Restaurants, Pubs, Clubs and Bars reviews made by reviewer 'mousie_b'

A very friendly welcome is always a good sign, especially when it's cold outside and you are greeted by a smiling face and a roaring log fire! Dining is elegant, but not stuffy with a restaurant, a conservatory and bars with tables. The food was truly excellent and the choices and the way the dishes are prepared and presented cannot be faulted. It's not cordon bleu, but it's not meant to be - it's a pub after all's said and done! Food portions are sensible and are cooked with care and skill. (Sounds weird, but corned beef hash served with a gooey runny duck's egg is to die for!). Plenty of fat and delicious oysters and mussels and, of course, all manner of fish dishes (and so there should be, being right on the North West Norfolk coast). difficult to find fault, so highly recommended.

The saying is "you get what you pay for" and nothing could be truer at The Seafood Restaurant in St. Andrews, Though the prices are high, the standards are equally high. The restaurant is all-round glass construction in a unique position overlooking the sea. The food was truly delicious. I had scallops that were perfectly cooked and the fusion of flavours was perfect. The service was what you would expect when you are dining in a high standard restaurant. No complaints from me!

We often stop in Crewe on our way between France and the Isle of Man (long story). When we are there, we have a little drive round looking for places to eat and have a beer. We found The Hand and Trumpet by accident... and I'm glad we did. Pleasant staff, decent food, good beer and a superb terrace overlooking the lake (and I love the rugs inside!)

If you are in Crewe any time, make the effort and visit The Hand and Trumpet. You'll not be disappointed, I promise.

One of the best meals I have eaten outside of France (where chef Stephen Terry spent some considerable time). It is no surprise that people like Michel Roux jr and Greg Wallace eat here. Though the premises may look a little "ordinary" on the outside, what you'll find on the inside is an extraordinary restaurant that can stand toe-to-toe with the finest in Britain.

I started with Carpaccio of Herefordshire beef with anchovy, garlic & rosemary dressing, which simply melted in my mouth. For the main course, I chose local pedigree pork tenderloin with salami & pea risotto cake, sprouting broccoli puree and salted caramel apple sauce. I wish I knew chef's secrets because the pork was moist and tender and oozed all the flavours of the countryside.

I normally don't "do" desserts (too full) but I couldn't resist the vanilla pannacotta with Yorkshire rhubarb and stem ginger crumble ... delicious! All of this helped down with a bottle of Fleurie, ???La Bonne Dame??™ and you have a picture of what heaven could never even come close to matching! ... TAKE ME BACK!

What a difference a few years makes! I first visited "The Crown" back in 1965 when John Nott was the landlord. Then when Roger & Sheila Bridges ran it. After that it was John and Margaret Trafford, now it's a full-blown country hotel that has retained all the old beams, the quirky flagstone floors, and the sense that this is a building that deserves only the best.

The years have been kind to The Crown and a good meal and traditional ale is still available at a reasonable price. Highly recommended!

I keep going back to try and learn how to fold napkins like they do!! The waiter and waitress are fun and will take time out to show you, but it's like origami with cloth!

The food here is excellent and plentiful. It's certainly one of the better Chinese restaurants on the Isle of Man. Prices are consistent with that level of quality, so you will be sure to pass a pleasant evening - particularly if you try folding napkins!!!

Spent a delightful afternoon with my sister this summer, looking at the gardens at Milntown. Then we enjoyed a really fresh pot of tea with freshly baked scones served with cream & strawberry preserve.

Being French it's great to introduce my family to some of the better British traditions, and cream teas are one of them. It also gave us a chance to judge the restaurant and service so we can come back for a full meal some time. It certainly looks tempting when I make my next visit to The Island.

Disappointing. The queenies were like bullets, the white wine was warm, the coffee was cold and the waitresses were not very knowledgeable.

On the other hand, the view was magnificent - but you can see that without paying for the privilege.

I had a couple of friends from France visiting in August and we caught the train from Douglas to Port Erin, where my husband met us in the car. As the Brits say... "it was peeing down" so there wasn't much to see from the train. Somewhat depressed, we made our way to Port St. Mary for lunch and that cheered us up beyond belief!

The Harbour Lights was truly great with top class food and staff who couldn't have been more helpful and attentive. 10 out of 10 for everything... will be going again.

What a beautiful place to stay and eat. The weather (as so often in the Lakedistrict) was temperamental, but not our hotel. The staff were brilliant and the food and wine was out of this world. The maitre d' clearly understood his job (more than can be said for some) and my husband did something he has never done before... eaten the same meal three nights running! The angus beef was truly to die for, and they even understand "blue". My God, what a joy! Six stars? Seven? 100?

We booked a table in the restaurant half an hour before going. The staff on the bar were extremely friendly and bent over backwards to be helpful. We both ordered the rib eye steak and it was cooked to prefection, tasty and succulent (and I like mine blue!). The desserts, too, were excellent. And all served by a young lady with a lovely smile and beautiful auburn hair. I would thoroughly recommend going to eat or drink at The Feathers

Being French, I'm fussy about the quality of what I eat. My husband (who's a Brit) holds that there is good quality British food available if you know where to look. Well now I know and I don't need to look any further. The Pipe & Glass not only has a fabulously traditional bar with (I'm reliably advised) top quality ales, the food is just perfect. I went for the chicken breast with peas, morel mushrooms, wild garlic mash and crispy smoked bacon. What an absolute delight! Hubby, meanwhile, had pork sausages and bubble and squeak with ale and onion gravy. He was a happy bunny! Well done the Mackenzies - best birthday meal I could ask for.

We went to The Station in the summer (July-August) and were delighted with the food and the way the staff were attentive and polite.

We had some friends with us from France and they were asking about a particular beer... the landlord did no more than give us "tasters" so we could try it out... now that's good public relations!

And it worked because a few weeks later we came back with some more visitors. We highly recommend The Station when you're in Port Erin

Beer's not my thing (I'm a half-of-lager gal) but my French nephew visited us and we called in The Creek for lunch and a drink. Jerome (nephew) was a very happy bunny, he loved the beer (can't remember what it was called - might have been "Hobgoblin" or something) and the food, for a pub was excellent - as was the standard of service.

Hubby and I can be a bit picky sometimes when I comes to food (my fault for being French) but The Creek did not disappoint. Highly recommended.

Certainly one of the top ten IoM restaurants, Portofino understands food! Mind you, with an Italian management, they should! The menu and wine list have sufficient choice, though some of the prices can be a little eye-watering.

If I have one recommendation for them, it would be to offer a wider choice of apperitif other than just whisky or Martini! A "cocktail maison" at the very least would be a welcome addition.

Other than that, if your pocket can stand it, by all means eat at Portofino.

The food and wine at the Abbey are exceptional for the Isle of Man and this is certainly one of the Island's top 5 restaurants. The staff are always courteous and professional (and friendly) and the surroundings are exquisite.

The reduction of one star is because every time I've been there, we've had to wait for the plates to be cleared after the main course, and wait even longer to be offered dessert. If this small detail could be improved, the Abbey would rank with the top 3.

An inauspicious start when the family room for four we had booked turned out to be a family room for three. However, it was soon remedied with a sofa bed (that collapsed during the night!) But this site is to review restaurants and bars and not hotel rooms and in any case, all that was easily forgotten when we entered the baronial dining hall for dinner. It could easily have been out of a film set!

The staff were very professional, knowledgeable and friendly and the food would have matched any fine eating establishment anywhere in Europe (and I've eaten in plenty). Service was fast and efficient, the food was hot and marvellously presented and the taste buds were duly tickled and appetites satisfied. 110% for the wine and dine, a little less for the collapsing bed!!

(This review refers to an overnight stay on 14 August 2011)

We stayed one night at The Village Inn as part of a tour of Scotland with our grandchilden from France. The Inn is situated right on the banks of a loch, the adjoining rooms were spotlessly clean, as was everything else in the hotel.

In the true tradition of a village inn, the bar is a focal point for residents, visitors and locals alike. The comfortable, homely atmosphere with open log fires provides the ideal setting to enjoy a relaxing drink or bar meal.

We, however, ate in the restaurant and were delighted that there was an excellent chidren's menu as well as "good pub grub" for adults! The food was served without delay and was fresh and hot, and the staff were polite and friendly. If you're visiting Scotland, The Village Inn will not disappoint.

(This review refers to an overnight stay on 9 August 2011)

We nearly didn't book the Invergarry Hotel because, when looking at its website, there were very few photos. A good quality photo gallery would do them no harm because the standards here are superb. The room was more than comfortable, it was luxurious and the service came with a large helping of smiles.

We ate in the hotel brasserie and were not disappointed. The food was top quality, fresh, hot, tasy, well served and appetising. In fact, everything you could hope for in a four star hotel. I don't recall now what the wine was (not good for a French person!) but I do remember that it was very drinkable!

I highly recommend the Invergarry Hotel on any score you want... rooms, food, bar, service, location, smiles!

(This review refers to an overnight stay on 10 August 2011)

If I want codon bleu, I'll visit Le Pre Catelan in the Bois de Boulogne on the outskirts of Paris. If I want exciting, fresh, beautifully cooked Scottish food in enchanting surroundings, I go back to The Stein Inn on the Isle of Skye.

We stayed overnight (wish it had been longer) and chose to eat in the restaurant that evening (they also serve meals in the bar). What sticks in my mind (and my husband's) is the plate full of the freshest langoustine imaginable that cost almost nothing! And then, the following morning, bacon and eggs straight off the grill. You just can't find fresher and tastier than The Stein. While we were there, they were offering tempters like Highland Venison Pie, Skye Scallops in Oatmeal and so much more. 100% to Angus & Teresa McGhie for a top class experience.

(This review refers to an overnight stay on 11 August 2011)

The rooms at the Loch Ness Clansman are comfortable and represent reasonably good value for money. The restaurant, on the other hand, represents outstanding value for money, serving top quality food at middle-of-the-road prices. The staff are professional, knowledgeable, courteous and friendly.

Our dinners were served quickly with minimum fuss and maximum attention to detail. I chose the slow braised shank of highland lamb served with a rosemary & root vegetable sauce laid on a bed of whipped onion mash. It literally melted in my mouth... exquisite!

If you want to look for Nessie, you can do it in comfort and stay at the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel!

(This review refers to an overnight stay on 12 August 2011)

Loch Ness Lodge Hotel is situated adjacent to Nessieland, which is money down the pan. On the other hand, the hotel represents good value for money with clean rooms in a delightful old country house.

Our evening meal was preceded by a visit to the fabulously Scottish Pibroch Bar where we sampled a nip or two of 'uisge beatha' (gaelic for whisky) from a wide selection of single malts. There was also, according to my husband, an excellent local ale from the Black Isle Brewery.

Our meal was typically Scottish - one choosing haggis, one going for West Coast salmon, one for venison haunch and I had a Speyside sirloin steak (blue, of course!). An excellent meal in great surroundings.

(This review refers to an overnight stay on 13 August 2011)

Well - what do I say? This place really caught us off-guard! There we were, driving through the rain and mist looking for somewhere to stop for lunch and we spotted the Jac-o-Bite. Okay, I admit we drove straight past it, since it just looked like an American smalltown diner hut. However, we (fortunately) changed our minds and turned back and were delighted with our midday meal there.

The Jac-o-Bite is run by a local family, who are very friendly. The decor is smart and tasteful and the food is truly delicious. The staff are attentive without being intrusive and check that you have all you need and that everything is okay.

My husband ate haggis about a dozen times while we were in Scotland, and he reckoned their was the best! Just make sure you have enough cash on you - they don't take plastic.


(This review refers to an overnight stay on 12 August 2011)

Hickman Hill Hotel is being carefully updated by the owners so is something of a 'work-in-progress'.

The food on the other hand deserves no reservations at all, it is simply superb. And the chef actually knows how to cook a blue steak (one of my pet hates about most British eating places).

The breakfast was cooked to order and was 100% exceptional. The ingredients were all sourced locally, and you can taste the difference. Best hotel food I've eaten in a long time (and I'm a fussy eater!)

The Hop Garden is one of the few places on the Island that know exactly what a blue steak is! In fact, the first time I ordered one, the chef asked how long I wanted it cooked on each side... now that's the sign of a professional!

Tops for quality-price ratio. My only niggle is that, if you order your dessert and coffee at the same time, they always serve the darn coffee first so it goes cold while you're waiting for the dessert. Optionally you can order it after the dessert and wait for it!

Our visit to The Creg was not planned. We had invited friends from Siberia (really) and, as soon as we had settled them into their cottage, decided it was time to eat. Since Mike had just started cheffing there, we chose The Creg - and very happy too. We had 4 "kids" with us (varying in ages from 4 upwards) and they got stuck into the kids menu while we sampled the delights of Moby Dick and stuff.

Excellent food, not too long a wait, great beer and some happy Russians! That'll do for me!

We've "done" The Harbour Lights in Peel three times now, and will certainly be going back for more! The staff are professional, polite and friendly, the food is freshly cooked and very good quality and the surroundings are really homely. The only (small) negative is the fact that, in places, the seating is a bit cramped, but I'm not sure there's much they can do about that.

Very good food and service. Ticks all the right boxes for me and everyone else I've been with.