There was a time, back in the early nineties, when Pavarotti’s was the go-to restaurant in Shanklin. Cat enjoyed many a work do or birthday party in this trattoria; with its lively atmosphere and traditional Italian menu, it was the place of many happy memories. Fast forward thirty years... Read more
We are often asked where the best place is to eat. That, of course, depends on the circumstances. You might not want to hold your toddler’s birthday party in a venue which is mostly populated by vertical drinkers yelling football-related expletives at Sky Sports on a muted telly. Similarly,... Read more
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that British people regulate their lives around meal times. Breakfast is essential, according to Dr Kellog and the Egg Marketing Board, which cannily boosted sales of the ovoid foodstuff with Fay Weldon‘s famous ‘Go to Work on an Egg‘ slogan. And, throughout the day,... Read more
Back in the day we were involved in a project to get young people, particularly boys, away from their computer screens and outside in the fresh air. There was a presumption that too much time spent alone in a stuffy bedroom manipulating his joystick would be detrimental to a... Read more
It never ceases to amaze us that so many people are willing to step forward and open new dining-out venues on the Isle of Wight. Admittedly there is a strong tradition of hospitality on our Island but even so, in the current difficult economic climate, it is a delight... Read more
The pub Sunday roast is a tradition that is still very much alive. Even though we’re all cutting down on our eating out expenditure, certain classes of dining seem to be weathering the storm, and Sunday roast is one of them. Perhaps we’re just craving the comfortable, safe feeling... Read more
We’re often asked where is the best place to go for a specific type of meal; a roast dinner, say, or a cream tea. The other top request is breakfast. Cat’s – and the hipsters’ – particular favourite is smashed avocado and poached egg on toast, a surprisingly difficult... Read more
It’s grand, it’s old, it’s the Duke of York. And it’s even half way up a hill. A few steps away from the lively town-centre pubs of Cowes High Street is the Duke of York. A family-run venue, this pub has a convivial atmosphere, and is very much a... Read more
This month’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak‘s face looks rather familiar to us (assuming he is still in the role at the time of publication). Wasn’t he the geezer who exhorted us to ‘Eat Out to Help Out‘ during the summer of coronavirus? At his urging, after months of quaking... Read more
If you follow the main road from Newport towards Sandown, or perhaps more wisely the opposite way, you’ll see at Hale Common some alluring new signs proclaiming FARM SHOP. Accept this invitation and you’ll travel down a long driveway, through some industrial-looking quarry landscape until you arrive at what... Read more
