Lunch out with Mr G - Tap and Spile, Bangor

Saturday's Curry night was a resounding success.   Unfortunately so was the resulting hangover yesterday. One of those hangovers that has you vowing 'never, ever, again'.  Until the next time that is ...  I have never seen so little food waste, plates were mopped clean with naan bread, and my homemade onion bhajis were, according to Darren, the best he'd ever tasted!  That's what I call a compliment.  Either that, or he's only ever had crap bhajis...

So, yesterday I spent the entire day on the sofa with a fleece blanket.  I was as sick as a dog.  But as nights with friends go, it was fab, plenty of laughter and wine with the ladies outside on the patio, while the men watched the football inside. 

There was a pattern on that plate when she got it...

So, this morning I had a fed up Mr G, talking about his new shed, fence panels, paving slabs... and noticing the glazed look coming in his eyes, I decided I had to distract him.  Especially after I pointed out that he had at least another four weeks before I'd even contemplate letting him do anything like that.  He looked like he was going to cry and muttered something about 'end up crazy' (bit late...) so I told him to go get dressed.  I was taking him out.  Not like, with a shotgun.  Outside out.

We drove to one of our favourite places - Garth Pier - and parked up.  We love taking fish and chips or a baguette down to one of the kiosks on the end and having lunch there once in a while, but not today.

Today, this was our destination for lunch.  Whenever we walk past we always say we'll try it for lunch one day, so I secretly checked out TripAdvisor for reviews and it looked good!

Inside was lovely, a proper old fashioned pub, very clean.  As we were the only ones in at the time, I chose the best seat in the house...

The menu was very basic, but also very reasonable.  Ridiculously cheap.  Burger, scampi, lasagne, steak, mixed grill, huge baps and baguettes etc, and a specials board with three other choices on.  Mr G opted for burger with cheese and chips, and I - very unusually - went for the mixed grill.  I normally have cod or steak pie, but these weren't an option.  I'm also trying to eat different things when I go for a meal, for someone who is so adventurous in the kitchen at home, I'm boring to take for a meal!

This was my mixed grill, which weighed it at £6 something, which included an optional egg for 50 pence.  It was absolutely lovely.  The meat was gorgeous.  I think Mr G was a bit jealous when he saw him but his burger was lovely too and nice to have real cheese on instead of 'plastic' cheese.  I think he'll go for the mixed grill next time though ;-)  Service was very quick too, which is half the battle when you're hungry.  The background music was at just the right level and suited me down to the ground, a bit of Dexy's and Madness.  Ladies toilets were very clean.  And the coke was fizzy!  Seriously lacking in a lot of pubs these days, nothing worse than flat pop, especially the hiked up prices most places charge, where it's almost as expensive as buying alcohol! 

We finished our meal and Mr G said he'd take me for a coffee at the end of the pier.  I had slightly bigger plans as to what I was getting at the end of the pier... I also wanted to visit a little shop on there, a lovely man called Alan who makes amazing stuff from wood.  My nephew had seen our weather station and wanted one for his new log cabin, so Auntie Shell wanted to get him one as a little present.

When we got to the end of the pier I persuaded Mr G to upgrade my coffee to a cream tea, and we had that to round off our lunch.  The scones were amazing, as usual, even though I think the tea room has changed hands since we were last in.  The only thing that let it down was the coffee.  There was a sign that said our coffee is instant and this brand (not naming names).  I struggled to drink it.  For an extra quid or so, they could invest in a better coffee.  Because I'm less likely to go back now and pay £4 odd for just a scone because I won't drink the coffee?  Just my humble opinion. 

We strolled back down and Mr G said I should rent a little kiosk and sell takeaway curry from there.  He's not the only one who has said as much to me lately, well - about the curry, not selling it off the pier!  It's something I'd really love to do.  I just don't know how I would go about doing it.  I've ran my own business once before and once bitten...

Love this place and

I love this man.  Even if he does drive me mad.  So now, I need ideas to keep him occupied for the next month, that don't involve lifting, carrying, building or hammering.  This should be fun. 

M x