Epic... Most certainly

Last week I stayed at the new Epic Aparthotel in Liverpool, on Duke street. I love the arrogance in the name, and it is quite clear to see that they are going to quickly build up a reputation that it says it all in the name. 

Although there were a few teething problems, overall my stay was immense. On the day I arrived, the staff seemed excited to have guests arriving, terribly friendly and eager to help with everything that they could. 

The reception is at their existing site in Seel Street. So I arrived and checked in, but was informed that due to security systems being installed the next day, I only had 1 night in the new apartment, and then they were moving me over to the old site. Slightly irritating, but they weren't going to mess it all up for me. They moved me from a lovely, brand new, perfect little apartment, to an equally well furnished and new-ish 7-bed apartment! It felt a bit silly, just little old me in this huge space, but great to see it and be able to tell the world about it! 

Like I said, at the new site there are a few teething problems, but nothing that won't be ironed out quickly. The air conditioning unit was a bit complex, and the TV channels hadn't been set properly. Also, due to it being so new, the oven hasn't been used yet, so when I went to cook the smell was quite bad - I thought I was going to smoke the house out! It's perfect for someone travelling on business, or for a short weekend getaway for two. All the facilities that you need are there, there's a big Tesco a stones throw away and its less than a five minute walk from the centre of Liverpool - which if you've never been there before I highly recommend you visit - it's amazing! The only thing that was slightly disappointing, is that I think the cleaner had forgotten to do my bathroom, so upon arrival there were 2 dirty towels hung up and no toiletries in there, but that can be forgiven, we all make mistakes :). The best part about it was the shower - a huge waterfall shower head, dream! 

The receptionist laughed when she realised they were moving me into the big apartment and I was on my own, and when I walked into it I understood why. I could have had a huge party in there! There are only 2 bedrooms, but it is made for 7 (one of the rooms has lots of beds), you could comfortably sleep 9. It's a beautiful apartment, with 2 bathrooms a ginormous hallway, and all the same wonderful facilities you get in the new place. The only part that is quite small for that amount of people is the kitchen - but you wouldn't really plan to use it if you were there for a fun weekend. There's a dining area, so you could all sit at the table, and a lovely corner sofa (which is just as comfy as the beds). And best of all - The White Company toiletries in beautiful boxes - what I had missed out on in the previous room! It's perfect for a hen/stag weekend, or any event that's taking you for a weekend away. Girls - be warned there is no full length mirror - the only downside. But there is a double bedroom with ensuite - perfect for the guest of honour, and then a big room for everyone else. The 2 bathrooms boast 3 sinks, which will be useful if all getting ready for a night out. Being a newer suite - finally people have started putting in plugs next to the beds - and lots of them - something that is always lacking in hotels. 

All I can say is thank you for an amazing stay, my only regret is that we haven't booked it soon enough for my friends hen party in June - it clearly gets booked up quickly! 

I will most certainly be back. 

9/10

Paigey x

"Tex Mex"

I am fast becoming a fan of Chimichanga. Mexican food is a particular weakness of mine, but I tend to find that usually the chains just don't live up to expectations. 

However, I've been to a few chimichangas around the country now, and am yet to be disappointed. They are much better in terms of quality and customer service than their closest rival (chiquitos), but also a fair price for what you are getting.

It is simple, yet effective, and sometimes I think this is the way places should go - especially when you are not a one off special local restaurant. The menu is a perfect size - not too much choice but enough to satisfy anyone's taste, service is quick, friendly and effective and the food is delicious. 

Today I went for a wrap - Cajun chicken with some sweet potato fries. The fries were perfectly crispy, and a decent size in portion. The wrap was filled to the brim - quite large for lunch but I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was lots of chicken, as well as peppers, onions and cheese, and a side of lettuce. I found myself using a knife and fork because there was simply too much food in it to pick it up (not really a bad thing). 

At the end of the meal, I find myself feeling the right amount of full, and this would be a big enough portion for lunch or dinner. The waitress was friendly but not overbearing, and swift with her service. Very polite, and checked up on me during the meal a couple of times, to offer me extra drinks and of course to see how the food was (which is something you would hope happens all the time - but I can assure you it doesn't).

All in all a very pleasant experience, I will definitely be returning. 

8/10

Paigey x

Bath edit: The Raven

We went to visit The Raven on recommendation from a friend of mine who went to uni in Bath. Knowing I am a fussy eater, she said that this was a great place for simple, local pies.

When we arrived, we walked through the door and felt a little bit like we had walked into a local pub that we wouldn't be welcome in. However, we avoided the downstairs bar and headed upstairs, where we found a delightful, relaxed upstairs section. 

It suited everyone; tourists, students, businessmen on a lunch, and someone who just fancied sitting a reading a book. It was out of the way and quiet, run by locals and clearly the staff were happy. 

There was a jolly barman who took our order, when we asked him which pies he recommended he had clearly tried all of them and had lots to say about each - it always makes me feel happy knowing the staff have eaten the food. 

I ordered the locally produced Raven Ale pie (apparently the most popular) made with their own ale, along with the ale and onion gravy and chips. It was lovely and meaty, with a good combination of vegetables and the pastry itself was crumbly and soft, beautifully cooked. I was offered gravy on the side or on the pie - and was told you got less on the side but nevertheless ordered this anyway - and it was plentiful! 

D had the free ranger pie (chicken and leek) with Sage and Onion gravy and chips. I had a little try of his pie - it was lovely and creamy with lots of flavour. I was most impressed by the amount of meat they put in the pies, not lacking whatsoever, a great ratio of filling to pastry. 

Overall the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and simple menu equalled great food and a delicious meal. I enjoyed the fact that they didn't overdo it with the menu - there was just the right amount of choice which meant they had put a lot of thought into the dishes on the menu. 

Simple yet effective! 

Prices - £10 for a pie with gravy and potatoes 

8/10

Paigey x

Bath edit: Sotto Sotto

Last weekend, D and I took a trip down to Bath for a couple of days. What a beautiful city! I have only been there briefly in the past, to visit a friend at uni, but we had the pleasure of 2 days to see the sights and try all of the local delicacies that there are to offer. So in the next few posts, I shall indulge you with the good, and the down right incredible. 

A friend of ours recommended Sotto Sotto, and if you research around it you will find that it is currently the No1. Restaurant in Bath, and No7. In the UK. My goodness does this place deserve it! I have never been so excited about a restaurant that I want to tell all about it, and for everyone to have the opportunity to go and try this delightful little restaurant. 

I phoned a couple of weeks in advance, and they only had tables available at 9pm. I politely declined the offer, and they put me on a waiting list for an earlier table. Had I known how incredible this place was going to be, I would have taken any time they wanted, even if it was 3am! 

On the day, the restaurant phoned me to inform me that they had a table at 8.30pm, I know it's only half an hour earlier but that makes all the difference sitting at 8 compared to 9. I happily accepted. 

When we walked into the restaurant, we were amazed by how beautiful it is. Clearly an old wine cellar, you go down some little steps into a contemporary bar where the waiters take your coat. We sat for 5 minutes whilst the waiters got our table, which was coincidentally ready 10 minutes early. As we walked through into the main restaurant, I wanted to explore! It was warm, with mood lighting and a pleasant and romantic atmosphere. All the diners seemed happy, and there were plenty of staff milling around. 

The waitress came to our table, told us the specials and went to get us a bottle of wine. It was a sight to see watching the staff in the restaurant, as they all had only a couple of tables which meant you felt incredibly well looked after. We ordered our food and sat back to relax, when another waiter came to the table.

He introduced himself to me by name, remembering that I was the person who he phoned that morning to give the reservation to, a perfect little personal touch. He was extremely friendly - his name was Charlie, and I felt like he had made it his personal mission for us to have a good night.

The menu was extensive, but there was not too much choice that it overwhelmed you. I saw a few dishes that sounded scrumptious. 

D and I both ordered the bruschetta to start, which was light and refreshing, a perfect opening to the meal which didn't fill you up before you got to the main. The tomatoes were sweet and plentiful, whilst the bread had the perfect combination of softness and crunch that you want from a bruschetta. We were glad we ordered one each, as it was reasonably small! 

For the mains, I ordered a chicken and chorizo dish, with a side of mustard mash. 

The sauce that the chicken came in, a balsamic vinegar was zingy and bold, and as I am a fan of vinegar it was just what I liked. The mustard mash was also quite strong, which it didn't mention in the menu but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fresh Italian sausages completed the meal, full of flavour and different to the bog standard pepperonI you get in chain restaurants. 

D had the chicken and chorizo pizza, which naturally I had to try. It was very similar to the dish I had, but with a perfectly cooked thin crust and plenty of mozzarella. 

Unfortunately, there was no way either of us had room for pudding, but it certainly had an interesting dessert menu. 

When we ordered the bill, it came out with 2 shots of limoncello to refresh our pallets, a lovely way to end a perfect evening. 

I have to stress, that whilst the food was great and the place was stunning, everything added together made for an experience which we will not forget in a hurry. The cost was not extortionate, it was similar prices to what you would expect from the high street Italian restaurants (obviously with no vouchers), but well worth the price, and you will definitely want to give a generous tip.  Additionally, the thing that really makes this place is the service, it is above and beyond what you get in any other restaurant I have experienced, there is a personal touch, and the staff clearly enjoy their job and really care about the place. On our departure, Charlie came and thanked us and asked us about our stay, and asked us to come back again. They did make you feel like you were the only people that mattered, and that it was their job to make you happy - something you always want from a restaurant, but barley ever receive. 

We will most certainly be revisiting this place on our next trip to Bath, and I will happily rave about it to anybody that wishes to listen. 

Cost - approx £10-£15 for a main course

10/10

Paigey x

Anstey Hall Cambridge

When I visit Cambridge, I don't often stay there as there aren't many hotels in the centre; and they tend to be very pricey.

However, last week there was a little gem that happened to be in budget, so I thought I might as well try! 

I am so very glad I did, it was a beautiful old house just on the edge of the city, owned by someone who still lives in the house (the receptionist warned me upon arrival, incase there was a "strange man" walking around).

It is not like anywhere I have stayed before, as I tend to stay in chain hotels as I feel safer with the 24 hour reception keeping an eye on me. However, I was assured that there would be night staff, which made me a little happier.

As I drove up to the house, I was astounded by it's beauty, and couldn't believe my luck being able to experience such a beautiful surrounding. It felt like I was driving into Downton Abbey (one of my favorite TV shows at the moment, so you can only imagine how happy I am to feel like I'm joining the Crawley family for the day).

It was very grand, and as the receptionist took me to my room, I was excited to see what it looked liked. Reception was a flurry of activity - there were flowers everywhere as they were planning for a wedding the next day. It really felt like a big holiday home, there was a lounge with open fire, a games room and a bar, which in a very trusting manner you helped yourself to and wrote down what you had to be charged to your room. 

I was not disappointed, my bedroom was at the top of the stairs, just next to the breakfast room. I had huge old bay windows, with a stunning view of the garden, with a great big feature chandelier in the middle of the room. The bathroom was modern (as you would hope) and the room had all of its original features. The only downside was that it was a little cold, but they had a small electric heater for me to use who h was perfectly adequate. 

In the morning, I headed down to breakfast. Whilst I enjoyed breakfast, those who would like a cooked breakfast will be disappointed, it is serve yourself but everything is pre laid out the night before - everything from fruit to cereal and yoghurt to pastries. I tend to steer clear of the cooked breakfast, so I was happy with this, but it might not suit everyone. The hall that breakfast was in is large and echoey, a little like a school dining hall! But it does still have the Manor House feel to it, unfortunately I ate alone (the only person in there), so it did lack in atmosphere. 

After leaving the hotel, I realised that I had left my earrings in the bedroom. Although I had to phone a few times to check, due to the fact that they were busy with a wedding, I was very impressed that they found my earrings (along with my water bottles!) and posted them back to me - so a special thank you as I was quite upset to loose them!

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay, it was different to usual and rather adventurous. 

I hope to be visiting there again on my travels to cambridge. 

8/10.

Paigey x

Meat or Fish?

My feelings on Burger & Lobster can be summed up in just one word... nice.

I wasn't overly impressed with my experience, I would say it's a great place to go once, but it is unlikely that I would go back again. The novelty is fun, getting an apron to eat with, and the simplest menu you could ask for, however I really do think there's not a lot to it.

Clearly not everyone agrees with me, as it is constantly rammed and we had to wait  an hour to get a table - you can't book (unless you are a big table) meaning you are forced into waiting at the very expensive bar. They weren't particularly clear (or sure) how long the wait would be, but we patiently waited. They apprehensively suggested approx thirty mins, but it was certainly closer to an hour. 

When we were finally seated at the table, we were treated by a very friendly waitress to great service... Which didn't last the entire meal. She was the hostess and so got back to her job, whilst another very straight faced waitress came and took over.

The problem I find with this place, is that if you eat lobster it is a really great deal, whereas if you want a burger its a really expensive burger. Everything is £20, and I went for a burger. My friend had the lobster and said it was lovely, but my burger was merdiocre. Don't get me wrong, it was a decent burger, but nothing special, which you would expect if you are paying that much. I would rather have ordered a burger from GBK at half the price - they are much better. I get the concept, it's a great idea but if are going to price burgers the same as lobsters you need to make it one incredible burger! 

The nail in the coffin was when our waitress, whilst we were waiting for the  bill decided to take a seat at the table next to us to sit and chat to her friends for 10 minutes, completely ignoring all of her customers when it was quite clear she was not on her break. 

All in all, it was fine. I wouldn't go back in a hurry, and would definitely choose a hundred other restaurants before this one. 

On the plus side, we didn't need to pay a tip due to poor service! 

4/10

Paigey x

My Old Dutch - Holborn

Now Good evening fans! Firstly I would like to take this time to apologise, for my lack of writing lately. It's been a busy few months (some might say I had a bit of writers block), but the honest truth is that I've just been eating out too much to catch up! 

Fear not, I have been saving up all the little gems I've visited, and promise over the next week or so to give you a highlights (and lowlights) of my Christmas and new year period, and I promise I've been a busy bee.

But to start with, I thought I'd get myself warmed up with a little simple place I visited for lunch with my colleagues in London. 

Meetings in London are few and far between, so everytime my team and I catch up we take this as a chance to grab some lunch. My manager suggested a little cafe called 'My Old Dutch' which specialises in pancakes. now this made sense to me, as when I visited Amsterdam in February of last year, one of the highlights that was recommended to us was a pancake house! So today I tried the UK version. Don't get me wrong, it was nowhere near as good as the ones we tried in the Netherlands, but that could have had something to do with the Dutch beer and what have you. 

The pancakes in London today were a HUGE, unfortunately we were sat on a particularly small table, that didn't really work considering the sizes of the plates. Service was speedy - just what you need for a quick lunch break. I like the idea of savoury pancakes, much lighter than a pizza but very similar. However I can't help but feel they should offer the whole menu in different sizes, rather than as elect few you can get as light options. 

I went for a 'create your own' - feta, chicken, chorizo and sun dried tomatoes. The pancake could have done with a little bit more crispness, and the sun dried tomatoes were a bit odd, but other than that it was pretty tasty. Needless to say I couldn't finish it all, and it left me wishing I'd had a Nutella pancake. 

Generally, it's a good idea, and I'm sure it works for some. I think I shall be sticking to lemon and sugar in the future! 

See you all later,

Paigey x

Woolacombe - The Boardwalk Bar and Restaurant

This looks like the classiest establishment in the village, and it certainly didn't disappoint. We arrived to the Boardwalk approx 15 mins before opening (despite walking along the road above it for about 10 minutes, confused as we had seen it from the beach but couldn't find it along from the apartment... Just look down... Duh!) and they were more than happy to accommodate. If you have a pushchair (which we did) be aware of the steep hill up to it, but easy enough!

We had seen the boardwalk as soon as we arrived in Woolacombe, and agreed we should try it. So before D and I headed home, we did exactly that. It did not disappoint. The staff were extremely friendly, the atmosphere was good, turnaround was quick and they had a great menu, including an excellent kids menu. The only thing I would say is the portions are large, and save room for dessert! 

We were the only people in the restaurant for most of our meal, which meant, in a good way we had all of the staff fussing over us. D is currently obsessed with Camembert (and I must say I'm rather partial), so between the 4 of us, plus H who is probably the youngest person to enjoy a classy starter of Camembert, we shared two portions. Once again, eyes bigger than my belly next time I would be happy with 1 between 4, but it was delicious, and the chutney (though I'm not a lover) was just as everybody liked it. There was a good sized portion of bread, and it was crisp and light so as not to fill your stomach too quickly.  

I feel like I am becoming a burger connoisseur, but once again I went for a burger (cheese and bacon). It was perfectly cooked, crumbly and meaty and quite clearly homemade (in a good way). Although I've been informed they're not allowed to offer you burgers cooked to different levels these days, it was beautifully pink in the middle with lots of flavour and juices. The chips were lovely and crisp, and I just loved the little basket they came in, great presentation! (Are you getting used to the idea that I always want to steal kitchen accessories). 

Despite how unbelievably full I was after all this food, I couldn't resist a brownie. I never thought it would happen, but I actually managed to eat the whole thing. It was so good, gooey and squidgy in the middle and chewy and crispy on the edge, just how brownies should be. It came with thick clotted cream, and although it wasn't quite as good as my stepmums birthday, it was a close second. There was even a little crisp honeycomb scattered on top, which was a great touch. 

We had a great evening, and although we were going home that evening I'm pretty certain the others planned to go back. Everything they did was right, staff, food and atmosphere was all perfect, and of all of the places we tried in Woolacombe it was by far #1.

£15-£20 for mains

10/10

Time for bed,

SD

Paigey

Xx

Woolacombe - Woolacombe Bay Pizza Company

Okay, this is an assumption. On the Sunday evening, the boys went to get fish and chips. Naturally, being a Sunday, all fish and chip shops were shut. So they turned to pizza, and considering there are 36 restaurants in Woolacombe, and this seems to be the only pizza one, I'm assuming it's where they got it from ( I may have had a wine too many at this point to decidedly know where it came from). 

Anyhow, the pizza we got from this place made for a great night. Mainly for the company and games we played, but it was a good pizza all the same. We had a great evening whilst away that weekend, when grow ups became children, and we bought board games! Originally, the plan was to go out. But the sea air and long walks knackered us out, and we decided to stay in at the guys apartment, and get a takeaway. Sadly, I don't have a picture of the pizza, but they came home with a couple of varieties, and they were great. Not too greasy, with a good thick crust and lots of ingredients. 

But honestly the best part of it all was that the boys came home with Jenga, and Kerplunk! (All be it a much more health and safety friendly game than what I remember!). 

We spent the evening playing games, including the aforementioned as well as heads up, which if you don't have as an app on your iPhone now I urge you to download. It was one of the funniest nights I've had in a while, and I give it 10/10 (indulge me please). 

Paigey xx

Woolacombe - The Woolacombe Bay Hotel

It almost felt as if it didn't fit in this beautiful little village, which shuts down completely for winter according to the locals. However, the Woolacombe Bay hotel provides so much for the village, from the rooms with stunning views, to the lively bar which was still in full swing late at night, and the restaurant which serves up the best breakfast I've had in a hotel. 

This place has everything. It looks stunning from the beach, and likewise when you look out the window there is a gorgeous sea view. We made the most of the hotel and tried out everything! 

Having eaten a big breakfast, we weren't hungry at lunchtime, and so headed over to the hotel for a coffee in the afternoon, once we were starting to feel a little peckish. We popped into the restaurant which was advertising cream teas, and after much debate decided to order one each. In hindsight, if I was to visit again (which is likely) we would probably share one between 2, as we got 2 scones each and a lot of jam and cream. But it was delicious, the scones were light and fluffy, the cream was thick and sweet, and the jam was fresh and flavourful. I was a big fan of the pots - if only I could have taken them home! 

That evening we stayed in a beautiful deluxe sea view room. It was huge, we had the choice of both a bath and a shower, and I purposely left the window open so we could hear the sea as we slept. It was bliss. One of the coolest parts of the hotel was the old fashioned lift, with manually closing doors. I felt like I was in Downton Abbey! The room had all the little luxuries, great freebies and All the small touches made it. The art was beautiful, and I wanted to take all of the furniture home with me! We checked out the facilities, went for a swim and a sauna. There were a lot of activities to do for the kids (and a lot of kids around), but I liked the fact that for an hour a day they shut the pool to adult only. The only bad part of that area was that the jacuzzi was not hot enough, and absolutely stank, there was not enough cleaning agent in it! Needless to stay we weren't in there long. 

We went down for breakfast in the hotel and decided that as we were on holiday we could just go for it, and try a bit of everything. That we did! I started with some juice, a pot of tea and toast, followed by a cooked breakfast (which was scrumptious, although it was cheap sausages which slightly dampened the meal but you can't have everything!), then pancake with lemon and sugar. As you know, I stay in a lot of hotels, so I am always excited by something you don't get everywhere else, and pancake was a delicious novelty. I was fit to burst at the end, but we didn't leave without taking a few pieces of fruit and pastries for the road! The perfection of it all was that once again, we were sat eating our breakfast looking out at the sea.  

In the morning the boys went bodyboarding, so C and I took H (who was around 9 months old at this point) for a swim in the hotel. He is a proper little water baby, and we spent the whole time giggling and trying to hold onto him, he was desperate to go and play with the big kids in the deep end and kept trying to leap over my shoulder. The changing rooms were far too hot, they backed onto the sauna and we ended up having to take him and get dressed outside, but other than that it was an incredibly fun morning. 

Whilst a little pricey, the hotel is well worth a look, and if you aren't planning to stay in an apartment, I would highly recommend the Woolacombe Bay Hotel. Staff would meet your every need, and you are staying in pure luxury. 

9/10

Paigey xx

Woolacombe - The Captain's Table

I would just like to apologise for the slowness of my posting lately, works been a bit crazy!! 

So a few weeks ago I went down to Woolacombe, along with D, our friends and their baby (who is D's godson) and their dog. It was our first little break away together, and whilst our friends were staying at a lovely little apartment for the week, we were only there for 1 night and stayed in the most beautiful hotel ever - the Woolacombe bay hotel. 

On driving into Woolacombe, I called C to tell her we were driving down the hill into the village, and get directions. She just said "keep driving I'm on the hill, I'll see you!" That's how small a place it is. Our hotel was literally a stones throw from their apartment, on the beach front, and was exactly what we needed for a mini break with lots of food and dog walking. 

We had left Cheltenham at 6.30am and so arrived just in time for breakfast - what more could you want by the sea than a greasy fry up and a milk chocolate. We headed off to "The Captain's Table" for exactly that. I ordered a chocolate milkshake, which always goes down incredibly fast. It was just what I wanted, although could have been thickened with a little more ice cream. The food was okay, the boys loved it but I found it a bit too salty, it left me really thirsty and was far too big to finish, not that that is a bad thing. The menu, and location are both great, lots of choice and as you would expect, you can see the sea. If I was I return to Woolacombe I would most likely go back there, but try something a little different. 

Price range £5-£10 for breakfast PP

6/10

I will continue to rate the other fabulous Venues in the next few posts :) 

Paigey xx