Monty, Monty, Montys?

A (not so) wintery Friday night took us to finally try out one of the three Monty’s Nepalese restaurants in Ealing.

As you may have noticed ‘Montys’ appears not at one, or two... but three locations across Ealing. So the story goes; three partners who founded the original Montys went their separate ways in, and each started their own restaurant with the same name... and logo! Today Monty’s Tandoori in South Ealing still stands after the original opening in 1980.

Montys of London in Ealing Broadway, and Montys restaurant in West Ealing, all have unique websites and operate as independent businesses.

Being the closest, we decided to first try out the one in South Ealing. We booked a table online (just in case it happened to be busy) and arrived on Friday evening.

It was indeed pretty busy, and had a great bustling atmosphere in a relatively cosy setting. It might have been the delicious scent of the Asian cuisine, but the place had a feel of mountainside restaurant with its large window at the front and long, almost cave-like interior. 

The waiters were notably friendly, but also professional – attentive and yet not intrusive. We were served quickly and tended to politely. 

We overindulged on some delicious starters followed by some traditional Nepalese curries. The food was delicious, though we couldn’t help compare it to its spicy Indian competition. The dishes we ordered were relatively mild by comparison. 

When we ordered our bill we discovered that by having booked out table online we were also eligible for a 20% discount – a welcome bonus to the already very lovely evening.

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	3.5
Drinks Tastiness:	3.5
Service Skills:	5
Atmospheric Vibes:	3.5
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	4
Total average score:	3.9

Santa Maria la Pizzeriaaa 
 
A relaxed summers Sunday evening, and we had an old friend visiting from overseas. We hadn't been to Santa Maria for a while so it seemed like a good option for a relaxed night out and some yummy food to fill our tums.

The pizzeria is famous for it's long wait for tables, whilst you drink in the pub next door (not a bad alternative). However this was Sunday (a quieter night for most restaurants), so we only waited a few minutes for our table (sadly missing out on the beer ;o)

We sat on a table near the front of the restaurant feeling the heat from the pizza oven and ordered our Italian beverages (beer and limonata) to go with our food. The decor was fun (having been refurbished back in Feb this year)

"Santa Maria was just what we were looking for on a lazy Sunday evening. Local, casual, relaxing but with a great atmosphere and some truly fantastic pizzas. The Italian team running the show are great - what an Ealing gem." Luke - visiting Ealing 

We hadn't been here for a while, but noted that the prices are now competitive with L'Oro Di Napoli just down the road (where we have been more recently). This is probably due to the increase at L'Oro Di Napoli, given its bedding in since its quite recent opening.

We ordered a selection of pizzas, and they didn't disappoint. We all commented on the rich tomato sauce used - it was delicious. Alex had gone for the special (with no tomato) which was really juicy even without the sauce. There was a good helping of toppings, and the bases were indeed from a good wood-fired-oven pizza.

We didn't have deserts, and although I was slightly dissapointed that there was no peppermint tea on offer - I accepted its upholding of traditional Italian vibes. I also got to take home the third of my pizza (that wouldn't fit in my tum) for lunch the next day - so was happy enough :o)

As you are told on the website, Santa Maria is listed in Time Out's 2012 Guide, and the restaurant has continued its standards as it was voted in the Evening Standard's top ten pizzas to try before you die. We would agree on the tasty pizzas - but although the service was friendly, we did feel a bit rushed. There were a few people waiting outside at odd points, but a smooth flow that kept the restaurant full all evening. We certainly got the sense that quick turnover was on order.

Despite the runs, all in all, this place still stays top for us in Ealing and we had a fun night. It gets itself a STAR EAT!

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	5
Drinks Tastiness:	3
Service Skills:	3
Atmospheric Vibes:	4
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	5
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	5*
Total average score:	4.2

*Seeing as this was our second visitor we've taken here to technically 'show off Ealing' :o)

Felling pretty Fat Boy

Friday night and too tired from a hard weeks work to cook...so a night out on the town in search of some Thai food. Fat Boys seemed right up our alley (well near enough at the Broadway).

We arrived quite late at 9:30pm and luckily enough to get the last table for two, and without a booking. The smell as we went in was incredible! Fragrant warm curries filled the air.

There were quite a few big groups in - clearly a good place to celebrate Friday nights. As it was full it was quite noisy, but didn't feel too cramped...and the food did make up for it!

The menu was filled with a vast selection of authentic dishes and got our mouths watering. We spied the shared starter platter that the ladies next to us had ordered and had to have the same.

The shared platter included the most meaty prawn toast we've ever had, some delicious satay, and some really elegant chilli sauce.

We also sampled some exciting treats from the Mocktail menu - mine was a lychee and kiwi mix and Al's was apple and melon. The latter was a bit sweet but the lychee was delicious.

For mains we had the traditional Thai green curry and prawn sweet and sour with some coconut rice - which came under its own coconut shell. Al thought it was the most creamy and delicious coconut rice he'd ever had :o) The dishes were great, and the curry quite hot - but in a satisfying green curried way.

By the end we definitely both felt like Fat Boy and girl.

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	4
Drinks Tastiness:	4
Service Skills:	3
Atmospheric Vibes:	3
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	3.5
Total average score:	3.6

A Swimmingly good evening in the Turtle Bay


We had been trying to get into Turtle Bay for months and it was always full! However, with a little leg work and one phone call a table was booked. Due to the place always looking busy the hype was high but I think its fair to say it lived up to expectations. Our first attempt back in January failed miserably one Friday evening when we found that it was completely full all night! Ealing is obviously becoming such a popular place to eat out, it now seems the norm to have to book in advance...we learnt our lesson and this time booked for a smooth bank holiday afternoon out.

Turtle Bay is a Caribbean restaurant, serving jerk chicken and Caribbean curries (among many others). It has a great menu with an even better cocktail menu. We were eating relatively early because of Levi's bedtime (he's only 1 year old :o), so we came across happy hour on the cocktails which was great. The waitress kindly gave us happy hour 10 minutes after the 7pm deadline!

 
"Lived up to the hype, good food, great drinks." Pete

The place was buzzing in a fun way - lots of people waiting by the bar for tables, lots of groups out celebrating like we were; a regular Monday night. Inside they have forgotten to finish the paint job in most places, and left in the shipping container as the kitchen. It all added to the evening - good vibes all round.

Levi got a good child seat (for those interested), fully secure and clean! He had a fancy pizza from the kids menu which went down a treat, however, his views aren't reflected in the scoring.

"Great range of cocktails and soft-drinks for the drivers or mums-to-be!" Sarah

Unusual Caribbean burgers were on the menu, along with some great curries. We even got to try some goats meat (the new in-thing for London apparently). Of course deserts also had to be tried and went down a treat.

It was reasonably priced and the food was really yum! We did love the decor, but also couldn't help but think that it felt much more like an independent eatery than the chain-restaurant that it really was. This did create a bit of debate over our final scores, but it still turned out on top!

We would definitely go back there, everyone agreed - there was plenty of food envy and not enough time to try everything. There are many more interesting cocktails to give a go next time!

"Great evening a really easy place to relax. Cocktails were phenomenal and reasonably priced. Food was authentic." Mark

Check out the scores below... a huge 4.1 - making it a STAR EAT*

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	3.9
Drinks Tastiness:	5
Service Skills:	3.2
Atmospheric Vibes:	4.5
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4.8
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	3.4
Total average score:	4.1

[*STAR EAT = all eateries scoring 4/5 or more!]

Uno Momento, per favore

On Easter Saturday, Pete and I stepped out from our building site and make-shift kitchen and into the wilderness of Northfields at Easter. As we strode up the high street, we felt increasingly foolish for thinking we'd need to book a table as everywhere was deserted! But we wanted something tasty (and not microwaved) so we persevered to our destination - Momento, on Northfields Avenue.

Having done a little bit of research on Tripadvisor and Zomato, Momento seemed to offer all that we wanted - good, inexpensive food, in a relaxing restaurant setting. Happily, not only were we not disappointed, but the few intrepid explorers remaining in Ealing on that Saturday evening thought the same, and Momento was the only restaurant with more than one other couple dining!

The restaurant itself is modern, simple and well presented. There is a small bar and around 10 tables, with the kitchen and wood fired pizza oven at the back. The atmosphere was relaxed and informal, we felt at ease chatting away despite the relative quiet.

Looking at the menu, we succumb to not one, but three courses! For starters we choose olives and the mushroom fritti to share. The mushrooms were more than enough for two people!

For mains, we had to try the pizza. The oven blazing away behind us was too tempting, and they were good. The crust was evenly thin and crispy, which made a change to other local pizza places where the crust is puffed and the base soft. The toppings were good and plentiful.

Finally, dessert was the triumph. I enjoyed the caramel bananas with salted caramel ice cream, and Pete lapped up his enormous wedge of tiramisu, which was surprisingly light.

Overall, we had a really lovely evening. We weren't rushed and enjoyed all of the food. The bill, which came to ~£50 and included two soft drinks and two glasses of wine, felt like great value. We would definitely go back again. 

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	4
Drinks Tastiness:	4
Service Skills:	3.5
Atmospheric Vibes:	4
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	3.5
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	5
Total average score:	3.9

L'Oro Di Napoli - On wheels

Finding no website* (...no website, it's 2015!), but a presence on JustEat.co.uk, ordering take away from L'Oro di Napoli was pretty straightforward. The menu has a good selection of choices and felt like it should be reasonable value if you're getting restaurant food. I ordered online and requested delivery in an hours time.

Surprise! 20mins later the pizza turned up! Never have I had such a speedy take away delivery...unfortunately I had ordered delivery for an hours time as my guests hadn't arrived yet. Ho Hum. And the delivery guy had no idea what to do about it except apologise. Not ideal, but I had to take them and managed to keep the pizzas warm in the oven until my guests got there.

Once we tucked in though, the pizzas were good. The bases were nicely cooked, having a proper wood-fired flavour and nice crust. The toppings were tasty. We ordered the Sophie Loren, a decent veggie pizza, and the Maradona, which was really great with a good sausage meat topping, and Massimo ham pizza which was probably the least popular. My one criticism was that there should have more toppings on the pizzas, the veggie in particular felt sparse and given that you are paying eat-in restaurant prices for a take-away, you should get a little more than the basic for your money.

Collective agreement was that these were some of the best take away pizzas we'd had despite the too-fast delivery. It's still not my favourite pizza in the area (I'll save that for another time), but pretty good in general. Next time, I might try eating in....

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	4
Drinks Tastiness:	n/a
Service Skills:	2
Atmospheric Vibes:	'my living room is ace'
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	3
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	3
Total average score:	3

*Since writing this blog they now have a lovely looking website: www.lorodinapoli.co.uk (Thanks AJ for the comment!)

The Cricketers on the green...a stone's throw from Ealing

OK this one is a bit of a cheat...we went to Kew!! It's so close though, we thought you might like to hear about it :o)

It was a cold and rainy night, and the cosy pub was warm and inviting (Lou even stood by the open fire for a few minutes upon arrival). The terrace outside, overlooking Kew Green will be a great spot for a Pimms or cool beer in the summer. A typically modern re-furbed pub with shabby chic interior and pretty patterned tiles on the floor, it was nice enough to spend the evening in.

The waitress we well-informed as we inquired about things on the menu. However it was 8pm and about three dishes weren't available from the menu (due to the busy day?). We shared the hot Camembert between the four of us for starters then moved on to devour some burgers, pasta dish and a steak.

The tagliatelle with chorizo and pork was nicely spiced and generous with its meat...it was however a little sweet. The burgers came with huge onion rings and giant good-quality pub chips. It seems to be the trend at the moment to have burgers with additional fillings such as 'pulled pork' or 'mac and cheese' as Pete tried earlier in the year at the North Star...on top of the usual beef burger! Generally good pub food at standard prices for a pub of this type.

We didn't try puddings, but spent the evening chatting away at our private table tucked away in the corner. When we were ready to go we wondered if we had been forgotten, and a quick peek around the corner revealed that the rest of the pub was almost empty. We paid at the bar and left just before close.

In sum, a pretty, warm, good pub eat.

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	3
Drinks Tastiness:	4
Service Skills:	3.5
Atmospheric Vibes:	4
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	N/A
Total average score:	3.7

Japanese Please...

A Friday evening craving for some good Japanese food took us to the Hare and Tortoise. Lou had had the pleasure of running a two day training for students from a Japanese University, and one lunch time we had some sushi. This had only whetted the appetite for more.

Her Google search for Japanese restaurants in Ealing don't yield too many results, but Hare and Tortoise is one. We later realised however that there are many more independent ones in the area - which will have to wait for another trip.

Reservations aren't taken on Fridays, but we arrived by 7pm and got a table OK, towards the back of the long restaurant (arguably a bit less nice than the front). There was a great selection of food and drinks, so we shared some sushi and edamame beans for starters then also got a main. Prices were reasonable and service was quick, though not very personal - I guess that can be expected from a busy chain serving quick eats.

For mains we tried the teriyaki chicken, and the eels - both served with rice, and the eels came with some miso soup. We've tried eel before but it was a bit disappointing in this dish - an acquired taste perhaps. We had more than enough food, but still managed to share three mochi ice cream balls (if you haven't had these before...think scoops of ice cream in rice-flour coat - delicious).

Overall a nice meal, but nothing very special. We would go there again, but also keen to explore and compare other Japanese restaurants in the area. So far I've seen:

• Kobe Sushi nr Broadway
• Kiraku nr Ealing Common
• Okawari nr Broadway
• Atari-Ya nr Ealing Common
• Momo on Hanger Lane
• Yo Yo nr Broadway

Let us know if you would recommed trying any of them? or have more to add to the list?

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	3.5
Drinks Tastiness:	3
Service Skills:	3
Atmospheric Vibes:	3
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	3
Total average score:	3.25

When the Walpole Cafe does dinner!

It was valentines evening in Ealing. So a new local restaurant to try was in order.

We had heard all the rumours from online reviews; from our friends; and even from Marco Pierre White that The Walpole Cafe was the place to try. It was said to transform from the specialist provider of the full English breakfast into Friday and Saturday nights 'best restaurant in Ealing'. I called ahead to book a spot for Alex and I to sample their famous dinner. Two sittings were available  - 6pm and 9pm, so we went for the earlier option; as it seemed most others also had (we watched them re-lay tables when we left at 8:30pm).

Having walked past many times, I had always been intrigued by the greasy-spoon-looking façade, with its interior hidden behind the red and white checked curtains hanging in the lower half of the window. When we arrived for dinner, I was pleasantly surprised by the warm décor, nicely laid tables with candles and retro tin-plated adverts hung on the walls. We were greeted at our table by the chef's lovely wife - certainly proving a welcoming family feel to the night.

 

I had heard that the menu was small, but there seemed to be more than enough for us to choose from. We also realised that we have never noticed a menu to be too small in any restaurant, and perhaps it this was an indication of our non-fussy/greedy eating habits. It was hard to choose. 

As usual we made sure we ordered different dishes and ate off of one another's plates (or did a few plate-swaps across the table) for the rest of the evening. The evening offer included two-courses for £19.95 or three for £24.95 (we didn't decide in advance - but headed straight for the starters).

Starters were ginormous! between us we had the treacle-cured-salmon on a bed of beetroot, ginger and apple relish and the spicy soup complete with the largest sausage-roll slice we've ever seen. The soup and sausage-roll won on deliciousness here, and the chunky salmon was unfortunately overpowered in flavour from its punchy relish - which would have been better served in about 1/20th of the quantity (the table beside us also had to leave some of their relish untouched).

There was a good selection of wine, and we had a nice bottle of red to join our meal - since we both ordered meaty mains. And meat we did get! We certainly had eyes larger than our stomachs, or at least we had plate-fulls of food five times the size of our stomachs. Alex could sadly only make it through about half of his steak, even with a little help from me. My duck leg complete with sausage and red cabbage did a little better, though also not completable.

We ate far too much and conceded our predictability to the research experiment which proves that you eat 36% more if you can see a bottomless source of food in front of you compared to when you are blindfolded! 

A steak measuring one-hand please! And 2 inches thick!

Of course there is always room for a little sweet thing...and hot tea, after a big meal. We shared the sienna cake and truffles which were yum (and half came home for Sunday afternoon tea the next day). From the friendly waiter we learned that sienna cake is an Itallian, dense, spicy and nutty cake that sets quickly in the cold of winter. Italy's answer to nougat we decided.

Overall it was a great experience to dine at the Walpole, not the cheapest of eats, but very friendly, fun, and tasty. We will go again but make sure that we go prepared for the portions of a lifetime!

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	3.5
Drinks Tastiness:	4
Service Skills:	5
Atmospheric Vibes:	4
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	3.5
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	4
Total average score:	4

Ealing Park dinner at the Tavern

The first dinner for a long time when all six of us could make it along. And a great evening it was too. The newly refurbished Ealing Park Tavern (EPT) provided a fantastic venue for a friendly pre-dinner drink and tasty mid-week meal.

Sarah had made a booking (which seems to be needed these days in popular Ealing eateries), and we met beforehand in the bar. Dark-wooden walls, high ceilings and stuffed hunting trophies hanging from the walls. A warm but regal interior. It certainly lived up to its 'lovingly restored old coaching inn and brewery', now 200 years old. The bar was fine, not cheap, but average for London. The restaurant was excellent.

We knew in advance that Monday evening was also quiz night, but we decided to try that another day. We were intrigued by the 'bring your own bottle' option at the restaurant (yes an appendage to the bar/pub). So that we did...a bottle and some dessert wine :) This of course meant that the in-house microbrewery will have to wait to be tested properly on another trip.

The restaurant was a similar interior to the bar, though slightly cosier, and felt a bit like being in the Natural History Museum cafe :) we particularly liked the stuffed puffin on the way to the bathroom. Between us we tried the fish and chips, the burger, and the lamb pie...all were wonderful. Louise even got to save half her pie for lunch the next day as it was so big!

To make sure that we got a good sample of the menu, and to have something to go with our desert wine, we ordered puddings. There seemed to be a bit of confusion in the kitchen and our puddings were delayed coming out, but when they did they didn't disappoint. The chocolate mud-pie was huge and yummy, and the doughnut holes were mini doughnuts served with 'custard' - Abi and Louise agreed that the custard must have really been cream :o)

Having sampled the delights of dinner, Sarah and Pete returned for a Sunday roast, with parents in tow! Sunday lunch is a different affair, noisier and more lively that Monday evening dinner, probably due to the number of children in attendance. Relaxing into the pleasant buzz we explored the lunch menu - a sharing set of roasts mains, making for a twist on the norm. For one person there was beef or pork. For two, there was a whole roast chicken, for three lamb, for four beef and for eight....a sucking pig (to be ordered in advance)! We had two individual beefs and a roast chicken for two. The chicken is a novel idea but when it arrived it was skewered on a bowl with a prong, with a knife poking from it! After much head scratching as to how to carve it...we gave up and asked for an extra plate to do the job. Whilst it was very tasty, it was almost more hassle than it was worth. Really, the waiting staff should carve it for you at the table. Other than the logistical challenge, the portions were hearty and we all left full and happy.

All in all two wonderful meals, really friendly staff, reasonable prices and delicious pub-eats. We all agreed we would go there again!

(Left over doughnuts also made for a good work snack the next day)

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	4
Drinks Tastiness:	5 (for BYOB)
Service Skills:	3.5
Atmospheric Vibes:	3
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	4.5
Total average score:	4

Sunday Late Luncheon at The Grange

It had been a DIY-filled day at the house - and a late Sunday pub lunch was required. Remembering that Mark had once recommended the carvery at The Kings Arms we called to see if they were still serving lunch at nearly 5pm. Despite claiming to be "Ealing's best kept secret" The Kings Arms told us that they had been very popular today and nearly run out of food!

Having a rethink The Grange came to mind, since we spotted it late last year when we visited Charlotte's Place for my birthday (which was really quaint and a nice dining experience - I liked that we got to ring a door bell to get in :o). The Grange serves food until 9pm on a Sunday, and although they had run out of beef today, their Sunday roasts were still a go!

We walked over in the cold and got given a nice (and warm) table by the window. Staff were friendly - although we only scored them a 3/5 in the score table below since they were a little slow - order-time-to-table for food however, was swift.


We went for the roasts - one chicken and one pork - complete (according to menu) with bread sauce on the chicken and apple sauce on the pork...however disappointingly the apple sauce was barely there on Alex's pork :o( Other than that, a tasty set of roast dinners with seasonal veg, an amazingly huge Yorkshire pudding...and no washing up :o) (yes we paid our bill in full - which was reasonable; a little more expensive than your average pub, but probably to be expected since my seat was upholstered in wool).

We also indulged in some puddings...the sticky toffee (delicious) and the apple crumble (unusual). They were both massive! Alex's apple crumble seemed to be made of the apple sauce that didn't appear on his pork - apple sauce with a sprinkling of granola - not baked in the bowl it was served in. Despite the complaining...Alex ate ALL of it:

Whilst we sat an enjoyed the atmosphere - busy but not too busy, and some people chatting by an open fire (nice touch) - we also got a history lesson about our local area. The framed photos and posters above us included details of Ealing's old horse racing events, a photo of the 7-times winner of Wimbledon in the 1900's Dorethea Lambert Chambers (from Ealing!!), and this little pouch being sprayed with perfume at the Ealing and District Canine Society dog show:

All-in-all a good evening out and a nice pub "finished to a high standard" (as the Ealing estate agents may say).

Over and out...until tomorrow when all six of us have a table booked at the newly refurbed EPT...watch this space!

Lou and Alex

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	4
Drinks Tastiness:	3
Service Skills:	3
Atmospheric Vibes:	4.5
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	5
Total average score:	3.9

Friday night?...Chinese take-out of course

Alex had spent a busy week on a training course - away from his lovely home in Ealing :o( So a take-away treat is just what was called for! Alex and Lou, nifty with their internet skills looked up a local Chinese tastery. Having only eaten Chinese before at Maxim*, (on Northfields Road)...a wonderful dining experience and probably the posh-est Chinese they had ever tried (some months ago), they were keen to test some more Ealing Chinese, this time for take-out.

Google to the rescue, we found My-Old-China on South Ealing Road...4.2 star-rated on Google. Well worth a try we thought!

Undeterred by the shifty website, and pop-up adverts trying to redirect us to Papa Johns , we checked out the menu and gave them a ring. We ignored the Thai menu option, but that seem to also exist (online at least). Excited by the unusual option of crispy aromatic LAMB - we asked for that. Unfortunately they no longer do the lamb, nor the pak choi :o( We were happy to settle with the duck, and mixed veg though. 

It arrived within the 45 mins they promised and was reasonably priced. 

Alex unpacking the delivery

Lou usually judges Chinese by its oiliness - and pleased to say, this wasn't too oily and in fact quite yummy. The spring rolls were a bit stodgy and the chilli sauce a bit sweet, but the special fried rice was good. The chicken in its black bean sauce was succulent and the duck great (though we did think that its hard not to get crispy duck right :o). We also had the pork in BBQ sauce - also good. Quite a feast for the two of us...there is some in the fridge for some further weekend mealing.

Our Chinese feast!

So all-in-all a good take-away time (in front of our first sitting of Sherlock Episode 1 Season 1 - also great by the way!), we think we'd definitely order there again!

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	3
Drinks Tastiness:	N/A
Service Skills:	4 (take away)
Atmospheric Vibes:	N/A
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	2
Total average score:	3.25

*Maxim's was recommended to us by Sarah and Pete, its super yum...we'll blog about that next time we go again - a good place to take the parents or friends visiting Ealing we think. Also just so you know Maxim's does do take-out, but we like to try new things :o)

North Star shining bright...where shall we all eat

tonight?

Mark, Pete, Sarah and Lou outside the North Star!

After an evening of first-world mishaps (think cancelled yoga, and collected packages not fitting into cars), we thought it might be nice to relax over some dinner. Having failed to get into our first choice (another mishap!) we ended up at the newly revamped North Star pub on the Broadway.

The menu choice is mainly focused on burgers...with a twist. There is a good selection of toppings, pre-selected in the named burger section, or build-your-own. Served in little baskets, american diner style, the burgers were made from ground beef and plenty sizable! The brioche buns were sweet and delicious and the fillings were deep. We didn't get to try the puddings as we were too full, but they offered a small but appealing selection of american classics, think brownies and sundaes.

Sarah's halloumi chorizo burger was dense, incompressible in fact. It could have been a bit juicier and softer, but it was tasty. We all agreed that it is quite normal to eat a burger with your hands...but luckily these were served with a knife and fork - much needed for these huuuuge filled buns! (side note: the baskets were a little flimsy for the normal metal cutlery...oops). Pete's burger was pretty fun and full too, it had mac and cheese in it! (macaroni cheese in English).

Lou approved of the tasty fries - crisp and hand-cut!

The decor is pretty cool, a nice twist of the standard 'industrial' look that is everywhere these days, and we liked it. There are pretty stars on the walls...quite apt for the name, The outdoor garden has American diner furniture in it, and although it was far too cold to sample, it seemed to keep the smokers happy and looked like a nice spot for the summer.

Mark had to open wide - but liked his burger too!

We sat on bar stalls at a high rustic wooden table in the centre of the pub bustle. It was surprisingly busy for a Thursday night in January - these were in fact the last seats we could find!




Overall a nice relaxed, buzzy atmosphere to the pub. Super central location! We'd recommend it for a  chilled mid-week drink or eat!

Love from
Sarah, Lou, Mark and Pete

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	3
Drinks Tastiness:	3
Service Skills:	3
Atmospheric Vibes:	4
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	3
Total average score:	3.33

Plenty of choice in just a few Lime Yard(s)...

Having suffered through the cold first week in January, Pete and I decided to treat ourselves to dinner out. A restaurant seemed to offer the best balance of warmth from someone elses superior heating and dishwashing skills, as well as more variety than our bare cupboards could provide.

Having been awed by the new look Ealing Broadway centre, we thought we'd try one of the new places on the 'restaurant strip' (I use 'strip' in the loosest sense given the passages other hospitality nightlife spot 'LA Confidential') and plumped for Lime Yard.

Warm and cosy from the outside, we stepped in and we're quickly greeted and shown a to a table. The welcome was warm and hospitable and we settled ourselves with the menus.

Dry January ran the risk of failing at the first hurdle as the cocktails were very reasonably priced and there was a good selection...but we opted for a juice instead (halos polished) and both choose the strawberry and ginger cooler which was surprisingly good. It was long, tasty, crisp and satisfying. A good dry January choice after all!

Virtue done for the day, and burgers were the order of choice. I'd heard good things about the buttermilk chicken so choose this whilst Pete picked a good ol' hamburger. Whilst waiting for them to arrive we pondered the decor...is it 'french train station meets mid-west', or 'industrial cafe rouge meets park bench'? The jury is out.

Overall, the food was tasty but average. The hamburger was a bit dry and my buttermilk chicken fairly unremarkable. The portions were sizable though and the generous portion of spicy chips certainly hit the spot. Puddings were, in my humble estimation, a bit small but given the mains they were actually probably quite well balanced.

Lime Yard serves decent food at a decent price, and redeems its self on the drinks and cheerful service. It's a welcome addition to Ealing's new troop of restaurants.

Summary score table /5
Food Deliciousness:	3
Drinks Tastiness:	5
Service Skills:	4
Atmospheric Vibes:	3
Recommendation Score for a Casual Eve:	4
Recommendation Score for Showing off Ealing:	2
Total average score:	3