Saturday 13 August 2011

Henry's Bar and Restaurant, Largs - in Brisbane House Hotel







A number of weeks ago Tam Cowan did a review in Daily Record.

This article actually caught my interest (which doesn't always happen). I have been having lunches with a friend called Frank for a number of years now, mostly around Ayr and I had arranged the next lunch for Friday 12th August and we always take turns of where we go (and pay for) so i contacted Frank about going there. Frank went yes, even though its another 30 miles from Ayr. I arranged to meet Frank about midday and he would cover the rest of distance. We go there just after 1pm. You can see Cumbrae there there (but it was cloudy).

We got shown to a table by the friendly staff. We had a glass of coke each from a 200ml bottle. It was very nice with ice. We were brought the menus. It is £6.95 for 2 courses. We were told the soup was Lentil, so that suited me. The staff left us for a few minutes so we could decide. It was a nice varied menu. Just the right size of options you needed. The staff even asked us if we were just visiting Largs for the day (that doesn't happen normally where I go).

The Restaurant also looked very professional, including TV at end of bar as well with Sky News on. I decided on the Chicken, Ham and leek pie with mash and vegetables with the soup and Frank got Steak Pie and chicken fillets for starters. They took menus away, brought me a spoon and a few minutes later they brought out our starters. My soup had a small baguette with it and butter and was just perfect temperature. Now I had better say I do not like cold soup, but this was perfect temperature. Frank said the chicken could have been put in a pie for a filling and it would be fine, but it was good as a starter as well.

This took a few minutes as we talked in our normal style for us to eat the starters, almost no time passed and the plates were away and the main course was there. It was quite busy when we went in, but not too busy.

So the main courses came out. The mash almost looked nice new potatoes, but it wasn't. It was briliantly shaped and executed for great mash. The vegetables were perfectly cooked. I dont like raw veg and this was in perfect form and was great when I ate it. The pie looked like at the start as the normal puff pastry on top. It is not. It was ontop like puff pastry but the filling was inside with more pastry as the base. I couldn't bring my phone out to photograph it (that would be too much).

So We kept talking and I ate the veg and mash and started eating pie. It was amazing and before I knew if I was feeling quite full. I nearly finished the pie (and that was a struggle). It was THAT GOOD. After we finished it the staff asked if we wanted sweet menu. I said I couldn't but we got coffee each (which was the usual good temperature and service).

It's the best restaurant by far I have ever been to. The quality was great, the value is amazing. The staff are briliant. We also checked if it's suitable for parking and other facilities so Frank can go there again with others in his family. That got a tick as well. I also went to toilet (no I dont normally say that) but they were well designed, modern, clean. Briliant (Ive never said that before).

Now I said it was £6.95 for 2 courses. Including the juice and coffees I paid £20 exactly. Great value (and yes I left a tip). I dont like paying tips when I don't get good service. I didn't mind in the slightest paying a tip for here. The location for this blog is the postcode for it. I had a phone call and after that we headed back to Ayr.

I only had a small snack late last night, but was still quite full. It was that good.

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Weddings and other stuff


So how are we all out there again. I know I haven't done this for a few days but I have been busy.

The picture above here on the left is Carol Kirkwood doing the weather but somebody didn't remove Manchester from the graphic for a number of seconds (I was waiting for Wendy Hurrell to come back on).


I can also report the weather report is right and it is raining outside this morning.

So I had better go back a few days. On Thursday I went to dentist at 11am for my teeth to get cleaned professionally. I then went with my 2 bags for the 11.45am bus to Glasgow. We got there at 1.15 as usual. I then got the Glenrothes bus at 1.30 and got there around 3.15pm. I got some wrapping paper to wrap David and Terri's wedding present and went to Leven around 4.10pm and got to sisters around 5pm. We didn't do much that night apart from David arriving late as he had said he would.

I didn't want a late night. I got up at 6.30am and enjoyed my coffee. While the rest of them went to hairdressers/work I just relaxed and got showered. I got changed at 1pm and we went to St Andrews. Alex found the right place and everyone got there nearly on time (Terri was stuck in traffic, but thats allowed).

The ceremony went well and then we went for afternoon tea. I met a lot of people there and had fun. Some photographs happened including me using my phone.



I told David and Terri about my last visit to the Carnoustie on 20th August (yes with rugby) and see them there. I had discovered I could leave Glenrothes at 7.05pm and be home in Auchinleck at 10.10pm that night. So we disapeared after 6.20ish and I got my connection. Everything went well on the journey home.

When I got home I watched Smackdown. It was quite well there recently, but its kinda going back to its normal mode.

Saturday morning. I woke up about 7am. I ironed my shirt, had a bath, shave (the usual) and headed to Cumnock nice and early. I got down to club around 10am. It was a busy day. I wont bore you with the story of all we did, but it was good, if not busy. I left there around 6pm, got my dinner and had another bath before having fun that night.

Sunday was fairly quiet apart from helping at bar in early evening. I made sure Monday I relaxed at home (which I did).

Yesterday I saw Stuart and did my usual Tuesday things.

I think that is everyone upto date.

Monday 8 August 2011

The LaFontaines - Paper Chase



This is still one of my favourite bands who are a scottish rap band. I like the video as well. They are called The LaFontaines