I think I had rib-eye steak from M&S, it was very good Their chicken (OK I've bought chicken thighs and slightly pricier stuff) is very good too, and some of the Fuller for Longer meals are quite nice, as are the premium sandwiches (Chicken and Bacon salad, yum)
I still have a small Oakham chicken left to cook. I have had it before and I did think it was moister than standard supermarket chicken. I never buy ready meals, when I have a look at them I always think for the same price I can make the same dish myself and get at least two meals out of it. I do have time to cook, so I understand people who resort to them for lack of time.
If I wanted to try one, I would go for something I wouldn't be able to cook myself easily, any suggestion?.
I remember buying a few weeks ago some chinese from them, the egg fried rice and sweet and sour battered chicken; I didn't mind it but my boyfriend said the chicken had a fishy taste and the rice was nothing to write home about (I thought it looked a bit mushy).
I had been persuaded to try their chinese range as I had read on here how their chinese ready meals are so similar to chinese takeaways and better than the ones you find in Asda and so on. My boyfriend doesn't even really like it when I attempt to cook chinese myself, he still prefers the takeaways, same with doner kebab.
The other day I popped into M&S here in Colchester and I got chicken thighs, angus beef burgers and beef minute steaks since they are 3 for £10.
I have cooked the burgers and thighs so far and my boyfriend said the burgers weren't that great... I thought being angus beef they would surely taste better than, say, frozen burgers but he wasn't impressed. I am not as fussy as him and found them good, just like any other burger I had had before (told you I am not fussy ).
Mind you, he did eat them but that has left me thinking Marks and Spencer are not all that maybe.
I don't usually shop there as they are expensive for our budget but I thought this time I would treat us to better quality products.
Your boyfriend should be happy with what he gets instead of moaning all the time. He sounds a real complainer!
I think their food is amazing especially their desserts. Their Salted Caramel Billionaires desserts, chocolate cheesecake slices(both the chunky and the Belgian varieties), Berrymisus and Salted Caramel cheesecake slices in particular are really worth trying.
M&S are really starting to tick me off.
i go into my simply food store 2 or three times a week for bits and pieces but by god it's becoming a chore!
i find the sell by dates far too short, i couldn't find one on a loaf that was longer than 2 days and over easter their hot cross buns were the same. on milk i sometimes struggle to get a use by date 3-4 days longer than the day i'm buying....ok, i might be going back in a couple of days but it takes me longer than that to get through a loaf.
my biggest, or most current, bug bare with my local is the standard of staff they seem to be employing. a couple of weeks ago whilst browsing the small home section i was subjected to a conversation by two fat chavs moving some plates around, essentially fat chav no1 was telling fat chav no2 all about her previous evening with new boyfriend of 4 days, how he bought her a couple of pints of cider and snogged her face off. apparrently he was a bit too toungy:eek:
if they were not in uniform, both of which could have done with a wash and iron, i swear i would have thought i was in pound stretcher! good quality staples and professional, polite staff used to be a trademark of M&S but sadly both have been on the wane for some time:mad:
Apparently some of the Simply Food stores are actually franchises rather than run directly by M&S. Perhaps that might explain the difference in standards?
I have to say the Simply Food near my parents' house is great, but the one closest to me is awful.
I still think the food halls within the main M&S stores are better though.
Apparently some of the Simply Food stores are actually franchises rather than run directly by M&S. Perhaps that might explain the difference in standards?
I have to say the Simply Food near my parents' house is great, but the one closest to me is awful.
I still think the food halls within the main M&S stores are better though.
really:eek: i never knew this! surely the franchise is sold with a standard code of practice though?
I've criticised M & S on other threads before with mixed response. We don't have one in our town but there are 3 towns around us that each have a branch and I find they all have similar problems in their food departments. Poorly stocked shelves, meal deals without all courses available, illogical presentation, poor pricing display, slow checkouts ( and I'm never in a rush! ) etc. Also, I don't believe the quality of the food is as good as it once was. I went to one on Wednesday with the intention of buying their cooked chicken breast but, not only did they not have any, there didn't appear to be a gap on the shelf where it would have been. I also wanted to treat myself to their Coquilles Saint-Jacques which they had but the use by date was that day and there was no reduction. I left empty handed.
Although most of it is miss, some of their new summer range is lovely (and like all their promotions are often reduced)!
The Strawberry and Rhubarb crumble custard pots are to die for and their Prawn Rose Marie pasta salad is all good (large prawn, santini tomatoes and pasta).
Their Eton Mess dessert is a bit strange - it's raspberry instead of strawberries and they put white chocolate in the cream. Still very edible.
See, I think that TF coleslaw is gorgeous. Best coleslaw there is, aside from homemade.
Each to their own I guess. I couldn't get on with it. The texture was ok but I felt as though the flavour was lacking somewhat. Tasted a bit too bland for me. I didn't mind too much because I got it dead cheap on the reduced section which has almost become my second home these days lol. Maybe it was going off..? My favourite coleslaw is the one in Nando's. I think that's lovely!
Anyone seen the "White Chicken Korma" ready meal that won the Food Glorious Food show?
I looked on the pack and it had 3 chillis on it saying "Hot".
I thought surely its not a Korma then is it? Korma is mild.
Chicken tikka masala with pilau rice ready meal IMO is fab. It's my treat to self. Also like the coffee Swiss roll. I send my lad once a week to M&S for me.
M&S are really starting to tick me off.
i go into my simply food store 2 or three times a week for bits and pieces but by god it's becoming a chore!
i find the sell by dates far too short, i couldn't find one on a loaf that was longer than 2 days and over easter their hot cross buns were the same. on milk i sometimes struggle to get a use by date 3-4 days longer than the day i'm buying....ok, i might be going back in a couple of days but it takes me longer than that to get through a loaf.
my biggest, or most current, bug bare with my local is the standard of staff they seem to be employing. a couple of weeks ago whilst browsing the small home section i was subjected to a conversation by two fat chavs moving some plates around, essentially fat chav no1 was telling fat chav no2 all about her previous evening with new boyfriend of 4 days, how he bought her a couple of pints of cider and snogged her face off. apparrently he was a bit too toungy:eek:
if they were not in uniform, both of which could have done with a wash and iron, i swear i would have thought i was in pound stretcher! good quality staples and professional, polite staff used to be a trademark of M&S but sadly both have been on the wane for some time:mad:
If you want good quality then I suggest you try Waitrose. Better than M&S & around the same prices.
I am with you on this one. Waitrose is not as expensive as people think. Their own value type stuff is really good too, especially their muesli. My bill from waitrose is no more than sainsburys or tescos.
I am with you on this one. Waitrose is not as expensive as people think. Their own value type stuff is really good too, especially their muesli. My bill from waitrose is no more than sainsburys or tescos.
Sorry, I have to disagree. Waitrose fresh food is almost always of superior quality but you do pay a premium compared to Tesco etc. and the branded goods are nearly always more expensive and not just by a penny or two. I do shop there occasionally for certain things but I refuse to pay 30-50p or so over the odds for the privillege especially as they tend to be the most souless of supermarkets. Some of the staff are very nice but many are miserable and as for the customers!!!! My OH refuses to come in with me now, he finds it too depressing. BTW, my opinion is not based on one store.
Comments
I still have a small Oakham chicken left to cook. I have had it before and I did think it was moister than standard supermarket chicken. I never buy ready meals, when I have a look at them I always think for the same price I can make the same dish myself and get at least two meals out of it. I do have time to cook, so I understand people who resort to them for lack of time.
If I wanted to try one, I would go for something I wouldn't be able to cook myself easily, any suggestion?.
Your boyfriend should be happy with what he gets instead of moaning all the time. He sounds a real complainer!
They also invented Percy Pigs
i go into my simply food store 2 or three times a week for bits and pieces but by god it's becoming a chore!
i find the sell by dates far too short, i couldn't find one on a loaf that was longer than 2 days and over easter their hot cross buns were the same. on milk i sometimes struggle to get a use by date 3-4 days longer than the day i'm buying....ok, i might be going back in a couple of days but it takes me longer than that to get through a loaf.
my biggest, or most current, bug bare with my local is the standard of staff they seem to be employing. a couple of weeks ago whilst browsing the small home section i was subjected to a conversation by two fat chavs moving some plates around, essentially fat chav no1 was telling fat chav no2 all about her previous evening with new boyfriend of 4 days, how he bought her a couple of pints of cider and snogged her face off. apparrently he was a bit too toungy:eek:
if they were not in uniform, both of which could have done with a wash and iron, i swear i would have thought i was in pound stretcher! good quality staples and professional, polite staff used to be a trademark of M&S but sadly both have been on the wane for some time:mad:
I have to say the Simply Food near my parents' house is great, but the one closest to me is awful.
I still think the food halls within the main M&S stores are better though.
really:eek: i never knew this! surely the franchise is sold with a standard code of practice though?
Got 2 of them in the freezer, picked them up for 50p each last week in the reduced section
Tesco Finest* is horrid.
I tell you what, the Finest* coleslaw is flipping ghastly! Bought some the other week and it was just so bland it was unbelievable.
On the other hand, the Finest* freshly squeezed orange juice is awesome.
Hit and miss I guess..like anything really
Those Moroccan pastries are lovely seen they?
I also like long ones with feta.
The chicken & chorizo ones are also well worth a try too
The Strawberry and Rhubarb crumble custard pots are to die for and their Prawn Rose Marie pasta salad is all good (large prawn, santini tomatoes and pasta).
Their Eton Mess dessert is a bit strange - it's raspberry instead of strawberries and they put white chocolate in the cream. Still very edible.
Yep, loving the feta ones too! They're even nice cold.
See, I think that TF coleslaw is gorgeous. Best coleslaw there is, aside from homemade.
Each to their own I guess. I couldn't get on with it. The texture was ok but I felt as though the flavour was lacking somewhat. Tasted a bit too bland for me. I didn't mind too much because I got it dead cheap on the reduced section which has almost become my second home these days lol. Maybe it was going off..? My favourite coleslaw is the one in Nando's. I think that's lovely!
I looked on the pack and it had 3 chillis on it saying "Hot".
I thought surely its not a Korma then is it?
#middleclassproblems
I am with you on this one. Waitrose is not as expensive as people think. Their own value type stuff is really good too, especially their muesli. My bill from waitrose is no more than sainsburys or tescos.
Sorry, I have to disagree. Waitrose fresh food is almost always of superior quality but you do pay a premium compared to Tesco etc. and the branded goods are nearly always more expensive and not just by a penny or two. I do shop there occasionally for certain things but I refuse to pay 30-50p or so over the odds for the privillege especially as they tend to be the most souless of supermarkets. Some of the staff are very nice but many are miserable and as for the customers!!!! My OH refuses to come in with me now, he finds it too depressing. BTW, my opinion is not based on one store.