Palimpsest

Well first and foremost, welcome back.

I know it’s been months since I last tasted a fry up and its been ages since I told you about it but, I have been “On Me Holidays”.

The Current Mrs ND and I took ourselves off to Spain for a month (i know but thats the beauty of a Fire fighters Pension) where we stuffed ourselves with Calamari and Tapa. If you have been following my other Blog.”Bill and Jaki go Traveling” you will already know that.

If you haven’t, then why not?

On our return I organised a meet with our old friends, Cary and Rachel. It was Cary’s Birthday on Sunday the 2nd June so I wanted to meet up with him and wish him, Happy Birthday. But also, Rachel hasn’t been well lately and we wanted to see how she was and cheer her up a bit, as only I know how!

I wanted a venue that wasn’t too far for them to drive and it had to be wheel chair accessible so Rachel could manage it. It also had to have a modern eclectic menu rather than just a Full English, so I started looking.

After a few false starts I settled on the Hideout at Tortworth.

Unit 4 Tortworth business park, Wotton-under-Edge, United Kingdom


Now those of you who follow religiously (I am considering applying to make this a recognised Faith Group) you will remember I visited this venue once before in October 2021 with the Fat Boys.

But these places can change so there was no guarantee it would be as good ( or as bad) as it was 3 years ago.

I checked on line and the menu looked good if a little similar.

So I emailed and booked a table.

When Jaki and I arrived we were a bit disappointed to learn they had no table reservation for us even though (KIm) they had confirmed.

But they soon found us a table and we ordered a Pot of Tea and a Flat White coffee whilst we waited for Cary and Rachel to arrive. I was a bit worried they wouldn’t be able to find it as its a bit off the beaten track but I underestimated them and they soon pulled up in the spacious car park.

I couldn’t get the lid off the Pot so I couldn’t stir my Tea.

The Menu did offer a few surprise options and I was tempted to deviate from the full English and try something unusual. But I have been away for a Month and I was craving a fry up, so I stuck with my original decision and went for the Hideout Breakfast at £14 with extra Toast.

Where is the Black Pudding Hiding?

Two rashers of well done Bacon, two meaty Cumberland Sausages, Two nicely fried Free Range eggs, some Tasty Saute Mushrooms, a portion of Saute Potatoes, a huge hunk of Sourdough Toast. Lightly Toasted which means it isn’t like chewing razor blades.

And finally, a Pot of Beans.

However, the menu says a ‘Tomato and Black Pudding’, though I cant remember eating Black Pudding and if that’s the case, that was a serious omission. I have scrutinised the photo, but I cannot see a `black Pudding hiding anywhere, can you?

However, there definitely wasn’t any Tomato!

They also put the toast and the pats of Butter on the same plate which made it cluttered and melted the Butter. They brought the extra Toast on a separate plate which made it easier.

The Birthday boy chose the Mini Breakfast £10 with a Tea and a Glass of Fresh Orange Juice.

There was a Bottle of Water on the table for those that wanted it.

Whilst the girls got really adventurous.

Jaki had the Moroccan Smashed Avocado £13 which was fine but there was just too much Mushroom which overpowered everything else and she left a pile of Mushrooms on the side of her plate.

Rachel chose the Bacon and Smashed Avo at £14 and that was just about right, though if I was really critical, The Bacon was a bit too well done for my taste. It looked like it had been cooked, then kept warm.

The venue is excellent. Nice comfortable seating . Big spacious tables, plenty of space in between the customers so you didn’t have to listen to other peoples conversations.

There is outdoor seating for those hardy souls who want to freeze to death and a partially covered areas that I assume allow for smoking?

I didn’t see any Dogs in the Cafe, but maybe I just got lucky.

Service was friendly and helpful and I got the impression our server was invested in the Cafe, which is always nice.

So, in summary this could have been a contender for the best breakfast in 2024.

But, losing our booking and missing items off the plate have cost them dearly.

This is a top end venue in terms of cost so my expectations were high and they didn’t quite reach it.

Maybe next time?

NB: I emailed the cafe and sent them a picture of my breakfast and asked for an explanation why items were missing.

Initially they responded and said “ some one on the table asked to have no black pudding and no Tomato and they gave me that breakfast by mistake”.

However, I pointed out I was the only one on our table who ordered a full breakfast. Then they said it was their mistake and I should have raised it at the time.

If I go again they say to let them know and they will compensate.

But here’s the thing.

They are suggesting it’s up to the customer to check all items are on the plate not the chef or staff,

Very poor.

Cafe Arabica. 16th June 2018

This is my second visit to Cafe Arabica inside a week, which is a recommendation in its own right.

Though today I was in more need of comfort than usual.

I decided to visit the Wet Fish Shop in North View and treated myself to two pieces of Monk Fish. I should have read the labels a bit more carefully. The price was listed per 100grams so £2.20 equated to £22 a kilo and the two skinny bits of fish i had ordered came to £16.

False pride stopped me owning up to my mistake and walking away.

My sister added insult to injury later when she advised me the same fish was less than a fiver at Costco!

In Spain a lot of the Fish comes from the water’s off the coast of the UK but its fresh and cheap, so  I was surprised at the prices. Yet the queue was out the door and people were buying the fish as fast as the two guys could fillet it.

We were meeting my sister for the first time since we got back from Spain and she initially suggested we meet at Grounded in Henleaze, (next to the old Orpheus Cinema where I first saw Peter Fonda in Easy Rider and watched Gone with the wind during the winter of discontent wearing an ex army great coat) but for some reason, I misread the text and we found ourselves sat in Grounded at 1130 hrs when in fact we had agreed one o clock.

So my partner and I had a coffee and left.

We were happy to leave as it smelt a bit unpleasant, I can’t put my finger on what it was but it was just unpleasant, like dirty nappies?

We walked along the Down’s cutting across to Coldharbour Rd and then back to North View, admiring the houses and gardens tucked away in the quiet little streets in this affluent part of the city.

When we got back, we spotted Cafe Arabica and once we read the menu I text my sister and suggested we meet there instead.

There were two little table’s outside but the weather then (as today) wasn’t quite warm enough for us though the smokers were happy to sit out.

Inside the place is a bit small but it’s very popular so there is plenty of demand for seating.

The few tables are fairly close together and it can become a bit ‘cosy’ but there is a back room overlooking the small garden and a few high stools in the window.

The menu is quite interesting and there were some unusual choices available. There’s also a blackboard with a selection of options all at the same price.

I went for the Mezze which was a bit disappointing as it didn’t have the meat I was expecting though there was a good selection of other ingredients (Olives, Sun Dried Tomatoes and a warm, rather sweet bun). it was very tasty and as a light alternative to a ‘Full English’ it was a good choice.

My sister chose the grilled goats cheese with bacon, salad and coleslaw which looked great and today it was my choice.

The grilled cheese was gorgeous, salty and with the bacon it was a match made in heaven, but the salad (lettuce, cucumber, tomato) just seemed completely unnecessary.

It would though have been amazing with a small pat of Bubble and Squeak?

There were some small slices of crisp bread but these were a poor substitute for a good slice of Granary Toast.

My partner went for Poached Eggs on a Bagel with Avocado which she announce as delicious. (My sister chose this option today).

 

There are lot’s of coffee option’s all served piping hot in good sized cups/mugs and Tea is available in a Pot if required.

Service is polite and friendly and the guys told me they had been there for about 5 years, so not the unknown Gem I though we’d discovered.

Parking can be a problems but we found spaces in North View on both occasions, so its just about luck.

This is a nice, civilised Cafe where they offer some different choices. It wont be the first choice for builders or anyone wanting a calorie packed meal but it will always have a fan base.

Me being one.

The Kitchen. Sunday 4th Feb 2018

The Station Kitchen

Silver Street

Bristol BS12AG

It rained all day Saturday, so Jaki and I didn’t go outside the door.

Even if we’d wanted to we were restricted by a lack of transport.

Georgia had taken her car and my Land Rover was still at the Garage. Id taken it in for a pre Spain service and then realised it needed an MOT, so I asked the guy’s to do that too.

Sadly, it failed and it needed a light bulb and a new tyre. As an advisory they said it needed new disks and Pads on the front and as I was driving down to Spain they suggested I should get it done. So I agreed.

When they had the front brakes dismantled they noticed that one of the front wheel bearings was leaking Grease so they phoned me and advised I have a new wheel bearing fitted.
However, they then found they couldn’t get the wheel bearing off so they now have to fit a whole new front end. Currently the bill is standing at about £1000. Not bad for an Oil change!

Luckily there was Rugby on the TV all afternoon so we settled down and made the most of a lazy day.

After Rugby came Saturday Night TV, some of the worst dross of the week is wrapped up as family entertainment.

By 8 pm I was going insane and vowed that we would go out Sunday morning ‘no matter what the weather’.

So Sunday morning we got up early, got ourselves ready and headed for the bus stop across the road. The number 46 stops right outside the house so we were at the bus stop ready for the 1107. It was then that Jaki remembered her glasses and had to run (well, sort of lumber given she now has a bad hip) back to the house and make it back before the Bus arrived.

It was then that I regretted not getting a senior citizens bus pass as the return fare was £6+ each. False pride eh?

The Journey is about 40 minutes and winds its way around Frampton and Winterbourne before heading down through Frenchay past all the new executive houses that are being built where we once had a Hospital.

The Bus filled up at each stop and I was surprised at how many Polish guy’s got on the bus.

We got off at Cabot circus, just one stop before the Bus Station and wandered along the Horsefair, with the Bear Pit on our right. There has been some attempt at improving the environment there but it doesn’t seem to have worked and I read a Tweet that one of the vendors who sells Coffee from a stall ,was punched in the face earlier this week. Apparently for no reason.

In front of us was the Old Bridewell Fire Station, an Iconic building that has some strong memories for me.

I never served there. It had been long closed down when I first joined Avon Fire Brigade in 1979 but I knew people who had served there and there was a badge of Honour for anyone who had a tale to tell about Bridewell.

Jaki’s Dad was a Copper and he served there when it was still a Police station, so she has a family link too.

How easily we accept that these institutions, so vital, so solid, can be closed down and dismantled, not to be replaced. Frenchay Hospital, gone, Bridewell Fire Station, even Southmead nick is now closed.

I remember as a kid, my Grandad who lived on Montague Hill, behind what is now the BRI car park used to walk me down to the Fire station (if I’d been a good boy) and lift me up so I could look through the grimy engine house windows to see the Fire Engines.

Outside there was a metal  Bollard that gave off warm air (I believe they are called venting bollards and they let hot air escape from underground electricity sub stations).

My Grandad used to tell me ‘God’ put them there so poor people (like us) could warm our hands.

To my Surprise the old Fire Station is now (at least in part) a YMCA and they run a ‘Social Enterprise Training Cafe’ there.

The board outside said. “The best breakfast in Broadmead”.

I was in need of some pain relief and the tablets are always better taken after food so we decided to go in and try it out.

As we went through the door, a guy in a Pork Pie Hat handed us a leaflet. I must have looked a bit odd so he asked. “Are you here for Church”?

I thought he was taking the mick so I said. “No, just a Fat Boys”.

He snatched the leaflet back and said.” In that case you’ll want the Cafe, its that way” and pointed over his shoulder.

Summarily discharged we sought out the Cafe and found ourselves in what was the old engine house with it’s red quarry tiled floor. That brought back memories of Saturday Morning Scrub Outs when we would move all the trucks out onto the forecourt and wash, sponge and buff the tiles till they shone. Generations of Fire fighters would have done the same here at Bridewell.

There were large scrubbed pine tables dotted about and a large counter where orders were taken. The Breakfast menu was on the wall behind.

I was disappointed with the Breakfast Menu. It was a bit sparse and didn’t have a huge range. It seemed to be heavily weighted toward Vegetarian options, which is fine but I wasn’t looking for a healthy option, I was in need of comfort food.

They did offer a Full Breakfast at £5.95 but I must have missed that on the board and the only thing I could see that had any meat was the Bacon Butty on Sour Dough which as you know, isn’t my favourite bread. I’d have liked to see a choice, perhaps some locally made Granary?

Jaki went for Poached eggs on Toast (again Sour Dough) at £3.95 though the eggs were a bit too well done and although there were two eggs there was only one slice of toast. There was though a pile of Rocket, though why anyone would want to have lettuce with their breakfast baffles me.

I chose Tea which came in a Pot with the offer of unlimited top up’s of boiling water and it was plenty strong enough. Jaki seemed to enjoy her choice of coffee.

We helped ourselves to cutlery (which had seen better days) salt and Pepper (pot’s could do with a wipe over) and any other condiments, napkins and stirring implements we needed.

We could now hear the music from next door and it sounded like the church service was a lively affair.

There were no papers available though there was Wifi though I don’t know how good it is as we didn’t use it.

Our food arrived and it was a bit disappointing.

The bacon sandwich looked a bit lonely on its plate with just a pile of Rocket for company. When I opened it up there was a good portion of bacon (supplied by Buxton’s  the best butchers in Bristol) but it had been well and truly over cooked to the point of being burnt. Given the crispness of the sourdough toast, the whole thing was a bit too crunchy for me.

So on balance, this  wasn’t in my opinion, the Best Breakfast In Broadmead, It wasn’t even close.

I could hear the ghostly snickering of long dead mess managers who served up a Full English with ‘Cheesers’ (cheese on thick slices of white bread toast) and a plate of chips the size of a small country, in between fighting fires and cleaning the station.

Having said that, if its serving a community purpose, I’m happy to support, but its about adopting an identity.

If this is a Vegetarian Cafe then Im happy to have a veggie breakfast, but if they are offering meat options, they need to be good, tasty and filling.

Our breakfast on this occasion, didn’t quite hit the mark.

So Jaki and I set off on a wander round Bristol and found some interesting and often overlooked parts of the City like the Edward Everard Building

that Ive never noticed before and the Palestinian Museum with its ornate glass front.

 

We walked past St Nicks Market and the ‘Nails’ where bills were paid.

“Paying on the nail.”

Then across the centre and down the quay side in search of a Glass of Prosecco (which we eventually found in Pitcher and Piano) passing some great eating spots, some new to me like The Strawberry thief, a Belgian Restaurant plus old favourites like San Carlo’s where back in the day, I had many a happy meal.

We all go wandering about in foreign Cities but often forget to investigate the little Gem’s we have right under our noses and Bristol is stacked with them

. From Christmas Steps & Zed Alley to There and Back Again Lane.

The bank Very popular lunchtimes.

Look up as well as down

Where does this go?

San Carlos. One of the best Italians in Bristol

Ornate doorways

Hidden graveyards

Little alleyways and hidden graveyards are all waiting to be found.

Hidden away too are fantastic little Bars and Cafe’s just waiting to be discovered, by foot, Bike or Ferry Boat.

Give it a try and see what you discover.

 

 

 

Siam Harbourside .12th July 2017

Siam Harbourside

129 Hotwell Rd,

BS84RU

0117-3306476

www.siam-harbourside.co.uk/

I was at a friends house for a BBQ on Sunday and one of the guests asked me if I’d heard of a comedian called Fin Taylor (which I hadn’t) he said was very funny.

Now Ive not got much in the way of a sense of Humour.

I laughed once when I saw a bloke walk into a plate glass window whilst eating a bag of chips.

I laughed when I saw a guy fall down an open cellar door in Henleaze and I laughed at my Dad , well for just being my Dad. But I don’t get Jokes.

I mean, I get it’s a joke. I get the punch line, I just don’t laugh. They aren’t particularly funny.

I often try to laugh, primarily to make the teller feel good but it’s always a bit false. I become anxious long before the punch line and panic cause I know I wont find it funny but I will be expected to laugh.

I get a bit stressed when some one says. “Have you heard this one”.

I’m even worse when the joke involves Racism or Sexism as I don’t really want to hear this stuff but don’t want to fall out with everyone that thinks its OK.

I know its cowardly but Im tired.

I pick my battles these day’s and cant spend all my retirement fighting against bigotry.

However, that’s for another day.

I was scrolling through my Twitter feed and came across a Tweet from B24/7 (one of the best ‘Whats happening in Bristol’ magazines available) and I saw, to my surprised that Fin was doing a gig at the Grain Barge in Bristol on Wednesday evening.

This seemed so ‘Spooky’ that it had to be a sign we should go.

So I asked Head Office ( who not only doesn’t do jokes but hates all comedy, especially Carry on Film’s) if she fancied a night out, to which she replied in the affirmative.

I might have failed to mention we were going to watch a ‘stand up’ at the time.

The last time we went to watch stand up was Bernard Manning, about 30 years ago at a working men’s club in St Phillips.

Which is how we ended up strolling along Bristol Harbourside yesterday evening.

 

 

We called into the Grain Barge at about 1915 to see what was happening and although it was reasonably busy there didn’t seem to be any sign of a comic or even a stage.

I asked at the bar (which was a bout 4 deep with people ordering drinks) and was told the show was down below and started at 2000hrs.

We considered eating on the Barge but when we looked at the prices (£13 for a Burger) we decided to find some where else.

Only a short walk away is the Siam Harbourside Thai restaurant and as we passed the back door we could see it was reasonably busy.

We haven’t eaten any Thai food since we got back from Asia last December so we stopped and looked at the menu. The waft of Thai food drifted out to us like a used car salesman and before we knew what was happening, we were inside asking for a table.

The venue is a bit quirky. The big windows on Hotwell Rd let in some amazing light especially early evening and this time of year there is a great Buzz around the docks which kind of feels like being on holiday.

The décor is a bit predictable with lots of carved wood (elephants being the preferred subject) even the chairs, which are stiff and a bit too upright, have intricately carved backs.

We were seated at a table for two and given a menu, which I really didn’t need as ‘Green Thai Curry’ (Gaeng Kiew Wan. £8.95 ) is my default option. I ate bucket’s of the stuff in Thailand and Ive even been known to make a good home made option with ingredients sourced from the Chinese Supermarket at Eastgate just behind Ikea.

A hot plate was placed in the middle of the table (haven’t seen one of them for years) and a small basket of Prawn Crackers (one white which didn’t taste of fish and one brown which did).

Jaki was a bit more flexible and eventually chose Stir fried Chicken with Thai Basil, Garlic an Mushrooms ( Gai Phad Prig Gaprao. £8.95).

Both were delicious though my Green Thai Curry wasn’t quite what I expected (and why it was served in a Fish shaped dish)?

It didn’t have any Pea Aubergines those little marble sized babies with a slightly bitter taste or any leaves of Thai Basil (fresh leaves are extremely hard to source locally though you can find dry ones). In fact, there wasn’t a lot of veg in my soup in contrast to the dishes I had in Thailand which had lot’s of veg and only a small amount of Chicken.

Jaki’s stir fired Chicken was spicy and fragrant and the individual portions of sticky rice served in small Blue pots were the perfect accompaniment. (£2 each).

We ordered drinks, Fizzy Water for Jaki, Soda and Lime for me (£1.95 each) though the bottles were tiny and I would have asked for tap water had I known.

There didn’t seem to be any accompaniments, no sauces of chillies but perhaps you have to ask for these?

The service was fine though we did wonder why ‘dangerously hot plates’ were placed on the table long before the food arrived which meant the plates were cold by the time they were needed?

We really enjoyed the meal and vowed to return again soon.

Which only left the Stand up Comedy.

Well, Fin was ( sorry mate) mildly amusing of you don’t mind lots of swearing and anecdotes that revolved around his sex life but the second act used a lot of Mime, which is fine , if you can see it, which we couldn’t.

So it was a bit like listening to the radio with the sound turned off!

Maybe well have to dig out some old Bernard Manning videos and see how real sexism and Racism is done by a master.

Or, well just concede defeat and admit we just don’t do Humour!

Javea.1st June 2014

We’ve been here a few days now but will have to leave to start the journey north on about the 4th June to ensure we get to Roscoff for the a ferry crossing on the morning of the 15th.

The site were on, Camping Javea is a pretty nice site with good facilities and some of the cleanest shower and toilet blocks we’ve come across.

However, since we’ve been here we’ve been plagued by noise.

There is the ever present Barking of Dogs which includes the German Shepherds on the farm next door. The last two nights they appear to have been let out during the night. Presumably if there are foxes or something threatening the chickens, the old Farmer opens the door and sends the dogs out to frighten them off. This involves a lot of barking.

Then we have the little city of shanty town.

In the middle of the site there is a block of pitches dedicated to long stay campers. The premise seems to be, you buy a caravan, put it on site, get a selection of sheds, garages or out buildings and put them on your plot. Cover the whole thing with canvass to keep out the sun, erect a fence to keep out other campers and then grow something up and over the whole lot for camouflage. In amongst this live a pack of mysterious dogs who are never seen but can be heard Yapping to accompanying soothing noises from besotted owners.

The impact of this is to create an area not dissimilar to Soweto.

Why anyone would want to come to Spain and spend all their time in one of these places is beyond me but they do and it’s not just a Spanish thing, Some are owned by Brits.

Then we have the builders.

They are supposed to be relaying the Tarmac on all the drives. So far this has involved a little bloke with a squeaky voice driving around the site in a JCB ( at this point farm dogs have just started up, it must be 0807) .

He seems to have child care issues as he always leaves at 1500 so all meaningful work stops at that point.

Then there’s the Roller and Tamping machines. This one guy drags these to strategic points on the site and gives a particular hill or divot a good seeing to. This usually takes place at the crack of Dawn. He wears no ear protection, no safety glasses and flip flops. This is I believe the sort of working environment we want to create in the UK, free from the Red tape of H&S which clearly holds business back and does nothing for productivity.

These boys know a thing or two about productivity!

The working arrangements of these builders is to be admired. Not only are they free from any safety requirements, they also drink beer instead of Tea.

We took breakfast in the site restaurant Friday morning and there were 3 builders with picks and shovels trying to remove 4 huge concrete post set in the ground to stop vehicles entering a roadway.

We watched their labours for and hour but when they were unsuccessful in removing a single bollard they had a brainwave. Enter Squeaky and the JCB which ripped theses bad boys out of the ground in seconds.

Although this didn’t take long they had to have a 20 minute discussion before and after and all this time the JCB Diesel engine was left running.

Sadly all of this took place within two metres of the breakfast terrace where we were trying to tackle our first fat boys breakfast in months.

Then the builders all sat down and had a few beer before continuing with their work, which now involved digging a trench, laying some pipe work and back filling with concrete made in a mixer which they positioned right next to the sun terrace of the swimming pool.

Luckily Jaki and I had by now chosen a sun bed as close to the work as possible so we could keep an eye on progress, check the noise levels were maintained and inhale the dust which set quite quickly when mixed with pool water.

The lads did switch off the mixer whilst they had lunch, which appeared to involve a few more Beers then set to it again afterward only stopping for another Beer at about 1800 just before they drove home. Though technically no work took place after squeaky left at 3pm, they still ran the mixer till five with a few bricks in the barrel to get it nice and clean.

There has been no whiff of Tarmac and it’s now Bank Holiday week end so I suspect they won’t start again until Monday or Tuesday when the tamping down will have to restart as camper-vans have been driving over it for a week.

Judging by the way they work I would expect the Tarmac to be down, done and dusted by end of September ready for the winter.

One final rant.

Last night we used the Restaurant on site, Pizza for me, Pasta for Jaki ( not a great selection but it’s cheap and we had been cooped up in the van all day due to the weather which was damp and overcast). There were three other couples, all British, eating in the restaurant. Why then did the waiter switch on a flat screen TV showing a Spanish Quiz show (they have some awful quiz shows here, probably as bad if not worse than at home) when no one spoke Spanish?

Which part of their Business plan includes: Attract more customers by installing a 50 inch flat screen TV on which we can show Spanish Quiz Shows to English tourists. Cost with labour, licences, electricity etc €2000.

If your gonna put a Telly on, why not show English content.

Though in reality most people on this site are of a certain age, have satellite TV in their vans and wouldn’t go out and spend an extra €20 just for the benefit of watching TV in a Foreign Tongue.

Spend the money on better food or a promotional campaign to attract more customers!

That’s better.