Olivo, Ryde
16th June 2009 45
What glorious weather the Isle of Wight enjoyed in early June! Good job too, as otherwise the music festival would have been a wash-out and Seaclose Park remodelled as a quagmire to rival last year’s Bestival mudbath. Making the most of the sunshine, M and C put on their... Read more
Chutney Express, Ventnor
15th June 2009 17
Ah, Ventnor. Yes, the magical town where unicorns roam across the sparkling beach; and pixies giggle behind every corner. Or something. The Guardian pronounces “the place feels apart from the Isle of Wight, let alone the UK“. The Telegraph dashes up to claim “Ventnor has got its va-va-voom back“.... Read more
Isle of Wight Festival: Food 2009
13th June 2009 9
In a special guest review, Matt & Cat regular Wendy reviews food at the Isle of Wight Festival. I wrote about IW Festival food for M&C last year and am pleased to bring you this update for 2009. Sunday morning: Keeping my eyes peeled for Isle of Wight food... Read more
Red Funnel, Southampton-East Cowes
31st May 2009 20
There are a few things about living on the Isle of Wight so axiomatic that Island residents will be bemused to even hear them discussed. Taxis are one. You never, ever take a taxi on the Island unless someone else is paying. As everyone knows, they are fearfully expensive... Read more
Springvale Hotel and Restaurant, Springvale
17th May 2009 3
Matt and Cat have made several false-starts when attempting to review the food at the Springvale Hotel and Restaurant. Being in their manor, the venue often came up on their radar when thinking about places to eat. However, when poised on the hotel’s doorstep, there had always been something... Read more
Bluebells Café, Briddlesford Lodge Farm
16th May 2009 31
In these times of economic hardship, people are thinking creatively about how to make money. Sunday supplements (a necessity if ever there was one) bulge with suggestions about how to get the cheapest cuts from Waitrose, whilst getting the Volvo to go a few extra miles. This, of course,... Read more
Watch House Barn, Cowes
10th May 2009 8
Shops in Cowes – and indeed people – seem to be divided into two broad groupings. Either impossibly chic and inaccessible; or quaint to the point of impracticality. Both have their merits, but Matt and Cat undoubtedly tend to favour the fanciful when faced with the choice. So with... Read more
Archive review: Island Deli, Ventnor
Uncategorised 5th April 2009
The Island deli is now closed. If the Isle of Wight is twenty years behind the mainland then in 1989, the north island must have been awash with trendy tapas bars, cheap carveries and boutique Indian restaurants. Matt and Cat are pleased that the Island may be in a... Read more
Garlic Farm Café, Newchurch
31st March 2009 20
Just what the heck is going on? If you’re under forty, please indulge M and C for a moment of rose-tinted nostalgia. If you’re old enough please join in. Do you remember, back in the day, when all you had to do was ride around on your chopper bike,... Read more
Ming Garden, Newport
22nd March 2009 19
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... Read more
