Hall Farm in Essex

My brother took me here for breakfast and I am glad he did. It was a sunny day so we sat outside with the views across the fields – very pleasant! It was great for my young nephew, as it is enclosed my fences, so he could run around and play. We had a late breakfast consisting of 2 egg, 2 bacon, 2 sausages, flat mushroom and grilled tomato, and it was delicious – all fresh and quality ingredients. I took a peek at some of the lunches other diners had, and they looked really good, so if I am in the area again, I will certainly drop in for a meal.

In the front area, they have pigs and guinea pigs so nice for children, and a shop with farm foodstuffs and gifts. A very pleasant stop.

Restaurant name

Hall Farm Cafe

Date of visit

September 2009 (29/09/09)

Website address

http://hallfarmshop.co.uk

Restaurant telephone

01206 322572

Restaurant address

Church Rd, Stratford St. Mary, Colchester, CO7 6LS

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

inexpensive (under £20)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

9/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

8/10

Service Quality rating?

8/10

Food Quality rating

8/10

Soya leigh salmon main course

This boasts oriental fusion food in contemporary surroundings, and it does deliver just that. We have only been the once so far, but really enjoyed it and will be back. They also say that they use fresh ingredients and use less MSG (Monosodium Glutamates), which is good, although we always ask for no MSG when we have Chinese or Thai food.

The service was great – friendly and efficient – but then we were the only people in there at that time, as it hadn’t been open that long and it was mid week.

We had salmon Teriyaki, and it was gorgeous – fresh and a huge portion of quality fish.  The scallops were cooked with ginger and spring onion and were a hearty portion and delicious and the vegetables and noodles were fresh and good quality.

We will definitely return!

Restaurant name

Soya Restaurant

Date of visit

July 2009

Website address

www.soyarestaurant.co.uk

Restaurant telephone

01702 411766

Restaurant address

1613, London Rd, Leigh-On-Sea, Essex SS9 2SQ

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

moderate (£20-£30)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

8/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

8/10

Service Quality rating?

8/10

Food Quality rating

8/10

The Boatyard as a venue is smart, yet the food and service are pretty bad and overpriced. It was good a few years ago, but seemed to go downhill every visit we made.

We have been a few times for special nights out, as it was in fact the place for my first date with my partner. I love the interior, which is modern and comfortable enough, with a piano player and a bar shaped as a boat as a central piece. It is laid out on two floors (mezzanine) so you do get the feel of being in a decent place, but all too often we have found the waiters/waitresses to be rude, unprofessional and they seem like they have not had any training in the industry. This does not count for them all, but it does spoil the evening a little.

The menu is pretty basic, and I often go for a fillet steak, which is a bit of a boring choice, but it is one of the things that they cannot ruin too much. At £22, without vegetables, it should be alright though!

We don’t mind paying for good food, but the food isn’t worth the prices, plus you have to pay extra for side orders with the mains. I have been for lunch and it was pretty good, but they wouldn’t serve it outside on the sea view terrace which is a shame as it is a nice spot out there and it would not have been much further for them to walk.

They will park your car for you, although the car parking facilities are limited, and to be honest, it seems to depend what car you drive as to whether they will park it for you or not! If you have a new Bentley you will be alright

We were going back each year for the anniversary of our first date, but this year we missed it, so I really don’t know if we will go back. We constantly see bad reviews of the food and I guess until we are convinced otherwise we will not bother.

Restaurant name

The Boatyard Restaurant

Date of visit

multiple until early 2009

Website address

www.theboatyardrestaurant.co.uk

Restaurant telephone

01702 475588

Restaurant address

8-13 High St, Leigh-on-Sea, SS9 2EN

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

expensive (over £30)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

3/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

8/10

Service Quality rating?

4/10

Food Quality rating

4/10

The Bear Inn at Stock seafood starter

We have been to the Bear Inn in Stock three times now, and have really enjoyed it. In the winter, the interior is welcoming and cosy, with plenty of space to eat in the bar area or more formally in the restaurant. We prefer the bar, as we like the informal seating! In the summer, the outside area extends from alfresco on the patio, to well spaced bench seating around the large pond. It is so peaceful out there, with ducks mooching about and a nice ‘country feel’, even though it is so close to some major Essex Towns.

The food is traditional and very good with great choices of seasonal produce, fish, meat and vegetarian. To compliment this, there’s a fine choice of wines, including a fantastic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and some great reds, like Rioja Reserva, Chianti Classico and Fleurie.

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We have been for lunch and dinner and it has always been relaxed and friendly. The seafood starters and soups have been splendid, and the Ribeye steak is to die for! The chef really knows his flavours and techniques in the kitchen! At lunch one time we had a burger, and even that was top quality.

This reminds me, I must go back there soon

Restaurant name

The Bear Inn

Date of visit

various in 2009 and 2010

Website address

http://thebearstock.com

Restaurant telephone

01277 829100

Restaurant address

16, The Square, Chelmsford, Stock, CM4 9LH

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

moderate (£20-£30)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

8/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

8/10

Service Quality rating?

7/10

Food Quality rating

8/10

Woodmans Arms benfleet essex restaurant

We love this restaurant, and have been a few times now in 2009, with many more to come hopefully!

The restaurant area is small, cosy and comfortable, with well placed tables and chairs, so you are not on top of your dining neighbours.

I would say it is a little overpriced, but the food is so good, that we could not complain at all. Everything from fish and chips to belly of pork and Morrocon tagines is on the menu and it changes all the time, as the chef uses the fresh ingredients of the season, so if you are a regular you do not get bored.

The service is good and the wine list has plenty to choose from, as well as a full bar. The bar area has a couple of sofas, so if you are lucky,…

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…you can get cosy on those or just sit up the bar whilst you wait for your table.

The menu changes regularly but our favourites dishes have been:

Soups

Bang bang chicken

Sardines

Fish and chips

Morrocon Tagine

Pork belly

Restaurant name

Woodmans Arms

Date of visit

15/09/2009 and various

Website address

http://www.thewoodmansarms.co.uk

Restaurant telephone

01268 775 799

Restaurant address

Rayleigh Road, Benfleet, Essex SS7 3TA

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

moderate (£20-£30)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

7/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

8/10

Service Quality rating?

7/10

Food Quality rating

8/10

The Dining Room prawn cocktail

The interior of the Dining Room is modern, contemporary and comfortable. We liked the layout and were seated at a nice table near the bar. The Manager was very friendly and took time to chat and the service was very good – they serve wine and food in a professional manner which we like.

The menu was inspiring enough and I opted for a Prawn & Crayfish with Mixed Salad & Mary Rose Sauce to start, which was a huge portion, but with a light and delicious dressing, so I managed to polish most of it off! For main, I had the sea bass fillets (Fillet of Sea Bass with Grilled Courgettes & Olive Oil Dressing) which were cooked beautifully with the creamiest mash I have had in a long time.

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Michael’s choices were not quite as successful, but not bad either. He had the Chargrilled Vegetable with Ciabatta Bread & Balsamic Reduction vegetables to start. They were really good – just perhaps lacking something….. His main of Lobster Linguini, Chilli & Sun Blushed Tomato Sauce, unfortunately, didn’t have much lobster in it, so he was disappointed, but the flavour was good.

We shared an Eton Mess to finish as we were quite full, and that is worth having if you have a sweet tooth!

I like a restaurant that does champagne by the glass, as Michael doesn’t always want champagne, and we prefer wine with our meal, so I was pleased to find they had Paul Herard Brut Champagne NV by the glass – £7. Very nice!

I wish I could remember the wine we had, but I will update this review when I go back again and get the name as it was really good!

I would recommend this restaurant!

Restaurant name

The Dining Room

Date of visit

30/07/2009

Website address

www.thediningroomsouthend.co.uk

Restaurant telephone

01702 477499

Restaurant address

1356 London Road Leigh-On-Sea SS9 2UH

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

moderate (£20-£30)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

7/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

8/10

Service Quality rating?

8/10

Food Quality rating

7/10

The Hawk seafood salad

The Hawk is a cosy pub in Battlesbridge – great for all year round drinking and dining. In the Summer, you can make the most of the large outdoor area, and in the winter, the quaintly laid out interior offers warm and welcoming surroundings.

We went late this Summer and we ate inside, not for the weather, but the wasps were out in full force in the garden! We just had a light lunch with a half of one of their draught bitters, of which there are a few to choose from. The wine list is good and you can have light snacks to three courses. We chose the chicken kebab salad and the seafood salad and they were delicious! The seafood salad was our favourite, with salmon, prawns, crayfish and crab in a light dressing.

the hawk chicken kebab salad battlesbridge essex

Michael at the Hawk

It was busy and we can see why – the food is good, service friendly and it is a nice spot to relax.

Information from their website: The inn dates back to 1678 when it was described in the deeds as a “small rectangular building”. Wickford is an ancient settlement that has existed since before 975. There is evidence that the area itself was inhabited in prehistoric, Roman and Saxon times. Wickford was referred to in the Domesday Book as both Wicfort and Wincfort.

Restaurant name

The Hawk Battlesbridge

Date of visit

17/08/2009

Website address

http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/thehawkbattlesbridge

Restaurant telephone

01268 767263

Restaurant address

Hawk Hill, Battlesbridge, Wickford, SS11 7RJ

Service Charge included?

No

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

inexpensive (under £20)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

9/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

5/10

Service Quality rating?

7/10

Food Quality rating

8/10

Pearl Dragon salmon ginger and spring onion

 We have been here quite a few times over the last few years, and it is consistent in service and food, so it is currently our favourite Chinese restaurant for this area.

Although the interior is not new and plush, it is comfortable and, being a large restaurant with an upstairs area, it is great for large groups. Tables are nicely placed, so you have plenty of room between your neighbouring diners.

The staff are professional, albeit a little serious and they do not have conversation, but the Manager there makes up for this, as he is a very sociable man, with good customer service skills. They have plenty of repeat diners, and it is easy to see why.

Peal Dragon hot and spicy soup

Peal Dragon crispy aromatic duck

There are lots of Chinese restaurants in Southend-on-Sea, but this is definitely one of the best.

Our favourites dishes are:

Salmon with ginger and spring onion (really lovely salmon)

Hot and sour soup (full of vegetables and prawns)

Vegetable spring rolls

Crispy Aromatic Duck with pancakes

There is an extensive menu, so lots to choose from.

Restaurant name

Pearl Dragon Chinese

Date of visit

17/09/2009 and various throughout 2010

Website address

www.pearldragon.co.uk

Restaurant telephone

01702 613468

Restaurant address

18-19 Eastern Esplanade, Southend-On-Sea, SS1 2ER

Average price per person for 3 course meal, excluding drinks

moderate (£20-£30)

How many dined?

2

Value for money rating?

8/10

Atmosphere Quality rating?

7/10

Service Quality rating?

7/10

Food Quality rating

9/10

Gattopardo restaurant, westcliff essex

I had been meaning to go to this restaurant for years and even featured it in one of my short stories, but still didn’t go until recently. I have no idea why, but we finally have and we were delighted. The interior is beautiful, with high ceilings, large colourful oil paintings, chandeliers and upholstered chairs with a bar which is quite a feature. It was apparently a former bank. All this and yet it has a cosy feeling. The service was impeccable and friendly and the food gorgeous. Although I ended up eating most half of Michaels as it was so good!

The menu is extensive with a huge range of pastas, starters and mains – plenty of meat and fish dishes, and some lovely desserts. It was hard to choose!

We had lovely pasta and calamari starters, and this was preceded with an olive plate, which was a nice surprise. I had filet steak for my…

…main but wished I had the veal, as it was so good, I ate about half of Michael’s! The vegetables were well cooked and we really enjoyed it. Although it was not particularly busy, the ambience was great and the staff so friendly they chatted and took photos for us.

Although I would try to keep this place as a treat, as it what I would call a ‘proper’ night out, I will definitely be back very soon!

Gattopardo means Leopard and the restaurant is named after a palace in Sicily.

Railway lamb at Rajpoot Indian

I have been here twice now. The first time: The food was really nice, but too salty and that was the only issue really. It is a nice venue with different ambience and surroundings depending on where you sit. A far more Indian menu than most with the traditional ‘Indian’ dishes one would expect in a general Indian. We had the ‘Railway lamb’ which was hearty and generous with lovely spices, potatoes and spinach. Also the peri peri chicken was spicy and fairy hot and tangy. The aloo gobi (potatoes and cauliflower) were not the best we have had but fresh and tasty. The cucumber raitha was very good and fresh as well as Pilau rice and a well cooked, delicious garlic naan bread. The cobra beers were nice and cold.

The service was a little slow and we were asked to sit and wait for a table as the guy was too busy, which we have not had before, but overall we enjoyed it.

I went back in September 2009 with my friend, and we found the service a little pushy, but the food was great. We had a tandoori king prawn madras, a…

Rajpoot Popodoms

Rajpoot Indian Restaurant Tarpots Benfleet Essex

Peri Peri chicken at Rajpoot

Rajpoot indian food tarpots essex

…chicken tikka pathia, pilau rice, peshwari naan, Saag Aloo and a cucumber raitha. All delicious and a good night.