Pea Salad!

Serving Suggestion

As per usual I have come back from Australia brimming with ideas thanks to my lovely lil sis-in-law!  This recipe is made up of a combination of two of her recipes, mainly due to ingredients available here in the winter versus their ingredients in the summer.  We are having salmon, pea salad and some simply salt and pepper baked potatoes on the side for Alex but it is great for bbq's too. 

Here we go!!

PEA SALAD INGREDIENTS:

Half a pack of frozen garden peas (frozen is fresher!!)
One medium red onion chopped finely
Half a cabbage, thinly sliced
Pancetta cubes
Half a pack of feta cheese

Heat for 10 minutes

Cover the peas, cabbage and onion with water (and either semi-dried basil or mint) and simmer for 10 minutes then place in a glass bowl.  Then lightly brown the pancetta and add to the mix.  Let the mixture cool down before adding your tiny cubes of feta.  

THE DRESSING (best made the night before):

Olive Oil or Rapeseed Oil
Two garlic cloves
Cider Vinegar
Wholegrain Mustard
Canadian Maple Syrup
Salt and Pepper to taste

Take a jar and place two parts of olive/rapeseed oil to one part of cider vinegar with the garlic cloves.  Add a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard and two teaspoons of maple syrup along with your personal preference of salt and pepper. 

Finished Salad

As for the salmon, best keep it boring as the dressing will do all the hard work!!

Totally simple and ridiculously yum ... I hate veg, but this is pretty nice!

Orange Pepper Soup (veggie friendly)

Serving Suggestion

Oh yes!!

Easy and effective, this always goes down well with family and guests alike. It makes a classy starter for any dinner party and It's also a healthy (no fat) way to scoff for comfort purposes and works just as well with red peppers and green peppers.  So easy and for most this is a simple store cupboard soup.  We have orange peppers left in the veggie drawer before Mr Tesco visits, hence it is orange pepper soup today!

INGREDIENTS

2 large orange peppers
1 Red Pepper
1 large white onion (red for red pepper soup)
4 cloves of garlic
3 medium potatoes
2 Vegetable Stock cubes in boiling water (or homemade stock which is better)
1/2 can of condensed milk (not the cream stuff you use for desserts and not if you want fat free- try skimmed milk or naff all)
Teaspoon of Basil
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Fresh Basil for the garnish (optional)

METHOD

All the veg should be chopped roughly don't finely chop anything!!

Chuck it in the pot!!

Lightly soften the peppers in fry light and put into a big pot with the potatoes (uncooked)and garlic and onion (also uncooked).   Cover with the vegetable stock.  If their isn't enough to just about cover the veg, add a splash or two of water to top it up.  

Bring the pan to the boil momentarily then turn the heat right down, put a lid on it and leave to simmer for at least 40 minutes.

Blitz and add Basil, black pepper and condensed milk to taste later on

Blitz the mixture using a hand blender (being careful not to splat yourself with hot soup) then leave settle for a while (or not if you're in a rush).  Just before serving, warm the soup through gently adding salt and black pepper and the dried basil.  Then take the condensed milk and give the soup a healthy swirl. The soup shouldn't be too thick, if you have followed the recipe you will get a lovely consistency.

Serve piping hot with fresh, crusty bread or ciabbata and a sprig of basil. 

PREPARATION: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 40 minutes
FINISHING TOUCHES: 5 minutes 

Yum! My soup got a "restaurant rating" from my Mummy so I must be doing something right!

Lil Bro's Chocolate Brownie

This simple recipe has been in our family file for at least twenty years thanks to my little brother who started it all those years ago!

This morning Mum and I worked together on producing this little dirty b*stard (though why she cleaned the prep area first I have no idea as there are still chocolate spray marks up the wall from my last attempt!) Here is how it goes ...

A few tips from me would be to add a few white chocolate buttons, ensure the cocoa and butter mix is hot when mixing with the other ingredients and cook for no more than 20 minutes to ensure it has a proper gooey, dirty consistancy.  As soon as the top crisps, wap it out!!!(Oh and fruits with a sprinkling of icing sugar makes it look nice)

So much history on one piece of paper - Mum worked for Immuno (a decent place) and lil bro's handwriting had finally become legible (shame about the spelling though)!! 

Linguine Carbonara For Busy People

Another quick and simple recipe for those hectic days.  I love this one so much it hurts!


THE SAUCE:

• A small pot of double cream
• A generous blob of Mascarpone
• 2 fist full's of fresh Parmesan
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 pack of pancetta
• Garlic (not too much because it needs to be delicate)
• Heaps of dried parsley if you have it
• Half a pack of diced baby mushrooms (optional)
• Seasoning to taste
• 1 Egg (whisked)

Lightly fry the pancetta and mushrooms in a tiny bit of olive oil and add the stock cube. Then chuck it all in a saucepan (larger the better) and heat through very slowly whilst cooking the linguine.  Add the linguine and stir into the sauce making sure all the pasta gets coated evenly.  It is important not to burn the sauce whilst you gradually add the egg.  Keep the hob low to stop the eggs becoming scrambed - it is minging!

Quickly serve along with ciabatta and a green salad.  Totally yum!!

SERVES 2-3

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINS

COOKING TIME: 20 MINS

That Fast Classic - Pasta bake

There are so many ways to prepare a pasta bake and on my maiden voyage there was a lot of controversy as to whether you boiled the pasta first and wether you make a runny sauce or one with texture.  I don't usually mind being given advice in the kitchen but on this occasion I was having none of it! The pressure for it to work was quite stressful as I really didn't want to here those punch-worthy words "Told You So!".  

So here is what I did and though I say it myself, it was pretty good.  I decided on a tuna bake and did a rather good job of concealing the offending article!

THE TOMATO SAUCE:

• One pack of Passata (you can add a shop bought tomato sauce if you like too)
• Loads of Basil and Oregano
• A sprinkling of chilli seeds (literally a tiny amount)
• Parsley (dried)
• Seasoning
• Half of a large tin of sweetcorn
• 1 tin of tuna

So easy, bung it all in a pan and put on a low heat whilst you move onto the veg

THE VEG:

• 1 large onion
• Garlic (you decide how much)
• 1 green pepper
• Diced Courgette (optional)
• Carrots (optional)

Soften all these in a wok being careful not to caramelise the onions and chuck it all into the sauce pot.

Whilst all this is going on you should prepare your pasta.  Cook it properly.  I went for shells but penne would suffice.  Spaghetti wouldn't work as well as the others.

Stick the pasta into a pyrex type dish then pile the sauce on top.  Mix well then add a little pepper and Italian seasoning.

THE CHEESE TOPPING:

• Half a block of reduced fat strong cheddar
• Parmesan
• 1 slice of grated bread (optional)

Grate the lot and top your bake.  

PREPERATION TIME: 15 minutes

OVEN TIME: 30 minutes

SERVES 4-5

Too easy and very effective.  Serve with salad and/or garlic bread.  Great if you are in a hurry.  Yum!!

Med Veg a la Jo

Sandy-Goodey Roast

I really do have a distinct dislike for cooked vegetables.  I shudder at the thought of soggy carrots, chewy cauliflower and the snot-like texture of spinach.  I am a total salad fiend, I love all that but your standard veg I cannot eat without heaving.  Yuk.  I also find bland food impossible to ingest (unless its a good old Corned Beef Hash).  Veg are important for all kinds of reasons, we have to make sure we have our 200 a day apparently, so I like to put my own spin on the traditional Sunday Roast.  Items are added and deleted depending on whats in the fresh food compartment in the fridge.

Lemon Myrtle, Garlic and Pepper Chicken Ready for Cooking

Timing is everything with a roast.  We recently upgraded our cooker and can now fit everything into the two ovens with ease.  The chicken preparation was simple but effective.  I like to make stock for soups so flavouring the chicken as it cooks seems the sensible way to go.  I like fun ingredients and opted to use Lemon Myrtle from its native Australia in the form of flakes, a dusting of garlic salt and some cracked black pepper.  Lemon Myrtle, when used properly is a very fragrant ingredient that permeates through the chicken.  Use too much and you may as well suck on lemons!

With that cooking, Alex prepares his totally disgraceful (in a good way) roasties whilst I move on to the part that makes the difference between bog standard and pretty damned tasty!

MED VEG: 

1 Courgette sliced
1 Red Onion roughly chopped
2 Fresh Beetroot (part boiled)
1 Red Pepper chopped
Handful of Carrots (cut into batons)
1 Cooking Apple chopped
Black Olives (up to you how many)
Some cloves of slow roasted garlic

Once chopped etc, add a healthy glug of good olive oil, a drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar, some herbs de provence, a sprinkling of chilli flakes and a healthy grind of black pepper.  Mix it up then roast along with the roasties and stuffing.  On this occasion we lean on Paxo and that comfort food classic sage and onion stuffing.  I do have a very naughty recipe for a lemon based stuffing that will blow your mind, but we went for simple this time!  Pick your gravy ... we made onion gravy but its up to you .....

Nothing like a bit of Paxo!!

Green beans are always a great accompaniment but the med veg works great if you want to disguise a myriad of boring.  

I understand that most people love a classic roast but this is the way me and my family enjoy it!

Versatile Italian Dough ...

It's all about having a basic recipe that you can tweek.  This is one of mine.  If you get this bit right the sky is the limit.  I did, however, destroy Mum's kitchen as this recipe requires plenty of room and a dustbuster!!

Dough:

12oz Strong White Flour
2 Glugs Olive Oil
1 Sachet of Yeast
8 fl oz Warm Water
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Dried Herbs (of your choice)

Take a glass mixing bowl and gently warm it in the oven at about 70 degrees.  Add the flour, olive oil, herbs and yeast then mix in the warm water slowly.  Kneed the dough then put back in the oven until risen.  This forms the basis for your pizza or calzone (folded pizza - a bit like a pasty).  

Bread:

On this occasion I made a flavoured bread.  For this you should chop sundried tomatoes, roquefort, onion, sliced garlic and olives and basil leaves  Stuff these ingredients randomly into the dough whilst kneeding then place back in the oven at 170 degrees for 20 minutes on a baking tray.  Easy peasy but an effective accompaniment for pasta or with a ploughman's lunch.  Yum!!

Yummy Bread!

Chorizo and Bean Stew (or beans with beans stew for the veggies)

A delicate, healthy stew

I love beans ... I have made no secret of this and have probably laboured the point at every opportunity possible ... beeeeeeeeenz and not of the baked in tomato dishwater kind (although I won't say no!)

I love making casseroles and stews but only do it when we have guests or it ends up going to waste because you have to make a sheer volume to get all the flavours.  We have a guest, so out comes the casserole dish!

For this recipe I am avoiding the good old staple of kidney beans as they are boring and instantly suggest a chilli con carne type ensemble.  This is a Spanish recipe and it is important to vary ingredients so your basic base mixture can be used as a blank canvass.  It should be of a delicate flavour not spicy or garlicy! 

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4-6 (half for less)

200g thinly sliced chorizo
(1 can of Berlotti beans if following the vegetarian route)
1 can Haricot Beans
1 can Cannellini Beans
2 x Passata 
4 x Garlic Cloves (minced)
1 x Chilli (de-seeded and minced)
1 x Onion (diced)
Parsley
Healthy shake of paprika (more for the veggies!)
Black Pepper
Veg Stock Cube
Yellow Pepper (finely diced)
1/2 Courgette (finely sliced)
Handful of Black Olives
*Cornflour to thicken if necessary*

Soften the chorizo, onion, garlic and chilli using olive oil then transfer to a casserole dish where you simply chuck all the rest into the pot.  Cook for a further 30 mins on the hob or transfer to the oven for a longer, slower bake on a lower heat.  Finish for five minutes on the hob and thicken with cornflour if needs be.  Simples!!

Serve with good, old fashioned mash with Pure for a healthier version or mash with grated cheese for the shameless out there!! 

Tomato, Mascarpone and Lobster Linguine

Jo's Tomato, Mascarpone and Lobster Linguine

SERVES TWO

As we are running way low on funds, I have been trying to use up some of our cupboard/freezer odds and ends and would you believe it? We had some lobster tails in the deep freeze and following a recent visit to Piccolo Amore, there came the inspiration.  Well the inspiration was "lobster" plus "italian".  They have a lobster dish on their menu that will set you back almost £30.  We got our tails from Aldi for under a tenner and as far as I can make out, no lobsters were harmed in the making of this as it was uncooked for a start!  It is worth mentioning now, that Monkfish appears to be exactly the same as lobster at a fraction of the price.  Once it is chopped up, there would be no telling.  

The sauce is for once not a heavy one, I opted for delicate flavouring rather than all out garlic city.  Originally my post didn't include a creamy feel, but it worked so well in the end.  It is also worth noting that this can never be a health-conscious dish also fresh herbs are best - we didn't as it was a store cupboard meal.

A handy tip is to get your other half to de-shell the lobster meat.  I for one couldn't have eaten this if I was left to do that job.  So we have our lobster chopped into small chunks, lets go with the sauce ... 

All hail Aldi - it may look like a mean portion but it is more than enough for two!

Tomato and Mascarpone Sauce (each ingredient goes straight in the pot)

1 x Passata

2 x deseeded green chilli's (blend them if you have to)

2 x Garlic Cloves (no more than 2 blend also if needs be)

Handful of basil

Handful of Oregano

Tsp Majoram

2 heaped tbsp Mascarpone (or more if you want more creamy decadence) 

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Black Pepper

Glug of white wine

Tsp sugar (if required)

Blend together over a low heat for about 10 minutes before switching off the hob.  Add the lobster and leave to cool.  I don't recommend any salt be added to this sauce as the lobster flavour is great on its own. 

Simmering Sauce

Altogether now!

After the sauce has cooled, place back on the lowest heat possible whilst boiling your water for the pasta.  Allow 90g of pasta per person and add salt to the boiling water.  Whilst cooking, prepare a nice green or tomato salad with olives and balsamic.  Slice your fresh, crusty bread or garlic bread.  

By this time the sauce will have been cooking slowly for 15-20 mins and will be cooked perfectly at the same time as the pasta.  

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how well this went.  I had never had lobster before and I was most impressed.  We shall be using monkfish until our financial situation improves!  There is no wastage with this one - I have converted the rest of the sauce into a lovely tomato and lobster soup with a little stock.  Bargain!!!!

Goulash-ish

More than Your Five A Day!

 Anyone who knows me well, knows that although I am a salad fiend, vegetables are my nemesis.  Whole chunks of blandness such as carrot, suede and parsnips unless flavoured to the max will stay defiantly on that plate.  Even days of fasting would not get me eating that fowl plate - sprouts?? They taste like what shit smells of and smell like shit as does cauliflower and broccoli.  Dexter's farts are more tolerable.  The best way to get me eating this stuff is to disguise it.  No ordinary stew will do, ever so don't go there.  Finely chopped veg that has softened and lost its flavour by slow cooking is the best way.

So onto my loosely named "Goulash".  most will recognise the basics but this is a super version in terms of veg and additional flavouring.

Again, to reiterate, it is my opinion that the amount of ingredients that go in are down to the individual tastes of your household and regular tasting should be your best guide.

More Than Your "5 a day"

Finely chop the following and place in a large dish:

A leek
A large red onion
A red pepper
2 carrots
Small punnet of baby mushrooms
2 handfuls of frozen, sliced green beans
2 handfuls of black olives
1 red chilli (seeds in)
3 minced garlic cloves
(3 bean salad left over from bbq!)

(2 packs of tomato passata to be used before cooking)

Final Prep:

Lightly brown a large pack of diced beef (butcher is best) in olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika.  Add the veg and sweat down on a low heat.  Be generous with your glug of red wine then add the packs of passata.  Be generous with herbs de Provence, garlic salt, basil and even more so paprika. 

You shouldn't need any cornflower as if slow cooking over a few hours should remove a lot of moisture.  How long to cook? How long is a piece of string? Minimum of 45 mins in the oven to hours and hours in a slow cooker ... it's essentially cooked before it is cooked!!

Serve with brown rice, bread or mash - again your choice.  Ours is currently cooking away to itself nicely and smells great!

Easy Tips For Making A Good BBQ

Not A Good Way To Start - Safety First!

It's no secret that we at the Sandy-Goodey house love a good barbecue.  Veggie or Carnivore, all tastes are catered for here!  I personally like to pick at many different things rather than a huge portion of one thing.  My absolute favourite food is salad in all its many guises.  I just love it.  I get bored with bland flavours and too much of the same thing.  That is why an Alex/Jo barbecue is so well received.  Something for everyone and the best bit is that after all my preparation, Alex takes over with the cooking - I am allowed nowhere near the sacred barbecue!  Here follows some of our recipes and marinades that make it so special.  As you can see there are no complaints!

One of the first things we did to our house on moving in was make the garden a nice place to have a barbecue.  We ripped out the grass, shrubs and have two dining areas, the decking with the chiminea and the patio area.  Come rain or shine, our parasols do their job.  This is an early development photo.

So, onto those recipes!

Carrot and cheese
Such a complex recipe but it's worth the toil! Grate carrots and strong cheddar.  Thats that one done (thanks for the recipe Aussie Nana!)

Green Salad

Rocket, diced cucumber, diced green pepper, thinly sliced spring onions

Tomato Salad

Beef tomatoes (sliced) black olives (whole) ripped basil leaves, cubed feta, sliced red onion and balsamic vinegar

Laurens Potato Salad

New Potatoes, sliced.  Thinly Sliced Gherkin, wholegrain mustard, mayo and white wine vinegar - fit as a butchers dog!

Yummm!

Chicken In Various Marinades

Having a brother and sis in law in Australia has it's clear advantages.  Let's face it, the aussies know a thing or two about barbies!  Whether you marinade in your own favourite flavours - Our is garlic and chilli butter (well Pure to be precise) or find something else you like, we like these "Outback" marinades for an authentic taste.  

Good luck sourcing this little lot!

Ribs

Best ribs, already marinated ... the prize goes to Peter Goss.  Spot on, not much fat and not much emphasis on bones.  Awesome!

Prawn, Pineapple and Chorizo Skewers

Does what it says on the tin, once on the skewer drizzle with sweet chilli sauce.  It is a me creation but boy its good!

Chinese BBQ Pork

Yum all the way.  Use a shop bought bbq sauce - Nando's do a good one and marinade over night.  Before putting on the barbie cut into strips.  After cooking, serve in a pitta bread with spring onions, iceberg and cucumber with a drizzle of Hoisin Sauce. Simple but totally yum!

Easy!!!

Paneer Skewers

Nobody is left out at one of our affairs.  Paneer is most a most versatile of cheeses.  Can't get paneer then use halloumi.  Alternate the cheese, pineapple and red peppers with a drizzle of soy sauce

General Veggie Stuff

The best sausages and burgers available in my opinion are Linda McCartney Mozzarella Burgers available in the freezer section in most decent outlets and Tesco's meat free sausages.  These compliment all the sides very well.

Burgers and Sausages

I urge you to spend that little bit more.  The supermarkets cannot compete with a good burger or sausage from the butcher.  Barbecues are not, in my opinion, a cheap feed.  Quality is everything and you won't find a substandard piece of meat/horse find it's way onto our barbie ever!  If you are really pushing the boat out try cooking a good rib eye.  

BBQ Sides

Stick some corn on the cobs, salted asparagus and make caramelised onions on to cook.  Buy the best buns and hotdog rolls - we like seeded ones and try melting brie or roquefort on the burgers to add that special touch!  Taking the time to make garlic mushrooms using minced garlic and cream adds that special touch

Condiments

How long is a piece of string?  Salad dressings a must.  Aldi do an exceptional range including relishes like chilli, burger sauce and onion.  Blue Dragon are great for the oriental flavours and of course the obligatory French's mustard and Heinz Ketchup - your choice!!

All that remains is to make sure the booze/shots flow - get your guests to invent cocktails!  Power to your garden is a bonus, as it is your bbq, your guests have to endure your tunes, as do the neighbours.  

HAPPY BARBIE'ING EVERYBODY!!!!

 

(Fake) Pork Thing - Sung Choi Bao - sort of

Thank you to my Sis-in-Law for the inspiration ..... tastes better with pork, but quorn is an acceptable substitute! 

Simple Blend of Fresh and Store Cupboard Ingredients

Preparation Time:  Depends how fast can you chop + add 10 minutes cooking time!  

Ingredients:

Pork Mince or Quorn for 2
1 Diced Onion
1 Diced Pepper (red or green)
Squirt of Ginger (Gourmet Garden)
Squirt of Chilli (Gourmet Garden)
3 tbsp Oyster Sauce
3tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
1 Tsp Five Spice
Small Tin of thinly sliced Water Chestnuts

Stirfry in Wok on medium heat whilst preparing the paste

1 Seeded Green Chilli (into hand blender pot)
4 garlic cloves
Handful of Coriander Leaves
Slug of Olive Oil

Blend and add to the wok

Finished Mixture

That is pretty much it.  Slice Spring Onions and Cucumber with a generous helping of hoisin sauce this goes well in wraps or for a more healthy option use iceberg lettuce in the place of a wrap.  We are going for wraps tonight ... simple, not too high in fat or calories but totally scrummy!!

It looks a bit like this - don't forget the salad garnish and Hoisin Sauce!

Nadia's Takeaway

It's latest name is Nadia's

This place, situated on quiet Southwold near Tesco has recently raised it's game.  The place is inviting from outside with its lovely interior design with its mood lighting and cushions. 

After having two below average deliveries (yes we get them to deliver despite only being five minutes away) and abstaining from their services, the curry urge took hold.  After the disappointment of Shakil's and their failure to compensate anything, we thought enough is enough.  

The original meal plan was to be a homemade pasta and salad.  Nope.  Walking past Nadia's with Dexter-Woof sealed our fate.  We popped in and reminded them of the 20% discount owed and ordered when we got home.  Alex went for the biryani which is loaded with saffron, so I couldn't try it and I ordered a korma sauce with a garlic nan to dip into it.  The popadums were ok, the red sauce wasn't a patch on Shakils, but they went down well with some of Alex's gorgeous mango chutney.

The food exceeded expectation and I would say that their garlic nan was the best I've had so far in Bicester.  It would have been nice to know if they had changed their kitchen staff, but with the hefty discount we received I decided it would be rude to start enquiring.  We let the food do the talking.  

They have the makings of a most competitive restaurant, if they had the space.  Such a shame they don't as I think they would do well.  For us, to be able to walk somewhere local that isn't the Bure Farm, would be amazing.

Well done, Nadia's, our faith is restored.  just deliver that same quality a few more times and I will mourn Shakil's no more!

Thai Green Curry

My Thai Green Curry With Jumbo Prawns

I first learned of it in Bangkok and here is my UK version ....

GREEN PASTE

Forget the pestle and mortar get a mini food processor!

• 3 Green Chilli's
• The Zest of One Lime and it's juice (keep what is left)
• 1 onion
• Fresh Coriander
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 4 lime leaves
• 1 chopped Lemongrass stalks
• 2 inches of ginger stalks
• 1 inch of chopped Galangal
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• Half a Tsp Of Tamarind Paste
• A generous slug of Olive Oil

Feel free to experiment with the above ingredients as nothing is set in stone!

Whizz it to within an inch of its life in a blender!

THE REST

• Pack Of Raw Jumbo King Prawns or Diced Chicken
• 2 Tins Coconut Milk (light or full fat - you want it to be more soup like add veg stock and extra Milk)
• Green Pepper (diced)
• 3 Handfuls Of Frozen Sliced Green Beans
• Cooked, Thinly sliced new potatoes (about 6 will suffice)
• The Lime Leftovers 
• Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• Straight To Wok Noodles

Using a large wok and a small amount of oil on a high heat, stir fry the prawns/chicken with the pepper and soy sauce then add your homemade paste.  Chuck in the lime then the two cans of coconut.  Bring the temperature of the wok right down and simmer.  Add in the green beans and potatoes.  Add more chilli and garlic (of the lazy variety) if needed.  After simmering for 20 minutes or until the flavours have fused add your noodles and serve!( Don't eat the lime!!!!!)

Shakil's - The End Of A Love Affair

Since this is about a restaurant, why did I originally post this review on my personal blog? Alex asked me to put this one on here so as to not come across like every place we frequent is amazeballs.  

Since Shakil's opened I have been a great fan of the interesting dishes on offer, the quirky table wear, the corny entertainment nights and the delivery service.  I haven't been able to fault the place up until recently.  I compare it to the great establishments up North in Rusholme.  Rusholme has not been a suburb but a collective name for literally hundreds of curry houses spanning over a mile for decades.  As you can imagine, the competition is so great that the food has to be outstanding.  Shakils is up there with the best.  

What is the problem? You may ask.  I think it stems from them losing their head waiter to Mehfil (which in my opinion is a very poor establishment) and getting more competition locally.  I still can't fault their specials.  The Jolphoy Chicken is mouth-watering as are many dishes off that particular menu.  Their more traditional dishes aren't as good.  I have found this as a result of going vegetarian although the spinach and paneer balti goes down well.

My two last visits have been disappointing at best.  Rushed service, errors with orders, tricking us into having complementary shots whilst we wait to pay due to the machines not working then being charged and dishes just not coming out up to scratch.  

It is all very well creating a great reputation for yourself but it makes it all the more obvious and disappointing when standards slip.

Not content with giving us a poor experience in the restaurant, it seems that the takeaway service is starting to fail too.  Alex and I try to have one takeaway a fortnight when money is tight and so Shakil's comes top of the list more often than not.  It started off good but these are our experiences of late:

• Ordering at 6:30pm, food arrives at 8:15pm with an apology and food that is stone cold.  It was their error, they admitted it yet no compensation was offered
• Ordering two curries and 2 nans, checking the amount that is to go off the card to find we have an extra curry and some rice which they refused to collect and refund.  We didn't want three currys.
• Nan Bread missing.  No apology or offer to rectify the situation
• Sauces missing for the popadom section of our meal.  Again they didn't care.  
• The online site is crap.  For example it is impossible to use their online discount since there are no options to switch paneer for meat.

Wake up call for Shakils.  Bicester is changing.  It is evolving and you need to keep up or go under, we have so much choice these days and loyalty only goes so far!

 Best save up and hit Cabbages and Condoms ... 

Mi sono affezionato Valentino's!!

Valentino's Heaton Moor - My favourite of all time!

 Valentino's is my favourite Italian restaurant ever.  It's often the tucked away eateries that come out best.  I grew up in Heaton Mersey and as a family we used to go out for a meal every Saturday night.  We had to ditch the Bernie Inn after Paul drank too much "helter skelter" and vommed all over a man's jacket! Before Valentino's we used to drive out and try different places all over the North West.  Italian food has always been a favourite with all of us Power's, Curtis-Power's, Sandy's and Sandy-Goodey's.  (There were only four of us in the beginning but it is best getting in all the names!)  Everyone knows how much I love Eros Ramazotti - well it is thanks to Valentino's and Chico for introducing me to him!

It was on walking up to the Moor Top (nickname for the Heaton Moor main drag of shops and pubs), we spotted a new Italian that had opened for business.  We had to investigate and were so impressed it became a weekly pilgrimage.  It opened in 1989 and is still thriving today.  There success, other than food and ambience, is mainly down to the fact that as they have thrived and grown over the years, they have not rammed any more seats in there and treat every customer so well regardless of the occasion.  Popularity has not made this family run business drop their standards in any way (Shakil's stop resting on your Loral's).  The menu is largely the same to this day. Not many independently owned establishments last 25 years.  It's longevity speaks for itself.

An intimate, Italian restaurant

It is fair to say that I have sampled everything off the menu in my time.  I like to focus on pasta's and calzone's these days as they are second to none.  The house wines are excellent and the staff are amazing.  It really is a little gem in a quiet suburban area but I have not found anywhere even close to this place.  I have fond memories there and always find time to go on a nostalgia trip every time I am in Manchester.  I keep willing local Italians to recreate this level of quality and I have been to loads of them in search - I am let down every time.  When I tell myself to disregard Valentino's, other establishments are pretty good.  Below are some of my favourite dishes that I have had most recently - if you go, be sure to have the Costellete di Maiate - ribs in the chefs special sauce too.  All of it is yum!

Funghi alla Valentino's - creamy winey garlicy mushrooms

                                                                                           

Gamberi Romana - Garlic Prawns

          

Spagetti Carbonara

Calzone Chef - stuffed, folded pizza with that special tomato garlic sauce

The best garlic bread ever!

The best onion bread I have ever had

And there endeth the review of my favourite ever restaurant.  If blogs had been invented in 1989, I'd have done it sooner lol!