What makes going out to eat an enjoyable experience?

Is it cost? Quality of food?  Ambience?

Certainly I've been to some very expensive restaurants, featured in guides as 'the place to go' with numerous stars and recommendations, yet have had a thoroughly miserable time.  On one experience, there was no doubting that the food was fantastic - fresh, seasonal and perfectly cooked. The service impeccable - always there but never felt and even though the price was steep, it was worth every penny.
 
So why did i have such a bad time?  Because the atmosphere was so taught that anyone who laughed aloud or just didn't look part of the crowd, was scrutinised and made silently to feel very uncomfortable by the other diners.
Maybe I was wrong, it's possible that just one group laughing aloud and having a great time would have lightened the collective mood, but I doubt it. It just seemed like the sort of place where people just went to be seen and spend more time looking at other diners than chatting and enjoying the company of their own party. I haven't been back!

Ambience most certainly plays an enormous part when it comes to enjoying a dining experience. Getting the atmosphere right is an art form.  To me, it's comfortable and relaxing but with a hint of formality. In the evenings, I like to dress up a bit, make an effort and I like to go places where it feels like a special occasion. Don't get me wrong, I also thoroughly enjoy going to a local pizza place with a group of friends or a quick dinner with hubby, but there's something magical about putting on a nice outfit, donning the heels and going somewhere away from the norm.

The quality of food is always important. Why go out to enjoy an evening meal at a restaurant that serves a vast selection of bought in food from chain suppliers? It's tasteless, glues your stomach and intestines together and shows a complete lack of respect for the people who go and eat it. It's surely not that hard to find local suppliers, train the chefs to make a few pies and understand how to use herbs and spices?  Maybe it is which leads back to cost.

There is no doubt a market for low cost pub grub and that's fine. It serves it's purpose and gets bums on seats and allows those who don't earn much to enjoy a night out, but consider this - instead of going out once a week to a chain, why not miss a week then choose somewhere the week after that serves real, fresh food that's homemade?  I challenge you to try it and let me know how you got on.

For me, I love going out to lunch. It's informal, it breaks up the working day and there's far more choice of what to eat.  From sandwiches to steaks to full 3 course meals, the choice is entirely yours. There's not much better than finding a good pub on a summers day and finding a table outside with a lovely view.

I'd be very interested to hear what other people find enjoyable about dining out, so please feel free to comment.

Cowdray Priory Cafe

The Cowdray Farm Shop and Cafe is set in the Cowdray land just on the outskirts of Midhurst.

Now this place both makes my blood boil and seeth yet for some reason I keep going back to see if it's changed!!

The farm shop while attached building wise to the cafe, is great. Lots of local meat, fruit and veg as well as plenty of other organic and unusual foods and a nice selection of gifts. We'll ignore the Farm Shop in this instance.

So, the Cafe. A lovely setting, a lovely looking cafe with plenty of seating inside and out.  They've won awards for their food as it's all made entirely from scratch using as many local suppliers as possible.

When I first starting going here, it had recently opened, still looks the same but over time and a big gain in popularity, it just doesn't hold the same appeal.

Our last visit we ordered 2 x sandwiches, 2 x latte and a portion of chips to share.  Out came our sandwiches at nearly £7 each with no garnish at all - just a sarnie cut in half and slapped on a slate slab or plate.  The chips were £6 per portion and we counted 7! Yes - 7! My hubby is not a complainer but felt compelled to ask the waitress if she thought 7 chips was acceptable for £6 and was met with a blank gaze and 'well it's how we sell them' comment. Hmmmm. The sandwich itself was nice despite falling apart a bit and quite tricky to eat, the lattes were very nice and the chips were nice, just not enough.

To me, a sarnie should at least include a bit of a salad garnish and maybe a few kettle chips. Not here. So our bill came for the above came to approx £25 and we went away promising never to go back. We haven't actually been back since and this was a few months ago. I'd definitely return to meet friends for a coffee, but not to eat.

On a side note, most of the patrons are very wealthy with children called Tarquin and Elsbeth (yes, I've heard parents calling those names out), and drive Range Rovers, Porches and Aston Martins so maybe to them, it's fine. And if that's you, then great - go, network and enjoy. Me? I'd rather go to Gartons and enjoy the same quality at half the price and twice the portion.

Cowdray Cafe

The Red Lion, Fernhurst

The Red Lion in Fernhurst, just south of Haslemere, Surrey, is set in a wonderful position right on the village green surrounded by a handful of very expensive characterful properties.  The pub from the outside is just as quaint.

Step inside and you get the feeling that its a little bit shabby and could do with a bit of a revamp.  There's still plenty of character though which includes a big open fire and wood beams.  

Out the back, there's a lovely garden with a covered area to one side and plenty of outside seating.

Food wise, the menu seems to be full of typical pub staples - a pie, fish and chips, a steak and a chicken offering among others.  There are specials on a board which seem to change daily.  A sandwich menu is offered at lunch times.

We opted for a chicken and ham pie with chips and peas and a fish and chips with peas.  Service was friendly and once our order was taken, our table was laid with placemats and cutlery.

Food arrived after about 10 minutes.  My pie had a puff pastry top and alot of filling but was quite salty and both our fries were uninspiring presumably bought in from a large supplier.  The fish and chips again wasn't very inspiring and the best I can say was that it filled a gap in hubby's stomach.  The portions were fairly large and we would both be hard pressed to eat 2 let alone 3 courses.  It was also quite expensive, an average main meal being around £12, starters approx £6-£7 and puss around £6, which might not sound too bad to some, but for me the quality was lacking for the price.

There is a separate restaurant area for those that don't want to eat in the bar section.

I think overall, this would be a nice pub in which to sit outside and have a drink on the way back from somewhere like Goodwood, or to enjoy the open fire on a winters evening but aside from that, there are much better pubs within a short drive.

The Red Lion, Fernhurst

Gartons Coffee House - Midhurst

Gartons Coffee House in Midhurst is a real delight.  I really love this place.  It's tucked away round the back of Midhurst near the church and once discovered, I promise you'll go again and again.

It's not the biggest place inside and hard to get a table in peak hours if you can't sit outside in the sun, but have a wander around the shops and go back and try again.

It's a simple menu, variety of sandwiches in various forms, jacket potatoes, salads, some hot meals which vary, lots of coffees, teas and cold drinks to choose from.  They also have a wonderful selection of cakes and sweet treats!  There's also a breakfast menu for those who want to eat out early on their way somewhere.

The prices are fantastically cheap considering the quality of food and the size of the portions.  It's a regular haunt for us to meet with friends, chew the fat, drown a few lattes and fill our stomachs with excellent freshly cooked food.

Well, well worth a visit.  Gartons Coffee House Midhurst

Note that in summer 2013 there is a lot of improvement works to the cobbled square going on and the cafe is hidden, still open and restricted space outside for a short while, don't let this put you off though.

The White Horse, Haslemere, Surrey

I have to mention this place as I come here probably twice a month. 

My last visit was 25th April 2013 for a mid week lunch and catch up with my husband (both have many interests and business activities so need to go and dine out regularly in order to catch up!).

We parked in the car park at the back of the pub, small but a reasonable amount of spaces even at 1pm.

Inside, the shabby chic interior is a mix of old furniture, clashing colours and an oddball mix of styles including low slung rustic leather sofas, victorian style wooden chairs and high tables with tall stools.

The staff are always friendly, the service usually fast.  This time, we sat down and the bar guy took our order at the table which isn't standard but they try to as often as they can.

I opted for the new Southern Fried Chicken with coleslaw and fries and hubby had a fish finger sarnie with calamari on the side.  Only 5-10 mins later out it came and we tucked in.  My chicken was delicous, a crispy coating and moist chicken pieces with a lovely coleslaw. The fish finger sandwich was more like a burger and included fries - both were large portions.  We finished it all off of course!!

The menu choices are good, not too much, not so little that you can't find something to enjoy.  The prices are reasonable and the atmosphere relaxed and friendly.

As I mentioned earlier, we go here a lot and Sunday roasts are our favourites. 

Recommended.  The White Horse Haslemere

Lurgashall Winery and Cafe

Lurgashall Winery - a beautiful specialist winery in West Sussex that mainly produce a variety of unusual wines, meads and liqueurs. 

The first impression as you pull up in the car park opposite is that of peace as you're surrounded by woodland.  Cross over the road, through the main gate and you arrive at a lovely little courtyard laid out with tables and chairs and an imposing wood building on your right which is where the production takes place. 

The shop and cafe entrance is straight ahead of you.  Through the door and into the loveliest shop and cafe.  Small but very well formed with bottles of their produce everywhere as well as a really good selection of other local produce including bread, eggs, meat, beer, chocolate and English grape wines.

There's a little tasting area enabling you to try before you buy and towards the back of the shop are more tables and chairs where you can sit and enjoy something to eat and drink if the weather isn't nice enough outside.

There was a wonderful looking selection of cakes, biscuits and flapjacks to tempt us so we opted for a couple of coffees, a massive slice of carrot cake and a large flapjack.  The cakes vary day to day, so it's pot luck but they all looked fresh and homemade.

A few minutes later, our order was brought over and silence ensued while we ate our treats.  Fantastic. A moist, gooey cake full of flavour and enough icing to satisfy but not overwhelm.  The flapjack was again moist, fresh and full of flavour and not to mention a bargain at £1.25 for a huge chunk!  Coffee was freshly made and plentiful. 

It's a wonderfully relaxing environment that's typically English and quite unique.  We met the owners who are as eclectic and unique as the establishment, very friendly, very knowledgeable and very welcoming. 

Well worth a visit.

Lurgashall Winery