Bittersweet and Hungry

Let me be honest with you: if I want a cocktail, there is only one place in Belfast I'll go; The Merchant. This evening's events only solidified this. After a few stouts, the time was ripe for short and sharp beverages. Mr R wanted to try out the newly renovated Northern Whig. My 'go to' short cocktail is a Margarita. They only offered it on the rocks or frozen. I decided to rise above this crime and ask for it straight up, and they obliged. They obliged with a Margarita with no salt rim! And too much sugar syrup. We proceeded onward to The National, where we asked for our favourite in-house cocktail. Sadly, the menu had been rewritten and the youngster behind the bar was new, so we quicky ordered an alternative. I didn't mind it, as I love a Parma Violet, but Mr R hated the sweetness and viscosity of the egg white. He switched to beer. Our next stop was Muriel's Cafe Bar. As the last drink of the night, we opted for two Old Fashioneds. We were pr...

I began thinking seriously about sharing some of my opinions on my favourite topic several months ago, but it has taken me considerable time to get around to it - not unlike an unhappily high degree of the waiting staff I've encountered in those few months.  Rather than post date EVERYTHING I have felt like saying, I will, instead, give you a brief synopsis.  The highlights and the disappointments.  These are, of course, merely opinions.  Hadskis (21 May 2014) This location had rave reviews.  I was not overwhelmed by any stretch of the imagination.  The trofie pasta dish was outstanding, until I had a taste of the béarnaise which accompanied the rib-eye and suspected the pasta sauce had been a bit too similar...       OX (18 & 27 June 2014) OX is by far the best dining experience I have had in Belfast.  The staff are attentive and unfailingly polite.  The food is wonderful, seasonal and loc...