Restaurants at home kits

[craigjm]

21TonyK said:

johnboy1975 said:

craigjm said:

21TonyK said:

With the kits are meat cuts pre-cooked, ie. sous vide?

The cote one just mentioned appears to be like M&S ready meals

https://coteathome.co.uk/

That seems reasonable. If I'd seen it in time I might have ordered for valentines.

The portions, this says its serves 2. Do you get 2x this, and its just one portion shown? (There's another plate hiding i think?)

Thats per head so £15 for what you see. Taking into account the packaging and delivery costs its probably not that profitable unless you get into mutliples, sides and desserts.

It’s not per head that’s an 830g portion to “serve 2” for £15 but we all know, just like M&S serves two it’s really a portion and a half at best

[21TonyK]

craigjm said:

It’s not per head that’s an 830g portion to “serve 2” for £15 but we all know, just like M&S serves two it’s really a portion and a half at best

You're right, I just looked through and compared to their "normal" restaurant prices. They are less than half price on some!

[craigjm]

21TonyK said:

craigjm said:

It’s not per head that’s an 830g portion to “serve 2” for £15 but we all know, just like M&S serves two it’s really a portion and a half at best

You're right, I just looked through and compared to their "normal" restaurant prices. They are less than half price on some!

I think a lot of people only used to eat at Cote with special offer vouchers etc. I’ve certainly never paid full price for a meal in one. They are quite passable tho

[21TonyK]

craigjm said:

21TonyK said:

craigjm said:

It’s not per head that’s an 830g portion to “serve 2” for £15 but we all know, just like M&S serves two it’s really a portion and a half at best

You're right, I just looked through and compared to their "normal" restaurant prices. They are less than half price on some!

I think a lot of people only used to eat at Cote with special offer vouchers etc. I’ve certainly never paid full price for a meal in one. They are quite passable tho

Only eaten in the ones in Exeter and Bournemouth but service and food has always been consistent and pretty good for what it is. Unlike bistro Pierre who seem to vary from just about ok to good'ish.

[illmonkey]

We've tried Hawksmoor for my birthday, very good but we over done the steak due to a dodgy thermometer. It was still good fun to do.

Was recommended Buger and Beyond today by friends. Their tater tots look amazing. Will be doing an order for this or next weekend!

[Louis Balfour]

illmonkey said:

We've tried Hawksmoor for my birthday, very good but we over done the steak due to a dodgy thermometer. It was still good fun to do.

Was recommended Buger and Beyond today by friends. Their tater tots look amazing. Will be doing an order for this or next weekend!

I was looking at the Hawksmoor stuff last night; it looks pricey.

[illmonkey]

Louis Balfour said:

illmonkey said:

We've tried Hawksmoor for my birthday, very good but we over done the steak due to a dodgy thermometer. It was still good fun to do.

Was recommended Buger and Beyond today by friends. Their tater tots look amazing. Will be doing an order for this or next weekend!

I was looking at the Hawksmoor stuff last night; it looks pricey.

It is! Hawksmoor is something we'd go to for a birthday, so seemed fitting for my stay at home birthday. We just saved train costs and 2 nights in a hotel, so maybe a bit more reasonable

[oscmax]

Another vote here for Gymkhana - never been to the restaurant, but the box was a lot of fun to cook and eat.

UBchef (aka Robert Thompson of Thompsons) is also excellent, have had quite a few of these. All superb.

[thebraketester]

We had "Crockers At Home" last night and it was absolutely fantastic.

[Output Flange]

thebraketester said:

We had "Crockers At Home" last night and it was absolutely fantastic.

I just came here to post the same thing! We had their veggie menu on Saturday night, and it was by far the best at-home box we've had.

[craigjm]

Output Flange said:

thebraketester said:

We had "Crockers At Home" last night and it was absolutely fantastic.

I just came here to post the same thing! We had their veggie menu on Saturday night, and it was by far the best at-home box we've had.

What kind of "at home" kit is it?

It seems to me there are two schools here. The one similar to Hello Fresh where you get all the raw ingredients and some pre-prepped stuff and you make it yourself with a recipe card and then at the other end like the Cote offering which is basically like the food delivered to you as M&S ready meals and you just warm them in the oven.

[Output Flange]

craigjm said:

What kind of "at home" kit is it?

It seems to me there are two schools here. The one similar to Hello Fresh where you get all the raw ingredients and some pre-prepped stuff and you make it yourself with a recipe card and then at the other end like the Cote offering which is basically like the food delivered to you as M&S ready meals and you just warm them in the oven.

It's the latter.

[thebraketester]

If you imagine that you walked into a restaurant kitchen after all the prep had been done and service is starting, that the point they get you to. All the components are supplied to a point where they either just require minimal input and putting in the oven to warm, reheating in a pan or frying. Very very simple.

We went to Crockers at Tring twice last year, and this at home kit I would say was 95% as good as the real thing, highly recommend it.

[RizzoTheRat]

Several local restaurants started doing multi-course takeaway menus in the first lockdown, we even had one the other week that came with 6 half bottles of wine as well. Minimal prep needed, one the other week said warm the oven and put things in here to keep warm, another one needed to heat the soup and the main course. We've tried 4 or 5 different ones so far and they've all been very good.

[Output Flange]

thebraketester said:

We went to Crockers at Tring twice last year, and this at home kit I would say was 95% as good as the real thing, highly recommend it.

I'd agree. The only thing missing was Scott swearing at us!

[thebraketester]

Haha yeah that’s true. I might have said fk and a few times whilst preparing it though just to keep in the spirit.

[Ace-T]

We are trying one of these for next Sunday dinner. We had one for Christmas from a one star Michelin which was fantastic. This one will be a tenth of the price of that one

It is in a mining town not renowned for fine dining, but the chef has worked for Marcus Waring and Richard Corrigan. And for some inexplicable reason came back to the sticks.

Will report back

[Type R Tom]

Is anyone aware of any places that plan to keep doing these kits once they reopen as normal? Seems for some there was a fair amount of work needed to set them up, I wonder if they will just drop them or employ more staff to keep it going.

I have 2 kits coming over the weekend, will report back.

[Type R Tom]

For anyone interested. This was a 3 course kit (with a little bread) from a * place in East Kent. That included a decent bottle of English fizz too.






Burrata with beetroot. Beef Wellington, mash, greens. Caramel tart.

When you consider the cost of the wine and ingredients I think it was pretty good value. Couple of things for my taste I would have changed.

I think the attraction for them is that for a poor/average home cook it would be a spectacular meal.

[Greshamst]

Had a smokestak at home a few weeks back. My god, the flavour. So good. Made me realise that as it’s been a while since I’ve eaten out, just how much more flavour there is in restaurant food... mostly through a lot of fat and salt whereas cooking at home I try to go easy on both these things usually, to be healthier.

Below is buffalo wings, pork rib ends, and pickles.

Welsh rarebit potatoes (scooped jacket potato, layered with pork cheek, then potato mixed with chive, sour cream etc, topped with rarebit and grilled)

Brisket buns. fk I love these.

Sticky toffee pudding

Not bad for £70 for two people! Oh and 2 cocktails included also.












Then have this ordered for the girlfriends birthday from Luca...