Food – Curious Bystander

3 alternative hates in a café / restaurant in the UK –

1) Doors that are left open –

This is infuriating, it seems that this always happens; even when it is cold outside. The owner simply always has to get up (usually from behind the register or serving counter), if a polite and gullible customer hasn’t, in order to shut the damn thing!

You hear the noise from outside, and most definitely feel the cold weather (especially if there is a cold wind); this makes me furious! Please, either make a better door or fix the one you that you have – this is all totally uncalled for.

The picture above, shows one such door in the Scottish Highlands, where during a recent visit of about 30 minutes had to be attended to at least a half a dozen times – this is just not on.

2) Butter packets that are as hard as a rock!

This is another one that I hate, as you’ve just been handed a great British fry up, and when you try to spread this stuff on your toast, it disintegrates as if a bomb went off!

Why do they do this? It is just SO easy for them (the café) to have this pre-warmed so that it’s actually possible to use it!

My remedy is that the tea pot that I’ve ordered with my breakfast is where I usually place the butter on or against, so the butter is at least manageable to use.

3) Filthy Salt and Pepper Shakers:

I regularly use both the salt and pepper, but first of all, I always look to see if their lids are closed, and then normally clean the tops.

They’re simply always disgusting! And yet another reason to think just what the café owners / restaurateurs are doing during the day? It does NOT take that much time to do this; to make sure that the tops of these are tight and that they have been cleaned in the last decade – exasperating!

Belfast, Northern Ireland – Part 1

ICC in Belfast

I’ve been to Belfast / NI, about a half a dozen times the last decade, for a variety of reasons; travel, golf, to see friends, etc, and each time it appears to be more vibrant, cosmo, livelier and “better” if one can use that word.

The Garrick

For today, I decided to have a walk around in the evening with my partner, and after leaving the ICC, we headed for a pub that we’ve been to before, The Garrick.

What a selection of beer, and a simply excellent, hearty menu. Ah tradition, I love it. Equally, there must have been an Erdinger bier promotion (both here and other places in Belfast), as the blau und weiss colours of Bavaria were everywhere.

From here, we had a stroll to Belfast City Hall, a hall that makes the one in Glasgow, look like a dump! I noted this to one of the very kind, security guards inside, and surprisingly, he told me that, that was the second time he had heard someone tell him that, on the day! Whilst inside, we naturally signed the condolence book(s) for Her Majesty, the Queen.

From here, again, we went to a familiar pub, and favourite of mine, The Crown Liquor Saloon, an antique of a bar owned by the National Trust.

A pub that always seems to have a decent pint of real ale on the menu. And equally, seems to always be packed with tourists.

Part 2 to follow, one can hardly wait!

Month Ahead – Various past trips but also a recent one to Northern Ireland

Finally this month, with enough time, will return to blog about recent trips to Germany, America, London for Wimbledon and maybe a few more (Ed: Didn’t you just get back from St Andrews, Scotland, again?).

But the last trip, was a quick 6 days to Northern Ireland, where I stayed in Belfast and had a day trip to the wonderful county of Armagh.

This was probably the sixth or seventh time the last 10 years for me to travel there. And I’ve always wondered just why, more people do not do the voyage? The flight was only about 25 minutes (!) from Glasgow – it literally takes off, and then sets down, stressing the ease of making the trip there.

And speaking of Ireland, both North and South, when back, I decided to go “Oirish” and buy a different type of porridge!

I’ve seen these Flahavan’s for some time, and felt that they would be too expensive when compared to the bog standard, dreadful things that usually come in a plastic sack.

Well, with the recent inflation, they aren’t any more and I can only say, that their “quick oats” design is a winner! In fact, you don’t even need a microwave, boiling water does just fine.

But talking about Northern Ireland, as usual, the people there were incredibly friendly, whether in Belfast or in the country and this week, will put several entries on Belfast, the Churches there, the Titanic Museum (where I had a wonderful dinner), and various things that I encountered there.

Glasgow; various eateries; Nostrana & the Finnieston Fez

So I finally tried, after it was only open a few weeks, Nostrana, a new Italian place in Hyndland (just north of Soul Space in the link), Glasgow.

It was nice, very friendly service (my date spilled their coffee, and they were just SO helpful with them, even giving a new one FOC!), with food that at first seemed “small”, but was huge.

As usual, I felt that a normal dish would not be enough, wrong again! I ordered some bread, whilst the plus 1 chose their salad; both ample enough.

Well worth it, but no doubt during the winter, it’d be desirable to sit inside.

4/5

This brings us to the Finnieston Fez, located on the eastern edge of Finnieston, in the West End of Glasgow.

To be honest, this was a surprise, though I had walked past before and always had a hankering to sit in the window seat. I shall return.

While inside, I was literally the only one there (later there were more people and it became packed), and was confronted with several very lovely people. What a joy, they WANTED me to be there! Isn’t that a good feeling, that I never felt that I was intruding. There are MANY times, when I’ve gone to cafes, where the service was shocking, as in a “Why are you here?”. Well, it’s because “I’m a customer!”.

The menu is a Moroccan type of Mediterranean thing, and I opted for something simple – a Falafel Panini, and I just had to have the sweet, traditional, Moroccan tea – glad I did.

As for the Panini, it was flavourable and not overbearing. The tee-pee type of container contained slightly chillied olives.

I will return.

4/5

Cavavin, Hyndland – Cafe’ish & Wine Shop – Wonderful surprise

*Cavavin – Street Wine Bar with nibbles*

Cavavin has been here at the junction of Hyndland Road and Clarence Drive, only for about two years plus? Not too sure, but recently, or the last few months, they’ve offered a street service, though this may have been here longer (they also have a very small seated area inside, near the beer section in the back)?

Equally, it’s possible to have small side plates with your obscur’ish wine; the usual ones though quite delicious – humous, olives, etc. I had the hummus and pitta bread, which fitted perfectly (some portion!)

I hardly think this is bandwagon jumping, as there are simply not enough wine bars / wine and snacks type of places here; Lord, do we really need more cafes?

Though naturally, it is possible to get a coffee, tea and even a hot chocolate here as well.

I certainly look forward to the winter, when I’ll definitely be here on the odd mid-week evenings.

Nowita Ice Cream – Hyndland Street, Partick, Glasgow

Part of Hyndland Street, Partick, Glasgow

What a cool little street this is. Maybe it’s the true diversity of the shops / businesses / cafes here; or maybe it’s that there are no chains?

Hey, I LOVE big chains, but at times, I’ve no time for them; the monotony, the sameness, etc; though I do love the prices.

For example, we will have another new business here (above), Nowita Ice Cream, that will be an ice cream shop / parlour – a welcome addition. Considering we have two on the nearby Byres Road, that have seemed to stay in business during the pandemic; here’s hoping this one can as well.

I’ve not heard of them before, so maybe they are a local business? We wish them luck.

More Thornwood, Glasgow – Amo’s Cafe, Dumbarton Road

What a surprise for us here, as we were looking for the always reliable Tulipane; no longer to be seen?

So wondered in here, and found it to be French? Maybe I am wrong, but after we finished, had a delightful conversation on Steve McQueen, and in particular Papillon (co-starred with Dustin Hoffman) – not the absolutely dreadful remake in 2017, with Charlie Hunnam! Maybe I will read the original novel, as suggested.

The eggs and avo were the hit

Have to say, everything was made from scratch, enough time to settle down and actually chat, and would be back.

This week; the Thornwood area of West Glasgow, a newish café and various wanderings & more!

Thornwood, used to be out west of the West End of Glasgow, or at least that is how it seemed to me; even more west than Partick, but not anymore.

There are many newish restaurants and cafes in this area. And even some peculiar street art:

Royal Mail in Thornwood, Dumbarton Road, Glasgow

What a beautiful thing to have! And so far, it has not really been vandalised. Long may that continue

How intricate

What a lovely, trad place; Glasgow Central Hotel, City Centre, Glasgow

I’ve been here before, and after a recent BBQ at my bit, someone had the nerve to say that it is just so old-fashioned and out of date?

Really? They’ve overhauled this place some time ago, and now it not only is modern, but fits its place that it is trying to do. Our very own Ritz, if I may add!

We were there for tea and cake, but the design, service and accoutrements were brilliant – linen serviettes. The view was perfect for not only people watching, but also to see the piano players, hitting the plastic ivory.

Various internal shots of the Cafe

Even the food was class, with a pink cheesecake chosen for me.

It seemed to me, that this is primarily known and used as a bar / champagne bar (its title), but whoa to be had, with just a little walking around the city centre.

They even had a collection of photos from previous stayers at the accommodation in its heyday; ranging from Roy Rogers to Gene Kelly; though I did not see the photo of Diego Maradona, from I believe 1979.

Portugal – Part 3, Lisbon Centre (Alfama), food, some notes . . .

After settling into my hotel, and having a overnight sleep, tried out the breakfast; but in this case, there was none? Hence, decided to go around the corner to buy some croissants, etc.

I found a metro market called Auchan – which is actually a French based shop, and noticed one or two peculiar but helpful things.

_{Order / Collect – Interesting Idea}

One was the ability to order and then collect your food in an area at the very front of the entrance. I know there are shops here who do this, but maybe not to this detail; completely in English also!

The other was some bizarre (apologies for the black & white photo) chart on the wall at the entrance, describing something? Ah, the French strike again.

Instructions?

After this and some work, did a wander downtown, mainly to meet up with family in the Alfama region, of the city centre.

If you haven’t been here before, it’s a maze of hills, restaurants, yellow trams and tourists! OTOH, it is brilliant! Just go for a wander here, you CAN NOT go wrong.

Here, I walked by the coast and then by several places (Maritime Museum and a Taylors Port tasting room), that I will save for another day. BTW, the weather was awful, I seriously thought it was going to snow!

After this, I had a simply wonderful meal at one of the hundreds of places to choose from.

Restaurant in Alfama

Afterwards, used the metro to return to my hotel, and loved some of the wallpaper.

Lisbon Underground