Jamies's 15, Watergate Bay, Newquay, Cornwall

I must admit to having a soft spot for Jamie Oliver ever since he started his first 15. He took kids that were unemployed and offered them the opportunity to train in the catering industry. One of the lads in his first 15 had been taught (in the loosest sense) by me, and it came as no surprise that he was the first person to be kicked off the scheme, due to his inability to take constructive criticism.
Anyways, Jamie now runs an annual programme with these kids, and it was great to see them first-hand at Jamie's 15 restaurant in Watergate Bay, Newquay Cornwall. They work in the open kitchens alongside the professionals, so no space there for hissy fits and toddler tantrums!

The decor is bright and funky, with an entire glass wall overlooking a really bucket and spade beach. All the chairs face the view, which is a good idea.Anybody that has eaten at one of the chain of Jamie's Italian restaurants would recognise some of the menu ingredients, such as the amazing olives. but the food was a level up - as were the prices. We had some sharing platters to start that were mostley good - although I didn't like the beetroot in pancake - followed by fish and meat that were excellent.

Service is friendly and informal, and the place is child friendly, although why waste these prices on children too young to appreciate what the price hike is all about? No dogs. Allow extra time for parking - the car park fills up and the overspill is a ten minute walk away.

Visited - August 2014

ORIENT EXPRESS

Date of visit – November 2008

Do you watch Hercules Poirot? I ask because I’m writing about the Orient Express, without the murder. It’s rather like watching moving wallpaper, but I obviously prefer that to static emulsion as I have sat through hours and hours of episodes. The inimitable (thankfully) Mr Suchet catching the criminal with his ‘little grey cells’ and nothing else. The same half dozen hackneyed French phrases get pulled out for every episode, never more, never less.

Despite all that, I wanted to go on the Orient Express. Everyone I know that had been said how wonderful it was, but they should have used the word ‘opulent’, because that is how it felt, from the moment I stepped foot in my tiny sleeping compartment until I stepped off in Venice railway station.

The food was at the luxury end, with lobster, turbot, steak and truffle oil included on the short menu

  

Breakfast was even more fun. I woke at around 8 am to the waiter bringing breakfast to the compartments. I was warm and snug under my thick white duvet. Paul opened the blind to snow on the ground and on the Alps outside. The contrast was exquisite. Coffee and croissants served in solid silver jugs – heavenly.

Don’t say you can’t afford it. Start saving now! Put together ten pounds and open a savings account.

Today!

THE HIND'S HEAD, BRAY

Dates of visits – Several from 2008 - 2011

No doubt you have heard about the Fat Duck at Bray. Well, this is not a review but  a case study in trying to book a restaurant when all the critics are saying it is the best restaurant in the country – it later went on to win that accolade. Well, we used to moor our boat at Bray, so passed the Fat Duck very often, and decided we should try it, although neither of us fancied the snail porridge

I found the number and rang many times before I could get through, as it was permanently engaged. When I did finally get through, it was to an answer phone informing me that they were fully booked for the next three months, and to call back at a future date that they quoted.

Ha ha, thought I, I’ll call in, which I duly did one day when we were passing. It was late afternoon, all the lunchers had left, and the staff were having a break before the evening onslaught. I asked if I could make a booking, but of course not. I had to phone. I checked whether I had the correct number, and was told that it was. Really? Are Giles Coren and AA Gill going through all this nonsense? I don’t think so.

I was telling a friend of ours about the trouble I was having, and he triumphantly pulled out his phone. “ I bank with Couttes,” he informed me smugly. “They have a concierge service. They’ll get us a reservation.” Sure enough, a day or two later he phoned with a date. Damn and blast! We were on holiday. Sorry, Dave, if that cost you anything!

By now the Fat Duck had won the Best In Britain Award, so booking was even more impossible, and I gave up, consoling myself with eating at the Hinds Head in Bray, which is also owned by Heston.

And then he had the great food poisoning drama, and the restaurant had to close. And when it re-opened the moment had passed and I had moved on. I might never get the opportunity to refuse his snail porridge!

You get the same quality – and his triple cooked chips – at a fraction of the price in the Hind’s Head. The pub is right in the middle of Bray – about two hundred metres from the Fat Duck, and wonderfully old-fashioned, but everything is shining and spotless. The staff are excellent, and sometimes you get to eat something that Heston is trialling for the Fat Duck. You’ll need to book for the formal restaurant and at weekends the bar can also be full – not surprisingly.

It is also very dog-friendly, which is a great plus in its favour. Tables are big and old-fashioned, so not somewhere to take buggies.

Langland Bay Brasserie

Langland Bay on the Gower has always been popular with visitors, mainly due to the rows of beach huts sitting above the semi-circular beach in their uniform pine green. The only entertainment was provided by tennis courts, and the only refreshments were of the usual 'beach caff' variety. To have a drink and a nice meal you would have to drive further down the coast.
 Imagine, then, my delight at turning up at the beach this year to find a large brasserie with decking overlooking the beach, and a menu that is perfect for the sunny summer we have been enjoying. Over three days I visited several times - why wouldn't you? - and tried a variety of dishes. There is a tasty sharing platter of mixed Italian meats, cheeses and olives; chicken; fresh fish; crab and fishcakes. All come with chips and/ or salads. The chips were out of the freezer, but let's not be picky. Desserts were fine, and coffee good. There was an extensive children's menu.
The restaurant looks as though it would also be nice to sit inside on colder days, as they have a wood burning stove. They provide blankets for later in the evening, which is a nice touch. Service was friendly and professional - no complaints.
If you have time to waste an afternoon sitting and eating overlooking the sea, I can think of no nicer spot.

Abingdon

Abingdon is a quaint market town on the banks of the Thames, south of Oxford. Despite the narrow pavements, and the ring road, there are quiet streets to walk down, as well as a pedestrian precinct in the centre of town. Take a stroll around the town, and enjoy the architecture of the many historical buildings, such as St Helen's Church, the old Abbey ruins, and the Old Goal. The Museum is right in the centre, within the Old Town Hall, completed in 1682.

The precinct contains the usual High Street brands, so wander down the side roads to enjoy some unique and individual shops. You won't find 'The Clothes Horse', mentioned in my novel, 'Undercurrents', but you will find some other shops in which to mooch. When you'v had enough of shopping, head for the Thames and stroll along the towpath - an antidote to all that traffic!

Mumbles

Mumbles is a picturesque seaside village on the Gower peninsular, five miles south of Swansea City. Mumbles offers the best of both worlds - a good number of bars, cafes, shops and restaurants along the sea front and up Newton Road, as well as clifftop and walks and beaches that make Mumbles so popular with families.

For those wanting to book cottages, you will not find 'Mumbles Seaside Cottages' as mentioned in the novel 'Strong Undercurrents'. Instead, I recommend the very popular Mumbles-based company, homefromhome.com. Their range of fishermen's cottages, houses and flats provide something for all tastes, not only in Mumbles, but throughout the Gower. Book early to avoid disappointment!

The Crown, Old Amersham, Bucks

The Crown has had a recent make-over, and looks very stylish. You probably saw it near the start of Hugh Grant's 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' looking very chintzy. That has all been replaced by cool shades and slate floors. The rooms are as you would expect from a former coaching inn, and some surround the courtyard.
The beer is good, and there is a large selection of wines. The food is fine dining in the restaurant, or pub snacks in the bar - and of course there is the obligatory log fire.
A very nice touch in the loo is a talking book that was reciting 'Elegy in a Country Churchyard' - very romantic, once you have got over the surprise of hearing a man's voice as you enter the room! Enjoy!