From Pie to Pide

10/10/2026

10/10/2026

Henry’s Smokehouse, Greenhalgh, Preston.
Last night’s culinary adventure took us to Henry’s Smokehouse in Greenhalgh, Preston. Naturally, we employed the wonders of modern technology, otherwise known as satnav, which promptly directed us down a dark country lane and left us wondering whether we were heading for dinner or starring in a low-budget horror film.

We eventually found the place, having, of course, driven straight past it despite the bright lights and signs.
Im a committed carnivore, so the promise of smoky, cooked meat had me all excited. Tony, on the other hand, is what I can only describe as an accidental vegetarian. Given the choice, he’ll often gravitate towards cheese and pasta, whilst I’m eyeing up anything that once had four legs.

First impressions were good. The entrance and bar area were warm, welcoming and nicely presented. However, the real welcome came from the smell of barbecue drifting across the car park. I simply followed my nose, like a bloodhound with a dinner reservation.

Inside, the restaurant was clean and well maintained. I was particularly impressed by the attention paid to cleaning the tables properly, rather than giving them the usual two-second wipe and hoping for the best. It’s a small detail, but one that makes a difference.

We were seated at a table for two, which was a welcome change from the large tables for four we sometimes end up at. Those can make a romantic evening feel like a committee meeting with cutlery.

Then came the news that every hungry diner dreads. Our waiter explained that two chefs were unavailable: one had unfortunately had to go to hospital, whilst the other was off sick. We were apologetically informed that some items were therefore unavailable.

Now, I appreciate that these things happen, and obviously wish the chef who was in hospital a speedy recovery. But for a woman who had arrived expecting a serious encounter with a sizeable quantity of meat.

No steak for me, then. Instead, I opted for the brisket burger with cheese and the usual chips. The burger was a perfectly sensible alternative, although I had arrived with considerably more ambitious carnivorous intentions.

The chips deserve a mention of their own. They were V-shaped, designed to scoop up sauces rather than leave half of them stranded on the plate. We first encountered these clever little inventions years ago in IJmuiden, whilst waiting for a ferry back to Newcastle.
Tony ordered his usual favourite: mac and cheese topped with brisket. No extras, no fuss, just pasta, cheese and meat. The waiter did warn him that not many people managed to finish the portion and that takeaway boxes were available.

Bless him. He clearly hadn’t met my husband. There was never going to be a takeaway box involved.

I did, however, manage to find room for some beignets for pudding. Funny how the appetite suddenly recovers when dessert appears. It’s one of life’s great medical mysteries.

Although the restaurant was full, it appeared that not all areas were open, which was understandable given the staffing difficulties. Despite the challenges in the kitchen, our waiters were attentive and friendly throughout the evening. My w**e glass was never left empty for long, which is always a good sign in my book.

The music was right up my street, too: plenty of Dolly Parton with a sprinkling of Americana. Good food, decent service, a glass of w**e and Dolly in the background? You could do considerably worse on a night out.
Henry’s Smokehouse made a good impression. The surroundings were welcoming, cleanliness was excellent, the staff were attentive, and the atmosphere was relaxed. The limited menu wasnt disappointing, as there was a large selection of other tasty dishes, but the staffing situation was clearly beyond the restaurant’s control, and the team did look after us.

We enjoyed our evening, and I would certainly return. However, next time I shall be checking that the kitchen is firing on all cylinders before setting off, because I still have unfinished business with that menu.
Do check out the website there’s so much more to this place.

Henry’s Smokehouse, we shall meet again. And next time, I’m coming for my half a cow! 🥩🍷

04/10/2026

Every time we visit Lancashire, we drive past The Bellflower and say, “We really should come here for Sunday lunch.” Well, this time I finally stopped talking about it and actually booked us in — and I’m so glad I did!

From the moment we arrived, we were warmly welcomed and shown to our table by a very friendly chap, who we’re assuming was the owner. He explained the menu, our drinks arrived promptly, and we were given plenty of time to sit back, have a look through the menu and decide what we fancied.

Now, I’d previously seen a photo of their Sunday lunch on Facebook, so naturally I saved it and took it with me. I basically said, “Right, this is what you advertise… let’s see if that’s actually what we get!” Because there’s nothing worse than being promised a feast in a photograph and receiving something that looks like its distant, disappointed cousin.
Well… I needn’t have worried.
It was exactly as pictured.
The meat was tender and full of flavour, the vegetables were cooked absolutely perfectly, no soggy, overcooked mush making an appearance here! The Yorkshire pudding was light and airy, the gravy was plentiful and delicious, and there was certainly no shortage of food on the plate.

And then came the real bonus… unlimited gravy and unlimited Yorkshire puddings! Quite frankly, I’m not sure there’s anything more dangerous to someone who enjoys a good Sunday dinner.

My only disappointment was that I simply had no room left for dessert, which is probably the greatest compliment I can give the main course!

The service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing, the food delivered exactly what had been promised, and every box was well and truly ticked.

We’ll definitely be going back, next time to try the evening menu.

A very well-deserved 10/10 from us. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Sometimes those places you keep saying “we really must try” actually turn out to be worth the wait. The Bellflower certainly did.

19/09/2026

The River Wyre Pub

We popped into The River Wyre Pub and, first impressions, it really is a lovely place. The pub was clean, nicely decorated and had a relaxed feel to it. The front-of-house staff were absolutely lovely ,friendly, attentive and couldn’t fault them at all. There was also a decent choice on the menu.

Sadly, that’s where the good news about the food starts to run out… 😂

The starters were OK, although my mushrooms were supposed to be garlic mushrooms. I’m not sure whether the garlic had gone on holiday, because I couldn’t actually taste it! We also had to ask for the dip that was supposed to come with the squid. 🤔

Then came the mains…

The fishcakes were a bit of a surprise. Inside was very mushy, with chunks of fish and what seemed like equally mushy mash, all encased in a deep, deep fried coating. Not quite the fishcake experience I was expecting.

The veggie burger was, unfortunately, pretty mediocre too, and the pickles that were supposed to accompany it had apparently decided not to turn up for work that day. 🥒😂

It was such a shame because everything else was good. At one point the presentation of the food had me wanting to march into the kitchen, put my head around the door and ask, “Are you all alright in here? Do you actually still like your jobs?” 😂 It just felt like the food had been put together by someone who had completely fallen out of love with cooking.

We did, however, come up with a new way of rating pub food judging it by which supermarket we reckon the ingredients came from and imagining we’d bought it ourselves and cooked it at home.

So our completely scientific supermarket scale is:

🥇 Booths – 1
🥈 Waitrose – 2
🥉 Sainsbury’s – 3
Morrisons – 4
Asda – 5
Iceland – 6
Lidl & Aldi – 7
Heron Foods & Farmfoods – 8

And last night’s meal came in at a 6 — Iceland level. 🧊😂

That might sound harsh, but it’s not a reflection on the pub itself or the staff. The front of house were excellent, the surroundings were lovely and the service was spot on.

It was simply the food that let the side down.

Would we go back? Possibly — because the pub itself was good and the staff were great. But next time we’d be hoping the kitchen has found its mojo.

😂 Our supermarket food-rating system: clearly destined for Michelin recognition.

10/09/2026

🍜 Nomi Thai, Hexham – Food, Flavour & Fabulous Décor! 🌿

We finally made a visit to Nomi Thai in Hexham, and what can I say… the food was exceptional! Every dish was packed with flavour, beautifully presented and clearly made with plenty of care. Definitely the sort of meal where you sit there thinking, “Why haven’t we been here before?” 😂

The restaurant itself is gorgeous too. The décor is absolutely amazing, and the tree in the middle of the restaurant is a real showstopper 🌳 — it gives the whole place a lovely atmosphere without feeling over the top.

Service was just as good. The staff were friendly, welcoming and attentive, which always makes such a difference to the overall experience.

Beautiful food, stunning surroundings and lovely service — Nomi Thai has definitely made its way onto our list of places to return to.

A big thumbs up from us! 👍🍜

05/09/2026

🍔 Flipadelfia, Abington Market, Blackpool – Food Review

We stopped at Flipadelfia in Abington Market and, I have to say, the food was seriously impressive.

I had the smash burger, and it was quite possibly the tastiest smash burger I’ve had in a very long time. Alongside that, we had the mozzarella slab and bacon cheese fries — and everything was absolutely delicious. The menu has a massive choice, so there’s plenty to tempt you, whatever your mood. Ordering was easy and the food came up really well.

There were just a couple of things that slightly took the shine off the experience.

Firstly, I’m not a fan of being asked to tip before I’ve eaten, or indeed before I’ve received any service. I’m always happy to tip when someone has provided good service, but I’d rather experience the service first and then decide.

The other was a little interaction with one of the young staff members. He noticed my VIP lanyard for the music festival and asked about it. I explained what it was, only to be met with, “I don’t like country, I only like Dolly Parton.” 😂

Now, I’m all for having musical opinions — we can’t all have impeccable taste! — but when you’re working with customers, sometimes the best response is simply, “Oh, brilliant, hope you have a great time!” You don’t really want to potentially put a dampener on someone’s experience with your personal opinion.

That said, it was a minor moment and certainly didn’t spoil the food, which was excellent.

Would I eat here again? Absolutely. 👍

The burger alone is enough to bring me back — and frankly, anyone who can make bacon cheese fries that good deserves another visit.

Welcome to Blackpool… where apparently even your lunch comes with entertainment. 🤣🍔