Battledown & Sibling

April 5, 2017April 5, 2017 / a H-L / Leave a comment

It’s time to revisit Battledown Brewery. This local family business is going from strength to strength, and recently relocated with Sibling Distillery from their cosy little Keynsham Street sheds, to a rather more serious facility in Dowdeswell Park.

The new space brings the opportunity to rethink, re-brand and relaunch, which is exactly what they’ve done. I had the pleasure of visiting the newly installed 13 hectolitre brewery and marvelling at what, without doubt, is going to be a gem in Cheltenham’s ever improving landscape. My good friend Simon and I took in the extremely welcoming atmosphere at their recent opening event, sampling their wares, listening to live music, and tucking into their signature ploughman’s spread. Bliss.

I’m pleased to say that guided brewery tours are still on the cards, and alongside the renowned Sibling Distillery, the potential is really exciting… I hear rumours that plans are afoot to open the brewery as a licensed venue on certain nights with local food trucks…

As always, Battledown provides online ‘order and pickup’ options and they’re always amenable to catering to customer needs wherever they can.

So there must be some negatives? ..yeah, it’s further to walk from town and there’s a lack of street lights out there – get a cab!

For more information, visit;

http://www.battledownbrewery.com

https://www.siblingdistillery.com

Battledown Brewery LLP
Dowdeswell Park,
London Road,
Cheltenham, GL52 6UT

Telephone: 01242693409 or 07734834104

Tasty Tuesday

February 15, 2017 / a H-L / Leave a comment

Wowzers Whole Foods.. you need to charge more. £5 for five tasty little dishes with wine is just crazy – no wonder your 100 tickets sell out so quickly.

Whole Foods Market Cheltenham put on a special evening event every second Tuesday of the month, where each department in the store competes against each other for your votes and team kudos.

£5! What a great idea. I love being able to get the low-down from the experts behind the counter whilst sampling what they’ve created from the surrounding shelves. The store is open at the same time (handy if it just happens to be Valentines Day and you’ve got to shoot home to make dinner for your loved one…).

My vote went to the Meat and Fish gang for their sirloin steak with peppercorn sauce, roasted butternut squash, rocket and lambs lettuce.

Delicious. See you next month!

Kindness & Co.

February 12, 2017February 12, 2017 / a H-L / Leave a comment

How very refreshing. I ventured into Cheltenham’s newest café today and had the pleasure of sampling some of their healthy delights. That’s right, we Cheltonians now have our very own health food café in town, and it puts a smile on my face just knowing that it’s there. I have to say that there aren’t many establishments that have such an impressive ethos, nor that leave you feeling that your body and soul has been refreshed and revived.

I haven’t followed the ‘clean eating’ trend over the last couple of years but I have to use the word here; everything is so fresh, zingy and simply ‘clean’ on the palate. It’s a revelation.. we’re seeing a food revolution.

I usually get a little overexcited when eating out as it doesn’t happy very often; I opt for the most colossal daddy offering on the menu, which has me waddling out of the door with regret, irrespective of how well it’s executed.

This however, is something else. I feel virtuous on a number of levels. Even the cutlery is compostable ‘vegware’. Kindness & Co know that diet and nutrition are key to optimum well-being and they’re committed to helping you live a longer, healthier and ultimately happier life.

This is no Holland & Barrett with a coffee machine. Their focus is on creating stunning dishes from natural, unprocessed, unrefined, fresh ingredients (and they also make a mean Flat White too. Turmeric Latte? No problem).

One of my favourite features at Kindness & Co is that they don’t have a separate ‘kids menu’. It’s a particular bugbear of mine; lovely gastropubs, cafés and restaurants letting themselves down with the ubiquitous and pathetic sausage chips and beans/fish fingers chips and beans blah blah vomit. Kindness & Co are taking a stand and playing their part in the fight to change the status quo. Little people are like sponges, constantly influenced by everything around them, so it’s important to expose them to what adults eat, just in smaller portions.

Yeah, the space may be small, but this is a little gemstone in the heart of Cheltenham that I see as a game-changer. It’s well worth discovering for yourself.

http://www.kindness-and-co.com/

38 Clarence Street, Cheltenham, 01242 697 211

KIBOU Sushi

July 16, 2016 / a H-L / Leave a comment

Refreshingly friendly and attentive service, stunningly delicious Japanese cuisine and a cosy, boutique atmosphere – KIBOU leaves me thinking one thing: How have I not been here before!

Nestled in the heart of Cheltenham, down a few steps on Regent Street, you’ll find the most lovely little hideaway. My new happy place.

Expensive? Not really. Where else can you go for freshly prepared, beautiful sushi and sashimi? YoSushi? Pah; not in the same league – barely the same game!

I’d rather have just one perfect Nigiri than a hundred subpar imitations. Add into the mix a specials board, authentic Gunkan, Futomaki, Ramen and Temaki, and you’ll start to appreciate how it took us so long to decide what to order. Thankfully we had Sapporo and Kirin beer to grease the wheels. One thing I’ll order at every possible opportunity: Soft Shelled Crab. Heaven.

Itadakimasu indeed!

With just 22 covers, make sure you book in advance.

KIBOUsushi, 18 Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HE – 01242300161

The Big Feastival

September 6, 2015September 7, 2015 / a H-L / Leave a comment

Last week we were lucky enough to visit The Big Feastival; a music and good food extravaganza of epic proportions. The brainchild of Jamie Oliver and Alex James of Blur fame, the event is beautifully colourful, refreshingly child friendly, and remarkably chilled out. Hosted at Alex’s Kingham farm in the stunning Cotswolds, it’s only a short drive from Cheltenham and fortuitously across the road from the local railway station.

Featuring multiple music stages and a plethora of delectable eating establishments, it’s like heaven in a field. My lovely wife even got to sit across a kitchen table from Raymond Blanc in one of the many talks, Q&A sessions and live demonstrations that ran throughout the event. What a way to spend a weekend. Alas we didn’t get to pitch a tent to make the most of the festivities, but thankfully there’s always next year!

We were all super impressed by the setup and layout – it’s easy to see why it’s so popular. It’s certainly a great introduction to a music festival for the younglings.

There’s just so much on offer that you find yourself wanting to graze all day. We had the joy of sampling what I have to say was the finest cheese toastie I’ve ever snaffled, crafted by the one and only Henry Herbert of Hobbs House Bakery. It’s inspiring to see something so humble elevated to gourmet heights through the introduction of a little love, thought and patience.

The Feastival may be expensive, but in the scheme of things, you certainly get a lot of bang for your buck. The Feastival attracts big names in music and equally big names from the restaurant scene and culinary arts. The fact that it raises money for the Food Foundation charity is the icing on the cake for me.

Would I recommend it? Hell yes! Highlight of the year.

Oh, and you might even spot a few celebs…

Check out the website for further info: www.jamieoliver.com/thebigfeastival/

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