A few weeks ago this new restaurant and takeaway, The Corner Cafe, opened on the corner of Hunterston Road and Main Street in the Craft Town of West Kilbride Ayrshire, Scotland. My husband took me to lunch there recently. The takeaway enters from the 
Main Street while the restaurant is entered from Hunterston Road.
When we went in, I was very impressed with the bright modern decor. Also, you can see into the kitchen. I like this, it is clean, tidy and well organised. The Corner Cafe was busy when we arrived for lunch but we did manage to get one last table for two. The table was a decent size, so many modern restaurants have tiny tables for two people.
We were also pleasantly surprised by the menu. There were imaginative specials, a variety of light meals and a generous choice of main meals. I was impressed that there was a choice of meals for vegetarians too. My husband swithered with having the fish but finally decided on one of the specials, the chicken caesar club sandwich with fries and extra onion rings. He enjoyed the meal very much. I chose the vegetarian cous cous with roasted vegetables. It was a most unexpected vegetarian option and delious. The portions were generous and there was a lovley choice of cakes and desserts.
I am also impressed that the access for disabled people is excellent. The Corner Cafe is a new venture. I recommend it and wish it success.
Valerie Penny
I have always enjoyed my visits to Arlington, Virginia, USA. I first visited the State many years ago when my friend Connie was my hostess. It was then I also met our friend Denise. Good times. However, on my most recent visit to Virginia, my husband and I went with our friends Lisa and Bill. We visited their niece, Nika and her beau, Hani and they hosted a pre-dinner drinks party for us. It was such fun. After this we all made our way to Il Radiccho Ristorante, Nika and Hani’s favourite restaurant. They have good taste!
special menu. It is as good as its word. You get a choice of various drinks, a salad, bruscetta and a choice of a variety of pizza and pasta main courses. We sat in the veranda area to the street side of the restaurant. It was busy, and we quickly found out why. The staff were polite, friendly and efficient. The diners are also somewhat protected by the weather by clear plastic sheets. Access for those with mobility problems is easy. On top of all that the food, for omnivores and vegetarians, was delicious.
I chose a maghuerita pizza and my husband swithered between the lasagne and a ham pizza, but eventually plumped for the pizza too. The pizza are made to order, so there was a few minutes to wait between courses. However, during that time, the cabaret came on: a diner arrived with his bodyguards. He entered by a side door and one of his bodyguards was stationed at each of the three entrances with one keeping watch outside on the street. Another minder joined the important person at his table. I was quite excited that it might be somebody really interesting, but it was a politician.
I recently attended the Bloody Scotland Crime Writers’ Festival in Stirling, Scotland. The talks and events took place mainly in the Albert Halls and the Golden Lion Hotel. However, I chose to stay in the 5* Colessio Hotel. I had been to a meeting at the hotel some years ago and was favourably impressed. It is central, and has a wide variety of health and spa facilities.The Colessio Hotel is part of the Aurora Hotel Collection which is a small but growing portfolio of hotels and lodges in Central Scotland.
Our nephew recommended the haggis tower starter to my husband. It was a good shout as he enjoyed it very much. I chose from the vegetarian menu. The vegetables tempura were delicious. Throughout the meal red and white wine, beer and cider all flowed freely. John and Lesley were very generous hosts. Also, the service at Scott’s was excellent. We had a dedicated server taking our orders and ensuring all was well. It was lovely to feel so valued. We had the long table, by the window, at the top of this photo.
I cannot blame him for wanting to share my maincourse, though. I had chosen the vegetables fajitas which arrived sizzling to the table. They were served with sour crea, cheese and a chilli sauce. It was very tasty, but there was no way that I would manage to finish the four pancakes offered. My husband chose the ribeye steak. It was large and cooked exactly as he had asked. His steak was served with onion rings, mushrooms and grilled tomatoes. This was a big success. (Our nehew had no chance!)
It is amazing to admit that we made it to desserts and coffee, but we did. My husband chose a selections of icecreams. The quality of the icecream was excellent and left him a little space to “help” me with my chocolate brownie. The bownie was tasty, but, to my taste, slightly dryer than I would have liked. The selection of coffees was wide and included decaffinated choices.
My husband and I had arranged to meet friends for dinner at Oscar’s Cafe, Bar and Restaurant at The Esplanade, Saltcoats, Scotland but they were unable to make the date. However, as we had been looking forward to the evening, we decided to go anyway. What a fun evening!
The pizza oven is visible from the diningroom. It is interesting to watch the pizzas being prepared and cooked. The menu at Rare Flour also includes pasta dishes made with home-made pasta. The home-made burgers are also served on home-made buns. Indeed, even the condiments and deserts are home-made. This is all very unusual for such a small establishment, but attention to detail is evident throughout.
Val Penny's Hotel and Restaurant Reviews 