Saturday, 17 November 2012

The Tapas Bar St Helens

The blog is fully interactive so please feel free to click on coloured text links or hover over the photo's to take you to related sites, enjoy.....





Now you might think that finding somewhere in 
St Helens to enjoy a relaxing evening in stylish surroundings, with a great choice of food that'll remind you of the night you spent in Quimet i Quimet tapas bar in Barcelona is out of the question.....well you'd be wrong! The recently opened Tapas Bar St Helens offers an authentic taste of Spanish tapas in stylish surroundings that will have you coming back for more.....and more!  

It's the ideal place to relax after work with a cold beer or a warming Rémy Martin.....and if you're celebrating that really special occasion why not splash out on a bottle of Dom Pérignon.





There's a selection of over 20 tapas dishes on offer plus a specials board, along with a wide range of wines, spirits, specialty coffees, cocktails and some of the best home-made sangria this side of the Mediterranean.


Beer on tap includes Mahou, a Spanish beer brewed in Madrid, medium gold in colour with a clean nose of orange, rich malt and a slightly nutty note and sipping it reminds you of sitting in a Spanish square in the early evening as the sun sets.



Tapas dishes available include....


Tuna & Patatas

Garlic Mushrooms
Patatas Bravas
Potato Salad 
Vegetarian Paella 
Pork Paprika
Peri Peri Chicken
Choritzo Stew
Spicy Black Pudding
Meatballs
Rabbit in Garlic
Chicken Kebabs
Chilli
Beef Stifado
Chicken in Tarragon
Seafood Cocktail
Prawns in Chilli and Garlic
Calamari
Spare Ribs
Choritzo in Red Wine & Paprika
Traditional Paella
Lamb Koftas
Boquerones








If you fancy a light bite then try the fresh bread with the best homemade Aioli I've tasted in a long time.  All the food is cooked fresh daily including the dishes on the specials board.

So if you're planning a special night, treating the family or just want to relax with a drink or a coffee and friendly chat then Tapas Bar St Helens is the place for you.....open from 12 - 12 every day.









Wednesday, 14 November 2012

St Helens feature part 4.....St Helens College & Colours Restaurant.....



St Helens College is one of the largest further education colleges in the North West of England and there has never been a more exciting time to study there. They have recently completed the first full academic year in the new £57 million Town Centre Campus. The new state-of-the art building provides students with the best possible learning environment to succeed and also the facilities and resources available will provide you with everything you need to develop your skills and knowledge for the future.
St Helens College currently has over 7,500 students of all ages, studying on courses from Entry Level through to Degree Programmes and Professional Qualifications. They attract students from across the North West and work with over 3,500 employers, helping the economy to thrive and develop.


Whether you're seeking employment, a promotion at work, a change of career, progression to university or you just want a new challenge, there are a wide range of courses available to suit your needs. They offer full and part time vocational courses from Animal Care and Construction to Catering and Sport along with a vast number of Apprenticeships and Adult Apprenticeships. They provide progression routes into higher education and offer over 50 Higher and Professional programmes and work in partnership with 6 major universities. They also offer courses for industry and courses for leisure.


One of the jewels in the crown of the college is.....


Colours Restaurant

Colours is an innovative fine dining restaurant in St. Helens with a modern contemporary theme, it certainly stands out from the crowd.
Take a look along Waterloo Street and you can't miss the impressive frontage and glazed entrance. Step inside and you'll receive a warm welcome by friendly staff behind the stylish reception counter, take in the striking bar and comfortable lounge area, with its beech wooden floor and colourful bold décor.
Have a seat and enjoy a leisurely drink before you eat, or if time's short you can be seated directly in the vibrant dining area and relax in the ambience that's been created. The quality furnishings, stylish crockery, and eye catching abstract artwork keep your interest whilst you savour the menu.

Menus

Here's some liinks to give you an indication of the type of menu, quality and choice of dishes that they offer.
Lunch MenuFunction Menu
Evening MenuBuffet Menu
Saturday Evening MenuWedding Packages
Childrens Menu



menu-image

They change the menus every term and all dishes are freshly prepared from quality ingredients. Wherever possible they try their best to source produce from local suppliers.
If you have a food allergy or special dietary requirements of any description, which may affect your choice of dish when dining with them, just advise the restaurant staff when ordering and they'll be more than pleased to accommodate your needs.


Christmas With Colours

Here's their Christmas menus for 2012.....just click on the links.....


Christmas Evening Menu Monday-Thursday
 
Christmas Evening Menu Friday & Saturday 
Christmas Lunchtime Menu


With no price increase from last year they're once again offering unbeatable value for money and looking forward to welcoming you.
  • Lunch £16.95 - 3 courses and coffee
  • Dinner Mon-Tue- Wed-Thu £21.95 - 3 courses and coffee
  • Dinner Fri-Sat - £25.95 – 4 courses and coffee
A deposit of £10.00 per person for all bookings is required by Friday 30th of November
Payment forms:
By phone with a debit or credit card
Christmas at ColoursCheque made payable to St Helens College
Cash: at desk only.
Please note: deposits are non-refundable
Dates for Christmas Meals
December 2012
Tuesday 4th
Wednesday 5th
Thursday 6th
Friday 7th
Saturday 8th
Sunday 9th
Monday 10th
Tuesday 11th
Wednesday 12th
Thursday 13th
Friday 14th
Saturday 15th
Sunday 16th
Lunch
Lunch & Dinner
Lunch & Dinner
Lunch & Dinner
Dinner
Lunch
Lunch & Dinner
Lunch & Dinner
Lunch & Dinner
Lunch & Dinner
Lunch & Dinner
Dinner
Lunch
LChristmas at Coloursunch served from 12.00 till 1.00pm last orders - Mon - Fri 
12.00 - 2.00 - Sun
Dinner served from 6.30 till 8.00pm last orders Mon-Thu 
6.30 - 8.30 - Fri 
6.30 - 9.00 - Sat


The indicated last order times are not the times by which they expect you to vacate the premises. They're far to friendly and look forward to your company so there's no set time for that.  Book early to avoid disappointment. Call them on 01744 623155 or..... 



Monday, 12 November 2012

One-pot Moroccan Chicken.....no tagine required


Ok those fancy Moroccan tagines may look great but they're expensive and easy to break, which when you're a Jack Russell would be often.....so I've come up with this delicious, quick and easy to cook one-pot Moroccan Chicken Casserole  that's not only tasty and filling it's nutritious and inexpensive to make as it'll serve six.  Just chuck it in a casserole dish and top with feta, fresh mint and lemon for a fragrant taste of North Africa.....










  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • onions , 1 roughly chopped, 1 sliced
  • 100g tomatoes
  • 100g ginger , roughly chopped
  • garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp each ground cumin , coriander and cinnamon
  • 1 large butternut squash , deseeded and cut into big chunks
  • 600ml chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 100g dried cherries






Season the chicken. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a flameproof dish, then brown the chicken 
on all sides.

Remove the chicken to a plate. 

Whizz the chopped onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic into a rough paste. 

Fry the sliced onion in the remaining oil in the dish until softened, then add the spices and fry for 1 min more until fragrant.

Add the paste and fry for another few mins to soften.

Return the chicken to the dish with the squash, stock, sugar and vinegar. 

Bring to a simmer, then cook for 30 mins until the chicken is cooked through. 

Lift the chicken out and stir in the cherries, then continue simmering the sauce to thicken while you shred the chicken into bite-sized chunks. 

Stir the chicken back into the sauce and season.

Mix the red onion, lemon zest, mint and feta. 

Scatter over the dish, then serve with some couscous and yogurt.