retiredmartin

This blog is a diary, and if it’s dominated by pub visits that’s often because the pub is where you’re most likely to eavesdrop on meet people*. To steal from and corrupt Pete Postlethwaite;

“Truth is, I THOUGHT it mattered. I thought that BEER mattered. But does it? Bollocks! Not compared to how PEOPLE matter.“

But second only in importance to pubs is food. I can never get my head round the reports in CAMRA magazines where folk insist on the weirdest beers but never stray from pie and chips on the menu. It’s not like I’m a creature of culinary habit, is it ?

Now, James is a great son, but he’s alarmingly liberal in dispensing health advice like “You need to make more sensible food choices, Dad“. So this post, celebrating my Top 10 culinary choices in 2024 is for him.

10. Ovos Moles, Aveiro, Portugal.

A great coastal town for the gourmand, and Ovos Moles is their speciality so don’t go asking for it in Barnsley. Egg yolks and sugar in a wafer casing, paired with an espresso for £1.50. One was enough.

9. Choco Frito, Setubal, Portugal

Another very local speciality, the fried cuttlefish restaurants along the Sado estuary were serving up buckets of the stuff for about £20 for 2. Not quite as good as spicy squid at Chung Hwa, but nothing is.

8. Cheese and Onion Cob, Blue Boar, Leicester.

“Does what it says on the tin“, “One for the purist” etc etc. I understand CAMRA Chairmen are moving to Leicester purely for the cobs.

7. Ravioli, Hostaria da Lino, San Marino

Mrs RM and I reckon the UK is the best place in the world for food, and the pasta in Cambridge’s Maypole is probably as good as this plate at our (bargain) San Marino hotel, but which has the better views, you reckon ?

6. Crispy Beef and Singapore Rice, Sang Lung, Hillsborough

Don’t worry, I haven’t abandoned Chung Hwa yet. But this was a NCTSS 5.

5. Apple strudel, Gostivar bakery, Tirana, Albania

We ate astoundingly well across Albania, but this massive (well, once, it was) strudel that fed two of us for 60p one morning was the most welcome meal.

4. Kavarma, Shtastliveca, Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria

One of several astonishing meals in Bulgaria, this great stew of homemade sausage and pork in a garlic bread mould is the Balkan equivalent of a Parmo in Stockton.

3. Burger, Steam Town, Eastleigh

My father-in-law hasn’t been too well of late so we treated him to a night in Eastleigh Travelodge and one of crafty homebrewer Steam Town’s gourmet burgers.

“This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten !” says Michael, which cuts deep because I know I once made him a cheese and crisp sandwich.

2. Lamb Handi, Monsoon, Filey

OK, it might have been the company, which included my Pub Man of the Year, but THIS was the best curry of 2024. No fuss, no glop, just taste.

1. Sausage. And Mustard. “Малкия Интер”. Veliko Turnovo. Bulgaria.

And this is it. The actual dish. Took ages to come. Cancel life plans and go to Veliko now.

It’s on that menu, somewhere.

*OK, you might meet CAMRA members whining about provenance, independence and scoring beers with a cold, too. But that’s a risk you take.