The Barking Dog restaurant, Malone Road, Belfast

I had been in Dublin visiting Ciara for the weekend and hadn’t seen Niall for a few days so we decided to catch up over a meal and a few drinks. You might remember that we had been to The Barking Dog before and thought that the food was delicious, so decided to go back.

The decor is really cool, a mixture of French chic and rustic farmhouse with its vintage cups and saucers and the huge wooden dresser that holds all of the wine glasses. It’s quite informal too – a chilled atmosphere in which to enjoy a leisurely lunch or evening bite-to-eat.

We were shown to our table by a very pleasant member of staff which, after our last experience, was a welcome change. Looking down the menu we were pretty impressed – a good range of dishes which were added to by 4 or 5 daily specials.

After some deliberation Niall chose the Crab with creme fraiche on sourdough toast to start while I went for the Scallops with black pudding and cauliflower puree. Niall’s starter was OK, but I thought that it was quite bland! My starter was OK too – the scallops were cooked perfectly however the black pudding was wafer thin and the cauliflower puree lacked flavour… although I am quite spoilt because Niall’s version of this dish is the best I have ever tasted. It also has to be said that the portion size was quite measly.

For our main course we decided to have the ‘Cote de Boeuf’ with thick-cut chips, roasted tomatoes and bearnaise sauce (for two people). Now, maybe we have been spoilt by our experience at ‘Robert et Louise’ in Paris, but whenever you order this dish you do have certain expectations!

The first taste is with the eyes, they say, and this did look very promising. Served on a wooden cutting board, the chunky chips were stacked beside a large rib and the sliced beef, together with the juicy roasted vine tomatoes – a rustic feast just waiting for you to dig in. Whenever I think of Cote de Boeuf my mouth waters as I think of a seared, charcoal-flavoured crust and moist, flavoursome steak that melts in your mouth. Sadly there were none of these attributes present as we tucked into our meal.

Although it had been cooked to our request (medium/rare), it had not been seasoned well enough and was actually quite bland. I got very bored of the dish after a few mouthfuls and just didn’t want anymore. The bearnaise sauce was a bit of joke too – there was absolutely no tarragon in the sauce which had a milky, buttery, non-flavour.. it was horrible!! Once again the portion-size just wasn’t generous enough for two hungry diners – while it may have looked impressive, the majority of the serving was the large rib-bone, after which there were only 4 slices of beef. The best parts of this dish were the thick-cut chips and the tomatoes which, for the £42.50 price-tag, is a bit rich.

For dessert I had the sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream and Niall had the chocolate and pear tart. My sticky toffee pudding was OK, but it wasn’t very ‘sticky’ and the only discernible toffee presence was the sauce that had been poured around the pudding on the plate. Niall’s dessert on the other hand was delicious, with the pastry being light and crisp and the chocolate rich and gooey. It worked perfectly.

Our verdict

The letters “O” and “K” on my keyboard have almost been worn away from this one review alone.

The food was very average, the portions were quite small, and the cost was fairly excessive. It’s such a shame because there is a lot to recommend about The Barking Dog and I want to like it.

The waitress was really polite and couldn’t do enough for us without being too over the top.

I do hope the food gets better as it could be an excellent restaurant.

Our rating: 2 out of 5

The Barking Dog
35 Malone Rd
Belfast,
BT9 6RU
T: 028 90661885
E: barkingdogbelfast@googlemail.com
W: www.barkingdogbelfast.com
You can also see The Barking Dog on Google Maps.

Graffitti, Ormeau Road, Belfast

It’s quite difficult to find a place to go for a relaxing late breakfast on a Sunday where the food isn’t dripping in grease, so we were delighted when we discovered Graffitti.

Located on the Ormeau Road in Belfast, the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. We would usually go for breakfast but have also been there for lunch and dinner before and it has never failed us. Graffitti is also a BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) restaurant, so it’s very handy for a cheaper night out.

I love eating here on a Sunday morning as it does my favourite breakfast (outside of what Niall makes me at home, of course!!) – the Ciabatta Breakfast is 2 slices of toasted ciabatta, bacon, free-range fried eggs, grated parmesan and tomato chutney.. And it is delicious!! I always look forward to going in on a weekend and ordering it. Niall usually orders the Italian Omelette or the Mushroom Breakfast, both of which look very tasty too.

If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea they also serve more conventional things: scrambled or poached eggs, muesli, a full ulster fry, and so on.

As I said before we have been there for lunch and dinner also and have always been more than happy with the food. It serves tasty salads, sandwiches, home-made soups and the specials are always worth a go. Mum and I had lunch there last week – I ordered the pitta-bread with lamb and tzatziki with salad while mum had a beautiful fish cake which, to be honest, could have fed us both!!

Graffitti has been open for 25 years and serves up tasty home-cooked food, it has its regulars and we often see some local ‘celebs’ having their lunch or academics pondering the meaning of life over a coffee with their colleagues. If its fine dining you want then i’d suggest you stay away from Graffitti. With its bohemian decor, laid-back waiters and people talking for hours over a coffee you’d think you’re in somebodys dining room rather than a restaurant, which in my book is a good thing.

The details

The Ciabatta Breakfast really is delicious.  Parmesan with eggs and bacon might sound slightly strange but believe me it works, especially with the home-made tomato chutney! Niall and I often try and re-create it at home, but there is nothing better than having it cooked for you AND having someone else to do the dishes!!

Niall’s Mushroom Breakfast isn’t my cup of tea but he absolutely loves it.  The free range fried eggs with mushrooms on toasted soda bread with balsamic syrup makes for a very filling breakfast, and the balsamic has a wonderful sharpness against the earthy field mushrooms.

Our verdict

Graffitti is a great casual, laid-back restaurant.  It serves simple but tasty, home-cooked meals made with fresh ingredients, and I can honestly say I have never had a bad experience there.. Quite the contrary!

The only downsides are that parking close to the restaurant can be quite difficult and getting a table can be difficult as the restaurant itself isn’t that big (although I think this adds to the overall vibe).

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Graffitti restaurant
258 Ormeau Road,
Belfast
BT7 2FZ
T: 02890693300
W: www.graffittibelfast.com
You can also find Graffitti on Google Maps.

The Chelsea Wine Bar, Belfast

As it was Mother’s Day on Sunday all the girls in my family decided to go out for a meal and a few drinks. With nowhere booked we decided to give the Chelsea Wine Bar a go.

The Chelsea is in a great area, on the Lisburn Road and right next to some lovely boutiques, art galleries and coffee shops.

According to their website their “chefs have combined the freshest of local ingredients to create a taste-bud appetising menu” and you can “round off your meal with a decadent dessert”, so we thought we were in for a treat.

We were shown to our table by a very friendly and polite waitress who took our drinks order and handed us the menu. Although it was quite large there wasn’t anything on the menu that I wanted to eat, nothing stood out. After much deliberating I ordered:

The details:

The Thai crab cakes came down to the table and the smell of fish was so overpowering I didn’t even want to taste them. There was a dark brown sauce over the (overcooked) crab cakes that was, according to the manager, a mixture of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and wasabi(!?!). Now, for the life of me I couldn’t taste any wasabi and there was no heat at all from it – why anyone would mix Balsamic vinegar with soy sauce and wasabi remains a mystery to me!! The only thing I could taste from the dressing was Nam Pla (fish sauce), which as you can imagine was horrible!!! When I sent the crab cakes back the manager was lovely and couldn’t apologise enough, but I wasn’t looking forward to my main course.

My rib-eye steak was huge, which was good as I was hungry from not being able to stomach my starter!! It was also cooked just as I asked ‘medium, rare’.  However, the ‘celeriac mash’ tasted nothing like celeriac and actually more like a mixture of Smash and potatoes.  The ’red wine jus’ was more like a watered-down gravy – my plate was swimming in it – with not a drop of red wine anywhere to be seen. The root vegetables were dripping with oil which then sat on top of the watery gravy.

You’d think I would have just given up by now, but I thought I’d order a dessert. When it arrived the chocolate and toffee sponge cake was actually just a chocolate sponge with toffee sauce around the edge of the plate. The sponge itself was dry and could of been any flavour and the ice-cream had obviously been in the freezer far too long as it had ice crystals in it. My cousin ordered the ice-cream and the chocolate ice cream actually tasted like food!! All I can think of is the ice-cream had been stored with savoury food and it had flavoured it..

As I was leaving I noticed that I had been charged for the starter which was totally inedible so I went and spoke to a very impatient and impolite barman and he reluctantly gave me the money back – well, he eventually placed the money on the bar counter and walked away, but by this stage I just didn’t care. 

Our verdict

The food was really unpleasant and very expensive. I thought that the £18.95 price tag for the main course was way too high, especially when the food was truly awful.

The attitude of the barman didn’t do anything to lessen the sour taste in my mouth.

I certainly won’t be back. The only saving grace for this establishment is that the wine-list was good – I consoled myself with a few glasses of the Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc.

Our rating: 0 out of 5

Yes, you read it correctly.. ZERO!

Chelsea Wine Bar
346 Lisburn Road,
Belfast
T: 028 9068 7177
E: info@chelseawinebar.com
W: www.chelseawinebar.com
You can also find The Chelsea Wine Bar on Google Maps.

Nandos, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast

After walking past the shiny and new Nando’s on Ormeau Avenue almost everyday since it opened I was looking forward to venturing in to what the menu was like. With Kelly incapacitated at the minute, the task fell to fellow Chilli-and-Chocolatier Eamann and myself.

The restaurant is a good size, and the decor helps this sense of space with an uncluttered style – plenty of glass and bright lights interspersed with potted plants and art – which makes you feel that you have a little more room to breathe in what can become a busy restaurant. We managed to get a table on the mezzinine and had the Nando-experience explained to us by the friendly waiting staff as we sat and started to work our way through the menu.

Since this review we’ve been back a couple of times, but the procedure for ordering your meal is still slightly annoying: having selected your meal from a fairly dis-organised menu, you have to go to the tills and order your meal yourself. Now, this mightn’t sound too onerous but, weighed down by coats and baggage, you begin to wish that the waiter would just take your order at the table. I saw a table of ten people take time to gather all of their stuff just to traipse downstairs and order their meal. It’s not a fatal flaw, and truth-be-told it did create a relaxed and informal atmosphere, but it’s a black mark in my book.

The menu itself is a little limited – four or five basic nibbles to start your meal, lots of chicken (obviously!), with a couple of veggie and meat options too. Realistically though, if you don’t like chicken, Nando’s probably isn’t the place for you. Your chicken comes with a choice of marinades – from the Extra Hot to Lemon and Herb or Mango and Lime (you can also have it without a marinade) – which you select when ordering your meal. Eamann and I both like our spicy food so we went for the Hot sauce.

Our hoummus starter was with us in no time, served with slices of warm pitta to dunk. The hoummus itself is quite good – chunky and with good flavour – but the peri-peri drizzle makes it so much better.. fiery and spicy. The amount that you get is also deceptive – there was more than enough for two people in this portion – although you will be squabbling over the last piece of pitta to mop up every morsel.

The chicken pittas weren’t a disappointment either, stuffed with double-breast fillets, youghurt and peppery rocket salad. The flavour of the meat was really good – chargrilled to perfection, moist and succulent. Again, the portions were extremely good and took some time to finish. The fries were decent too, although I thought that the peri-peri salt was a bit of a waste. The marinade on the chicken really did give the meal a lot of flavour – however, you’re fully encouraged to bring bottles of sauce down to your table, so Eamann and I thought that we’d try the Extra Hot sauce for the purposes of journalistic research. I can report that there is a delicious lime tang.. shortly before your tongue and lips go numb and the fire starts in your throat.

I’d forgotten to order some grilled Halloumi cheese which, when it’s on the menu, is a must. Deciding whether to leave my meal to go to the tills again or not, our waiter mentioned that he could take our order if we needed anything else. The Halloumi duly arrived and rounded off a very tasty meal.

I had two bottles of a Portuguese beer called “Sagres” which Kelly and I had tried on our hols last year. While the beer was enjoyable it was a little expensive – the bottomless fizzy drinks that Eamann had the sense to order are a great choice and you will get through several glasses, particularly if you go for the hotter sauces!

Our verdict:

Restaurant-chains usually aren’t our favourite places to eat, but Nando’s does what it does well – tasty food, served quickly, and is fairly inexpensive (considering the price you normally pay for eating-out in Belfast).

The food in Nando’s feels quite healthy too. All of those fresh salads and the chargrilling means that you certainly won’t leave with the sluggishness and guilt you might experience after other quick-dining alternatives.

Our main courses were with us in around 20 minutes from the time that we ordered – so it’s a great option for a mid-week meal after work when cooking for yourself just seems like too much hassle.

As I’ve already said, we’ve been back a couple of times which is as good an endorsement as we could give!

Our rating: 2 out of 5

Nando’s
24, Ormeau Avenue,
Belfast
BT2 8HS
T: 02890 434442
W: www.nandos.co.uk
You can also see Nando’s, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast on Google Maps.

Other information

Jane Hardy in the Sunday Life (Feb 14) mentioned that the chicken in Nando’s was free-range. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case – the chickens that Nando’s use are sourced mainly in the UK and meet the Assured Chicken Production standards which means that they are battery-farmed, albeit with better conditions than used to be the case.

Cafe Vaudeville in Belfast

On Christmas Eve, having braved the seething crowds and selflessly bought presents for other people, Kelly and I thought we’d spoil ourselves and go for lunch in Cafe Vaudeville.

If you haven’t been to Cafe Vaudeville before you should definitely make the effort to go, if only to walk around the bar – the decor alone is worth the trip, a melange of Art Noveau styles, and creates a unique and luxurious atmosphere. Although the entertainment has now changed, listening to the live jazz band that played on Fridays over the summer and, amid the potted palm trees and chaise longues, whiling away the early evening with a good bottle of wine and good company was my idea of the right way to start a night on the town.

Given the time of year and Kelly’s experience at her Christmas party I have to admit that I was slightly nervous about the quality of the food and the attentiveness of the staff – would it be another “take-their-money-and-run” operation?

From the minute that we climbed the steps to the double glass doors my worries were eased, with the doorman opening the door for us and welcoming us. After being seated and shown the menus, the only troublesome moment in the whole afternoon came – what to choose! Chef Damien Tumelty really has pulled out all of the stops and produced a fine menu, with mouth-watering dishes that include Fermanagh rib-eye with triple-cooked chips and bearnaise sauce and Homemade steamed lamb breast, shoulder & kidney pudding with spring greens. After plenty of hmmming and haaaing, some invaluable help from our waiter, and the usual agreement to allow the unrestricted tasting of each others’ dishes, Kelly chose the Short rib of beef with Chantenay carrots and buerre noisette mash, while I selected the Belly of pork with cauliflower puree and boulangere potatoes. We also selected a bottle of Marques de Caceres, a Spanish Rioja that is full of fruit and tannins, and is more than capable of standing up to those intensely savoury roast-meat flavours.

I have to take this opportunity to thank Kurt, our waiter. He was fantastic, a real professional – he knew all about the preparation and cooking techniques for the dishes, was more than capable of recommending a wine to accompany the food, and even managed to arrange for some French Beans to be served that weren’t on the menu. It was really refreshing to find a waiter that genuinely cared about the customer and was obviously interested in his job.

My belly of pork was superb – there is simply no other way of adequately describing the tender meat, the rich stock-based gravy, the delicate cauliflower puree and the delicious potatoes. The flavours were perfect, and the pork cooked to perfection – rolled and broiled overnight on a very low heat, then cooled, sliced, and roasted. The pork simply feel apart in my mouth. The boulangere potatoes were just as good – finely sliced, baked in chicken stock, and formed into a perfect tower of subtle flavours.

As much as it pains me to say it, however, Kelly made the better choice. If the belly of pork was superb, the short rib of beef was sublime. Served in a small metal canteen, the beef was moist and unctious, sticky with roasted gelantine and succulent meaty juices. Similar to the pork, the beef had been cooked for several hours and was tender beyond belief. The sweet chantenay carrots enhanced the rich gravy, and the creamy mash was incredibly moreish – capable of being served as a meal in itself.

I did manage to get one mouthful of Kelly’s meal, but no more – and that’s completely understandable – I wouldn’t have shared it either.

We didn’t exchange a word as we sat back in our chairs after the main course, lost in a happy and contented reverie. And there we were allowed to stay, un-hassled and un-bothered by staff wanting to move us on as soon as we’ve eaten even among the hectic bustle of a lunch-time Christmas crowd, until our minds took their natural course and considered the dessert menu. Again, there were some difficult decisions to be made: Kelly opted for the Sticky toffee pudding, while I chose a couple of cheeses from the cheeseboard.

Not wanting to spoil the flavour of the cheese I didn’t taste Kelly’s, but the beatific smile on her face spoke volumes – a light, fluffy pudding with a sinful pecan brittle ice-cream filled with sweet, nutty shards of toffee. The dessert clearly maintained the high standard set by the main course.

The selection of cheeses were equally impressive: Wicklow Blue, Desmonds Cheddar, Epoisse, Manchego, and Delice De Bourgogne. I selected the Epoisse – a rich, pungent soft cheese from Burgundy called the “king of all cheeses” – and the Wicklow Blue – a blue-veined Irish cheese, piquant and creamy. The cheese was superb, served just above room temperature, and was accompanied by a tangy onion chutney. For me, the cheese selection was the perfect way to round-off a perfect meal.

We left Cafe Vaudeville still talking about just how good the meal was, satisfied and back in the Christmas spirit.

Our verdict:

The decor, the staff, the food – all three combine to produce a fantastic, slightly decadent experience.

The quality of the dishes is incredibly high – without the exorbitant prices of some other Belfast eateries. Treat yourself and book a table for lunch or dinner – like us you’ll be talking about just how good the food is for days afterwards.

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Cafe Vaudeville
25 Arthur Street,
Belfast
BT1 4GF
T: 028 9043 9160
E: info@cafevaudeville.com
W: www.cafevaudeville.com
You can also see Cafe Vaudeville on Google Maps.

Christmas dinner at The Holiday Inn

Right, I am now going to have a moan!!

Friday night was my works Christmas party at the Holiday Inn in Belfast.  We had it planned for months and we had all been really looking forward to it.  So, early in the day, we went to our room to get into our party dresses and enjoy a well deserved glass of champagne.

Now I know that Christmas work party dinner isn’t usually a culinary delight, however I think that’s it’s only fair to expect the food to be edible – especially whenever you pay £35.00 for the ‘pleasure’ (and believe me it was FAR from a pleasure).

To start we had melon with forest fruits.  Now I know what you are thinking… ‘you cannot go wrong with a piece of fruit can you?’  Well you would think not, but apparently so.  The melon had not been cut properly and I ended up getting a mouthful of melon rind… nice!

The melon was followed by what I thought was vegetable soup while others were convinced that it was pea… we were later informed it was potato and leek!!  Anyway whatever it was I just couldn’t stomach it so I had a crusty roll (which turned out to be the highlight of my meal).

We then were served the traditional turkey and ham with stuffing in which the meat was so thin I could of sworn they had mistakenly substituted it for parma ham (I wish it was!!).  Another odd thing were the vegetables… we got the usual (cooked to within an in inch of their lives) carrots and brussel sprouts, but with the added bonus of ONE mange tout, random!  The last component of this repaste were the potatoes which brought back the horrors of the school canteen from my childhood – they had obviously been cooked earlier in the day and re-heated in a microwave or under the salamander.. Not a taste that I ever wanted to experience again! The only good thing about the meal was the stuffing – in truth it was nothing special, but I like most stuffing so it stood out from the rest of the ingredients…

I doubt that many others at the party could identify with my description – the make-up of most plates seemed to be very different with some getting no potatoes, others getting no carrots, and a few others being handed their main course after the majority of diners were served their desserts.

The dessert, meringues with berries and cream, was actually OK.  The meringue was gooey inside, just the way I like it.  However the strawberries were hard and sour and were pushed to the side of my plate.

As I said, I know that  the meal served at a works Christmas party isn’t going to be spectacular, but I honestly believe that there was no excuse for what the Holiday Inn served to paying guests.  It was sub-standard and at times completely inedible – when it finally arrived.

Our verdict:

From my point of view I would never ever darken their door again!

Our rating: 1 out of 5

Holiday Inn
22 – 26 Ormeau Avenue
Belfast,
Co. Antrim
BT2 8HS
W: www.holidayinn.com/belfast
E: reservations-belfast@ihg.com
T: (028) 9032 8511
F: (028) 9062 6546
You can also find The Holiday Inn Belfast (Ormeau Avenue) on Google Maps.

Made in Belfast

After doing some serious food shopping in St. George’s Market on Saturday, Kelly and I dropped in to “Made in Belfast” for a bite to eat. We’d both heard (largely) good reviews about the restaurant – or “resto-lounge” as they dub themselves – and thought it was high-time that we tried it for ourselves.

Stepping inside the doorway was a sensory experience in itself – Julie London was singing in the background, and amidst the mis-matched and haphazardly hung wallpaper, exposed pipe-work, grafitti, sofas, and assorted bric-a-brac, we found ourselves slightly disoriented. It works though – “Made in Belfast” has a relaxed, bohemian vibe that is at odds with the hussle-and-bustle of the city-centre at the end of the street, a small bubble of relaxation.

As much as the decor, I think the waiting staff make or ruin a good first impression – although they were relatively busy, one of the waiting staff came over to us straight away and showed us to our table – a small, painted table and (typically) mismatched seating – a metal-framed chair for Kelly, and plastic patio furniture for me. The staff really did add to the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere – nothing was a hassle, they were attentive, and were more than willing to talk about their personal recommendations for dishes and drinks.

From the fairly impressive day-time menu (which had some really appetising and quirky dishes on there: venison pie with root chips, chicken liver parfait, and fish finger sandwiches to name a few) Kelly chose the Belfast crab on toasted wheaten bread, while I opted for the pint of prawns. The crab was really delicious – lots and lots of sweet white meat held in a crisp lettuce leaf, with a generous dollop of lemon mayonnaise, on a doorstep of wheaten bread. As usual, Kelly gave me a forkful of hers, and I have to admit, I was disappointed I only got one. My prawns were served on thick chopping-block of a wooden tray on which was balanced a pint glass stuffed with rocket leaves, six of the plumpest prawns that I have ever seen, a slice of soft black olive bread, and more of the fresh, zingy lemon mayonnaise. There are times when having to extricate a prawn from it’s shell is just too much like hard work – but not in this case! You’ll find yourself attacking the meaty crustaceans and discarding heads, shells, and serviettes with abandon.

We enjoyed a very leisurely lunch, and never once felt like we were being hurried out of the door, much to the restaurant’s credit.

Our verdict:

A quirky, distinctive restaurant in which you could happily while-away the afternoon – or spend a night enjoying.

MIB isn’t perfect – We ordered a dessert which never materialised, and I thought that the food was slightly over-priced, but nothing that should discourage you from visiting, and is quickly forgotten when you sample the delicious food and feel yourself unwinding. Having said that, the helpings are fairly generous – while both Kelly and I could have eaten more, it was nothing to do with the size of the portions!

There are lots of positive things, however. We’ve already decided to return some evening, and are planning to bring friends from England who are visiting – which speak volumes. A definite “Chilli and Chocolate” recommendation.

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Made in Belfast
Units 1 & 2 Wellington Buildings,
Wellington Street,
Belfast
BT1 6ET
T: +44 (0) 28 90246712
E: emma@madeinbelfastni.com
W: www.madeinbelfastni.com
You can also see Made in Belfast on Google Maps.

Bengal Brasserie

On Saturday night Niall and I headed out to the Bengal Brasserie on the Ormeau Road for a long-awaited curry.

We’ve been going to the Bengal Brasserie for ages – from when it was a shabby-but-much-loved place down near the Ormeau bridge, to the latest incarnation as a contemporary, plush new eaterie at the Newtownbreda end of the road. Despite the radical change in appearance, the quality of the food and the service has never faltered.

The perfumed cloud of Asian spices had our mouths watering as we made our way to the entrance and, on entering the almost permanently busy restaurant, we were welcomed by a member of staff who took us to our table – while we eyed the largest bottle of Sangre de Toro we’d ever seen the whole way! It should probably be said at this point that the service at the restaurant is just great – friendly, very helpful with food combinations and amounts (you’ll be tempted to order all of the side dishes on the menu!), and extremely courteous – opening the door for you as you leave and wishing you a good night is a nice touch, as is the slight nod of recognition for a returning customer.

As good as the staff are, it’s the food that’s the star – there’s something for everyone on the menu: sweet and creamy Kormas; sizzling Tandoori skillets; and fiery vindaloos. Ordering some poppadoms with sauces and relishes is a must, giving you plenty of time to look over the menu – my favourite relish is a tangy, onion-y concoction that is very more-ish, but all four offer something very different and disappear quickly.

I was surprised with the wine list the first time I saw it, in all honesty. My experience of these things in curry houses is a bad one, without exception. But the Bengal Brasseries list is pretty good – some New World, some Old World – plenty to choose from. We opted for a punchy Cote du Rhone from the always-dependable Chapoutier stable – a fantastic red that was able to stand up to the myriad flavours in the dishes without overpowering them.

For our starter I ordered the King Prawn Sukka (meaty king prawns on a chapati with a rich tomato and chilli sauce) and Niall ordered the Chicken Pakora (strips of chicken in a light, spiced batter). Both were fantastic – just the right amount to whet your appetite for the meal yet to come – and left us disagreeing over who had chosen the best.

Harmony, or at least silence, was restored when the main courses appeared. Niall’s Lamb Palok is a big favourite of ours – a mild enough curry based on LOTS of spinach and slices of garlic, with tender portions of lamb. My Murg (chicken) Bhuna is a tomato-based dish – some heat, a little sweetness, and lots of those aromatic tumeric and coriander spices – and just delicious. The two dishes were very different, and made a nice contrast – Niall’s earthy spinach curry against my tangy tomato dish. Both dishes came with portions of rice, which I like – it’s a slight bug-bear of mine that, in some restaurants, rice has to be ordered in addition to the curry – a kind of “hidden” charge. We also ordered a Keema Naan (flat-bread with marinated, minced lamb between the layers) and Palok Bhajee (more spinach, but totally irresistable).

Unsurprisingly, we didn’t manage a dessert, despite repeated, wistful glances at the menu.

Saying our goodbyes to the staff, we walked off into the night, happy and contented.

A fantastic restaurant that others have called “the best curry house in Belfast” – and we’d be hard-pressed to disagree.

A restaurant to introduce your friends to – for which they’ll be eternally grateful.

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Bengal Brasserie
455, Ormeau Road,
Belfast
County Antrim
BT7 3GQ‎
t: 028 90647516‎
w: www.bengalbrasseriebelfast.co.uk
You can also see the Bengal Brasserie on Google Maps.

L'Etoile French Restaurant

After a VERY long day at work, Kelly and I needed a bit of a pick-me-up, and dining out was the order of the day. But where to go, where to go..

We’ve both read reviews of “L’Etoile” on Belfast’s Ormeau Road which were unanimous in their praise, but had been put off by the net curtains and (frankly) shabby exterior. Driving by we did notice that it’s had a bit of a face-lift so, armed with a trusty bottle of Bordeaux (the restaurant is “Bring Your Own”), we entered unchartered territory..

Inside the restaurant is small but cosy – French postcards adorn the walls, the lighting is low, and unintrusive music plays in the background which you could just hear over the murmur of conversation among the happy diners – a comfortable, welcoming, and relaxed atmosphere. The waiting staff were chatty and informal which immediately put us newcomers at ease, and both were French (yes, I know I’m superficial, but I think that sort of thing always helps!). No bright lights, no minimalist glass and steel decor – the sort of eatery that is now a rarity in Belfast now, much to our loss.

Like the restaurant itself, the menu is also small but reassuringly familiar – there’s a definite nod to the familiar French bistro dishes from the 70′s – and includes classics like Pate a la maison, Duck a L’Orange, and Beef Bourguignon. Added to these old favourites you’ll find Frogs’ Legs, Monkfish, and Pidgeon – along with vegetarian choices.

Kelly chose the Chicken Liver Pate with red onion jam to start, and it was delicious – rich and meaty, and the sweet jam was a perfect accompaniment. I had the Frogs’ Legs – a plate with 4 pairs duly arrived, delicate and slightly sweeter than chicken, drizzled with garlic butter and with a side salad. There is an unspoken competition between us as to who has ordered the best meal and, as we shared the starters, I was big enough to concede that Kelly’s Pate was the star.

For the mains Kelly went with the Fillet of Beef – requested as medium-rare and cooked to perfection. As good as the steak was – the meat just melted in your mouth – the garlic potatoes were wonderfully crisp and drenched in pungent garlic butter. Delicious. My Beef Bourguignon was rich and satisfying, the dark meaty-ness of the beef and sauce complemented by the small sweet silver-skin onions, and accompanied by a tower of white rice. My one complaint would be that you didn’t get that much beef but, given how tasty the dish was, I certainly wouldn’t let that put me off.

Now, I have said that desserts aren’t my thing BUT I’ll qualify that – if anywhere serves profiteroles and chocolate sauce with fresh cream like L’Etoile, I’ll make an exception! The chioux pastry was light and delicate, the chocolate sauce dark and sweet and rich, with a slight bitterness – so so good. Poor Kelly was bursting at the seams by this point, but man-fully managed the trio of ice-cream (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry).

Our Verdict:

Like your favourite sweater – familiar, comforting, and comfortable. You won’t get fine dining, but you will get a good meal, good service, and a good atmosphere. An escape from the cold and wet weather, and the stresses of your workaday life – the sort of restaurant that you don’t tell your friends about because you want it all to yourself.

Our rating: 3 out of 5

L’Etoile French Restaurant
407, Ormeau Road
Belfast
BT7 3GP
t:028 9020 1300
You can also see L’Etoile French Restaurant on Google Maps.

Bo Tree Restaurant

In the middle of a long week at work, with our spirits dampened by the daily down-pour, Kelly and I went to the Bo Tree Restaurant on Belfast University Road. We’ve been several times before but this was the first time that we’ve gone with notebook in hand and with our “reviewers” hats on!

I’ll start by qualifying this review – it’s probably biased. I love Thai food and the Bo Tree in equal measure.

The decor of the restaurant is fairly spartan – white walls, simple layout, and basic seating – but there are enough wall hangings and statutes to let you know that you’re in a Thai restaurant. I’d recommend going slightly later than we did – when it starts to get dark the candles on the tables make it a far more relaxed and cosy atmosphere.

The service was (as always) impeccable – the waiting staff are always polite, knowledgeable about the food, and very attentive without being intrusive – and are always on-hand to fetch another chilled Singha beer to put out those fires caused by the (excellent) Green Curry!

The highlight, however, was the food. As I said, both Kelly and I really enjoy Thai food (come to think of it, is there any food that we don’t enjoy!?) – and we certainly weren’t disappointed on this visit to the Bo Tree either. Our starters were deep-fried jumbo prawns in panko and small dumplings filled with minced pork, garlic and water chestnuts – and our mains were Gai Pad Ped (stir fried chicken with curry paste, Thai herbs and lime leaves) and Phed Pad Ped (stir fried duck with curry paste, Thai herbs, lime leaves and baby aubergines), with side dishes of noodles and Pad Thai noodles respectively. Regular top-ups of the chilled Singha beer were definitely needed with my dish.

Now, a word about the desserts – don’t expect the sugar-y, chocolate-y, cream-filled confections you get at our Western restaurants. Thai desserts are all steamed custards, banana, coconut, and sesame seeds – but that’s right up my street. Kelly, on the other hand, always goes for the ice-cream – in this case four scoops of chocolate ice-cream with dark chocolate pieces and wafer straws.

Despite the fact that the prices for the desserts were a little expensive, we left the Bo Tree Restaurant considerably happier and more content than when we entered – which is about all you can ask of any restaurant!

At last – an authentic Thai restaurant in Belfast..

Our rating: 4 out of 5

Bo Tree Restaurant
31 University Road
Belfast
County Antrim
BT7 1NA
Tel: 028 9024 7722
w: www.botreethai.com
e: info@botreethai.com
You can also see Bo Tree Restaurant on Google Maps