This is an archive review. La Scala has now closed. Matt spent his formative years in Sandown, pottering on the beach, playing on the railway and trotting up and down the High Street. Much has changed in Sandown since those days… but much has not. Matt can’t quite remember... Read more
Archive review: the Tollgate is now renamed and under new management Even when driving on the Island’s quiet rural roads, it is easy to be overwhelmed with highways signage and, in the towns this pervasive blight is so ubiquitous that the messages merge and homogenise, ceasing to be of... Read more
Archive: The Bank, Shanklin
Reviews
4th February 2008
Leave your own comment on this place 2
Archive review: The Bank is now closed. Years ago, Cat worked in Shanklin and took great pleasure commuting on the tiny train from Ryde through the fields and woodlands of the east Wight. However, since quitting that job for one in the great metropolis of Newport, Shanklin barely enters... Read more
ARCHIVE: Monsoon, Ryde High Street
Reviews
8th December 2007
Leave your own comment on this place 29
ARCHIVE POST: Monsoon is still trading (Jan 2020), but as a takeaway only. Ryde is a curious town in layout – a long, thin chain of shops, pubs and restaurants snakes its way uphill from the esplanade – where the visitor arrives fresh from the ferry – thence up... Read more
Morrisons Cafe, Newport
Reviews
19th November 2007
Leave your own comment on this place 15
Pretty much a year to the day that Ray Har-Har suggested that Matt and Cat visit Morrison’s cafe, Newport they finally did. Having a rare day off in the week, M and C decided to play at being retired and booked themselves tickets at the afternoon showing of Billy... Read more
Archive review: Old Dairy Tea Rooms, Lavender Farm, Newport
Reviews
30th September 2007
Leave your own comment on this place 6
This is an archive review. The Old Dairy Tea Rooms has closed (and reopened under new name and management) Travellers along Newport’s Whiterails Road can not have failed to notice the entrance to the Lavender Farm at its junction with Blacklands Lane. Viewers from distant galaxies can probably see the... Read more
Situated in a prominent position at the upper end of Carisbrooke High Street is the substantial red-brick pub, The Waverley, named after the paddle steamer of the same name. Matt and Cat drove into the spacious rear car park early one weekday evening, having been lured in by the... Read more
Archive review: El Toro Contento Tapas Bar, Ventnor
Reviews
8th April 2007
Leave your own comment on this place 24
This is an archive review. El Toro Contento has closed. Matt and Cat welcome all suggestions for new venues so keep ’em coming! On this site’s well-populated ‘suggest a venue‘ page have been two requests for M and C to review El Toro Contento Tapas Bar, Ventnor. So, on... Read more
Toney’s Catering Burger Van, B&Q, Newport
Reviews
25th March 2007
Leave your own comment on this place 5
Hurrying from one fun meeting to the next, Matt found himself separated from his sandwich box, and took a short diversion to the burger van located outside B&Q in Newport. It is said that every B&Q store has its own burger van, (apart from one) so it’s comforting to... Read more
ARCHIVE REVIEW: KFC, Ryde
Reviews 9th December 2006
Archive Review: KFC Ryde is now closed. Matt and Cat have long been occasional patrons of KFC, Newport. but rarely go into KFC Ryde. It was whilst out Christmas shopping with junior reviewers Bill and Jack that Matt decided try the offerings that KFC dishes out in its Union... Read more
