Conference govt02::basingstoke

    Kingsclere - SASSO'S
    
    Italian / French
    #40-#60 for 2
    Service entertaining if you like a dry humour
    Kingsclere High St (just off Basingstoke - Newbury route)
    
    
                                Hmmmmmmm
    
    :-; 

		Beacons Restaurant
		Down Grange
		Winchester Road
		Basingstoke
		(0256) 461149

	Traditional (berni type of food) and Not so Traditional
						Steak Teraki
						Cajun Steak
						Shanghai Duck
						Chicken Tikka .......

	A different sort of restaurant then normal, fairly reasonable,
	about a tenner a head plus wine.

	I have a menu at work if anyone in the Crescent wants to see it.


	Cathryn

<    #40-#60 for 2
<   Service entertaining if you like a dry humour

You'd need a bl**dy dry sense of humour at that price! I find it hard to
believe that people can pay those prices bearing in mind the cost of a roof over
your head down there.

*DC

    RE: .2
    	The Beacons also do a couple of veggie choices too. A chilli
    and a nut roast I think.
    
    I'll recommend:
    			The Mardi Gras
    			Basingstoke Town Centre
    			Next to the library and the Leeds Perm B.S.
    
    This is a Bistro-type establishment that specialises in Pizzas. They
    are home made on the premises - not preconstituted like you get
    in Pizza Huts, Pizza Lands, Pizza Craps etc. The atmos. is very
    pleasant, the service friendly but a wee bit slow when they're busy.
    You can quite often just turn up and get a table without booking
    too. Allow about �10 per person for starter, main, desert and coffee.
    
    Ian.

    Can anybody recommend a carvery in the Basingstoke (+/- 10 miles)
    area.
    
    I mean a proper carvery, not just a pub with a joint of beef.
    What I need is the sort of place you could take you granny to,
    ( which is exactly what I want it for ! )
    
    Thanks in advance,
    
    Chris.

    
    
    Chris,
    
    I think the Red Lion in town has got a carvery (we were in a restaurant
    over the road from there last week, and it said there was a carvery!!),
    dunno wot its like though...
    
    Ali
    

    The Ladbroke Lodge (sorry , the Hilton Lodge) do a carvery evenings
    and on Sunday lunchtime.Can recommend it, and it is good value for
    money as well.
    
    Janet

    A bit further than 10 miles, but recommendable is the Windmill at
    Four Marks (4 miles from Alton on the A31 towards Winchester). You've
    got to be there for 12 o'clock on Sunday to get a table, it's that
    popular.
    
    Mike

    
    Coach and Horses at Rotherwick?  They have a carvery, have not eaten
    in the restaurant as I usually stay in the bar and eat the pub-grub
    and swill it down with the 'best selection of ale' in the area!
    
    Lucie
    

    Thanks for the Suggestions. The Hilton Lodge was the chosen place,
    and the food was good, quantities exceptional, and the value good.
    They have a nice 'conservertory' out the back where most of the
    seating was. 

    
    	Every been to Blubeckers Mill at Odiham..?
    
    	Excellent home made wholesome food of varying nationality.
    	Rich desserts as well
    	#25-#30 per person...plus wine
    	Service is very good, but can be slow when busy.
    	Tranquill surrounding...try it in summer
    
    
    Helen

    
    might as well use this note - I'm getting desparate.
    
    Does anybody know of a good Thai restaurant within sensible (or
    even non-sensible) driving distance of Basingstoke? Failing Thai
    I will consider (in decreasing order of desirability) Laos, Cambodian,
    Vietnamese, Burmese or Indian.
    
    /. Ian .\
    
    (PS: desparation is because my wife is Thai, and we have been living
    on Thai food for the last 20 months. Now I have relocated back to
    sunny Basingstoke and we are living in a hotel going rapidly out
    of our minds for lack of food that doesn't make us both feel sick)

    There is a Singapore eating house in Mytchett, near Farnborough.
    I am no expert, but it looks good and tastes good.
    
    
    (On further reflection it is Malaysian ! )  ring me for details
    
    830 3321
    

    re .12;
    
    if you are staying in the same hotel all the time, why not ask the
    chef/resteraunt(sp?) manager to do one for you?
    
    A few years ago, I lived for nine months in a hotel in Watford;
    the chef there was very happy to make me a special curry/steak
    or whatever; I think he enjoyed making it more than I enjoyed
    eating it... and they were always good!
    
    In fact the hotel was the Ladbroke Mercury, which is part of the
    Hilton group.
    
    Peter.
    

    now there's a thought - in fact perhaps I could get my wife to show
    him how (she's a qualified chef - her family owns a restaurant back
    in Thailand...)
    
    /. Ian .\

There are two Thai places I would recommend;

The Ram Wong (or something like that) in Guildford.

The Blue Elephant in Fulham, well worth the journey.

Dave.

     There is a Thai restaurant in Petersfield (25 miles).
    
    Its called the River Kwai, and is very good I understand.
    
    It will take 35 mins to drive from Basingstoke to Petersfield.
    Take A339 to Alton, then B3006 to Liss, and A325 into P'field.
    The restaurant is on the main road (A3), just after you pass
    the High Street, (ie. you are most of the way thru the town).
    Phone me if you need more details 781-4117
    
    Ray.

The place in Guildford is the Rum Wong - very good, book early and
plump for the tables rather than the floor.

    
    Can anyone recommend an Indian restaurant in Basingstoke?
    
                                                  Karen

    
    Had dinner at a place called 'Villa Tandoori' in Basingstoke yesterday.
    
    Wasn't at all bad, food and service were both reasonable, and my
    wife liked the touch of the carnation they gave her when they gave
    me the bill...
    
    We've eaten there a few times now and average dinner for two comes
    to a bit under �20
    
    /. Ian .\
    
    Directions: from Basingstoke proper go north on the A33 to the last
    roundabout, and take a left. Take the first left (it's a small
    roundabout) and go on to the end of the road (another little
    roundabout) then turn right. It's a dead end road and the restaurant
    is on the right just before the end.
     

    How about Nepalese food - very similar to Indian.  If so, try the
    20 minute journey to Aldershot to Johnnie Gurkha's.
    
    Went there last night - It were excellent.
    
    BARBARA
    

I wonder what happend to my last reply - oh well, I'm creating this one
"outside of notes" just in case..

Here are four London Thai restaraunt addresses that I got from the
"Whats on in London" mag at Highfield, where I've been on a course
this week...

Benjorang Thai, 95, Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith Broadway, W6.
01 741 5806

Bua Luans, 26, Upper Richmond Street, SW15  01 871 1887

Morakot, 11, Berwick Street, Soho,  01 743 5300

Sri Siam, 14, Old Compton Street, Soho, 01 434 3544

My mate reckons his good meal was "definately in one of the last two",
but he can't remember which one...... not a very helpful
recomendation!

Peter.

    

    Thanks - that adds a few - My wife looked at Sri Siam on our last
    trip to Chinatown and decided it looked a bit 'gedat' (showy). The
    menu looked interesteing though. (Since 'sri siam' means "country
    of Thailand in Sanskrit which is used extensively by upper class
    Thais - it used to be the court language - this may be the intent)
    
    We went around the corner to Frith Street where there are two more
    (!) called Chiang Mai and Bahn Thai (Chiang Mai is the second city
    of Thailand with a quite distinctive cuisine. Bahn Thai means "Thai
    House" and refers to the peasant houses with steeply pitched rooves
    built on piles for coolness in the summer). We ate at the Chiang
    Mai and were impressed. We'll try another one next time in (all
    nominations are still welcome).
    
    /. Ian .\
    
    (For jazz fans the Chiang Mai is next to Ronnie Scott's club and
    the Bahn Thai is across the road: hot food and hot jazz, pure delight!)
    
    /.I.\

    I can thoroughly recommend the Wessex House Hotel at
    Sherfield-on-Loddon (roughly six miles out of Basingstoke on the
    A33).
    
    The food, service and atmosphere were faultless!
    
    I believe they also do a reasonably priced lunch time menu and full
    a la carte in the evenings.
    
    Regards,
    
    Karen

I went to Beacons Restaurant as recommended in .2 & .4 last night and found 
the food and service very poor (even for a Berni).

I complained about the appalling food and they took two of the meals off 
the bill.

Nice building and beautiful gardens though...

Dave.

re .26 Beacons Restaurant

I've eaten there a couple of times & found the food to be OK. But the 
service.... if you're going to eat there plan on a 3 hour lunch break.

Nigel

    Wok this Way
    High Street
    Hartley Wintney
    Nr Basingstoke
    
    Went there on Saturday night for the first time.  It was excellent.
    
    It is a Chinese Restaurant (a la Hees, Kings etc) but infinitely
    superior!!
    
    The decor was very "pleasing".  The service was excellent - attention
    but not bombardment.  The quality of the food was faultless.  It
    was almost Nouvelle Cuisine Chinese Style.  I felt satiated but
    not stuffed!!!
    
    There was even a live pianist playing on Saturday night.
    
    The cost:- �80 between three (but we did have a lot of Saki which
    isn't cheap!).
    
    The average starter cost was about �5.
    We then had Crispy Aromatic Duck between three - �11
    Main Courses - Chicken dishes around �4, everything else between
    �5-�6.
    Rices - about �1.50-�3.00.
    
    HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR A SPECIAL MEAL.
                                 
    Regards
    ALEX
    
    

    
    
    A small plug for the Wheatsheaf, at North Waltham (Dummer, if you
    prefer.) It's the one that you can see down on your left as you
    come up the M3, just before J7.
    
    Part of the Lansbury Hotels group, owned by Whitbread, a range of
    hot/cold bar meals and a "proper" restaurant. Only about half-a-dozen
    tables, so book. (Dummer 8282)
    
    Menu is pleasantly different from the usual "chain" selection, plenty
    of sea-food and stuff.  Watch out for the various "sizzlers", they're
    big - and hot!
    Small selection of dishes for children (including Junior Rump Steak!)
    One or two suitable for veggies.
    
    Prices, around 10-15 pounds per head, depending on how mad you
    go with the desserts, and what you drink.
    
    
                                   
    Ian

    I tried the Villa Tandoori last Friday. MHO:

    Food:	Excellent

    Service:	A bit slow (It was a Friday.)

    Decor:	Not your average Indian

    Price:	Starters, Main dish, sundries, drinks (but excluding wine)
		for 3 came to about �33.

    Location:	Basingstoke. Starting from the Reading Road roundabout (on the
		Ring Road) go North up the A33 to Reading. At the next
		roundabout stay on the A33 by turning right. Turn left at the
		next roundabout (a smaller one) and again turn left at the next
		roundabout (an even smaller one). The Villa Tandoori is on the
		right just before the end of the road (before you get to the
		railway bridge).

    Phone:	(0256) 22513

    Re last.
    
    Agreed - a good Indian BUT....
    
    Do study the bill very carefully at the end of your meal... we have
    experienced times where they have overcharged by up to �8! 
                                                                   

    If you're near Winchester, try "The Georgian".
    
    Service was friendly and quick (it was relatively uncrowded the evening
    we were there) and the food was good. Dinner for 3 including starter,
    main, dessert and misc. drinks (but not wine) came to �23.
    
    29 Jewry Street, Winchester, Hants.
    Tel: 66500

        
    Re last.
    
    I have also been over charged about 8 pounds, not once but twice.
    
    When you get the bill its usually unreadable and they then squeeze
    in a few extract items. Apart from that its not bad ...
    
    
    
        

    
    
    
    Has anyone been to Bluebeckers Mill since December 1988 (when note
    26.11 was entered). Are the food and service still good, and approx how
    much does it cost these days. I'm asking as I'm trying to find a place
    to take my parents for their silver wedding anniversary.
    
    Thanks in advance,
    
    Andy.

> re. Note 26.34 by SHAPES::PAYNEA "That piece of hallibut blah blah"
>
>                      -< Been to Blubeckers recently ? >-


	Yep ! Went there before Christmas. Service was excellent. Food
	was excellent. Wine was amazingly cheap. The only thing I can
	complain about is the awful uniform that the staff have to wear.
	It's like eating in McDonalds, with oak panelling.
	
	P1

    
    
    I went there a couple of times last year...I'd agree with -1, food is
    good (lots of it), nice place as well, lovely gardens in the
    spring/summer time.  
    
    Ali 
    

    
    Nobody eaten at The Stilton Dish in Hartley Wintney?
    
    This restaurant is run by Italians, but provides the more traditional
    restaurant fair (Steaks, Chicken, etc) rather than Pizzas and Pasta.
    
    It gets very busy and booking is essential (unless you're prepared to
    eat late, perhaps), but the food is excellent (they do a number of
    meals with stilton in/on and they are great if you like such things),
    portions are reasonable and the price, for such a place, is very good
    (3 courses, pre-meal drinks, bottle of wine, coffees and liquers came
     to �88 for 4 on Saturday and this _is_ typical).
    
    My only complaint is that they _never_ seen to offer any vegetables,
    except Cauliflower cheese, ratatouille and potatoes (well cooked, but
    always the same!).
    
    An excellent place for an affordable 'special' meal.
    
    Mark
        

Re: The Stilton Dish.

1, Do they have pisco-vegitarian meals at all?

2, Do you have a phone number for it?

3, Is it central H-W or would directions be needed?


Jo.

    
    Ah, I never replied to Jo.
    
    1. Err, are fish vegetarian? You'd have to ask them that I'm afraid.
       I'm an omnivour!
    
    2. Try the B'Stoke phone book.
    
    3. It's on the A30 on the left as you travel from H/W towards
    Basingstoke. It's about 1 mile out of the centre.
    
    Mark

    A while ago I went for a meal in a French restaurant in the high st of 
    Odiham . Now first of all I can't remember the name of it ( probably
    can solve this by Yellow pages) and secondly I would like to know
    whether it is still good before I recommend it to someone.
    
    Anyone know of the place that I mean (down the road from Kings)
    
    Thanks and regards,
    
    phil

	Last time I went there they started clearing up to close at about
	10pm, or some such ridiculous time. 

	I was not impressed by the service, food was fine, but pricey.

		p1