The Three Legged Cross Bar & Restaurant

The Three Legged, Forest Road, Warfield, Berkshire     01344 421673

Situated next to Battlebridge in Warfield parish, the main house of the 
Three Legged Cross is over 500 years old. Now under new management, it 
has been refurbished fantastically to compliment the age-old features to 
become exactly what you would imagine a traditional pub to be; 
low-ceilinged, warm and welcoming with a blazing fire.
 
But don't be fooled by the traditional appearance of the Three Legged 
Cross, these guys have much bigger ideas and so much more to offer then 
just every day 'pub grub'.
 
After arriving we were quickly shown to a cosy table near the fire to 
ponder over the menu. I'd wanted to try pigeon for a while so after 
seeing Pan Roast Pigeon Breast with Cannellini bean and Tomato 
Casoulette (£6) on the menu, I jumped at the chance to try it. I was 
expecting this dark meat to be slightly tough, but the rich nutty 
flavour and liver like texture was so much better then I was expecting.
My partner went for the Goats Cheese and Roast Vegetable Tart with 
Beetroot Salad (£6), this mediterranean combination of vegetables and 
cheese was creamy and crumbly. It was relatively large in size, but made 
for a fantastic starter that's vegetarian friendly too. 

We then moved onto our mains and it didn't take me long to decide on the 
Caraway Crusted Pork Loin and Slow Roast Belly, Apple and Thyme Puree, 
with Mustard Beans and a Smoked Bacon Mash (£16).
With my two favourite cuts of meat served to me on the same plate I 
didn't quite no where to start. The Loin was tender and succulent and 
the juicy flavour of the Belly oozed into your mouth, not forgetting the 
perfectly crisp crackling and the creamy mashed potato enhanced with the 
rich flavours of bacon.
My partner went for the Honey Glazed Gressingham Duck Breast with 
Balsamic Red Cabbage, Roast Plums and Herb Croquette Potatoes (£17). The 
honey caramelised the duck breast leaving it sweet, juicy and delicious, 
the Croquettes were crisp with a light fluffy inner.

 
After the delights of our first two courses we were absolutely stuffed, 
but after one look at the dessert menu and we wanted to have it all!  
Between us we managed to narrow it down to our 2 favourites desserts 
(both at £5 each). I like to think of myself as quite the cheesecake 
connoisseur, so the baked vanilla and blueberry cheesecake 
served with a fruit compote was a must for me. The base of the cheesecake was 
buttery and crisp, with the body of the cake being crumbly, rich and so creamy 
that it was sinful to my post Christmas waist line. The fruit compote delicate and 
fresh and brought the whole dish together. My partner went for the classic Bramley 
Apple and Rhubarb Crumble with English Custard which was simple, yet sumptuous.

The homely and welcoming atmosphere combined with the fantastic menu, and 
clearly talented chef makes for comfort food at its best, and rest assured all of the 
produce is locally sourced and freshly prepared. 

Not only that, but the service was great with attentive and knowledgeable staff. 
The Three Legged Cross is warm, cosy and inviting and is hands down the best 
place I've eaten in Bracknell. 

 I HATE BEING WRONG! 

...but the awesome food softens the blow!

Oracle Shopping Centre, 9 The Riverside, Reading, Berks   0118 959 1180

I'd been to Cote Brasserie on a couple of occasions (in Brighton and Bath) and on both occasions I was hugely disappointed! The service was awful and even after bringing it to the attention of our server, not a lot was ever done to compensate for our long waits, cold food and their general inattentiveness.

However, when the Reading branch opened right on my doorstep I decided to give it another try. And to my astonishment it was absolutely fantastic!

For starters, The sautéed chicken liver salad served with grapes, golden raisins, tarragon, pine nuts and grilled pain de champagne (priced at £5.25) was beautifully cooked and quite frankly, the best I have ever tasted. The coarsely shredded duck and pork pate with toasted sour dough bread, shallots and cornichons (priced at £4.95) was equally as fantastic.

Our waiter discussed with us the types of food, meat and vegetables that we liked and then suggested that I try the Roast Duck Breast (£13.95) which was pan roasted and served pink with gratin potato and a groithile cherry sauce. The creamy potato combines with tender cherry glazed duck was outstanding. My partner decided to go for the Half Char grilled Chicken (£9.95) with a wild mushroom sauce, crème fraiche and thyme. We finished off the evening with a warm chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream (£5.25) and the Crepe Chantilly, with fresh strawberry's and chantilly cream (£4.95).

Cote Brasserie offers exquisite value for money dining in the heart of Reading, with an impressive menu and superb wine list. During our 3 hour visit we we're spoilt rotten with a succession of delicious dishes. The service was second to none and our waiter, Mikey was absolutely fantastic. Professional and knowledgeable in the produce served, where the ingredients are from, how they are cooked and what flavours compliment each other. He suggested dishes we would not have ordinarily have chosen, yet thoroughly
enjoyed. 

Cote delivers the basics of French cooking within its peaceful and stylish Parisian brasserie. I now know that there is a lot more to this restaurant chain then meets the eye (and the taste buds for that matter).

Is this one of Windsor's best kept secret?

The Cattle Grid, Windsor Royal Station, Berks     01753 751121

Hidden away in the corner of the Windsor Royal Shopping Centre sits a life sized perfectly white fake Cow. The restaurant that this cow belongs to has always intrigued us, with its dark, trendy vibe and situated against the old refurbished Victorian station, we'd heard good things.

Upon a glowing recommendation from a friend we decided to visit the Cattle Grid. We were greeted at the door by a friendly waiter who showed us straight to our table.
With a full view of the kitchen the delightful smells that emanated from it made us very excited to eat. After looking at the straight to the point, 'Cow' & 'Pig' menu we chose to go for the starter ribs, at £8 per portion (which I initially thought was a bit pricey) they were by far the best ribs I have EVER had, the meat fell off the bone as the sweet sticky, bbq honey glaze melted in your mouth. I then realised that I would in fact have been more than happy to pay at least £8 for them again.
As opposed to our usual glass of Red with meat, we decided to opt for an unsentimental bottle of Rekorderlig Apple Cider - even this surprised us, at £4.90 a bottle this large Swedish cider settled my yearn for something sweet and refreshing perfectly.

Our main courses were Steak and a Hog Roast Sandwich. I went for a 10oz Sirloin (£14.95) with a Peppercorn Sauce and served with skin on chips and a watercress salad. Cooked on the rarer side of medium/rare the steak was tender, juicy, full of flavour and cooked just how I like it. Mind you, with prime cuts being butchered in house before being char grilled to your liking they are definitely getting off to a good start.
The other dish ordered was the Hog Roast sandwich and at £9.75 the juicy pulled pork in a sweet bbq sauce was heavenly! And rest assured the Cattle Grid source all of their British pork directly from the Midlands.

After the excessive amount of meat we had just consumed we planned to skip dessert, but after seeing the menu painstakingly decided to over indulge and share one. We ordered a chocolate brownie with ice cream (£4.75) served warm it was deliciously decadent with the creamy vanilla bean ice cream, as stuffed as we were it was a lovely finish to a wonderful meal.
Overall we found the atmosphere in the Cattle Grid to be relaxed yet vibrant. The staff were fantastic and made us feel very welcome.
It was so great, I've since been back and recommended the restaurant to my friends and colleagues, all of which have only had great things to say about this hidden little gem in the heart of Windsor.

อร่อย

Thai Square 

Thai Square Windsor, 29 Thames Street, Windsor, Berks 01753 868900

Situated opposite Windsor castle with impressive interior design, this split level restaurant has created a fantastic airy space to dine in.

 
The Thai square restaurant group was founded in 1998, when the first Thai 

square opened in the Strand, Central London. with a group of 18 restaurants 

you may expect to loose some of the authentic character, however this is 

certainly not the case at Thai Square in Windsor. With each venue devising 

their own menus and ambiance each restaurant is truly different, yet still 

offering its customers authentic Thai food within Thai inspired surroundings 

at excellent value for money.
 
Thai food is great for sharing, and the mixed starter (priced at £11.75 for 2 

people) is a cunning option if you aren't sure what you want. I particularly 

enjoyed the Kai Ho Bai Teoy (chicken in spinach leaves) served with a sweet chili 

sauce.
 
For a main course I indulged in a lamb Massaman curry, originating from the 

south of Thailand this mild curry dish is cooked in a rich coconut milk with 

peanuts, potato and onion. The lamb was so incredibly tender, and a total 

steel at just under £8. My partner went for the Kaw Niew Moo Poing, a 

beautifully marinated piece of pork served with Thai squares 'special sauce' 

and accompanied with traditional sticky rice.
 
My partner finished off the meal with a 'funky pie', a biscuit cup filled with 

vanilla ice cream and topped with toffee sauce and hazelnuts. I opted for the 

refreshing and significantly lighter, raspberry sorbet, priced at £4.50.
 
Not only was the food outstanding value for money, but they also offer a 

variety of fantastic wines and Thai beers. House wine starts at £3.10 a glass 

and their extensive selection includes international award winning wines from 

the Monsoon Valley, which are produced in a style to complement spicy food 

and enhance your Thai dinning experience.

Those who have been to Asia will all say 'no British Thai food is actually

like real Thai food' - but as someone who hasn't visited Asia I can't confirm

nor deny if this is the case here, but I do know that as someone new to Thai 

cuisine, Windsor's Thai Square is bloody good!