The Ridgacre Table Table Restaurant

I had the pleasure of doing a review at The Ridgacre restaurant in West Bromwich on 9th July for our evening meal.

I went along with my husband, Paul, our 8 year old son, David and my 9 year old sister, Latisha for our evening meal at 9.30pm on our way home to Liverpool from Pandamonium in the Park in Northampton and The Ridgacre in West Bromwich was on our way home.

We were promptly greeted and after a short delay, we were seated at a table and told to have a look at the menu and decided what drinks we would like.

The hubby and I went for diet Pepsi, whilst David chose a Capri Sun and Latisha chose milk. The waiter was very approachable and attentive and our drinks were served quickly. The waiter told us to just let him know as soon as we were ready to order.

The tables were nice and clean and the seating was comfortable. We got a table right next to the window which was lovely too. The lighting was very relaxing and ambient and the decor was very nice. The restaurant was very tidy and clean too.

Paul and I shared a doughball platter (cheese, chilli and garlic & herb) with all the dips (guacamole, olive oil with balsamic vinegar, tomato salsa and garlic butter), while David chose nachos covered in melted cheese with tomato salsa and mayonnaise dips and Latisha chose potato wedges (without the melted cheese as she does not like it) with tomato salsa and mayonnaise dips. All of our starters were served promptly and were hot and cooked just right. I very much enjoyed the garlic & herb doughballs best, although they were all nice. They were especially delicious dipped in the tomato salsa which was yummy! I wasn't very keen on the olive oil with balsamic vinegar dip, but maybe it's just an acquired taste - it tasted like olives to me and I really don't like olives. Paul enjoyed the doughballs too and he liked all of the dips. David enjoyed his nachos and gobbled them all up - he was a big fan of the tomato salsa too! Latisha enjoyed her wedges and gobbled those all up too and she also enjoyed the tomato salsa - the salsa gets a big thumbs up from us all! We all very much enjoyed the starters and the service was fantastic too. Here are some photo's of the kids tucking into their starters...

There were so many delicious sounding choices on the menu for the main course, that it was really quite difficult to choose what we wanted - it was definitely a great selection and I'd definitely say there was something for everyone to choose from.

For my main, I chose the chicken makhani curry which was served with basmati rice, naan bread and a side of butternut squash, spinach and lentil curry. This was cooked to perfection and, as a curry lover, I was not disappointed by this meal in the slightest. It was served quickly and was nice and hot. Everything was cooked just right - it was a very delicious meal overall. The chicken was succulent and the curry was deliciously spicy.

Paul chose the Quorn chilli (as he is a vegetarian) which was served with basmati rice, sour cream, guacamole and nachos. He says it was well cooked, and had a nice flavour to it. It was served quickly and was nice and hot as it should be.

David chose the chicken dinner from the kids menu which was half a grilled chicken breast served with roast potatoes, carrots, a Yorkshire pudding, garden peas and gravy. David chose not to have mash with his as he doesn't like mash. He enjoyed his food, he complained the chicken was a little overdone, but I think he was just being fussy as always! He seemed to enjoy all of his food. He had lots of fun seeing the mini jug with the gravy in - this amused him no end! It doesn't take much! It was served quickly and was nice and hot and the perfect size meal for a child, I think.

Latisha also chose the chicken dinner from the kids menu. Same as above, but Latisha did have the mash but didn't have the Yorkshire pudding! Again, she very much enjoyed hers too and didn't have any complaints. She tucked in and enjoyed it. She seemed to enjoy her food too. Just like David, the thing that seemed to make her happiest was the mini jug - she found it really fun. Children really are mad! Again, it was served quickly, hot and the perfect size for a kid.

The staff were all very attentive and polite and there was always someone around should you need them. Service was quick and friendly and with a smile - perfect.

Washer Magic

I received a sample of Washer Magic to review...

Designed to remove odour-causing residue from your washing machine.

Very easy to use just pour a little onto a cloth and wipe round the rubber seal and then rinse off with a damp cloth, that's the hard bit out of the way. Next pour 1/3 of the bottle where you'd normally put the powder. Then do a normal wash cycle with the hot water setting and that's all there was to it.

I was a little unclear as to the temperature to set the washing machine to so I went for 50°C. It seemed to have been correct because when I checked back after the washing
machine had finished it had obviously worked as intended. Just as it claimed there would be no residue left behind - there wasn't.

After opening the door and having a good sniff inside the drum I was pleased to note that it did indeed smell fresh and clean. I was a little hesitant to put my dirty washing in later that day as I didn't want to ruin the freshness, but I figured I could just redo the freshening process again in a months time as suggested on the label.

Washer Magic removes soap scum, iron and mineral stains which improves your washing
machine's ability to wash clothes. It will improve the lifespan of your washing machine and clothes! It is safe to use in any washing machine as it is non-corrosive.

With enough detergent for 3 cleaning cycles at £3.99 from www.unitfit.co.uk, the Washer Magic is great value for money.

B_E_E Dishwash Liquid

I received the new B_E_E Dishwash Liquid to try out and review...

I was a little confused at first as the label calls it "dishwash liquid" so I was thinking for the dishwasher... but it's not it is for washing manually.

After being used to overpowering citrus or various other soapy smelling fruit concoctions, it was nice to open the bottle and get a simple but appealing cleanliness smell. It simply smelt like it would clean stuff.

The packaging was easy to grip even with slippery wet hands. It was a little more viscous than other washing up liquids I have used and came out the bottle nicely with just a little squeeze. It made plenty of bubbles. Plates, cups and pans were as easy to clean as with other washing up liquids. It dealt with greasy frying pans and plates after greasy food with no problems. Glasses came out shiny and sparkling. After using it my hands felt quite good. 

The product contains South Pacific kawakawa which they say looks after your skin; also it contains essential oil of rosemary and spearmint. The cleaning agents are made from natural ingredients which is a refreshing change, these include coconut and sugar! Overall B_E_E Dishwash Liquid has been designed with the environment in mind as well as caring for your hands and there seemed to be no compromise in it's cleaning power. The bottle and label are recyclable and the product has not been tested on animals.

For more information, visit www.planethealth.com.au/. RRP £3.95.

Dishwasher Magic

After using the washer magic on the washing machine I was quite looking forward to using the dishwasher magic product on the dishwasher. I often notice the odour in there, especially if it hasn't been used for a day. Dishwasher magic is the ultimate in ease of use. First take off the lid, this was great as it has a special rubber plug which you leave alone so there is absolutely no mess, nothing to rinse off your hands after using it. Then put the bottle upsidedown in the cutlery basket, nothing comes out as the rubber plug is still in place. Now just start the dishwasher on a 50°C wash and leave it to it. They suggest running the hot water tap nearest the dishwasher just before turning it on, but I didn't need to do this. As the dishwasher runs it's normal cycle the hot water melts the rubber plug and allows the liquid in the bottle to come out.

After the dishwasher got going and had obviously got to the correct temperature I noticed what I realised must be the liquid getting to work. It wasn't an unpleasant smell, but it was quite strong while the dishwasher was on. Later when it had finished and I opened the
dishwasher door the overpowering smell had gone and the inside of the machine just had a 'fresh' smell to it, no particular aroma just a fresh smell. I unscrewed the bit that traps larger bits of dirt and looked right into the filters and they did seem to be clear from any
nasty deposits. Overall I would have to say I was pleased with it's performance and I am happy that if I continue to use it the dishwasher will laster longer and clean my washing up better.

Dishwasher Magic breaks up and cleans away food oils, minerals and soap build up which can clog up the filters, pumps and jets. This will improve the water pressure and improve the dishwashing performance of any dishwasher.  It also helps dissolve limescale. Addionally it disinfectans against salmonella, e-coli and gram-negative bacteria. 

http://www.dishwashermagic.co.uk/

SoBe V Water

I got to try out some of the new SoBe V Water flavours...

When I heard of this, I thought it sounded like a very interesting concept. I am pretty sure I don't get all of the vitamins and minerals in a day that I should, and this sounded like a good way of getting them whilst quenching your thirst at the same time.

SoBe V Water - GLOW - Pomegranate & Blueberry Flavour

This is probably the best flavour out of the three I received. Although the flavour isn't that strong, it is really quite nice. Definitely a good combination of flavours. It has a delicious, refreshing taste and it definitely makes me feel that I am doing something good for my body.

SoBe V Water - KICK - Ginger & Mango Flavour

I had Ginger and Mango flavour. Ginger is one of my favourite flavours and I don't remember having it with mango before so I was looking forward to trying. It smelt very nice once opened, mostly the fruity smell of mango. I liked the flavour but it was maybe a little weaker than I was hoping for. The ginger was more noticable in taste than smell so I wasn't disappointed.

SoBe V Water - SHIELD - Lemon & Lime Flavour

This flavour was the first one I tried. Upon first drinking it, I thought it tasted quite nice, but afterwards it left a bit of a nasty taste behind - kind of like that which is left after taking medicine or tablets to be honest. I think the flavour could have been far more dominant. I know it's good for me, but I'm not the type of person who would sacrifice on taste for the health benefits - I prefer the best of both worlds and this flavour just didn't deliver for me.

This new SoBe V Water comes in a variety of flavours, so there is something for everyone.

Ellie Goulding is a big fan of SoBe V Water...

Free from preservatives, artificial colourings, flavours and sweeteners, the SoBe V Water range is available in 500ml bottles to give you a refreshing taste of the South Beach lifestyle.

Discover more about the SoBe V range at http://www.facebook.com/SoBeuk and http://www.twitter.com/SoBeuk.

SoBe V Water is available in selected supermarkets (Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose and Asda) and petrol stations (BP and Total), independent deli's and cafes, WH Smith Travel and Superdrug with an RRP of £1.39.

Elias Super Wipes

I received some of the new Elias Super Wipes to try and this is what I thought...

When I first heard of these, I had my reservations about them as a lot of products claim to remove stains, but few actually work.

The point of these wipes, is that if you spill food or drink down you while you are out and about (or indeed at home equally), you can just take out one of these wipes and use it to remove the stain so you don't have to walk around with the stain on you all day.

My husband was first to try one after spilling some curry on himself and he said it worked wonders and brought out all of the stain. I'm not very content on taking someone elses word for it (even if it is my husband), so I still was (for once) looking forward to spilling something down me to have the opportunity to try out one of the wipes for myself.

Far be it from me to disappoint myself, and I ended up spilling some cola on my top, so I thought it would a perfect opportunity to try out the wipes for myself.

It's quite simple, you just rub on the stain with the wipe before the stain dries in. And amazingly, it works. It's not effortless, but it is very easy. A little scrub on the stain with the wipe and the stain actually does come out and when it dries out there is no visible residue or marks and the stain is gone.

These are really very wondrous little creations that come in a pack of 5 wipes. I would highly recommend you carry a packet of these around with you whenever you go out and about and they really are fantastic.

They are a good fast stain removal product for those little spillages of food and drink that are unavoidable at times. They are very easy to carry around making them perfect to pop into your bag or pocket and take with you when you are going out.

Elias Superwipes are available at www.elias-products.com and cost £2.49 for a pack of 5 wipes.

Funkin' Mojito

I received a Funkin' Mojito cocktail mixer and a small bottle of Bacardi to review...

I have tried a mojito before, and the taste I can only describe as strange. I was interested to see how the new Funkin' mojito cocktail would fare in comparison.

Well, first things first. The pouch with the cocktail mixer in was easy enough to open - if you've ever had a drink in one of these pouches before, you will be familiar with how to open them. Just a simple easy to open, screw cap (sealed to start with of course).

Mixing the drink was quick and simple. I poured the bacardi in a glass of crushed ice and then added the cocktail mixer and gave it a stir. It only took a few seconds, so it was quick and easy to make the cocktail - far easier than how it looks when they make one in a bar!

The smell of it was dominantly minty. Though it had a slight smell of fruit on it too. Upon drinking it, there was a very citrus like kick to it, even though it was predominantly mint flavoured. However, the mint wasn't overpowering and I thought the hint of lemon and lime in it gave it the perfect balanced taste. I've tried a mojito ready mixed in a bottle previously and it was like drinking toothpaste. This one had a far more subtle taste of mint - noticeable, but subtle and not overpowering. It was really a well balanced combination of flavours and if there is such a thing as a perfect mojito, then this was it.

I can't say over all that mojito's are one of my favourite alcoholic drinks, but it's definitely something I'd have once in a while and I think I'd choose the Funkin' one every time.

Stag & Rainbow Beefeater Grill Resturant

I was asked to review the new breakfast deal from the restaurant and I went along with my husband, our 8 year old son, David, and my 9 year old sister, Latisha at 9am on 2nd July.

Side view of the restaurant.

The breakfast is great value at £7.99 per person and up to 2 children (aged 15 and under) eat FREE with each paying adult. There is a great choice of food, and best of all is, you can eat and drink as much as you like!


There is a great selection to choose from as you can see:
Cooked breakfast selection
Premium pork sausages
Vegetarian sausages
Back bacon
Eggs (choice of scrambled, boiled, fried, poached or a plain 2 egg omelette)
Button mushrooms
Tomatoes
Heinz baked beans


Continental breakfast selection
Kellogg's cereals (soya milk available on request)
Granola creations (granola cereal with your choice of yoghurt, dried fruit and fresh fruit salad toppings)
Porridge
Bread (white or malted wheat)
Croissants
Crumpets
Fresh fruit salad
Mixed berry compote
Yeo Valley organic yoghurts
Muffins


Drinks
Costa coffee
Twinings teas (everyday, decaffeinated, lemon & ginger, peppermint, blackcurrant, ginseng & vanilla, camomile and green tea)
Chilled fruit juices (orange, apple and pomegranate)


There is also a Grab & Go Breakfast option for £2.95 getting you a croissant and a Costa coffee or tea.


When we entered the restaurant, we were promptly greeted by Claire and shown to our table. She was very nice and polite and was very helpful and approachable.


The restaurant was very neat and tidy, very clean and well looked after. The seating was very comfortable and plenty of space between the tables, so you didn't end up clashing chairs with the people sitting next to you like in some other places.


Everything was well set out - the buffet and everything. All the food was readily available, as were the drinks - there was nothing from the menu that was unavailable. All the cutlery and crockery was very clean, as you would expect. The food area was set out spaciously so it was easy for everyone to get their food and drinks.


My choice of breakfast was bacon, sausages, a fried egg, baked beans, a slice of toast and some mushrooms. The bacon and sausages were cooked perfectly - not underdone or burnt - just perfect really.  Same for everything else - it was really delicious and I was very impressed. My only regret is that I didn't have space for some more! I also enjoyed some delicious coffee - which, unlike some places I have had a coffee, it was actually hot as it should be. I also had a delicious chocolate muffin which was delightfully moist and tasty.


My husband, Paul, initially had some fried and scrambled eggs, beans, mushrooms and toast all of which he enjoyed. As he is vegetarian, he ordered some veggie sausages (as they are not readily available) which were cooked and brought to him quickly and he thought these were very nice. He followed that up by fruit salad and a muffin which he enjoyed. He had some coffee, milk and pomegranate juice as drinks - all of which he liked - the cold drinks were actually cold and the hot drinks were always hot.


My son, David, went for some bacon, egg, sausages, tomatoes to start with and he enjoyed it all very much. He also tried the muffins which he loved! He had a glass of milk, a glass of apple juice and a cup of tea (kids drink a lot!) too.


My sister, Latisha, had some bacon and sausages - she's a very fussy eater! She also tried the muffins and some apple & grapes which she liked. She had a  couple of glasses of milk, a glass of apple juice and a cup of tea.

Latisha & David enjoying their drinks after their meal.

I had the opportunity to talk to the manager, Jackie (hope I've spelt her name correctly) and she was very nice, approachable and attentive. She was really lovely. She bought the kids some balloons and a colouring book and some crayons which made them very happy. She even gave them a little bag to put some stuff to take home in. She was very down to earth and you could see that she interacted with her staff well too - it was a very nice environment to be in.

I had a brief opportunity to meet the general manager, Paul too (only briefly as he had been in a meeting) and he was also very approachable and down to earth.


I definitely got the impression that the management and staff worked together well and I think they run their establishment very well as a team.


There was always someone around if you wanted to request something else which was good - if you wanted to order eggs cooked in a different way, or grilled tomatoes or the veggie sausages - there was always someone around to get you what you needed.

Front view of the restaurant.