‘Fussy’ food critic

Malaysian food in a gorgeous, riverside restaurant. What’s not to love? I explained my allergies and they took note (they had to re-bring the cucumber and spring onions separately but other than that, very ‘on it’). I reiterated when it came to ordering mains and they were very careful. We had water topped up constantly and sat reminiscing about my late Grandma- she loved it here. I remembered her birthday a few years ago, she wore one of their party hats. These hats were hanging opposite me. West life came on. I had a little tear.

The food was delicious and they made us a Yuk Sung (not on the menu) especially. Top notch service and gorgeous food. 10/10 from me xx

ORO… what a delight. A gorgeous, quaint little pizzeria on one of Wolverhampton’s busiest roads. The waitresses are nice, however seemed inexperienced. I believe one of them was on her first shift, being taught by her more experienced but still very young friend (we gathered their friendship from the loud conversations we could overhear). No manager or senior member of staff to be seen, other than the chef. We weren’t given some options of sauces or additional sides, or asked if we had any allergens however once I bought them up the waitress checked everything with the chef. Diligence with the allergens- just what I like to see! The chef was fast and just got on with his cooking- the food came quickly and hot when necessary!

The shop is small but does take away. We were two of three customers and no one was left once we did, but this made it special in a way. It was quiet and we were free to chat and enjoy each other’s company without interruption- other than that of the waitresses.

The food was divine, cheap and fast with a good selection of food! 3 courses for £28.50. It’s bring your own alcohol- something J and I really didn’t mind- and they supply the mixer should you need one. I had my blueberry gin and lemonade and a three course meal with my favourite human for under £30. What isn’t to love? If you don’t mind almost nervous waitresses then this is the place for you- 8/10 from me! I feel the waitresses may need a little bit more support with handling allergens however it was a lovely experience and no allergic reactions- win, win.

Before my blog started, I was always interested in how businesses would deal with my allergies. Would they turn me away? Would they accept them and try their best to accommodate? Would they help me choose options that were suitable? In this article, I’ve decided to delve back into some of the most memorable experiences I’ve had and do a ‘mini-review’ in case one of my readers fancies a trip.

Michelangelo’s, Weston-Super-Mare a brilliant restaurant but all accounts! Both times we visited, they were more than happy to oblige. Their pesto is made of sunflower seeds rather that nuts and they helped where they could, including being careful to remove any garnishes. Top notch service, and I’ve heard the Wolverhampton Michelangelo’s is the same!

The Bower Inn, Bridgwater, Somerset this gorgeous, countryside pub is set on the outskirts of famous Bridgwater. Its beautiful, hearty English look sets it apart from so many local amenities. It hosts wedding parties and luncheons as well as lovely dinners for locals. I went with two former colleagues and had a simple ham, egg and chips. Absolutely delightful! I made the waitress aware of my allergies and she was happy to check things over for me. Brilliant service in a gorgeous pub.

The Circus, Bath GORGEOUSSSNESS IN A MEAL! Absolutely 10/10 delicious. J and I were on a 2 hour history walk and stumbled across this gorgeous little restaurant during. It looked so wonderful we had to go back! The food was divine and the service was absolutely second-to-none. We splashed out a bit for it but it was so worth it. I told the waitress all about my allergies and she helped pick out our food (so I could try both!) she also helped us find a pudding that was right for us. Unfortunately there wasn’t any available, but the food was so delicious I didn’t mind too much. Starter and main followed by a latte were all that was required. Will definitely go back again, whenever I’m next in Bath.

Yo! Sushi, Grand Central, Birmingham one of my favourite places in the entire world. I treated J to his first Yo! Sushi recently (Mr ‘I don’t like sushi’) where he realise it isn’t all fresh fish. They sell everything from fries, to fresh fruit, from starters to puddings. The best thing about it? You’re totally in control of what you eat! This is a huge reason why I love it so much- you know what you’re ordering. I’ve never (touch wood) had any allergy attacks or been unsure of what to order because the menu contains everything they use. I. LOVE. It. I will always go again.

The Tap Room, St Ives, Cambridgeshire a lovely, small restaurant/bar in the market town of St Ives, Cambridgeshire. This restaurant has some gorgeous treats for you- from sweet things to full on main courses, this lovely business is relaxed, modern and sleek. Very London vibes and I LOVE it. Below, myself and my friend tried the “3 dishes for £10” deal with a side of sweet potato fries- an absolute win! They have a vegan menu as well as offer help when ordering at the bar. I frequently visit here, so can happily say they help often with my allergies- both with food and drink!

Broken ankle in tow, I drag my boyfriend along the guided bus route into the bustling city of Cambridge. We’re meeting friends for a catch up, food ‘n’ all.

First, I hobble along behind my better half as we see an ‘all you can eat’ sushi place! ‘Sushi Mania’. HEAVEN. We walk in and get asked to go upstairs. Not the easiest of tasks with crutches and a half tonne heavy boot on your leg but we manage. We reach the table in the middle of the room and the plates are already set- this leads my mind to wonder how many people have touched those plates as they’ve gaily walked past, or how many germs from the environment are resting on the surface of the plate I’m about to eat from. I’m unsettled to begin with.

We sit down, famished, ready to order. The service here is not great, we can see. Eventually, we get the attention of a waiter. My time is here- bare all my foodie needs to this stranger. “Excuse me, I’m allergic to…” cut off. I receive a “Yeah I’ll get you the allergens menu” (a black folder of poly pocket filled images and absolutely no way of navigating without reading the entire thing). Okay, I breathe and enter. After 5 minutes of swiping through I can’t see any cucumber in the California roll- win. I order the rest of the food I know is ‘safe’ and prepare to dig in. No ask of any drinks, no welcome to our table. It’s sit, order, eat, get out.

After another few minutes of awkward hands in the air and “excuse me”s we ask the waiter for a drinks menu. He throws it on the table and comes back a small while later. Two beers and two tap waters. The beer, a light Japanese draft, is bold and sweet. Lovely. The tap water doesn’t arrive for another three asks. Ok. The waiter comes over and, as he leans forward whist saliva drops from his mouth onto the table, tells J off for circling the order. Apparently this means they’ve already been sent out. Would’ve been nice to have been told, but fine. We’ve now realised the service probably isn’t what is making this restaurant so busy, but surely that means the sushi is!

The sushi has arrived. J and I are actually bouncing with anticipation. We love sushi! (Or so I thought, half way through this lunch date J tells me he doesn’t mind it but only goes because I am sushi obsessed. Awh!) As the Katsu chicken is placed down we both grab a bite. It’s cold. 😦 expectations of this being the greatest lunch ever are incredibly low. We continue to trundle through the sushi as best we can, I actually gag at how smoky the smoked salmon is in one roll. Here we go, the California roll. I’m so excited (it’s a fave) I eat it. That was silly of me. It has a fat cucumber slice right in the middle. Amazing. No warning, no care from the waiter, I’ve just eaten something I once nearly died from. Great. Lunch is then assumed to be cut short. J is concerned and asks if I have any Piriton- no! A trip to boots it is. I drink tonnes of water and my mouth seems ok. Miso soup finished we try and smoosh some sushi onto our plates so we aren’t charged for not finishing and pay the bill. Nearly £50 for two for an, I’ll be honest, not-so-great experience. Probably won’t be eating here again.

After our fiasco with the sushi, we meet with our friends. H is obsessed with Las Iguanas (she calls it Las Ig-you-anas) so she asks to go there. We’ve eaten but J and I both fancy a pudding.

After what seems like a marathon of tripping through some of the most dense crowds I’ve ever seen, we reach the “fancy a punt” guys. Tempting as it is on a blustery windy, winters day, we give it a miss and head right into LI. Warmth.

We walk up to the “wait here to be served” podium and a friendly, managerial looking face greets us. It’s better already. He counts us and asks the dreaded question- “anyone have any allergies?” Here we go, my time to shine. My friends used to this by now start rinsing me, and much to my embarrassment the manager joins in! He swiftly apologises, I’m assuming after seeing the look on my face, and I list off my allergies and intolerances. He then walks us to our table next to the river and offers to take my crutches for safe keeping.

Rushing back with an iPad in hand, he goes through the allergens with me. He tells me they won’t give me any food that is red and yellow- does contain or may contain. They don’t have an allergens list for fruit (they aren’t in the top 14 so most places don’t) so does his best to help me. I peruse the menus- including children’s menu- and I can’t find ANYTHING I can/ want to eat. I try my best to “make do” but the want has gone. No pudding for me. Oh well, cocktails will suffice I say after everyone offers to try somewhere else. No, I know how much H loves the food here. My allergies will not be to blame!

Whist my friends choose their food, J and I pick cocktails. Rhubarb and Custard sound delicious, don’t contain real fruit and they’re on 2 for 1! 2 each. Lovely. The excitement is real because rhubarb gin is an ultimate fave of mine. I feel better about the whole allergy thing. It doesn’t seem to be a huge issue here, as long as I’m not eating! We wait a short while, all the time chatting and enjoying the company of great friends. The cocktails arrive. In J’s words alone, I will describe them- “these are absolutely disgusting, I’m having those *points to H’s Pina Coladas* next time”. I agreed. These cocktails just taste of bitter, sour rhubarb. Where’s the custard? Here we go again, let’s try and find another cocktail I can drink.

We can’t find one. Every one I attempt, the waiter says they can’t do. One they can’t doe because people stole the glasses. I don’t care, serve it in a bucket I just want a drink that won’t kill me.

J gives me his and I hold my breath and down them as quick as I can. I’m so fed up of not being able to enjoy myself like everyone else can. Not even being able to have the pretty cocktails as much as other people. I feel really down at this and as much as my friends laugh and joke, I just feel sad.

I ask the waiter if he could make one up, just put a load of alcohols and sweets and stuff all together- as long as it doesn’t contain fruit! No one has ever denied this request before, in fact most bartenders like the excitement of trying something new. The last time I went to this restaurant they made me a lovely cocktail and didn’t even charge me! He asks the bar tender who says no. It’s not even spectacularly busy. Brill. I ask to speak to the manager (not like that, I asked in a nice way) to try and sort something out. I like sweet cocktails, alas the only one the manager is willing to give me is the Caprihana. A sour and bland, small cocktail. Not what I want but I settle. Asking him if he could please make it sweeter for me, I accept. Ive tried it before and I didn’t like it but I’m willing to give it another go.

IT. IS. SO. SOUR. Like, more so than usual I’m sure. I ask the kind waiter if he could please add lemonade and he offers to add sugar syrup- an easy fix he says. Why couldn’t they do this before? As H rightly says, this restaurant will willingly change things for vegans or people with only nut allergies but me? It seems all I’m being is a liability. The cocktails are brought back to me and I sip them quickly, trying to enjoy them whist feeling jealous of J’s miraculous looking Pina Colada.

Whist I respect their choices and menus, due to the limits for my palette I would not choose to visit this restaurant again. The staff were kind when it came to my crutches and ankle, even opening the disabled loo without being asked, but a gal’s gotta eat!

We set off, trying to think of another place we know does good, G accessible cocktails. Revs it is! On a tipsy march back across Cambridge, stopping in quite a few shops including Hardy’s sweets, we make it. Revolution Cambridge. We sit down and search the menus for fruit-free cocktails. Bonus- it’s also 2 for 1! J orders another Pina Colada-esq cocktail and I spot one with only one fruit item- apple juice! Easily swapped for lemonade. I ask the waitress who kindly agrees “of course, that’s totally possible!”

We wait no longer than a few happy minutes and our cocktails arrive. The waitress says they didn’t manage to blend mine like usual but that it still tastes the same- amazing! Also, MINE HAS SWEETS ON TOP JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSES! Win for Revs!

We leave Revs feeling tipsy but happy. A quick stop at Nando’s for some takeaway chicken and a fast bus journey home. A very happy day out with good friends.

Yesterday began my ‘fussy’ journey. Before going to watch ‘1917’ we decided to go for a bev and a bite to eat- risky business with this many allergies.

We walk in to a quiet, small, gorgeously rustic-yet-modern bar/ nightclub just off the main shopping routes of Wolverhampton. We sit ourselves down and begin to peruse the menus. One for drinks, one for food.

Instantly I see minimal cocktails are suitable for my dietary requirements so, ever reluctantly, walk up to the bar to ask for help. “Please, could I for once have a nice cocktail with all the fancy bits on top”. The bartender is more than happy to oblige and welcomes the request with open and light humour.

The screwball cocktail is sweet, alcoholic and full of fancy bits- everything I asked for! The cream isn’t lactose free but I was treating myself- a choice I willingly made. I could’ve asked for it without. I don’t even miss the taste of strawberry (swapped for grenadine) because it just tastes so wonderful.

Sauce dripping over the table, my tongue turning blue, we decide to order the wings sharing platter. No allergens here! We spend 10 minutes discussing the day before it arrives- tomatoes and salad slap, bang in the centre. She’d forgotten I was allergic to fruit.

Luckily, the wings weren’t touching so I went for it. Delightful and perfect for sharing due to the different sauce flavours. No allergic reaction for me and a lovely lunch to remember.

In total, due to customer service and willingness to switch it up for me, I’d say 8/10 would recommend.