From Pie to Pide

05/08/2026

05/08/2026

As it was our anniversary, we decided to try The Elk in Whitfield. Being our local pub, we were really looking forward to seeing what had changed since it recently reopened.

The refurbishment has certainly freshened the place up. It’s clean, bright and minimalist, although at the moment it feels a little like it’s still finding its identity. I’d love to see a few more personal touches to give it that warm country pub feel. The stuffed pheasant has certainly been promoted though—it now has pride of place above the fireplace rather than being tucked away on the staircase!

We visited on a Wednesday evening, which probably wasn’t the easiest night as they were short-staffed. Despite that, service was friendly and our food arrived surprisingly quickly.

For my starter I chose the prawns. There were four in total, which left me wishing there had been just a little more, and the bread was a bit too heavily dressed in oil for my taste. My main course was the chicken skewers. The chicken itself was beautifully cooked—really tender and full of flavour—but the accompanying “flatbread” was more like a pizza base and had become quite soggy from the garlic butter, so unfortunately I couldn’t eat it.

My husband started with the black pudding stack, which was enormous and could easily have passed as a main course! He followed it with the halloumi burger, which was exactly what he expected and he enjoyed it.

It’s genuinely lovely to see our local pub open again and beginning to become the heart of the community once more. Running a hospitality business in a rural area can’t be easy, especially with staffing challenges, and it’s still very early days. There’s definitely plenty of potential here, and with a few tweaks I’m sure it will continue to grow into a great local venue. We wish the team every success and look forward to returning to see how it develops.

26/07/2026

A Sunday Lunch Worth Stopping For – The Bay Horse Inn

Today, we decided to enjoy a Sunday lunch before making our journey home. We’ve often spotted the signs for The Bay Horse Inn when travelling on and off the M6, so I finally decided it was time to stop and see what it had to offer. I booked a table for 12.45pm, and I’m very glad I did.

There is plenty of parking around the pub, and it’s easy to find, making it a very convenient stop for anyone travelling through the area. Inside, the pub has a wonderfully traditional feel, with dark, cosy interiors and tasteful décor that immediately creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

The young team of staff were a real credit to the pub. They were polite, friendly and attentive without ever being overbearing. Our food and drinks orders were taken promptly, and we didn’t have to wait long before our meals arrived.

I honestly can’t argue with the quality of the Sunday lunch, it was quite simply one of the best I’ve had. Everything on the plate was cooked to perfection, beautifully presented and, most importantly, absolutely delicious. The portions were just right, and as we opted for the three-course lunch, I was particularly impressed by the portion sizes. It was plentiful without being excessive, although, needless to say, I managed to eat every last bit!

From the food to the service and the atmosphere, our experience was excellent. It’s always a pleasure to find somewhere that delivers on all fronts, and The Bay Horse Inn certainly did that today.

Having enjoyed the Sunday lunch so much, I’m now very keen to return and sample the evening menu. If today’s meal is anything to go by, I suspect it won’t disappoint.

A thoroughly enjoyable Sunday lunch and a pub I’m very happy to have finally discovered. We’ll definitely be back.

11/07/2026

Ashiana restaurant preston

There's a particular kind of magic in a curry restaurant that doesn't feel the need to reinvent itself, and this place has it in spades. From the moment you walk in, the decor sets the tone, warm, and unmistakably classic. No stripped-back minimalism here, just the kind of rich, inviting atmosphere that curry houses used to be built around.

I always judge a new restaurant by its korma, but this visit called for something different, so we went with the chef's specials. My partner had the paneer, both as a starter and main, while I started with prawn puri light, fragrant, and beautifully balanced. The portions were spot on, generous without being excessive, and every dish tasted exactly how good curry should: rich, unfussy, and full of flavour that took me straight back to the 80s and 90s, when this style of cooking was at its best. No unnecessary twists, no modern reinvention just recipes respected and done properly.

The service matched the food perfectly. The whole team were warm, attentive, and genuinely welcoming from start to finish, without ever feeling rushed or overbearing.

I will be booking our return visit. this is where we'll be celebrating our anniversary in August, and I can't wait to go bacI.

21/06/2026

Let’s talk about onboard menus.

This was my Lufthansa Business Class lunch, and at first glance it was giving strong astronaut food meets Star Trek replicator vibes. The sort of meal that looks as though it has been carefully engineered by scientists to survive re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

For a brief moment I genuinely wondered if I’d accidentally ordered the soft-food option for pensioners. Everything seemed to have a remarkably similar texture. Then I looked around and realised everyone else was eating exactly the same thing, so apparently this was the standard gourmet experience.

To be fair, appearances can be deceptive. It was actually surprisingly tasty. I had a little word with myself: “You happily eat hummus, and that’s basically posh mush.” Once I’d accepted that fact, I quite enjoyed it.

The coffee, however, was another matter. Lufthansa kindly asked if I’d like a coffee, and as someone who loves coffee, I naturally said yes. What arrived was certainly hot, brown, and served in a cup, but beyond that any resemblance to coffee was purely coincidental.

Still, it’s a short flight, the service was good, and the food tasted far better than it looked. Not exactly fine dining at 35,000 feet, but definitely better than my first impression suggested. 🚀✈️☕️
Anyway back in Munich 😍

21/06/2026

So it’s the morning after the night before, and I’m sitting in the Aspire Lounge at Manchester Airport reflecting on our overnight stay.

Last night we had dinner at the Turkish restaurant in the Holiday Inn, and what a pleasant surprise it was. We weren’t expecting much from an airport hotel restaurant, but it turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip.

I ordered the seafood pide and he chose the lamb. Both were absolutely delicious, freshly cooked, packed with flavour, and beautifully presented. We also shared a side of truffle and Parmesan fries, which were dangerously moreish.

Now, for those who were wondering about the mysterious title of my Facebook review… this is a pide. Think of it as Turkey’s answer to pizza, but in my opinion, even better when it’s done well. The crust was perfectly crisp, the toppings generous, and the whole thing was authentic enough to transport me straight back to my days in Munich, where I was lucky enough to enjoy some excellent Turkish food. In fact, this was the best pide I’ve had since leaving Munich.

The staff were friendly and attentive without hovering, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the food arrived promptly despite the restaurant being busy.

Who knew an airport hotel would be serving food this good? If you’re passing through Manchester Airport and fancy something a bit different from the usual burgers and sandwiches, I’d thoroughly recommend giving it a try.

Now all that’s left to do is board the plane and hope the in-flight food doesn’t spoil the memory! ✈️😄