Table For Stu

20/10/2025

Anniversary dinner at Malocchio and it was a special one.

I'm a bit late to the party as Malocchio has been all over my feed for a couple of weeks and after visiting I can understand why.

The restaurant is absolutely stunning and was packed as well so I was excited. Our waiter recommended a bottle of wine for us, so we trusted his recommendation and I was glad we did.

The menu recommends 3 small plater per person. We ordered:

• Crispy potatoes
• Rosemary & sea salt sourdough focaccia
• Tortelloni w/ Sage butter
• Slow cooked venison ragu
• Nduja pizzette
• Flat iron w/ cowboy butter

Special mention to the Nduja pizzette, venison ragu and the flat iron.

The focaccia was everything you'd expect. Light and airy with a crunchy crust. The pizzette was surprisingly light and the rich nduja with the creamy mascarpone just elevated it. The flat iron was cooked to perfection and I could have eaten that cowboy butter on its own, it was packed with flavour. The venison ragu might possibly be the best pasta dish I've ever had. Massive chunks of venison that melted in your mouth with no effort at all. A really special plate of pasta

You simply cannot go to an Italian without a tiramisu finisher. We opted for one to share and I'm so glad we did as it was more than enough for the both of us after eating all that food.

When it came to the bill it was very reasonable. Without the service charge, for six small plates, a desert and a bottle of wine we spent a reasonable £100 (£68 without the wine). I'd be more than happy to pay that again considering the amount of food we had, and I don't think it'll be long before I'm back for another go at that ragu 😍

9/10

14/10/2025

Amazing first visit to Homestead Smokehouse in Ayr last week, and it certainly wont be the last. Ayrshire has been crying out for a good BBQ place and it finally has one.

They have been more or less fully booked every weekend since opening on the 20/09 and I can see why.

We opted for the Texas Massacre Pit Platter and one of their classic smash burgers. The double smash burger had everything you'd expect, a thick crust and a juicy centre. More napkins were required on this one.

The Massacre had everything you could want on a pit platter, brisket, ribs, kielbasa, pulled pork, wings and ever a portion of their brisket chilli (wow). Their pulled pork was special. I normally feel that pulled pork is too sweet, but this was full of flavour, rich from the fatty pork and smoky from the pellet smokers used in the kitchen by John the owner. The ribs had enough bite whilst still being tender, but the highlight was the kielbasa. A Mattessons on steroids. It was meaty, juicy and packed with smoke. The brisket wasn't like any other brisket I've had before, but it was tender and flavourful all the same, and we both really enjoyed, both it, and the brisket chilli. I cannot express how delicious the owners homemade BBQ sauce is, so much so that I brought a bottle home with me and I've been throwing it on everything since then.

Special shout out to John for taking the time to chat to us, and all the staff at Homestead for making us feel so welcome, and for entertaining Cora as much as they did. It won't be our last visit. 8.5/10.

18/08/2025

This week's review took us to in Monkton, a small shop with a big reputation, and my goodness it did not disappoint.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that it was just another bakery and sandwich shop, but Buns & Crumbs have taken that assumption and slapped it between some freshly made focaccia 😍.

I ordered the special of the day, the Philly Cheesesteak. Tender steak and sautéed onions absolutely stacked with cheese, inside the aforementioned focaccia. Need i say more? 9/10

Now imagine, instead of steak, you loaded another one with Creamy cajun chicken, grilled peppers and again, stacked that sucker with more cheese. The only issue I had was biting through my cheek trying to get more of it into my mouth. 10/10.

A small collection of cakes were left which speak volumes about how busy this place was, it was absolutely heaving when we arrived. So we took advantage of the good weather, got a couple of iced matchas and had lunch outside at the benches across the road.

Tremendous scran on an equally tremendous day.

03/08/2025

We got off to a flyer today for our first review with a visit to The Bistro.

Situated on Sandgate in Ayr, The Bistro boasts a robust menu, showcasing loads of local produce, which is sure to please even the fussiest of palettes.

The start of our visit was mostly Cora stealing the waitresses attention, but no one can be faulted for that. We started our meal off with a couple of softs drinks due to Jo's hangover, and my post nightshift body requiring sugar. The drinks menu includes an extensive wine list and cocktail menu, with a good selection of whiskeys if that is your poison.

We started off with their Lamb and Haggis Rogan-Josh Bon Bons. They were crispy and absolutely full to the brim with rich pulled lamb. The curry mayo added a nice creaminess to the dish, with the pickled shallots cutting through the rich lamb beautifully. The mango chutney rounded off the dish with a wee bit of sweetness. A very solid start 8/10

I had opted for a soup and sandwich combo, but what I got was a combo on steroids. The Bistro Hot Beef Melt with Cullen Skink. The soft ciabatta was packed with thinly sliced beef, sautéed onion and mushrooms, pickled red onions and crumbled Arran blue cheese. I really enjoyed the sandwich, however I found the blue cheese very overpowering for my taste, but still really enjoyed it. 7.5/10

The Cullen Skink stole the show. Rich, creamy and absolutely stacked with large bits of fish and vegetables. Probably one of the best I’ve ever had, and my only issue was that I'd taken it as part of a combo and not as a full portion. 9/10
Jo had ordered the Baked Mac and Cheese, a standard hangover cure. What arrived was a substantial portion of piping hot, oozing mac, with a garlic ciabatta and some crispy fries. The sauce itself wasn’t the cheesiest sauce I've ever had, maybe slightly under seasoned, but the parmesan crumb that was baked on top of it gave it the saltiness that it needed and was a very solid dish. 7/10

A committee meeting took place, and the decision was made to share a pudding, and it did not disappoint. The Toffee Apple Crumble Gyozas were right up my street. The stewed apple still had a bite to it, the oat granola crumble gave it the crunch I was looking for. While the gyoza element was an eye catcher, I don’t think I would have scored the dish any different had it not been there. Polished off with an espresso to see me through the rest of the day. 8/10

It was bill time and honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. For the level of service, the quality of food and the size of the portions, The Bistro is tremendous value for money. A solid option gets added to the roster of eateries and I don’t think it will be long before I visit again. 8/10.

01/08/2025

Evening folks,

As you've probably noticed I've been quiet on here for quite some time. Between working, becoming a Dad and being a lazy arse, I haven't had time to fill your bellies with pies, as much as I would love to.

So I've made the decision to spend my time on the other side of the table moving forward as I'm not one to gate keep a good meal just because I don't get the glory of having made it.

To quote the kind words my mother recently said:

"See if you aren't eating, you're talking about eating. You're actually talking about food while you're eating right now!"

So look out for some reviews, highlights and recommendations from some local eateries (or maybe some further afield) as I continue to talk about it because Jo won't listen to me about flavour profiles any more.

Stu

29/07/2025

⏲️

21/12/2023

2024.

👀

27/10/2023

21/08/2023

I will be taking part in the New Cumnock Triathlon on the 27th August 2023 in memory of my Grampa, Wullie Kelly. In May of last year Wullie was diagnosed with cancer, and following a short illness, passed away on 29th August 2022. His passing left a massive hole in our family and there isn't a day g...

07/09/2022

How are we all folks?

It's with a heavy heart that I have to announce that last month's pie batch with be the last for the foreseeable.

Unfortunately with the rise in costs for produce its not feasible currently. I always made sure that I put the best ingredients into my pies and I won't sacrifice the quality in order for them to be more cost effective, and I cannot justify charging you guys anymore than I already do, it's not fair in the current climate. Hopefully when things settle down I can get going again.

I do have a few plans for the page, mainly to start posting videos of some recipes that you guys want to see, so drop a comment below and let me know what kind of meals you'd like to see me making! Everyone loves a good food video!

Much love 😘

Stu 👨🏼‍🍳

26/08/2022

Afternoon folks!

Pies are ready to go! They will be delivered tonight after 7pm.

Can I ask anyone who won't be home to give me a message as they all need to be away by 11am tomorrow morning as I'm off on holiday.

See you all tonight 🎉🥧

22/08/2022

Completely sold out again, thanks so much to everyone who placed an order.

See you all later in the week 😘🥧

One weekend per month. Monthly specials. Order. Collect. Enjoy.