Mon-Wed huge discounts at participating restaurants.
We have arranged to go right as the eateries are opening, so there is nobody else in the place (usually). We've had the following since the program started:
The place that used to be Masala Twist on Byres Road. I can't remember the name, but Google will probably bring it right up. (Bantawala?) We both had an amazing lunch special - I had onion bhajis (sp?) and a chicken curry, with a HUGE naan bread. The both of us ate and the bill was £7.95 total. It was really, really, REALLY good. They were following all health protocols to the letter. Took our name and contact info. We will be going back! I am ~definitely~ going to miss that place when we leave.
We went to a place in Ashton Lane that we'd gone to Before Covid, Cafe Go Go. I ordered a ham and cheese toastie, which was usually pretty reliable. Service was surly. Toastie was 2/3rds the size they used to be, served with something that was supposedly salsa with four, count 'em four, tortilla chips. Salsa was inedible. Cost appreciably more than BC, too. While the servers were masked, we didn't find hand sanitizer there at the door and they did not take our contact info as they should have. Tables were probably spaced as required, but they seemed a little close to me. Wouldn't recommend the place. (It was also full of old people complaining about having to wear masks in the shops. Loudly. Ick.)
Pret - Their sign says no more than 6 people "eating in" but the shop was packed (maybe twice that many people in there) so we turned around and left. We had originally been headed to Nic's, but although all their info said they were open the store was closed and dark. So we ended up going to...
Taco Mazama. They were trying very hard with the protocols, but it is a small shop. Appropriate space marked off and tables separated. Had a chicken burrito. That was the blandest burrito I've ever had and it was interesting what they passed off as brown rice. But it wasn't bad. More like a chicken and rice sandwich than a burrito. We both ate for a total of about £6.50 - I certainly wouldn't pay that much for one of the burritos by itself, but for two the price was good and, it was filling and not awful. They did take our contact info.
There's a new ice cream shop next to the Indian restaurant. Also can't remember the name of that one. Soft-serve is nice stuff. The scooped chocolate ice cream is lovely. The chocolate chips in varieties that have them don't taste at all like chocolate.... As it's a take-away only, no contact info required. They are following protocols quite well, it seems. And two-fer ice cream after a curry isn't a bad idea!
And, not on the program, but one of our favorite places: Non Viet on Great Western Road. They are scrupulously following protocols, half the tables and chairs have been removed, there are now benches outside if you want to eat outside. They always take our contact info and the food is lovely. We used to go every week BC, and it's somewhat humorous that the waiter remembers us and knows what our last order was when we do go in now. They also do a nice take-away and the Botanics isn't far.
Speaking of, I finally tried the little shop in the Botanics, the one by the main gate. I got the daughter a hamburger and myself a mushroom burger. She was very happy with hers and I boiled a large patch of the roof of my mouth off with mine. It was literally scalding hot when I bit into it. Mouth has now repaired itself, thankfully. What I could taste of the mushroom was very nice. Fortunately they also sell ice cream, which is good on a mouth burn. The tomatoes on the roll were completely tasteless, as seems to be the usual case here, however. The place has hand sanitizer and they are doing their best with the requirements for a take-away only shop.
We had considered trying some of the more posh places, but actually I think I'd rather just have more curry.
