COMMENTS MADE

• On Delifonseca:

  Posted on 11th of July 2007

  Delifonseca is an oasis of not just fine food or good food but fabulous and astonishing food. The pickles, condiments and sauces are all top notch and some of the best I have tasted. Clearly Candice loves the products and doesn't just order in what looks good. Particularly good are the Emiliana range of vinegars - try them!! There is a very good cheese counter as well stocking excellent local as well as unusual cheeses, such as Sykes Fell ewes milk cheese and Stinking Bishop. Charcuterie is particularly special. Delifonseca have the finest ham I have tastes, the shropshire black ham. Their homemade one is almost as good - deep, caramel-sweet, spicy and juicy. This is ham like no other. The home roast rare Welsh Black beef is also divine beyond imagining. Great artisanal chocolate and coffee too, and superb sandwiches with imaginitive and delicious fillings, such as herby salmon, and chicken and mushroom. Upstairs is an airy and informal restaurant which is nothing short of inspired. The set menu is quite basic but in a good way - just well conceived sandwiches and platters - the muffaletta sandwich is utterly divine and an absolute revelation. Mains and specials appear on the blackboard. I had an Iranian beef dish with dried limes - rich, untuous and hearty. And fab - a decent restaurant that sells decent local beer! Brilliant 10/10!!!

• On Bullivant's Delicatessen:

  Posted on 8th of May 2007

  Bullivant's was set up by the eponymous owner, Michael Bullivant - aided and abetted by talented young chef Stuart - in early 2007 in an area with a rich culinary heritage but which has seen little refinement in recent years. Michael's overriding passion is clearly Spanish fare, especially charcuterie, but his passion for food sourced near, far and yonder is patently obvious when entering his deli and restaurant. Pates, whole legs of jamon de Turuel, serrano, prosciutto, wonderful meaty olives, inventive chutneys and superbly imaginitive and delicious sandwiches underline the deli menu. Upstairs is a welcoming, light and airy cafe, serving amazing salads and unusual and generously hearty main courses such as sobrasada with two of Michael's wife's eggs (well, her chickens') and a doorstop of superbly cooked featherblade steak stuffed with parmesan and harissa. Although Bullivant's does not have a licence, Michael is happy to let people bring their own wine in. Trust me - buy a bottle of good Shiraz from the excellent Booths down the road and roll up to Bullivants for a late lunch on Saturday, and you are in for a treat. There are two reasons I think Bullivant's should be a local hero. First, apart from the notable exception of Booths, a handful of really exceptionally good market stalls and a couple of superb real ale pubs, the area is a miasma of gutbuster all-you-can-eat venues churning out bland rubbish. Hats off, then to a person who dares to be different and offers really exceptional cuisine. Secondly, and in my huimble opinion the overriding factor is that Michael has the raw-boned, fire-in-the-belly, infectious enthusiasm and love for his food. Both he and Stuart cook with a homely passion and pride that is rarely seen.

• On Uncle Peter's Fudge Company:

  Posted on 15th of August 2006

  Like any true gastronomic products, Peter's are far more than the sum of its parts. Take the fudge: when you see it, taste it, smell it and feel it in your mouth, your senses are elevated to a higher plane. His vinegars, velvets and dressings are symphonies and his marinades are concertoes. A true master of his craft, someone touched by genius.