Thetownend.com

I know there are some keen foodites on here, so what's the deal with this place? Is it still the mutts nuts, and is it difficult to get a table, bearing in mind you can't pre-book?

Thanks in advance...

i can pre book there  :smugfu:

I just turned up the other week, was only a third full.

To be honest I thought my plate was overly rich. Sort of food, first few mouthfuls you love it, but you arent so sure by the time your finnishing your plate.

I heard it was worse now that a chef had left or something.

Cheers for the info :)

You can book mate, we booked a table of 8 teh other week, not badly priced really, some snacks are £10 a head which will fill you up (sausage and mash was lush)the mains are about £20 a head and are massive

All about the cheesey dumplins though - beautiful!

Anyone can prebook there before 8:30 and it ain't what it used to be... although the cheesey dumplings are still good

agreed, havent been for a while cos not as good

The Jesmond in Highworth is good food if you're looking for a bit of quality

I still love it. Especially the rack of lamb and banana haystacks.

The old bank could be a goer as the ex 3 crowns chef now works there and the menu is quality because of it.

There is also a lovely place at the top of Marlborough but I've completely forgotten the name. Probably the best food I've had anywhere near Swindon, it's on the hill on the way in.

Or, of course, Los Gatos, which is always my number one grub spot when i'm back home.

Coles on Kingsbury St, Marlborough. Very nice but expensive. Il Capricorno is lovely too.

that's the boy.

Cheers folks... the wife wants to take me out for dinner (yup, equal opportunities in the Sanchez house) so i'll run all this past her.

I'm off to The Maharajah in Purton tonight for a Ruby. Fucking ace.

Swindon really lacks some good resaurant/cafe's in around the Town (Old Town tries but in truth it's mainly pubs or Curry).  Fratello's and Il Capricorno offer good food, but nothing really stands out as likely to be grabbing awards or getting people visiting from afar.  We even seem to struggle to get half decent chain places in, which goes to show how bad it is.

I've really gotten into my food in the past couple of years, so it's become a bit annoying that the height of sophistication is often a trip to Frankie and Bennys.  It has it's place, and enjoy a steak from time to time there, but it would be nice to have a few places that my wife would turn her nose up at the menu for.  Actually, when my wife will eat pretty much anywhere, you know the Town has low end food offerings.

Coles is mint.

I had a really nice meal at the Fat Dog in Shrivenham a few months back as well, that was very reasonably priced I thought.

I can confirm that my Pheasant wrapped in bacon with a whiskey, mushroom, garlic and cream sauce on rocket mash was awesome.

Hot chocolate brownie to finish was truly great too.

Well suck me dry and call me a down syndrome, that sounds like perhaps the finest meal ever.

Was that el tres crowns?

It was indeed, the lady's choice. I was impressed.

shall we go stroood?

It's a good place. Just down the road, Godots, is also very good, or was, haven't been there for some time.

Los Gatos is the fucking bollocks, that's some of the best food i've ate in Swindon.

Went to Los Gatos a couple of years ago and the food was very nice (Ben of the flammable variety was chefing that night). Will no doubt go back again, but it's a bit of long round trip.

Eating out down here we tend to go to the Windmill at Clayton for a Sunday roast.

the wild duck in ewan near kemble is well worth a visit, plus if you fancy a drive deep into the cotswolds try the puesdown inn on the A40 very very good. where is the 3 crowns?

Brinkworth

cheers.

Going to The Puesdown Inn on sunday for its usually excellent sunday dinner.  If you like your food to a high standard  both here and the wild Duck reallly are in a class of there own.

i pass the puesdown inn alot.always wondered what the food was like,never looks busy though.that said the car park is big

 I ate in the Crown at Crucis on Monday night...I wouldn't bother if paying myself.

 The Golden Heart on the 417, where it squeezes back to a single carriageway, and goes down a steepish dip, is very decent for grub...also a good for beer. Very olde worlde sort of place, so wouldn't be to everybody's nouvelle cuisine taste.

I know what you mean.  Interesting that all of the best places to eat in the area are outside of Swindon rather than in it.  I think it's partly to do with the odd demographic in the Swindon area where most of the really expensive amenities (incl houses, private schools etc.) are missing from the town itself but can be found nearby.  There's a similar situation in Basingstoke.

When I was living in Old Town about 10 or 12 years ago I do remember a French restaurant opening at the top (Old Town end) of Victoria Road, but it closed soon after through lack of interest.  (Might have been called Papillon?)

for once I agree with DMR Coles is lush

If you want to queue for a million years try Jamie Olivers in Bath! in my opinion the food wasnt even that great

Swindon always has been a working class town...in the 60's going into the early 70's  there were 2 places where you could get a steak, if you slightly aspirational..viz The Crown at Stratton and The Bell (restaurant was then downstairs) there was also The Khyber.

 Blunsdon House, could do you a meal, but the restaurant was the size of a large living room.

 Subsequently any new players have had to cater for a still an essentially working class population...

 

The problem with food in swindon is that quantity rather than quality seems to be the guiding factor, How many times have I heard people say "Its really good they give you loads."

Arriba, the food at the puesdown is excellent, the chef and owner is internationally renowned and is regarded as one of the best in the country amongst the cooking fraternity.

The deserts there are award winning.

Abit weird that Mexico,had a delivery to Hazleton last week which is close by to the Puesdown...was very icy so found it tough to get dwn the lane to the little industrial unit,saw the pub and after looking at the website must say it looks good...also a very nice walk if you want to.
Also the main chef at the Ritz goes there and recomends so it must have abit of pedigree...will check it out soon.

ive no idea who the ritz chef is, but that tv chef Brian Turner has been bigging it up, he eats in there loads by all accounts.