Talk to me about your favourite restaurant ever

[burntpinky]

Posting for traffic but just that: what is your favourite restaurant ever and why?

DH and I are well into our food (and it shows unfortunately!!) and now that we have a DC are going to do 1-2 weekends away per year, just us, to indulge in our favourite pastime (DC will be well cared for by nana whilst we are away - she was a foster carer for over 40 years until recently!)

Our current favourite is Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 which we've been to several times. Also been to Hand and Flowers, which was nice, but wouldn't rush back. I went to Chez Bruce (pre DH) YEARS ago which I enjoyed and The Square which was supposedly 2 M* but I didn't enjoy. Have also tried The Ritz (not great) and 15 by Jamie Oliver (set lunch menu which was fabulous).

Would love to try Black Swan at Oldstead and Le Manoir, but certainly Le Manoir will have to be an extra special occasion as it is so pricey.

So whilst we do love those sorts of restaurants, we also like less fancy too - Rojano's in Padstow being another favourite, Cornish Arms but we also have a local pasta restaurant - dishes are a tenner and the chef also provides the table service but it's so tasty and we love it (he's Italian).

Basically we just love food! (and reading menus and cookbooks is an obsession).

We love to travel just for a restaurant so please hit me with your favourites and why

Go to Bologna for a weekend - food was amazing everywhere!

Not at all a Michelin star or anything fancy, but my absolute favourite restaurant ever is the Agacan Turkish restaurant in Dundee, where I was a student.

I was a massively fussy eater as a child, and started growing out of it in my teens. By the time I was at uni I was pretty adventurous, but had never had Turkish food. I was told a group of us were being taken out there by a work manager, and I was anxious because I thought I may not like the food. BUT...
omg. I've never had anything like it. It's a tiny restaurant, maybe 7 or 8 tables, and every inch of the place is painted in bonkers decor - tables, chairs, walls, toilet cisterns, all painted with fish or trees or other bright and colourful random stuff. The owner was really friendly and welcoming, and the food was amazing. I went back many times over the years while I was a student there, and have never tasted anything that came close to it. I remember pitta soaked in oily buttery garlic yoghurt, and gorgeous tender meat and spicy veg....

OH I want to go to back now! It's so far away, or I'd be back every weekend.

@AnnaDine - yes we’ve been there for a week on holiday - amazing!!!

I would never be able to choose a best ever!

Restaurants I return to regularly in London are Daphne's in Chelsea; Mangal on kingsland Road and locanda locatelli. I always enjoy the o o tower but that's more for nostalgia than anything else.

I spend a lot of time in Dublin and really like chapter one although was disappointed by Patrick Guillband.

I've never been disappointed by pizza express

@ShinyMe thank you - I love Turkish food (and Persian also!). Will put that on the list!

St John’s Bread and Wine.
Never had a disappointing meal, it’s all amazing. Unless you’re a veggie and then you might struggle.
Manual 1 in Dalston Kingsland.
Song Que in Dalston Kingsland.
Ship on the Shore in Leith, Edinburgh.

*Mangal 1, even.

@PegasusReturns thank you! I went to OXO a few years ago with work and thought it as nice enough, good view! Thank you for the other recommendations. Agree re Pizza Express though we recently had dinner at the Buxton one and my dear DC (was only 6 months at the time) had a meltdown whilst trying to give him dinner so I’m sure I’m banned from them all 😂

@RubyWho thank you!

We went to Trishna, a Michelin started Indian in London. It was amazing. Had 7 courses with wine. Really special.

Oh also - Tayyab’s in Whitechapel.
Rani in Finchley Central, although it might actually only be takeaway. Outstanding Indian food, 100% vegetarian menu.

And some more (all I do is eat my way around London).
FM Mangal in Camberwell. Oh my god. So good. Possibly better than Mangal 1 in East London.

My favourite ever restaurant is (or was - I haven't been there for 20 years!) Chez Lindsay in Richmond. It's still there though - just googled it. Very French (Breton), beautiful food, lovely but unpretentious atmosphere. Le Manoir is amazing. I've been twice - dh proposed there!

L’enclume is amazing.

If you’re going all out Arzak in San Sebastián

Royal Hospital Road is just perfect. It’s old school, but in a good way. If I want a perfect meal guaranteed I go there. Have never had a bad experience and been lots!

That’s Ramsay at Hospital Road btw.

Crannog, Fort William. Great seafood. The women's loo has a spectacular view over the loch.

Peel's Restaurant at Hampton Manor near Solihull for Michelin starred food and the Cedar Tree in Dublin was amazing too.

My favourite restaurant is Le Manoir by far, we also love Fat Duck, Le Gavroche, Mere, Social No5.
We don’t eat out much as i’m a good cook and enjoy it - but we splash out when we do.

The Black Swan at Oldstead is lovely - great food but a real village pub atmosphere. Nice walks round there too if you fit one in before a Sunday lunch.

Hawksmoor....any of them

Really enjoyed Bentley's Oyster Bar and Grill in Swallow Street, if you enjoy fish.

I was very lucky to win a competition a few years ago. The prize was all related to the Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. I had a day at the cookery school (I met Raymond), dinner and a night in the hotel. It was bloody lovely! Would highly recommend it.

Gilpin in the Lake District. The food was unreal and the hotel was incredible. Well worth the journey.

Salt in Stratford upon Avon is great, we went when they had just opened (thanks to Jay Rayner) they now have a star. Lunch time tasting menu is a little cheaper. Combine with a play at the RSC for a wonderful weekend

Savoir Faire on New Oxford Street. Delicious French food.

All time favourite ever-Maison Novelli. It was amazing. Such skill.