Thai Cottage, Berkhamstead, UK

Thai Cottage
149 High Street
Berkhamsted HP4 3HH

01442 870808

After spending a couple of days at Ashridge University, I wanted to explore Berkhamsted town and grab a hot lunch before catching the train back to London.

I avoid chain restaurants when I can and this one had a good rating on yelp.

It was a fixed lunch offer only (no a la carte) with one soup or starter and one main course served with rice for 10 Pounds.

I ordered the sticky pork ribs as a starter - they were very well cooked and were almost falling off the bone, but the sauce on them was sickly sweet.

My main course was a beef stir fry (I asked for a spicy option and the server recommended this) Again the meat was well cooked, but it was so salty!

While main courses are normally served with rice, I requested if I could substitute the rice for noodles. The egg noodles that were served with the beef was very tasty (and they weren't even on the menu)

The place was quite full in the noon and most people in there were locals.

The staff was really sweet and obliging.

However the food was a disappointment. I just ate the noodles and picked at the beef and pork. Even mixed with the noodles the sweetness was cloying and the saltiness overwhelming.

Next time I think I'll just eat at Ashridge before leaving, the buffets there were amazing.

Rating : 2 / 5

Thai Cottage

Thai Cottage Menu

Eagle Public House, Cambridge

Eagle Public House
Benet Street
Cambridge
CB2 3QN
01223 505020

The Eagle Public House is renowned for its RAF Bar (graffiti of World War II airmen covering the ceiling and walls in the innermost chamber) and because Francis Crick interrupted patrons' lunchtime on 28 February 1953 to announce that he and James Watson had "discovered the secret of life" - DNA structure!

The pub is quite atmospheric with actual candles and friendly service and is a great place to grab a drink and mingle with students and professors or just listen in on some really interesting intellectual debates.

Eagle Public House is now managed by the Green King Brewery and this was the first time I was visiting a pub from this stable. They tout their homemade food a lot, but most of it was a disappointment.

The potted ham hock (5.25) was just salty with no flavour and very dry for potted meat. The red onion chutney along with it was the only thing that made it slightly palatable. Served with bread (5.25)

The side of Rosemary Roasted Butternut Wedges with sour cream (2.65) was completely tasteless except for an extremely mild hint of rosemary. The squash wasn't roasted enough to bring out its flavours and I used the ham from the potted ham hock to get some salt into the dish (People who know me, know that I am someone who NEVER adds salt to my food)

I was recommended the Slow Cooked Pork Belly (13.95) which was very soft and coming apart at the gentlest touch, but again there was no seasoning or flavour, either in the pork or the accompanying vegetables. The only thing that made the dish palatable was the creamy mashed potatoes on the side. All it needed was a bit of ginger and garlic paste and the flavour would have completely exploded. Coupled with the tender meat, it would be an amazing dish, but we were sorely disappointed!

We had, had a really long and tiring day, otherwise we don't normally order everything in one go. And we really regretted it, especially given all the other eating out options around.

Go here for the atmosphere, but stay clear the food!

Rating : 1.5 / 5
Points for atmosphere, not food.
Food was 0 / 5

CATZ, Cambridge

Catz
St Catharines College
Cambridge
CB2 1RL
01223 338373

The pub "Catz" (nickname for St Catharine's College) on the premises of the college, is large and has a pool table etc. The modern set-up in the basement feels anachronistic to the Gothic building design on the outside.

Spread out across a huge space in the basement at St Catharines College, I guess this would normally be filled with students. We just happened to visit during the Easter / Spring Break and had 2 bartenders and the whole space to ourselves.

They have a good range of alcohol from ciders to Single Malts. Service was really sweet, but nothing made the pub stand out for us.

Not sure if they serve dinner, they had a few snacks type items and are open for private parties and breakfasts.

The feeling of the place was more like a brightly lit modern lounge, for atmosphere - we much preferred the Eagle Bar next door - (for a drink (but not dinner)