Best food in Hamilton

I am living my last Hamilton hours. Yes people, as exciting as this year was, it is time for me to move to the city and explore! So in "homage" to my first Scottish living place I will review my best eating bits around the town.

I already reviewed the tap room, But Hamilton does have a few other places worth the trip.

D'nisi

My favorite breakfast place is undoubtedly D'nisi, located on the main street of Quarry.

I usually end up there after a night of crazy behavior in Glasgow, nothing better than a full breakfast to get back on your feet.

For a reasonable price range (between 3-4 pounds) you get a pretty decent breakfast menu, from bagels to French croissant (bravo) or homemade pancakes.


I decided to block from my memory that time when the waitress had taken the wrong order or when the pancakes were raw inside (seriously guys, wasn't even busy!) and ,as it turns out, it was the right decision as D'nisi has become my wee breakfast place (for those planning on going to Frankie and Benny's for breakfast: run away you poor souls! To come, the worst places in Hamilton)


To be fair, the place is a bit dear for lunch, even if the food is lovely.
I remember this time, for two specials and some water (was expecting tap, got charged), we got a bill reaching 15 pounds, that's a bit much for a coffee place in Hamilton, but at least you are guaranteed a nice meal.

The tea is ridiculously expensive in my opinion, 2 pounds, and I always have to ask for extra milk. What's the point of offering a whole teapot if you are giving me the equivalent of a thimble of milk.

But the service is good and the staff is excellent, very welcoming and attentive.

My recommendation for breakfast: either the pancakes with bacon and Marple syrup (you might have to ask for more syrup, or maybe that's just me). Their cranachan scone is amazing too, served with jam and clotted cream. Delicieux!

Andiamo

Such a sunny day today. Since my Hamilton days are about to be over,  I figured it was the right time to go see Bothwell castle. My sidekick Lasavio was of course joining me in this tremendous adventure. We took the train to Blantyre (I wanted to get off at Uddingston like the website suggested but he wanted Blantyre, should have stuck to my guns).
So what should have been according to LaSav a thirty minute walk tops turned out to be over an hour of wandering about wondering where the hell we would end up.

Finally Bothwell castle. Wow.

We bought two ice creams from the wee man there and ate them inside the castle. Warriors at rest.

I lost my point there, yes, so we were pretty exhausted (there we go) when we got back to Hamilton and wondered what new place we could try out for dinner.

I had passed Andiamo on my way to uni every morning this year, and it always looked quite posh outside.
So when I saw on 5pm that there was a deal for two people to have 2 courses and a bottle of wine for 30 pounds, we thought it was now or never.

I was immediately stunned by the decor. We were sitting next to the bar and there was a pretty waterfall on the wall which felt really peaceful.



The two courses menu was petty decent: I went with the bruschetta for starters and my food buddy chose the salmon pate with oatcakes (which I ended up stealing from his plate). For the main, everything looked so good I asked the waiter for help, his face lit and he went: oh get the breaded pork, I like the pork! Fair enough. So we went with the pork and the lamb burger.

Everything was lovely from beginning to end. Staff was professional and attentive, they made our meal very special. So special that for once we felt like having dessert, but even if it was only a two courses menu, the waiter kindly suggested a 3d course for an additional 2,95£.

I went with the "meringue with berry whipped cream" which was just heaven, nothing worse than an industrial meringue, this one tasted fresh. LaSav had the crumble, but his staring at my plate made me think he was jealous. Still looked amazing. Molto bene!

Blue chilli Thai

The Blue chilli Thai  is the first restaurant I have been to in Hamilton. I had just moved into my new flat, and went to pick up Matt from Edinburgh airport, we were quite starving so we got a take away and ate it on the floor.

I remember telling him the food was so good that I would be in all the time. Well I wasn't (my scales thank me for it) but yes, I have had a few lovely meals in there.

Ironically, for the last day in my flat I decided to go there for lunch. Me and Derek had practically carried my whole house on our backs and deserved a treat.

As we walked up the road we passed the wee waitress from the blue chilli, who smiled at me even if I had only been there a few times.
I turned to Derek and said amused: "who's gonna serve us?"

I was right. No one was there. But you know what, for once I didn't care.

We sat, completely exhausted, listening to the ongoing Westlife album, looking around the tiny room, picking the fresh flowers from the vase on our table. We started picturing what we were going to have. To me, no hesitation (that's new!), chicken satay it is.

The waitress arrived around 10 min later and gave us another huge smile, and then the meal kicked off.

Lovely, just lovely.

We had chicken satay and prawn toast for starters, followed by the Gai Pad Med Mamuang (bless you!), which is a chicken in batter stir fried with cashew nuts, red pepper and oyster sauce, and a Blue chilli curry, which is a red curry with potatoes and cashew nuts.

It reminds me of that time when I went with Susan for lunch, and had to ask for cashew nuts cause there was none in my plate. Hihi I'm such a pain sometimes. But to be fair, a cashew nuts curry without cashew nuts...
I also recall biting the flower that was in my plate as I thought it was an edible flower. Well... was not.

This fabulous lunch came for only 6,95 pounds each, that is big oui oui from me!!

Pub meal in the Mansion House

What an interesting night I've had! I am just back from my first travel bloggers dinner.
Karen Bryan from Europe a la carte , kindly invited me to meet her, her son Simon and fellow blogger Linda  Fairbairn from journeyjottings to a meal at the Mansion house on Grassford street.

I arrived at 10 to the hour, and found myself in an empty room. Quite confused I asked the barman if there was any reservation for Bryan at 6pm, to which he responded: "Uh, you want a bite to eat?". I raised my "I'm not impressed" eyebrow and said that yes, surely it would involve eating at some point, but was any of the party there yet?
-"it'll be next door!"
Second eyebrow. But more of a "what the ..." kind of eyebrow.

I therefore went next door and yes, next door was also mansion house. How odd.

I then saw some wild white curly hair popping out of a booth and I knew straight who that was.

Karen was as I imagined, outgoing personality, very chatty and , even if they had just met, her and Linda were really getting on. I just put my feet under the table and then started off our night of tips sharing, Delight.

I must admit that three women taking pictures of every fork and every light bulb in the place must be something rather strange to witness, though.

The meal now. I frowned at the menu, I found it quite dodgy, like a dirty old piece of paper. Even the specials were on an old paper which suggests they weren't so special after all.

The two ladies ordered steak pie. I (don't ask why) went with the steak ciabatta, while Simon went with my first choice of chicken fajita (I then stared at it for the next thirty minutes in regret, he did not seem to notice, thank God!)

My meal arrived without the chips. When I pointed it to the waiter, his face went oops and I got them in the next two minutes, which made me think the cook was maybe watching the game or playing jigsaw, but surely not paying attention to my plate (sulky face).
My steak was too well done, all I could taste was the burnt meat. Maybe I should have told medium cooking, but I was never asked, it's a sandwich after all. Never mind.

The rest of the party seemed to enjoy their food, the ladies said something about the mash that was too bland, and the gravy too cold, but I think overall they had a good experience. I was told the fajita was nice (whyyyyyyyy?) so really , not too much to moan about.

At the end of the meal we all agreed that their website was confusing (looks like a club), that having two entrance was funny and that even if it was a nice place (at exceptional good value with a groupon deal of 18 pounds for 4 main and 4 soft drinks) we would not particularly recommend it.

It did the job, but as we say in France: it wouldn't break bricks.