David Jenkins' weblog

Life’s too short to drink instant coffee

Category: restaurants

  • Brownlow Arms, Hough-on-the-Hill; 20 Feb 11

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    Not a lot of people know very much about Lincolnshire. It’s flat, it’s got a bit of a war-time history as a base for many bombing raids and it’s got a number of sea-side resorts which are known more for the sea breezes than the sunshine. It borders on Cambridgeshire to the north and I…

  • Swynford Hotel; 26 Dec 10

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    I remember someone once telling me that he’d inherited two characteristics from his father, viz premature balding  and being a supporter of Manchester City, and that there was nothing he could do to change them. This was some years ago when being such a supporter would be regarded as eccentric but with billions now behind the club…

  • Yo! Sushi, Cambridge; 12 Dec 10

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    I don’t often go out on a Sunday evening. It’s generally my time to finally relax at the end of the weekend before another manic week. But last Sunday was our last opportunity to see ‘the girl who kicked the hornet’s nest’ at the Arts Picturehouse in Cambridge with the only show being at 2100. So…

  • History Cafe, Brunton Boatyard, Kochi; 24 Nov 10

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    We go on package holidays. Twenty years ago I’d have been horrified at the thought but for about 10 years now we’ve taken our holidays in the company of others who we’ve not known before hand and, in general, will probably never see again. We’ve used just 2 companies: Travel Editions, (www.traveleditions.co.uk) with which we’ve had…

  • Fitzbillies, Cambridge; 23 Oct 10

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    Way back in the mists of time I went to geology lectures on the Downing site. I seem to recall an early lecture followed later on by practical with a free hour in between. One of my mates at the time was, I think, Andrew Jackson. He was at Pembroke College which is conveniently close to…

  • Gusto, Cookridge, Leeds; 17 Oct 10

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    I’m not a late riser but even for me 0600 on a Sunday was a bit early. However I bribed myself with the promise of a decent breakfast and the wife and I set off for Bradford at 0630.

  • Patisserie Valerie, Cambridge; 9 Oct 10

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     I am a person of habit. I’ve had my Myers Briggs profile done (twice) and I come out INTJ. The I is for introvert and I’m only just on the I side of this dimension. For the other 3 however I’m right against the buffers and they’re all about my analytical focus, hard objectivity and love…

  • Overnight in Tamworth; 23 Aug 10

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    Tamworth isn’t an obvious leisure destination. I first remembered it as a town on the A5 which I used to drive along half a dozen times a year to and from University. But those days are long gone and now there’s the M6 so many people wouldn’t know where Tamworth is these days.

  • Restaurant 22; 18 Aug 10

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    There’s no way that Restaurant 22 (click here for its web-site) can be successful. It’s too small, only about 25 covers although there is another dining room upstairs; it’s in the wrong place, not exactly city centre; it has no parking; it’s got no special theme (or in marketing speak USP); and to cap it…

  • Bridgnorth; 7-9 Jul 10

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    I’m tempted to describe Bridgnorth as a poor man’s Ludlow but that would be wrong and no doubt bring down the wrath of many. Like Ludlow it’s a Shropshire market town and both have town centres which date back centuries. However whereas Ludlow enjoys its gourmet epithet Bridgnorth owes more to the Black Country and Thomas Telford.