It was only about 15 minutes off the M6 freeway to the Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley, Cumbria. The…read moreroads weren't that windy and were wide and well-paved so this is faring better than expected already. We arrived to where the brewery showed on my map, but it wasn't there. The brewery was slightly up the road within a small shopping inlet next to a coffee shop. We parked and approached the brewery and were pleasantly surprised with how impressive the set-up was. The building was large and beautiful with large wood beams, huge windows, and comfy leather seats. It was so quiet in there I didn't know how much noise we could make without being rude, so we opted to sit in the corner so we could strategize about which beers we wanted to try and how much time we wanted to spend off the road. I ordered the Lakeland Lager which is a 5%ABV Lager/Pilsner and Sean had the Cumbrian 5 Hop 5%ABV Golden Ale. I really liked the Lakeland Lager because it was crisp and refreshing with a great hop flavor on the back-end. Most of their beers were "real ale" style, but the lager wasn't. It was a nice change from all the real ales available. I also really enjoyed the Brodie's Prime with is a dark porter-style beer and is 4.9%ABV. It has a very smooth mouth-feel and is extremely drinkable. We sampled almost their entire beer selection and overall their beer was very good. The styles were done well and the beer was clean and clear and cheap! We were there around lunch time so we went ahead and ordered some food before they stopped serving. Sean ordered the beer cheese soup and I ordered the mushrooms with Stilton blue cheese on toast. The soup was served with large pieces of sourdough bread and butter so it was very filling for a good price. I tried some of the soup and it was really good. The mushrooms were sautéed in butter and the cheese was melted on top of the toast so it was damn delectable. I savored every bite of that toast. The soup was something like 2 pounds and the toast was 4 pounds. I think we walked out of there spending about 10-15 pounds total? Pretty decent if you ask me. Also, they refused to accept our tips. I am accustomed to giving tips always, but they politely declined my offer. Great service, delicious food, cheap and amazing beer and no tip?! It was one of the highlights of the trip.

I'm often in Windermere for the weekend, and having a pint at the Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley…read moremakes for a great start to it. It's a big venue, with a large downstairs area next to the bar, and further seating on a mezzanine upstairs. There's then a further bar (only open sometimes) through the back. There's large glass panels to let you see into the actual brewery itself, so it's interesting just being in the place. There's outside seating too, in the car park, so it's hardly picturesque, but it's fine too when the weather is mild or if you want some peace and quiet away from the buzz indoors. It's a good atmosphere, very laid back and friendly, with plenty of dogs. Staff are pleasant and helpful, and know their beers well. The beers are good - all sorts from your pale ales through to your dark stouts, and last time I was there I had a raspberry sour. It wasn't great if I'm honest, but you can't win them all :-) Hawkshead seem to be quite an adventurous brewery, so there's always something new to try. My favourites are the stouts. There's a range of food too which seems to be mostly traditional 'Northern' food - Shepherd's Pie, Yorkshire pudding, Venison burgers - mostly very meat heavy, so I've never tried anything, apart from the chips. The chips are good! They do a fantastic beer festival. We went this year for the first time, and it was brilliant, we had such a good time. You get a menu, and can just work your way through the ones you fancy the sound of. They're categorised into the different bars, so it makes it quite fun to work your way about trying different ones. They had a massive marquee when we were there, with a crazy and very entertaining jazz band. It's a family atmosphere, with kids there too, so the adults are sensible and nothing gets too out of hand. I'm hoping we can go every year! With regular weekend checks ins until next year.

Very delicious food, not what you find in the states. The staff were very helpful and even ordered…read morepart of my meal. They did not disappoint either.

Absolutely top notch. Very very good food. Excellent spicing. Not over spiced. Not underspiced. Not…read moretoo salty. Not too hot. Not too bland. Just absolutely perfect. One of the best Indian restaurants I have been to.

Had a lovely experience at the Dabbawal where I felt like family. From the attentive waiters to the…read morewarm environment the overall experience was one of being nourished. I chose the Chef's choice and was not disappointed with the generous portions and selections made. There were things I might not have tried otherwise and was glad to have been offered. It's a great way to sample the menu at a great price. The drink menu was also fairly extensive and they had some fun gin pairings. Go, eat heartily, and enjoy.

Yet again I find myself re-visiting the Dabbawal pre-theatre for a quick meal before going into…read morefestive mode to see the Nutcracker ballet! We had booked a table for 6pm however arrived slightly late due to the bad weather (I believe Hurricane Kate is the culprit!) However, we were sat quickly and when telling our server we had limited time due to our cultural theatre trip it was recommended that we keep away from the signature curries as they take time to cook through. We started with a bottle of prosecco (this is getting predictable now?) and opted to share the bombay bombs and hara chicken parchey to start. The bombay bombs were delicious filled with mashed potatoes and a homemade sauce they were incredibly flavoured! The chicken arrived looked a cool shade of green with a yogurt dip it was also delicious. Next I opted for the burgh tikka makhani masala which was a butter based rich tomato curry with plenty of succulent chicken. With a side of mushroom pilau (one portion is enough for two really!) and a side of tandoori roti I mopped up every last bit of the rich sauce! Competing the meal was the standard cosmo which I ALWAYS get when I go here as it has a nice twist on the original. I must say the lamb railway curry is still my favourite however I am yet to try their signature Korma so watch this space!

1/8/17 - Family of 4…read more How can things change so much in a short space of time? I now have to give this 2 stars. Staff still very attentive. Had the snacks, but no starters. The children found the menu too limiting. I'd rather restaurants do this and so they can concentrate on the dishes, and make them splendid. A fruit juice was provided free of charge prior to the main course O Dear. I had the Lamb Madras - The right amount of heat,but the lamb was so tough. I left it, and commented when a person came to the table. They took it away, but now my son was saying his chicken was too dry, my wife was saying that hers lacked flavour but had the heat she likes. My daughter had the korma, renowned for being mild, and the waiter said so when she placed the order. This was burning her lips. The owner approached me asking if he could supply a different dish, but given the other comments, I declined. My meal was taken off the bill, but as the others didn't speak up for themselves, then they were left as is... My daughter had the chocolate ice cream, and my son had the mango sorbet. Both were fine. There was a small rice dish provided before the sweets arrived. Again FOC. Total spend, with the deduction, £81 I have lamb at my favourite restaurant in Redditch, and I have never had problems with the lamb. It falls apart at the slightest touch. The lamb here was very poorly cooked stewing steak. It is a shame. I shan't return. A family meal spoilt when I had recommended it too them. ----------------------------- Visited 25/1/17 - 5 stars A group of 6. Food Standards Agency rating: 5/5. We shared: A snack tray (£3.00) consisting of: Achappam Pappada Vadai Banana Chips Murukku Pappadams Pickles and Chutneys (£3.00): A pickle trays consist of: Chicken Pickle Garlic Pickle Fish Pickle Mixed Vegetable Pickle Lemon Pickle Coriander Chutney All very good and unusual. I had as a starter: Kerala Fish Fry £6.50 Kingfish marinated in a spicy paste made of ginger, green chillies and coriander, then shallow fried in the traditional fashion. A bit salty for my taste, I still woofed it down. Main: Malabar Kozhi Curry £8.95 A most common chicken curry made in Kerala. Cubes of boneless cooked in a lovely pepper masala made from garlic, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies and ginger. I had it with boiled rice rather than the lemon rice that was recommended. I am not normally a meat and sauce type person, but this was delicious. The righ amount of heat and flavour. The staff were very attentive. I think that the menu is smaller than you'd encounter elsewhere, but I think that this is to their advantage, rather seeing the usual chicken tikka fayre: pathia, madras, dhansak, etc. Great place and spotlessly clean.

Absolutely beautiful South Indian food…read more Our group sat and ate an amazing meal at this great restaurant. The staff were accommodating and we received great service. The four of us had a wide ranging choice of food, and none of it disappointed. Two of our group travel to India often and confirmed that this is an authentic taste of India. Highly recommend!

We came into Newcastle late on a Sunday and everyone had stopped serving food. We lucked upon Simla…read morethat was still serving! Everything we had was delicious. The Paneer with garlic chili sauce starter was tangy and slightly spicy and super tasty. I had the grilled Marsala Fish which was sea bass and it was excellent. My sister had the Mixed Khazana which had lamb, sea bass, chicken and prawns and everything was cooked perfectly. The chicken Karahi was also great. Nice atmosphere and amazing food at very good prices.

Pleasant atmosphere with good service. We arrived around 8pm and were seated quickly. Food was…read moretasty, if not a little under seasoned. Had to ask for lime pickle with popadoms. Trio of chicken starter was a little underwhelming, but the madras was fiery and nice. Towards the end of our meal, though, the manager kept harassing us to leave a review on trip advisor. Very pushy and ruined the experience for us. Will not return

Disrespectful staff that provide POOR customer service. Their food is absolute TRASH. It is…read moreabsolute garbage. It's not authentic Indian food. The bathrooms are disgusting. My partner got sick after eating this food. Overall poor hygiene in the restaurant. STAY AWAY, there are better Indian restaurants in the area. The young lad by the bar had his nasty hand in his knickers before serving a drink. Would give this awful restaurant zero stars if I could.

I'll be honest, we were tempted here by a £10 meal deal and on that basis I wasn't expecting much…read more How wrong I was! The deal may have been cheap but the food was certainly didn't taste that way, and whilst our selection of dishes was limited, they still covered a good range of palates. After the pints of Kingfisher were delivered the Poppadoms arrived with a selection of sundries (and what seemed to be jar provided Mango Chutney, a bit of a disappointment to be honest). They soon disappeared and we didn't have to wait long for our main courses. We ordered three different types of rice and a couple of nan breads to share between us, and the portions were a good size. Chicken Pathia for me which had a nice little spicy kick and tasted really fresh, the thick, chunky sauce was a pleasant change to the usual bright red affair I've had in other places. I got to try some of the other dishes too and all were both familiar but different enough to be memorable - the Lamb Biryani especially. Price wise, even though we were on a fixed meal deal, it looked reasonably competitive too so if I'm ever back in Newcastle and fancy a good curry, this is where I'll be heading!

Loved this Restaurant in York, and Newcastle,. Food is lush, staff are spot on, naans are H U G E,…read moreand price reasonable. Only problem is, I don't know if they are still open, as both times we've been, since plague started, it's been closed. :(

I was so excited to try this place out. It was my first experience in the UK and my first time…read morehaving Indian food here. Had the Chicken Tikki Masala, and the chicken was D R Y. Had to pay extra for the naan and rice; the naan was good (not great) - I loved how this huge piece the piece of naan was though. The rice was...well...rice. It wasn't that great either. Service was terrible; we sat around waiting for our bill for the longest time, but hardly any person came around to check on us. Overall, I would not come back again, and I think I would prefer a place that didn't play Chainsmokers in a really awesome, high-ceilinged dining room. Bold naan. Bland chicken. Bad service.