Restaurants and stuff

Will look for'ad to your report.

 

I have been meaning to mention a very good Indian restaurant in Ilkley but keep forgetting.
It is an actual Indian restaurant, rather than a Kashmiri or Pakistani one that is more usual in Bradford.
It is Sachi's Restaurant, it is in the modern shopping centre next to the main Ilkley car park. We have had several good meals there. They do the regular things that local customers expect but have quite a few dishes not often seen. They always have some interesting specials, the last time I went I had a soft shelled crab starter that was delicious.

 

Shimla Spice has historically always been good. Few years since I’ve been though.

 

Bottomleys Arms in Shelf for fish & chips last night. £12.50, good quality gear, too much to finish.

 

From someone who isn't into poncy shite so take my opinion with a pinch of salt, went to the Causeway Foot inn at Ogden, only about 10 minutes from our house.
Had the fish & chips, as did the wife and my lad, my brother had the chilli. Food was bang on for my simple palette. Very busy and had to book but the wait of an hour for the food was probably too excessive. On the plus side we won the pub quiz, god knows how which paid for half the night.

 

The Bird restaurant in Guiseley which has just opened. Possibly the best curry I’ve ever had. They do a railway curry and the lamb melted in my mouth. Very authentic Indian. It’s a must try if you’re local.

 

Thanks for the heads up - I'll definitely give that a go. Had a great curry out Huddersfield way the other night. The Laxmi on the road out to Holmfirth. Very very good

 

I drive by that quite a lot, I’ll have to pop in one time.

 

Semi-local to me, too. Good to know.

 

We visited Sachi's again last week for our son's birthday. Another excellent meal. The best dishes were the crispy squid which came with 2 fabulous sauces, a samosa chat, a lamb shank hyderabadi and a lamb chettinad.
The dal and the breads were good too.
The restaurant is relocating to Burley in Wharfedale in the New Year.

 

This year's beekeepers' association Christmas dinner ventured to Italian restaurant Sambuca in Windhill, Shipley. Allegedly the best restaurant in Shipley according to TripAdvisor where it gets rave reviews.
It was another oh dear result. My meatball starter in tomato sauce was fine. OH had a prawn cocktail which had a lot of raw red onion included and some marie rose sauce from a bulk catering pack slapped on top, overly sweet.
My main course of seafood risotto was not to my taste. It had tomato puree and cream mixed in with it which overwhelmed the seafood content and made it ridiculously rich. I think it had been microwaved too, so the squid was rubbery and tough.
OH chose a pizza which seemed to be mainly red onions on top.
Other people who had steak or salmon liked their dishes though.
The venue is smallish, extremely noisy and decorated very oddly - it looks like bare grey plaster on the walls.
The staff were friendly enough although we were surprised to find the waiter/front of house turned out to be Greek and not Italian.
The house wine was Spanish!
I'd avoid really. I don't think it is an authentic Italian restaurant although I might be spoiled, having just returned from Florence.

 

This doesn’t surprise me. I love proper Italian food but my experience of Italian restaurants in Britain is generally poor. The same formulaic dishes served everywhere, with none of the regional variations that make eating in Italy so delightful.
I like San Carlo on South Parade in Leeds - which is Sicilian. But most of them leave me underwhelmed.

 

The food at San Carlo is very good but it does attract more than it's share of knobs . Sometimes the staff are brilliant, then other times you feel ignored while they are gushing all over the regulars. Buon Apps in Otley also offers a little more than your standard Italian, although a bit heavy in the salt last time. Our current favourites are Stuzzi near the Grand and Zucco in Meanwood. Both have a regular changing menu of non-standard dishes. Where's @millario .... you need to get out more I'm doing your job here

 

Possibly too far away to make it worth mentioning but I will do anyway. La Locanda in Gisburn between Skipton and Clitheroe is a 'real deal' Italian place. We stayed about 5 doors away at a really nice guest house which I think has now closed, but they had a deal where you got 20% off at the restaurant if you were staying. All regional shizz.

Probably 10 years ago there was an article in the Guardian about where to find proper Italian scran in the UK. Locanda was featured as was Lanterna in Scarborough.

Things have changed a bit and, as mentioned by @ahar964, Stuzzi is top. I also really like Il Pirata in Saltaire for nu-school Neapolitan pizza.

 

Definitely a vote for Buon Apps here.

 

Cena Bistro in Guiseley is better and cheaper! My opinion though.

 

Where's that BB?. Thought I knew Guiseley quite well

.

 

On Oxford road near the mini roundabout. Only a small venue but been dozens of times and never been disappointed.