Say it With Steak This Valentine's Day at Beefeater - Emersons Green

We celebrated Valentine's Day early, in fact 11 whole days early on 3rd February. I couldn't resist the chance to go to Beefeater again and my birthday provided the perfect excuse to be wined* and dined *breastfeeding.

 

There's lots on the menu for couples who love hearty food (forgive the pun but it is the week of the red organ :-) ).

 

Hubby had the Beefeater Mixed Grill which comes with lots of bits and pieces that can be easily stolen shared. I knew he'd keep a tight reign on his Onion Rings so I made sure to order a side portion of those.

Beefeater Mixed Grill

For the perfect combo, have it all with our platter of 4oz flat iron steak, chicken breast, gammon steak and pork sausages. All seared to perfection on our chargrill and served with half a slow-roasted tomato and mushroom, crispy beer-battered onion rings, fried egg and triple cooked chips

Upgrade to a 10oz Rump Steak for just 2.79 extra.

The triple cooked chips (and also unlimited skinny chips) are unlimited so the second they said "is everything okay?" we ordered plenty more for Aaron and I to share. Neither of our dishes came with chips so it was perfect - besides, food off someone else's plate ALWAYS tastes better doesn't it?!?!?!? :-)

For me, when I think Beefeater I think steak and they do it very well, so it's the perfect meaty option for Valentine's Day. Even more so considering their "Say it with Steak this Valentine's Day" promotion which means you get 3 courses for £19.99 at Beefeater. Click on the link to see the menu you choose from. That offer is available from Thursday 11th to Sunday 14th February.

STEAK at BEEFEATER

Every steak we serve is special. Why? Because we source all of our meat from farms we trust to deliver the best quality. We employ master butchers to hand-cut each steak and expertly age them for 21 days. We even train all of our chefs in our very own steak academy to perfect the grill of every cut we serve. 

That's why each steak that leaves our kitchen is nothing short of mouth-wateringly marbleous

All our steaks are served with half a slow roasted tomato, grilled mushroom, lamb's lettuce, salad and unlimited triple cooked chips or skinny fries. For a lighter option ask your server to swap chips for a salad

If you love sharing food in that romantic finger licking tapas type way, then there are a whole section of sharers on the Beefeater menu including:

• Sharing Potato Dippers
• Freshly Grilled Tear and Share Flatbread
• The Beefeater Sharing Platter
• Ribs and Wings Combo

I didn't order any starters but I did order a side salad and a portion of onion rings both of which we shared despite hubby having his own onion rings - hhhmmmmm what is it with that? ;-)

The fab thing with Beefeater is they sell warming "Pud, Pud Glorious Puds" which are perfect for the hubby as he loves anything that resembles a steamed pudding that's served with custard, except this time he tried Clotted Cream for the first time, and quite literally said he is now a convert. His exact words, that it is orgasmic! This was served with the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Last time we dined at Beefeater I had the Raspberry Bakewell which was at the time brand new on the menu. That is literally to die for:

Raspberry Bakewell

A slice of bakewell with a light pastry base, raspberry jam, pistachios and almond flavoured sponge. Served warm with custard

This time I did not have room for dessert so opted for the Deluxe Hot Chocolate which was formidable! Hit my need for a sweet tooth solution AND my penchant for having an after dinner hot drink (wasn't going to risk coffee with my newborn sleep deprivation or a hot drink with alcohol being that I am breastfeeding).

 

The Sundaes at Beefeater are truly spectacular and remind you of the Knickerbocker Glorys of childhood. I've had the Eton Mess Sundae at Beefeater before and can recommend it.

I love the layout of Beefeater. It means that the husband feels like we have privacy and I also feel that when Aaron is being lively he is not disturbing other patrons all of which makes it the perfect place to be romantic on Valentine's too. We sat at a lovely booth, our new family of FOUR :-) but it could have easily dined 8 people - perfect for the large family or perhaps small family dining with extended family. The table next to us were doing just that and celebrating a birthday. Our Beefeater has an upstairs and a downstairs so lots of various seating available.  For parents, perhaps try eating at 1800 like we did, either because you want to get home for bedtime, or because you have the kids with you. Being romantic and dining out doesn't have to mean a late night and it means you can get in when it's slightly less crowded. Our Beefeater likes to start setting up for breakfast at 2200 anyway.

 

Normally I would have been looking at the wine list but I didn't tease myself with that and it'll be something to look forward to when I am done with breastfeeding. Wow that first glass of wine will taste good considering I didn't just give up for pregnancy but also did when I was trying to conceive.

 

I find Beefeater to be a very wholesome/hearty place to eat as a family. Not at all rowdy and with waiters/waitresses that really make you feel at home, with a great deal of patience and a natural warmth with children. All the staff we've encountered always make a huge effort with Aaron, so he always feels welcomed and included, which is perhaps why he dances a jig whenever we go  there. Last time he LOVED the Mr Men activity book and the 4 Mister Men figurines they gave him on exit. Testimony to how great the place is, this time there were no figurines and no activity books, yet he loved it just as much and that's purely down to the atmosphere, the quality of the food and the quality of the service so no wonder everytime we go we leave a £5 tip.

If you have read my last blog post you will know that we braved our trip to Beefeater with a newborn. It went incredibly well, although it took us a long time to get out of the house. I have nailed packing all the right stuff and getting everything done on time, but it's the surprises she springs on me as we are going out the door that make me late. Thankfully this has only happened for Beefeater and for Aaron's half term Art Workshop and hasn't made us late for school yet.

As you'll know from my last blog post, our meal was complimentary for the purposes of this review. Thank you Beefeater, was great to celebrate my birthday in style especially straight after a C section and week 1 of sleep deprivation - great to let someone else worry about what's for dinner :-) Couldn't have been better timing as it cheered up the first week of hubby being back at work after Paternity Leave too.

Full Moon Madness

So it was just an average Friday except *put the brakes on* it wasn't!

I normally get a lie in on a Friday but today we had to be at Aaron's nursery by 09:30 for a parenting class. This meant meeting my BFF at 09:15.

We did that no problem... errrr.... except we had strong gale-force winds, cold and rain, lots of rain, to contend with.  We got there flustered but on time.  We signed in our boys to a "creche" of sorts in the children's centre and headed to the class (over in the school in a porta-cabin) on "disobedience".  It was phenomenal.  We learned LOTS, came out on a high and then BANG, I walked into a post.  Why does a playground even have a post in the middle of it?  I was engrossed in conversation, I wasn't looking where I was going.  My face was SO looking to the left, my chin was above my left shoulder, talking to the two ladies to my left.  THAT is how I otherwise inexplicably hit the right hand side of my head on the post I walked into.  I could have been Mrs Bean had there been a camera out, as in true cartoon style, I fell over, like BONK in one direction, followed by a BONK style fall in the other direction........... except a parent caught me, so I landed on my bum and not my head.  Yes what was my large dry posterior, sat on the wet playground, where I proceeded to cry at my stupidness stupidity.  It took 2 of them to get me up, and then we had to find a sheltered bench to sit on, as I was too dizzy to walk.

We eventually said we better go and get the boys, but we had a welcoming committee when we got back to the nursery, so it was to the first-aid room for me, where I was treated to a cold compress and a very sweet cup of hot tea.  I have never felt so looked after.  Our boys by now were the only ones not collected, so we eventually went to get them.  Oh the IRONY considering we'd just been on a disobedience class.  My BFF son had 2 cars and would not share them with Aaron (unusual as it is normally the other way around) and the two of them went into paddy mode.  One because he was tired, mine because he was hungry.  We tried distractions.  We were allowed back into the playroom.  We tried reading them a story.  NOTHING worked.  Our boys ALWAYS listen to Teachers; even THAT did not work, so we left.

We were just going into a cafe for lunch when my husband Knight in Shining Armour arrived on his steed in his car.

He gave my friend a lift home and we headed to A&E, excuse the pun.

To cut a long story short I received exceptional service there.  The Doctor I saw had also been on the parenting course and we had A LOT to talk about.

Anyhow, we then went to +Tesco - I cancelled our date night as I truly felt concussed.  I couldn't find Valentine's Themed meal deals (as our area does not stock them *sad face*).  I was advised that they are 20 pounds anyway and was shown the 10 pounds meal deal.  The staff member was apologetic.  He very nicely said "it is only available in selected stores" - I said "you mean in posher areas?" and he would not commit but smiled quite sweetly and knowingly.  He needn't have been apologetic.  The minute I set my eyes on what was on offer I was thrilled.  A side dish, main meal, a dessert and a 6.99 pounds bottle of wine, all for 10 pounds, what's not to like!!!! But it gets better.  It was ALL Tesco finest* and we all know how much I LOVE Tesco finest*

I was even more excited tonight when we tasted everything.  A meal for two became a meal for three as we obviously shared it all with Aaron.  Daddy and Aaron LOVED the meatballs.  I would highly recommend them.  As you can see if you click on that link, the offer is on till 25th February.  If you have a night you don't fancy cooking, and you want food AND wine at affordable prices, head on over there, or even order online. Wine is often out of my price range, but all that for TEN pounds you really can't go wrong.  Our side dish was the Cornish Butter Mash which Aaron simply loved.  The minute I noticed everything was Tesco finest* I knew it would all be good.  We haven't even opened the wine yet as Daddy got me a dozen red roses AND a dozen Krispy Kremes and a bottle of wine/card for Valentine's Day, so I still have the wine to look forward to.  In today's world where you don't get much for a tenner, I am thrilled with this value for money and will be getting it a few more times before 25th Feb!

Oh I have missed a whole part of the story.  After I chose everything and BEFORE we paid, an alarm went off.  My member of staff was no longer apologetic about the meal deal when he could tell I loved it and we were absorbed in a good old chat, when he told me "if this alarm doesn't stop, we will have to evacuate". He was very sensible, and very professional.  Already planning ahead when it had only been going off 5 seconds.  For those of us who work in retail (I did all of my working life, with my last few roles being in Head Office senior management), we know alarms are usually false alarms.  Except........... it wasn't.

On the way out I asked the Grocery Manager, "what shall I do with my shopping"?  He said "I don't know!" - not nearly as professional or sensible as my friendly meal deal sales assistant.

What happened next, was like war-time spirit.  All of us customers, accompanied by a hell of a lot of staff, all clustered outside the store, despite the cold, despite the rain, despite the wind!  We chatted, we laughed and we patiently waited in true Best of British style.  We spotted Firemen inside and lusted after them (joke)  and gossiped about whether they would find anything, with one customer claiming he had smelled smoke on his way out.

Daddy tried to walk away to drive to another store several times, but me and Aaron were enjoying the atmosphere too much and would not let him go.  Our patience rubbed off on him and Daddy was very chilled to wait too.

It was a long time before we got let back in, and sensibly, they insisted on letting the staff back in first, except a gang of smokers were 5 minutes behind everyone else, but still before us.  We all went in, eventually, as if it was the first day of the sales, and I rushed to where I had abandoned my basket, with an urgency that meant I must have assumed it would no longer be there.  It was, of course, there I mean.

Tonight, me, Daddy, Aaron, we've all been very mellow.  Aaron was like a model child, the whole time we were inside, outside, inside Tesco, and all the way home.  He played impeccably with his toys whilst I "cooked" and tidied the kitchen.  I can only conclude that his misbehaviour earlier was on his part hunger, and on his friend's tiredness (as he still has an afternoon nap).  Why is it that they are angels in private and terrors in public?  Actually that is not fair, as it is not often Aaron does that or behaves like that. As he is my little shadow, we have full on adult-like conversations and he is exceptional at logic/reasoning and negotiating.  To be fair he is not often irrational - it's just VERY frustrating when he is! 

It was lovely tonight just putting things in the oven, not having to properly prepare a meal.  As you will see from this photo, I couldn't even be bothered to chop/peal carrots (despite having them in) due to my still concussed head, but knowing that a meal for two, wouldn't necessarily stretch to a meal for three, (Aaron's got a healthy appetite) I added some steamed baby potatoes.  They were a tasty addition. Like I say forgive me the lack of colour in this photo, but we all enjoyed it and had full satisfied tummies at the end! Yum!

Anyway, in the coming weeks I need to adopt all of what we learned on the course this morning.  Maybe in the coming days or weeks I will type up and blog what we learned.  It's called the Positive Parenting Program, but they also seem to call it Triple P.

So I called this post full moon madness because the day just seemed so bizarre.  My friend and I this morning cutting across a field, with the wind and rain against us.  Being on a phenomenal course (that comes from Australia) and being filmed whilst talking, only to bonk my head in such a cartoon way.  To end up in A&E and to then end up in a fire evacuation.  It all seemed a bit surreal.  I am clearly NOT a good writer, as I haven't conjured up the full moon madness vibe that I had set out to, when I started this post and ambitiously chose the title :-(

For anyone reading this post at a later date, this post will be marked 15th February as it is now after midnight, but I largely wrote it on Valentine's Day, hence my Knight, and my roses etc...

Also, strictly speaking, I should declare that I paid for the meal deal with a 20 pounds voucher that Tesco sent me a few weeks ago, in my capacity as a blogger, but (1) they hadn't intended it to be used on this (2) we spent a lot more than that, even getting GREAT affordable PJs for Aaron and (3) all words, opinions and full tummies are our very own!

Liska xxx