Restaurant Review: The Quays

Restaurant Review: The Quays Farnborough (Tel: 01252372656)
Coleford Bridge Road, Mytchett, Camberley, Surrey GU166DS
http://www.pub-explorer.com/surrey/pub/quaysmytchett.htm

My wife and I have lived about 500 metres from the Quays (formerly knows as the Cross Quays) for four years now, and for some reason have never felt its pull. We have walked around it and possibly even driven into the car park on a whim, but maybe I had been avoiding "Two for one" establishments due to overdosing on them during my London student days.

This remedied, we have now been twice in two weeks. Maybe having a baby changes your personality. It certainly changes your life.

The interior of the pub is a cavernous space which sits right on the water's edge and affords lovely views across the lake which teems with activity from the thriving attached waterskiing business. On a summmer's day it is one of the nicest views in the area, and is understandably popular for wedding crowds, parties, etc. It is probably adviseable to get in early to bag a great table for the afternoon, but the turnover of happy and satisfied customers probably means you won't be waiting long in any case.

Foodwise, the big draw is the Sunday Roast, which at £10.75 for two (£5.87 per head) represents extraordinary value, as attested to by the long queue by the Carvery stand. I am happy to report that it is all pretty darn good, from the selection of Tractor Assured Meats down to the Yorkshire Puds, Roasties, Parsnips, Carrots, Cauliflower Cheese, etc. I think it comes out at about £7 a head if you want pudding also (traditional stuff done well).

The staff are primarily young, hardworking and seem pretty happy with their lot. I noticed by the door that there is a plaque declaring that it was chosen as "Number 5 in the best large scale businesses to work at" by the Sunday Times. That seems a pretty good credential.

Cost: under £10 a head plus drinks

Family friendly: Absolutely

Overall rating: Outstanding value

Restaurant Review: Villa Bianca, Frimley

Villa Bianca, Frimley (Tel: 0127662879)
58 Frimley High Street, Camberley, GU16 7JF

http://www.villarestaurants.com/

If you like it old-school, this is the place to go. The food is exceptionally honest and full of the vibrant simple flavours which make Italian cuisine so appealing.

Starters are great but be wary of filling yourself up too early. The melanzane parmigiana is absolutely gorgeous (creamy, rich with tomato, perfectly tender) but I tend to go for something even simpler like the Ravioli al Gran Ragu as it is the epitome of the Italian ability to extract maximum flavour from so few basic ingredients. 

Mains are all generally outstanding. If you order duck, expect a plate to arrive with half a duck on it alongside a jug of orange sauce. The saltimbocca alla romana (a traditional veal dish in sage butter) is very tasty and perfectly cooked. All meat and fish mains are served with a side of salad or veggies of the day (stuffed courgette flowers, roasted potatoes, carrots and something along the broccoli/cauliflower line). The specials board tends to stay pretty much the same from year to year, but there are always some great things to be had, even if they tend to be more expensive than the a la carte items. The scallops wrapped in bacon (£16-ish) is truly decadent and tasty but doesn't quite live up to the main course moniker (6 or so scallops would struggle to fill the smallest stomach).

The dessert cart is a bit of a 70s throwback but you can't deny the quality of the Tiramisu or the guilty pleasure of the caramel bananas. I wish that they didn't buy in quite so many other things as the tarts which aren't made in-house are all a bit light on flavour. We generally skip dessert.

The staff is comprised mainly of highly efficient Italian men with a bit of an eye for the ladies. We had an unfortunate incident when a waiter decided to compliment my wife's physique to another waiter, not quite realising that I speak Italian (it's part of my job). You have to expect this sort of stuff with gents of a certain age, and it certainly hasn't stopped us from returning regularly.

Always book for Friday and Saturday nights as it is SO popular. The restaurant isn't open on Sundays. A lot of people have birthday and special occasion dinners at Villa Bianca as it has an overall air of warmth and authenticity.

Cost: About £20 per head for food, drinks extra

Family Friendly: Yes

Overall Rating: Definitely worth a visit