It seems from a twatspat that's been twittering on over the past 24 hours that 'Mayor' Tim took on The Observer's foodie fanatic over a review of his Surin Thai restaurant in Ramsgate's Harbour Street. JR objected to his continuing use of the review, which is now something like a decade old.
But as we know from bitter experience, Tim is like a dog with a bone. Here's a slightly reheated and rehashed taste of the Twitter exchange:
Tim: Surin is 'one of the best Thai meals I have ever eaten', Jay Rayner, The Observer and BBC Food Critic. Ad inf.
Jay: Stop quoting (my review). It's out of date.... Every time you quote me I'll call you out for dishonesty.
Tim: Do not threaten.... How rude and childish... I'll contact the Observer to disown you... We can quote it as we wish.
Jay: Which bit do you not understand? I haven't been (to your restaurant) in ten years so I can't stand by that review.
Tim: Your ego is in overdrive.... Just stop the bullying.
Kevin Harris: (Who he? - Ed.) Best to avoid Surin it seems, the proprietor can't control himself.
Jay: I have no idea whether Surin is any good. But I'm sure that (Tim) is what my people call a bit of a schmuck... I don't expect people to try and promote through something a decade old.
Tim: After this nasty bullying you (Jay) are not welcome.
Jay: That will be the next quote Surin use: 'A Jay Rayner-free restaurant since 2014' :)
Tim: Your nastiness just silly.
Jay: I'm going to sit in the corner and think about what I've done.
Tim: It was a great piece of writing. Shame it's soured a bit.
Jay: TEN YEARS AGO. And do stop snivelling. It's unattractive.
Tim: Annoyed/ashamed of you. Expect better.
Jay: Restaurants change. Chefs lose their touch.
Tim: Bullyboy reviewer banned.
Jay: Does this mean you'll stop quoting my review? I mean, if you now hate me so much and I'm not welcome how can my review be valid...?... After this I can say I have no interest whatsoever in the restaurant you represent. Well done.
In my opinion, poor old Tim has just committed culinary hurry-curry there. My threat to come round and give the Surin an 'honest review' in response to him spamming my blog would now seem a trifle redundant!
Still, I don't expect we'll have to wait long for his perspective on it! Pip pip!
125 comments:
I have only ever eaten in the Surin once and had a bad case of the shits next day so never went back. The food wasn't all that as I recall, very average
Making friends and influencing people.... I also spotted that he is a prospective Mayor and MP. As Mayor is not an elected position, I find this an interesting proposition. And will he be the mystery South Thanet Conservative candidate???
ECR,
You are completely missing the point here, completely. What we in Thanet wish to know is what does Jay Rainer think about Manston?!
I know, should be 'Rayner'.
I doubt that, Mr S. I think he styles himself as 'Independent Green'. Whatever that is.
And yes, the position of Thanet Mayor does not exist. Perhaps he would be advised to take Father Ted's diagram of Father Dougal's head under consideration.
Most of Tim's ranting on his own blog and twitter is years out of date. He long since ceased to be a businessman holding multiple directorships, but would have us believe, despite the polluting effect of aircraft, that he regularly jets off to Hanoi, Saigon and Bangkok. He certainly does not have meetings with the Vietnamese Ambassador, anymore than he is a major customer of Ferrero Rocha.
The one thing we should all remember though, is that his long suffering wife works hard in her little restaurant, trying to keep him whilst he indulges his fantasies.
For me, I could forgive him his idiotic rants if he was not so damn rude to and about people.
The last time Rayner mentioned a restaurant in Ramsgate it closed within weeks. That was the awful Harvey's, where Mariners now is, with John Burton Race supposedly at the helm. A truly dire experience, and a justifiably dire review from Rayner.
I do feel sorry for Tim's missus. Perhaps she could chain him up somewhere?
I think you are all being very cruel and that Tim is a lovely bloke really. He is obviously very concerned about the real issues like pollution, corruption, closing Manston, getting rid of duffers like me and having all and sundry arrested for offences ranging from 0% salaries to failing to collect fines.
Also, don't forget how knowledgeable he is on airport firefighters, the RAF Regiment, military police, aviation fuel and how many jobs there are at Manston. Where would we be without his fund of expertise.
Loved the subject title, Richard, very apt.
What an unpleasant person Jay Rayner is! Last time I went to Surin it was lovely!
Oh, Little Willy creaming his underpants because someone else is having a go at his nemesis. And no, my name isn't Tim.
Keep it on topic, 4:08pm.
And do you really think Rayner is being unpleasant, Ms T? Surely he has a right to protect his reputation? Quoting a 10 year old review does seem rather silly, doncha think?
I think it is firmly on topic, ECR. Your post is very negative about Tim Garbutt, who appears to be Little Willy's nemesis. He has taken advantage of your post and added fuel to the anti-Tim fire. That was my sole point.
Fair enough. But let's not turn it into yet another 'Who's got the biggest sausage?' fight, eh? Ta.
A bit like using a ten year old MOT certificate for my car. It's only valid at the time of issue and is no proof that the car is serviceable one day later, let alone ten years.
To be fair, I think Tim is fine to use this review so long as he mentions the date! The words were uttered, after all.
Ideally, Jay Rainer would just go over there with dark specs / fake moustache and review it again so that we can all get a updated perspective!
A little less pettiness all round probably wouldn't hurt, right?
Come now, 4:17, hardly my Nemesis, unless you think the word has some other meaning to that in the Oxford dictionary. Must admit though I do like the opportunity to join a consortium of Tim deriders. The chap spouts rubbish and must expect to be exposed for it sometimes.
I was never a fan of Rayner though, but he has certainly gone up in my estimation as Christine thinks he is a nasty chappie.
Good to see someone taking on the London foodie luvvys. Why shouldn't the review be quoted and it's on the Surin website etc. Jay Rayner is notorious for toys our of the pram and trying to ban his own review is pathetic! "One of the best Thai meals ever" is saying something and Surin is as excellent as ever.
5:45, your praise for the Surin might carry more impact if you put a name to it. As it stands you could be Tim in anonymous mode singing the praises of his own (or his wife's) little nosh shop.
4:08 & 4:17
You do not understand the meaning of the word 'nemesis' but then I expect there is much that you do not understand.
Christine,
You have missed the point of Rayner's argument. He was not critiscising the food but rather the use of a 10 year old review.
We should keep in mind that the Surin restaurant is not run by Tim; but by his long suffering and hard working wife.
A bit like TDC, Dreams and Reality and of course a hint of Manston and a dash of Ferries, or is that away with the fairies as some of our so called politicians are? William this is not aimed at you, but the higher tier (if you could cal them that).
I cannot help wondering how Jay Rayner discovered that Tim was using a 10 year old review, did someone grass him up? That person should know that they have not damaged Tim. They have damaged his wife who does not deserve it.
The Surin is wonderful so why not use the review Jay Rayner gave thhem? It's a factual view and not an MOT liceence or anything like that. The Times even calls Surin a top ten Thai restaurant. If it wasn't, people would soon say. Storm in a teacup sounds about right: see @timg33
To be fair, ECR/Duncan - Tim is standing for an elected Mayor precisely because it isn't elected ie to create that role. Chicken and egg and all that. Why did the RTC lot decide to have the role unelected when RTC was created (by Tim amongst other)?
Dave Green was the first new RTC Mayor but who elected Mayor Gibson and why did the reluctant TDCers suddenly join RTC as well?
Secret appointments of councillors by councillors is exactly what is wrong with the doublehatters and we need a clearout.
Independent Green is exactly that: not a member of any party but Green-tinged if anything ie CLimate Change, construction and so on that blight Thanet.
Why are Mallinson (the anon posts about Vietnam) and Epps so obsessed with Tim? Are they gluttons for punishment in proving themselves nasty idiots? Is Epps really still a councillor?
A wrinkly vendetta?!
Hmmm. If someone that you trust told you they'd had a good meal in a restaurant 10 years ago, surely you wouldn't use that fact as a reason to go there now.
A one year old car in 2004 is not the same car it is in 2014.
Critics exist in the moment, they are not soothsayers!
Even so, this is a bit inconsequential. If I owned a restaurant, I wouldn't enter into a public spat with the likes of Rayner, AA Gill or even the daft yet lovely Grace Dent. Head down Tim, stop digging - Rayner's a big guy.
Your "hurry-curry" pun made giggle (but then again I love old comedy and jokes from the 70s).
Let me guess, Epps was in the RAF/Police and feels all put out at crticism?
7:07 Obviously not with just one review (although Jay Rayner in 2004 upto 2014 is as you say very reputable). And several superb reviews would establish a pattern for excellence wouldn't it?
MOT's are compulsory for cars but reviews not for restaurants. A better analogy would be say Shakespeare, still superb after all these years.
Bullying and censorship is beyond the pale.
Mr Smithson, your prejudice against anonymous bloggers does you no credit. Offensive and troublesome contributions frequently come from named players - you included. And please don't label all Anon's as "trolls".
Mallinson and Epps are the proManstoner geriatrics who don't like it closing.
Along with over 15,000 who signed the petition 8:19.
All quoted reviews and awards quoted on the Surin are years out of date .. anybody been recently?
8:31 a grumpy Manstoner who never flew with it by the sounds of it. Check out the latest Surin reviews on Trip Advisor...
Why would 15,000 people want an airport on the water supply or the air pollution 8:31.1?
For cheap easily accessible flights maybe?
But they'd get sick and have to cancel their flights wouldn't they?
If there was flights from Manston of course.
its is all dribble utter utter dribble
7.47 You're wrong. Shakespeare didn't re-write his Sonnets every day for 10 years. If he had, we'd be discussing more than his original first works.
What don't you understand about the contemporaneous nature of the critic's work.
Think about it ;-)
How many people have become ill and Manston was proved to be the cause?
Tim Garbutt there, living proof of someone completely losing the plot !
Is he paying you Richard to plug his eaterie?
How many people have become ill and Surin was proved to be the cause?
How many people have listened to the pornographer and the crushing bore and felt nauseous?
.......cue tedious ripostezzzzzzzzzzzz
9:06 seems unable to explain the pollution at manston while 9:21 has forgotten that there is plenty of research confirming ill-health around airports. Unfortunately he falls into his own trap by asking for specific proof...knowing the monitors were removed by Infratil and TDC. A visit to the QEQM cancer ward should throw up some interesting statistics...
Although bias living in Ramsgate and anti Manston knowing that if Manston expanded or had night flights it would ruin the place that I live. I cant help but feel that people who arent affected by the noise, pollution and the continued threats that keep house prices and investment to a minimum are just trying to keep a failed airport alive because they have been spun a load of lies and conjecture. After looking at all of the finances, pros & cons I cant see how Manston could ever turn a profit as it would take over 1 billion pounds to make Manston viable and then it would still be to far from London.
Thanet has only one option for economic success, to reinvigorate its leisure industry, Manston Airport as a site lends itself perfectly to a large leisure complex with the surrounding towns benefiting from holiday makers spending their holiday money on all we have to offer. So if you are going to pressure councils and government for anything then make it in the leisure industry (Butlins, Centre Parks etc)
The sight of large aircraft over beaches and large ferries close to shore is not what people go on holiday to see. This fight taken on by people who arent affected seems vindictive and spiteful to the people of Ramsgate and Herne Bay as reading this blog they have often portrayed.
As there is no possible economic future to Manston Airport without a huge injection of public money which would be unsustainable for any length of time and would only take much needed public money from more worthy and viable causes. The only way forward for Thanet is tourism!!!
So I implore you to think about the consequences and financial viability of what you are supporting and if you really care about where you live and if your children will have jobs then all you have to do is look at the last twenty years of economic decline, lets not have another twenty years.
Manston has had more chances than it ever deserved, its time to call it a day and look to a brighter, cleaner, quieter future in the leisure industry of what was once a great tourist area, economically sound and thriving.
Who on earth would want to go to a Butlins type place that is 2-3 miles from the sea? You obviously aren't much of a businessman!
11.09pm - here here.
11:14pm - there there!
11.14
Oh and you are,and your a Manston supporter?
Agree tourism is the way forward and Manston is dead but we have a council that is looking to be cleaner, greener - and older.
They're past it we need to be rid of these fools that have failed us and poisoned us.
Why does Manston have to be built on? How would that be profitable anyway?
11.42
gloag will have to get her money back some how as a brown field site there will be no stopping her from building on the site its just whats built?
as for me i dont want to see the site developed just i know it will be
11.24*
Not a Manston supporter would like something else there but would also like some good restaurants in Thanet but Surin not one of them.
What is wrong with the Jay Rayner review of Surin:
Don't pass the port
Ramsgate's link with culinary greatness used to be the ferry to France. Now, says Jay Rayner, it's Miss Damrong's sublime Thai dishes
Jay Rayner
The Observer, Sunday 4 January 2004
It took me more than three hours to get home from my lunch in Ramsgate, and I cannot deny that it felt like punishment for going there in the first place. Three hours! In that time I could have made it to Paris, or Barcelona, or Ludlow, each of them famed for their culinary opportunities.
Better with journeys like this, then, to dwell only on how long it takes to make the outward trip.
Two hours from London, down a miserable, sclerotic excuse for a train track, is worth it for the pleasures of Surin at the other end. Surin is the main town of the region of Thailand which abuts Cambodia and Laos. It is also where the chef and owner of the restaurant, known to all as Miss Damrong, grew up.
Miss Damrong is a brave woman. I know this because there is a photograph of her in the window with Ken Russell, his arm opportunistically about her waist, and she looks not at all concerned. Perhaps she had never seen any of his films. There is also courage in her decision, after years of cooking in top London Thai restaurants and for the country's royal family, to open a restaurant of this much ambition here, by the Kent docks.
For Surin really is more than your average Thai restaurant. It's obvious in their own-label Thai-style beer, a dark ale with dense caramel flavours, produced for them by a local microbrewery. It's obvious in the prawn crackers, which come to the table so fresh they are still crackling from the heat of the oil, and in the sweet chilli and peanut dip that accompanies them. And it is there in the freshness of the preparations.
At its worst, bad Thai food can be a nightmare, a calamity of industrial strength sugars and gelatinous coconut solids, scattered about with the crushed up contents of a bag of something by KP. But Surin restores faith. A soup of chicken and coconut milk to start was light and fresh and soothingly aromatic. Steamed Thai dumplings of minced pork came in the silkiest of pastas. Of the main courses the star was 'Red sea bream Penang curry'. This had me and my companion, Steven Harris, the chef-owner of the Sportsman in nearby Whitstable, scratching our heads. Was this bream from the Red Sea? Or a red curry made from bream? It was the latter, of course, the thick fish fillets first fried off and then served in a rich, chilli-boosted gravy, with layers of flavour that broke on the tongue in waves. Whole sea bass, laboriously filleted and then reconstructed as one piece, came steamed with chilli, garlic and lime juice, and while the garlic was a little raw, the flavourings did not overwhelm the delicate qualities of the fish.
The two staples we tried - a chicken green curry and a pad Thai - were both better than average. The curry had an uncommon lightness and zip to it; the noodles were not so sweet as to overwhelm the dishes that went with them, while still boasting character.
It was, in short, one of the best Thai meals I have ever eaten. And the most remarkable thing about it was that Miss Damrong was the only member of staff. She greeted, she took orders, she cooked, she served, and throughout she managed to maintain that same beatific smile that she displays in the photograph of her alongside Mr Russell. It was sweetness enough to sustain me on the long journey home. Almost
There's nothing wrong with the review, just that this was 10 years ago and things may have changed since!
Rayner seems a bit odd giving a great review and then not checking the latest reviews. And why not visit Surin again? I love it there!
Ten years is a long time. I agree with Rayner, a lot can change in that time.
Anon 9:13 pm,
On your instruction I have thought about it and you still do not make sense.
Rayner just seems up himself as the review is just one of many Surin uses and there are lots of other recent excellent reviews. I've read the guest book there too which isn't online.
And at the very least it shows Surin has been in business over 10 years and reviewed by the likes of Rayner which can only be good for Ramsgate.
Shame about Eddie Gilberts closing too.
In true Tim style he messed it up because he always seeks argument and does not tolerate dissent from his blinkered point of view.
He should have ceased displaying the revue, apologised to Rayner and invited him to revisit the restaurant. But this is not Tim's purblind way.
I can ignore Tim's ravings about Manston, 0% salaries, etc. Many of us know the cause and can sympathise with the knowledge that although he may anger he causes no harm.
Except for this time. This time he has damaged his livelihood. A livelihood that is provide entirely by his hardworking and talented wife.
Well said Zip although why would anyone want to censor/review a review that says Surin is one of the best Thai meals ever? That's good isn't it? Why shouldn't the Surin proudly display it so everybody can read it?
TDC covering up Manston or the 0% corruption is very different.
Manston was much better 10 years ago.
having had a look on twitter i think the problem may have arisen from tim quoting from jays review on twitter as if it was a contemporary up-to-date review. this is deliberately misleading.
i don't know much about tim (and have no interest learning either) but a few have said he has political ambition and/or wanting to stand-up for ramsgate. in which case this shows you he's not the person for the job.
like zip said, simply ask jay to revisit a place he found wonderful, so he can write a more recent review. any reviewer who liked a place so much as he did 10 years ago would probably enjoy revisiting. and if jay says 'no', then people can understand why tim's having to resort to using a 10 year old review and it just looks like jay's the difficult party. and at the same time point out to jay that the only negative in the old review (the agonising train times) are no longer an issue now we're only 1hr17m from st pancras.
that is how tim would have represented ramsgate positively. but this tim guy seems to be toxic.
11:09, presumably you did not notice that Thanet had Butlins but it failed, just like you claim Manston has. What is Butlins now, a retirement block for geriatrics. That is the future for Thanet your way, not tourism.
What exactly has a Penang curry got to do with Thai food? Penang is in Malaysia and has a mixed population of Malays, Chinese, Indians and a few Europeans. A Penang curry would surely, like a Singapore one, be designed to cater for local tastes.
Eastcliff Richard, why don't you invite Tim Garbutt to give his side of the story? Just a thought.
Anon 10:09,
You are being petty.
I lived on Penang for three years. Which is to know that all SE Asian food styles intermix across borders.
Besides the term 'curry' was invented by the British and if you ask for a curry in India they will not know what you are talking about. And yes, I also lived in India for three years.
10:18, Tim and his mate, an ex OR, are giving it all the time amongst the anonymous comments. In any event, there is nothing to stop Tim coming on here and saying his piece though, having done enough damage to his wife's business, it might be better if he did not.
Food styles may inter mix but they are very different, which you would know if you really lived in Penang and Indian. Talking of Penang, what was the name of the hotel near the waterfront that was in bounds to officers only? Where was the Penang Swimming Club or the Aussie Hostel?
I simply wondered why one would call a Thai dish by a Malay name? Not an unreasonable question and it is more a criticism of the reviewer than the restaurant.
Further to my 10:32,
If you go to the one time British Indian Hill Stations such as Matherand & Mahabaleshwar you will find restaurants serving 'Raj Food' and there you can get an old fashioned British Curry.
9.55
Your argument is as flawed as Tutankhamen's face. I am not saying that the 3 towns dont need a bit of sprucing up as for Cliftonville where butlins left from in 1999 needs a lot more help what margate council needs to do there is revoke the multiple occupancy licences and only allow flats
But if you think that Thanet has no chance of being a place for tourism then just look at its history it has far more chance of turning round its economics than Manston
Anon 10:40,
You are wrong.
Neither will I rise to your nasty little quiz. For whether or not you believe that I once lived on Penang or in India is of no consequence to me. Bas.
Margate council?
Anon 10:09 am,
You are puzzled. So you will be interested in the following explanation: "Phanaeng curry, panang curry, or penang curry, is a type of Thai curry that is generally milder than other Thai curries." [source Wikipedia]
I hope this eases you mind.
I am sure you agree that the Thais are entitled to name their curry dishes as they please
Anon 10:40 the quiz compiler.
Perhaps you should have got out a bit more and spent less time in the Nuh Wa Seng and the Sydney Cafe.
I had several curries in Nairobi, does that count? That was in 1963/1965, but they number one top hole and I would recommend them any time, if the restaurants are still standing. Similarly the Queen Mab restaurant in Aden served a superb curry circa 1964. Singapore was not so good though.
I've eaten in most of Thanet's Thai restaurants and the Surin is the only one I'd not go back to, looks like I'm in good company.
100% Thai round the corner from Surin next to the Porn and Wanker pub is a much nicer experience but the best in Thanet has to be the Bangkok in Cliftonville.
10:51, why does your response not surprise me. If living in Penang and Indian is of no consequence to you, why did you use that as though to lend some expertise to your comment. The reason you won't respond to my quiz is because you simply do not know, you were never there the same way Tim is not meeting the Vietnamese Ambassador. It is all pie in the sky from a make believe world.
11:38, preferred the Butterworth Café, mate, for they staged a better quality punch up in there between the Rocks and the Diggers.
The answer to all Thanet's ills. Make it the Thai restaurant capital of the UK with Thai restaurants dotted across the Isle, then build lots of hotels for the tourist trade and enlarge Manston to accommodate all the flights this will generate. By decree of the (elected) mayor of Ramsgate all restaurants must become Thai, with at least 100 different Thai dishes on the menu.
5:51, going back to your query about the understanding of the word Nemesis, which comes from the Greek and should be afforded a capital letter to start, such is that which may cause the downfall of some one or thing. The only downfall Tim is likely to cause is his own.
Hmmm. In that case it would be ἄτη then, Mr E.
Too intellectual for me, Richard, or maybe it is because I just woke from a nap.
Must say I find it incredible that you can do a post on Tim's spat with an historic reviewer and it already attracts over eighty comments.
What a joyous meander around the topics of the day... late to the party as usual, my considered opinion is that the food at Surin was delicious when I first came here 11 years ago - and still is, BUT... the menu is more limited now and has fewer interesting new dishes and specials I think. So in effect, it does need a fresh review...
However, so many restaurants in Thanet seem to be good for 6 months until the chef changes - (in some cases they improve remarkably when the chef changes) so Surin's consistency is remarkable.
If people lament the loss of Eddie Gilbert's they should try the Empire ROom - not as fishy sadly, but of similar quality.
William Epps has stood for elected office and gained it.
He is honour contracted to answer questions that fall within his jurisdiction. I am not aware of his ever failing to do so.
How about asking questions or making arguments abusive anons ?
William has held certain views upon my own erudite contributions to Thanet blogging. But he did not shirk an email exchange. Even though the result was the Nemesis of his original opinions.
Good fellow William.
Rick
Anon 3:53,
You really must brush up on your reading and comprehension. I said quite clearly that whether or not you believed is of no consequence to me. Or to put it in your language I don't give a sh*t if you don't believe me.
Oh yes, anon 3:53, one does not live in Penang, as you so persistently state, it is an island so one lives on Penang.
7:19, am I worried that you could not give a shit what I think. Why should I be having proven the point you are talking rubbish.
You cannot use something to lend credence to your statement if you are not prepared to prove it when challenged. You can still live in Penang in the same way you can live in Ireland or Britain, which are also islands.
Face it, you are just a bull shitter. Bet when you lived in India you were breeding Bombay Ducks.
This blog seems to have been taken over by the pensioners reminiscing and bickering on their military days in Penang, India, Singapore etc and trying to denigrate Tim's position on ex-RAF Manston where they worked and so on.
With 8pm drawing on the pensioners have retired for cocoa or a meal deal from the chippy.
The Surin is a superb restaurant and if only we had more of them in Thanet. As the pensioners die off the area will certainly improve. Or is it too late?
They'll die off much quicker if they visit The Surin often enough!
If that was the case 9:02 I would pay Surin to flavour their flasks of cocoa with extra strength chilli powder (and cyanide)! I am sure I would be at the back of a long queue and Surin would decline. If only though...
6:48 you are joking Rick - William has scurried around to ignore anything to do with Thor Broadstairs that you raised even denying the factory existed where it does.
Committing hari-kiri for his own neighbours and relatives.
Perhaps Tim is right with the Meiji focus of reform when Mayor - and attention should be paid to say the ill-effects of Minamata disease from mercury.
The pensioners will sicken and fade so the younger generations can try and solve the problems they've made.
We need a clearout at RTC and TDC it's too much corruption and failure to change by itself.
I've been to Surin a few times in the last 10 years, and have thought how odd it is to parade very old reviews as if they represent anything happening in the restaurant in modern years.
The food is alright. No better or worse than that.
Which election is Tim botting out of next?
Or bottleing even!
Enough about pensioners. You will all be pensioners one day, and you will have to wait longer for the privilege too. And yes it was us who served in all these foreign parts, some places better than others, but that's what we had to do, whilst you youngsters were still in nappies. I served IN Aden, an Island, IN Singapore, an Island, and I live IN Thanet, an Island too. I know this blog is a bit of a free for all with abuse distributed left right and centre so I'm treating everything with a pinch of salt, and so I'm off to my pit with a large scotch.
A large Scot what? Egg? Woman? Tape?
Anon 7:45,
Do I need to remind you that you started this argument due to the fact that you were puzzled by the term 'Penang Curry'.You have already been told that Phanaeng curry, panang curry, or penang curry, is a type of Thai curry that is generally milder than other Thai curries. [source Wikipedia]
By the way I should imagine that most schoolchildren know that Bombay Duck is in fact a fish.
Since you can't even read anon @ 10:46 I don't know why I should bother, but to be fair I did spell Scotch with a small s. And while you get pissed on cheap cider I shall enjoy my single malt. And if you don't know what that is look it up. And while you are at it, find out what a stengah is too.
Anon 10:26,
Yes, served in but lived on. These two verbs do not have the same meaning and require different prepositions.
I lived in Singapore 11:26, I live in Thanet, some people live on the Isle of Wight, and some on Sheppey. And as the old song goes, "Where you ever in Penang, looking for a Chinese bang?"
Do you know, 11:19, I really thought a Bombay Duck was a water fowl with a turban shaped feathered headdress. Just goes to show what one can learn from intellectuals like you. Mind you, I also thought Jippy Tummy was served with the coffee in Thai restaurants.
For the benefit of the joker who says he lived on Penang, but clearly didn't, it is in fact a state of Malaysia which extends beyond the island onto the mainland. Hence, you can live in Penang without living on the island which is just part of the state.
When making such claims, it is worth remembering that there are still plenty of people in Thanet who did serve in the Far East and know you are talking bollix.
Well this is all very jolly, reminiscing about days gone by! (Sent from my smartphone in Iceland.)
Don't you mean 'on' Iceland, Richard?
No, he means in Iceland, in the same way as I was in Tesco earlier.
Gosh, 12:39, you're so money super market. What do you do for an encore.
12:39, I would say 'in' myself, but I was picking up on an earlier comment that you say 'on' an island, as per the Penang debate. Mind you, don't think it has a great future as a debating point.
Anon 9:58,
You bellow that you have served in the Far East. Would that be Norfolk by any chance.
Anon 9:58,
I know for a fact that you have never served in the Far East or indeed anywhere else except on a dust cart in Thanet. And you cannot prove otherwise.
How very childish, 2:37, as we both being anonymous can hardly prove anything about each other. It is also a very silly comment to make as British forces were stationed in the far east, mainly Singapore and Malaysia, in large numbers until 1967, in Hong Kong right up to the handing back to China and still serve in Brunei. As such there will be many veterans of service there living in Thanet.
Anyone who did serve there would almost certainly be able to prove it from their record of service, but why would they bother to some anonymous twit on a blog site. Most of us do not feel the need to claim trips to all points East of Java on twitter like a certain Dim Tim.
I am with 2:37, 9:58, because I was in the Far East, Changi and Tengah as well as China Rock bombing range and never saw you there. Mind you, I never saw 2:37 or Tim either.
every??????
twitter.com/timg33/status/459457484462493696
This post is really just pensioners insulting Tim via the Surin because he's the future Mayor isn't it?
The Surin is by far the best Thai in Kent and one of the best in Britain no more than that.
Even Jay Rayner says so (and writes at length on it) - he simply then has a hissy fit because Surin chooses to uses the review along with dozens of other reviews saying how wonderful Surin is.
Thanet should make more of its wonderful restaurants rather than abusing them. The Thanet way I suppose.
The future mayor of Thanet that is. Time for change.
Lance Corporal Mallinson served in the RAF Regiment walking around runways in the colonies. And then we lost the colonies. Not exactly Rommel is he? If he was in my regiment I'd replace him with an Alsation or keep him painting rocks white.
I'd hire Rommel to run the RAF Regiment merger with Serco except he's dead. Then again even a dead Rommel may be of use than some of our military. Helicopters not flying because it's dusty in the desert? Rommel wouldn't put up with that!
Usual crap guesswork from 6:50. Just what is your problem and did Allan Mallinson ever say he was in the RAF Regiment. I don't recall so.
Do you not realise the damage you have done to your wife's restaurant with your silly tiff with Rayner.
You have to be careful, 7 PM, for whilst many of these comments are from Dim others are from his equally stupid oppo, Kilcaddy or some such daft name. Bit of an expert on Rick's range that one from five minutes service in the NAAFI.
I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.
Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.
Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, 'ow's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.
We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind",
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir", when there's trouble in the wind.
You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires, an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.
For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
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