Sample Sandgate Hotel menu

As advertisted in The Herald today:

Garden pea summer truffle veloute
Prawn and ginger spring roll, soya dip
Sirloin of beef baguette, salad and fries
Moules et frites
Plate of oysters, shallots vinegar reduction
Plate of charcuterie and cheese
Homemade fishcakes, spicy tomato salsa
Proper Chicken Caesar salad
Rib eye steak, Bearnaise sauce, handcut chips
Roast skate wing, pomme fondant, spinach, caper shallot butter
Sandgate beef burger, salad, chips
Grilled fish of the day, new potatoes and asparagus

2006 :: Comment / reply

Nicola's Portofino menu

We're booking a HUGE table at Nicola's Portofino soon, so they've offered us a special set menu to make sure we all get fed at the same time... I don't usually post menus up here, as I don't have them, but I thought I would with this one, seeing as I have to send it someone. It gives you a taste of what they can make, though his is NOT their full range.

Starters
Uova capricciose (egg mayonnaise topped with salmon and prawns)
Prosciutto con melone (parma ham wit melon)
Pennete al pesto com pomodorini (v) (pasta quills with basil and pinenut dressing and cherry tomatoes)
Melone con lamponi (v) (melon fan with raspberry coulis
Zuppa di verdure (v) (vegetable soup)

Mains
Salmone al finocchietto (salmon with fennel butter)
Sovrana di pollo alla crema e funghi (Breast of chicken with cream and mushroom sauce)
Meaglioni di capriolo all fragola (oops, English translation lost, venison in strawberry sauce I think)
Grilled sirloin steak, garnished with grilled mushrooms and tomato
Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino (v) (spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and chilli pepper)
Gnocchi di patate al pomodorino (v) (potato dumplings with tomato and basil sauce)

Plus dessert trolley

2005 :: Comment / reply

Paul's

We have both eaten here several times before... We both enjoyed our first course ( duck terrine etc and mussels and prawns + parmesan twist etc), However, the main courses were both disappointing... The vegetables were virtuallty raw (especially the beans and carrots) and also overcooked and greasy (the roast/sauteed potatoes).The waitress noticed my expression of disgust and immediately offered some more vegetables as replacement. Full marks as these were delivered in barely a minute.

However, accompanying my 'local teal'(Tasty and well cooked) my 'wild mushroom risotto' was almost non existent and the odd visible rice grain floated away on the vast pool of sauce i.e drowned. Worse, my partner's sirloin steak 'jus' was the most disgusting bovril flavoured gravy and completely ruined and swamped the very tender sirloin steak. This was almost inedible but it was my birthday and neither of use felt like complaining again....

I did enjoy my delicious date/ginger meringue dessert (what happened to the meringue though?) but was not so impressed with the sloppy grainy texture of the plum + port?? trifle. Penny's puds are usually the best but not 100% tonight. I noticed nobody had touched the pears - they looked rather sad and solid, surrounded by dull, fat like substance - where was the glisten?

The Vin de Pays Merlot was very drinkable, but I think you could improve your capuccino - ask an Italian, it's weak. The Irish coffee was delicious as was the nice little touch of mini Easter eggs.

I know it's Folkestone and there's a dearth of good quality eateries but please maintain and even raise your standards. The waiting staff are excellent, as is the setting - please don't rest on your laurels - or it'll be Tinto (Tapas) (Sandgate) in future!!

Best wishes

Jan Mackay (Ms)

P.S. We ate the night of April 15th 2006

2006 :: Comment / reply