Blaine C.'s Profile

A lovely quiet little shop; tea, scones, and other good things to eat in a neighbourhood otherwise full of the usual corporate sameness.

The service is a bit slow, but frankly that's part of the charm of this place. Don't go if you're on the run, but if you've got an hour to relax with a friend, this place is perfect.

Brilliant food in a gorgeous cottage in the pretty drumlin country around Strangford Lough. Fancy restaurant upstairs, gastropub down. Definitely worth a visit if you have a car during your Belfast stay.

Really tasty, easily the best Indian we've had in Belfast. It's really a 4.5, because it wouldn't be fair to Vij's (in Vancouver) or roadside spots in India to imply that it's the best Indian on earth. But, y'know, it's fantastic.

The biryani is particularly good, lots of flavourful spice. They also excel at sauces; this is one of the few restaurants where I'm moved to get papadums before the meal, just to savour the chutneys.

You wouldn't know it was here most days of the week; there are no outside indications, save the occasional empty beer glass placed discretely on a window sill. However, come the weekend, this place is pretty much ideal. It's cosy, with a nice fire place for the chilly evenings, but be sure to get there early (or make friends with the locals) if you want a prime seat. A great drinks menu, so long as you want a Harp, Guinness, or Bushmills. By far the best pub in Whitehead.

We took a wrong turn driving back from a walk out by Larne one night, and ended up driving past what looked like a country pub with a bunch of cars parked outside. Curiosity piqued.

The next day, we went for another walk, and this time instead of driving past, we pulled into the lot, and decided to figure out what all these cars were up to. We expected a low-key but bustling bar, but instead found an unmarked door that didn't want to open. Once we'd wrestled it, and the next door open, an empty bar was our reward.

Thankfully one of the waitresses walked by and pointed us at the door into the restaurant itself. Fantastic, interesting takes on Irish standards, as well as a few different dishes as well. All around unreasonably tasty and friendly given the location.

We'll be back, often.

I met some friends for brunch, but due to a transit snafu, I didn't actually get to try the food. The menu looked fantastic, though, and the coffee was decent. Friendly staff, too.

It's a great space, perfect for catching up with friends, if a little hard to find - once you find the address, take the door to your right and head upstairs.

I wanted to love this place, I really did. Everything is just right, and they do noodles. Serious no-kidding Noodles. I mean the kind that fight back, that make you remember how damned good they are as you eat them. The kind that you shouldn't cut, because they'll hunt you down and kill you early.

The only problem is that they don't understand vegetarians. They put things like "Veggie Chicken" on their menu, which is a fairly common offering at Chinese [Buddhist] restaurants, but what they mean is "Chicken with vegetables."

Sigh, so close, yet so, so far. There are some veg. options, but they're woefully limited compared to the bounty availed to those of the meat-eating persuasion.

So, if you're a vegetarian noodle lover, this isn't your place, sorry. If you're a meat-eater and laughing at me, well, take some pity and go enjoy these noodles for me. Because if I were you, I'd give this place five stars.

Oh yum yum yum. Tea and cake, pink walls, it doesn't get any frillier, nor does it get much tastier. Unpretentious, a perfect spot to plonk down and read some really sappy Victorian novel, or relax after an afternoon walk.

Very tasty, interesting vegetarian food. I went at 3 PM, and the place was empty. No waiting equals a happy me.

Flat White, now serving Square Mile Coffee, is home-away-from-home in London for that growing tribe of NinthFourIntelliGrumpyBlueStumpRitualBarrelBottleg ensiaStAbraco. If that doesn't mean anything to you, it's good coffee, trust me.