We were lucky enough to be invited to The Shack in Torquay today, along with a select few, after they decided to go in to a different direction with their food.
Being known for their amazing Burgers and other grilled foods they are doing extremely well but they found that no one in the Torwood St and Harbour area are doing a Sunday Carvery!

When we arrived we were firstly greeted with these amazing Yorkshire Pudding, along with a delicious aroma filling the restaurant...

Chris Cload, the Chef and owner of The Shack, loaded up the dishes of different vegetables.
The amazing array of vegetables included Carrots and Parsnips, Red Cabbage, Cabbage and Leak, Cauliflower Cheese and Broccolli and of course Roast Potatoes

Myself and Sarah opted to go for a different meat option for our Carvery, I went for the Beef while Sarah went for the Pork.
On collecting our plate it was already loaded with a couple of good slices of the chosen meat, sausage, stuffing and one of the large Yorkshire Puddings.
Here comes the twist.
Along with all of the above and the large amounts of vegetables, there is always an added extra.
If you went for the Pork option, then added to your plate is some of their slow cooked Pulled Pork, and with the Beef comes Pulled Brisket! 

Well, what can I say?
The Shack wanted to 'Bring Carvery Back to Torwood' and they certainly have!!
From the flavourful vegetables to the tender meat, everything was just fantastic, as the food always is there.
So from Sunday 22nd November 2015 The Shack will be serving this Carvery on Sundays from 12.30 - 2.30pm with a price of £9.95 for Adults and £4.95 for Children under 10years old.

Well, preparations are well underway for the Grillstock Festivals with us having practice cooks in our back garden.
Things have definitely been going OK and over Easter we decided to do a full cook to the times we were given at last years competition at Bristol when we were still part of the Racks of Ruin BBQ Team.
This years myself and Sarah will be going it alone as Riviera BBQ so we decided that we best get some practice in!

Other than the BBQ practice, we have also had more enquiries regarding catering for people other than our families etc.
Until now we haven't done anything about this, as this has only been a hobby and something for us to escape the everyday life and day jobs.
We are now looking to register as a business, but we wont actually book anything for this year as we want to make sure everything is in place before we do.

We shall let you know once this has happened.

Cheers for now

So, if you read our last review about Beast Burgers, you will have seen the last sentence about spying something across the road.

Here it is, The Shack!
A newly opened Chargrilled Chicken and Burger restaurant situated on Torwood Street, which is in the old Hooks building.

We booked our place on a thursday evening and headed down.

LARGE

As you walk in to this new restaurant the size is quite deceptive and it is a lot larger than it seems from the outside.
The main thing that greets you though, smack bang in the middle of the restaurant is the cooking area which is in full view of everyone in the restaurant and to us was a brilliant idea.
As we went through the menu we watched Chris and his team building the burgers with what seemed like precision rather than throwing them together and getting them out as quick as possible.

Looking through the menu there is a great choice to be had, and with the Classic Shack burger and all the 'extra' options you are spoilt for choice.
Sarah had already chosen 'The Italian Job at home and I decided to go for the 'Classic Shack' with Monterey Jack cheese and Spicy Chorizo.
Our waitress asked if we would like to try some coleslaw which neither of us had considered so I just went for the classic while Sarah decided on 'Shack Special' which is a white cabbage, pineapple, peach and mayo combo... interesting.
We also went with two differing types of fries to try too, not that we were hungry or anything..
(and before you ask, yes of course I doubled up my burger, what a silly question!!)

NO GIMMICKS

We waited with anticipation as we watched our plate of food being built then delivered to us.

The presentation is fantastic, laid out on a long rectangular plate, it looked very good indeed.

The top of the beautiful looking brioche bun is set to the side exposing the inner ingredients.
Under the slices of salami in Sarahs Italian Job burger was melting mozzarella with a neat dollop of pesto sitting nicely on top of both.
Under the burger itself was some nice looking rocket salad.
One good thing to note was the use of actual crockery, no slate, wooden boards, small buckets or Barbie doll washing baskets, just good crockery... Like It!!

First off we tried each of the coleslaws. 
Unfortunately there are no close up pics of these as we are obviously slackers but here goes..
The classic slaw is that, like most other classic slaws, and a very good one too.
The Shack Special was different, in a good way with the small pieces of peach being a tasty edition, with the smooth texture a winner too bit Sarah thought it may be lacking a little something but this didn't detract from the fact this is a good coleslaw.

The fries were next, with Sarahs skinny fries and my twisted fries. Both were good and not soggy which helps if you are going for good fries.
These to me were good fries, nothing different but as a side they went well with the meal.
Lets face it though, you really aren't here to hear about bits of potato are you?
Lets see the meat!!

As we have said before, we have watched a lot on youtube and especially Burger Wars on The Jack On The Go Show channel.
We have taken a few of the ideas they have (no not video reviews) with one being cutting the burger in half.
This not only shows off the various layers within the burger but also makes life easier when handling the burger too.

As you can see, Sarahs Italian Job burger was oozing with moisture, the light brioche bun sitting proudly on top.
The burger done to a medium, just as it says on the menu.

Going by Sarahs comments, her burger was extremely tasty and the brioche bun too was very good indeed.
The bun appears to have been buttered before lightly toasting which added to the flavour too.

ONE POUND

As i said earlier i went for the Classic Shack burger but build it up a bit from the add on menu.
Chorizo and Monterey Jack topped mine along with the added burger for £3 extra.
This made a full 1lb burger for me to get my mouth around.As you can see, it comes nicely presented with 2 8oz patties and each covered in the melted monterey jack cheese.
In my opinion this is the way a 1lb burger should be served.

Right, lets wait no longer.. the tasting. 
Sarah had already had a bite of hers and you could tell she was enjoying it.
WOW, what a first mouthful!
The flavours shot around my mouth as the juices from the meat started running down my arm. This was going to take a battle.
The burgers are made from locally sourced meat and they are definitely full of flavour and quite rich too. 
The chorizo was there as well but not overwhelming and all topped off with the gooey joy that was the melted monterey.
You could also taste a slight charring mixed in with the flavour sensation going on in my mouth
The brioche bun was also a delight being extremely fresh with the butter and toasting making it extra special.

On a personal note I did begin to struggle as i was half way through the 2nd half but did carry on to complete it.
On thinking about it I don't think i should have gone for the added burger. 
There are enough flavours going on in there that along with the fries and slaw, personally I think that one patty would have been enough.

OVERALL

This restaurant is about damn good food and no gimmicks.
Good decor with the chef and his team as the centre piece of the room.
The staff waiting on the tables were also extremely pleasant and friendly too and seemed to be loving their jobs.
I would certainly recommend this place for anyone that would be thinking of going without a doubt.

For more information about The Shack Torquay please click on either of the following

Thanks for coming here and taking the time to read this and other stuff on the website... Who knows where we will end up next!!

BEAST BURGERS

After hearing an ad for a new Burger restaurant claiming 'Burgers with Bite' on the local radio station, we had to look into it more.


Click here for BeastBurgers Website

MENU

We found out that Beast Burgers is actually an off shoot of an already established restaurant 'Cotton Eye Joes' in Torwood St in Torquay, which was a definite good start as the food in there has always been very good.
On arrival today though the entrance to Beast Burgers was locked but we were welcomed in via Cotton Eye Joes and given the menu to look over.

Getting there just after opening we had the restaurant to ourselves, which gave us the opportunity to grab a photo or two of the 'Jungle themed' restaurant.

The restaurant has very good decor along with good lighting, although it was only late afternoon when we were there but we will be going back again at some point when it is busier.

Unfortunately, due to an unforeseen staff shortage we were seated up in the Cotton Eye Joes restaurant, but as the only customers, it didnt really affect the 'Beastly' experience.

GIFT WRAPPED

We ordered our food.
Sarah went for the Amazon, but with added Monterey Jack and Portobello Mushrooms and a side of fries
I went for the Whole Hog but added Monterey Jack and a side of their Half Rack of Ribs, oh and up the burger to the 1lb offering. Wasn't confident on the the 2lb challenge.........
We didn't have to wait long for our food either

Both burgers arrived wrapped in the grease proof wrapping with a 'Beast' sign sitting proud like a flag on top of a mountain!! A MEAT mountain!

The Reveal

We pulled out our 'flags' and unwrapped the burgers and the first impressions were WOW!!!!
OK.. My Whole Hog Burger had been upgraded to a 1lb patty but man this looked a monster. The smells coming from it were amazing too

My side of ribs looked good, if slightly small but a good BBQ glaze over them and again smelt very good.
(Sarah says i should never order ribs when out as I always get disappointed)

Sarahs 'upgraded' Amazon burger was unveiled and that didnt disappoint. We were expecting one Portobello mushroom added, but were pleasantly surprised when two were added to it.

THE TEST

We have recently been watching and are thoroughly enjoying a series on Youtube called 'Burger Wars' and this inspired us to get out and to do reviews. Unfortunately due to some reasons we didnt do a burger video review today but we will be returning in the future to do one soon.

If you havent seen this one Youtube you SO need to check out Jack Scalfani's youtube channel 'Jack On The Go Show'.. it is Awesome!!

Jack is the reason these burgers are cut in half.

We will be tucking into them 'taco style' as seen in the next couple of photos.
This enables us to get more of the meaty goodness in our mouths and savour the taste.

JUICY GOODNESS

After cutting in half I went for it. Although this burger isn't their biggest at only 1lb, it was still a big mouth full.
WHAT a MOUTH FULL!
The first thing I noticed after the huge hit of flavour from the meat was a small river of juice running down my arm and off my elbow! 
Juicy and flavourful, with the meat itself having a good flavour, which was enhanced by the Chorizo and bacon all topped off with the added Monterey Jack cheese.
An amazing burger and definitely one I would have again!
The ribs were ok, but as mentioned before, they were quite a small portion of what looked like baby backs which were very tender and had flavour which were then covered in a think BBQ sauce.

Sarah had the Amazon Burger with added Portobello Mushrooms and Monterey Jack cheese too.
This too was a juicy joy with the thick patty cooked to a good medium, with an amazing flavour too.
The fries on the side were coated in a slightly spicy coating and were also very light and flurry too.

OVERALL


WOW!!  From the first to the last bite, this place did NOT disappoint! 
The burgers are amazing, juicy, seasoned well and very flavourful!
We will definitely be going again and if you are local to Torquay, I urge you to go down!
Torbay needs this Burger Restaurant, it is extremely good so what are you waiting for???

Beast Burgers Facebook page --> HERE
Beast Burgers Website --> HERE

And if you missed it. Youtube Channel Jack On The Go Show

Hmm, what is that I spy across the road??

Always Research

While away for our get away in the Lakes District, we decided that we would eat out on a couple of occasions.
Around Bowness and Windermere there are a lot of pubs and restaurants but nothing was particularly standing out.
We have come to the conclusion that you shouldn't really leave it to fate, but check out the area online before you go so you can see what is available and where.
This time though it was down to fate.

Walking through Bowness a small chalk board caught my eye outside of one of the restaurants with the words 'American Style BBQ' written on it.
This chalk board was only about 2ft high and could have been easily missed, lying next to the entrance. We crossed over to take a look at the menu.

From The Smoker

As we approached the menu at The Hyltons the words 'From The Smoker' caught my eye. A little expensive I thought but why not treat ourselves as we are away! A little apprehensive about them being brushed with Reggae Reggae Sauce, but still, worth a shot.

Sarah likes a good homemade burger, plus with added Pulled Pork and the option of Monterey Jack, this was the order for her.

We decided that getting there early the next evening would probably be better, so that is what we did. 
A nice cozy restaurant with friendly staff who sat us down and with our drinks and food ordered we didn't have long before our food had arrived. 

As our plates were bought to us, Sarahs eyes widened as the only thing we could see was her BBQ Burger towering above the plate... WOW!!


The overall appearance of the burger was just amazing with the pulled pork stacked on top of the Monterey Jack Cheese covered burger. The chips looked damn good too, crispy on the outside and very light on the inside.

Eating the Burger was quite a feat as there was no way of getting your mouth around it, so deconstruction was necessary.

I didn't want to take too much of it off of Sarah, of course I still had the Ribs to eat myself, but I tasted this and it was very good indeed.

The Homemade Burger was succulent and very thick, oozing flavour even without the added bonus of the Monterey Jack Cheese. 
The Pulled Pork topping was damn good too with the meat being tender and a hint of smoke too all bound together with the BBQ sauce. A VERY good burger indeed and well worth trying if you are in the area.

RIBILICIOUS


When the plate arrived with my ribs, there was a definite smokey aroma coming from the food which is always a good start in my book.
The rack of ribs was cut in half with each half laid on top of a handful of mixed salad. Between these was Corn on the Cob.
as you can see by the photo, it is a good plateful of food but with the hot ribs on top of the salad this in turn made the leaves lose their crunch and got a bit soggy and wilted. 
HEY, we aren't here for that though, FAR too healthy!!
Alongside the main plate was a bowl of fries, not the think chunky ones like Sarah had with her Burger, but that didn't matter.

TENDER

On touching my knife against the meat between the rib bones, it was soon clear that these were fall apart tender. 
Infact, as a finger bowl has also been supplied, it was time to ditch the cutlery and just get in with my hands!
The meat fell off the bones, which was a very good sign, but the smokey smell coming from the food was a little too much in my opinion.
This was confirmed with the first bite, VERY Smokey, although a good flavour.
The meat had what was described as a 'Memphis Style Rub' on it, and this made a light bark on the meat which was then lightly brushed with the Reggae Reggae sauce. not a bad combination to be honest.

As I got to the second half of the Ribs, the smokiness mellowed and the flavour came through. Good juicy flavourful meatiness. 
Having been part of the BBQ scene for a few years now, it was good to see a restaurant actually using a smoker but there is a possibility that the smoke may possibly be a little too much for those who still think BBQ is Sausage and Burgers or want to try ribs for the first time.

That said, with both plates cleared ( apart from some chips) we could definitely recommend both the ribs and the burgers to anyone as we wouldn't hesitate to go back there if we were in the area again. 

A bigger more eye catching sign outside would be better though as it may attract more passing visitors.

As some of you who follow us will be aware, it was Sarahs birthday at the beginning of March so we were away in the Lake District.

We have both been saying for a while that we would love to visit any of our BBQ friends Pop Up Restaurant evenings and with Andy Annat posting events on Facebook a lot recently we wished we lived closer.

Then this event was posted.
This was ideal as it was being held while we were in the Lake District and was only about an hour and a half away!
The surprise plan was put in motion with myself and Andy organising the evening,  and Andy being more than generous!

The event was held at Blind Jacks in Knaresborough so when it came to the day, Sarah still had no clue even though she was liking photos etc from Andy on Facebook while sat outside the hotel 200yds away!

After the huge surprise of us walking towards the Pub and being greeted by Andy's huge BBQ Truck and Smokers,  we had a good catch up  over a pint of two before heading inside. (Because quite frankly you aren't here to hear about us catching up, you are here for the food right?)

Ribs and Racks

Blind Jacks was full to bursting for Ribs and Racks Night, not only for the food but also there was a Rib Eating Competition being held too.

This is the first time that myself and Sarah had been to a pop up restaurant so we didn't quite know what to expect.
As the smell of the smoke from Andy's custom smoker wafted in through the open window, we were all handed our first helping of food.

These were Pork Ribs, covered in a sticky BBQ glaze.
As all of the people in the room were served,  the noise of the full pub went from a loud chatter to near silence as the people started ripping the meat from the bones.  Not that the meat needed ripping off. 
The pork was tender and juicy and was complimented well by the BBQ sauce, which had a good amount of heat but not too much.
We could have easily gone for more of them but there was a lot more to come.

Lamb Ribs

Next to arrive was the racks of Lamb Ribs, something that we haven't tried ourselves so were eager to find out.
Most people will know if they have ever eaten a lamb that even if it is cooked slowly it will still be quite fatty,  so we were not disappointed when we got our teeth into these.
The meat was super tender with hardly any fat on them at all and with the rub and glaze that had a hint of mint to it, these were simply divine.
The side of potato salad gave some non meaty goodness to the ribs too.

No Veal

Unfortunately due to unavailability,  the advertised Veal Ribs were not to be had but these had been replaced with a good portion of Pulled Pork.
This came in a serving box complete with a small helping of coleslaw.
The Pork itself was juicy and tender,  with a milder sauce mixed in.
The Coleslaw was creamy and crunchy, another definite winner in the room.

A Small Breather

After the Pulled Pork has been consumed it was time for the Rib eating competition.
This was between a local gentleman and one of the barmaids from Blind Jacks.
Watching them devour the racks of pork ribs and the HUGE beef rib was something else.
The competition was eventually announced a draw but congratulations has to go to both of them as what they ate in suck a short amount of time was mind blowing.

Big And Beefy

Everyone returned to their tables and awaited the final part of the meaty menu, Beef Ribs.
OH MY! These were HUGE!
Everyone was wondering how they would ever begin to eat these let alone finish them as most were fairly full after the previous rounds.

MONSTROUS

The beef ribs came out in a monstrous pile, which we helped ourselves to, with each rib coated in a rich, thick and sticky sauce.
As I picked up the rib I had chosen, the bone just peeled away and I was left with a huge hunk of meat staring at me.
As I grabbed the edge of the beef it fell apart, revealing the smoke ring inside along with the rich red meat.
This was heavenly, melt in your mouth with the rich sauce adding another flavour level.

Dessert and More

Most people could not finish their portion of the Beef Rib, but there was still more to come in the shape of hot and gooey Chocolate Brownie covered in runny cream. 
This was served up to those who still had enough room and finished off the evenings menu very well indeed.

there was however an extra surprise install for Sarah as Andy had arranged  for a birthday cake to be made for Sarah, and this was presented to her at the end of the evening.
(Thank you to Rebecca who made the cake, it was scrumptious)

So, First Impressions

As we said before, this was our first Pop Up Restaurant experience, and it was a fantastic evening.
Unfortunately though, most of our BBQ friends that put on these kind of events live too far away from us so we are unable to attend these.

This evening though was just brilliant.
Andy and his team were excellent, with Paul the Chef on the go all night making sure the smokers were behaving themselves.
Pennie and Mille were like lightning food angels, delivering the mounds of ribs extremely efficiently making sure that no ones plates were empty for long.
Lastly a HUGE THANK YOU must go to Andy Annat!
THANK YOU for your generosity and making us feel extremely welcome in your home town. 
We are both truly grateful are looking at how we can come back again.

If you would like anymore information, for Andys website then please click HERE 

Firstly, apologies for not updating the site or blog for a long time, hopefully this will change in 2014, with a change in our attitude the the whole BBQ scene and wanting to experiment more.
Anyway, enough about us... GRILLSTOCK!!!

We have been trying to organize a visit to this Smokehouse for a while now, and being a romantic, what better way to treat Sarah than finish our weekend away at this BBQ Restaurant.

After looking through the online menu before we had arrived, we couldn't decide what to have as everything on the menu looked mouthwateringly good.
So, this being the case there was only one real option 'The Grand Champion'. A huge plate full of a 'taster' of everything. 
O.K., I say taster, but this huge plate full consists of the following,

Full Rack of Ribs covered in a lovely smokey and sticky glaze,
2 chicken portions also with a sticky BBQ coating,
Slices of Brisket sporting a rather fetching smoke ring,
A generous pile of moist pulled pork,
Sausage hot links,
a tub of fabulous spicy BBQ beans,
another tub containing moist burnt ends,
all of this complemented with sides of fries, coleslaw and sliced pickles.

We arrived in plenty of time and were first in the door of the restaurant, bang on the opening time and was greeted by very welcoming and happy looking staff.
With the order placed, we sat down with our drinks and awaited our food to arrive.

After taking part in the Grillstock festivals we had to go for the Brooklyn Indian Pale Ale and the Orchard Pig Cider to assist in washing down this plate of meaty goodness as these have been sampled at Grillstock in the past.

The wait for the food was not long at all........

The smokey BBQ smell and the look of the food made our mouths water instantly, so we got on dividing the food between us.

I could go on about all of the meat individually but as it is all fantastic, moist and melt in your mouth, there is really no point! 
Added to the meat, the BBQ Beans were a definite not to be missed bonus with an extra spicy kick too.

Don't forget their own sauce either. 
Whether it is the Oaky and Smoky original or the Smoulderin' Heat Hot version, both are extremely tangy and definitely compliment all the meats available.


As I said, we had looked at the menu before going to the restaurant and had decided on the GC, but a close second, and the only thing not included on this massive meaty plate, was the burgers.

While we were sat devouring our food a gentleman opposite ordered the LockJaw burger!! WOW!
I can't obviously say how it tasted, but looking at it and the way he ate every crumb on his plate, i would say it will have to be ordered next time for sure!

This small intimate restaurant does not take bookings to make it fair to people coming in off the street, but they do take away too.
The restaurant itself has a great atmosphere with excellent background music playing too, and along the the cheery staff and excellent food we can do nothing but highly recommend this place if you are ever in the area.

Just a note though, if you are planning to go get there just before they open the doors as withing half an hour there were no seats left and this was only midday!! 

Will we be going back?? You bet!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Will I be doing the Grand Champion Challenge..??? Hmm, if I do, I do know one thing for sure, I WON'T be doing it under 19 minutes like a guy did last week!!!!

Well, after seeing that Wetherspoons had a new menu on the go we decided we would give it a try, bearing in mind someone had mentioned Pulled Pork was involved! On looking at the food we decided that I would try the Pulled Pork Roll and Sarah would have the BBQ Hot Dog.

Looking at the picture in the Wetherspoon News magazine, showing a nice roll overflowing with what looks like juicy BBQ Pulled Pork, my mouth was certainly watering.
OK, i am fully aware that this is value food from Wetherspoons but i was hungry.
Sarahs foot long Hot Dog was also looking very appetizing too.

Twice cooked Pork eh? Well, time would tell how this tender, tasty meat would turn out.
We ordered and sat in anticipation, sipping our pints, which were included in the £7.59 for each of the meals.

So, the food turns up and first impressions... Disappointment.
As both dishes cost the same amount, Sarahs Hot Dog looked a much better 'plate' of food. The Pulled Pork Roll looked lost on there....
Yes, there was a small pot of Coleslaw missing from it, but it still wouldnt have made me go 'WOW'! Sarahs Hot Dog on the other hand looked amazing.
The pork was not overflowing the roll, infact it wasnt even out to the edges and I obviously got the wrong impression on how the BBQ sauce was added before the '2nd cook'.

As you can see in the second photo it says that the Pork is Pulled and BBQ sauce added before the Pork is cooked for the second time and allowed to take on the flavours and moisture of the sauce. As you can see from opening the bap, not the best amount of Pulled Pork in there, plus the rocket is hiding what looked like a smearing of BBQ sauce on top if it. Not quite the second cook to bring out the flavours and adding moisture i was quite expecting. Reading the description made it seem like the sauce was mixed with the pulled pork, but in reality on looking at the pork it was almost like the bland looking meat had the BBQ sauce put on it.

On 'pulling' the pork apart it is clear that the BBQ sauce is just added on the top and by the look of the sauce being dry around the edges, certainly gave the impression it was microwaved. Second cooking, if you say so.

Tasting the meal was not the best either to be honest.
It may have been 'cooked twice' and it may have been tender but the pork, once the BBQ sauce taste had gone, was very bland with not a lot of 'pork' flavour coming through.

So, if you feel you need to try the pulled pork roll my advise is don't. Go for the BBQ Hot Dog. You will get nearly as much pulled pork, complete with cheese melted over the top and all over a foot long hot dog... MUCH better value!!!

More blog updates!!Fingers crossed, now that our website host has a mobile app, this means we hope to be able to update our blog more often...

There is only one weekend during February that we will not be cooking! 
The first saturday will see us showing our good friend how we cook Ribs. It was their request, so going through all aspects will be fun!
On the sunday, we will be cooking for friends and family letting them judge our food and making suggestions etc on how we could improve.
The third weekend sees us travelling up to see Phil and Racks Of Ruin BBQ team, where we hope to have a practice run through for Grillstock! Should be a fun weekend!
The last weekend sees another selection of friends coming over and having a tasting session!!

We certainly cant wait to turn the calendar over and get February started!!