Dining out experience poor

[david_374426181]

Our first year of caravanning. The caravan we love. It's a great way to holiday in the UK.

The big drawback for us compared to holidaying abroad is the cost of eating out and the variety of food on the menu. It may sound a little harsh, but a lot of these eating places deserve to go bust. Is anyone else tired of seeing scampi and chips, fish and chips, steak and kidney pie etc everywhere you go?

If we wanted frozen microwave junk food we would be buying ready meals from the supermarket.

This is my only complaint about tourism in the UK, the poor quality and expensive dining. It would be nice to take a break from cooking, but alas I'm still doomed to cook on holiday.

 

[Auvergne]

Sorry I can't agree David, we usually ask the Wardens to recommend a pub or restaurant and have had some lovely meals out. Only once have we been disappointed and that was a pub we picked ourselves! In fact I wrote on here a few weeks ago about a pub meal we had whilst in Littlehampton which was the best meal out we've had in years, absolutely beautiful. Honey glazed ham hock with bubble and squeak, international meats etc., not the stuff you experience it seems.

Having recently come back from Spain I can honestly say we did not eat out one night because stuff was so very expensive. I don't mind paying for anything but to pay

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

Sorry I can't agree David, we usually ask the Wardens to recommend a pub or restaurant and have had some lovely meals out. Only once have we been disappointed and that was a pub we picked ourselves! In fact I wrote on here a few weeks ago about a pub meal we had whilst in Littlehampton which was the best meal out we've had in years, absolutely beautiful. Honey glazed ham hock with bubble and squeak, international meats etc., not the stuff you experience it seems.

Having recently come back from Spain I can honestly say we did not eat out one night because stuff was so very expensive. I don't mind paying for anything but to pay

 

[Guest]

Cooking on a holiday can be one of the pleasures. Finding local food and possibly items you have not seen before, except possibly mushed up in a tin, can be fun. Sitting outside in the heat of the day with the wok sizzling away and a cold beer in hand. Sardines fresh on the BBQ, paella in the wok, even a few fresh scallops with a light olive oil dressing, and washed down with a bottle of good wine at 3 euros. What could be nicer. I enjoy it, but of course I am in the south of France or Spain, not the UK.

I do agree that the majority of UK food consists of a huge plate of chips with a small amount of something else, unless it is curried, in which case rice is in place of the chips. There is a chain of pubs/restaurants in the UK that specialise in carvery type meals and yes, I do enjoy their beef/lamb/turkey etc. But the vegetables are usually destroyed by overcooking and the roast potatoes could win Olympic swimming gold medals. Therefore you have to accept that restaurant food is, in the main, overpriced and of terrible quality. Unfortunately the majority of their customers only appreciate quantity so anything else is irrelevant. I live in Edinburgh where there are more restaurants per person than anywhere else in the UK. 99% of them are terrible and overpriced, but they survive because most people are dumb. They accept it and so it continues.

So, my advice is to start practicing to be the next Floyd, or whatever and enjoy it. You will eat better and cheaper.

 

[Surfer]

We also tend to ask the wardens and so far have never been disappointed.

 

[chillidave]

Scoth lad you,ve got me feeling famished now!

 

[emmerson2]

David, the trick in eating out in the UK is to look for the smaller more out-of-the-way places where the cooking is done either by the gaffer or his wife. You might have to wait a little bit longer for the food,as it will be cooked to order, but it will be very good when you get it. I always try to avoid the chain or theme pubs, as these are all the same, generally mediochre at best.Don't give up, mate there is good food out there!

 

[Auvergne]

George,

The pub was called The Six Bells. Turn right out of the Littlehampton Site, right again, down the hill and its on the right!

 

[SteveG1]

To eat well in this country you must use your imagination a bit.

The C&CC and CC wardens can recommend good local eateries, they live there and they are not daft.

The C&CC supply details of farm shops and places that sell local produce. There is a farm shop less than two miles from the site at Bellingham, there's a small butchers in Malton to die for and it's just down the road from the Slingsby site. Touring north Norfolk look for stalls at the side of the road - June / July they are selling asparagus!

Eating out highlights of this year include the faggots peas and potatoes in the covered market in Cardiff. The salad cafe in the covered market at Swansea. The deli at the market at Bury, can't remember its name but you can't miss it, the greek platter for five quid well recommended. The Mitre pub (A19 left hand side heading south into York just past the park and ride) yes its the pub menu - but freshly cooked good portions and friendly staff. Monster Mash in Edinburgh.

A caravan is all about what you make go out explore and enjoy yourself. This weekend I'm off with SWMBO to the C&CC site at Clitheroe, and looking forward to meeting our friends in the Hourseshoe Inn, this is possibly the most friendly pub we've visited, yet nothing to write home about looking at it from the outside.

Enjoy your caravan holidays and breaks.

Steve G

 

[Guest]

We've always found the best kitchen when caravanning, it's inside the caravan

Like Scotchlad, part of our fun is finding good local produce and cooking it and checking out local specialities.

My biggest gripe is waiting an age in restaurants between courses for a spot of food in the middle of the plate or something that a 10 year old could have thrown in the Hitachi Combi Microwave and then being expected to leave a tip along with a bill payment that is often outrageous for the service and food we expected but didn't get!

 

[GeorgiePorgie]

George,

The pub was called The Six Bells. Turn right out of the Littlehampton Site, right again, down the hill and its on the right!

Valerie,

Thanks for that info......Yup I know exactly where it is, right next door to the thatched cottage.....technically it's not in Littlehampton but in Lyminster! but only a littlehampton resident (such as I) would know that, but as always always on the lookout for good local (ish) places to eat out. typing this from the CC site at longleat 9/9/09