August 08, 2015

Battle of the Belfast Sushi Takeaways!

August 08, 2015/ Claire Spence

I was talking about sushi over on Facebook and my friend Claire recommended I try Sakura on Botanic Avenue in Belfast next time, rather than Yo Sushi! Michael & I had actually been to Sakura twice a number of years ago, when they were the only place that had a sushi train in Northern Ireland. It was so long ago I couldn't even remember what it was like to compare to our staple Yo Sushi! takeaway boxes. So I picked up a big twelve piece box for £16.50, at Sakura, and a large salmon & tuna box for £7.50 from Yo Sushi!

Top left £16.50 box from Sakura, top right is a little sushi mix bowl from Yo! which costs £1.50, bottom is the £7.50 Yo! large salmon and tuna box.

Firstly ordering at Sakura was trickier than Yo! because there aren't really premade boxes or pick and choose from. Secondly the menu to order from doesn't have images of each piece, and even though we get sushi often I still don't really know all the names of the things I like, or don't like. I know what a hand roll is (I'm not keen on them), California rolls and maki, but everything else is always ordered with a point at the picture on the Yo Sushi! menu.

So even though the Sakura takeaway menu is more extensive than the Yo Sushi! one, I was a little flustered at what to order and in the end just asked for the large selection.

Compared to Yo Sushi! pieces, Sakura sushi is almost twice the size. I can eat a whole box of Yo! takeaway in one sitting, but I only managed five from the Sakura tray. They give you tonnes of wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger too.

Generous amounts of ginger & wasabi with the Sakura box

Tastewise I think Sakura is closer to what you might get in a traditional sushi restaurant in Japan, whereas Yo Sushi! is more of a westernised version of the food type, which I think I prefer. You can't say that Sakura portions aren't generous, in fact I've no idea how I'm going to manage to eat it all this evening while the raw fish is still good!

After my Sakura experience I think I'll stick with Yo Sushi! at least for takeaway boxes for now. I think Sakura would be better for sitting in, so that's on my to do list. Now what am I going to do with all this fresh sushi?? I'm off to hunt for some lose trousers with an elasticated waist band....

Buy me one of these and I will love you forever

August 08, 2015

Bangor's Hidden Gem for Bountiful, Beautiful Breakfasts

August 08, 2015/ Claire Spence

I say Bangor, but more correctly the Cairn Bay Lodge guesthouse is slightly on round the coast in picturesque Ballyholme. I don't know about fellow Bangor West dwellers, but I often forget there's a beautiful stretch of water with rows of colourful Victorian houses and a beach walk way, just a short drive away on the other side of town.

Recently I've been slowly drip fed these gorgeous photos of kitsch interiors, smashing sea views and the odd picture of a plate of mouth-watering grub, on my Facebook timeline. The account behind these tempting photos was Cairn Bay Lodge, a guesthouse overlooking Ballyholme strand. So Michael and I decided it was time to make a trip over town and visit The Starfish Cafe ourselves!

Parking is free and plentiful on the road outside the Lodge, and the cafe spreads through two rooms, with plenty of seating. We visited at 11am-ish and it was busy, but we had a choice of seats.

The interiors were what tickled my fancy initially to prompt the visit. Absolutely splendid interior design, with taxidermy, fairy lights, prints by my very own logo designer Handdrawn Creative Neal McCullough and retro pieces which give the whole lodge a vintage feel without being tacky or gaudy in the slightest. It's kitsch done the North Down way.

The menu all looks delicious, with lots of seafood and high quality produce sourced locally. I went for French toast with mascarpone, crispy bacon and maple syrup. Michael just wanted some icecream, as he had had breakfast at home. This wasn't on the menu, but they kindly gave him a big bowl of vanilla icecream and only charged me £1. We also had coffee and fresh orange juice. The food was excellent. I was really impressed. If you are local and want a really good quality breakfast, or to impress a visiting guest, The Starfish Cafe at Cairn Bay Lodge is the hidden gem of a eaterie you're after.

For our four items I think we paid around £11.50 that's a little more than breakfast elsewhere, but the produce is very high quality. Next time I visit, probably this week coming, I want to try one of the crab dishes.

I had told the owners on their Facebook that we would be calling so we had a brief chat after eating. They are a lovely couple, who's names I didn't remember, I'm sorry! But I can imagine staying at the Lodge would be just as plesant as eating there.

Porridge option- photo from Cairn Lodge website

J H Lynch & Dallas Simpson prints, photo from Cairn Lodge Website

Menu image from www.nosebagni.com - a local foodie blog worth checking out

August 07, 2015

The Two New Loves of My Life: Bob & Bert

August 07, 2015/ Claire Spence

Bob & Bert's is a Northern Irish artisan coffee chain I first became aware of when we spent our week up in Portstewart last month. Because we know and love Ground Espresso, we were already set for coffee while we were up there, and didn't venture into a Bob & Bert's. Now we are back in Bangor, with our nearest Ground Espresso in Belfast, we decided to give Bob & Bert's new Bangor store a try. It's located above Tempest in Main Street, and you can access it via the escalator in Menary's.

We weren't expecting to fall in love with the place, but we did. The interior is very quirky, and the cakes are to die for. They do food too, baked potatoes, ciabattas etc. as well as big, American milkshakes and Ben & Jerry's sundaes.

We went for coffee, pancakes and rainbow cake. There's also a huge Belfast sink with rows & rows of sparklingly clean glasses for you to have free, fresh tap water. We will definitely be back. Check where your local Bob & Bert's is on their website.

Espresso topped with fresh cream is my current favourite £1.90

Short stack, I couldn't even finish it all! £4.25

August 07, 2015

Hampstead Iced Teas, Low Calorie Refreshment

August 07, 2015/ Claire Spence

Five years ago asking someone in Northern Ireland for iced tea would be met with a blank look, but now we are all slugging coconut water, ice cold coffees, and the European mainland staple, fruit iced tea. Try as I might I just can't get into coconut water, even the local brands I sadly can't truthfully rave about as I don't have the refined taste, or health kick persistence to drink it. Iced tea is another story. Hampstead premixed teas aren't wishy washy, they are punchy and refreshing.

They come in four flavours, three of which Michael and I tried and loved. I simply didn't ask to try the elderflower variety as I for some reason just don't like the flavour in any drink or food, but I'm sure if you do like it the Hampstead tea will probably be delicious, as the other three certainly are. They retail in Tesco for £1.39, or you can bulk buy on the http://www.hampsteadtea.com/ site. If we get another heat wave I'll be stocking up, as they really are far more refreshing than fizzy drinks.

http://www.hampsteadtea.com/ site. If we get another heat wave I'll be stocking up, as they really are far more refreshing than fizzy drinks.

August 05, 2015

Purple Sauce, Flamingo Croquet, Sneaky Sushi & Climbing Walls

August 05, 2015/ Claire Spence

We've had a mega busy day and it's only 2pm as I start writing this. Our first stop this morning was Belfast's Premier Inn. Today sees the launch of their exclusive purple breakfast sauce, so we popped along for a bacon butty & a cuppa.

The sauce is available in all Premier Inns throughout the UK, and non-overnight-stay-guests are welcome to call in for breakfast to try it any day, and grab a Costa blend coffee too. It's really tasty, but I can't put my finger on what it reminds me of. The base is blackberries, but it goes really well with savoury flavours. It isn't obnoxiously purple, like the green ketchup of the 1990s, but you can see the violet hue off it in real life.

Our next stop was Victoria Square, which is all dolled up with an Alice in Wonderland theme for the summer. There's a hedge maze and flamingo croquet to play.

We then hit Yo Sushi at 11.02am, two minutes after opening, to try to get some takeaway sushi to bring home with us for later. Sadly nothing was ready, but they made some boxes up while we waited. Of course we got too tempted by the treats going round on the sushi train and ended up eating a few dishes while we waited too.

Our afternoon plan for today was to drive down to Castlewellan. My brother & his wife are down at the Methodist Holiday Week and today is the open day. It's been raining all morning though, and the thought of trudging round in the drizzle wasn't too appealing, so we stopped off at Ikea in Holywood and decided against the long drive to Castlewellan.

They have a free climbing wall today, which Michael scaled up whilst I held my breath. He's a lot braver than I!

So that's been our busy morning. Michael is now building a Premier Inn in Minecraft, and I'm about to tuck into my takeaway Yo Sushi, with maybe a little splash of purple sauce!

August 05, 2015

The Sanitas Electronic Facial Brush from Lidl: Is It Worth Buying?

August 05, 2015/ Claire Spence

A quick Google of electronic facial scrubbers shows you prices ranging from £12.99 up to £150, so what about Lidl's Sanitas version? At just £9.99 does it do the job, and is it worth buying an electronic facial brush at all?

The Sanitas is in Lidl this week, so they sent me one to have a go with. It comes with batteries included and three different heads, one hard and two softer bristled circular fittings. The action of the brush can be rotation, or a to and fro motion, which I found better for cleaning with. The straight 'round and round' setting felt like your skin was being twisted, but if you want a good proper exfoliation treatment, that's the setting for you.

You apply your facial cleanser or scrub to your skin, not the brush, and it does a really good job of lathering the product. I've used it every evening this week and my skin does look brighter. It's helped me to stick to a routine, as I'm now 35 and still prone to going to bed with my makeup on. One thing to note, you have to remove your eye make up first, as even the soft brushes aren't suitable for your delicate skin around the eyes, and you don't want to spread your eye makeup all over your face anyway.

Electric facial scrubbers then, a thumbs up, and for £9.99 it's a very fair price compared to the £159 models which when it comes down to it, do the same thing this does. If you fancy grabbing the Sanitas they are in store this fortnight, but I've a feeling the price will make them very popular, so maybe phone your local store to check if they still have them available before making the trip.

Here's to shiny, fresh faces everywhere!

(Someone had to get in on the act, of course!)

August 03, 2015

Ostrich Burgers & Holidaying at Home

August 03, 2015/ Claire Spence

A little bit of a random bits & bobs post today. We had planned on visiting Cairn Bay Lodge this afternoon after seeing lots of lovely pics on their Facebook page recently, but we ended up deciding to head their for breakfast/brunch tomorrow instead.

Today instead we took a dander round the travelling fun fair that has been set up in our home town of Bangor all summer. The prices were crazy; we went to pay for both of us to go on both the Ski Jump ride and the Chairaplanes and the woman asked for £9!! For two rides! So we just went on the Ski Jump.

We then took a look in some shops. Michael is getting some teeth out next week so he wanted to check out the Playmobil in Stewart Miller, which will be his being brave reward.

I'd seen someone post exotic meats on Instagram this week, and it was surprised to find they were from Iceland, so we went there to check out what they had. Iceland is somewhere I never shop due to it's location in the town centre of Bangor, and the lack of free parking nearby. So I hadn't been in store in maybe a couple of years, out of it's complicated location rather than any snobiness!

This isn't a sponsored post of any kind, sadly it haven't been given all these lovely treats free by Iceland, but I thought I would share anyway, as they've some surprising things to choose from.