The Jersey Tennerfest....you just can't go wrong! (Restaurants in Jersey)

Member Name: Jersey-Soph

Product:	Restaurants in Jersey
Date:	30/10/03 (3792 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap cheap cheap cheap, A huge variety of restaurants to choose from, Fantastic food

Disadvantages: Waistline expansion, Drinks bill, it ends on november 12th

For 6 weeks from the beginning of October, the Channel Islands hold an annual culinary and foodie's delight....the Tennerfest. This is a promotion whereby the majority of local restaurants offer 3 course meals for £10. In Jersey there are almost 100 restaurants taking part so you are totally spoilt for choice and it is the perfect excuse for a lot more dining out than strictly necessary (!) and to try lots of restaurants that you usually wouldn't.

Now in its 6th year, the Tennerfest is loved by locals and tourists alike, and the restauranteurs, despite offering seriously cut price meals have such brisk business that I am sure a successful months business is had by all.

I have had 4 tennerfest meals already (and a couple more lined up as we approach the last 2 weeks of it...*sob*!) and they have all been delicious and by no means give any impression that cost cutting has taken place. Jersey is awash with simply wonderful restaurants, although for those of us on a budget, it is fair to say that dining out can be really quite expensive. The Tennerfest gives you the chance to try a lot of restaurants that would normally be out of your league (such as the exquisite Chateau La Chaire and Longuville Manor) but also try a variety of small, less commercialised and publicised restaurants and cafes, where you would just normally not think of going.

My favourite Tennerfest meal so far has been at the beachside funky restaurant of 'Cockles' at Havre Des Pas on the town outskirts. Superbly tasty food, they catered wonderfully to my vegetarian requirements, had friendly good service, the most delicious bannoffee pie for dessert (always a winner in my book)....all for only Ten English Pounds!

Now...there had to be a catch didn't there....well, its not a biggie....but....not all restaurants offer their Tennerfest menu for £10. Cheating I know, but it does rule out problems that have been encountered in previous years,
(such as a 15% service charge being added on to your bill) and it is mainly restaurants that are usually far more expensive than £15 and so you are still getting an excellent saving. There are also some restaurants who opt for the £12.50 menu. These are the only 3 prices they are allowed to charge, and obviously you are fully aware of what you are going to pay before you go.

The other sneaky disadvantage is that certain restaurants do not offer their menu every day. Some offer it for lunch only (which is plain cheeky because who spends £10 on lunch at the best of times?!) but a few offer the £10 menu only from Monday to THursday for example, which is just annoying. The Salty Dog being the prime example....absolutely fabulous restaurant at St Aubins Harbour....my most highly reccomended restaurant in Jersey in fact....but....you cannot tennerfest it on a Friday or Saturday night (yes, I am quite bitter about this fact!). These exceptions apply to a minority of restaurants however.

Other information which is a nice bonus is the other deals that come hand in hand with Tennerfest....you can sail to Guernsey for a day return with Condor for only £10, and enjoy one of Guernsey's Tennerfest meals....and I do believe you can also sail from Weymouth for a £10 day return! What an absolute Bargain! Jersey is such a top spot....it has so much to offer, is simply beautiful, and when you can have a 3 course meal for £10...surely you can't go wrong!

For more information and menus check out www.tennerfest.com

My next meal is at Chateau La Chaire which will be beautiful and posh I am sure. My Tennerfest faves are Cockles, Bistro Central, Jersey Museum and the Castle Green. But there are soooo many left to try!

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