steak House. He knows how to cook steak. Straight from the 80's
Also rate Bournemouth Pizza Co on other side of road from Asda.
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