October 2010

Guilty pleasure

On a corner of Bonnington Road in a spot whose previous incarnation had been a pretty average boozer, Guilty Lily brings a touch of retro glamour to its location. Here we have the familiar touches of a popular local bar or bistro with a relaxed vibe and comfy sofas, but also more than a hint of fabulous with crystal chandeliers, flock wallpaper and a background of old movies.

Their menu features a selection of pub favourites such as nachos, burgers, fish and chips, however it’s with the expansive chalkboard featuring daily specials that the kitchen gets the chance to impress. In a sharing mood, the Silver Fox and I started with home-made hummous and pesto with toasted flatbread, and also the goat's cheese and caramelised onion crostini. The thick hummous with a wee kick of spice was excellent and the fresh bright green pesto really stood out - packed with tangy taste,  it was a mite addictive. The crostini featured the always-pleasing combination of flavours; in this case carefully executed with toasted sourdough bread, two generous rounds of the soft warmed cheese, and sweet onion jam.

On to mains, and from the specials board my fella chose the hake with chorizo and sweet peppers. The pavé of white fish was cooked to flaky perfection. The chorizo, though arguably a little too powerful for the delicate fish, did add a nice depth to the pepper dressing, and the dish was accompanied by good skins-on new potatoes.

I was delighted when my thick-cut ribeye steak arrived and was cooked medium-rare, as ordered. The still-pink inside steak was juicy and covered with a silky mushrooms sauce. The dish was accompanied by the obvious choice of chunky chips, and they were the ideal thing to scoop up the last of the peppery sauce. My glass of mellow Tempranillo , chosen from the short but functional wine list, was a good pick.

Alas the generous sized portions didn’t allow space for dessert, however we did still have room for a couple of cocktails to round off the evening. My fave was the St Germain , a refresher made with white wine, St Germain elderflower liqueur, soda and lemon. Great food and cocktails on a Monday evening? Guilty! (L.Arfa)

The bill for food: £32.50