The Red House Nether Broughton

Well I have to say that I was really looking forward to Sunday lunch out yesterday and had chosen the Red House at Nether Broughton (Leicestershire) to meet up with some old friends for an informal get together and some decent food.

We've been here a few times with the children and the food and service has always been great - in fact we went there for Mothers Day last year and I had a fab time!

So what has happened since?? This was the most disappointing meal out for a long time. we should have realized things were amiss when we discovered we were one of only 2 tables booked in for the entire lunch service. Previously we have always had to book in advance to secure a table.

The service was very friendly as normal and the menu, though limited, looked OK. I never have a problem with a limited menu because surely that means everything is cooked fresh as ordered?? The staff were friendly and made us feel welcome as well as welcoming children without a problem.

The starters looked great and we ordered 2 prawns tempura and a wild mushroom bruscetta. The prawns were OK but the bruscetta was lacking any depth of flavour whatsoever. It needed salt and pepper and the creamy sauce was bland with the wild mushrooms bizarrely adding nothing to the dish!

I'm not a big fan of roast Sunday dinner out so was delighted to see Steak & Kidney Pudding on the menu as well as the obligatory roast beef, pork and chicken. My husband & I both ordered the pudding whilst everyone else ordered a roast of some sort. The dauphinoise potatoes that came with the chicken were hard and tasted too garlicky (it was almost raw) and the vegetables were OK but a little dull. The biggest disappointment was the Steak & Kidney Pudding. Obviously heated up - dry filling and hard chewy pastry that was far too tough.

We skipped pudding but with 2 glasses of wine and a few soft drinks the bill for 4 children & 3 adults was just short of £100. What a disappointment and we won't be visiting again in a hurry!

Mother's Day - 22nd March 2009

Mothers Day is always a bit of a trauma for me as my mother died just before my 11th birthday (5 days to be exact). This has always resulted in mild embarrassment rather than sadness - how do you explain what you're doing on Mothers day when you don't have a mother?? I still miss my Mum very much which is what inspires me to try to be the best Mum ever to my girls.

Anyway - many years later I have my own family - two beautiful daughters and a gorgeous husband so Mothers Day always starts with a fabulous breakfast in bed and lots of nice presents!

The trouble with Mothering Sunday is - it's on a Sunday! What is wrong with that you may ask? Well - there is just something lacking to me in going out for a Sunday roast when you can do a much better job yourself at home with the best rare beef or the best garlic infused leg of lamb! I just find roast dinner out a bit of a waste of my "eating out" budget! (Trust me - I'd be upping my budget if it weren't for this damn credit crunch - all in the interests of my website obviously!!).

Anyway - we have discussed this - the lovely Jon has advised that NO ONE is doing anything but Sunday roast (all at ridiculously inflated prices!) so we have postponed Mothers Day to the following Wednesday where myself & the girls will meet Jon for lunch at the legendary Cafe Bleu in Newark - one of my favourite eating places ever and totally worth a visit if you are ever in the town!

In the meantime I can't miss up an opportunity to indulge in a food fantasy on Sunday so am going to my local Q butcher (Clarkes in Queniborough) to get a single rib of beef (or 2 if the kids are good!!) to cook like a fillet steak - just like I had at the Hoste Arms a few weeks ago (and there is a recipe in Good Food last month I think!)

So happy Mother's Day to all you Mums. And just remember Dads - breakfast in bed with the Sunday papers is the ultimate treat!