I don’t know about you, but every now & then I like to have my husband all to myself. No dogs, no friends & no in-laws in tow. Thanks to Vue Cinema who kindly gifted us some tickets to watch a film of our choice I was going to get that night with my husband (oh, and maybe Liam Neeson too?)
In true cinema style we headed to Frankie & Benny’s to fill our tummy’s with some scrumptious food beforehand. It’s something of a ritual that we must go to one of those big food chains and pig out on as much food as you can so you can then sit in a food coma during the film.On arrival it was a little busy so I ordered my favuourite cocktail, a ”Woo Woo.” It had to be one of the best versions that I have ever tried, full points to F&B’s for an awesome cocktail & James had a Stella to clear away the cobwebs. After being seated in our little booth Icouldn’t help but find myself singing/humming along to the American Italian music that was filling the air. The atmosphere at Frankie & Benny’s is second to none, especially when the Birthday Boy or Girl has to stand on the chair and have a resounding chorus of ”Happy Birthday” sang to them.
As I perused the menu I just could not decide what to have, everything sounded too tasty! I finally decided upon Garlic & Cheese mushrooms for my starter & the New Jersey Chicken for my main course. Both of which were spot on. The New Jersey Chicken isa whole fresh chicken breast topped with crispy bacon and pulled pork, smothered in their famous BBQ and jalapeño cheese sauces. Served with spicy onion rings, corn on the cob, coleslaw & fries. James had the meatball starter & the Black Pepper Mayo burger, which he struggled with mainly because of the bread but he said it was delicious all the same! Service was a little slow but it was a Saturday night & truth be told we were happy just taking our time as we were a little early for the film. So of course desert was needed & we opted for the decadent Peanut Butter Cheesecake with peanut butter ice-cream. I am sure some of you saw the photos on Instagram & it really did taste as good as it looked. Thankfully Mr C & I shared as it was a masterpiece but very sweet!
Now, Mr C & I bickered all day about what film to go see. He wanted to see Taken 3 & I wanted to see Theory of Everything. Of course, he bloody won but on the contraire he picked up the tab at F&B’s so I will let him have this one, this time! And you know what, I’m pretty glad we did go see it as it was so fast paced & action packed I did not want to move my eyes from the screen. For those who don’t know what Taken 3 is all about have a little read here! After being assigned seats closer to the back (I didn’t know you couldn’t sit where you liked anymore with Vue. This was a bit of a pooper as it felt like everyone was sat on each others knee’s!) I got comfy in my corner & then I slowly gauged my way through a large popcorn, which is a must when you go to the cinema right? The thrill of the film was just too much to bear, (spoiler alert coming!) was Liam Neeson going to catch who killed his ex-wife? Who was going to get there ass royally kicked next? You just didn’t know. Even though it was a later screening it was jam-packed with Taken die-hard fans who ”Oh’ed” & gasped in the right places.
It was pretty late when we got out of the cinema & terribly icy, after a debate of whether or not we should meet some friends at the pub we decided against it & headed home. We’d had a lovely evening & it was time to get in our PJ’s and get ready for a nice, lazy Sunday!
Have you been to the Cinema recently? What did you go see? Let me know your suggestions for next time!
Rebecca xxx
You know when it’s your birthday and you unwrap your presents in one of two ways, you’re either a person that’s frantically rips the paper off at mammoth speed to then move on to the next one or you are someone who peels things carefully, savouring each moment. I fall in to the latter category and when my subscription of degustabox lands on my doorstep at the end of the month I can’t wait to carefully to unveil what goodies are inside. October’s was a culinary dream & pretty much everything in the box made me shrill with delight.
Kent’s Kitchen Meal Kits RRP £2.50
Stop what you are doing. Put down your jar of fake curry now. This is what you need to be doing from now on. I say this so strongly because this is what I have just had for my tea. To say it was delicious would be an understatement. The wonderful meal kits from Kent’s Kitchen are an easy 1, 2, 3 step process. Fry your chicken or choice of meat and add the pots one by one and see your meal cooked within 20 minutes or so (don’t forget a tin of coconut milk for the Bengal Curry.) Simple yet so effective. Mr C & I have been leaning towards the curry’s that include a powder recently, it just seems to create so much more flavour and this one has to be one of our favourites that we have tried. Despite it being a Bengal curry it did taste very fragrant like a Thai Curry which is my favourite dish, this is probably why it is such a winner!
Brioche Pasquier Sliced Brioche Loaf RRP £1.69 & Brioche Pasquier Pan au Lait with Choc Chips RRP £1.60
To say I’m not a savoury fiend, would be a downright, total lie. But, when you add chocolate to some scrummy milk bread I cannot resist. Going all continental I have been enjoying a Pan au Lait every morning (& quite possibly every evening but shhhh!) because they are simply to die for. I’ve already had the pleasure to eat these two products in the past so it was only right to be thoroughly thrilled at the prospect of creating one of my signature dishes with Mr C, bread & butter pudding with the sliced brioche. I can’t wait to make it this weekend on a cosy, wintery Sunday afternoon.
Jelly Belly © RRP £2.50
I didn’t even get a look in with these when they arrived. They firmly entered Mr C’s mouth and were laid to rest in his stomach. I think it took him T-Minus ten seconds to eat all these so overall I would say that they went down a (sweet) treat!
Solo Marshmallow Creme RRP £1.99
As the biggest fan of ‘’Fluff’’ this made my eyes light up. I’d never tried the toasted marshmallow version so I was excited to get a spoon and dig right in. It was delicious but very rich which meant only 2 spoonfuls would be enough, anymore I’d be in a marshmallow coma with my head over the toilet. I think I’m going to create the delicious fudge recipe with it instead of spooning it like Nutella!
Blue Dragon Sweet Chilli Sauce RRP £1.39
I love, love, love sweet chilli sauce. Especially to dip Thai style vegetable rolls in! However, I’ve gladly sat and doused numerous crisps with the sauce at great measures. It is just too yummy to stop at one or two. Receiving two of these means I will be kept in ‘’Sweet Chilli Heaven’’ for some time.
Special K Cracker Crisps RRP £1.89
I’m on a diet so it disgusts me to think I’d happily sit and quaff on about 5 packets of crisps if I wanted to. So imagine my glee when I found the Special K Cracker Crisps in the box! At 60% less fat these little crisps make it feel less sinful. Although BBQ flavour isn’t exactly my favourite, they were actually really flavoursome which surprised me! At £1.89 it’s at the higher end of what I would want to pay for a family-size bag of crisps, if these were on offer I’d definitely think about getting them for a healthier alternative.
Bear Paws RRP 55p
I can’t say that I was a huge fan of these. Mr C gladly wolfed them down. I’d describe them to taste a little like those strawberry winders all the ‘’cool kids’’ would get in their pack ups at primary school. I never did like them. Whilst I praise the ‘’no added nonsense’’ strapline (which actually lives up to it’s premise – they are made of only apples, pears, strawberries & little sweet potato extract!), the fun aspect of the paw shaped fruit shape for kids is great too, sadly it just wasn’t for me!
Enhance Drinks RRP £2.49
I’m a water fiend & I will drink pints of it a day. I’m also weaning myself off diet coke which has been a task but I’m getting there. I’ve been trying to think of ways to spice up what drinks I have and this has been the perfect answer! I love orange and passion fruit so it’s reminiscent of a J20. At just 1 calorie per drink it means I can have a couple of fruity drinks a day and not feel guilty about it!
What I haven’t tried yet…
Get Buzzing Bars RRP £1.30
I love the aspect of nuts and oats. I love anything like this. I don’t know why I haven’t delved in with this yet but the combination is perfect for me & I have no doubt that I will be dying for more after I’ve tried it. Whilst some may feel the price bracket is a little steep for 1 bar I have seen something similar in our local shop retail at nearly £2! So to me, this is quite the bargain.
Dr Oetker Extra Dark Chocolate RRP £2.49 & Dr Oetker Fine Dark Cocoa Powder RRP £1.89
This coming weekend I’m ready to get my bake on. These babies will feature heavily in the making too. I’m hoping to make my famous chocolate pecan pie. One of Mr C & I’s favourite puddings! Absolutely shockingly bad in the calorie stakes but oh-so finger licking good in the taste stakes. Once I’ve made it I will gladly share the recipe with you all.
So, to round up another fabulous degustabox would be to say that it was fabulous! As I’m not a beauty addict but a huge food lover this is the perfect subscription box for me. With it coming up to Christmas it would also be a great idea to buy a subscription for a loved one too. To help you on your way I have a discount code QCICX which will save you £3!
I’d love to hear from you if you sign up!
Rebecca xxx
C/O degustabox for review purposes. All views are explicitly mine I am not influenced by any other factor.
When DegustaBox asked me if I would like to try their September Edition I was very quick to reply with a resounding YES! Those who know me, will know that I love food. Probably a bit too much than I (or my waistline) would like. But, all the same food is the source of energy that keeps our body moving & mind ticking so why not enjoy the scientific side of things with culinary delights.
Those who don’t know DegustaBox is a monthly subscription box that costs only £12.99 a month and you will be bestowed with roughly 9 to 14 products to get your taste buds tingling & I have to say I was not disappointed with the wide range of September treats that dropped on to my doorstep.
I’m normally one for saving the best till last however in this case I must tell you about my favourite product that came in this lovely package.
Elizabeth Shaw’s Dark Chocolate Mints RRP £2.50
I’m a sucker for mint chocolate; so much so, I could smell what was in the box before I even opened it. These were without a doubt always going to be my favourite item. Hands down. They are the perfect mix of a slim piece of chocolate with small crunchy pieces of mint sporadically placed throughout. I not ashamed to say that Mr C & I wolfed down on these within a matter of minutes because they were just so moreish! As soon as I find these (and if you find them before me please tell me where!) I will be buying quite a few packets.
Crabbie’s Non Alcoholic RRP £1.20 | Crabbie’s Alcoholic Fruits RRP £1.50
Of course, alcoholic beverages are always going to go down a treat in our household. This new range from Crabbie’s is a welcome edition! I loved the Zesty Lemon flavour because it was just so refreshing and not overly sweet, which is what I like in my chosen ‘’sauces’’. We also had the delight of the non-alcoholic version too however, this had a hint of ginger in which was a little too strong for me but Mr C loved it & finished the whole bottle for me. I was pleasantly surprised at the cost of these drinks and expected it to be a lot more. I’ll definitely be trying the Black Cherry & Raspberry and Rhubarb alcoholic versions too.
Righteous Dressings RRP £2.19 for 3 pots or £2.49 a bottle
On my first diagnosis of these little pots of 100% natural dressing, I was drawn in the Mild English Blue Cheese & Cider dressing purely because I am an absolute cheese fiend. I stuck my tongue out in a ‘’yacky’’ sort of expression at the prospect of the Raspberry & Basil dressing. Five seconds later the tables turned and it was the complete opposite. I was surprised to find myself dipping in to the latter and eventually polishing it all off, I’m not quite sure who decided that Raspberry & Basil would go together but I commend them on their spontaneity as they have created a beautiful dressing!
Burt’s Lentil Waves RRP 69p per bag
Like I am with cheese, crisps are my ultimate vice. Don’t ever doubt that I could sit and devour a whole 24 multi pack crisps because I could. Don’t dare me. You can imagine my delight when these were included in the package too. We first tried the Thai Sweet Chilli (naturally as this is one of my favourite flavours!) and was not disappointed at all. Thai is a very fragrant taste that not everyone is acquired too, however, these crisps were warming and had deep flavours. A resounding NOM NOM all round. The Lightly Salted were actually quite tasty despite the lack of flavourings here. Funnily enough I did think they tasted mildly of prawn crackers! We are yet to try the Sour Cream & Chive but I’m sure they will go down a storm with Mr C as this is one of his chosen favourite flavours of crisps!
Jordan’s Simply Granola RRP £2.69
Now, I am not the worlds biggest Granola or Cereal fan so I sat this one out. Sorry. I let Mr C sample this one as his eyes shone with glee when he saw this came too. Sadly, I just can’t stomach eating anything first thing in the morning and specifically nothing sweet. Can you see the running theme here, I’m a total savoury whore. So, every morning (because I am such a good wife, I might add) I took a bowl of granola and a cup of tea up to my husband who devoured a bowl full every day for a week. Since this, he has now been buying granola every week. Well done Jordan’s you were certainly a hit with my husband!
Bahlsen Pick Up! RRP £1.69
As soon as I saw the Black n’ White packet I genuinely thought I was in for an Oreo experience. I wasn’t. They were tasty nevertheless, just not Oreos? These biscuits are like little sandwiches with what is essentially a block of chocolate in the middle. Nothing ground breaking here but Mr C has something new for his packed lunch!
Little Miracles Organic Energy RRP £1.59
Anything like this gives me the heebie-jeebies because I am sadly, just not in to that healthy living vibe so I was ready to pass on these. However, ever the curious part of my decided that I would crack them open and have a try and I was most definitely surprised. The Green Tea one was delicious. I think the interesting fruits in this one is what swung it for me. Sadly, the Lemongrass Tea had ginger in it so it wasn’t a winner for me. With only 90 calories in each bottle and boasting free from artificial colours, (yes, the green tea did look like wee!) flavours & sweeteners you know that you are getting a delicious yet essentially cleansing drink. For your nearest stockist head to Little Miracles.
Sadly, we just haven’t had time to try two of the products but we both can’t wait to try them.
Nestle Carnation Cooking Crème RRP £1.65
La Viejas Fabrica Seville Orange Marmalade RRP £1.59
If I come up with any delicious recipes I will be sure to share them with you.
Also, if you fancy trying a DegustaBox head over to their website and enter this special code 4784613 where you will receive a special QueenBeady discount of £3! You can also like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.
Mr C & I are definitely going to be signing up to this monthly subscription box, because let’s face it, who doesn’t like food?
Rebecca xxx
This post was C/O DegustaBox and all opinions expressed are my own.
There is nothing I enjoy more than a good burger joint. Sadly, you have to venture to the bigger cities near us such as Leeds, York or Harrogate to be given some meat-a-licious joy. But not now. Now we have the wonderful Sir Dukes to wet our burger ridden appetite.
Recently opened in the old spot of Bon Appetite, this new Bar & Grill gives our little Market Town of Wetherby something it has been missing for a long, long time. Whilst we do have a few select, lovely restaurants in the area we just lack those funky little spots that echo that city charm that we very rarely get in the countryside. I for one could not be happier with this place.
Located in an old, limestone building it oozes that farmhouse style but then when you walk through the door it becomes very quirky. Lots of random pieces of art throughout that you don’t know where to look. We were here early doors to enjoy the Buy 1 get 1 free offer that they are currently promoting so we got a nice spot right next to the original fireplace and at the window for some perfect people watching fun.
We were handed two menus by a lovely host (who I must commend on his royal blue suit – top marks for style there!) Whilst the menu is predominantly meaty, they don’t do too many options which I think is good as it keeps things simple and the process of eating out so much less stressful of having to choose. This place offers burgers, hanging kebabs and a selection from the grill. All of which made my mouth water at the thoughts. I ummed and ahhed about which burger to go for between a simple burger with cheese and trimming or the ‘’Grand Old Duke of Pork’’ (I love the play on words here!) and settled for the latter.
Of course, I was not disappointed with my choice. A thick locally reared beef burger, lashing of pulled pork and peanut butter sauce, accompanied with a honey glazed spare rib, bacon popcorn and some skinny fries. I will wait whilst you just take that in, because it took me a while to process it when it was put in front of me!
You know those meals you get that just cannot be put in to words how good it was? Well this is one of those moments. EVERY. SINGLE. BITE. Was just ridiculously tasty. The beef was cooked to perfection and the pulled pork and peanut butter sauce tasted like a dream and really complimented one another. Bacon popcorn? I hear you say! Yes, and despite all of the odds that should be against it, it was amazing and tasted exactly like a piece of bacon should do. The honey glazed spare rib was perfectly succulent and fell off the bone, just how I like it! And the skinny fries, well you can see where this blog post is going, were DIVINE, especially when it was lashed with Sir Dukes own home made BBQ & Whiskey sauce.
Okay, so of course we were ready to pop after this delicious meal. However, nothing was going to stop us wanting some form of desert afterwards & Sir Dukes do cakes pretty well here. Mr C opted for the Chocolate Fudge Rolo cake which just melted in your mouth (of course I stole a cheeky bite, or two? I have to I’m his wife!)
Whilst he chomped away on the sickly sweet desert I opted to try out one of the cocktails they had on offer, priced at £6 it wasn’t the cheapest cocktail but as we were eating on the BOGOF deal I thought I might as well treat myself & boy am I glad I did?! I opted for the ‘’Solero’’ cocktail which is a passion fruit flavoured drink that is amazing. It was sweet but had a nice tart after kick which I like with my cocktails. It certainly went down a treat!
After our bellies being delightfully full and VERY happy we asked for the bill. Marcus, the owner came over and say Hello as I had mentioned on Twitter & Facebook that we were heading over for a bite to eat which was lovely. All the staff made us feel so welcome and I think this will pay dividends with the local community.
The bill came to a grand total of £33 + tip. This included, two burger with skinny fries, 2 coleslaws, 2 Peroni’s, Chocolate Fudge Rolo cake & a Solero cocktail – I thought it was extremely reasonable for the quality and standard of food we had just feasted on. They even give you wham bars with your bill which wins me over alone!
Overall this new Bar & Grill is a refreshing new joint in Wetherby, if you like cool and quirky with a burger thrown in to the mix then I would not hesitate suggesting this local restaurant! It was a first time experience and it certainly won’t be our last. I wish it all it’s success, however I don’t think it needs my wishes as they seem to be doing everything right without them!
I love to hear about local eateries so if you know of any then let me know, I’d love to hear from you!
Rebecca xxx
You must be logged in to post a comment.