The Fisherman’s Cottage, Shanklin Chine
15th August 2010 13
Plenty of pubs and restaurants on the Island have a seaside location. Some even have views of the sea and fishy dishes on their menus. But how many of these places actually take fish from their local fishermen? Some do for sure, but few can be so very closely... Read more
The Boathouse, Puckpool, Ryde
3rd July 2010 30
It’s confusing enough that the Island has so many eating-places named The Boathouse. Matt and Cat know of at least four. Of these, two clearly were once boathouses; one other, with some stretching of the imagination, could have once accommodated some modest vessels. But the fourth – the Boathouse... Read more
The Fountain Inn, Cowes
2nd May 2010 3
For once Matt and Cat aren’t going to start a review of a Cowes eatery with jibes about yachties and DFLs. Instead, let them tell you about how lovely this waterfront town was looking on an unexpectedly clement Saturday in May. The sun was shining intermittently though fluffy clouds... Read more
Crab Inn, Shanklin
16th March 2010 13
Matt and Cat like going to Shanklin’s Old Village and smugly playing I-Spy with restaurants’ doors, spotting their ‘Recommended by Matt and Cat’ stickers. The excellent Pendleton’s, the Black Cat Thai restaurant and homely Village Inn all sport their green and black badges of recommendation. With an appointment in... Read more
Archive review: Mill Bay II, Newport
Uncategorised 24th December 2009
Mill Bay II is now closed. The fortunes of the Joe’s franchise have flowed and ebbed. Its glory days were in the early noughties when it was the place for The Beautiful People to hang out flicking through Sunday supplements over a frothy coffee. Alas, like many other businesses... Read more
William Coppin, Newport
15th December 2009 7
As regular readers of this site will know, Matt and Cat sometimes like to ‘stress-test’ a venue. This usually means visiting during peak times, often with some children in tow. Another high-intensity eating out experience is the works Christmas dinner. Having already had a civilised lunch at Burrs the... Read more
Isle of Wight Dish: Wight Fish Pie
18th November 2009 0
Every region has its USP (Unique Selling Point). Hull can proudly boast the smallest window in England, Banffshire was put on the the map with the unveiling of the world’s largest bottle of whisky, and Rutland claims to be England’s smallest county – although this matter is subject to... Read more
Village Inn, Shanklin
14th November 2009 11
On a day like today, when winds of up to 100mph have been recorded at The Needles, it’s nice to be indoors, snuggled in front of the PC. Although a little late, the autumn weather is upon us; chilly evenings and squally days. Hardy mainland urbanites probably don’t notice... Read more
King Lud, Ryde Esplanade
21st October 2009 3
Lud, known also as Lludd map Beli Mawr, was a legendary king of Britain some time ago – in fact, so long ago that it’s unclear if he ever even existed. It’s sometimes claimed that London is named after him, and more often that part of London called Ludgate... Read more
Waterfront, Totland Bay
29th June 2009 14
Going to Totland Bay at midsummer must be like going to the moon. Matt and Cat blasted off from Newport and headed in a near-straight trajectory. Reaching jowl-bothering speeds of nearly 40mph (except through Shalfleet), they went west towards the setting sun. The light from our brightest star was... Read more
