Sticks 'n' Sushi, Covent Garden

16/07/2016

We were looking for a light bite to eat in the Covent garden area, and after a quick google search we found a place called Sticks 'n' Sushi just round the corner. We had not heard of this place before and without  a reservation we decided to wing it, but managed to get a seat at the bar. As we were waiting for our place we could see waiters going past us carrying huge platters with an assortment of sushi, so we knew we were in for a treat. I decided to try their own pilsner which was packed with flavour, followed by some grilled edamame beans to start. We were only looking for something light as we knew how filling sushi can be, so we decided to share a main meal. We went for mixed emotions with the add on, this included a selection of sushi, a few sticks, rice and more edamame beans. I found the sticks to be the highlight of the meal, there was pork belly, miso marinated mackerel and chicken meatballs, they were so tasty I’m sure they could make any vegetarian relapse.

I will definitely be returning in the future to sample more of the menu, I would love to try their sashimi, and the salads looked great as well.

Overall I was very impressed, the quality of service was impeccable, but that just might have been because we sat at the bar so they couldn’t escape us. Its not cheap, but you get what you pay for which is high class food and fantastic service, a must try for fans of Japanese food.

9.5/10

Josh Cosgrove

The Whitstable Oyster Company, Whitstable

22/05/16

I’ve been there quite a few times now and every single time the food has been amazing, so we arrived with high expectations. You enter through a rickety side door which brings you into a rudimental bar area and where they store the oysters on large beds of ice. We were then taken through to the main restaurant which is a huge open planned area with plenty of seating and nearly all of the tables were occupied. We were handed a copy of their extensive menu, all seafood so if your not a fan I wouldn't recommend this place. 

We started by sharing half a dozen Irish rock oysters, with the choice to add tabasco, tomato relish and onion relish. For the main course I wanted to try something I had never had before, so I decided to have the pan fried huss with capers and new potatoes, obviously you can have the standard cod and chips if you prefer. My girlfriend had the sea trout with new potatoes and a side salad, then for a mini dessert we had chocolate truffles topped with oil and sea salt (sorry about the poor quality photo below). The combination of salt and oil on the truffles worked beautifully. The oysters are definitely and acquired taste, but I think I've finally acquired it. The huss was nice and tender having been cooked in a copious amount of butter, and the simple green leaf side salad topped off the whole meal.

We had a fantastic time at the Whitstable Oyster Company, a big must try for anyone who loves their seafood. It is very difficult to find fault with this place, there were a few items on the menu they didn’t have, but they still had great replacements. It could be classed as quite expensive, but it's worth every penny in my opinion.

9/10

Josh Cosgrove

Gastronomia, Tonbridge Wells

 21/05/16

We discovered this place while exploring the market located in the Pantiles, which occur on the first and third weekend of each month. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, so we made a dash for this cute looking restaurant come café come ice cream parlour. We were greeted by an Italian gentleman who appeared to be the owner with his French bulldog and promptly seated us by the window. It had an intimate atmosphere which worked well, and a circular staircase to the apartment above was right behind us.

The menu had a great range of Italian dishes which didn’t include any pizzas, so we knew it was the real deal. I wanted to order the penne with wild boar, but unfortunately that wasn’t available so I went with the lasagne instead. It was probably the best lasagne I’ve ever had, the portion size was just right, it was cooked to perfection and the sauce was superb. I would strongly recommend this dish if you ever stop by, my girlfriend went for the spaghetti bolognese with plenty of parmesan to garnish it. She did let me try some and it too was delicious, however it is not my favourite pasta dish in the world, but that's just personal preference. 

The cosy restaurant is able to create a cute setting for couples, not helped by the waitress though. She carried out the basics of the job well enough, but came across cold and she could have made it a more enjoyable experience for us, and for anyone else in the future. Hopefully she’s not the only waitress they employ. Overall we had a great luncheon due to the setting and high quality food, but a better waitress would have definitely improved our visit.

7/10

Josh Cosgrove