Page 52 - Phonebox Magazine November 2014

SHORT BITES
Local lunch and loveliness . . .
Sunday Lunch at the Bull Olney
It’s been nearly a year now with the new owners at the Bull and things are beginning to bed in nicely. We while away many an hour sharing a lovely bottle of white rioja. The manager is super efficient and it is getting a nice buzzy atmosphere in there. The food is good too – quality ingredients creating properly tasty pub grub. The Sunday lunches in particular should get a mention. A goodly portion of well- cooked roast (I particularly enjoyed the pork), with a large, light, home-cooked yorkshire, lovely non-fatty roast potatoes all served on a pile of fresh and perfectly cooked veg. Depending what you have they are £12-£14 and yes there are cheaper alternatives out there. I won’t be searching them out though – when there is one this good on my doorstop. Top tip: The Bull take the TasteCard, which will set you back £80 or so, but then get’s you two for one off all main meals. Sadly the roast is excluded :(
Something new at the Amaya
I’m a creature of habit. Particularly with Indian food. Partly because I’m not too keen on very hot food and partly because I’m not a fan of the tomato based saucy dishes. I’m a dry dish, biryiani, tandoori kind of girl. But this week at the Amaya something caught my eye. Murgh Hariali – Delicately flavoured tender pieces of chicken cooked with various spices, chopped fresh spinach, mint and coriander leaves. With trepidation, I ordered it. And I am totally converted. This is a gorgeous dish with the chicken served in a thick sort of spinach paste, beautifully flavoured with the mint and coriander coming through strongly and just the right amount of spice. Happy days.
HB
The Olney Wine Bar
The Olney Wine Bar has new management. Again. We have been here before of course and recently those managers don’t seem to last too long. This is looking promising though. Jo and Tina Harriet know the wine bar of old and Jo used to sing there many years ago. Live music throughout the week. A range of tapas at just £3.50. What’s not to like. Thursday night is billed as their Big Night Out and we have started to make a habit of sharing a bottle of wine and a tapas or two. Jo sings, accompanied by Paul Kitchen on piano. Sometimes Clem Curtis joins in – and the three of them work really well together. By invitation only there are other guest singers and musicians too. It really is a fun night out.
p. foodie
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52 Phonebox Magazine