The Bahar Tandoori Halal Restaurant, Cowes
19th August 2006 25
It seemed like a crazy mission – to go to Cowes in the middle of August, and try to get a decent meal at a humane price. Everybody knows that you don’t go to Cowes in August, because there be yachties there, arrr! The little boutiques crank open their... Read more
Wetherspoons, Ryde
15th August 2006 16
Wetherspoons is a capacious vertical drinking establishment in what was once a fine old department store. In the summer the vast picture windows are open, giving drinkers a view of the hustle and bustle of Ryde’s delightful Union Street, and the bus stop. Meanwhile the pedestrians get the chance... Read more
The Carousel Cafe, Brading
5th August 2006 3
Slightly off the beaten track of Brading’s gift shops, wax museum, doll museum and tea shops is the Carousel Cafe. It is strikingly furnished with merry-go-round memorabilia – a welcome departure from the usual doilies and pastoral venacular. Cat and a friend ended up in the Carousel Cafe, not... Read more
The Wheatsheaf, Newport
4th August 2006 7
Update: The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Newport was one of this site’s earliest reviews so Matt and Cat decided to revisit the venue. The original review, from 4 August 2006, is below the update. During the week, Matt and Cat regularly meet for lunch in Newport. A light snack of local... Read more
Kate Cottage, Sandown
29th July 2006 8
There are those who say that the Isle of Wight is stuck in a time warp. If they visit Sandown, these suspicions may be confirmed. Alongside the gift emporiums, crimpolene frock shops, beachware retailers and chippies, are many cafés for visitors who only bought ‘half-board’ in one of the... Read more
The Happy Heifer, Ryde Esplanade
16th July 2006 1
At a convenient spot opposite the bustling beach at Ryde is a new and attractive tea shop entertainingly named the Happy Heifer. The cafe is nicely decorated with tongue-and-groove panelling and quarry-tiling on the floor. Although the interior is pretty small, Matt and Cat had no trouble finding a... Read more
Archive review: Fishbourne Inn, Ryde
Uncategorised 21st June 2006
This review is from 2006. New review here Most visitors to the Island travelling through the busy car ferry terminal will pass within metres of the Fishbourne Inn without even realising it. They would be missing out on a small but most picturesque area. Fishbourne has a pretty little... Read more
June’s Fish Bar, Shanklin Old Village
13th June 2006 5
At the scrag-end of a hot Sunday afternoon, Matt and Cat were in need of refreshment. Turned away from one establishment who saw eating as coming to an abrupt end at 5.45, they sought succour in June’s Fish Bar. It is neat and newly painted, but does not particularly... Read more
Archive review: Siam Pearl, Shanklin
Uncategorised 25th May 2006
Archive review: Siam Pearl is now closed In the middle of the last century, the mock-tudor cafe of K. Gray & Sons Ltd was an impressive feature of the High Street where day-trippers took afternoon cream teas before strolling along the golden sands. Today, this oasis of civilisation survives... Read more
Saffron, Cowes High Street
23rd April 2006 4
Cowes is like a little seasonal enclave of metropolitan mainland which has somehow become established on the overseas territory of the Isle of Wight. The closer to the summer it gets, the more that people in Cowes drive posh cars, talk loudly on mobile phones, hurry around busily and... Read more
