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The Windmill Tavern (Uddingston)
by angelboouk (Review originally posted to Ciao 04/03/13 - unedited for dooyoo) My fiance and son wanted to treat me to lunch on my recent birthday. After having a look around the internet for a suitable restaurant, I came across the Windmill Tavern. I was pleased to discover that the Windmill Tavern is actually part of the Sizzling Pubs ... chain. I was complaining to my fiance that we didn't have any Sizzling Pubs in Scotland as I assumed it was an English chain (we visited when in Birmingham last year), so was pleased to discover one not too far from our home. ~Windmill Tavern~ 4 Thorniewood Road Uddingston Glasgow G71 5QQ 01698 802171 Opening times : midday to 23.00 daily. The Windmill Tavern is classed as being in Uddingston (just outside of Glasgow). I was a little confused by this as when I looked it up on the Google maps, it is actually quite a bit a way from Uddingston. It is actually located in Tannochside. It is located on a main road next to a Co-Op and other little shops. We arrived by bus (First Bus 240) and the bus stops across the road. There is a small car park and from the outside, the building looks quite big and rather new looking. The Windmill Tavern is both a pub and a restaurant. There is an outside area with picnic benches but this area is quite small and cramped. As we entered the Windmill Tavern, I found it to be smaller than I imagined. There is a small amount of natural lighting but it is quite dark if not sitting next to the window area. There is a range of seating options available but the tables are located quite close together and there isn't a great deal of room to move around. There is a few amusement machines and a teddy grabbing machine too. The pub has a quiz night on a Thursday. The Windmill Tavern has a typical pub feel and atmosphere and whilst the decor is quite nice, the chairs could be doing with being replaced as some were badly stained and torn. The menus weren't very nice either as they were covered in food stains. They could be doing with replacing them and laminating them for easy cleaning. The Windmill Tavern caters for families and high chairs are available but there is limited space for placing them next to a table. I wouldn't say there was much room for wheelchairs to navigate the pub either. There are toilet, disabled and changing facilities within the pub. The toilets didn't smell particular pleasant and could do with a revamp. To be fair, I feel the full pub would benefit from a refit and paint but that is my own personal opinion. I actually visited the website the evening before our visit and signed up to the newsletter. In turn, I received a 25% discount voucher which my fiances aunt printed off for us. This was valid midweek all day. I also received an email when we were on the way to the pub offering us four free starters as it was my birthday. I found this to be generous but I had no way of printing it off and they wouldn't accept me just showing them the email from my mobile. ~Service~ When we arrived at the Windmill Tavern, it was around 1pm on a Friday afternoon. As it was around 7 months since the last time I had visited a Sizzling Pub, I couldn't remember if we had to wait to be seated or just found a table ourself. The latter was the right choice and we opted for a table near the window as I prefer to see what I am eating. The pub was very busy with families, couples and a few small groups of people enjoying a drink and a chat. The service was quite slow but friendly enough. I waited quite a while to be served as there was only one person behind the bar. You need to place your order and pay at the bar as well as ordering drinks so more staff would be ideal. Tables weren't cleared as quickly as I would have expected considering how busy the pub actually was. Our cutlery and sauce tray was brought out promptly. There were a few people bringing food out but the time between the starter we ordered and the main course was a little longer than I appreciated. I would have expected them to bring my sons meal out with the starter and we was impatient. Our desserts seemed to go amiss and we had to ask for them twice before they were brought to us. ~Food On Offer~ The main menu is a typical Sizzling Pub menu. There is something for everyone and the food is very reasonably priced. In most cases, the food is even cheaper than Wetherspoons. They run special promotions through the week including a curry night, beer and burger night and also a grill night. This arrangement is similar to what Wetherspoons and Brewers Fayres offer. There is options to upgrade your meal to a kingsize meal for a few pounds - ideal for those with bigger appetites. I will give a brief run down of the main menu and childrens menu. Most meals include sides but these can be changed. *Starters : nachos, prawn cocktail, cream cheese jalapenos - priced from £1.50 *Pub favourites : tikka masala, ribs, pies and sausage and mash - priced from £3.39 *Sizzling Skillets : mixed grills, steaks, surf and turf, bbq smothered chicken and piri piri chicken skewers - priced from £3.39 *Burgers : reggae reggae, chicken and gourmet burgers - priced from £3.99 *Season and shake : a bit like KFC. Different chicken combos - priced from £6.99 *Pasta/Salads : beef lasagne, mozzarella sald - priced from £4.79 *Lighter choices : baked potatoes and baguettes - priced from £2.69 *Extras : onion rings, sauces, prawns etc - priced from £1.50 *Desserts : lots of sundae options, Millionaires shortbread cake, crumble and treacle pudding - priced from 99p Vegetarians are catered for at the Windmill Tavern. They have the option of a few starters including breaded mushrooms and soup. Suitable main courses include a veggie korma curry, Quorn chilli, Quorn fillets, a veggie burger and also a mushroom and goats cheese pasta. They also offer suitable baguette and baked potato fillings for vegetarians. Whilst meat eaters can appreciate a roast beef meal on a Sunday, a nut roast is offered for those who do not favour meat. The childrens menu offers main meals for £2.99 or you can upgrade to a meal, dessert and drink for £4.50. Meals include fish fingers, nuggets, bbq chicken with sides of chips, mash or baked potato. Price also includes salad, beans or veg and there is the option to change the meal to a lasagne or roast dinner. Dessert options include chocolate chip cookie, ice cream, jelly or custard with chocolate buttons. Children are also given colouring sheets and a choice of (rather crappy and cheap) colouring pens. There is a varied range of drinks available including soft drinks, beer and also wine. ~Our Meal~ Okay, so we didn't go here expecting a spectacular meal. We were on a limited budget and simply wanted a nice meal and something that would suit our incredibly fussy son. We got that at the Windmill Tavern. We ordered some drinks - a large pint of Cola and an apple juice. My son received a Fruit Shoot in with his meal. We ordered a starter to share - a portion of nachos. They were presented well and the portion was quite large so we were glad we had ordered a regular portion instead of a sharing portion. There was plenty of melted cheese on the nachos which some pubs/restaurants often skimp on. There was also a generous serving of sour cream, salsa and jalapenos. We enjoyed grazing on the nachos and found that this starter represented decent value for money (£2.89). When our main course finally arrived, I had mixed opinions. My son is a very fussy eater and wanted simple chips and sausage. I requested no gravy for him. I found that whilst the portion of chips was adequate, there was only two, rather stingy and small sausages provided. The last Sizzling Pub we dined at offered two, large and meaty sausages. I wouldn't expect an older child to be pleased with the size of this meal so this is worth keeping in mind. He did enjoy it though. I was spoiled for choice with main courses as there was so much on offer than I felt I would like. I ended up ordered the big steak and chicken combo which included a 6oz rump steak, a chicken breast, chips, onion and tomato as well as a sauce of my choice (I opted for Jack Daniels sauce). My meal arrived on a skillet on top of a wooden board - piping hot and neatly presented. I requested that my steak be medium-well cooked but found it was a little overcooked on the top. The steak wasn't massive but the chicken breast was quite big. My food was nice enough and very filling. There was no fat on the steak and it was pleasant to eat. The chicken breast was cooked to perfection and was very tender. The chips were delicious - crispy on the outside and beautifully fluffy inside. The Jack Daniels sauce is divine and I would recommend it to all as it complimented the steak and chicken perfectly. It was ideal for dipping my chips in too. I ordered a side portion of onion rings and they were delicious. My meal cost £7.49 which I consider excellent value for money. My fiance has a habit of ordering the same type of meal no matter where we go. He ordered a gourmet ultimate burger (£6.99) which included grilled bacon, melted cheese, bbq sauce, onion rings and a bowl of chips. His burger was huge and cooked to perfection. The burger was well garnished and proved to be nice enough but not the best burger he has had to date (his words, not mine). I am hoping he decides to try something different the next time we go out. We ordered a can of diet Irn Bru after our meal to share and I was shocked at the £1.20 price tag - cheap food, expensive drinks it would seem! It was my birthday and I was determined to have a dessert! My son received his quite quickly and enjoyed his large ice cream (even it was the cheap yellow ice cream). When our desserts finally surfaced, I enjoyed mine. I ordered a luscious lemon meringue sundae (£3.49) and received a huge sundae glass topped with lots of squirty cream. Mmmm my dessert was a little different to what I usually have and was a different take on lemon meringue pie. Whilst I'm not a fan of the yellow ice cream (I prefer decent quality ice cream), I found it to be edible when mixed in with meringue pieces and tangy lemon sauce. It was delicious and I finished every last spoonful! My fiance ordered a chocolate fudge sundae (£3.49) which included warm fudge cake, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and Dairy Milk pieces. I didn't get to try this as the greedy sod didn't leave my any of it. It did look nice and perfect for a chocolate love to have after their meal. He enjoyed it but said he would have preferred the apple pie. The dessert selection is mainly focussed around ice cream sundaes but there are a few other choices. ~Conclusion~ We paid by cash and used our 25% off voucher. I think our entire meal which included one starter, two main courses, two desserts, a childrens meal deal and three drinks came to around £28.00. This wasn't a bad price at at all as the portion sizes are generous. I wouldn't say that this is high up in my favourite, local places to eat out. I found the food to be nice but nothing particularly special. After discovering this pub online, I asked Facebook friends if they recommended it and got a mixed response which is about right. The food is cheap enough and it is ideal if you are on a budget or dining with young children but I wouldn't recommend the Windmill Tavern for special occasions as there are other, much better pubs/restaurants nearby. 4 stars (just..) We may go back one day if we are passing by but I wouldn't make a special trip to eat here. Thanks for reading :) Read the complete review |
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Toby Carvery
by writer29 I go to the Toby Carvery in Mitcham quite regularly, but not because the food is great - it isn't. My family and I go for a low cost meal and some family time together. I take a little jar of mixed seasonings to give my food some flavour so I can enjoy it better. The staff know us well and most of them contribute to making ... our time out together a good one although with the volume of customers the staff are often harassed looking and not very smiley, although that's not all of them, the carvers are generally very pleasant, one might even say jolly. My youngest (14) doesn't really eat much food as she likes to go for the chocolate fudge sundae so we get her a child's plate. My mum's vegetarian and there isn't much on the menu for her but then it is a carvery after all. I always feel that I should roast some potatoes and bring them with me as I have not been once in almost 2 years and had good roast potatoes. The beef is really fatty so is not a good cut and the Yorkshire puddings taste a bit papery. With what I've written one might wonder why we keep going back but as I said, it's just to have a cheap family night out without having to cook and do the washing up! Read the complete review |
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Eataliano Restaurant (Hamilton)
by angelboouk *Review originally posted on Ciao 22/02 and remains unedited for dooyoo* Last week, my sister decided that she would like to take me out for an early birthday treat. She allowed me to choose where I fancied and I had decided on a nice local Italian restaurant. I put in the reservation unaware that the restaurant was closed on ... a Monday. We had to find somewhere else. My home town has very little in the way of Italian restaurants so we searched further afield and made an online reservation at another restaurant in the next town. When we turned up, a sign confirmed that they were closed on a Monday too. Thankfully, another Italian restaurant around the corner was open and I had read some positive reviews on it so we decided to go there. I am very glad that we did! ~EATaliano~ 55 Almada Street Hamilton ML3 0HQ 01698 427333 www.eatalianos.co.uk Open 11.45 - 22.00 daily. EATaliano is opened in January 2013 so is a fairly new restaurant. It is located a 15minute walk from Hamilton town centre and is local to the court, offices and the University. Car parking is available. It is very easy to find and the building is very modern and fresh looking. Inside the restaurant is equally as beautiful. There is an arrangement of booth seating, high tables and regular tables to accomodate different sized parties. The restaurant has some interesting wall features include two full walls made of wooden, open boxes where empty wine bottles sit. It looks quite fancy. There is a spacious waiting area and a coffee and cake display which gives the restaurant a posh, coffee shop type feel. The restaurant is set across one level and is disabled and pram friendly. The toilets are near the entrance and there is a disabled toilet and changing facilities available. The toilets are very modern and stylish. They were absolutely immaculate and well stocked with posh hand wash and hand cream (which my Mum slathered her hands in before leaving)! The restaurant has a relaxed, busy atmosphere so perhaps not somewhere you would dine for a romantic dinner date. ~Food On Offer~ EATaliano offers a al a carte menu and also a lunch express menu. The lunch menu is available everyday from 12-4pm. A childrens menu is also available but I didn't get to see that on our visit to the restaurant. ~Al a Carte Menu~ The al a carte menu is very varied and there is a great selection of dishes to suit all tastes and budgets. The menu's are well displayed and clear as they are written in English with Italian titles. The full al a carte menu can be found on the website but to give an idea of what they offer, I will note a few options. *Antipasti (starters) - calamari, mussels in sauce, soup and black pudding dishes (over 15 options priced from £3.50-£12.95). Vegetarian options include breaded mushrooms and mozzerella sticks. *Bruschetta with various toppings (£3.95-£7.95) *Pizza - more than 20 options for toppings including lots of vegetarian choices. (Around £9.00) *Pasta - you choose the type of pasta you want and which sauce. Choices include carbonara, mixed shellfish, special sauces and standard sauces. (from £6.95). Lasagne and vegetarian lasagne is also available. *Other dishes include steak, fish in sauces, burgers with sides, chicken done in various ways and also veal. (from £8.50) *Desserts - everything from ice cream to tiramisu and pizza sticks with dips (around £3.95) There are lots of side options available, various breads and also small dish options that you can mix and match. There is a wide selection of drinks on offer from wine to soft drinks and milkshakes. ~Lunch Express Menu~ For those who want a simple menu to choose from, this Lunch menu represents excellent value for money. Expect to pay £4.95 (one course), £7.95 (two courses) or £9.95 (three courses). *Antipasti - a choice of 8 including steamed mussels, soup of the day and bruschetta *Main meals - a choice of 10 including whatever way you like your pasta. Options include lasagne (including vegetarian), pizza, fishcakes and a burger as well as a varied selection of pasta dishes. *Desserts - tiramisu, sticky toffee pudding, ice cream and dessert of the day You can also select a soup and ciabatta combo as part of the set menu. ~Customer Service~ There ended up being three of us going for lunch on Monday as our Mum decided to tag along. We arrived at EATaliano just after 1pm and found it to be very busy. We were seen to straight away and seated a booth next to the window. The service we received was really good. The staff were friendly and chatty at the right times. Because the restaurant was quite busy, service was a little slow. There were plenty of staff clearing tables and serving food but the food was definitely worth the wait. The restaurant was buzzing on our arrival with local workers, couples and those meeting up for a meal with young children so it caters and accommodates all in my opinion. ~Our Meal~ We decided to order from the Lunch Express Menu. Given the amount of choice on offer, I would say the menu is incredibly good value for money. The standard of both menus is excellent in my opinion. Whilst not all of the options are typical Italian dishes, this is actually a positive aspect in a way as the restaurant can cater for those who don't like pizza or pasta! We were made to feel very welcome in this restaurant and the booth we were seated at was comfortable enough. We ordered some drinks - a Coca Cola, a Diet Coke and an Irn Bru which arrived in glass bottles and was poured for us. Our orders were taken quickly and we were able to enjoy our drinks and have a chat before our starters arrived. I personally chose the Mozzarella Sticks which were deep fried (I know, naughty for the diet) and came with a tomato dip. The portion size was just right for a starter - two large sticks cooked to perfection with delicious cheese. The dip was lovely and tangy and I received a small bundle of fresh tasting salad. I enjoyed my starter. My sister is a huge fan of fish dishes and opted for the Steamed mussells which were served with a chilli sauce and piece of garlic bread. She thoroughly enjoyed her starter and commented that the quality of the mussells were excellent. I tried the sauce and found it to be very tasty and spicy. Mum ordered the Chicken Liver Pate which was served with red onion marmalade and toast. I couldn't resist trying a bit and found the pate to be very nice indeed. The starters were nicely filling but not overly so. All plates were cleared and we had happy tummies. After 30 minutes or so, our main courses arrived. I was spoiled for choice with the options on offer. I couldn't decide between two dishes so my sister ordered one and I ordered the other so we could share. I opted for Carbonara with the tagliatelle pasta. I received a perfectly sized and presented portion of cream pasta finished with bacon pieces. My dish was absolutely delicious. I think if I had a bigger portion, I wouldn't have been able to finish it as it was quite rich and creamy. The pasta was cooked to perfection and the bacon pieces are meaty. My sister ordered Pollo Milanese which is a breaded chicken breast served with penne arrabiatta. This was another hit and I took great pleasure in having a third of it. The chicken was of a high quality and coated and seasoned well. The pasta portion was small but sufficient given the size of the coated chicken. It had a spicy flavouring which I liked and so did my sister. Mum being Mum, selected a burger for her main course. This was beautifully presented on a wooden board. The burger was clearly handmade and freshly made. It was presented in a seeded type roll and was served with a bowl of hand cut chips and a light salad. Of course I accepted a piece to try and can confirm that this was one of the best burgers I had ever tried. A lot of attention had gone in to making it look and taste delicious. The chips were amazing and we all shared them. They were crisp on the outside and fluffy and light inside. Our main courses exceeded expectations. We all agreed that the food of a top notch quality. The meals were all cooked well and served piping hot. The chef doesn't slack on presentation either and I could understand why our meals took a little longer to cook and serve. We were offered parmasan cheese and freshly ground pepper too. My Mum doesn't have quite as big an appetite as myself and my sister. We couldn't resist desserts and asked to see the menu back. We were informed of the dessert of the day which happened to be two dishes - cheesecake sponge and some sort of chocolate based cake but I cannot quite remember the name. Mum did insist on three spoons though - yes, she wanted a piece of our dessert! We love her so obliged! I ordered my favourite of Sticky Toffee pudding. My dessert was neatly presented on a rectangular platter. The piece of cake was quite large and was served at just the right temperature. It was spongey and very moist. The toffee sauce was poured over the top and tasted very sweet and very rich but at the same time, very indulgent. I received a small scoop of creamy, high quality ice cream with my dessert and between the three of us, we finished the lot! My sister ordered the cheesecake sponge which was a little different to a regular cheesecake. It was beautifully presented with squirty cream and strawberry sauce over the top. The cheesecake itself had a regular cheesecake filling - creamy vanilla and satisfying especially with the strawberry that topped it. The base was made of a light sponge rather than a biscuit base and this actually really worked and tasted divine! I would like to try the sweet pizza sticks on my next visit. ~Conclusion~ We were highly impressed by the service and the quality of food that we were served at EATaliano. My sister asked for the bill and paid by card. The bill came to around £35.00 which included two, three course meals, a two course meal and three drinks. I consider this fantastic value for money. We left a cash tip on the table. We were thanked for our visit and given mints on the way out which was a lovely touch. We were very pleased with the food we had to choose from on the set menu but those who want to sample more authentic Italian dishes do have a great selection on the main menu. Overall we can highly recommend EATaliano in Hamilton. I will return with my fiance soon and my son. Thanks for reading :) Read the complete review |
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