Andrews Cafe Review

I've heard this place is good so I went to go in at about 1 but it was too busy so I came back an hour later and it was still quite busy but it didn't take me long to get a seat.

I sit down and see a sign for an outdoor terrace area so ask to be seated outside but she points to one table on its own which I don't think is really much of a terrace but its lovely weather so I go sit there admiring the view of the back of marks and spencers.

Theres not much variety on the menu which can be a good or bad sign. I ask what quiches they have and the waitress replies 'cheese and onion or salmon and watercress' so I go for the salmon and a dandelion and burdock.

The food arrives about 3 minutes later! It is a big piece of quiche with some salad, coleslaw and some crisps. It looks nice on the plate, very colourful with the crisps giving a European twist to it.

The dandelion and burdock is fentimans which I love and its very tasty.

I try some of the quiche and its disappointing. Soggy bland pastry with metallic tasting salmon which can either be because its tinned or on the turn. Either way its not very good. I can't taste the watercress and the eggs are very bland too.

Maybe I'm spoilt because I work somewhere where I get to eat the most delicious quiches made with fresh pastry and organic eggs, who knows but at least I've got something to compare it to.

The salad isn't dressed and the coleslaw has chunky bits of carrots to suggest its homemade but doesn't taste it, crisps are nice as are the two cherry tomatoes. But overall its a sad plate of food.

I decide to have a cake. There's the usual selection victoria sponge, chocolate, carrot (with weird orange carrot shapes on top made of icing), cherry scones etc I go for the classic victoria sponge and the waitress brings it out with a strawberry on the side which is tasty and the cake is light and tasty with a creamy filling.

I finish up and pay the bill which is £13.70. Expensive and over hyped I won't be visiting again as theres much better places with better food for less money.

Akbars Restaurant Review

I've heard this place is really good so when my cousin and aunt and niece invited me along I wasn't going to say no!

We arrive and the place is pretty huge. Two big wooden doors welcome you to the stunning interior full of twinkling lights, elephant statues, Buddha heads etc. The Waiter leads us to our table which is in a huge room that seats at least 100 people.



Its a bit dark in here and I worry slightly about not being able to see my food. There are real rose petals on the table, it has a very romantic feel to the place.

I have a look at the menu and order the seafood balti at £9.95, my family go for chicken balti and another chicken dish which I cannot remember.

We have a few poppadoms to start and four dips, one of which is a fresh coriander with lime and green chillies which is delicious but very spicy. The tomato and onion, raita and mango chutney are average.

The food arrives and its tasty, I cannot really see what I am eating though but it has lots of lovely coriander and the spices compliment each other well.
I'm not overly impressed because Pakistani food is the food I was brought up on and I've had better but it wasn't bad.
Theres also a huge family sized naan which is delicious with a lovely onion seed flavour.



Most of the customers are rich fur coat wearing women in their twenties or middle aged couples, theres only one Asian family in the whole dining room and a fair few children. I spot a waiter carrying some sort of chicken nuggets and chips to one child and hear happy birthday being sang along with a recording of the same song being played at the same time..except the everyones singing out of sync.

For dessert I have a rassmali, its refreshing and soothing but not really outstanding.
To be fair I had very high expectations but found it to be over hyped.



I guess I've also been spoilt with my family's wonderful Pakistani food and it would have to be very very good to beat that so yeah if you've not been brought up eating such food then I'm sure you would enjoy it very much so.
However East & West still remains my favourite Indian/Pakistani restaurant by far and the food is just outstanding.

The bill for three curries, two boiled rice, poppadoms, family sized naan and three desserts comes to just about £40.