The global recession seems to be passing the Isle of Wight's high streets by. Apart from the sad demise of Woolworth's, the Island's town centres seem to be bucking the national trend, with new restaurants, at least, opening weekly.

On their regular stroll to Farmhouse Fayre to buy their weekly ration of veg, Matt and Cat have been watching with anticipation as the windows of the long-abandoned St James Street bathroom shop were covered over. After a couple of months pupating under oriental newspaper, a new Chinese restaurant emerged fully formed and blinking into the unusually clement winter sunlight.

So it came to pass that Newport had another Asian restaurant. There's already a trio of Indians (Nabab, Bengal Palace and Tamarind), a brace of oriental eateries - Hong Kong Express and the unreviewed Mems (which is always closed when M and C try to eat there). Can the county town sustain another eatery or has it reached saturation point?

Read more »

It seems like ages since the Hong Kong Express opened in Newport, and whilst chatting to the staff in the new bar at that time Matt and Cat were amazed and delighted to discover that yet another HKE was on its way to Freshwater.

Well, a while passed and no new restaurant opened. Matt and Cat were beginning to wonder if it had been a dream. But then they heard the news: it was true, Hong Kong Express in Freshwater was indeed open. So an interesting challenge for M & C - as dedicated HKE fans they would obviously be drawn to try the new place, but it was in far-off Freshwater, and so to get to it they'd need to drive past not one but two other Hong Kong Express restaurants... quite a challenge for the hungry travellers.

Still, they finally made it one wet February night. They drove expectantly down the main street of Freshwater, peering right and left for the familiar logo, and were delighted to see the welcoming lights twinkling in a charming shop-front opposite Somerfield. Matt and Cat found a space in the nearby car park then strolled in to the sparkling new restaurant to see if the latest Hong Kong Express could live up the the high standards of its fellows.

Read more »

Visit the website: http://www.hongkongexpress.co.uk/

Shhh, what's that sound? It's the sound of silence - Seaview's streets in winter.

One of
Matt and Cat's
favourites

Just the faint lapping of the Solent could be heard as Matt and Cat bimbled up the village's apparently deserted High Street to the only lighted window around.

The optimism of the flashing neon 'open' sign at Khrua Thai Orchid restaurant was quite heart-warming so, after a cursory peep through the glass in the door at nothing but a descending staircase (very reminiscent of La Scala) they went in. Not knowing what to expect, M and C were pleased to hear voices float up from the crypt and continued on their journey down to the surprisingly capacious basement dining room.

Matt and Cat often eulogise over the unmodernised décor of some of their favourite eateries. The Sportsman's Rest is determinedly a pub of the old school and the Bahar in Cowes has a delightful retro feel, bucking the trend of other Indian restaurants whose laminate flooring and concealed purple lighting has become ubiquitous. However, sometimes an interior makeover would not go amiss and, as they made their way past the dated wallpaper and decidedly 1970s interior, they decided that the Khrua Thai Orchid was a little overdue for a refurb. But they weren't there to give a critique of the paint job, what was the food like?

Read more »

Unexpectedly finding themselves in Shanklin one evening, Matt and Cat scratched around for something to do. Tempting as My Fair Lady at Shanklin Theatre was M and C were too late for curtain up, the library was shut and Shanklin Chine was closed for the winter.

So they defaulted to their usual entertainment - eating out. The lights of the Black Cat Restaurant twinkled invitingly and, within a moment, your reviewers were seated at a table in the window.

The Thai restaurant's interior is similar in style to the nearby Siam Pearl; its heavy wooden fixtures, spindle-backed chairs and chintzy wallpaper seem more suited to an English tearoom than an Oriental eatery. However, there is a taste of the Far East with the many finely decorated ceramics that fill the shelves. And, by having a dual-themed interior, the venue may appeal to both tea hunters and Thai hunters.

Read more »

Visit the website: http://www.blackcatrestaurant.co.uk/

Yan Woo is on the posh side of Union Street, Ryde: the steep road where novelty shops and eateries tend to close almost as fast as they open. However Matt and Cat predict success for this interesting restaurant. It offers the only Malaysian cuisine available on the Island, so in that it cannot fail to be the best. It's also a good restaurant all round.

Matt and Cat entered one evening and enjoyed a civilised meal in very pleasant surroundings. The modern restaurant was clean and light in style. Details such as the unusual cutlery, the (slightly tired) hardbacked folding menus, and a free bowl of prawn crackers to start, show that the visitor experience has been carefully considered.

Read more »