I will make no bones about it. I love my city. Exeter is a hotbed of independent shops and cafes alongside the bigger brand names that all come together to make my home city great. Not only do we have fantastic shopping and dining destinations but the city is steeped in history going back many centuries.Read more
Wow! What a difference a few months can make. My last visit to the City Gate was on Christmas Day for a pre-lunch drink. A slightly worse for wear interior that was in serious need of updating and that’s exactly what Youngs have done! The City Gate has undergone a complete transformation inside and out.Read more
I can’t tell you how excited I was when I heard that Polpo, a humble Venetian bàcaro had set its sights on Exeter for it’s eighth restaurant. Many moons ago I had visited the original Da Polpo on Maiden Lane. A short walk from Covent Garden and The Royal Opera House. It was a perfectRead more
Last Tuesday I had the privilege of being invited to Reiss in Princesshay, Exeter. They wanted to trial their new “Personal Approach” campaign and I was a willing guinea pig! “Our seasonal campaign involves inviting customers in store to book a personal shopping appointment and within this appointment customers can receive a 10% discount. EachRead more
Sundays are made for brunching… especially cold “spring shower” Sundays when the weather doesn’t know what to do. Steve and I headed over to the new Queen Street Dining complex in central Exeter and stopped off at KuPP. This Scandinavian inspired restaurant caters for all. From breakfast through to lunch and then into the eveningRead more
I have made shakshuka many times before but never have I added spiralized vegetables. The idea came to me when I was sent a GEFU spiral slicer from Steamer Trading. They asked me to get involved in their healthy eating promotion for the New Year. I adore shakshuka. A simple dish to prepare that hitsRead more
As soon as you navigate the long approach to THE PIG at Combe you get a sense of the grandeur. We arrived on a crisp winters day through the fog that was reminiscent of a Sir Arther Conan Doyle novel. The house appeared out of the fog as we got closer and I could feelRead more
I like Comptoir Libanais. No, strike that. I REALLY like Comptoir Libanais. The food served is simple, tasty and centred around a Lebanese cuisine. Lebanon is completely surrounded in geographical terms by Syria and sits on the Mediterranean Sea with Israel being another close neighbour. Think warm sunny climates and then you will understand whyRead more
A few weeks ago I found myself in Dartmouth visiting the renowned food festival. My home for the night was the Dart Marina Spa and Hotel. Situated right on the banks of the River Dart it is in a perfect position so you can explore. I arrived just after lunch and was warmly welcomed byRead more
Last Sunday Steve and I walked down to the station to catch a train to Taunton. I had heard of a brand new food festival situated at the Brewhouse Theatre both inside and out. The Brew Food Festival ran over two days and showcased delights from the region in the form of food stalls andRead more