Hello all,
I was hoping you could suggest somewhere I could Dine with my family on Boxing Day as its my Wife's Birthday.
We have been going to the Glegg arms for a few years but I am not happy with their food or service over Xmas, it has gone down in my estimation, therefore looking for a new location on the Wirral.

All suggestions will be looked into.
Many thanks
Brian

Same problem everywhere, restaurants cramming too many people in, kitchens can't cope, huge delays, customers p'eed off, drunk customers causing problems.

If you enjoy each others company, hit the supermarket, get a load of party food in (bahjis, samosas, quiche, prawn parcels, chicken strips etc) that you can just throw in the oven and slap on serving plates - you will probably have a better time and your stomachs certainly will.

A relative of mine 'dined out' one year. Miserable experience, she said. NMW staff who, let's face it, would not want to be working atall....

Nah, give me the atmos' of a home-cooked dinner, paper hats and forgetting to serve yourself a 'plate'

D.D quote:

'If you enjoy each others company' then great!!!! If not, then why bother with the farce, atall???

I believe its all down to Granny's house this year, but your to bring your own wine. See you there !!!

Try the Devon Doorway, opposite corner to Glegg.

http://www.thedevondoorway.co.uk/content/pcdg/north-west/thedevondoorway/christmas


You'll find me in the garden. I'll be just past the hollyhocks at half past three.
See you there Lollipop, put your gnome costume on.

The Devon Doorway used to be a favourite of ours, but since it was revamped a few years ago it became too expensive and far too pretentious, the last time we were there they didn't even use the £ sign on the price list, presumably they deemed it too common.

Anywhere between xmas and new year is going to be a risk. Wont you be stuffed after xmas day blow out. Id go for an Indian as they aren't too bothered about the whole xmas thing.

3 restaurants Ive always fancied till I see the prices.
Sheldrakes
Del Piero (irby)
Devon Doorway

Supermarket party food---yuk! with perhaps the exception of a creamy gateux

good hunting--aren't we a helpful lot..

Have to agree to a point. Been there a couple of times, it is a bit sit up and beg, but it may have changed since then.

How about Parkgate ? There are quite a few to choose from. Sheldrakes used to be good, but not been for quite a while now. Normally crawl to the Bassett these days, but it's not much good now and The Old Quay in Parkgate is NOT for a birthday special IMO.

Yes, totally agree, Devon Doorway used to be one of our regulars at one time, only went twice after the revamp and walked out on the second occasion, menu was sadly lacking and I didn't feel at all comfortable in the place.

Sheldrakes keeps on getting revamped so I've no idea what it is like now.

Bassett Hound seems to go through phases of being very busy and quite quiet, sadly whenever I go it always seems to be during the busy spells.

I quite liked the Royal Oak in Bromborough, especially when it used to be Cromwell's Restaurant. You get a bit more elbow room there than most places.

The Boathouse Parkgate is good but a tiny bit pricy , and the Old quay carvery tother end of the prom would be great value and not too bad at all for the price (around £3.99) if they could just cook the veg a bit more and learn to make decent stuffing .I Dont like mushy veg, but a 2 min dip in boiling water just isnt enough . If you dont eat meat, you can have a veggie or fish alternative.

Hi Brian.Brilliant food and a warm welcome you get at Oriental Delight 188_190 Bebington Road.Check out their website at oriental delight.net The phone no is 0151 645 5271 evenings except Monday from 5pm

Not sure if they are open on Boxing Day as festive info not yet on website. They have a happy hour meal deal though it might not apply over Xmas. Reasonably priced.
.

If she is the ONE for you , then this is the ONE for you ComebackKid.. A Little Mystery Trip ...georgeous!!

http://www.wheatsheaf-cowshed.co.uk/

Open Boxing Day. Give them a call see what food they are offering.

Thank you for the suggestion Diggingdeeper, but the idea of going out for a meal is to prevent my wife from having to cook on her birthday

Thanks Granny, I will look for you in the garden If we decide to go there....

Thank you for the reply and suggestions Fish, I will consider looking into these...

Thanks Granny, I have never been to Sheldrakes, does it have a car park? as I think it's on the prom somewhere isnt it?

As said previously i would go for an indian or chinese as these seem to be less busy and the service and food is generally better.

Ive no idea why but every time ive eaten out over the Christmas holidays there seems to be a rule of thumb that its fine if there are four or less in a party but anymore than that and the service and food goes down the drain.

The Indian in Irby village Zeera is a good bet for decent food and service.

Sheldrake's were fined £11,000 in 2013 by the food standards agency for "rodent activity in the kitchen and food storage areas", but I'm sure you'll be fine (Gulp).

Quote Lud -- 'Gulp)

OMG , have you swallowed one?

Ditto to Zeera, its good.

It was Lud, but since then the whole place has been gutted and sorted. I doubt there is a problem now as they will be inspected regularly. I suppose being right on the banks of the river Dee would not have helped the ratty problem. Anyway, no need to worry now.

Lower Heswall. Make sure you get the right directions, it's easy to take the wrong turn down there. Car park, yes. Just before, where the bus terminus is. It's a big one on the left, then a very short walk to the end of the lane.

p.s. There is not a prom. So nowhere to walk about, simply on the edge of the Dee.

Ive never been to Sheldrakes but it looks like a very nice venue.

Ive always been a bit put off by the hygene bit and i think its a bit expensive.What annoys me about visiting an upper class establishment is that the more expensive the food is,the cheaper the cuts of meat and ingedients seem to be.
Ie Michellin star places seem to be something like
Roast pork belly in a raspberry jus followed by bread and butter pudding with shavings of truffle.All for £39.99..Bargain?

Id rather have a nice fillet steak in a local place for around £12.

I must admit though,when my kids were a bit younger they used to love Wongs,the all you can eat chinese place in Moreton thats no longer trading.
Stuff your face for £6.95,i was never too keen at first but grew to love the place.Not for the food..it was ok,but never spectacular.It was purely for the entertainment factor.

Friday evenings were spectacularly funny watching drunk people come in and skewer their own cheek trying to scoff chicken skewers three at a time.
I also kind of admired the way some people would come semi prepared for a huge blow out by wearing very loose jogging pants and baggy Tshirts ready for the challenge of trying to eat their own body weight in chinese cuisine to get their moneys worth.

I do recall a time when the whole family went out for a birthday get together there once.
Amongst my wifes family there are some legendary big eaters.Most of these lads are builders,some as tall as 6'6" and all big guys.
We went in and proceeded to demolish the buffet.
Around an hour later the staff were running at full speed to keep the buffet stocked up,the kitchen was on meltdown and the place had a small but growing layer of smoke on the ceiling due to the kitchen going flat out to keep up with demand.

Another hour later,the atmosphere has turned really frosty,the lads really getting into the swing of things now and not even slowing down.

Eventually when we leaving i recall the manager standing surveying us all walking out,slowly shaking his head lol.

Yes sheldrakes do a nice rat or two e. Kitchens will be spotless now after the inspector came. Friend had a wedding do there about a month back and no complaints. Nice pub restaurant hidden out in willaston. Think its pollards inn.

Kitchens (or anywhere else) in Sheldrakes are less than spotless at the moment. Visit site as a contractor every month and last month got talking with another contractor about how bad it is there and how much we dislike visiting. Shame really as setting and views are fabulous.

It's got a 5* Hygiene Rating,the highest available, if that means anything.

Isn't it owned by the same people who had the Sir James nightclub back in the day? You had to wipe your feet on the way out of that place.

Yes same people have now got it. Demetrios or something like that. Just seems a dirty shambles every time I go in there. The other contractor was telling me after months of to-ing and fro-ing his firm had demanded half the payment upfront before setting foot in there as their reputation precedes them and without his work being carried out their insurance policy was null and void.

Tried the Manor in Greasby about 5/6 years back on Boxing Day and it was fabulous, a little pricey tho at £75 a head. The Anchor in Irby might be worth an enquiry as last Christmas Day we paid £65 a head so Boxing Day will be cheaper surely and the food and service was great.

It has changed hands a number of times. If so questionable and you consider it to be bad , it should be reported Kittykat. Scroll down and there is a contact for environmental health of Wirral.gov. They will be out to visit like a shot.

http://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/394930

Looks like your back to the drawing board ,Brian Sorry.

I've an idea..... Cook at home.

Dining alone this Christmas? Try this recipe.
Take two almost fresh slices of bread and a jar of chicken paste
Spread the chicken paste generously over one slice of bread and use the second as a lid.
For dessert you could have a good helping of dates that seam to be plentiful at this time of year.
Now sit back and watch The Wizard of OZ
What more could you wish for ?

Dorothy ?

No Granny, Dorothy's daughter. Sorry you won't understand that

Agree about the manor in greasby food was pretty good and a decent posh menu. Went on an early bird deal they did which means they want you out by a certain time but not rushed.
Anyone tried the newish red fox just outside thornton hough the old leighton grange ?nightclub

Yes, but only for a lunch. Very nice, extremely busy although it was in the first month of opening and the restaurant was not fully open at that time, (if my memory serves me well).

Not going to recommend anywhere else though' , could end up in the courts !

Hi fish, I think you mean Westwood Grange, Leighton Court was in Buggen Lane, Neston.

The Red fox is in Liverpool Road, Thornton Hough. As fish says ,it used to be 'Westward Grange Country Club' with a restaurant but also had a nightclub downstairs. No nightclub now.
You may be thinking of the Leighton Court Country Club, Buggen Lane/Leighton Road, Ludwig.

Nip over to Paris for a couple of days.

Good idea Moonstar, are you coming ? Bring your lightsaber.

My previous post is somewhat confusing. Apologies Lud,it must have been after a couple of slurps !