Category Archives: Reviews

Restaurant Review: The Barge, Grimsby

29th March 2013

 

I’m sat on The Barge

Bored

Waiting for my food

 

I can’t drink because I’m on my

Scooter

And my head feels funny

Because I’m

Waiting for my food

 

It’s always worth the

Wait

Though because the food

At The Barge

Is the best in

Grimsby

 

So I’ll sit here

People watching and writing

Waiting for my food

 

Yes, while waiting I composed a poem about The Barge. I had little else to do except write and wait for my meal. I’ve eaten at this particular place a few times and never been disappointed.

The Barge is a popular place to eat and drink in Grimsby, especially for those who enjoy their music heavy (the most ‘pop’ music I’ve ever heard on their jukebox was Bon Jovi, and that’s only during the day. After 5pm it gets heavier and louder). Today it is particularly busy, their ‘2 jumbo fish, chips and peas for £14.99’ offer might have something to do with that. Despite its popularity The Barge is never packed during the day.

I ordered the ‘Barge Gourmet Burger’ for £7.95 and the special ‘Crème Egg Cheesecake with Vanilla Ice-cream’ for £2.00 (£2.95 if I hadn’t bought a main course as well), as well as a large Diet Pepsi (£1.95). The staff are friendly and polite, and although it took about 20 minutes for the food to arrive, they brought my cutlery and any sauce I requested immediately.

The burgers were just cooked, only just for my taste, but succulent and full-flavoured, the cheese generous, I could have done with a bit more bacon, although it was just right in terms of how well it was cooked. Any longer and it would have been too crispy. The onion rings, fresh, home-made onion rings, were perfect. They actually tasted of onion for a start; they were hot, but not scolding, crispy and golden. The chips were also home-made, chunky and golden. There didn’t appear to be a lot at first sight but the size of them made up for that. The salad and coleslaw was no mere accompaniment either but an integral part of the meal. The coleslaw was fresh, and also home-made, large slices of cabbage, onion and carrot well covered by mayonnaise. It was lovely.

My dinner: The Barge gourmet burger, with chips and salad
My dinner: The Barge gourmet burger, with chips and salad

I wasn’t sure I’d have room for a pudding after the main course but I thought I’d give it a try. And I was well rewarded. The base was thick and the cheesecake topping creamy. The ice-cream was excellent quality.

 

All in all, though it is a little expensive, if you happen to be in Grimsby for any reason and want a decent meal, ignore McDonalds and take a walk to the Freshney. You can’t miss The Barge, it’s a bloody great big barge concreted into the dock.

Bye for now

Rose

Review: The City’s Son: Book 1 of the Skyscraper Throne

Tom Pollock

Jo Fletcher Books (Quercus)

2012

I picked this up in the library about two weeks ago and it’s taken me a while to get through it. I think it’s meant to be a YA fantasy, but I had trouble deciding who the target audience were. The main characters were certainly adolescent, but it could as easily be read by adults.

Set in contemporary London the story follows the adventures of teenage graffiti artist Beth Bradley and her best friend and poet of the streets Pen (Parva Khan) as they get drawn into the war between the Urchin Prince, Filius Viae, and Reach, the Crane King.

Switching between the viewpoints of Beth and Filius the story tells of the midnight encounter with a railwraith by Beth and her involvement with Filius, as Pen is fighting her own battles. Betraying her only friend after one particular night of artistic revenge on a bullying teacher, Pen loses Beth to the hidden London. Beth’s father goes in search of her and Pen comes along to help. Unfortunately they are ambushed by Reach’s minion ‘The Wire Mistress’ who takes Pen as her avatar.

Meanwhile Beth and Filius are trying to build an army while waiting for his Mother, the Goddess of the Streets to return and help them; an army of statues, and lamp people, and one homeless Russian. Plus a person made of rubbish.

In fighting the war many battles are won and lost, lives lost and choices made. Sometimes you have to make a deal, and pay the price in the end. But the price of victory might not be worth paying. Beth has to decide as she becomes Filia Viae to Filius’s Filius Viae.

Although it took me a while to read this, I enjoyed it and will probably read the next one. The book feels allegorical; do we allow skyscrapers and things of glass and steel to destroy the life found in old city streets, is it progress or the killing of a place to change it? Renewal or ripping away of life? These are clearly pressing matters to think on and a balance or compromise has to be found, as Beth does. We have decisions to make, will we choose right, strike the right bargains and are we willing to pay the price for our choices?

Bye, for now

Rose

Just as soon as I get my laptop to a wifi connection…

Good afternoon,

Having a bit of a lazy day today since my back is bad again. But I have managed to get a bit of writing done. I went out yesterday afternoon to a place that does children’s parties. Not because I’m weird, mostly groups of children irritate me, no, it was my godson’s birthday party. And since the venue is in a tourist town I thought I’d review it, for anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in Cleethorpes on a wet day. I shall probably post my review on Saturday.

Other than that I’ve been for a walk, did some of my computer course work and finished reading ‘The Black Butterfly’ by Mark Gatiss. And eaten six Cadbury’s Creme Eggs – which is not something I recommend anyone doing. I feel quite unwell now 😦

Bye,

Rose

Review: The wisdom of the Shire: A short guide to a long and happy life

Noble Smith

Hodder & Stoughton

2012

As I said yesterday, I don’t read self-help books but I got sucked in by the Tolkien canon concept. There’s a reason for this; I get the feeling that the authors of such books are a bit smug. They might not be, but why would you write a book telling people how to live, or reach enlightenment, or how to pull, if you don’t believe that you know it all already and are kindly dispensing your wisdom to the world? So I’m a bit cynical; I don’t care how long you’ve been a Tolkien ‘enthusiast’, otherwise known as a fan, have you got something new to say, or are you just taking advantage of the fact that the ‘Hobbit’ films are popular at the minute?

As it turns out Mr Smith has nothing new to say on living a good life: sleep when you’re tired, only take what is sufficient to life, don’t be greedy or grasping, be a good neighbour and friend, treat the earth with respect and be a part of your community. None of this is new, but using the characters from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as his exemplars is. Much of the information asterisked as footnotes are obvious, irrelevant to the main text or things already known by those who are fans of Middle Earth.

All that being said, Mr Smith is passionate about the subject and that is obvious from his writing and the personal examples included affected me. His plan for a small ‘Hobbit garden’ is an interesting extra, he missed out Sam’s nasturtiums though :D. Most of all it has pushed me back to my copy of The Lord of The Rings, which sits accusingly on my bedside table, demanding to know when I am going to carry on reading it? The answer is, later, after I’ve made my pack up for work tomorrow.

I wouldn’t particularly recommend this book as weekend reading, but if you happen to see it in the library and like Middle Earth it would be a new approach to the works of Tolkien.

Bye,

Rose

I really should finish reading what I’ve started first, but still…

This morning I took my nephew to the library to get some more books and to take my book back. I had no intention of getting another book, since I still have two other books to finish reading, but then I saw this book, ‘The Wisdom of the Shire’ by Noble Smith.

I don’t generally go in for ‘self-help’ books but I have a thing for the works of JRR Tolkien and the book seemed to be a different take on the whole world of Middle Earth. So I’m going to read it. But first I’m going to follow Mr Smith’s advice and get some sleep because I’m tired.

I’ll let you know what I think of the book when I finish it. Have a nice afternoon, and I hope you’re all safely in your Hobbit-holes nice and warm in this cold weather.

Bye,

Rose

Review: A Place of Confinement by Miss Anna Dean

A Place of Confinement or, The examinations of Miss Dido Kent

By Miss Anna Dean

Allison and Busby
2012

The forth book in The Dido Kent Series finds Dido, the 36 year old spinster, sent off to be companion to her Aunt Manners, for the crime of refusing to marry a widowed rector and his pew and a half of children. Aunt Manners is very wealthy and her nieces and nephews are desperate for her good will.

Arriving at Mrs. Manners family home, Charcombe Manor, they find that another guest, the wealthy Miss Verney, has disappeared. Mr Tom Lomax, an acquaintance of Dido’s is considered the guilty party but swears he is not. For the sake of his father, Mr Lomax, a dear friend who would be more if he could persuade Dido to it, she undertakes to investigate the matter. When a man is murdered it becomes imperative that the truth is known, for more that Tom Lomax’s life is in the balance.

Everyone has their secrets and Miss Dido Kent will know them, in the pursuit of truth and justice, and to find the missing young lady. What emerges from the investigations of the active, intelligent and argumentative Miss Kent, will upset all around her, dig up a secret thirty years forgotten, bring a proposal and an engagement and a massive reconsideration of the characters of those Dido believes she knows well.

I do like the Dido Kent books. She is an engaging, intelligent character who has flaws and admits to them. She is aware of her lack of ‘femininity’ and her lack of freedom in her position as a dependant sister; she is ashamed of being a pawn in her sister-in-laws manoeuvres to gain a fortune but independent enough not to be bullied in to a loveless marriage by her.

Anna Dean is an amusing writer, her plots are well constructed and characters believable. Her understanding of human nature is exquisite, as is her understanding of the structure of a good regency novel and how to mess with it. I do like a good mystery, and a regency novel. So, of course I like this book. And I sympathise with Dido; no one likes being a poor, dependant middle-aged spinster, now or 200 years ago.

Bye for now,

Rose

Hotel Review: Premier Inn, City Centre, Nottingham

Goldsmith Street

Nottingham

NG1 5LT

 

Cost: £37 (inc. online booking fee)

Double room, 1 adult, no refund available if cancelled.

 

I stayed here in December and was quite impressed except that then I had booked a twin room and we got a family room instead – I ended up in a child’s bed while my companion got the double bed. So, as it’s ten minutes away from Rock City, essentially just around the corner from that venue, it seemed the obvious place to stay again.

The Staff

I arrived in the late afternoon and was greeted by cheerful reception staff members who efficiently dealt with my check in and directed me to my room after answering questions about the restaurant and bar without hesitation.

The servers in the restaurant, later that evening and in the morning, were personable, helpful and quick to assist. They were very solicitous of my comfort without being pushy.

The Hotel

It was clean, quiet, and good value for money, providing budget accommodation that didn’t feel ‘budget’. In a good location near Nottingham Trent University, the shopping and entertainment areas of Nottingham and on the tram route (there’s a stop almost outside the door) it’s a central point if you are visiting the city for business or pleasure. The use of key cards to use the lifts and to enter the hotel after 11pm made me feel secure. Check in is from 2.00pm and check out is 11.00am.

My Room

The room was clean and comfortable. Facilities included a compact bathroom, with four towels; freeview television; hairdryer; desk and chair; easy chair and small table; tea and coffee (plus rather slow boiling kettle), as well as a 30 minutes free WiFi. I didn’t make use of the WiFi but the instructions for connecting to it were very simple and explained on a card in the room. I could have done with clearer instructions on how to use the television though.

The bed was firm but comfortable; the bedding was of a good quality. There was adequate lighting and heating, although I found the room a little too warm during the night. If I hadn’t been so exhausted I’d have got up and changed the temperature – instructions for this were provided.

I slept well, disturbed only by the creaking above as people moved about of the top floor about midnight – I can’t have been the only one who went out for the evening. I wasn’t disturbed in the morning by traffic noise or other people getting up, their noise was muted.

The bath/shower were easy to use, and the water temperature fairly comfortable and easy to adjust. The towels provided were of a good size and quality.

Food

The restaurant is open 5.00pm – 10.00pm for evening meals and 6.30am – 10.30am for breakfast.

I had the Premier Breakfast which was excellent value (£8.25 all you can eat full English and continental breakfasts) and cooked just right, neither too hot nor cold, nor had any of it dried out (or become soggy) under the heater. It was very filling and kept me going until I got home mid-afternoon.

On Monday evening I had the chicken Caesar salad. A full, and substantial, chicken breast had been grilled then sliced up. The salad was fresh and crunchy, there was a touch to much dressing and cheese for my taste but I certainly enjoyed it.

I was seated quickly and waited only 20 minutes for my meal. The menu selection was comprehensive although it seemed to lack in basic meals – everything was a little too fussy and pricey.

Overall

A good value budget hotel, with decent rooms and friendly staff. Eat breakfast there, but tea (dinner, supper) elsewhere unless you really don’t fancy wandering around the city. Book rooms as far in advance as you can for the best prices. I booked three months in advance and chose the cheapest option but without the opportunity to get a refund if I cancelled.

It’s near the city centre and easy to get to from the train station – either by walking or tram. If you walk it takes 20 – 30 minutes, depending on how fit you are – a lot of the way is uphill.

I enjoyed my stay at this Premier Inn, and next time I’m in Nottingham I shall stay there again.

Rose