We’ve really been quite fortunate with Wagamama offers. Vouchers were recently published in the Reading Chronicle (if you missed one, there was always another in a subsequent Chronicle edition to look forward to). Now, just for today only, you can enjoy a 2 for 1 on main meals offer (I’m guessing that Wagamama were anticipating empty benches tonight due to the nation watching the rugby).
A reader has written to me about a new eatery in Reading: Chicago Roasthouse (73-75 Whitley St., close to the town centre). As the name suggests, Chicago Roasthouse offer an American-style steak and roast menu: beef joint, BBQ spare ribs, turkey roast and more. The restaurant provides takeaway and delivery services (a “steak out”, if you prefer 
), buffets for parties and, of course, Sunday roasts! Students get special rates.
I can feel my stomach juices gurgling as I examine the reader’s email:
The menu includes a selection of roasts prepared in a variety of ways. Banish any thought that these could be of the overcooked and dry variety – these dishes are glorious, simply bursting with distinctive fresh tastes.
I like to think I have impeccable table manners but these had to set aside to give due “finger licking” justice to the majestic rack of sticky barbeque pork ribs with “healthy” baked potato and creamy coleslaw. Damp cloths were provided to help restore a little dignity. I followed the ribs with a small tower of sinfully divine homemade chocolate brownie like cakes, perfectly complimented with a heavy handed dollop of fromage fraise.
My companion enthused over her vegetarian nut bake and the freshly prepared apple with toffee crunch dessert should qualify as a recipe for success all on its own – hard not to over indulge with such delectable offerings.
My next post about this place will include a photo of my dinner plate!
Further to my recent post about Reading’s new sushi bar, complete with conveyor belt, I now know its name: one o eight.
The photo seen here was sent to me by Reading 107 FM’s Joff Hopkins, who observes:
They’ve missed a trick with the name… thinking of the possibilities of teaming up with the local radio station!
Thanks Joff! I can see it now: “Top tunas to get you through your lunch hour”. Or “That was ‘Kiss Them for Me’, by Sushi and the Banshees”.
I remember saying a while back that was Reading really needed was a conveyor belt sushi restaurant (because they’re fun and London has had them since 1994). Well, we’re finally getting one, and it’s taking shape in Queen Victoria St. (Reading Station would also be a great location for one, like Paddington).
I can’t wait for it (I’ve forgotten its name, but it isn’t YO! Sushi) to open. I’m also very much looking forward to a Reading Borders store, Foyles, Madison’s Coffee…
I’ve been busy lately. That and my irritating cold has made blogging harder than usual in recent days. No matter. Last night I was at The Blagrave Arms where, after several flutes at the Grand Opening (I will explain), I suddenly began to feel a bit better.
The Blagrave Arms was bought recently by my friend Naz and his partner Anna Korsgrove. His announcement that he was buying a pub surprised me, to say the least. He had a successful IT career, flying regularly to Scandinavia, so this seemed a considerably radical move to me. Last night, in his speech, he said how he and his partner had always wanted to do this. It was a shared dream. Now they are fulfilling their dream – how many people can say that?
Naz and Anna had a plan to transform the pub into a wine bar, giving it a lighter look (whitening the walls and darkening the floor) but retaining the Victorian bits. The result was seen publicly last night at the new-look bar’s Grand Opening. I thought Naz and Anna (formerly an auditor), both newcomers to the hospitality sector, had achieved something special. The wine list looks good (though I’m not an expert) and Naz even designed a new logo. Pop in and take a look!
I stopped at Reading’s Picnic for another coffee this morning. I sat outdoors in the sun with a Cafe au Lait, croissant and Travel section of The Guardian, and felt momentarily happy.
Directly opposite was another cafe, adjacent to Costa Coffee. Opposite Costa Coffee were two more chains, Coffee Republic and Pret a Manger (with Giardino’s upstairs). Behind Coffee Republic was another Costa, inside Waterstone’s, and opposite Costa was the Japanese restaurant Wa, also serving coffee.
Have we all gone coffee mad? Do we need another coffee outlet? What makes Picnic so different? The answer to that last question is quite a lot. In a nutshell, or coffee bean if you prefer, Picnic is a cafe with a conscience. Here are my 4 reasons why Picnic is unique:
I was back at Zero Degrees last night, a bar rapidly becoming my favourite in Reading.
My partner was peckish, so we headed to the restaurant section. We opted to have two appetisers only: bruschetta (£3.75) and garlic bread with shallots. They were very good! Plus, I was drinking Pale Ale, so even better.
My partner is a bit of a bruschetta fan and she said that the dish, and in particular the basil and green pesto dressing, was excellent. She also praised the presentation. I personally loved the cherry tomatoes. I’m now feeling inspired to produce something similar in my kitchen.
The garlic bread was fantastic with the shallots, which added an element of sweetness.
We will return another time for something a little more substantial. I hear the pizzas, baked in a traditional wood-burning oven, are very good (the Mango Tandoori Chicken pizza looks interesting).
Doing anything this evening? How about a bit of African adventure? A cultural adventure, that is. A quick reminder that tonight is Ethiopian night at Global Cafe.Â
To whet your appetite, here are 5 quick facts about Ethiopia (source: Wikipedia). The country is:
Maybe I’ll see you there?
Taste of Malaysia will be back at the Global Cafe this Sunday (13 May) and the following (20 May). If you miss either of those dates, fear not, as Taste of Malaysia‘s Malaysian food will also be offered at Palmer Grill (229c London Rd), as of Monday 14 May.
I visited Palmer Grill late this afternoon and found the staff there very friendly and helpful. Worth checking out if you’re hungry and in the Cemetery Junction area (and it makes an interesting change from the usual fish & chips/kebab/burger, or all three at once).
The Reading Beer & Cider Festival is a momentous, tremendously important event in Reading’s proud cultural calendar. With the departure of WOMAD this year, the 2007 festival (only the 13th) felt even more important.
In 2006 there were apparently 13,100 guzzling visitors. This year, no idea, but surely a greater number as the queue we joined to get in on Friday night was staggeringly long. I looked at the Lenin tomb-like line of visitors and whimpered. It was going to be a two-hour wait, I thought. A two-hour boring wait. A two-hour boring wait in the cold. No cutesy characters or overhead screens (like you get at Disney parks) here. The lady behind me in the queue said that she’d seen nothing like it. “It wasn’t this bad last year,” she said. Cheers.
Amazingly, it wasn’t so bad. The queue moved a bit. Then a bit more. It was more like Sainsbury’s than a crowded airport terminal (US Immigration springs to mind). And then we were in, paying just £7 each (including glass hire).
I was aching for a beer, but there was so much choice (there were 430+ ales). We didn’t have a programme, so there was no guidance. We found a bit of space and asked the volunteer serving behind the table for a bit of assistance. After we tried sample after free sample (we could have sampled our way all evening), we both chose pints of light stuff (name forgotten), which were really tasty.
Sitting down, I felt as if I were in a giant pub. The place was busy, but there was no leery shouting. It was all rather civilised and good-natured. After my pint, I was getting that warm and friendly feeling, the queue now a thing of the past. Surely it was time for another?
It certainly was. Time for something a little different. We headed straight to the foreign beers section, now armed with a programme plucked from someone’s table. Again, so much choice! We agreed to try a strong fruit beer from the Low Countries: Het Anker Boscoulis (6.5%), described as a “fruit beer, based on wild fruits”). After much waiting, we were presented with a glass of Anker (there were actually 3 different types of Anker available, such was the choice). It was dark, rich and syrupy, tasting a little like honey. Really sensuous. Quite exciting.
It was time for a snack. There was hot Mexican food and pittas in the outside area, but I wanted pub snacks to go with the pub drinks and pub atmosphere. There wasn’t much that I could see: parsnip crisps and Mini Cheddars, but no Walker’s Sensations or pork scratchings. Anyway, if you’re hungry, you’re hungry.
A cider followed. Which cider, I can’t remember (there were more than 130 ciders and perries). It had a bit of a sharp taste. It was consumed very quickly.
I was really enjoying myself now. There was a band playing, so we went to enjoy the music. We checked out the T-shirts, badges and other items. Time was running out, however, so we went to the mini tent next door for another beer. At this point, I noticed how a few girls were sporting a balloon hat in the shape of a man’s (very long) appendage. Curious.
The evening drew to a close. We had a super time (though, how can I put this, our souvenir glasses later lost their structure) and I’m very much looking forward to next year’s event. Minus the hangover.