Tagged in: glengormley

Eating Out

Knags Revisited

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Knaggs

Too much trouble to cook yet again so called in to Knags this evening at around 6.30.  Good job we didn’t leave it any later as within an hour they were queued up to get a table.  As per our last visit the service was great as was the Scampi (real shellfish in crisp batter – not the usual mush in a soggy stodge) and the chicken stack.  Carrots that tasted of carrot and a very nice little side salad.  No problems getting a ramekin of mayonnaise to go with the skinny chips (you really should try chips and mayonnaise).  House red is a very palatable Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.  Rounded it off with vanilla pod Crème brûlée and an espresso.

Eating Out

At Last – Knags – the alternative to Chinese and Indian in Glengormley

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Glengormley has needed a quality restaurant that caters for tastes other than India and Chinese for some time and at last it is here. The staff are wonderful and take an interest in the clientele. The menu is varied and changes dependent on time of day and day of week so you are covered for everything from a bacon butty to sea bass and prawns with garlic and chilli. We shared mixed breads with dips to start and then cod gougons with mushy peas for my wife and sea bass and prawns with garlic and chilli dip for me. these came with a choice of potatoes, ours garlic saute, and mixed vegetables. We washed it down with a very palatable Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. Did not try the sweet menu but ended with an espresso. Bill £48.00. No complaints at all.

Eating Out

Khayber Indian Restaurant – 373-375 Antrim Road, Glengormley BT36 5EB

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After a long time, must be over 5 years, since we last went to the Khayber we have now been twice in the past month. The décor is still similar with rather traditional red drapes, which give it a old fashioned feel, and dim lighting.  The service is efficient if not effusive and one is left to pour ones own wine from the start.

Having said this the food leaves nothing to be desired. I chose the Lamb Tikka Garlic Chilli Masala and was  offered a choice of the lamb cooked tender or from the tandoor which leaves it, whilst not tough,much more “solid”. I prefer the tandoori version and was not disappointed.  It is classed as hot and lives up to this with plenty of onion and chilli and a really tasty sauce.  Josephine, who prefers the milder spiced dishes, took the Chicken Dopiaza which comes with cubed onions and green peppers. Our usual sides are Aloo Gobi and Tarka Dall, lentils in spiced sauce, or Chana Bhagee, the chick pea version.  One boiled rice and a nan bread completed the meal.

We washed it down with the house red, which at £12.95 takes a lot of beating.

A really enjoyable meal with pleasant service and, at under £50 including wine, a brandy and a coffee, pretty hard to beat.

Eating Out

La Gondola, 373 Antrim Road, Glengormley

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What does one do to cheer onself up on a wet Sunday evening?  Having been to La Gondola in the Olivia Centre, Glengormley, we now have the answer.  It has taken us 7 months to get round to trying this Italian restaurant and I am wondering why.

It does not try to emulate some of the better known Italian restaurants around Belfast city but it is reminiscent of many family Ristorante in urban Italy.

We were welcomed by the waiter, I will get his name next time, and given the menus and a complimentary slice of pizza.  There is not a wine list; they keep one red, a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, one Italian white and one Italian rosé.  Naturally we settled for the red.  You can bring your own at £3.00 for corkage.

The menu is set out Italian style and is kept simple, there are a good selection of starters or a mixed Antipasto. Pasta, chicken or sirloin mains and a selection of tagliatelli dishes. The pizza menu is separate. There is also a Continental Gourmet section.

This had Beef Carpaccio as an option.  I do not normally have a starter but who can resist raw slivers of beef marinaded in lemon with parmesan and crushed black peppercorns? Well not me anyway.

Josephine did side step and just settled for a main of  breast of chicken in a porcini sauce (special wild mushrooms with brandy and cream).  I got a taste of the sauce and it was delicious to say the least.

My main was Tagliatelli Arribiata, smoked bacon and piquant chilli and tomato sauce. I did not leave any!

Luigi, the chef and owner, came and chatted in a mixture of Italian and English but I will not pretend to have understood much of the Italian.  It is one language with which I have never managed to become conversant.

One of the waitresses unfairly slipped a Dolce Menu next to me, but I managed to put off ordering for at least five minutes! There were Crêpes Comedie Francais, which turned out to be two crêpes wrapped around vanilla ice cream and smothered in orange and brandy sauce. Sort of suzette with attitude.

There is no grappa on the drinks menu  but, seeing as it prides itself on being authentic Italian, I was sure that if the question were asked it would be forthcoming.  Right again; and it went down really well with the coffee.

The chef sent us a lemon liquer over and, having chatted him up we got an invite to his table for Monday night when they are holding a Salsa demonstration.

This is a welcome addition to the myriad of Chinise and Indian restaurants in the area.  One hopes it will be supported enough to remain in business.